March 2014

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March 2014 | VOL. 30 • NO. 11 | $3.95

Best of Texas’Top 50Bass

StrangeBayTales

TheHogfrom Hell

Tangling with ‘Reef Donkeys’

AmberJacked

: Wolves

Not-So-BadInvasiveSpecies

Fundamentals ofBass Habitat

COASTAL COVER

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Digital Edition

March 2014 | VOL. 30 • NO. 11 | $3.95

AmberJackedTangling with

‘Reef Donkeys’

Not-So-BadInvasiveSpecies

Strange BayTales

The Hogfrom Hell

Best Fish in the Top 50

Texas’BiggestBass

: Wolves

Fundamentals ofBass Habitat

INLAND COVER

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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

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teD NugeNt • EDITOR AT LARGE

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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 otherwise reproduced without written permission. The publication assumes no responsibility 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 mail-ing 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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COVER:Texas’ Biggest Bass

A categorical review of the state’s top fifty largemouth, with

some of the biggest, and most interesting, fish from the Share-Lunker era in Texas.

Story by Matt WilliamsCover Graphic: TF&G

COVER:Amber Jacked

Often compared to winching an anvil up through a football field of

water, battling amberjack can challenge just about any angler. Bring Texas-size tackle when you enter the realm of the “reef donkey.”

Story by John N. FelsherCover Photo: Bigstock

www.FishGame.com

A categorical review of the state’s top fifty largemouth, with

some of the biggest, and most

STORY:

22

Often compared to winching an anvil up through anvil up through a football field of

water, battling amberjack can

STORY:

32

COVER:

Features

4 | M A R C H 2 0 1 4 | T E X A S F I S H & G A M E ®

STRANGE BAY TALESBacon-loving sharks, wading with gators, devilish nilgai and other weird tales from the cuts, backwater marshes, and muddy flats of coastal bay areas.

by Chester Moore

THE HOG FROM HELLIf there is a dark side to hunting in the American South, it comes via wild hogs. Take, for example, the “Satan Hog” and other stories of beastly boars.

by Chester Moore

WOLVES IN TEXASThis installment of our Wild in Texas photo essay series looks at the rich history of wolves in Texas, one that includes both surprises and tragedies.

by TF&G Staff

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50

54

WELCOME INVADERS!The term “invasive exotic” is being used with greater frequency to describe non-indigenous plants and animals—and usually with negative or alarming connotation. But many such invaders bring great benefits to their new homelands and waters.

by Chester Moore

28

Features

Table ofTable ofContentsContents

Table ofContents

Table ofTable ofContents

Table of

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MARCH 2014Volume 30 • NO. 11

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InsideFish&Game

Taking the SHOT

THe prOceSS OF puTTInG THIS ISSue TO bed In mId-Janu-ary was interrupted by our annual pilgrimage to Las Vegas for the 2014 SHOT Show. We go there every year because SHOT—the acrynonomous abreviation of Shooting Hunting

and Outdoors Trades—is the place where the “& Game” part of our industry gathers every year to show off the cool new gear you’ll be able to get your hands on a few months from now.

But not yet, which is why it is so cool to hang out there.As usual, we lugged our video equipment around with us so we

could record interviews with the most interesting of the new-gear mak-ers. Chester Moore and Dustin Ellermann talked on camera to sev-eral dozen companies about new guns, ammo, camo, optics, scents, crossbows, holsters, packs, cases, clothing, gadgets and other stuff to be unvielled for 2014-15.

This year we also took the cameras to Media Demo Day, where Dustin got to shoot a bunch of the new weapons, including rifles, handguns, shotguns, crossbows and even a modified full-auto AR.

The Demo event is held a day before the full SHOT Show begins, and is a literal Field Day for anyone who is interested in hunting or shooting. Dustin talked to the manufacturers in detail about the new guns they were introducing, and then he tested them out for himself on live-fire ranges. And we got it all on tape.

As usual, Dustin and Chester did a tremendous job interviewing all of the company representatives we saw at SHOT, both on the test range and on the show floor. We’ll run the full line-up of our SHOT Show interviews in the April issue. But you can check out many of the videos now, online at FishGame.com.

another passingSadly, we have lost another member of the Texas Fish & Game

family. Hunting editor Bob Hood died on January 9 after fighting a two-year battle with cancer. Bob, along with the late Russell Tinsley, was a part of TF&G from the beginning, so his loss is especially hard on us. We will miss Bob’s friendship, his unmatched writing talent, and his unbridled passion for all things out of doors.

In typical Hood style, Bob worked almost to the very end, which is why you will see his work even in this issue.

Read more about Bob Hood’s passing on page 12.

by Roy & Ardia Neves | TF&G Owners

Contents (continued) columns

10 editor’s notes Time to be a Texan by CHESTER MOORE TF&G Editor in Chief

16 doggett at Large applying for permit by JOE DOGGETT TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

18 pike on the edge chasing rainbows by DOuG PikE TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

20 TexasWild Texas Ibex GlockOut by TED NuGENT TF&G Editor At Large

21 commentary With Friends Like These... by kENDAl HEMPHill TF&G Politcal Commentator

39 bare bones Hunting extra Sensory Hog Hunting by lOu MARullO TF&G Hunting Editor

40 Texas Freshwater march madness: Get ready for the big bite by MATT WilliAMS TF&G Freshwater Editor

45 Texas Saltwater Oh, You didn’t Know? by CAlixTO GONzAlES TF&G Saltwater Editor

56 Open Season Frenzy by REAviS WORTHAM TF&G Humor Editor

8 LeTTerS

12 TF&G repOrT

12 bIG baGS & caTcHeS

36 TexaS depT. OF deFenSe

42 True Green

departments

www.FishGame.com

Texas Fish & Game is a family-owned business, and theowners welcome your comments and questions. E-mail Roy and

Ardia Neves or Ron Ward at [email protected]

6 | M a r c h 2 0 1 4 | T E x A S F i S H & G A M E ®

u




8 letters

12 tf&g report

12 big bags & CatChes

36 texas dept. of defense

42 true green

departments


www.minnkotamotors.com/chargers

Wildlife Must be the FocusJust read your article “WildliFe Must be the focus” in the January issue and I couldn’t agree more. My 16 year old son and I just finished a youth hunt at the Bastrop State Park (first hunt ever for the park). It was the best hunt we ever had and we didn’t kill a thing.

The bonding time was incredible for both of us. My son has hunted since he was 7 or 8 and he told me this was one of the best hunts ever. The park was devastated from the fires of 2011 but there were many deer and other wildlife to observe. We actually got to see a red stag. The staff (J. Hackett and others) were the best. I learned so much from my son about the eco system and how this fire will really help the region and how the plants will now thrive which in turn will produce healthy animals. Can’t wait to go out with him again. Wow what an experience, one I will never forget.

Andrew BergerVia Email

the “Wild Must be the Focus” coluMn Was one of the most poignant articles I have read in a long time. It really made me think about how we have strayed from our original hunting roots. Thank you for standing up and making a statement on behalf of our resources and for making the vital connection to our very important youth.

Sandy JonesVia Email

Thank you both for your kind words. I do this because of the wildlife, not the gear (although it’s cool) but the wild creatures. I am glad you have recognized that we have sort of gotten off track a bit and at TF&G we are going to do even more to enhance wildlife education so we can have these amazing resources that we pursue in the woods and on the water for generations to come. —CM

two Generations of Fish & Game PhotosGuys, i Would like to have My Grandson’s photo to make it into the book. His father made the issue back when Clay Walker was on the cover.

Kyler Jones, age three, from Princeton, caught his first fish, at his Pa Pa and Gi Gi’s pond in Mckinney.

Thanks so much if you are able to.

And to let you know, I subscribe to a lot of magazines, but you guys are by far the best. A customer for life.

Tom JonesMcKinney

second amendment rightsthanks For suPPortinG our second Amendment and thanks for this awesome sweepstakes you do because we need a lot more people like you and me if we are going to stand up to Obama and the anti-gunners! Just keep up the good work.

Ronnie McDanielVia Email

8 | M a r c h 2 0 1 4 | T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ®

letters to the editor

send yourcomments to:

Editor, Texas Fish & Game1745 Greens RdHouston TX 77032Email: [email protected]

KylerJones

TommyJones,

June 2002

q

q

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www.carolinaskiff.com

Editor’s Notes

Time to be a Texan

SomE 22 yEarS ago, whEN I gradu-ated high school I considered myself an environmentalist.

I was concerned about the destruc-tion of wildlife habitat, the degradation of certain endangered species and cancer causing chemicals being put in the air, soil and water. In a way, it was weird to think of being anything else. Who could be for drinking water with deadly toxins?

Then I went to college.There I learned the term environmental-

ist had little to do with those issues. It was really about “global warming” and “climate change,” which even back then I was skepti-cal of being manmade. The environmental community did very little to address what I considered to be pressing issues.

Then I started considering myself a con-servationist.

Conservation, as I had learned in real-life (not college), was the wise use of resources whereas the more radical end of environmen-talism was all about preservation. In other words, the aim was not using resources at all and sending western civilization back to the days of the pioneers all the while ushering in a strange enviro-version of Marxism.

As I addressed in my January column, many in the pro-conservation side of things are so gun-shy of animal rights and radical environmental ideology they push aside any-one who is A. Not willing to kill everything that moves; and B. Even mentions the word “environment”.

While each of these sides have fought their respective battles the real players have been winning the war. Texas is about to be the epicenter over the battle for water as our states faces unprecedented population growth and if you think ducks are going to beat out well-heeled Dallas and Austin-residents who go to the country club with

your senator you are extremely naïve. The water has been bought and paid for whether the public knows it or not.

Let us consider Lake Fork for a moment. Three years ago, it reached the lowest levels since it was impounded in the mid 1980s. Due to drought, it has yet to reach pool level and sitting right on the lake is a pipe nearly big enough to drive a truck through headed right to the DFW-Metroplex.

When the moment comes, do you really think the bass fishing industry is going to be able to stand up to the tycoons and munici-palities with the contracts?

I for many years was against the expan-sion of national wildlife refuges (NWR) because they generally take good hunting land and put hunting access in the middle of nowhere or allow only deer hunting on prime duck land.

I changed my mind a few years ago and wrote about it in a column called “Give Me Reservoirs Not Parking Lots”.

A group was (wisely) pushing to make a big chunk of the Neches River bottoms an NWR whereas others had designs on turn-ing it into a reservoir which would destroy its natural integrity. The bottom line was the government would own it one-way or the other. It would be an NWR or a res-ervoir controlled by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. I opted to support the NWR proposal.

There are numerous reservoirs in the planning stages for East Texas and more pipelines considered for water transfers from areas like the Sabine-Neches corner of the state - my home region. Interestingly, I have found myself in the room on the water rights issue with members of groups known for their hunting membership and those more suited for birdwatchers at the same time.

More of those kinds of partnerships will have to be formed if we have any hope of preserving some of Texas’ natural integrity over the next two decades. I am not sug-gesting siding with PETA or the Humane Society of the United States. That would be lunacy. However, if the National Wildlife Federation or the Nature Conservancy have

the right stand on a habitat or water issue, we would be foolish not to support them. Only with a concerted, focused effort will we be able to get conservation provisions enacted and keep our representatives on their toes.

Why is it that a public hearing on trout regulations packs the house, yet one on freshwater flows to the bays (a much more far-reaching issue) gets only a handful of attendees?

How come a few years ago the sporting industry (with the exception of TF&G) nearly crucified writer Jim Zumbo for his negative opinion of hunting with ARs but have said virtually nothing about projects like the Trans-Texas Corridor that, if enact-ed, would wipe out 500,000 plus acres of Texas wildlife habitat without any coincid-ing development factored in? That is not capitalism. It is government padding their own pockets and those of their campaign donors.

Maybe the real threat isn’t the loony animal rights activists holding signs but entrenched bureaucracy willing to sell us down the river for political gain. While the “environmentalists” have been worshipping at the altar of Al Gore and “global warm-ing” and the “conservationists” have been focused on their pet issues, I wonder how many cancer and birth defect causing agents of slid right by us into our water, soil and air.

I was an environmentalist.Then I became a conservationist.Now I just consider myself a Texan,

ready - maybe for the first time - to take an honest look at a coming storm and make a stand wherever necessary.

E-mail Chester Moore [email protected].

You can watch him Saturdays onGETV/GETV.org at 10 a.m. on “God’s

Outdoors with Chester Moore” and hear him on “Moore Outdoors” Fridays from

6-7 p.m. on Newstalk AM 560 KLVI.

by Chester Moore | TF&G Editor in Chief

10 | M a r c h 2 0 1 4 | T e x a S F i S h & G a M e ®

Editor’s Notes

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Bob Hood Passes AwayTEXAS FISH & GAME HUNTING EDITOR AND longtime outdoors writer for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram Bob Hood died January 9 at his home at Possum Kingdom Lake.

Hood fought a battle with cancer for two years. He was 69.

According to the Star-Telegram, he was born June 28, 1944, in Fort Worth, to James O. and Ina Louise Hood. He was a fi xture at the Star-Telegram well before he joined the staff full time on September 21, 1962 as he had been delivering papers since he was 11.

He started covering the outdoors in 1968 and wrote for dozens of publications and

was widely respected for his knowl-edge of the outdoors as well as

his realistic view of what actually happened in the fi eld.

“I fi rst met Bob about 10 years ago and had the pleasure of going on a number of

dove and hog hunts with him. He was the real deal and the reason his stories were so believable is because he was a legitimate well-rounded outdoorsman,” said TF&G

He started covering the outdoors in 1968 and wrote for dozens of publications and

was widely respected for his knowl-edge of the outdoors as well as

had the pleasure of going on a number of

PHOTO CREDIT 12 | M A R C H 2 0 1 4 | T E X A S F I S H & G A M E ®

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The TF G ReportThe TF G Report&

This tagged red was a great addition to a limit of slot redfi sh caught by Raymond Garcia, while wading the South Padre Island Convention Center.

Linda Hewitt of Devers killed this free-ranging 35-inch axis buck last Memorial Day weekend on a ranch near Sonora.

Big Bags CatchesBig Bags Catches&

“I fi rst met Bob about 10 years ago and had the pleasure of going on a number of had the pleasure of going on a number of

Big Bags Catches

Lane Dahse, age 9, ofKyle, shot this turkey at 100 yards while hunting in San Saba County. It has three beards totaling 23-inches.

TFGReport.indd 12 2/10/14 11:47 AM

Editor-In-Chief Chester Moore.“On one hand he could talk in detail

about waterfowl conservation and then have the same authority discussing mountain lions, whitetails or turkeys. There are few like him. I will miss him as a person and TF&G will miss him as a creative force.”

Outdoors writer Luke Clayton had the privilege of being one of Hood’s best friends and said he was the type of outdoorsman that made your hunting or fishing trip better.

“If there were a couple of deer stands to hunt and the trail camera on one had evi-denced a big buck or better wild hog activity, you would have a tough time convincing him that he was to hunt there on the afternoon hunt,” he said.

“He would insist that you hunt the hotspot and arguing with him was usually a fruitless endeavor.”

In a special tribute penned by Clayton for fishgame.com, he noted the following about Hood’s turkey hunting prowess.

“When it comes to turkey hunting, Bob had no equal. He was there with his trusty old Ithaca single shot .12 gauge back in the sixties when Texas held’s its first-ever spring turkey season and in ensuing years, Bob never missed the thrill of watching multiple gobblers strut within shotgun range of his Ithaca.”

“A few years ago while hunting turkeys with Bob up in Hall County, after a great camp meal of smothered venison steak, rice and gravy, Bob and I were setting on the back porch of the old camp house, relax-ing and making plans for the next morning hunt. Bob’s single shot was leaning against the far wall.”

“‘Bob, just how many turkeys have you killed with that old shotgun?’ I quizzed.

“In his thoughtful manner, Bob looked at the old shotgun and then at me.

“‘Luke, I’ll have to give that a bit of thought, I don’t know exactly but I

can come close.’ “After a few minutes of

silence, to the best of my mem-ory, Bob said, ‘Somewhere

just over 200 gobblers, that’s not just in Texas but other states as well.’”

Bob Hood was a loving husband, father, grandfather and truly great Texan.

(Editor’s Note: In honor of Bob, we are not replacing his monthly Hunt Texas

column. TF&G bowhunting editor Lou Marullo will expand his column to includ-ing practical and affordable tips for all forms of hunting under the new title “Bare Bones Hunting.” We are excited to see what he brings to the table now that he is not limited to archery and are honored to leave a lasting tribute to Bob Hood.)

—Staff Report

Alton Jones Teams Up with Marble Falls for HS BassTexAS HigH ScHool STUdenTS involved in competitive bass fishing will descend on beautiful Lake LBJ March 15.

The Student Angler Federation’s (SAF) Texas State Championship of High School Fishing will see the growing phe-

TFGReport.indd 13 2/6/14 2:25 PM

nomenon of scholastic bass fishing come to a competitive head.

The first publication to feature Texas high school and collegiate anglers on its cover, Texas Fish & Game is once again adding a bonus to the event.

“Last year we partnered with 2008 Bassmaster Classic champion and all around Texas fishing legend Alton Jones to fish with the winners. This year we are happy to offer this again but take it to another level,” said TF&G Editor-In-Chief Chester Moore.

“The top two teams will

get the amazing opportunity to fish with Jones and be featured in TF&G.”

Jones said he consid-ers the opportunity to fish with and inspire young anglers as an honor.

“I am so grateful

for my

grandfather for teaching me to fish the right way and have a passion for it. It is my hope that I can help develop and that in young people,” Jones said.

Aother new features of the tournament is a Captains Challenge, a chance for all of the students to help their boat captains win. Proceeds go to the scholarship fund, after prizes are awarded from entry fees.

According to the SAF, the state cham-pionship is a two-person team event for students in grades 9-12. Registration for anglers and their “coach,” who will pro-vide the boat they compete in, is online at HighSchoolFishing.org.

The Registration and Angler Celebration is Friday, March 14 at the Lakeside Pavilion in Marble Falls, Texas, at 6 p.m. with the rules meeting to follow dinner.

—Staff Report

TF G Report&

Alton Jones with last year’s win-ners, Colton Mitchell and Dallin Bishop.

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Applying for Permit

Being the nice guy thAt i Am, i insist-ed that Dave Hayward take the first 30-minute shift on the casting plat-form of the flats skiff. Of course, the

generous gesture was mainly prompted by the fact that the upcoming water looked a bit deep and “froggy” for bonefish.

I figured that by the time Hayward used up his clock we would be on the primo white sand alongside the island up ahead.

Hayward stepped to the bow and stripped coils of eight-weight line from his reel. “Standard drill?”

“Right.” I glanced at my watch. “Thirty minutes or a fish. Your time starts now.”

We were on the first morning of a six-day trip to Playa Blanca Lodge in the Yucatan. Guide Carlos Vasquez used a long push pole to glide the skiff slowly and quietly with the breeze. The sparkling thigh-deep water started looking better.

I looked at the Luminox dial. Hayward had 10 minutes remaining.

The skiff stopped. “A permit at 60 feet,” Vasquez said. “Moving left to right. Cast now.”

Hayward made a good cast, dropping the crab imitation fly about six or eight feet ahead of the cruising fish. The black sickle tail stiffened and the surface stirred as the permit raced in decidedly un-permit fashion to eat the fly.

Twenty minutes into our trip, and Hayward hooked the greatest of flats prizes —a gleaming permit! Naturally, quirky per-mit being quirky permit, that was the only one we caught during the entire week. We had various shots at sighted permit, even a few follows, but no more takers.

That most-recent expedition pretty well sums up my frustrating record with permit. I’m convinced that a jinx follows me from tropical tide to tropical tide across the known range of the contrary permit. My history of failure with this single species is appalling.

Let me put this into sobering perspec-tive. I’ve fished primo tropical flats from the Florida Keys and the Bahamas to Cuba and the Yucatan and south into Belize. I’ve caught at least 2,000 bonefish on flies. I’ve caught exactly one permit on a fly.

And it was a small one—the fish, I mean, not the Merkel crab pattern.

The imbalance is ridiculous, given the two species often overlap on the same flats. I’ve made hundreds and hundreds of casts to sighted permit. Some were dreadful chokes fueled by panic and tension, but others were respectable efforts. And some were excellent—without bragging, Lefty Kreh and Chico Fernandez could not have collaborated for better presentations.

Among all those sweaty yards of weight-forward tapers and crafty crab- and shrimp-imitation flies, I’ve bent the rod on exactly seven permit. I’m one-for-seven, and that’s another huge dose of bad luck. I’m not a total rookie when it comes to striking and playing fish; the odds of angling should have favored bringing three or four of those fish to hand.

As I said, there’s some bad juju going on somehow. Magic, and I’m not prejudiced as to color, must be involved.

For example, on one particular heart-breaker, the 15-pound mono leader pulled through a faulty gap in the eye of the fly hook. The eye was not properly crimped shut at the factory and the improved clinch knot came back looking (appropriately) like a tiny hang-man’s noose. In my entire fishing career I only recall an eye-pull happening twice (the other on a dry hopper fly on a big brown trout in

Montana’s Yellowstone River). The permit is sort of a supercharged

pompano. A small one weighs five pounds, a huge one might top 40. In my experience (mainly watching other anglers), the average fish is in the 10- to 15-pound class.

Incidentally, it’s no great angling achieve-ment to catch a permit on a live crab in deep water, say in a free-running pass or over a near-shore wreck. I’ve caught several while using spinning tackle with jigs and bait.

But the permit fishing that has me hexed is done while sight casting with a fly rod to cruising or tailing fish on the flats. The permit are in the shallows to feed on shellfish and baitfish but they can be remarkably skittish and incredibly indifferent.

But now and then one weirds-out and hits with no reservations—an aggressive crash that would put a jackfish or a barracuda to shame. I once was fishing with a guy who fell off the casting deck while attempting a frantic cast at a tailing permit. He gathered himself in knee-deep water, splashing and flogging and curs-ing. He stripped the atrociously delivered fly twice and the permit shot forward and inhaled it. If that fish wasn’t the “village idiot,” it was a relative from the nearest reef.

Another companion slammed a poor cast directly onto the tail of a cruising permit. The fish swirled around and struck with gusto. I watched in disbelief. If I had violated the fish with a similar cast, it would still be fleeing.

That’s permit fishing. The world of angling has, in the sum,

been good to me. A long career as an outdoor writer combined with a free-ranging lifestyle allowed many great trips to far-flung destina-tions. My tattered fishing passports date back more than 40 years and account for virtually every significant species in freshwater and saltwater.

Maybe I shouldn’t get so overwrought over my woeful lack of success on permit. They really are not that big of a deal. This, of course, is assuming you can catch them.

Email Joe Doggett at [email protected]

16 | M a r c h 2 0 1 4 | T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® Photo: Joe Doggett

Doggett at Large

by Joe Doggett | TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

Playa Blanca guide Carlos Vasquez and Dave hayward exult over a permit caught20 minutes into a six-dayYucatan trip.

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Pike on the Edge

by Doug Pike | TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

Chasing Rainbows

FOR MANY WINTERS NOW, THE STATE OF Texas has stocked a few hundred thou-sand bite-sized rainbow trout in urban and suburban ponds. They’re great for

any fi sherman, young or old, who needs to feel a tight line and can’t get to the coast or a big reservoir.

Some lakes get more fi sh than others and I have to confess I don’t know the criteria that determines which ponds get how many trout. Two things I do know: the trout will be small, averaging maybe eight or nine

inches, and they won’t survive a Texas sum-mer or even a warm spring (which makes it a little easier for conservationists to drop a daily fi ve in a plastic bag and take them home).

What matters more than which lakes gets how many rainbows is the date on which they’re to be stocked. I learned a valuable lesson from that chapter during the trout-dumping season of 2013-2014.

Turns out, published delivery dates are not carved in stone. They’re penned, but there is wiggle room, and errors nearly always favor the fi shermen. One lake in Houston not only got its delivery two days early, for example, but there also happened to be a couple hundred extra rainbow trout in the truck’s tank when it was emptied.

I’ve heard other stories about early drop-

offs and extra fi sh, but I’ve never had anyone tell me their favorite lake’s fi sh didn’t show on time or that the state didn’t deliver as many as promised. That’s probably hap-pened, again being fair to this fi ne program, but not by such margin against either mea-sure that anyone but a fi sheries biologist might notice. By a day or two after tpwd.state.tx.us says the fi sh are in a lake, they’re in the lake. And weather permitting, I’m going after them.

Which leads us back to the complica-tion thing. Now that my son is six, I eye that trout-delivery schedule more closely. I even have sacrifi ced dozens of hours of my own time pre-fi shing lakes to gauge their productivity – wouldn’t want to take him to a mud hole.

I’ve recruited a second scout, too, my

Pike on the Edge

by Doug Pike | TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

Pike.indd 18 2/10/14 12:00 PM

www.p-line.com

writing colleague, Joe Doggett. Despite hav-ing fished around the world a couple of times, we’ve embraced the challenge that these little fish present and have become increasingly serious about honing our tech-niques.

He’s long-ago retired and most days has nothing better to do than fish or think about fishing. He’s logged twice my hours and I’ll concede that he holds an ever-so-slight edge in numbers of trout sent to the skillet. I, on the other hand, have caught them from more different lakes and by a wider variety of methods.

Together, we usually can figure out the pattern and get busy catching fish quickly. If there were a tournament circuit for TPWD’s stocked rainbows, we’d be tough to beat.

Thanks to my son, I’m as comfortable fishing with bait as with lures. The commer-cial bite-sized nibbles work well enough, as do small, scent-juiced nightcrawlers thread-ed just so onto the hook. I’m equally fond of vanilla-soaked corn, especially since it doesn’t stink.

The key with anything from this class is

to use small (No.8-No.12) hooks, only one or two pieces of bait, and to suspend them several feet beneath a grape-sized bobber. Heavier gear makes it tough to detect strikes, and I’ve always done better on suspended baits than on anything pinned to the bottom.

Bait that smells is the only solution in off-color water – such as is present in one lake near my house, where visibility is the same as looking through concrete. Don’t waste time with lures under those circumstances, instead appeal to their noses.

In relatively clear water, and trout are stocked in many beautiful lakes, we’ve had equal success over time on a variety of spoons, in-line spinners and flies. Smaller is always better, even if it means adding split shot up the line to cast into the wind. These fish have mouths the size of nickels and baits too large won’t draw strikes.

Fly gear is fine in clean, protected water, but limited casting distance keeps the long rod in the truck more days than not. When you can throw it, use a slow-sinking insect imitation. If fish are rising, sling a dry. I’ve used flies as small as No. 16 with good suc-

cess in clearer lakes, but the trout will climb all over a soft-landing grasshopper imitation.

A final tip, and a good one: Leave the micro-light rig at home. The delicate outfits won’t sling a lure much beyond your mid-day shadow and they’re no good at all for muscling a little trout over shoreline moss or reeds. Stay light – it’s only fair to the fish – but don’t get carried away.

Pressure on these fish is surprisingly light, especially on weekdays beginning a week after the dump. Hundreds or a few thousand rainbow trout won’t vanish over-night, even where they’ve been discovered by cormorants.

These rainbows are stocked for our enjoy-ment and, on the right days, provide plenty of that. Quit whining about having no time to fish in winter. They may be small, but these trout are plentiful, tasty, hungry most days, and right down the street.

Email Doug Pike at [email protected]

Pike.indd 19 2/6/14 1:54 PM


www.trackerboats.com

Texas Ibex GlockOut

The specTacular vIew frOm aTOp the jagged, silver cliffs of the Greenwood Valley Ranch was spine tingling and breathtaking to say the least. The col-

orful winter beauty of the eternal Texas Hill country went on forever and titillated the eyeballs, spirit and soul. They don’t call it the Hill Country for nothing and it is truly one of the great wild ground eye candy visions of the world.

Though we could have - and were prepared to - gaze upon the expansive spectacle for an elongated period in hopes of taking it all in for all it was worth, our plans were instantly inter-rupted when SpiritWild VidCamDude Kris Helms excitedly exclaimed, “Ibex!”

Bill, Mike and I spun around to see a mob of wild Ibex mountain goats scurrying away from our lookout position, quickly disappearing into the thick pucker brush hinterlands of the rocky pinnacle behind us.

Instantly Kris and I bailed out of the pickup, vidcam in hand as we hustled up, over and through the rocky outcropping to get the stiff north wind in our favor. Maybe, just maybe, we could take advantage of the howling wind to cover our sneaky rock scrambling stalk to get within 10mm handgun range of these highly desirable, ultra-elusive stinky ghosts of the highlands.

Ready or not, here we goat!My bone on bone shattered knees made it

borderline impossible to walk very far - much less gallop - after a herd of wild mountain critters in this dangerous terrain. But when the hunt is on and the fresh stink of Ibex fills my nostrils, all bets are off and the chase is on.

Kris is a young, athletic and experienced hunter himself, so I never had to say a word to him as I maneuvered gazelle-like amongst the jagged rockscape dodging thick juniper and cedar tangles in a desperate scramble to get ahead and above the departing herd of twenty

or so Ibex.Bone on bone knee wrecks? Funny, I didn’t

feel a thing as red hot predator adrenalin pumped wildly through my system. Meniscus? I don’t need no damn meniscus!

As we rounded a huge cedar clump there they were, forty to fifty yards down slope, goating about, nibbling, grooming and being Ibex without a care in the world, clueless that a gungho goat killer lurked well within Glock 10mm handgun range in full Weaver stance, cocked, locked, Glocked and ready to rock doc!

I whispered to Kris over my shoulder, HD digital recorder rolling, that I would shoot the biggest black-silver billy when it turned broadside. At that instant, a fine golden brown billy stepped into view, fully broadside. I said “brown one” as I settled my Trijicon front sight square on the big boy’s shoulder and let my sub-conscience daily training take over, muscle memory completing the second nature trigger squeeze. The Ted Nugent 180 grain 10mm load erupted, the Glock bucked slightly, and the big red billy leaped and kicked like a mule as the hot lead projectile of death slammed through both shoulders, blowing him off his feet.

The entire mob jumped, leaped and darted momentarily, which now exposed the giant black and silver alpha male. With Kris’s vid-cam dead on the trophy Ibex, my second shot in less than two seconds went off with another Barnes bullet punching the big boy hard through the ribcage.

Now the herd had had enough and they stampeded maniacally almost straight at us, darting past at under fifteen yards.

Instantly, the big red-brown billy was now stumbling over a pile of boulders at twenty-five yards and the Glock spoke again, knocking the gorgeous animal down for the count right there.

Barely out of recoil from this shot, we stepped lively to our right to see the big black-silver stud trying desperately to stand and walk. That’s when my next round pummeled him right behind the shoulder, pushing him forward where he crashed into an upturned root system to die in the ultimate photo-op position, never to move again.

Good grief! Are we having wild goat fun yet or what? My and Kris’s big, wild gawking eyeballs met and we knuckled slammed each other with a hearty “YOWZA!” We then commenced the joyous ritual of game recovery, continuing to film the whole glorious thrill for what will surely be one the greatest Ted Nugent Spirit of the Wild TV shows ever on Outdoor Channel.

The whole insanity was a magical moment in time for this old handgun hunter. The tim-ing was nothing short of miraculous. Right time, right place, right wind, right terrain, right sun, right cover, right gun, right ammo, right VidCamDude, right boots, right luck, right attitude, right spirit!

These ultra-wary mountain critters are rare-ly if ever seen on this enormous 18,000 acre ranch. The original owners had imported these stunning Persian Ibex way back in the 1940s, and over these many years, they had crossbred with wild Spanish goats to create a very special big game species.

To say we were ridiculously fortunate to see them is an understatement, but to actually be able to successfully stalk and handgun kill the two biggest and best old billys in the mob was truly phenomenal.

To pull off this shootemup miracle on video to air and celebrate for tens of millions of Spirit of the Wild viewers is proof positive that a life-time of training and dedication to handgunning can and will pay off when the chips are down. I got you goat right here!

Ted’s Texaswild

by Ted Nugent | TF&G Editor-at-Large


Nugent.indd 20 2/6/14 1:53 PM

T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® | M a r c h 2 0 1 4 | 21

With Friends Like These...A

T The DALLAs sAFAri CLub’s AnnuAL convention in January, a special auc-tion was held to help bring the black rhino back from the brink of extinc-

tion. One of the most endangered species on the planet, the black rhino has dwindled from a population of around 70,000 during the 1960s to about 4,000 at present. The DSC auction was expected to raise up to $1 million in much-needed support, to be donated to the Namibian government for conservation of the species.

Far from its intended goal, the auction closed with a winning bid of $350,000. Not peanuts, mind you, but the result could have been better. And it probably would have been, if not for the negative publicity brought to bear on the DSC because of the item being auctioned – a Namibian black rhino hunt.

It should come as no surprise that the ani-mal rights crowd began making loud, protes-tor type noises as soon as they learned of the auction. The anti-hunters were incensed that DSC would propose killing a black rhino to save black rhinos. And on the surface, it does sound illogical. Of course, there’s a lot more to the story.

In Africa, as in every other country in the world, taking care of wildlife requires money. Habitat protection, disease control, and game law enforcement, among other wildlife needs, is not cheap. The more money a given government or non-govern-mental agency has to support the native

game animals in an area, the more it can do for the critters.

Such money has to come from some-where. And that somewhere is from hunters.

Animal rights organizations talk a good game, they wail loud and long about being nice to the animals, but in the end, the only group putting their cash with their conscience is hunters. Without the revenue hunting provides, far more animals would be on the verge of joining the Dodo. Altruism is fine and good in theory, but in practice people don’t actually turn loose of money to save a species they will never see in the wild. It just doesn’t happen.

So, from that standpoint, auctioning off one black rhino to save the rest seems a little more acceptable to the reasonable non-hunter. Unfortunately we aren’t dealing with reasonable non-hunters. Fortunately, there’s yet more to the story.

Namibia, the African country where the hunt is to take place, is home to about 1,800 of the world’s approximately 4,000 black rhinos. There are few enough of them that wildlife managers are able to keep tabs on them. The hunt auctioned off by DSC was not a pass to shoot just any black rhino that happened along. It was a permit to kill a particular older bull named Ronnie, a bull that is past breeding age and has become aggressive toward the other animals.

That fact never came out in the October 30th story Dan Solomon wrote for Texas Monthly about the auction. Solomon blasted DSC, titling his piece ‘The Dallas Safari Club Is Trying To Preserve The Black Rhino By Killing A Black Rhino.’ Which is true, but it sounds bad when you say it like that. Which is what Solomon intended.

But Solomon’s sentiments, clearly evi-dent in his prose, are representative of those of many who don’t know the whole story. On the surface it sounds, at best, coun-terproductive to kill an animal to save the species. Sometimes, however, that’s what is necessary.

Ronnie, the black rhino in question, has become a problem. The typical result of such a situation is to remove the animal from the

herd according to DSC spokesman and for-mer president Steve Wagner. If the hunt had not been donated to DSC by the Namibian government, and auctioned off for the good of the group, wildlife managers would likely have had to kill the rhino anyway. The Convention on International Trade gives Namibia five black rhino permits a year, for the purpose of weeding out those that con-tribute the least, and pose the worst threat, to the others.

When any African game animal is killed, none of the meat is wasted. It all goes to feed starving villagers in the area and every part of the creature is used for whatever purposes apply. That will be the case with the black rhino, with the added benefit of $350,000 to help the rest of the species. The auction is a win-win.

Still, Hanns-Louis Lamprecht, a safari operator in Namibia, was disappointed in the amount of money raised. “It annoys me to tears,” Lamprecht told the Dallas Morning News. “A million dollars would have lasted years, years in the conservation efforts. The fact is it could have been more.” Lamprecht referred to the anti-hunters who picketed the event and were thought respon-sible for affecting the bidding.

If the antis had not gotten involved, Namibia might be taking a million bucks home to help the black rhinos instead of only $350,000. Most of the animal rights activ-ists probably mean well, but they generally end up doing more harm than good.

As Norman Maclean said in his book, “Young Men and Fire,” “It’s hard to imag-ine how the world has lasted this long with so much volunteer help.”

Email Kendal Hemphill at [email protected]

Commentary

by Kendal hemphill | TF&G Political Commentator

Commentary.indd 21 2/6/14 2:20 PM


22 | M a r c h 2 0 1 4 | T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® Photo: DaviD CamPbell, tPWD

A CATEGORICAL

REVIEW OF THE

STATE’S TOP FIFTY

LARGEMOUTH

Fea 1-BiggestBass.indd 22 2/6/14 2:47 PM

Texas bass lakes have changed immensely over the last 30 or so years.

so have the fish that are finning around out there, the anglers who chase them, and

the biological practices that are used to man-age one fishery to the next.

back in 1979, when I was a carefree high school senior with bushy hair and bad habits,


by Matt Williams

ShareLunker487...

aND 522.


It was a time when keeping a limit of fat bass to eat was still cool among the mass-es…. when pro angler Hank Parker popu-larized flipping by using a long rod to win the Bassmaster Classic on Lake Texoma…. when slot limits didn’t exist…. and when the first Florida bass smuggled into Texas years earlier by the late Bob Kemp were on the verge of changing the scope of Texas bass fishing forever.

Kemp, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department director of inland fisheries at the time, was a man of vision who saw big things coming from the fast-growing Florida-strain fish released in Texas waters. And he was right, as evidenced by a surge of big bass catches that have since spread so far and

wide that the list of public waters with lake records upwards of 13-pounds or better now bears the names of more than 60 different impoundments.

To get a solid feel for the impact that the Florida bass have made on Texas bass fishing, one needn’t look any farther than the state’s Top 50 list of largemouths. It’s an impressive list that has been revamped so many times since I graduated high school that H.R. McGee’s long-standing Medina state record doesn’t even make the grade anymore.

Amazingly, neither does the 14.09-pound state record Jimmy Kimball caught from Lake Monticello in Feb. 1980, or the 14.3-pound former state record that

John Alexander caught from a private lake called Lake Echo in Jan. 1981. In fact, the only pre-1986 fish that still holds a spot among the Top 50 is the 15.5-pounder that Alexander hauled out of Echo less than a month after he topped Kimball’s mark.

That fish, also a former state record, currently ties as the No. 45 heaviest bass of all-time. Interestingly, it also is the only cur-rent Top 50 fish other than Earl Crawford’s 16.9-pound state record caught in 1986 from Lake Pinkston to be reported prior to the inception of the ShareLunker program.

For those who may not be familiar with ShareLunker, it is a highly publicized hatch-ery program run by TPWD’s inland fisher-ies division. The program solicits anglers

the state record bass in Texas was a 13.50-pounder caught in 1943 from Lake Medina in Central Texas. A 10-pounder grabbed headlines in those days and a seven-pounder was much more likely to wind up under a knife — or at the local taxidermy shop — than it was to get released back into the lake.


www.daiwa.com


www.fishgame.com/bigbagsandcatches

who catch 13-pound plus bass to donate their fish to the state for spawning and genetics research. Begun in Nov. 1986, ShareLunker has since accepted more than 550 bass (as of press time) from dozens of public and private impoundments.

Having covered the outdoors for a num-ber newspapers and magazines (including this one) since 1986, I have had the privi-lege of watching the current Texas Top 50 list unfold before me. I’ve photographed a number of the fish at arm’s reach during ShareLunker pick-ups and interviewed doz-ens of the anglers who caught them. Back in Feb. 1986, I even had the opportunity to cradle the lifeless Crawford bass in my own hands before he sent it to the taxidermist for a skin mount.

It’s been a cool ride, to say the least. Here’s a synopsis behind a handful of the giants on the Texas Top 50 list, which ranges from 18.18 pounds on the top end to 15.38 pounds in the cellar, if you want to call it that.

Most PoPular texas Bass —Mark Stevenson, 17.67 pounds: Even

though the fat bass nicknamed “Ethel” no longer ranks as the state record, most Texas big bass historians will agree that this is arguably the most famous fish in Texas freshwater fishing history.Caught at Lake Fork in Nov. 1986, the fish supplanted the Crawford bass as the Texas record. To this date it ranks as the biggest bass ever caught by a bass angler who was actually targeting bass with an artificial lure. Ethel was the inaugural ShareLunker entry and immediately drew national attention for the program and Texas fishing as she lived out her life in a huge aquarium at Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, Mo.

Ethel was so popular with visitors that Bass Pro owner Johnny Morris felt compelled to give her a memorial service when she died there at the ripe old age of 19-years. Word is more than 1,000 people showed up for the funeral.Morris’ appreciation for the big bass extend-ed well beyond the 1994 memorial service. In 2004, he provided a $650,000 chal-lenge grant to aid in the construction of the $2 million classroom/conservation center at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens. He dedicated the contribution in Ethel’s name.

Biggest texas Bass—Barry St. Clair, 18.18 pounds: Barry St. Clair of Athens etched his name in bass fishing histo-ry when he reeled in the current state record largemouth from Lake Fork. Not only is his the first (and only) Texas bass to crack 18 pounds, it is the heaviest ever reported to be caught by a crappie fisherman. Fishing with a live shiner in about 40-feet of brushy water near the dam, St. Clair caught the fish in Jan. 1992.


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www.cortlandline.com

Biggest texas Kid Bass: Jesse Roberson of Goldthwaite was only nine-years-old when the reeled in a man-size bass from a 40-acre private lake near his home in Mills County. At 15.54-pounds, the Roberson bass ranks as the No. 42 heaviest Texas bass of all-time and is the heaviest bass ever documented by a youth angler.

Biggest texas BanK Bass: Lake Fork has produced five fish in the 17-pound-range. The smallest of those hulks, a 17.08-pounder, was caught in Feb. 1991 by Troy Coates of Emory. Amazingly, Coates was casting a Texas-rigged crawworm from the shoreline when he caught the No. 6 heaviest Texas bass of all-time.

Biggest Bass By Woman: Big bass hate a live waterdog. Perhaps nobody knows that better than Flo O’Brain of Ft. Worth. In 1999, O’Brain used one of the lively little amphibians to fool a 16.63-pounder that ranks as the No. 12 Texas bass of all-time and the biggest ever caught by a woman.

Biggest summer/night Bass: Jerry New of Marshall was fishing after dark in Aug. 1990 when he got one of those mysterious bumps in the night that turned out to the fourth heaviest bass ever reported in Texas. At 17.63-pounds, the New bass is certainly the biggest ever caught while work-ing the graveyard shift.

Biggest texas Bass Caught and re-Caught: Passive integrat-

ed transponders (PIT Tags) placed in the body cavity of each ShareLunker have helped scientists identify several fish as re-captures over the years, but only one of those

big bass has earned two different spots on the Top 50 list.The fish originally weighed 16.17 pounds when Keith Burns of Jefferson caught it from Caddo Lake in March 2010, making it the No. 16 bass of all-time. Remarkably, Sean Swank of De Berry caught the same bass in March 2011, when it weighed 16.07-pounds and nailed down the No. 20 spot on the list. Also, it marks the first time in the history of

ShareLunker that the same fish has won two different anglers the ShareLunker Angler of the Year title.


Keith Burns,Sharelunker487 in march

2010.

SeanSwank, same

fish, March 2011, Sharelunker

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www.xtremerethinking.com

28 | M a r c h 2 0 1 4 | T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® Photos: Lenny Rudow; tPwd; CanstoCk

aoudad

axis Deer

Striped Bass

Fea 3-FishHunt.indd 28 2/6/14 2:50 PM


To Texas Sportsmen, invasive Species aren’t Necessarily a Bad Thing by chester moore

Nilgai

Florida StrainLargemouth


The truth is there are “invasive exotics” that have benefits, some of which are quite profound.

For starters some of the most important domestic animals are all from foreign lands. Horses, goats and cattle did not hail from the United States yet no one puts the inva-sive tag on them. There are no campaigns to eradicate Brahman cattle which origi-nated from Africa’s wild zebu. Nor are there “Wanted!” posters showing quarter horses or Nubian goats, both of which are foreign imports. All of these animals compete with native wildlife, but they have obvious ben-efits for many, so no one categorizes them as a nuisance.

The nilgai antelope is a unique exotic that is restricted to a few counties in South Texas, mainly on properties of the King and Kennedy Ranches. These monstrous antelope can weigh up to 800 pounds, have some of the finest tasting meat in the animal kingdom, and make for incredible sporting opportunities. While they cause a few prob-lems for ranchers in the region, they are for the most part considered a plus for the area. They are something that is only huntable in Texas and that gives the southern coastal regions a unique flavor.

Aoudad (Barbary sheep) are anoth-er welcome exotic. These were officially released into the Palo Duro Canyon in the Panhandle decades ago and have been stocked on hundreds of exotic ranches in the Hill Country and beyond. Aoudad will tear up deer feeders and could potentially outcompete native desert bighorn for food but they generally do less damage than domestic sheep and goats and they are highly embraced by the hunting community.

“The aoudad is one of the most majestic trophies to be found anywhere and these creatures are super challenging to hunt. They are definitely one of the top hunting experiences in Texas,” said TF&G Editor-At-Large Ted Nugent.

Aoudad flourish in the western two-thirds of the state and if an accurate population count could be held, we would probably be shocked by how many are actually out there. They are an extremely elusive creature.

Axis deer are also flourishing in the Hill Country with tens of thousands free-ranging in counties like Bexar, Medina, Uvalde, Kerr, Edwards and Bandera. These beauti-ful native Indian deer do indeed compete directly with whitetail but most hunters welcome them. If nilgai are some of the best wild meat out there, then the axis is tops. They are absolutely fine eating, and in my opinion, an axis buck is one of the most gor-geous trophy mounts a hunter can have in his or her collection.

The striped bass is a welcome exotic of the aquatic kind. These hard-fighting sportfish are native to the ocean and were imported from the East Coast into lakes like Toledo Bend and Lake Texoma.

“Stripers are one of the best sportfish to be found anywhere and I certainly consider them a welcome addition to Lake Texoma,” said longtime guide Bill Carey of Striper Express Guide Service.

“The fishing pressure keeps them in check and they are an important part of the fishing economy up here.”

Although a more subtle exotic, there is no question the Florida-strain largemouth bass has been a welcome addition. Officials with the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) aggressively stocked them into lakes beginning nearly 40 years ago and the results have been astounding. The bass in Texas now are truly Texas-sized (via the Sunshine State), making our state arguably tops in overall quality of the bass fishery.

Speaking of bass, perhaps the ultimate bass habitat comes in the form of an invasive exotic: hydrilla.

TPWD’s Larry Hodge wrote a descrip-tion of the hydrilla issue for their website that contains some fascinating information:

“In my opinion you have to take hydrilla on a case-by-case basis,” says TPWD’s Driscoll (who is Driscoll?).

“I have 15 counties in Southeast Texas, and I only have four or five lakes I wish had no hydrilla. They are all small, shallow, municipal water supply lakes and are 50 to 80 percent covered with hydrilla. We deem 20 to 35 percent coverage as ideal, because if it exceeds that, it provides too much habitat and cover for bass and forage fish. Access for anglers can become restricted. Forage fish have so many places to hide that predators such as bass can’t catch them. Even though forage fish are abundant, bass will be skinny.”

Another interesting fact about hydrilla is that lakes like Toledo Bend, Sam Rayburn and many smaller east Texas impoundments have seriously fluctuating water levels. Most native aquatic vegetation cannot tolerate this but hydrilla can, leaving one to ponder what the Texas bass fishery would be like without it.

Mankind has altered the landscape of the Lone Star State in many ways and it seems that invasive exotics have caused some of the most profound changes. There is no question the fire ant has caused irreparable damage and does no good. Nor does com-mon and giant salvinia, which are clogging waterways in East and South Texas, but there are those gray areas to consider.

Feral hogs are not native to the Lone Star State and cause all kinds of damage to agri-culture, golf courses, and other resources, but they are an important part of the Texas hunting culture and economy nowadays. At the end of the day, we will never eliminate them and I have a feeling most hunters would not want to if they could.

Such is the complexity of invasive exotics.


“InvasIve exotIc.” that term Is beIng used wIth greater

frequency to describe non-indigenous animals and plants that often cause

great problems for mankind and native wildlife. In the era of 24-hour

news and instant information via twitter, Facebook, blogging and other

forms of social media, many things get blown out of proportion, espe-

cially in regards to the complexity of nature.



www.rangerboats.com


OFTen cOmpared TO winchinG an anvil up ThrOuGh a

football field of water, battling amberjack can challenge just

about any angler or tackle. When hooked, amberjack don’t display

the flash of a king mackerel or speed of a tuna, but they exhibit

incredible strength.

Bring Texas-Sized TackleWhen You Enter the Realm

of the Reef Donkeystory and photos by john n. felsher

Fea 4-Amberjack.indd 32 2/6/14 2:51 PM

“There are some monsters in the Gulf,” explained Tommy Pellegrin, an avid off-shore angler. “Divers tell me they’ve seen amberjacks in the 120- to 130-pound range with several hooks hanging out of their mouths. Sometimes, we hook something down deep that we can’t move. We call it a UFO — an Unidentified Fishy Object. Usually, that’s a big amberjack or grouper.”

Amberjack prefer to stay in 70 to 400 feet of water around rock piles, shipwrecks, coral reefs and other places where they find cover to ambush prey. Voracious predators, amberjack feed heavily upon squid, crus-taceans, reef fish or anything else they can gulp. Although smaller AJs may congregate in schools, bigger jacks rule their deep and dark domain alone — and that’s how most other reef species like it! Typically, when big amberjack cruise through an area, everything else moves out.

“To find amberjack, anglers usually need at least 150 feet of water,” recommended Mark Fisher, a Texas Parks & Wildlife Department biologist in Rockport. “The waters off Port Mansfield, Port Aransas and Port Isabel are some of the deepest waters in the state. Often, offshore anglers can catch amberjack and snapper at the same spot, but amberjack tend to come a bit closer to the surface than snapper.”

To catch big amberjack, most anglers simply drop a hook baited with squid, cigar minnows, fish chunks or Spanish sardines to the bottom. Cut slices into the meat to let enticing juices ooze out. Small, live fish also work very well. For monster AJs, use large baits since a 100-pound bruiser can easily engulf a hefty meal.

“We use a lot of live bait, but we’ve had more luck by dropping down jigs tipped with a squid wing or some-thing,” advised Capt. Chad Kinney of Bamm Bamm Charters (956-802-2269; bammbammfishing.com) in Port Mansfield. “We just keep pumping the jigs up and down in the water column. For live bait, we use blue runners or piggy perch. Sometimes, we go out to deeper structures to fish with butterfly jigs. When jigging, we start right on the bottom. If that doesn’t work, we start

moving up about 30 to 50 feet and work that depth.”

Big amberjack don’t always hover near the bottom. Sometimes, they rise in the water column or may even approach the surface to investigate activity. Chumming can entice amberjack near the top. Chop bait or trash fish into bite-sized morsels and toss them into the water. Then, rig a drift line with live bait. Don’t use any weight so the fish can swim freely. Drifting a livie, anglers might also catch grouper, snapper, cobia, mackerel or wahoo — perhaps even tuna or sailfish.

Some anglers also troll live bait or diving plugs around oil platforms and over reefs. Circle the platforms several times and use various lures of different colors that dive to different depths. Around reefs, run the baits just over the top of the structure. To get really deep, some anglers attach trolling lures to downrig-gers.

Protruding from the surface and usually well lit

with lights,

petroleum production structures provide the most visible places to fish. With struc-ture ranging from top to bottom, oil plat-forms provide fish three-dimensional cover throughout the water column. In addition, the bottom around a platform usually con-tains many objects that fell off the rig or junk workers tossed into the water.

While petroleum platforms create the most visible fish attractors, many natural or artificial reefs also offer excellent fishing along the Texas coast. One of the biggest artificial reefs in Texas, the 473-foot long Texas Clipper served as a World War II troopship. It now sits in 132 feet of water about 17 miles northeast of South Padre Island. The top of the ship comes up to within 50 feet of the surface.

“I prefer to fish natural structure,” Kinney said. “We catch bigger fish around deep

reefs because they don’t usually have as much entangling structure to break lines. The Port Mansfield area has some rock piles and sunken shrimp boats. We usually start finding amberjack about 30 miles from Port Mansfield in about 150 feet of water. Another good spot is about 45 miles out in about 270

to 380 feet, depending upon the depth of the wrecks

and reefs. The best luck I’ve had was in about 300 to 350 feet of water about 50 miles out.”

An artificial reef near Port Mansfield includes three sunk-

Sometimes dubbed “reef donkeys,” amberjack can grow to more than 150 pounds. John Stout landed the Texas state record, a 121-pounder that measured 65 inches long on August 20, 2005, but Steele Buckholtz speared a 128.75-pounder in July 2009.

34 | M a r c h 2 0 1 4 | T e x A S F i S h & G A m e ®

qDaniel Felsher

is all smiles after winning a pitched

battle with this amberjack.


en World War II Liberty ships sitting about 90 to 100 feet deep. The Port Mansfield Liberty Ship Reef sits about 15 miles east

southeast of the Port Mansfield jetties.“Although the water around the Port

Mansfield Reef is not as deep as amberjack

typically like, the area is complex enough that it attracts a lot of different bait species,” said Mark Lingo, a TPWD biologist in Brownsville. “Amberjack go where they can

eat — and they eat about anything that swims! Amberjack come into

the reef area to eat the bait.”About 115 miles east of

Galveston, the Flower Garden Banks sit in about 200 to 400 feet of water, but some peaks

top out about 65 feet deep. East Flower Garden Bank sits at

about 27.90 degrees North and 93.60 degrees West and measures about 40 square miles. About seven miles west, West Flower Garden Bank covers 46 square miles. Bright Bank sits about 11 miles east of East Flower Garden Bank and rises to within 114 feet of the surface.

Nearly any rig, wreck, or reef in suffi-ciently deep water off Texas may hold some amberjack. Just bring Texas-sized tackle to handle these beasts of the deep!

Trollingnear oil platforms

can prove effective for tempting amberjack in

the Gulf of Mexico.

q


www.power-pole.com

| Self Defense |

| Concealed Carry |

| Tactical |

by Steve LaMascus& Dustin Ellermann

Training to Win

WHEN I JOINED THE UVALDE POLICE Department in 1979, it was between classes for the local police academy. One had just

been completed and another would not start for at least 4 months, and more likely 6. I was sworn in, given my uniforms, my badge, and my credentials, issued a Smith and Wesson Model 19, a holster, belt, hand-cuffs, and cartridge slide. I was not asked if I could shoot a handgun; I was not taken to the range to qualify; I was not even asked to demonstrate my knowledge of the working of the revolver. Luckily I had considerable skill with a revolver and knew intimately the working of a Model 19, having been a

competitor in combat-type matches for years. I can only assume that the Chief was aware of this.

I assume that you, as do most citizens, believe that police offi cers are well trained in the use of their fi rearms, particularly handguns. What would you say if I told you that I have seen reports that state that police offi cers average only about 20 percent hits in shooting situations? Up front that doesn’t sound too bad, until you consider that it means they missed with 80 percent of the rounds fi red. I don’t know about you, but that scares the pants off me.

A simple fact is that police offi cers are generally poor shots with their handguns. Most small police departments and sheriff’s departments are badly underfunded and because of fi nancial considerations, qualify only when mandated by the state. That is, listen now, once a year. The really sad

part is that many of them only shoot their sidearms when they qualify. That is, again, once a year.

The reasons for this can be varied, but generally come down to the fact that they are not required to practice, and are not given ammunition for any extraneous practice. If they want to practice on their own they are required to purchase the ammunition from their own funds, which in most small departments is a miserly sum. Many depart-ments even forbid the offi cer from shooting handloads in his duty weapon. The only way to remedy this is to enact state requirements that mandate a monthly practice session, hopefully with real life shooting scenarios rather than the usual stand up and shoot at the target scenarios.

As a retired federal agent I qualify once a year. The course of fi re is ridiculously easy and I could do it without practice. But I

AR 15 Airgun TrainingTHE COST OF AMMO SEEMS TO only increase and never fall. Those of us who shoot competition, hunt regularly, train for defensive situations or just enjoy shooting feel the hurt the most.

Fortunately there are alternatives to keep cost down and shooting skills up. I’ve covered the advantages of dryfi re training in the past, but here is how you

take it to the next level.Previously I’ve covered Next Level

Training’s Shot Indicating Resetting Trigger (SIRT) training pistol that proj-ects a laser beam when you fi re it. Since the success of the SIRT pistol NLT intro-

duced the SIRT AR-Bolt. The laser bolt replaces your existing AR15’s bolt carri-er group and with the help of a magnetic plunger that sits on your trigger group the bolt fi res a green laser when you

TexasDepartmentof Defense

PHOTO CREDIT36 | M A R C H 2 0 1 4 | T E X A S F I S H & G A M E ® PHOTO: DUSTIN ELLERMANNPHOTO CREDITPHOTO: DUSTIN ELLERMANNPHOTO CREDITPHOTO: DUSTIN ELLERMANNPHOTO CREDIT

Continued on page 38

| Self Defense |

| Concealed Carry |

| Tactical |

by Steve LaMascus& Dustin Ellermann

take it to the next level. duced the SIRT AR-Bolt. The laser bolt

The Crosman MAR 177 is an AR15 Upper that allows you to practice precision shooting while using your AR15 lower in order to train with your existing trigger pull.

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DoD.indd 37 2/6/14 2:17 PM

www.niteize.com

t Continued from page xx

Story Jump

promise you I practice a minimum of once a month and generally once a week. I don’t do it so I can pass the qualification, but because I want come out alive should I have to use that sidearm that has been riding under my shirt for all those years.

Practice, however often you decide to do it, is more than just standing on your hind legs, holding the gun in two hands, and putting a few rounds on a target at 10 or 15 yards.

First you should go through a few quick draw drills up close, shooting as quickly as you safely can. Then do some weak hand drills. If you get shot in your strong hand, which happens surprisingly often, you want to be able to keep fighting. This is something that is extremely important and something

that is much too often left out of the practice drills. At one time I could shoot almost as well left handed as I could right.

Another necessary item is practicing from varied and odd positions, using cover. When firing from a covered position you do not shoot from beside it, you shoot around it, revealing as little of yourself as possible. This sometimes means shooting with the handgun sideways, but at close range that matters not at all, the bullets will still hit where the sights are looking. Holding the gun sideways allows you to shoot with much less of your head and body revealed than does holding the gun straight up and down. Practice sitting, prone, and lying on your side - both left and right - behind cover. A vehicle wheel is a great cover and most

handguns will not penetrate both sides of a car tire.

As I have said before, you should always, every time you practice, go through a close-range, quick-draw drill where you draw and fire, without aiming, as quickly as possible. I believe this is the most important skill you can acquire, because it is quite likely to be what you will have to do when the time comes to use your handgun. If you ever have to use your gun in a life and death confrontation, the odds say it will happen at less than 3 yards, in less than 3 seconds, and will require less than 3 shots. I like to play the odds, so that is what I practice the most.

—Steve LaMascus

Texas Department of Defense

pull the AR trigger. You can fine-tune the laser to the exact point of impact to match your optic and safely train away. This setup is perfect for perfecting your trigger control for multiple shots as well as developing muscle memory with your carbine and even point shooting. The laser gives instant feedback to where your shots would have hit. I find this perfect for high speed training that is useful in 3 Gun competitions as well as defensive scenarios. The only disadvan-tage to the SIRT bolt is that your trigger pull is modified in order to get the reset so you won’t have the exact trigger train-ing.

But in order to train with my beloved Geissele trigger I recently tested out the Crosman MAR177, which is a .177 cali-ber pre-charged pneumatic airgun upper for any standard AR15 lower. Designed for National Match competition shooters it is the size, weight and feel of a 20” AR15, but of course it shoots plentiful inexpensive .177 caliber pellets. To charge the onboard tank you can hook it up to a 3,000 PSI scuba tank or use a special handpump. Since I don’t have a tank I went the pump route and after

about 100 pumps you’ll have almost 3,000 PSI stored up in the small tank and will be ready to fire at least 150 rounds. The rotary magazine holds 10 pellets and you load each shot by cycling the AR style charging handle. I was impressed with how incredibly quiet the pellet rifle was and also with the accu-racy. The rifle claims a velocity of 600 FPS and my chronograph clocked it at an average of 595 FPS with a standard deviation of only 5; it was surprisingly consistent. At 10 yards with the includ-ed open sights I had no problem keeping a 0.25” group dead center.

The MAR177 is a great setup for practicing your precision rifle shoot-ing. It’s quiet enough to fire inside your house with the proper pellet trap setup.

It gives an excellent plat-form for practicing from a variety of shooting positions and making single shots count. The advantages of this upper is you get to train with the exact same trigger since it uses your existing lower and you actually get ballistic feedback even if it is on a smaller, closer scale. It comes with a removable sights and picatinny rail so you could place an optic on

it, but if you give it further thought we all could use more iron sight practice. The only disadvantage for the pellet rifle is that you much to charge it every time as if it were a single shot, but the cost savings, precision, and accuracy training greatly outweigh this one drawback.

The SIRT bolt starts at $139 and the Crosman MAR177 retails at $650. At first this could deter some shooters but when you consider the potential ammu-nition cost savings it could work to your advantage.

Find our more at crosman.com and for the SIRT bolt use “topshotdustin” for 10 percent off at nextleveltraining.com

—Dustin Ellermann

38 | M a r c h 2 0 1 4 | T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® Photo: Dustin EllErmann

t Continued from page 38

Airgun Training

pThe SIRT AR Bolt allows you to dryfire your rifle with visual confirmation of your shot.

DoD.indd 38 2/6/14 2:17 PM

T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® | M a r c h 2 0 1 4 | 39Photo: CanstoCk

Bare Bones Hunting

by Lou marullo | TF&G Hunting Editor

Extra Sensory Hog Hunting

Hog Hunting iS not an EaSy taSk.

Sure, the younger ones can be easy to bag around corn feeders. But if you shoot a few in an area, they

tend to go nocturnal. And while always a bit challenging, the biggest boars can become super tough to bag after that.

Mature boars, like trophy bucks, have the uncanny ability to sneak through the thick-est of cover without making a sound. How many times have you been out there hunting and all of a sudden, you turn your head and there he is?

Well, there is a way to help with this and your off-season hog hunting that works just as good for whitetails.

Here is what you can do. The next time you are out shopping, pick up a motion sen-sor. I use one called the “driveway patrol”. It is one of the smaller ones and it works great.

These motion sensors come in two parts, a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter will pick up any movement and send a signal to the receiver. Usually, these receivers will sound an alarm that can be heard in three counties!

The ones I have used also come with a blinking red light when they receive a signal from the transmitter. For this method, I simply took apart the receiver and, using my vast knowledge of electricity, disconnected the wire that was attached to the speaker of the unit with my wire cutters. Consequently, when the transmitter sent a signal, the alarm was bypassed and only the blinking red light was working on the receiver.

After that, it was time to test this bad boy

out. I set the transmitter outside and had a friend walk in front of it. In the comfort of my living room, I watched as a red light gave me notice of an intruder in my yard.

Yes!The cool thing about this is that it works

great for daytime and nighttime hunting. If you need to stay after hours to get that big boar, you can know when it arrives and exactly where it is.

The first time I used this trick was for whitetails and I carried it into a thick deer sanctuary. As quietly as I could, I attached the transmitter (at around the height of a deer) to the trunk of one of the small trees and faced it in the direction of a well used deer trail. I then climbed up in my stand, which was located just outside the heavy thicket.

From my overhead perch, I could see any deer that might head in my direction except for those on the deer trail in the thicket. I

set the receiver on a branch near my stand and waited for the action to begin. It took a few hours before I spotted my first whitetail of the afternoon. Afterwards, I saw a few more does come out to feed on their way to the food plot.

Then about 30 minutes before sunset, my eyes caught sight of a red blinking light. Something was coming to me from the heavy thick brush - this battery operated pair of eyes worked perfectly! I was not sure at this point if it was a buck or doe, but I was convinced it was a deer as my heart was pounding right out of my chest.

The invisible deer only had to travel 50 yards or so before he or she would clear the thicket, but that seemed to take forever. My eyes were glued to the edge of the thick brush in search of any movement that might give the presence of the elusive deer away.

Finally, she poked her head out. It was not the buck I was looking for. But my gizmo had worked and it has worked numerous times since then.

Speaking of deer - which I do pretty much every day - I want to leave you with a cool trick that sort of symbolizes the kind of things to be covered in this column.

One Halloween, I saw my friend’s spooky display. In that array of Oct. 31st horrors was a dummy he filled with straw and sat in a chair on his front porch. That’s when a light bulb came on in my head.

I went home and started my own Halloween dummy and by the follow-ing summer, my masterpiece was ready. I dressed him in camo and took him into the woods to my deer stand. I strapped my new hunting buddy up in the stand and left him there for the deer to see. They soon got used to seeing that dummy. But on opening morn-ing, a different dummy was sitting up there. Only this one could draw a bow.

Cool, huh?I hope you will enjoy this new column

as much as I will enjoy writing it. Have fun and hunt safe.

Email Lou Marullo at [email protected]

“Next time you

are out shopping, pick up a motion

sensor.“

HuntingMarulo.indd 39 2/6/14 2:21 PM


March Madness: Get Ready for the Big Bite

NCAA BAsketBAll fANs AReN’t the oNly ones getting a good dose of March Madness these days. My guess is Texas bass anglers are just as stoked

about their chances of making big points with a monster largemouth. Those who aren’t should be.

March marks the arrival of spring in Texas. As a result, armies of heavyweight bass with spawning on their minds are beckoned towards the sun-baked shallows while making themselves more vulnerable to getting caught than at any other time of the year.

More big bass are caught during the month of March on Texas bass lakes than any other month, or at least that is what Toyota ShareLunker records indicate. Since 1986, some 234 of the program’s 554 entries (as of press time) have been caught during March. February is the only other month that comes remotely close with 128 entries, followed by April with 86.

Ripe as conditions are for catching a big bass in Texas during spring, closing the deal is hardly a slam dunk. For every springtime lunker that is caught, several others are prob-ably lost because something doesn’t go just right out there on the water.

Here are five tips that will help improve your chances of connecting with a career bass and sealing the deal when the big bite comes:

LAKES WITH A REP: To catch a big bass, you have to fish where they live. Naturally, some lakes have better reputa-tions for producing the big bite more fre-quently than others.

In Texas, more than 60 public and nearly two dozen private lakes have combined to produce more than 550 ShareLunkers. At last count, Lake Fork was responsible for

256 of those fish followed by lakes Alan Henry and O.H. Ivie with 25 each, Sam Rayurn (23) and Falcon (20).

If I had one day to catch an eight-pound bass and my life depended on it, Fork would probably be my first choice...but not by far. Lake Falcon also has rich history of kicking out numbers of big bass. Some other good choices include Toledo Bend, Sam Rayburn, Pinkston, Nacogdoches and Naconiche.

GEARED FOR THE OCCASION: Going fishing for big bass with gear that isn’t sufficient for tackling the job is risky busi-ness. Make sure your reel spools are filled with a premium line with a breaking strength of 17-20 pound test. A stronger braided line might be a better choice for muscling large fish out of bushes, brush and other abrasive habitat.

Use stout hooks and a rod with a medi-um, medium/heavy or heavy action. A rod with too much flex can spell trouble because it could allow a big bass to get the edge, particularly in areas with heavy cover.

STEALTH IS BEST: A big bass is no different than a big whitetail buck. It didn’t get big by making stupid mistakes. Heavyweight bass are inherently spooky, so it is always a good idea do be as stealthy as possible to avoid alarming them.

Among other things, this means:• Keeping the trolling motor prop out of

the mud and brush.• Avoid banging stuff carelessly about

the boat.• If you are fishing at night, don’t shine

lights across the water ahead of the boat in the same direction you are fishing.

WATER TEMPS AND MOON PHASE: Certain areas are prone to attract spawning fish sooner than others. Coves and isolated pockets that are protected from chilly north winds and get plenty of warm sunshine are always a good bet because water temperatures there will warm faster than in unprotected areas.

Shorelines with rock, concrete, or wood can also be good. All three absorb heat and dispense it, which can result in water temps a few degrees warmer than surrounding areas.

Many anglers assume that all the bass in lake will move shallow to spawn at exactly the same time. This is false. Bass spawn in waves, usually after water temperatures stabilize around 60 degrees.

Keep in mind that across Texas, the madness tends to be the wildest in coinci-dence with full moon phases in February, March and April.

WHEN YOU CAN SEE THEM: Bedding activity often takes place at depths shallow enough that fish can be seen hov-ering over the spawning nest when water clarity allows. A good pair of polarized sun-glasses are a big asset when “sight fishing” for bass because they reduce sun glare and make it much easier to see the fish and how it reacts to a bait.

Sight fishing for spawning bass can be tricky, mainly because they can be extremely spooky. The easiest fish to catch off beds are often those that are unaware of your presence. If you spot a fish that is reluctant to bite, make a mental note of the location and return an hour or so later. Position the boat just close enough that you can reach the sweet spot with a long cast. Be ready to set the hook quickly if the fish takes the bait.

Email Matt Williams at [email protected]

40 | M a r c h 2 0 1 4 | T E x A S F I S H & G A M E ®

texas freshwater

by Matt Williams | TF&G Freshwater Editor

Freshwater-Williams.indd 40 2/6/14 1:48 PM


Freshwater-Williams.indd 41 2/6/14 1:48 PM

www.mygrizzly.com

TRUE GREEN TRUE GREEN

Headboats Aid Snapper StudyRed snappeR issues have been contentious in recent years, especially in 2013 when Texas, Louisiana and other Gulf states pushed back against proposed federal rules, urging that snapper regulation be left up to the discretion of states, citing scientific research supporting the stance.

Gov. Rick Perry and other Gulf state governors even went so far as to send a letter to Congressional leaders, stating that fed-eral management of Gulf red snapper was evidence of a system that was “irretrievably broken.”

NOAA Fisheries later announced an increase in the allowable catch for red snap-per, from 8.46 million pounds to 11 million pounds. The recreational quota increased from 4.145 million pounds to 5.39 million pounds and the commercial quota increased from 4.315 million pounds to 5.61 million pounds. That increase was the highest catch

level the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Manage-ment Council can set without having to decrease the figure in subsequent years, and will remain in effect through 2014.

While the quota went up, the biggest issue facing red snapper fishing is the absence of accurate harvest data. Com-mercial anglers keep much more detailed records than captains who fish recreation-ally. However, federal fisheries managers have an eye on improving the scientific side of snapper fishing, implementing a two-year study in January aimed specifically at nail-ing down just how much snapper is brought overboard. Dubbed the Gulf Headboat Collaborative, the program allows only 20 federally permitted headboat captains to fish for red snapper and gag grouper all year as long as they have not exhausted their allocations for the species. Included in those headboats are fishing operations based out of Port Aransas.

Those captains must adhere to their specific allocations and strict data collection, including reporting their trips electronically before conducting an outing, providing a time of return and then completing a log of their catch through the Headboat Survey online system, which will keep a running tally of landings, estimated in pounds after

being formulated for the average fish size in each Gulf area.

One major caveat to the initiative is the quota and how long it takes to reach it. Red snapper landing estimates in Texas waters, those less than nine nautical miles off the coast, are included in the federal estimates and once the overall allotment is landed, even those captains in the Collaborative would be forced to shut down their trips. Those overall estimates typically are pro-vided by federal officials in August.

This year’s recreational red snapper season will open at 12:01 a.m. June 1 and close at 12:01 a.m. July 11, offering a 40-day season in federal waters. The recreational red snapper bag limit in fed-eral waters is two fish at least 16 inches in length. The bag limit in Texas waters is four fish, at least 15 inches long, with a year-round season.

More than 95 percent of the red snapper landed in Texas come from federal waters, according to Texas Parks & Wildlife Department figures. Most of that catch – about 80 percent – comes from headboats, also known as “party boats,” which take out numerous paying clients. These boats account for roughly 200,000 angler fishing trips annually, according to TPWD figures.

The length of the federal recreational season in the Gulf is determined by the amount of the quota, the average weight of fish landed and estimated catch rates. NOAA Fisheries is responsible for ensuring the entire recreational harvest, including har-vest in state waters, does not exceed the rec-reational quota. Therefore, if states establish a longer season or a larger bag limit for state waters than the federal regulations allow in federal waters, the federal season must be adjusted to account for the additional har-vest expected in state waters.

The long and short of the program is that it will allow headboats in the Col-laborative to catch the same number of fish they would normally catch during the short fishing seasons, but to take anglers fishing anytime during the calendar year.

—Will Leschper «TG

Will Leschper’s work has won state and national awards. Contact him at

[email protected]

TRUE GREENEdited by Will Leschper

42 | M a r c h 2 0 1 4 | T e x a s F i s h & G a m e ®

TrueGreen.indd 42 2/6/14 2:27 PM


TRUE GREEN TRUE GREENBoundary Waters Could Face Catfish Reg. ChangeThe Louisiana WiLdLife and Fisheries Commission have adopted a notice of intent that would alter daily creel limit regulations for channel and blue cat-fish caught in boundary waters with Texas including Toledo Bend Reservoir, Caddo Lake and the Sabine River. Fisheries biologists from each state recommended the action based on the results of a cooperative biological study and angler input.

The current daily limit of 50 catfish, with a limit of five channel and blue catfish over 20 inches in total length, was adopted in 2011 as part of a coordinated effort with Texas fisheries officials to establish uniform regulations on boundary waters. Biologists

conducted follow-up sampling, confirming angler concerns that the restriction was unduly restricting harvest. A joint study

determined the catfish populations in ques-tion are healthy and the current regulation was restrictive.

The proposed rule change would main-tain the 50 fish daily creel limit, but set a limit of five fish over 30 inches in total length. The action also will maintain stan-dardized regulations in Louisiana-Texas border waters and allow anglers in Toledo Bend, Caddo Lake and the Sabine River to keep a greater amount of channel and blue catfish caught.

Interested persons may submit related comments regarding the proposed rule by March 10 to Mike Wood, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Office of Fisheries, P.O. Box 98000, Baton Rouge, LA 70898-9000 or via email at [email protected].

—Staff Report «TG

TRUE GREEN

“The current limit was adopted in

2011.“



www.wileyx.com

2,200 Prairie Wetlands Acres RestoredWorking With private land-owners across coastal Texas, Ducks Unlim-ited completed just over 2,200 acres in Fiscal Year 2014 with another 1,350 acres under contract through the Texas Prairie Wetlands Project (TPWP).

This year, the focus of the cost-share program has been as much on provid-ing water as on the traditional work of constructing managed wetland units. The program is a partnership of DU, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and pri-vate landowners, and has been delivering the habitat goals of the Gulf Coast Joint Venture since 1991.

TPWP is as impressive for its collabo-

ration as it is for its habitat delivery, which has provided approximately 64,000 acres of wetland habitats in the 30-county focal area along the Texas Gulf Coast. Today, TPWP is the number one program deliver-ing waterfowl habitat objectives for the Gulf Coast Joint Venture. Private landowner costs are offset by TPWP cost-share, which comes from Texas Parks and Wild-life Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Futch Foundation, Trull Founda-tion, National Fish and Wildlife Founda-tion, ConocoPhillips, and North American Wetlands Conservation Act grants.

—by Andi Cooper «TG

TRUE GREEN CONTINUED...

pprivate landowners enrolled in the texas prairie Wetland project pro-vide critical waterfowl habitat along the texas Coast.

phot

o: D

ucks

unl

imit

eD


www.huskyliners.com


Oh, You Didn’t Know?

One reallY neat thing abOut mOving from teaching high school to middle school is how much the students mar-vel at the little bits of arcane informa-

tion I sometimes spring on them. I can pass along some little factoid, such as historians are able to tell the exact date of the first performance of Sophacles’ tragedy Antigone because there was a lunar eclipse on the same day or that the 47 Ronin was actually a play based on historical events as recorded by the Japanese historian Edo (although the original work lacked supernatural creatures and special effects). They get a kick out of learning these bits of trivia. Granted, it’s the sort of information that only drama geeks can appreciate, but it still counts.

Even so, I believe strongly that every stu-dent—even middle schoolers—should have a well-rounded, multi-faceted education. I may draw a paycheck as a Theatre Teacher but my kids should be exposed to all the knowledge at my disposal.

Knowledge such as:

there are Some monstrous Flounder Out there

I was talking to Mark Lingo, the Lower Laguna Madre Coastal Fisheries Leader, about flounder in Lower Laguna Madre when he shared with me the little known fact that some really big ones—upwards of 10 pounds or more—hang around deep rocks in state waters. The same rocks that shelter vast schools of red snapper are also havens for these bathmats with eyes. Lingo said that these big flounder park themselves

around these rocks and spend their days waiting for some hapless small red snapper, grunt, or other morsel to happen by and turn into a meal. It would come as no surprise if someone were to luck into a state record flatty off of one of these rocks while trying to catch a snapper.

I’ve been tempted to get an SS Jig - or similar bucktail - and bounce one on the sand to try for one of these flounder. The only problem would be trying to get my offer-ing past a hungry snapper.

But oh what a happy dilemma!

tarpon Fight DirtyAnyone who has ever hooked into a big

silver king knows this to be a fact. But until I talked to Larry Dahlberg, host of Larry Dahlberg’s The Hunt for Big Fish, I had no idea how dirty.

One year at ICAST, I recounted to Dahlberg how Larry Haines, a Port Isabel fly shop owner, had almost been killed by heat stroke while fighting a record-class tarpon off the Boca Chica side of the Brazos Jetties. During the course of the eight hour battle, the fish had sounded to the bottom of the Brownsville Ship Channel and a slugfest ensued where Haines gained and lost again the same few short feet of line.

Dahlberg wasn’t surprised and explained what was happening: a big ‘poon will stick his nose in the mud and sand at the bottom of the pass with the current. When you gain line on the fish, all you are doing is turn-ing the fish a bit. When you lose the same amount of line, the fish has turned back into the current and went right back to his nose-down position.

It is an exhausting fight and pretty much a stalemate until either a) your tackle fails or b) you find a way to drastically change the angle of pressure on the tarpon (which is exactly what Haines did, boarding a friend’s boat and managing some vertical pressure on the fish - it didn’t help, though, because the fight lasted another four hours before Haines collapsed).

Tarpon…they can be real jerks!

mullet hurtPersonal experience can be a harsh teach-

er. A bruised cheek and a mouthful of fish slime and scales underscored that for me one June morning. I was wading Community Bar in Port Mansfield and tossing a gold spoon to some very cooperative speckled trout and redfish. I saw some bait working near a crab trap buoy in deeper water and waded into near-chest deep water to make a few casts at the leaping bait. My shuffling must’ve startled a large mullet, because the next thing I knew, a 13-inch long silver mis-sile launched directly in front of me. The problem was that the frightened fish leaped right at me.

The force of the one-pound slimy bullet pegging me right in the face stunned me and sent me staggering backwards (worse yet, I dropped my rod into the ultra-saline Lower Laguna Madre water). I am forever thank-ful for my Wiley-X sunglasses because they may have saved me from a worse injury than a puffy cheek. Undaunted, I recovered my rod and reel and kept fishing. And I even managed to catch a couple of trout from around that buoy.

But my cheek throbbed for days after-wards and I had to think of an excellent lie to tell my summer school colleagues. Why? Because I doubted they would have believed that I was assaulted by an industrial sized baitfish (or maybe I didn’t want to admit to it).

For the record: Mullet slime does NOT taste like chicken.

Email Calixto Gonzales at [email protected]

texas Saltwater

by Calixto Gonzales | TF&G Saltwater Editor

Saltwater.indd 45 2/6/14 2:29 PM


46 | M a r c h 2 0 1 4 | T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® Composite photo: tF&G

Fea 5-Salt.indd 46 2/6/14 3:02 PM

Several years ago, the three waders entered the chilly waters of East Matagorda Bay for a wade. They were spread out 50 to 75-yards apart when a thick sea fog rolled in.

“We didn’t think much about it. It gets foggy a lot in the winter,” Sanchez recalled.

Nonchalance turned to worry when one

of his friends disappeared.“I look back, and he’s just gone,” Sanchez

said. “Then I look back to the other side and my other friend is gone too. The fog had swallowed them.”

Sanchez hollered for the two to come his direction, but they were disoriented and could not find their way out. Within five

minutes, Sanchez, too, was enclosed in a thick shroud of fog. Worse yet, they had no idea where the boat was.

“We had wandered a good 100 yards from the boat and were out in a flat in the middle of the bay,” Sanchez recalled. “I hollered for everyone to stay put so they wouldn’t wander off and get hurt.”

“Strange thingS are done ‘neath the midnight Sun.” had the author of that line, robert Service, lived in texas, he might have penned similar words about fishing the bays. Robert Sanchez and party could provide inspiration.


Bacon-Loving Sharks,Wading with Gators,Devilish nilgai,

and other Wierd Tales

by chester moore

Fea 5-Salt.indd 47 2/6/14 3:02 PM

Fortunately, they all listened, but not all was well. On a couple of occasions, they heard boats coming within what sounded like dangerous range.

“We could hear them running and we even felt the wake of one of them,” Sanchez told me. “We just knew they were going to run over one of us. It was a very tense time.”

The fog bank held for more than two hours and it seemed like days to the group.

“I can’t tell you how glad we were when that fog lifted,” Sanchez said with a sup-pressed shudder. “That was one frightening and strange experience.”

Gentle Giant A more humorous - but still strange -

saltwater fi shing story comes from my dad, Chester Moore, Sr.

He and a friend were fi shing the Intracoastal Canal near the Louisiana bor-der back in the late 1960s. The fi shing was slow and the two were getting bored—until, that is, something strange and very large

materialized next to them.“This big animal came up that was nearly

as long as our 12 foot aluminum boat,” Dad told me. “It came up right beside us and just sat there. It was so big and ugly we got scared, pulled anchor, and left.”

After reporting the sighting to a game warden, they became a little embarrassed. Turned out the strange creature was a gentle manatee the warden had under observation. Manatees rarely appear in Texas.

“He told us the manatee had been seen around that area and they were keeping an eye out for it to make sure poachers didn’t’ get it,” Dad said. “We didn’t know what a manatee was, but once he explained to us what they are, we turned a little red. They’re

not exactly vicious, dangerous creatures.”A correct assessment, for sure. My wife,

Lisa, and I went snorkeling with manatees (a.k.a. “sea cows”) in Florida’s Crystal River back in 1998 and found them gentle, playful creatures.

stalked by Gators Alligators are not such playful creatures.

Unexpected encounters in the bay put quite an edge on a wade-fi shing experience, but fi nding oneself besieged by a whole host of saurians is nightmare stuff even Stephen King would be hard put to dream up.

In 1972, Bill Dearman of Houston was fl ounder gigging along a shoreline in East Galveston Bay. He had a bunch of fl ounder on the string and all was going well—or so he thought.

“I had hopped overboard when I reached this one particular area and was going to wade about 50 yards of shoreline,” Dearman recalled. “I had just about decided to turn back when I heard something behind me. I looked back and there were two huge

alligators following me. One of them had to be at least 10 feet long.

“I decided to calmly walk to the shore-line, but noticed there was another gator between me and the bank. Then the thing submerged and so did one of the other two. I fi gured nothing from nothing leaves nothing, so I went ahead and walked toward shore without incident—until I started pulling in my stringer. One of the gators grabbed it.

“I had some nice fl ounder on there and thought about playing tug of war, but I remembered I still had to get back to my boat and didn’t relish the idea of having to wade through hungry—and maybe angry—alligators to get to it. The gators ate well that night.”

Jersey Devil Callers to my radio show are a rich

source of strange stories about the outdoors. One caller said his brother-in-law moved from New Jersey to Corpus Christi back in the late 1980s. His neighbor took him fi sh-ing down at Port Mansfi eld.

“This was his fi rst time fi shing in Texas and the neighbor dropped him off along this shoreline and told him to not wade out past

his waist,” the caller related. “He was going to park the boat a couple of hundred yards away and wade another spot. He was only a holler away.”

Nature called and he waded ashore to tend to business. He was doing his duty when rustling in the dry grass caught his attention. He turned around to see a six-foot tall animal with a long neck and devilish-looking horns.

“My brother-in-law is from New Jersey and they have this legend up there called the ‘Jersey Devil’ that’s this weird horse-looking creature with devil horns,” the caller said. “He said he all he could think of when he saw this thing was the Jersey Devil had done followed him to Texas.”

The man ran from the brush down the shoreline toward his neighbor. By the time he got there, he was out of breath, had fallen down twice, and had left all his fi shing tackle back with the Jersey Devil.

When he calmed down enough to explain what he had seen, his neighbor quickly told him he had seen a nilgai antelope, a native of India imported and stocked on many Texas ranches. They are common in the Port Mansfi eld area and are harmless as whitetails.

“He felt a little foolish, but still isn’t

48 | M A R C H 2 0 1 4 | T E X A S F I S H & G A M E ®

MANATEES: not exactly vicious,dangerous creatures.

A NILGAI’S horns do have a certain “devilish” quality.

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sure that wasn’t the Jersey Devil,” the caller concluded.

Shark Sausage Another caller said he was fi shing in San

Antonio Bay when he saw a feral hog enter the water on one side of a cut and start swim-ming to the other side.

“This thing made it about halfway over when all hell broke loose,” the caller said. “Something pulled that thing under and the water turned red. The hog came up and then got pulled back down again. I wasn’t close enough to see what it was, but it had to be either an alligator or a big shark.

“The pig was about 75 pounds the best I could tell, so whatever it was had to be large. All I know is before I saw that, I wanted to wade-fi sh near there. Not anymore.”

Gar-Gantua Another caller said alligator gar routinely

attack his stringer when he is wade-fi shing Sabine Pass.

“You look over and there’s a big garfi sh chewing on your stringer. It’s a pretty fright-ening sight,” he said.

Gar may not seem like a danger, but there are historical reports of garfi sh attack-ing people in the southern United States. The 7 May 1884 edition of the Arkansas Gazette reported: “While a boy named Perry was fi shing in Shoal Creek, Logan County, a gar fi sh caught his right leg, which was hanging over the side of the boat in the water, and pulled him overboard. His com-panions rescued him, but not before the leg was terribly lacerated.”

The New Orleans Times-Picayune on Jan. 22, 1922 reported that gar are more dangerous than sharks, and claimed there were many instances of people killed by this

“vicious fi sh.”Half of the strangeness in these stories

involves remoteness and isolation. Whether trapped in a fog bank or harassed by three hungry alligators at night, humans do not like to feel detached from the “safe” world of television, air conditioning, and home alarm systems.

Most trips into Texas bays are routine, but sometimes strange things happen. And when they do, they shake up our sense of the “normal.” That’s always frightening—and later, a little bit of fun.

ARE GARFISH more dangerous than sharks?

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Fea 5-Salt.indd 49 2/10/14 5:07 PM

www.lews.com/americanhero

50 | M a r c h 2 0 1 4 | T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® Photo credit

andOther Beastly

Boars

by Chester Moore

Fea 6-Hunt.indd 50 2/6/14 2:58 PM

Take, for example, the “Satan Hog”.

Back in the mid 1990s, I hunted hogs with dogs at Clarkrange Hunting Lodge in Clarkrange, Tenn.

The first morning of the hunt, we jumped up a nice reddish-colored boar with nasty tusks. I decided it was a shooter, so I found a good rest on a tree, squeezed the trigger on the .54 caliber Traditions muz-zleloader, and out came the smoke.

All I could see was that some-thing was running toward me and I assumed it was 175 pounds of tusks and rage, so I started up the tree. Thankfully, it was just one of the dogs realizing the hog was dead and its work was done.

On the way back to the cabin, the dogs jumped up another hog to which the guide said, “I think it’s the Satan hog!”

Well, that got my attention.

“Could you please explain to me what exactly is the Satan hog?” I asked.

“It’s this black boar that charges unprovoked and has killed several dogs. It almost got me once and we haven’t been able to kill it,” he said.

For some reason, I thought it might be a good idea to go pho-tograph this hog if the dogs had it bayed up. Bad idea!

As soon as we arrived on the scene, this black hog, which was only around 150-pounds, ran straight at me, forcing me to seek refuge in a tree. I did notice it hooked as it ran by. As soon as the dogs got it again, I jumped back down and started shooting photos and got charged again. Just as I started to think this was a really bad idea, the hog took off and the dogs behind it but they soon returned. They simply could not hold the beast.

IF THERE IS A DARK SIDE To HunT-

ing in the American South, it comes

via wild hogs. no animal from Texas

to Florida is more unpredictable,

aggressive and, in some circumstanc-

es, downright evil.

T E x A S F I S H & G A m E ® | M a r c h 2 0 1 4 | 51

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www.sealyoutdoors.com

“Man, that Satan hog is something else,” I said to my guide.

“No, that wasn’t it. I’ve never seen that one before. The Satan hog is a whole lot meaner than that,” he said.

A few years back I put TF&G Bowhunting Editor Lou Marullo on a big hog in the Pineywoods of East Texas. I was in a ground blind filming just under his tripod stand and watched as his arrow went about halfway into the rib cage. I knew the hog would die but it might take awhile, so I called my Dad on the radio and he rode up from camp on a four-wheeler with his .357 Taurus.

Me being possible kin to a bloodhound as I have a natural knack for blood trailing took the gun because I would probably be the first to the wounded boar. Marullo clutched tightly his bow and Dad carried an axe handle. Marullo turned to Dad and asked what the ax handle was for.

“Better than a stick,” he said.We soon found the hog with the arrow

still in it, breathing heavily in a mud puddle. Adams(??) chose to take it out with a bow, so he drew back, released the arrow and we

heard a big “Smack!”The arrow struck bone and the hog that

seemed to be on death’s door, jumped and let out a deep, guttural grunt as my hunting party of three soon changed to one. I looked to my right and my Dad, who was 60 at the time, was about 20 yards back running the other direction. I looked to my left and Marullo was nowhere to be seen. He was gone!

So, there I was standing there like Dirty Harry with this huge hog facing me at 15 yards, just knowing it was about to head my direction when it fell to the ground. It took a four-wheeler and a lot of ingenuity to get that beast back to camp and a lot of talking to convince Marullo to hunt hogs with me again.

Hogs have flat out taken over the coastal marsh in just about every section of the Gulf Coast, and waders are encountering them more frequently than ever.

Donnie Warren of San Antonio was wading a stretch of marsh in the Aransas Bay complex when he found himself between a big sow and her piglets.

“I was getting ready to cross over this

little hump toward this pond, and as I was getting up from the water onto the land, here comes this huge blond-colored sow and about 10 piglets. I just stood still, hoping she would not see me, but as luck would have it, the wind was blowing right to her and she caught a whiff of me.”

“When she did, she ran out into the shal-low water toward me about five steps, and I just stood still. I knew there would be no point in running. She just stood there grunt-ing at me for a few seconds, and then turned around, joined her piglets, and walked away. I have encountered plenty of sharks while wading, but never expected to be charged by a pig.”

Just the fact these animals have the poten-tial to rip a person to shreds makes things interesting, but when you add in their intel-ligence, a propensity for dwelling in hostile environments, and the follies of human hunt-ers, things can turn exciting fast.

Fea 6-Hunt.indd 53 2/6/14 2:58 PM

www.streamlight.com

There was a Time in Texas’ history, not so long ago in fact, that one could hear the lonely cry of wolves in the hill Country, Panhandle, Trans Pecos and Pineywoods. The Lone star state has a rich and almost never discussed history of wolves that includes some surprises and tragedies.

DiD you know Texas once had its own wolf? Canis lupus monstrablis (cool name, huh?) was once abundant in the northern, central and western parts of the state. For a gray wolf in the southern part of its range it was large, but unfortunately, was complete¬ly wiped out of the state due to govrernment predator control programs.

oPPosiTe: erin BearD gets to meet a beautiful high content wolf/hybrid

pup courtesy of educational outfit Wolf Tejas. Wolves

undoubtedly prey on game animals and livestock, but

they are a valuable part of the nature balance of

things. it is interesting to ponder what the Texas land-

scape might be like with wolves. would feral hogs be

the problem they are now? in europe, wolves help keep their native eurasian hogs in

balance.

oPPosiTe: The mexi-Can gray wolf is the smallest of the many

subspecies of the Canis lupus and once roamed the western half of the

state. They too were con-sidered extinct in the wild

but a captive breed¬ing program has produced

releases in new mexico. Several unconfirmed

reports exist of sightings in far west Texas.

qq

q

54 | M a r c h 2 0 1 4 | T e x a s F i s h & g a m e ® Photos: Mexican gray wolf, usfws;all others, chester Moore

photo essay bychester moore

Fea 2-Wild.indd 54 2/6/14 2:48 PM

The red wolf was once native to the eastern half of Texas. declared extinct in the wild in 1980 due to hybridizing with coyotes, several hundred animals were captured in southeast Texas and southwest loui¬siana. fourteen of these were “pure” red wolves and were made the basis of a captive breeding program by the U.S. fish and wildlife Service. red wolves have been released in the Carolinas and Tennessee. Today animals that look very much like pure red wolves still roam east Texas.

The CoyoTe is the dominant wild canid in Texas. Able to breed with wolves, it is highly adaptable and able to live in the innermost parts of cities like houston, dallas and San Antonio whereas wolves require much more open space.

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Fea 2-Wild.indd 55 2/6/14 2:48 PM

Frenzy

The 1950s vinTage moTor courT was the perfect location for dozens of fly casters to gather in camaraderie and tie a few last creations before the

Arkansas brown trout season opened at midnight.

Room 5 contained the largest number of fishermen on our side of the courtyard. It was an odd room with two full beds, two twin beds, and an assortment of tables. Strangers ran in and out without obvious need.

“I need a brown heron feather!” some-one shouted in Room 5. Despite the frigid weather, each room arranged around the courtyard was open in some way to provide quick communication and to vent the fumes from the fly head cement and solvents used on flies.

Three undercover federal agents rushed into the room to identify the fisherman and see if he was in fact using feathers from an endangered bird.

From the roof vent of Room 6, I watched mysterious feather puffs shoot into the air through their open door and dissipate. I imagine the men in there suddenly began tying with chicken feathers.

Despite the frigid weather, I looked through our door at the forlorn playground equipment covered in a dusting of snow. Dusk gave the courtyard a misty, vintage appearance.

The Hunting Club members behind me gathered around Youngster’s portable tying bench. “That looks like a sculpin fly with a clown nose,” Doc said.

Urgent whispering began between Youngster and Junior.

“I call it a Sculpin Clown,” Youngster announced.

A fisherman we didn’t recognize ran into our room, examined the new creation, and ran back out again. “Only three more hours until season opens!” he shouted at the occupants of Room 5. “Hey guys, I just shot a picture of this new guy’s fly with my cell

phone. Let’s tie some.”“So much for my mystery fly,” Youngster

said.“You stole it from Orvis,” Junior accused. “Did not!” They tangled, snarling onto

the floor in a flurry of scientific wrestling holds and vicious bites.

I looked around our trashed motel room. Fly fuzz drifted in dust balls across the linoleum floor. The room was awash in discarded fly lines, ragged tippets, fishing rods, boxes of flies, tying tools, spilled drinks, open bags of chips, empty cans of beef stew heated on hot plates, socks, fishing vests, remote controls that worked nothing, spare eyeglasses, Hawaiian shirts, grapefruit rinds, and outdoor magazines.

Doc intently cemented a patch onto wad-ers held together by older patches.

Woodrow disconsolately sat on the bed in his son’s too small thermals and pondered the heavy snow that had begun to fall. “Anyone bring spare woolies?”

Jerry Wayne was on his cell phone scream-ing a frustrated order for take-out chicken. “I said I want half a chicken!” He held the phone to his mostly deaf ear.

The tinny voice on the other end asked, “Once again, which side do you want?”

“I don’t give a flyin’ flip which side! Right or left, it doesn’t matter!”

“Might have mattered to the chicken,” Doc ventured.

“I think they’re asking what kind of side vegetable you’re wanting,” the Cap’n clari-fied. Jerry Wayne didn’t hear.

Wrong Willie examined a map of the river, trying to glean from the glossy paper where a big brown might be lurking.

“Fine! Fine! The left side, then!”Running footsteps outside as someone

hurried from room to room to borrow extra cold weather gear. Someone slipped on the ice, falls and a bloody head wound ensued.

Paramedics arrive.Events accelerate.Heavier snow outside.On the crowded table in Room 5, a cigar

rolls off an ashtray, contacting flammable cement spilled in a pool of hackles. Things

get exciting. Spark, smoke, fire.Minor explosion. People running. Alarms.Firemen with axes soon chopped indis-

criminately at any motel door.I sensed something was wrongSmoke inhalation.EMS responders administered oxygen to

elderly fly fishermen. Two hopeful college-age fishermen lined up politely for a hit of pure oxygen.

Inside, fly rods burst into flame.Men save waders with sentimental value.Coolers slide across the icy parking lot.Die-hards tie frantically before the fire

spreads.Fly boxes brought new meaning to the

term as frenzied fishermen heaved them through open doors in an effort to save the contents that might be successful on the river.

Someone shouted the time.Stampede.Truck engines roared to life.Trucks spin out as midnight draws nearer.Crisis forgotten.Game wardens balanced sideways on

the teeter-totter jotted down notes to check on those later who might not have fishing licenses.

Traffic at the exit jolted to a stop like mice on sticky traps.

Bumpers and fenders crumpled.Men jumped up and down to unlock

bumpers welded together by the impact.Unscathed vehicles engage four-wheel

drive and escaped through the courtyard’s center, scattering game wardens.

Fishermen arrived at the river, looking for best spots on the crowded watercourse.

The heavily insured motel burns to the ground while on the water, at the stroke of midnight, in a heavy snow, the fishing frenzy begins.

Email Reavis Wortham at [email protected]


open season

by Reavis Wortham | TF&G Humor Editor

Humor-Wortham.indd 56 2/6/14 1:51 PM


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ONE OF THE MOST COMMON TERMS IN BASS FISHING, “structure,” is also among the most misused. By strict defi nition among those who fi rst used the word, structure refers to changes on the bottom of a water body. Various and sundry things encoun-tered along those structures are more correctly called “breaks.”

T F & G A L M A N A C T E X A S F I S H & G A M E ® M A R C H 2 0 1 4 | 57

BY DOUG PIKE

Fundamentals of

LargemouthLargemouthFundamentals of

LargemouthFundamentals of

LargemouthLargemouthFundamentals of

LargemouthFundamentals of

Digital Edition

HabitatHabitatLargemouthLargemouth

HabitatHabitatALMANAC Digital.indd 57 2/12/14 9:54 AM

For a simple example, imagine a con-struction site. The foundation was poured Wednesday while the foreman was out sick and has dried with all sorts of undulations and cracks and ridges and holes in it. Those things make up the structure of the slab. Feeling better, the boss rolls up bright and early on Thursday. He’s pretty ticked by what he sees and, in a huff, throws a trash can, a couple of hardhats, and some old lumber onto the contorted slab. To a bass fi sherman, those things would be breaks in the structure. They would also be good reasons why that concrete-pouring fi sher-man wouldn’t be going fi shing that day. In other words, the humps, channels, points, and riprap on and around a lake fl oor are structures. Stumps, grass beds, and boat docks are breaks.

Bass relate to structure like you and I relate to highways and city streets. Creatures of habit, largemouths (and their closer cous-ins) follow predictable routes along lake structures as they go about daily movements between deep-water sanctuary and shallower feeding areas. The places likely to hold fi sh most consistently are those that provide safe, comfortable routes between the largemouth’s equivalents of home and a favorite restau-rant.

Home is always going to be deep, too, relative to the water body, because that’s where bass go to insulate themselves from bright light and temperature extremes. It may be a hole, a creek channel, or the base of an old tank dam, but the water in which con-centrations of bass spend the majority of their time almost without exception will be deep.

While they are down and content, inci-dentally, it can be extremely diffi cult to make bass eat lures. Patient hands in control of a jigging spoon, crankbait, or Carolina-rigged worm might coax the occasional strike, but if those deep fi sh are the only fi sh you can fi nd and your life depends on catching a bass, you might want to spring for a dozen fat shiners.

When feeding time comes, bass gener-

ally leave the holding zone and follow a predictable route along the structure toward shallower water, where most of what they eat lives. They may pause along the way, too, much as you and I might stop on a long trip for a snack or just to rest. Stops typically are alongside or over some sort of break in the structure, such as a submerged stump or grass bed, or some other “thing” to which they can relate and possibly set up an ambush of inattentive prey. Even when they are chasing shad in open water, schools of largemouths usually relate to some sort of bottom anomaly, such as a stand of sub-merged timber.

Bass are somewhat susceptible at these halfway points, but the majority of their activity--and the best fi shing--takes place in prime feeding areas.

The short list of good largemouth attrac-tants includes most types of aquatic vegeta-tion, boat docks, riprap, points, humps, tank dams, timber, road beds, brush piles, and just about any other “thing” that disrupts the lake fl oor around them. What we can see above the surface represents only a small fraction of what is available to and used by the fi sh as a reference point for feeding or

58 | M A R C H 2 0 1 4 T E X A S F I S H & G A M E ® T F & G A L M A N A C

HOW-TO SECTION

60 TEXAS BOATING • Spring Fling | BY LENNY RUDOW

64 TEXAS KAYAKING • Trolling in a Kayak | BY GREG BERLOCHER

65 PAUL’S TIPS • Worm Jigging | BY PAUL BRADSHAW

66 TEXAS GUNS & GEAR • Neces-sary Gadgets | BY STEVE LAMASCUS

GEARING UP SECTION

68 TEXAS TESTED • Penn, Husky Liners | BY TFG STAFF

70 FISH AND GAME GEAR• Hot New Outdoor Gear | BY TFG STAFF

73 INDUSTRY INSIDER • In-Water Boat Show | BY TFG STAFF

FISHING FORECASTSECTION

74 HOTSPOTS FOCUS: UPPER COAST • Finfi sh for Big Fish | BY CAPT. EDDIE HERNANDEZ

75 HOTSPOTS FOCUS: GALVES-TON • March to the Beat of Drum | BY CAPT. MIKE HOLMES

76 HOTSPOTS FOCUS: MATAGO-RDA • Warming Water | BY MIKE PRICE

78 HOTSPOTS FOCUS: UPPER MID COAST • Speckled Spring | BY CAPT. CHRIS MARTIN

79 HOTSPOTS FOCUS: ROCKPORT • Productive Play | BY CAPT. MAC GABLE

81 HOTSPOTS FOCUS: LOWER COAST • March to the Beach | BY CALIXTO GONZALES

82 TEXAS HOTSPOTS • Texas’ Hot-test Fishing Spots | BY TFG STAFF

90 SPORTSMAN’S DAYBOOK • Tides & Prime Times | BY TFG STAFF

OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE SECTION

98 SPORTING TALES • Armed Seniors | BY ROD BOUFFARD

100 TEXAS TASTED • Duck Gumbo | BY BRYAN SLAVEN

101 OUTDOOR CLASSIFIED DIRECTORY • Guides, Gear and More | BY TFG STAFF

102 TF&G PHOTOS • Your Action Photos | BY TFG READERS

TF&G Almanac Table of Contents

57 COVER STORY • Funda-mentals of Largemouth Habi-tat | BY DOUG PIKE

57 COVER STORY • Funda-

www.FishGame.com

CONTINUED ON PAGE 60

“Home is always

going to be deep.“

ALMANAC Digital.indd 58 2/12/14 9:54 AM

TF&G Almanac Table of Contents


www.southwestintlboatshow.com

Spring Fling

YOU DON’T MAKE A ROAD TRIP WITH-out fi rst checking out your truck, you don’t go hunting unless you’ve care-fully scouted the site, and you don’t

run the mower until you’ve fi rst checked the oil. So why do so many boaters yank off the cover at the fi rst hint of spring and expect their boat to be ready for action? I don’t have a clue—maybe it’s spring fever, maybe it’s a lack of spare time, or maybe it’s just a lack of foresight. But for some reason, far too many people launch their boats every spring without fi rst going through a pre-season check-up. The result is often a non-starter at the boat ramp (denied!), getting stranded on the water (help!), or something even worse (yes, you deserved it!)

Ensure your season starts off right by running through this spring season pre-launch check-list.

I. Outboard Engines A. VISUALLY INSPECT the ffl uid

levels, all linkages and throttle or steering connections, hoses and hose connections, and the battery.

B. HOOK YOUR ENGINE to a water supply and start it up. Once it’s run for a minute or two, check the tell-tale to make sure the cooling system is pushing plenty of water. Remember that large four-strokes have a lot of passages in the power-head and it may take a full two or three minutes before water starts fl owing out of the tell-tale.

C. AFTER SHUTTING DOWN the engine, check the fuel-water separator. If water is evident, dose the fuel with a water-eating additive. Then drain the separator

and any internal fuel fi lter(s).

D. IF YOU FOGGED your engine for winter storage, now’s the time to clean or change the plugs as necessary. Note – never do this before that initial start or the rem-nants of the fogging fl uid will junk the plugs right back up and you’ll have to clean them a second time.

E. YOU SHOULD HAVE changed the oil and/or lower unit oil prior to winter storage (always a good move so you know there’s no water sitting in the lower unit over the winter), but if you didn’t, take care of that job right now.

F. HIT ALL THE grease fi ttings in the steering and tilt systems. As you do so, watch for the old grease to be forced out and look for water at the fi rst ooze. If you see any, keep an eye on that part of the system as it may become a trouble-point down the road.

Texas Boating

by Lenny Rudow | TF&G Boating Editor

shelter.I recall reading results years ago of a test

conducted at a commercial fi sh farm where largemouth bass were sold and transported to private ponds around the state. One afternoon, after watching a group of several dozen bass swim aimlessly around a light-colored concrete holding tank, somebody laid a foot-wide strip of black tarp across the tank bottom. Within minutes, nearly every bass in that tank settled over the strip of plastic and calmly held their positions almost indefi nitely.

That is not to suggest littering Texas lakes and ponds with torn up drop cloths, but the experiment illustrates that bass naturally associate with whatever structure and cover is available. The problem fi shermen face day-

to-day (one of them, anyway) is determining which cover among dozens in any lake is preferred under a given set of weather and water circumstances.

Solving that riddle takes time and experi-ence, but it is a lot more fun learning how to catch bass than it is learning to hit a golf ball. No matter how much I practice golf, and no matter where I play, the odds against me ever breaking par over 18 holes on a champion-ship course are astronomically high. Every time I go up against the bass in a quality Texas lake, however, there is a reasonable chance that a well-placed cast might tempt an enormous fi sh to eat my lure. From a sporting per-spective, bass fi shing is a game that anyone can learn and win.

to-day (one of them, anyway) is determining

COVER STORY: Fundamentals of Largemouth Habitat

shelter.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 58

60 | M A R C H 2 0 1 4 T E X A S F I S H & G A M E ® T F & G A L M A N A C T F & G A L M A N A C

Excerpt from Doug Pike’s book, “Freshwa-ter Strategies.” Avail-able at Academy Sports + Outdoorsand other outdoors retailers, or online at FishandGameGear.com.


COVER STORY: Fundamentals of Largemouth Habitat


www.xpressboats.com

G. PULL THE PROP, and visually inspect the following: the hub for deterio-ration; the shaft for fi shing line or other foreign objects; and the blades for any nicks or dings which may be signifi cant enough to affect performance.

II. Water Systems A. IF YOUR BOAT has a raw-water

washdown, it’s almost certainly self-priming. But check the seacock to make sure it’s open and inspect hose connections and clamps at

the barbs to make sure they’re all in good shape and fi rmly attached.

B. IF YOUR BOAT has an onboard freshwater system and you live in an area where freeze damage is an issue, you should have fl ushed the system with anti-freeze. Now’s the time to fl ush it clean again. As you do so, make sure to open all outlets starting with the one closest to the tank and working away from it. That’ll ensure no anti-freeze gets trapped in any of the lines.

C. TEST ALL SPRAY nozzles and hose handles. It’s common for these to trap a bit of water and become damaged over the winter, so you should make sure all are in working order before you depend on them.

III. Electrical Systems A. TURN EVERYTHING ON, then

off again. If any items don’t work you’ll have to trace down the issue. Expect to fi nd a few bad connections, shorts, or fuses/bulbs in need of replacement – on all but the newest boats, electrical snafus are pretty darn com-mon.

B. VISUALLY INSPECT ALL the connections you can in every inch of the boat. If you fi nd any exposed connections in moist areas—the bilge, inside compartments that gather condensation, etc. —seal them up with a heat-shrink connector or a dab of liquid electric tape. If you spot them in any other areas, give them a spritz of corrosion inhibitor (like CorrosionX or Boeshield T-9) at the very least.

C. NOW HITCH YOUR tow vehicle up to the trailer and run through the same systems-check. Yeah, we all know how often trailer lights fail to work, so let’s identify the issues right now before hitting the road. Also check the trailer’s brake system, hitch, and winch/winch strap or chain, for wear.

IV. The hull and Structural Areas

A. FOR THE HULL itself, a visual inspection for chinks, gouges, and deep


Texas Boating


www.ggaproductions.org/upcoming-events.html

chips is in order. If you fi nd any place where the raw fi berglass has been exposed, seal it off. Resin will do the trick for small spots, but if there’s any extreme damage, take the boat to a pro—this is the hull we’re talking about, folks.

B. CHECK THE TRANSOM for stress cracking. Hairlines are to be expected on boats more than a few years old, but if you see any cracks you could fi t the edge of a dime into, your boat needs to go to a pro for assessment and in all probability, signifi cant repairs.

C. LOOK AT AREAS where and bulkheads meet the hull and deck. Again, hairline cracks are probably going to be evident, but anything larger needs serious attention.

V. Everything Else: Canvass, Cushions,Railings, Windscreens, and More

A. BASICALLY, GIVE ALL the other parts of your boat a once-over. This is also a great time to treat all of the parts of your boat to a little rejuvenation - i.e. when you check the canvas, spray it with a water-proofer; when you look at the vinyl, hit them with Armor-All; and so on.

After you’ve done all of the above, take your boat out for a fi nal shake-down cruise. This doesn’t mean “plan your fi rst fi shing trip,” instead it means dedicating a few hours to launching, running, and retrieving the boat to make sure everything is working at 100-percent. As those of you who have owned boats for a few years can surely attest to, few winters will go by without something on the boat breaking, deteriorating, or otherwise failing. The shake-down cruise is your opportunity to fi gure out what that something is so you will have the chance to fi x it before you really need it.

Email Lenny Rudow at ContactUs@fi shgame.com.

Get more boating tips in LENNY RUDOW’sTexas Boating Blog atwww.Fishgame.com/blogs

Get more boating tips in LENNY RUDOW’sTexas Boating Blog atwww.Fishgame.com/blogs


http://www.Fishgame.com/blogs

www.sportsmanboatsmfg.com

Trolling in a Kayak

MY HULL SLID SILENTLY ACROSS the dappled water, slowing slight-ly between strokes. The spring afternoon was pleasant and the

warm sunshine felt good on my back. The cold front four days prior had blown itself out. The wind was now negligible and the water clarity was good.

The cold front hadn’t stolen all of the water from the fl at and there was still a foot left to paddle in. My destination was a large sand pocket and I was still several hundred yards away when I spooked a small pod of redfi sh. Pausing for a moment, I pondered whether to hop out to pursue the spooked fi sh. No, I reasoned, it would be better to push on.

A minute or so later, I paddled up on another school, only larger. Had I been paying attention, I would have seen the reds milling about before they bolted in a pan-icked rush. Another opportunity lost.

The sand pocket yielded a few small trout, but the action was quickly over. I kept dwelling on the redfi sh I had seen earlier and set off to fi nd them again. An hour later, I was tired and frustrated.

That’s when it dawned on me that I probably could have hooked several of those fi sh had I been dragging a lure behind me. The terms “kayak” and “trolling” haven’t been used much together, but I discovered then and there that they are not mutually exclusive.

“Spoons are by far the most popular lure trolled behind a kayak,” explained Rueben Garza, the resident kayakmeister at Fishing Tackle Unlimited in Houston. “I have a lot of friends that troll when they are paddling.”

When you think about it, trolling a lure behind a kayak makes a lot of sense.

Paddlers average about 3 miles per hour--just the right speed to impart a lively wiggle to an inanimate plug. Most wade-fi shermen I know fi sh all the way out and all the way in. Why shouldn’t kayakers adopt the same strategy?

“You don’t even have to paddle to fi sh a spoon behind a kayak,” Garza added. “A spoon will fl utter in the water behind you if you are drift-fi shing. Of course, you need a little deeper water for this, say 2-1/2 to 5 feet. My friends like 1/4-ounce Sprites or Silver Minnows. They fi sh with one rod and troll a spoon behind their kayak on another as they drift.”

As we talked about the possibilities of trolling to and from fi shing spots, Garza rattled off a few more trolling techniques that friends have shown him: “I primarily fi sh in skinny water (where) it is too shal-low to troll a spoon. Weedless soft plastic baits can be pulled through thick seagrass, however, without snagging. Inline spinner baits are also great for trolling - redfi sh really hammer them.”

Although Garza and I didn’t talk about it, I thought of a few more possibilities after we hung up. Pulling a broken-back behind your kayak would surely elicit a few strikes. The same with shallow running crankbaits.

Garza did note in our conversation that pinning a small section of Fishbites to the lure you are trolling leaves a scent trail behind that the fi sh key in on.

Keep in mind that trolling behind a kayak is as effective in freshwater as it is in the salt. Towing a lipless crankbait, such as a Rat-L-Trap, is a great way to prospect along the riprap faces of dams or along creek channels. Large swimming baits, such as a Storm Wild Eye, are tempting targets when towed at the right speed.

White bass are suckers for small spinners and jigs. Tethering a jig trailer to a Little George or slab spoon allows light tackle fi shermen to troll a lure through the depths without the hassle of a downrigger. In coves and hydrilla-lined channels, the seductive

side-to-side wobble of a towed Jitterbug can drive largemouth bass nuts.

Don’t forget that the placement of your rod holder is important if you intend to troll in deeper water. An awkward, twisting stab for a bent rod holstered behind the cockpit is likely to leave you swimming instead of fi shing. It is much safer to mount rod holders on the side of your cockpit rather than aft.

The next time you paddle down a long shoreline on your way to your favorite fi sh-ing hole, consider the fi sh you might be paddling over. Give trolling a try and you might be surprised by the results.

Greg Berlocher can be reached for question or comment at

ContactUs@fi shgame.com.


by Greg Berlocher | TF&G Kayaking Editor

Texas Kayaking

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Worm Jigging for a Reaction Bite

TPERIODS OF THE YEAR FOR TEXAS outdoorsmen: Bird hunters celebrate another season with a million-gun salute on September 1. Deer hunters

fl ock to the woods, mesquite fl ats, and roll-ing hills so they can sleep in their box blinds on the fi rst Saturday in November. And bass anglers have the entire month of March to sight-fi sh for a bucketmouth (no, I’m not talking about your mother-in-law) that will weigh in the double digits.

When most anglers think about early spring sight-fi sh-ing, the fi rst i m a g e

that pops up is bass on beds. While that is an effective method for a limited time of the year, let’s focus on a technique that can work anytime bass are shallow and cruising for a meal. This technique requires a good pair of polarized glasses, the patience of Job, and a bait rarely utilized.

The bait is actually a combination of two of the most popular artifi cials ever used by bass fi shermen--the jig and plastic worm. Jigs are used every day around brush and standing timber, or to punch holes in mat-ted vegetation, but those are bulky baits designed to move a lot of water and sit in front of a bass so long that it hits it out of irritation. The jigs used in this technique are

small, lightweight, unpainted basic pieces of lead with a weedless hook. Head shape is not crucial, but I prefer to use either a round or darter head that will move through vegetation easily. As with most worm appli-cations, you want to use the lightest weight possible, so don’t use a jighead larger than 1/4 ounce; 1/8 and even 1/16 weights work even better.

The worm half of this bait should be something thin with a long tail that fl utters and makes a lot of movement as it is pulled through the water. You want something with considerable action, but a muted natural

color - watermelon, pumpkin, and motor oil - is preferred. Rigging the worm on the jig is very basic. Just push the

hook through

the nose of the bait, run it a few inches down the length of the body, and push it back out so that the worm lies fl at. With too much of the worm body on the bend of the hook, it will cause the lure to spin instead of swim straight.

As far as fi shing technique, we are going to steal a page from saltwater anglers who regularly sight-fi sh for redfi sh, tarpon, and bonefi sh. With the proliferation of hydrilla and other vegetation on lakes throughout the state, bass have adapted their feeding habits to match the new cover. Instead of settling in under a log waiting to ambush an unsuspecting minnow or crawfi sh, many cruise over the top of or beside weed beds looking for a meal just as their salty cousins do. Although not all cruising fi sh are in a

biting mood, most of them can be enticed into a reaction strike.

When a cruising fi sh is spotted, cast the jig/worm combination in front of the fi sh along the path you anticipate it will take. The trick is to cast it far enough ahead that it doesn’t spook the fi sh, but not so far ahead that the bass will have time to drastically change its course and miss it altogether. And remember, you want the lightweight jig to settle on top of the grass and not bury down in it.

The next step is where patience comes in. As the bass swims toward the bait, resist the urge to wiggle, jiggle, bounce, hop, or move the bait in any manner until the fi sh’s nose is right on top of it. Then give it a sharp jerk, pulling it right in front of the bass. The sudden sight of prey trying to get the heck out of Dodge will be too much for the bass to resist, and it will strike even if it isn’t hungry.

Think about it this way: If you are quail

hunting and the dog goes on point, you have time to get in

position, jump the birds, and let them get to a respectable distance before pulling the trigger. If the dog never points and you have a bird jump out of the clump of grass at your feet, the natural reaction is to shoulder the gun and hit the bird with a load of lead at roughly 10 yards. The same thing happens with the fi sh. The sudden, close movement will cause a reaction strike when a slow-moving bait would likely go ignored. When the bait is hit, be ready to quickly reel up the slack and set the hook hard before the fi sh has time to fi gure out it has been duped.

Email Paul Bradshaw at ContactUs@fi shgame.com.

bass. The sudden sight of prey trying to get the heck out of Dodge will be too much for the bass to resist, and it will strike even if it isn’t hungry.

Think about it this way: If you are quail

hunting and the dog goes on point, you have time to get in

position, jump the birds, and let them get to a respectable distance before pulling the

and makes a lot of movement as it is pulled through the water. You want something with considerable action, but a muted natural

color - watermelon, pumpkin, and motor oil - is preferred. Rigging the worm on the jig is very basic. Just push the

hook through

the nose of the bait, run it a few inches down the length

When most anglers think about early spring sight-fi sh-ing, the fi rst i m a g e

ILLI

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BY

PAUL

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by Paul Bradshaw | TF&G Contributing Editor

Paul’s Tips


Necessary Gadgets

I’M NOT A GADGET GUY. I GENERALLY believe that all you need to go hunting or fi shing is a gun or rod, bullets or bait, and a knife to clean what you shoot or

catch. However, there are certain “gadgets” that are supremely useful, especially in the case of unforeseen events.

Here are a few that I think are worth-while:

One of the most important items that a sportsman can own is a good fl ashlight. I do not mean one of the $1.99 specials, but a really good fl ashlight. There are a lot of good lights out there nowadays, but those that I have found best suited for my uses are fewer. First is almost any fl ashlight made by Surefi re. These little lights provide light far beyond their diminutive size. One of their little single-cell lights will provide a beam that is bright enough to shoot by up to a hundred yards or so, this from a fl ash-light that is about the size of a package of Lifesavers. Their big lights are as bright as one of my old spotlights and about the size of the rechargeable fl ashlight I carried for years with the Border Patrol. Also handy are headlamps, especially those that offer a red light as part of the package. A red light can be used in a blind before daylight and will not ruin your night vision or scare away the game. Surefi re offers a light that can provide red light, blue light, and a bright white light by simply turning the head. I also use a light by Browning called the “High Noon” that is shaped like a handgun. It uses standard C-cell fl ashlight batteries rather than the more expensive 123A batteries used by many of the other high-powered lights. It will throw a beam to a remarkable distance and

has three settings – high, low, and strobe. Another handy gadget is the Survival

Strap (www.survivalstraps.com). This is a bracelet made of very strong parachute cord. It is worn just like any other bracelet, comes in various colors, and has a U-bolt device for fastening it about the wrist. If in an emergency a strong cord is needed, the bracelet is simply unraveled and used. The U-bolt can be used as a fas-tener. I wear one of these anytime I am out hunting, fi shing or camp-ing. Along with a couple of space blankets, the cord can be used to erect a comfortable shelter if you are somehow forced to spend a night in the woods. They are as handy as h a n d l e s on a

football and the uses of these straps are practically unlimited. This last summer my family and I took an extended trip across the western United States. I gave a Survival Strap to everyone, just in case. You might

wear it ten years and not need it, but if you ever

do need it, you will need it very badly.

Compasses are a thing of the past for most people. But I always carry one when I am in strange country. I may also have

a GPS unit, but I am never without my

old-fashioned compass. Why? Because even on a

cloudy day when the GPS has gone on the blink, I can fi nd my way back to

camp or to the nearest road. Modern GPS units should, I suppose, be included in this list

of gadgets. They are wonderful devices that

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by Steve LaMascus | TF&G Shooting Editor

Texas Guns

football and the uses of these straps are has three settings – high, low, and strobe.

Survival Strap

those that I have found best suited for my uses are fewer. First is almost any fl ashlight made by Surefi re. These little lights provide light far beyond their diminutive size. One of their little single-cell lights will provide a beam that is bright enough to shoot by up to a hundred yards or so, this from a fl ash-light that is about the size of a package of Lifesavers. Their big lights are as bright as one of my old spotlights and about the size of the rechargeable fl ashlight I carried for years with the Border Patrol. Also handy are headlamps, especially those that offer a red light as part of the package. A red light can be used in a blind before daylight and will not ruin your night vision or scare away the game. Surefi re offers a light that can provide red light, blue light, and a bright white light by simply turning the head. I also use a light by Browning called the “High Noon” that is shaped like a handgun. It uses standard C-cell fl ashlight batteries rather than the more expensive 123A batteries used by many of the other high-powered lights. It will throw a beam to a remarkable distance and

a bracelet made of very strong parachute cord. It is worn just like any other bracelet, comes in various colors, and has a U-bolt device for fastening it about the wrist. If in an emergency a strong cord is needed, the bracelet is simply unraveled and used. The U-bolt can be used as a fas-tener. I wear one of these anytime I am out hunting, fi shing or camp-ing. Along with a couple of space blankets, the cord can be used to erect a comfortable shelter if you are somehow forced to spend a night in the woods. They are as handy as h a n d l e s on a

the western United States. I gave a Survival Strap to everyone, just in case. You might

wear it ten years and not need it, but if you ever

do need it, you will need it very badly.

Compasses are a thing of the past for most people. But I always carry one when I am in strange country. I may also have

a GPS unit, but I am never without my

old-fashioned compass. Why? Because even on a

cloudy day when the GPS has gone on the blink, I can fi nd my way back to

camp or to the nearest road. Modern GPS units should, I suppose, be included in this list

of gadgets. They are wonderful devices that


Backup for your GPS unit.


http://www.survivalstraps.com

will allow you to fi nd your way around in the strangest of country. However, they are electronic and are prone to all the maladies that electronic devices can have - dead batteries, loose connec-tions, getting wet, and many more such problems. A com-pass, on the other hand, is pretty much impervious to such things. For 30 years I have carried a pocket compass when out in the wild. When in the Border Patrol, a compass kept me from being lost several times and that applies even more when I was away on hunting trips to such places as Colorado or Wyoming. With a good USGS map and a good compass (note the tag word “good”), there is never a need to be lost. Truth is, a compass has saved me several times from spending a cold night in the woods. I carry a pocket model rather than the larger and heavier military lensatic type, but either works for the purpose. FYI, I taught my daughters to read a compass before they ever reached their teens.

Fire starters are another necessity for the outdoorsman. I carry a Zippo Lighter everywhere I go when I am away from home on hunting or fi shing trips. It has come in very handy a couple of times. I do not carry propane lighters because they are very unpredictable and can and have failed me at inopportune times. Also, in very cold tem-peratures and very high altitudes they just don’t work, thus the old-fashioned, fl uid-and-wick Zippo. However, even a Zippo can break. So when you are really in the wild blue, you should have an alternate way to make fi re. One of the best is a fl int-and-steel kit like those carried by the mountain men of the early 1800s. The entire kit, including fl int, steel, char cloth, tinder, and a small magnifying glass, will fi t into a small metal or plastic box no bigger than your hand and weighing but a few ounces. A little practice will allow you to start a fi re quickly and in very adverse conditions. There are also fi re-making devices that consist of a magnesium rod and a steel scraper. When the scraper is rasped along the magnesium rod, the result is a shower of hot sparks. When sprayed

into a handful of tin-der and dry

grass, these s p a r k s q u i c k l y

make fi re. I carry both

when I am out in the boonies. I

have been in need of such things in the past when I didn’t have anything. That will not happen again - I don’t intend to freeze to death.

Last on my list of needful stuff is a signal mirror. Trying to get someone’s

attention at a half-mile against the wind when you can’t stand up - or

even when you can - simply by waving your arms is diffi cult. But with a signal mirror it is a cinch. A signal mirror is made so

that there is a hole in the middle. Looking through the hole from the back side and moving the mirror around will show you a bright dot. That is the sun, or rather that is the refl ection of the sun. Just put the bright spot on who or what you want to signal and bingo, you have their attention. I carried such a mirror when I was sign-cutting (track-ing). If I needed to get the attention of one of our airplanes (or other agents in vehicles when I was afoot), I put the dot on the plane and told him to look to his left front or wherever. I have signaled airplanes from as far away as 5 miles with no trouble. A signal mirror can truly be a lifesaver.

All the devices I have mentioned here won’t weigh 3 pounds and will fi t into a very small fanny pack. If I am going to be away from civilization, I never leave home without them.

Now, where have I heard that before?

Email Steve LaMascus at ContactUs@fi shgame.com.


will allow you to fi nd your way around in the strangest of country. However, they are electronic and are prone to all the maladies that electronic devices can have - dead batteries, loose connec-tions, getting wet, and many more such problems. A com-pass, on the other hand, is pretty much impervious to such things. For 30 years I have carried a pocket compass when out in the wild. When in the Border Patrol, a compass kept me from being lost several times and that applies even more when I was away on hunting trips to such places as Colorado or Wyoming. With a good USGS map and a good compass (note the tag word “good”), there is never a need to

into a handful of tin-der and dry

grass, these s p a r k s q u i c k l y

make fi re. I carry both

when I am out in the boonies. I

have been in need of such things in the past when I didn’t have anything. That will not happen again - I don’t intend to freeze to death.

Last on my list of needful stuff is a signal mirror. Trying to get someone’s

attention at a half-mile against the wind when you can’t stand up - or

even when you can - simply by waving your

against the wind when you can’t stand up - or

The Old Faithful of

fi re starters.


www.ammotogo.com

New Penn Squall Sets the Bar for Trolling ReelsWHEN IT COMES TO TROLLING REELS, YOU need a workhorse. Something that can be used for years on end, take constant saltwater abuse, and provide reliability as you let out the lines, bring them in, let them out again, and hope-fully, fi ght a fi sh or two in-between. Enter the Squall, a new line from Penn which is designed to be the choice of anglers searching for an over-built trolling machine.

You’ve probably used a Penn GT level-winder in the past, and if so, the Squall should seem fairly familiar. It’s an updated design and it replaces the GT. So as you’d expect, the Squall is also a level-winder, which simply means you can hand it to a novice with-

out worrying

about line balling up on one part of the reel and you never have

to worry about moving the line with your thumb. Trollers

will fi nd the spool design containing an interesting perk - it has rings that divide

the spool’s capacity into thirds. This will

allow you to know how much line capacity you have left when setting the spread or

while fi ghting a drag-peeling monster fi sh. When the

fi rst ring becomes exposed you know

a third of your line is out, when the second ring is exposed you know two-thirds is out, and so on.

The Squall is constructed with a graphite frame and side

plates, a forged machined alumi-

num spool, a bronze alloy main gear, a stain-

less steel pinion gear, and Penn’s HT-100 carbon fi ber drag

washers. Models range from the 15-pound class (which holds 320 yards of 15-pound monofi lament or 435 yards of 30-pound braid), to the 50-pound class (which holds 320 yards of 50-pound monofi la-ment or 665 yards of 100-pound braid). The 20-pound class can be had with a line-counter, and 20- and 30-pound class reels are available for lefties. Models in the 15- and 20-pound class can put out 15-pounds of drag, and larger models can put out 20-pounds of drag; all are set with a standard star drag. All of the models also feature an instant anti-reverse and have bearings on either end of the spindle. Their gear ratios are about as you’d expect for a reel of this type, at 4.9:1 for all models except the 50-class, which is 4.0:1.

So, will the Squall deliver as promised? These reels feel well-built and sturdy in-hand, and the new instant anti-reverse (the old GT had a dog-and-ratchet type) elimi-nates a lot of those metal-on-metal clunks you used to feel during use. Since the guts of the reel (the bronze alloy main gear and stainless pinion) haven’t changed from the


Texas Tested

The new Penn Squall

New Penn Squall Sets the Bar for Trolling ReelsWHEN IT COMES TO TROLLING REELS, YOU need a workhorse. Something that can be used for years on end, take constant saltwater abuse, and provide reliability as you let out the lines, bring them in, let them out again, and hope-fully, fi ght a fi sh or two in-between. Enter the Squall, a new line from Penn which is designed to be the choice of anglers searching for an over-built trolling

You’ve probably used a Penn GT level-winder in the past, and if so, the Squall should seem fairly familiar. It’s an updated design and it

GT. So as you’d expect, the Squall is also a level-winder, which simply means you can hand it to a novice with-

out worrying

about line balling up on one part of the reel and you never have

to worry about moving the line with your thumb. Trollers

will fi nd the spool design containing an interesting perk - it has rings that divide

the spool’s capacity into thirds. This will

allow you to know how much line capacity you have left when setting the spread or

while fi ghting a drag-peeling monster fi sh. When the

fi rst ring becomes exposed you know

a third of your line is out, when the second ring is exposed you know two-thirds is out, and so on.

is constructed with a graphite frame and side

plates, a forged machined alumi-

num spool, a bronze alloy main gear, a stain-

less steel pinion gear, and Penn’s HT-100 carbon fi ber drag

washers. Models range from the 15-pound class (which holds 320 yards of 15-pound monofi lament or 435 yards of 30-pound braid), to the 50-pound class (which holds 320 yards of 50-pound monofi la-ment or 665 yards of 100-pound braid). The 20-pound class can be had with a line-counter, and 20- and 30-pound class reels are available for lefties. Models in the 15- and 20-pound class can put out 15-pounds of drag, and larger models can put out 20-pounds of drag; all are set with

The new Penn Squall

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www.yankitgear.com

GT design, you can expect these new ver-sions to hold up every bit as well over the long haul. Here’s the best part, though: even with the upgrades, the Squall’s price is still kept within reason. The 15 starts at $119 and ranges up to just $149 for the 50. For more information, check out pennreels.com.

—Lenny Rudow

Husky Protects Pickup FloorsI TRAINED MY RETRIEVER TO SLOG THE marsh and get my ducks, but it was impos-sible to train him to wash himself off after-wards. You know where that leads—to a muddy back seat in the truck. So I trained him to stay off the seat and lie on the fl oor. That was better, but it still made for a messy vehicle. The solution? For Christ-mas, my wife got me a set of Husky X-act Contour fl oor liners. Sweet!

I was surprised to discover that these were available in the fi rst place. My Tun-dra is several years old and it’s a crew cab. The X-act Contours, meanwhile, are custom-fi t to exact makes and models. In fact, Husky uses laser scanning to make each one fi t a particular model exactly, for both the front and back of the vehicle. They’ve done the legwork to offer quite a comprehensive range of liners for a huge number of makes and models.

Once in place (which is just a matter of sitting them on the fl oor properly oriented; there’s no mounting necessary) they looked like they were straight from the factory. They didn’t shift even when my dog got a bit hyper, because the bottoms have nubs

that hold the liners in place. And the heavy rubber material is as rugged as you’ll fi nd in any after-market fl oor protectors. In fact, Husky warranties them for the life of the vehicle they’re installed in. (Though the warranty does specifi cally state that if your dog chews them up, they aren’t covered. Better put a rawhide back there, too).

Now, after a day of hunting with the dog, I can just remove the liner, hose it off, and have a clean truck once again. It takes all of 30 seconds and makes life a lot

easier—this is one of the best Christmas gifts I’ve gotten in years. And while I won’t mention this to my wife, I was also a bit surprised at how reasonable the cost was (sorry, honey, I had to look it up for the article!) at $100 a set.

For more information or to fi nd out if Husky makes a set for your specifi c truck, visit huskyliners.com.

—Lenny Rudow


huskyliners.com

—Lenny RudowNow, after a day of hunting with the

dog, I can just remove the liner, hose it off, and have a clean truck once again. It takes all of 30 seconds and makes life a lot

—Lenny Rudow

Husky X-act Contour fl oor liner

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www.texasshrinkwrap.com

Daiwa Tatula: a New Species of BaitcasterNEW TATULA REELS ARE ENGINEERED TO offer the durability and performance required for professional-level fi shing. Pre-cision of the reel is quickly felt with a sim-ple spin of the handle - - super smooth and vibration free, it’s what Daiwa calls “Air Rotation.” It’s what happens when you take Japa-nese precision gear design and house it in a rock-solid one-piece aluminum frame.

For all-out casting performance, Tat-ula’s level-wind is unlike anything you’ve seen before, a hybrid design with the durability of a standard level-wind and the casting performance of Daiwa’s T-Wing casting aperture. Punch the clutch and again there’s that unmistakable crisp feel of pre-cision as the rotating guide toggles into place. Make a cast and the smooth, easy outfl ow of line lets you feel the difference right away.

Tatula not only offers many of Daiwa’s most advanced fea-tures, they also rep-resent an exceptional value with ultra-fi ne tuned Type-R models retailing for $199.95 while standard models retail for just $149.95.

Tatula Type-R Special Features:• Super lightweight A7075 alu-

minum spool• Hyper Speed 8.1 or all-around

6.3:1 gear ratios• 7 ball bearings (incl. 2

CRBB) plus roller bearing• Zaion swept star drag

All Tatula Reels Feature:• New T-Wing system• Rugged, lightweight aluminum frame

and side plate(gear side)

• Air Rotation• UT Drag (MAX 13.2-lb.)• Magforce-Z cast control• 5.4:1, 6.3:1 and 7.3:1 gear ratios• 7 ball bearings plus roller bearing• Infi nite anti-reverse• Corrosion resistant clutch mechanism

For Daiwa’s latest color catalog and/or information on Daiwa dealers in your

area, call Daiwa’s Customer Service Department at 562-375-6800 or e-mail [email protected].

Also, visit www.daiwa.com.

Streamlight Debuts First High Lumen HeadlampSTREAMLIGHT’S NEW PROTAC HL HEAD-lamp features an aluminum body and deliv-ers 540 lumens.

“The ProTac HL Headlamp uses the latest in high lumen technology to provide maximum illumination of an immediate area, such as an emergency or crime scene, a campsite, plant fl oor, vehicle engine, or other areas that a user needs to fl ood

with light,” said Streamlight Vice Presi-dent, Sales and Marketing, Michael F. Dineen. “The headlamp also provides

the convenience of hands-free operation and features a sturdy, lightweight body that is extremely comfortable to wear.”

Featuring Streamlight’s TEN-TAP programming, the ProTac HL Headlamp enables users to select among three pro-grams to suit their preference or operat-ing needs: high/medium/low (the factory default setting); high only; or low/medium/high. In addition to its high lumen light output, the ProTac HL Headlamp pro-vides 7,400 candela peak beam intensity and a run time of one hour and 45 minutes

Fish and Game Gear

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• Infi nite anti-reverse• Corrosion resistant clutch mechanism

For Daiwa’s latest color catalog and/or information on Daiwa dealers in your

area, call Daiwa’s Customer Service Department at 562-375-6800 or e-mail

Also, visit

Streamlight Debuts First High Lumen HeadlampSTREAMLIGHT’S NEW PROTAC HL HEAD-lamp features an aluminum body and deliv-ers 540 lumens.

“The ProTac HL Headlamp uses the latest in high lumen technology to provide maximum illumination of an immediate area, such as an emergency or crime scene, a campsite, plant fl oor, vehicle engine,

• Rugged, lightweight aluminum frame and side plate(gear side)NEW TATULA REELS ARE ENGINEERED TO

offer the durability and performance required for professional-level fi shing. Pre-cision of the reel is quickly felt with a sim-ple spin of the handle - - super smooth and vibration free, it’s what Daiwa calls “Air Rotation.” It’s what happens when you take Japa-nese precision gear design

it in a rock-solid one-piece aluminum frame.

For all-out casting performance, Tat-ula’s level-wind is unlike anything you’ve seen before, a hybrid design with the durability of a standard level-wind and the casting performance of Daiwa’s T-Wing casting aperture. Punch the clutch and again there’s that unmistakable crisp feel of pre-cision as the rotating guide toggles into place. Make a cast and the smooth, easy outfl ow of line lets you feel the difference right away.

Tatula not only offers many of Daiwa’s most advanced fea-tures, they also rep-resent an exceptional value with ultra-fi ne tuned Type-R models retailing for $199.95 while standard models retail for just $149.95.

Tatula Type-R Special Features:• Super lightweight A7075 alu-

minum spool• Hyper Speed 8.1 or all-around

6.3:1 gear ratios• 7 ball bearings (incl. 2

a campsite, plant fl oor, vehicle engine, or other areas that a user needs to fl ood

with light,” said Streamlight Vice Presi-dent, Sales and Marketing, Michael F. Dineen. “The headlamp also provides

the convenience of hands-free operation and features a sturdy, lightweight body that is extremely comfortable to wear.”

Featuring Streamlight’s TEN-TAP programming, the ProTac HL Headlamp enables users to select among three pro-grams to suit their preference or operat-ing needs: high/medium/low (the factory default setting); high only; or low/medium/high. In addition to its high lumen light output, the ProTac HL Headlamp pro-vides 7,400 candela peak beam intensity and a run time of one hour and 45 minutes

| M A R C H 2 0 1 4 T E X A S F I S H & G A M E ® T F & G A L M A N A C

“The ProTac HL Headlamp uses the latest in high lumen technology to provide maximum illumination of an immediate area, such as an emergency or crime scene, a campsite, plant fl oor, vehicle engine,

Punch the clutch and again there’s that unmistakable crisp feel of pre-cision as the rotating guide toggles into place. Make a cast and the smooth, easy outfl ow of line lets you feel the difference

Daiwa Tatula Type-R

Daiwa Tatula



http://www.daiwa.com

on the high setting. On medium, the light pro-vides 95 lumens and eight hours of run time, and on low, it deliv-ers 36 hours of run time and 18

lumens. It uses two three-volt CR123A lithium batteries.

The ProTac HL Headlamp features a C4 LED that is impervious to shock with a 50,000 hour lifetime. The headlamp’s casing is fabricated from 6000 series machined aircraft aluminum with an anod-ized fi nish and the light includes a conve-nient multi-function, push-button switch. This switch provides easy, one-handed operation of the headlamp’s momentary or variable intensity modes.

The new headlight features an IPX4 rated design for water-resistant operation and is impact-resistance tested to one meter. Available in black, the ProTac HL Headlamp has an MSRP of $99.00 and includes Streamlight’s Limited Lifetime Warranty.

For additional informa-tion,

call 800-523-7488 or visitwww.streamlight.com.

Redfield’s New Reflex Sight is Lightning Fast, Lightweight THE REDFIELD ACCELERATOR REFLEX SIGHT delivers an immediate, crisp sight picture, no matter the fi rearm. Rugged, lightweight aluminum keeps bulk down, but perfor-

mance high. From handguns to rifl es

to shotguns, the Accelera-tor provides

four illumination settings to meet any light-ing condition, while an automatic shut-off feature helps preserve battery life. The Mangin lens delivers an extremely wide fi eld of view and superior image quality, which are critical in picking up or transi-tioning between targets.

Unlimited eye relief and 80 minutes of angle (MOA) for windage and eleva-tion adjustment makes the Accelerator the

perfect fi t for any fi rearm, from .22 LR handguns to 12-gauge shotguns to .458 SOCOM AR rifl es. The Accelera-tor is compatible with today’s most popular red dot sight mounts (sold separately), so options are endless.

For handgun competitors, the Accelerator delivers a fast sight picture

with a crisp 6-MOA dot. Rifl e shooters will appreciate the lightweight, low-profi le Accelerator as a primary red dot sight or as a secondary 1X companion to a magnifi ed optic. Shotgunners will enjoy the Accel-erator’s wide fi eld of view when tracking a clay or bird with both eyes open.

The Accelerator comes with a cross-slot mount, compatible with Picatinny or Weaver-style rails or mounts, a mount adapter plate, a CR2032 battery, and a protective cover.

• Weight – 1 ounce• Height – 0.98 inches• Length – 1.92 inches• Width – 1.15 inchesCompletely shockproof and waterproof,

the Accelerator is covered by Redfi eld’s electronics warranty.

Visit www.redfi eld.com or call 877-798-9686. Visit Redfi eld on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Redfi eldHunting.

Acquired by Leupold & Stevens, Inc. in 2008, Redfi eld is now a brand of the Oregon-based company. The Redfi eld line includes Revolution, Revenge and Battlezone rifl escopes; CounterStrike Tactical Red Dot sight; Accelerator refl ex sight; Rebel and Battlefi eld roof prism and Renegade Porro prism binoculars; Rampage spotting scope kits; and Raider rangefi nders. The Redfi eld Gun Sight Company was founded in 1909 by John Hill Redfi eld. Over the years, Redfi eld became one of the leading American manufacturers of sports optics, known for the performance, ruggedness and reliability of its products. The new Redfi eld line upholds that tradition and is sold world-

The new headlight features an IPX4 rated design for water-resistant operation and is impact-resistance tested to one meter. Available in black, the ProTac HL Headlamp has an MSRP of $99.00 and includes Streamlight’s Limited Lifetime Warranty.

For additional informa-tion,

mance high. From handguns to rifl es

to shotguns, the Accelera-tor provides


on the high setting. On medium, the light pro-vides 95 lumens and eight hours of run time, and on low, it deliv-ers 36 hours of run time and 18

lumens. It uses

call 800-523-7488 or visitwww.streamlight.com.

Redfield’s New

four illumination settings to meet any light-ing condition, while an automatic shut-off feature helps preserve battery life. The Mangin lens delivers an extremely wide fi eld of view and superior image quality, which are critical in picking up or transi-tioning between targets.

Unlimited eye relief and 80 minutes of angle (MOA) for windage and eleva-tion adjustment makes the Accelerator the

perfect fi t for any fi rearm, from .22 LR handguns to 12-gauge shotguns to .458 SOCOM AR rifl es. The Accelera-tor is compatible with today’s most popular red dot sight mounts (sold separately), so options are endless.

Accelerator delivers a fast sight picture with a crisp 6-MOA dot. Rifl e shooters will appreciate the lightweight, low-profi le Accelerator as a primary red dot sight or as a secondary 1X companion to a magnifi ed optic. Shotgunners will enjoy the Accel-erator’s wide fi eld of view when tracking a

Streamlight Pro Tac Headlamp

Redfi eld’s Accelerator has four illumination settings.

PHOT

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http://www.redfi

http://www.facebook.com/Redfi

http://www.streamlight.com


wide to hunters, shooters, wildlife observers and other outdoor enthusiasts.

Leupold Launches Next-Generation DeltaPoint 2 Red Dot SightWITH THE INTRODUCTION OF THE DELTA-Point, Leupold set the standard for red dot sight technology. Now that standard has been raised with the launch of the Delta-Point 2.

The DeltaPoint 2 retains

Leupold’s patented Motion Sensor Tech-nology, which instantly detects any motion, activates the illumination, and adjusts the brightness to the environment, but now also includes a manual brightness adjustment for those who prefer brighter or dimmer dots.

Also added is a master on/off switch, so the unit can be completely powered down to prevent excess battery drain dur-ing transportation or storage. Powered by a CR2032 battery, DeltaPoint 2 does not need to be removed to change the battery.

Extremely rugged, the DeltaPoint 2 features a lightweight magnesium housing, while the squared aspheric lens delivers the widest fi eld of view and the best image quality ever produced in a red dot sight. Dot bloom is virtually eliminated thanks to new lens coating, offering shooters a crisp, clean dot for precise and immediate shots on target.

“The DeltaPoint really set the standard for durability and technology,” said Pat Mundy, senior marketing manager for Leupold & Stevens, Inc. “The DeltaPoint 2 is easier to use, possesses better clarity and brightness, and generally improves the DeltaPoint across the board.”

From handguns to shotguns to rifl es, the unlimited eye relief and gen-

erous 60 minute of angle

(MOA) adjustments make the DeltaPoint 2 the

perfect fi t for any fi rearm. Lightweight, shockproof and waterproof, the DeltaPoint 2 is equally at home on the competition range as it is in the hunting fi eld or the patrol car.

Available in a 3.5-MOA dot or a 7.5-MOA Inscribed Delta, the DeltaPoint 2 features DiamondCoat lens coating for scratch resistance and blackened lens edges for optimal clarity.

A cross-slot mount allows the Delta-Point 2 to be mounted on any Picatinny or

Weaver-style rail or bases. The complete mount kit includes specifi c mounting plates for the most popular handguns.

While the performance and ruggedness has been raised for 2014, the price remains untouched, making the DeltaPoint 2 an even greater value than before.

• Weight – 0.9 ounces• Height – 1.2 inches• Length – 1.64 inches• Width – 1.22 inchesFrom .22 LR handguns to .458

SOCOM AR rifl es, the DeltaPoint 2 is built to handle the shock of recoil. The DeltaPoint 2 is covered by the Leupold Full Lifetime Warranty, with the electron-ics covered by the Leupold Golden Ring Electronics Warranty.

Find Leupold on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LeupoldOptics.

Leupold & Stevens, Inc., the preemi-nent American-owned optics company, employs hundreds of people in its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility near Bea-verton, Ore. Family owned and privately operated, Leupold offers products that are sold worldwide to hunters, competitive shooters, American military warfi ghters,

law enforcement personnel and wildlife observers. The product line

includes rifl e, handgun and spotting scopes; binoculars; rangefi nders; mounting sys-tems; and optical tools and accessories.

Fish and Game Gear

ONLINE STOREShop for innovative, new and hard-to-fi nd outdoor gear atwww.FishandGameGear.com

Full Lifetime Warranty, with the electron-ics covered by the Leupold Golden Ring Electronics Warranty.

Find Leupold on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LeupoldOptic

Leupold & Stevens, Inc., the preemi-nent American-owned optics company, employs hundreds of people in its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility near Bea-verton, Ore. Family owned and privately operated, Leupold offers products that are sold worldwide to hunters, competitive shooters, American military warfi ghters,

law enforcement personnel and wildlife observers. The product line

includes rifl e, handgun and

From handguns to shotguns to rifl es, the unlimited eye relief and gen-

erous 60 minute of angle

(MOA) adjustments make the DeltaPoint 2 the

Point 2.The DeltaPoint 2

retains

Leupold’s patented Motion Sensor Tech-

www.facebook.com/LeupoldOptic

verton, Ore. Family owned and privately

Leupold DeltaPoint 2 Red Dot Sight


http://www.facebook.com/LeupoldOptic


In-Water Boat Show ReturnsPRESENTED BY GEICO, THE SOUTHWEST’S largest in-water boat show returns to the South Shore Harbour Marina, Bay Area Houston, for the sixth year in March 2014 with over 400 boats in-water and onshore making it the premier Power and Sail Show for Texas.

The show will again feature a huge selection of boats, ranging in size from 10-ft. to 80-ft. plus, including sportfi shing boats, motor yachts, power boats, pontoon boats, cruisers, ski boats, bay boats and sail boats with many available for demo at the docks.

This is the largest selection of new and pre-owned boats, both freshwater and saltwater, available anywhere in the South-

west — with pre-season specials and dealer incentive programs available on many models.

In addition, over 200 vendors will offer a variety of services and products for the boating and outdoor lifestyle, including fi shing gear, engines, apparel, and outdoor equipment, in addition to a full range of marine electronics, products, and acces-sories.

Once again a comprehensive seminar program, featuring FREE seminars for Boat Show attendees, will be offered across the four days of the Boat Show. These entertaining and educational seminars, hosted by industry experts, will take place on site at the South Shore Harbour Resort Hotel. The seminars will cover a wide variety of topics ranging from weather and fi shing to information on how to turn boat-ing dreams into on the water reality.

Additionally, show-goers can sign up with Discover Boating for one of their hands-on skills training programs designed to add more fun to the boat show experi-ence while taking their boating skills up a notch. There’s something for everyone, from absolute beginners to seasoned skip-pers. Check out the entire program on the website.

Attendees can learn to dive at the “Be A Diver Pool;” enjoy live music each day; enjoy exciting giveaways; sample the craft beer garden; and enjoy entertainment for the children; all of which will ensure that this is a fun-fi lled event for the entire family and a great weekend getaway.

Contact: [email protected]; www.southwestinternationalboatshow.com


Industry Insider

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http://www.southwestinternationalboatshow.com

Finfi sh Mean Big Trout in March

MARCH HAS ARRIVED AND THAT means angling opportunities are beginning to pop up along the Texas Coast. Although no one

really knows what Mother Nature has in store for us this month, you can expect plenty of very fi shable days mixed in with some blustery, winter-like conditions.

One thing we can count on though, is these March winds howling from one direction or another for the better part of the month. Regardless, we’re transitioning from another stellar winter fi shing season here on Sabine, so expectations are high as we begin to switch gears into early spring.

We can only hope that the next few months will be as good as they were in 2013. I can’t remember a more consistent trout bite for big numbers and big fi sh than we had in the spring last year and the fact that it’s just around the corner makes me happy.

The big yellow mouths will be on the fl ats soon and fi nfi sh will play a major roll in their diets. My brother caught one last year that measured just over 25-inches. A 25-inch trout, although a very nice fi sh, was actually pretty common in 2013 as lots of folks were catching them up to 28-inches and even bigger. The thing that made this particular fi sh worth writing about is that the big knot in it’s belly turned out to be an 11 1/4-inch mullet. That’s just 3/4-inches shy of a legal size speckled trout in Louisiana

and the kicker is that it was caught on a big topwater plug.

That’s just one example of how aggres-sively these fi sh will feed on mullet, big or small, and other fi nfi sh in early spring. Visible baitfi sh and numerous fresh slicks are obvious indicators of good places to fi sh.

The Louisiana shoreline, from Blue Buck Point to Coffee Ground Cove has the potential to come alive this month, especially if we can string a few mild days together. Water temperatures creeping toward 70 degrees, coupled with big, strong March tides, should bode well for those looking to score big.

Topwaters, soft plastics, and slow sinkers should all get the job done on the protected shoreline with a good strong incoming tide. If you fi nd bait or fresh slicks, you should be able to fi nd the fi sh. It shouldn’t be too hard to fi nd bait either, as big tides and warmer water temperatures tend to jump start the entire food chain. Trout and reds will cruise the shoreline displaying their dominance as they aggressively feed on seemingly helpless mullet, shad, and shrimp. They should be more than willing to accept any offering you have for them.

Although Mother Nature sometimes has diffi culty deciding what season it is, you can bet there will be some days when everything seems to come together. Light winds, warm temperatures, good tides, and plentiful bait-fi sh in March usually amount to some seri-ous rod bending action on Sabine.

THE BANK BITE

LOCATION: Logan Park Marina ( Pleasure Island)

SPECIES: Flounder/Reds

BAITS/LURES: Mud Minnows, Glow or Chartreuse Curl Tail Grubs

BEST TIMES: Moving Tides

Email Eddie Hernandez at ContactUs@fi shgame.com.


by Capt. Eddie Hernandez | TF&G Contributor

Hotspots Focus:Upper Coast

Although Mother Nature sometimes has

The author’s brother with an 11-1/4-inch mullet from the belly of a 25-inch speckled trout.

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“We can only hope that the next few months will be as good as they were

in 2013.“


March to the Beat of the Drum(s)

LATE FEBRUARY AND EARLY MARCH are normally the peak times of year to seek big black drum. Whether they are spawning, extra hungry after the spawn,

or just can’t hold their hunger until the warm-er months, they do usually begin to prowl and feed about now. And when they do, it is often in large groups of bigger sized fi sh. They are about the only game in town for those who want to tussle with a large fi sh inshore at this time of year and the Galveston area is one of the very best places to seek them.

Black drum are not as noted for their fi ghting ability as their red cousins, but they can get larger, and any large fi sh will, as we say, “Put a bend in your rod”. When I fi rst returned to the coast, I used to hear stories of very large drum caught on trout tackle and light line because they “didn’t fi ght”. In water free from obstructions or from a boat, I can see this happening. From a pier or a jetty however, I’d opt for heavier tackle – especially since most really big drum have to

be released and a fi sh to be released stands a better chance of survival if isn’t stressed to the max.

How heavy? From a boat, a stout “boat rod” and reel combo that will handle 30-pound line is suffi cient, although those who use 50-pound line should not be faulted. From the shore or a pier where longer casts will be necessary, a good surf rod of 10- to 12-feet (with enough backbone to handle

up to ½-pound sinkers and large baits) would be the best choice. Wire leaders are not necessary, although they can help with bait presentation. Since drum are not really “leader shy”, mono leaders of 80-pound test will generally work as well as wire leaders for resistance against rocks, barnacles, and pil-ings. Circle hooks are good choices for drum, as they are virtually self setting, and in colder weather the angler might not be as attentive as on a warm spring morning.

Drum will take cut mullet or shad – even squid – but quartered blue crab is probably the best bet. Some years, the winter shrimp-ers get more “sea lice” than shrimp, and these


CONTINUED ON PAGE 77

by Capt. Mike Holmes | TF&G Contributor

Hotspots Focus:Galveston

“They are about the only game in town for those who want

to tussle with a large fi sh inshore this time of year.“


www.suncoastmarineworks.com

Warming Waters

WALKING ON MATAGORDA BEACH one March, I saw 35 black drum on a line that was pulled tight between two proud fi shermen.

Their fi ve buddies were taking pictures of the day’s catch. The fi shermen told me that they had caught the fi sh from the pier at Matagorda Bay Nature Park.

Around mid-March, black drum spawn near passes like the jetties just west of the

pier. Anglers are allowed to keep fi ve black drum from 14- to 30-inches in length. Many of the spawning black drum exceed 30-inch-es, so they have to be returned to the water.

A hefty rod and reel loaded with at least 20-pound test line and rigged with a sinker and a single Kahle wide gap 5/0 hook will handle a large black drum. Use a pier net to hoist fi sh up and to release oversized drum back after unhooking them. Cut fi sh or peeled shrimp work best as black drum bait. Such bait should work well this month since warming water is a trigger for the black drum run and activity in the bays as well.

In March, menhaden and mullet return to the bays and estuaries after spawning offshore. These fi sh are favored prey for

predators in the bays. One of these preda-tors, the fl ounder, also returns to the bays after wintering offshore. Water temperatures in East and West Matagorda Bays typically start the month at about 60°F and go up into the low seventies by the end of the month.

On March 5th last year, the water tem-perature was 57°F when I went kayak fi shing on the south shore of West Matagorda Bay. Normally with sub-60 degree water, I would select a fi shing location with a gut that is at least four-feet deep and fi sh both the deep area and the shallow water adjacent to the gut. But this location did not have such a deep spot and I only caught one 15-inch redfi sh on that day. By contrast, another year in early March, the water temperature was 66°F when I was kayak fi shing in a cove in West Matagorda Bay that was less than two-feet deep. Drifting across the cove, I caught fi ve redfi sh and was quite happy to go home with two slot sized reds (20 to 28-inches).

If you get a thrill out of catching very large trout (and who doesn’t?), March is a great time to wade fi sh the south shoreline of East Matagorda Bay. Use a slow sinking mullet imitation, like Paul Brown’s Original, or a large topwater lure like a Top Dog. Wade fi shing, especially when you are slogging through mud and the air temperature is ris-ing, can be physically taxing, so beware of overheating.

In early March the water temperature is usually below 70°F. Algae drop out of the water column when the water is cool, making bay water signifi cantly cleare. You have to be little more patient when you set the hook.

On one March trip, I was swimming a Stanley Wedge Tail Minnow across a clear back lake in West Matagorda Bay. That’s when I saw a redfi sh that was about 24-inches follow the lure and then hit it. I set the hook when I saw the hit, but because I did not feel the hit, all that I got back was my soft plastic lure pulled away from the jighead. I should have waited until I felt the fi sh since seeing the strike was a detriment in this situation.


by Mike Price | TF&G Contributor

Hotspots Focus:Matagorda


www.visitmatagordacounty.com

March is wake up time in the bays. The weather and water warms up and fl ounder and bait fi sh return from offshore. They are all hungry and in pursuit of aquatic meals that satisfy that hunger. Pick a good day and drop your bait into that mix.

THE BANK BITE

EAST MATAGORDA BAY KAYAKING. St Mary’s Bayou, one mile from the Intracoastal Waterway Bridge is good when the wind is from the north, west, or northeast. Vincent’s Cut, next to the water treatment plant, is also good on those winds. If the wind is light from the east or south-east, paddle into East Matagorda Bay and drift fi sh back. If the wind is strong and the bay is stirred up, Rudacell Bayou is across from a three-story yellow house with a viewing deck on top. You can stay in these back bayous and still fi nd redfi sh, fl ounder, and the occasional trout. Rawlings Cut is at the southwest corner of East Matagorda Bay, one hundred yards south of Rawlings Bait Shop. This is a good launch location if the wind is from the south or southeast.

are also good drum bait.The Texas City Dike has tradition-

ally been one of the area’s top spots for big drum, and although the lighted pier at the very end has produced a whole bunch of big drum, anglers fi shing off the dike itself also do well. Sea Wolf Park on Galveston Island is another well-known drum hotspot. Beachfront piers see “runs” of big drum, as do the rock groins. Boat fi shermen can fi nd action at the jetties.

Current regulations allow for one drum of over 52-inches in length to be retained daily, although not many folks want to eat one this size. Otherwise, we are allowed fi ve drum per day, from 14- to 30-inches in length. Those smaller black drum are almost as good on the table as their bronze relatives of the same size.

THE BANK BITE

LOCATION: Piers, rock groins, and walk-able

portions of jetties allow anglers on foot to reach deeper, warmer water. The Texas City Dike is once again a black drum hotspot.

SPECIES: While any inshore species is pos-sible just about any month on the Texas coast, best bets in March are traditionally black drum and pan fi sh such as croaker.

BEST BAITS: Live bait is not needed for drum – blue crabs and sea lice work best, although cut bait will see it’s share of takers. Small bits of squid vie with dead shrimp as the best pan fi sh offerings.

BEST TIMES: Since fi sh are more lethargic in cooler water, tidal movement that “pushes” bait around will be more productive than water with no current. Time of day might be most important as regards the angler’s comfort.

Email Mike Holmes atContactUs@fi shgame.com.

portions of jetties allow anglers on foot to reach

GALVESTON FOCUS

are also good drum bait.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 75


www.lagoontrailers.com

A Speckled Spring

FOR MANY COASTAL ANGLERS, MARCH can be somewhat of a challenging time. There are the seemingly end-less winds, the ever-changing weather,

and cooler air and water temperatures to contend with. All these things restrict the number of options available to the coastal angler this month.

But anglers who work hard to locate active baitfi sh along a protected shoreline or within a protected back lake can often fi nd success with trout on a fairly regular basis. Once anglers fi nd fi sh, a strike should be able to be enticed via any of a myriad of bribes in the form of both natural baits and artifi cial lures. This should hold true this month and next, all along the middle portion of the Texas coast from West Matagorda Bay all the way southward to Mesquite Bay.

To be able to achieve results at catching speckled trout, however, coastal anglers must fi rst learn to target specifi c areas that tend to attract and hold springtime trout. I have spent a number of years talking with folks about what it is they believe attracts springtime trout. I have discussed this with perfect strangers, as well as with some of the most highly regarded and most respected guides in the industry.

What are the results? It seems as though the consensus is that there is no one par-ticular thing that attracts the trout. Instead, there are four common elements that blend together to invite and to hold the attention of trout at this transition time of the year and those four things are temperature, salinity, food, and structure. Whenever an angler is fortunate enough to be able to piece all four of these things together in one place, then there will likely be some attractive trout

results rewarded to that angler that day. Attempting to pull all these things

together in one place can be a challenge in itself. But when an angler is able to do so, the strike zone is sometimes discovered to be an area that may be no more than just a few square yards of surface water. Because of that, wading anglers could spend many, many hours of precious fi shing time making cast after cast before being able to fi nd that particular “hot spot”. The best thing that can be done in trying to locate springtime trout is to narrow down the search area in the beginning.

When searching for speckled trout in March, coastal anglers should try to key in

on places that are holding zones for trout, places like oyster reefs, sandy fl ats lined with patches of grass, and guts and drains connecting the shallows of the backcountry to the deeper water of the main bay system.

The next two items of consideration should be salinity and temperature, both of which can change according to whether or not there happens to be an incoming or an outgoing tide. The proper combination of salinity and temperature is important because these are the two water conditions that most often dictate where the mullet and the shrimp will be stationed. And where the mullet and the shrimp are stationed is important for anglers because it is what will cause trout to move from place to place in

order to fi nd food. From a salinity standpoint, try to remem-

ber that the farther you are fi shing from the Gulf’s water, the lower the salinity will be. And from a temperature standpoint, the far-ther you are fi shing from the Gulf’s waters, the warmer the water temperature will be. An exception to this would be sudden freezing conditions that would possibly turn everything extremely cold. If that’s the case, the trout may be found closer to the Gulf’s waters if they were lucky enough to be able to get there before the hard freeze set in.

A tool I use in March when trying to fi nd trout is to pay close attention to the water color. Wherever tide lines occur during changing tides in the bays, there’s a mixture of varying water temperatures and salinities, but there’s usually a difference in the water color, too.

I like to work several casts into the color change in various ways. I’ll fi rst cast into the cloudy water just beyond the color change. If there are no results, I’ll then cast to the clear water right along the color change and attempt to work my lure back parallel to the cloudy water. If there is still no response, my third option is to cast into the cloudy water and work the bait back in the dirty water. Over the years I’ve caught fi sh each way, it just depends on the fi sh. However, you should pay close attention to what worked for you today as you may need to replicate that same scenario in order to catch some of the same springtime trout tomorrow.

March conditions give anglers a lot to take into consideration in regards to the appearance and the disappearance of speck-led trout. The fi sh are going to move until they fi nd a food source and conditions that fi t their needs. You can fi nd them if you’re willing to be mobile and if you can remain light on your feet the entire day.

Keep grinding!

Contact Capt. Chris Martin at bayfl [email protected]

or visit bayfl atslodge.com


by Capt. Chris Martin | TF&G Contributor

Hotspots Focus:Upper Mid Coast

“A strike should be

enticed via any of a myriad of bribes.“




by Capt. Mac Gable | TF&G Contributor

Hotspots Focus:Rockport

Productive Playing

YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES I WONDER what’s wrong with my mind. It seems I often have random thoughts that have no rhyme or reason and,

yes, they are always about fi shing or bow-hunting.

My friends and family accuse me of hav-ing a one-track mind. Many don’t know that I am a fi shing and hunting product tester and while the mass populace is contemplat-ing such things as a new home, new cars or trucks, getting married or divorced, what shirt or dress to wear, or where to go on vacation, I take perfectly good fi shing and hunting items and tear them apart. All in an effort to see if I can make them better based on my 58 years of good ole boy ingenuity.

I tear more new stuff up that never gets used than probably even our federal govern-ment does. Do you see anything wrong with that picture? Many people believe “Why fi x it if it ain’t broke?” Not me, I think “Let’s break it so we can fi x it to be better.”

No, I haven t been drinking, so bear with me on this. The cold days of February and March are my R & D (Research and Development) times and if you look at my shop/garage or my kitchen table, you will see brand new reels, lures, props, hooks, nets, and a whole list of bow hunting items that will never see the light of a productive hunting or fi shing day. Mostly because they are in a hopeless state of disrepair!

New ideas come to me in some of the odd-est ways. Once while taking a shower, I was watching the water go down the drain and an idea popped into my head that resulted in the redesign of the drain on my live well. Another time, I was at the doctor’s offi ce get-ting my annual physical. At my least favorite part of the exam (the prostate exam), I asked

Dr. Bruce what type of lubricant he used, all as I wondered if it would work on the trailer tongue latch of my boat trailer. He laughed and said bend over... it didn’t work. Seems KY Jelly turns into a sticky mess once it gets a few days old and it makes an even bigger mess on your hands than the oil I was using.

Thankfully, I have people who love me and can bounce some of my ideas off of them before making a complete fool of myself. My wife is a brilliant industrial engineer and my son is a gifted wildlife and fi sheries biologist, so some educated science is applied to my tinkering. But I have to admit I gravitate towards people who have common sense ideas and that approach things from the standpoint of trial and error. Some people are just down right natural geniuses when it comes to actual application. You can learn all you want from the fi nest schools in the land, but if you can’t apply what you’ve learned, then what good is it?

I once had a good friend who was one of the most ingenious guys I have ever met.

He built stuff that most of us cannot fathom, much less build. We would talk for hours about such things. I could bounce ideas off of him and he could pretty much tell me whether it would work or not.

This type of skill seems to be rare these days. Oh we have ideas pouring out like water from the proverbial broken water main, ideas from think tanks to computer simula-tions, but few come from people like my friend Tom Taylor. He was a hands-on kind of guy who knew what he knew, why he knew it, and how to use it. (Miss you my friend, we could sure use your practical smarts these days!) May the good Lord put your talents to use in heaven.

I know I must sound like a big kid who tears stuff up and leaves it all scattered about, but some of the ideas really worked and it’s those ideas that keep me young. One of my tests was on fi shing line, so I took the six most popular brands and a series of lead weights to see if their claims were valid. For example, a 12-pound rating should mean a breaking


www.huffmarine1955.com

point of the line at around 12-pounds of weight. What I found might change your brand of fi shing line. The ones that held their weight rating were in fact those that seemed to break more fi sh off in true application. Those that seemed to break sooner than their rating - but produced more stretch - were less likely to break off with bigger fi sh.

Of course knot type and fi shing skill come into play. Suffi ce it to say you really need to know what you’re doing to land a fi sh that weighs as much as your line rating. The fi sh has the advantage of the weight of the water. Let me explain. Take a boat anchor, say a #18 Super Hooker, which should weigh around 18- to 20-pounds. Attach it to a 20-pound fi shing line and try lifting it off the ground. With good fi shing line, you should be able to do this. Now take that same anchor and fi shing line and drop it over the side of your boat and let it sink to the bottom (make sure your anchor rope is attached ... hello! ). Now try to lift it through the water. The line will more than likely break. Add to that the pulling power of the fi sh and you can see why most of us fi sh with, say, 12-pound line for a three or four-pound fi sh.

A pet peeve of mine is a fi shing rod that breaks, especially those that claim to bend like a sour dough pretzel. Or one of those infomercials where you see a rod run over by a truck or get beat against a concrete wall, resulting in no damage at all.

Keep in mind that most rod brands are made by a manufacturer and built to their specifi cation with the seller’s name on the rod. Because this is about practical applica-tion, I will not get into rod anatomy and terms like fi berglass, graphite IM6, GLX, IMX titanium, modulus, elasticity, power ratings, etc., etc., etc. Having a FEW extra rods around, I decided to see what certain brands were capable of withstanding. Please don’t try this at home, because if your spouse discovers the broken pieces lying around, it could be grounds for divorce. None, and I mean none, were as indestructible as adver-tised. Upon contacting the manufacturer, I was told the infomercial was a dramatization but was based on actual events. One spokes-person told me “You know, kinda like the movie that is based on actual events but is dramatized for the viewing audience.”

So, false advertising is illegal but dramati-zation is okay? Tell me there’s not a snake in the wood pile there. When bent to their limit, most rods I tested broke much sooner than advertised. I did fi nd that adding additional eyes to the last third of the rod helped. The cheaper eyes didn’t hold up to the braided lines that are becoming very popular. I found that a $16 rod fared as well as a $160 rod for day-in and day-out usage. And I found that all the hubbub about cork quality in the handle is likely to never be noticed by most anglers. I was amazed that six rods—all the same weight rating, same model, and identi-cal in every way—did in fact perform vastly different. Their action even felt different in my hands.

Just two or three points here: when buying a rod, pay more attention to the way it feels than the model or manufacturing specs on the handle. Also pay attention to where the eyes are attached to the rod (make sure the foot of the eye is completely sealed with epoxy or glass, otherwise water will surely get at the base of the eye, possibly causing rust and eventually weakening it and breaking it off). Finally, sight down the rod like you would a gun to ensure that the eyes are perfectly aligned, as this effects castability and rod durability.

The bottom line is that my testing, tinker-ing, and travels have shown me one inevitable truth in the items we use in our fi shing and sporting activities: to get what you want and what you pay for, you need to feel it, to exam-ine it, and to ask a lot of questions. I dare say could this be called “playing.”

• • •

YOU’VE HEARD IT SAID MANY TIMES, BUT IT deserves repeating for the month of March: go slow. The bite is often lethargic but there is a bite. Cast slow and be very delib-erate in targeting certain areas. I have often cast 15 to 20 times within a 10 yard area and the 15th cast I get hooked up. I think lure color is more important in March than almost any other month. In dirty water think dark color lures in clear water think lighter colored lures.

COPANO BAY — Cut menhaden work well on a fi sh fi nder rig on the shallow shell

close to Bigfoot Reef. The trick here is on high tide throw the bait on top of the reef, on low tide fi sh the deeper edges close to the mud. Wades on Italian Bend are good for trout using Berkley Gulp salt water eels in silver mud color. Saltwater jerk shad work well here too in nuclear chicken color.

ARANSAS BAY — Mack Reef is good for sheep head and black drum using peeled shrimp on a light Carolina rig. Kale hooks in 1/0 or 2/0 work best. The deep water transition off of Nine Mile Point is good for trout using Berkley gulp shrimp under a popping cork. Mid-day is best as water temperatures rise. Drift slowly or use a troll-ing motor to get into fi sh, then anchor off.

ST CHARLES BAY — Black drum bite is still good at the mouth of Devils Bayou using squid or peeled shrimp on a light Carolina rig. Some reds may be found at the mouth of Cavasso Creek using fi nger mullet or mud minnows free lined.

CARLOS BAY — Carlos Dugout is the place to be. For trout and reds using deep running lures like Rapala Jointed deep Husky’s. Black drum bite is good on the south side of Cedar Reef using a silent cork and peeled shrimp.

MESQUITE BAY — Mid-day Cedar Point is good for reds using free lined fi nger mullet. Bray Cove is good for trout drifting across the sand / shell/ grass pockets using Jerk shad in new penny and sardine. Beldon Dugout is holding some reds using cut mul-let or menhaden on a medium Carolina rig.

AYRES BAY — Ayres Reef is good for trout and reds using live shrimp under a popping cork. The bite is best mid-day. Some keeper black drum may be found on Ayres Point using peeled shrimp on a light Carolina rig.

THE BANK BITE

THE CUT BETWEEN St Charles and Aransas Bay is good for trout using a popping cork and or Berkley Gulp Jerk shads in camo or anchovy colors. You will need to access the Goose Island State Park to get to the cut.

Contact Capt. Mac Gable at Mac Attack Guide Service,

512-809-2681, 361-790-9601


Rockport Focus



March Toward the Beach

MARCH ON THE SOUTH PADRE Island beach usually means Spring Break, which usually translates to a focus on things other than

fi shing. That’s especially true during Texas Week, when tens of thousands of Texas col-lege students fl ock to SPI for sun, fun, and trouble.

In spite of month-long parties, South Padre Island was a fi shing community fi rst and March is one of best times to begin fi shing the surf. Any angler willing to drive far enough north on the sand can fi nd some remarkable surf fi shing for some very sought after species such as the Florida Pompano.

The surf offers a great fi shing opportunity for the land-bound angler - or even for the boat owner - who wants a change of pace along with saving a few bucks in gas money. The same vehicle with four-wheel drive that you take to the deer lease is well-suited to negotiate the sand of the beach. Believe it or not, the sand along the high-tide line is packed down enough that some two-wheel drive vehicles can get out to the suds (take a shovel with you, though, just in case you need to dig yourself out of a soft spot).

When you get to the surf, there are a variety of fi sh that will readily grab a bait presented by even the most inexperienced neophyte angler, many of these fi sh being excellent table fare.

The most common fi sh that swims up and down the guts and bars of the Padre Island surf in March and through early spring is the whiting. Actually, there are two types of whiting: the Gulf Whiting and the Southern Whiting (on the Atlantic coast, the latter

species is also called a kingfi sh). The Gulf Whiting is most common in the surf and is silver in color with a sleeker profi le. The stouter, squattier Southern Whiting is more common in the bay and around passes where it is a popular species among the party boat crowd. It is also present in the surf, especially around the Brazos-Santiago jetties.

These are strong fi sh that will give a good hard yank when fi rst hooked, then after a token resistance, will obediently come along when they realize resistance is futile. These guys are plentiful—it doesn’t take long to catch enough of them for even the biggest fi sh fry—and they are surprisingly large (they average 12-13 inches but it isn’t uncommon to catch a half-dozen bull whiting measuring between 18 and 20 inches during a fi shing trip). And what’s more, the clean white fi llets fry up beautifully.

A second fi sh that is worth every surf fi sherman’s attention, and is actually a prize catch on any trip, is the afore-mentioned Florida Pompano. These scrappy cousins of the Tyson-esque jackfi sh and the cosmo-politan permit zoom up and down the surf in search of shrimp and sand fl eas to gobble up and will sometimes grab a baited hook. They also average between one and three pounds, but their short, powerful bursts and bulldog determination make for sport on all but the stoutest Hatteras Heaver.

As for their table qualities, a whole pompy baked inside a paper bag with butter, white wine, green onions, and mushrooms is a delicacy worthy of an Iron Chef (although Morimoto-san would probably turn it into ice cream or gelato or some other abomination).

Both the whiting and the pompano are not diffi cult to catch. A 7 ½ to 9 foot surf rod matched with a 4000-6000 sized spinning reel spooled with 14-20 pound line is ideal. Most of the fi shing is going to be done in the wade gut, or up against the fi rst bar, so pyra-mid and disc sinkers in the 1-2 ounce range are fi ne and a box of #2 (not 2/0) Eagle Claw 066N 2X-long shank hooks should cover your needs. Most fi shermen get the

pre-fabricated double-stage leaders (the kind that you can get at Wal-Mart or at the bait shop) by the dozen for their terminal tackle. Many wily fi shermen know, however, that a hand-made leader made from 30-pound mono is more effective in fooling leader shy pompano.

Once rigged, pin a peeled bit of shrimp on each hook and fl ip your rig near the bar where the waves are breaking. It normally doesn’t take too long for a whiting to fi nd your rig and give it a yank. Sometimes, a sec-ond whiting grabs the other bait while you’re reeling the fi rst one in and the doubleheader is good for a few whoops as you drag it onto the sand.

If you hook into a pompano, then the whoops get even louder.

Many anglers will look with some hesita-tion at the strong southeasterly winds that are endemic to South Texas during March and the rowdy surf that accompanies the 20 knot gusts. That rough surf, however, can be a boon. The roiling surf can rouse more crusta-ceans out of their sandy hidey-holes and thus ring the piscine dinner bell.

There is a very good reason this month to rig with heavier line: redfi sh and jackfi sh begin to roam the surf in March. Some of these bad boys are still roaming the surf and they’ll grab one of your little whiting/pom-pano rigs out of pure meanness and spite. When they do, they can make the drag on your spinning reel sing.

That’s when the whooping gets loudest of all.

THE BANK BITE

LOCATION: Dolphin CoveGPS: N26 4.02, W97 9.42SPECIES: Black Drum, Sand TroutTECHNIQUES: Fish with shrimp or crab on a bottom rig. Use heavier tackle if you’re after drum.

Email Calixto Gonzales atContactUs@fi shgame.com.

by Calixto Gonzales | TF&G Saltwater Editor

Hotspots Focus:Lower Coast


Hail Mary’s for Matagorda Reds

UPPER GULF COAST

by TOM BEHRENS

LOCATION: East Matagorda BayHOTSPOT: St. Mary’sGPS: N28 39.621 W95 56.667 (28.66035, -95.944450)SPECIES: redfi shBEST BAITS: Black Magic lures in Tequila or Chicken on a Chain colors with heavier jig heads, 1/4 to 3/8 ouncesCONTACT:Capt. Tommy [email protected]: Countz will be wading grass beds. “On low tides I will key on some of the drainage coming off the peninsula, mainly for redfi sh.” Tommy Countz

LOCATION: East GalvestonHOTSPOT: North ShorelineGPS: N29 33.144 W94 37.78494 (29.5524, -94.629749)SPECIES: speckled troutBEST BAITS: Soft plastics with 1/4 oz. jig heads in an assortment of colors, depending on water clarityCONTACT:Captain Paul Marcaccio281-788-4041captpaul@gofi shgalveston.comTIPS: When wading, look for drains that empty out into the bay on outgoing tides

LOCATION: East GalvestonHOTSPOT: Smith PointGPS: N29 32.18796 W94 45.72498 (29.536466, -94.762083)SPECIES: speckled troutBEST BAITS: Soft plastics on 1/4 oz. lead

heads. Best colors are Morning Glory and plum in off-color water conditions.CONTACT:Captain Paul Marcaccio281-788-4041captpaul@gofi shgalveston.comTIPS: Pay attention to the moon phase...fi sh three days prior to a new moon or three days after. “You have the maximum gravitational pull on the earth which allows the tides to stay a little while longer,” Paul Marcaccio

LOCATION: East GalvestonHOTSPOT: Richard’s ReefGPS: N29 31.40796 W94 44.27598 (29.523466, -94.737933)SPECIES: speckled troutBEST BAITS: Soft plastics on 1/4 oz. lead heads. Best colors Morning Glory, plum Limetruese, pearl, and Chicken on a ChainCONTACT:Captain Paul Marcaccio281-788-4041 captpaul@gofi shgalveston.comTIPS: Because of March winds, best fi shing chances should be along the north shoreline of East Bay no matter whether drift fi shing or wading.

LOCATION: East GalvestonHOTSPOT: Stephenson PointGPS: N29 32.26398 W94 41.14494 (29.537733, -94.685749)SPECIES: speckled troutBEST BAITS: Soft plastics with 1/4 oz. jig heads in an assortment of colors, depending on water clarityCONTACT:

Captain Paul Marcaccio281-788-4041captpaul@gofi shgalveston.comTIPS: Look for scattered shell and soft mud bot-toms

LOCATION: East GalvestonHOTSPOT: Anahuac National Wildlife RefugeGPS: N29 33.804 W94 32.3739 (29.5634, -94.539565)SPECIES: speckled troutBEST BAITS: Baby Spook or She Pup topwater baitsCONTACT:Captain Paul Marcaccio281-788-4041captpaul@gofi shgalveston.comTIPS: Don’t discount topwater baits, especially toward the end of March. Throw something small and slow, something chrome, something black, or something bone.

LOCATION: East Matagorda BayHOTSPOT: Three MileGPS: N28 45.042 W95 40.212 (28.7507, -95.670200)SPECIES: redfi shBEST BAITS: Black Magic lures in Tequila or Chicken on a Chain colors with heavier jig heads, 1/4 to 3/8 ouncesCONTACT:Capt. Tommy [email protected]: We do a lot of drifting over scattered shell, the same areas we do year round. If the water temps come up, the winds will dictate whether you are out in the middle, or along the shorelines.

LOCATION: East Matagorda BayHOTSPOT: Drull’s LumpGPS: N28 42.285 W95 50.06592 (28.70475, -95.834432)SPECIES: speckled troutBEST BAITS: Black Magic lures in Tequila or Chicken on a Chain colors with heavier jig heads, 1/4 to 3/8 ouncesCONTACT:


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




Capt. Tommy [email protected]: If the water temps come up, the winds will dictate whether you fi sh in the middle, or along the shorelines...”but if we get some calm winds, March can produce some pretty good fi sh over mid-bay reefs.” Tommy Countz

LOCATION: East Matagorda BayHOTSPOT: Raymond ShoalsGPS: N28 33.02796 W96 18.081 (28.550466, -96.301350)SPECIES: redfi shBEST BAITS: Black Magic lures in Tequila or Chicken on a Chain colors used with heavier jig heads, 1/4 to 3/8 ouncesCONTACT:Capt. Tommy [email protected]: Don’t forget to have some topwater lures in your tackle pack. Once you get into the end of March and the water temperature is moving up, mid to high 60s, the topwater bite will turn on.

LOCATION: Trinity BayHOTSPOT: Little Hodges ReefGPS: N29 39.261 W94 43.07598 (29.65435, -94.717933)SPECIES: speckled troutBEST BAITS: Soft plastics with 1/4 oz. lead headsCONTACT:Captain Paul Marcaccio281-788-4041captpaul@gofi shgalveston.comTIPS: The key in fi nding trout is fi nding small mullet, any mullet, even just one mullet. Stop and spread your cast out 180 degrees. There is a rea-son that mullet is nervous.

LOCATION: Trinity BayHOTSPOT: Spoonbill ReefGPS: N29 31.25796 W94 45.09492 (29.520966, -94.751582)SPECIES: speckled troutBEST BAITS: Soft plastics on 1/4 oz. lead heads. Best colors in clearer water are Limetruese, pearl, and Chicken on a Chain.CONTACT:Captain Paul Marcaccio281-788-4041captpaul@gofi shgalveston.comTIPS: When wading look for depth changes. “If you are wading a shoreline and in knee deep water, but it then quickly drops to waist deep, the area between your knees and waist is a drop off. That depth change is a highway for speckled trout

to hide in where they will reach up into shallower water and grab bait as it comes across.” Paul Marcaccio

LOCATION: Trinity BayHOTSPOT: Double BayouGPS: N29 39.25398 W94 41.74494 (29.654233, -94.695749)SPECIES: speckled troutBEST BAITS: Soft plastics with 1/4 oz. jig heads in an assortment of colors, depending on water clarityCONTACT:Captain Paul Marcaccio281-788-4041captpaul@gofi shgalveston.comTIPS: “If the water temperature reaches 65 degrees, don’t discount your topwater baits. Throw something small and slow, something chrome, something black, or something bone...Paul Marcaccio

LOCATION: West Matagorda BayHOTSPOT: Cotton BayouGPS: N28 31.09398 W96 12.61698 (28.518233, -96.210283)SPECIES: redfi shBEST BAITS: Black Magic lures in Tequila or Chicken on a Chain colors used with heavier jig heads, 1/4 to 3/8 ouncesCONTACT:Capt. Tommy [email protected]

TIPS: Countz will be wading grass beds. “On low tides I will key on some of the drainage coming off the peninsula, mainly for Redfi sh.” Tommy Countz

LOCATION: West Matagorda BayHOTSPOT: Greens BayouGPS: N28 29.73798 W96 13.56498 (28.495633, -96.226083)SPECIES: redfi shBEST BAITS: Black Magic lures in Tequila or Chicken on a Chain colors used with heavier jig heads, 1/4 to 3/8 ounces.CONTACT:Capt. Tommy [email protected]: We will still have some fronts coming in. Early March and late March is pretty much differ-ent. “Redfi sh are usually good all the way through March on either falling or rising tides. For trout, I’m going to move out further into the bay on some of the grass beds, fi shing the drops.” Tommy Countz

LOCATION: West Matagorda BayHOTSPOT: Hilbert’s BayouGPS: N28 29.97696 W96 13.24992 (28.499616, -96.220832)SPECIES: redfi shBEST BAITS: Black Magic lures in Tequila or Chicken on a Chain colors used with heavier jig heads, 1/4 to 3/8 ouncesCONTACT:Capt. Tommy Countz281-450-4037







www.rockport-fulton.org


[email protected]: “We are going to start seeing more bait activity. If you can fi nd good quantities of bait, you are going to be in the right areas to fi nd fi sh.” Tommy Countz

Redfi sh Wallow on Port A’s Hog Island

MIDDLE GULF COAST

by DUSTIN WARNCKE andTOM BEHRENS

LOCATION: Port AransasHOTSPOT: Hog IslandGPS: N27 53.75094 W97 6.6789 (27.895849, -97.111315)SPECIES: redfi shBEST BAITS: Pin perch or mulletCONTACT:Capt. Kevin [email protected]: Freelining is Capt. McCoy’s favorite way of fi shing, not only in the spring, but all year.

LOCATION: Port AransasHOTSPOT: Upper Estes FlatsGPS: N27 57.05796 W97 5.33094 (27.950966, -97.088849)SPECIES: redfi shBEST BAITS: Pin perch or mulletCONTACT:Capt. Kevin [email protected]: “If fi shing live bait of any kind, nine minutes out of ten I will let it sit, and then for one minute I’ll pop it up to make sure it’s not hung up in the grass,” Kevin McCoy

LOCATION: Redfi sh BayHOTSPOT: Stedman’s ReefGPS: N27 52.98198 W97 7.48296 (27.883033, -97.124716)SPECIES: redfi shBEST BAITS: Mud minnows, live or dead shrimp, or cut shadCONTACT:Capt. Marvin Engel

[email protected]: Redfi sh Bay is a great spot to fi sh in March, even if it’s a windy day. There are several islands that you can duck behind to get out of the wind.

LOCATION: Redfi sh BayHOTSPOT: Morris & Cummings CutGPS: N27 52.851 W97 6.66096 (27.88085, -97.111016)SPECIES: redfi shBEST BAITS: Live mud minnows, cut shad, or live or dead shrimpCONTACT:Capt. Marvin [email protected]: Too early for trout, concentrate fi shing efforts for redfi sh or black drum. McCoy likes monofi lament line because it has some stretch and he won’t risk pulling the baited hook out of the fi sh’s mouth on the hookset.

LOCATION: Redfi sh BayHOTSPOT: Inside RansomGPS: N27 52.46796 W97 8.4999 (27.874466, -97.141665)SPECIES: redfi shBEST BAITS: Mud minnows and live or dead shrimpCONTACT:Capt. Marvin [email protected]: Capt. Engel says he only uses live or dead baits in March. Choice of what bait used is governed by what’s available at the bait camps. If shrimp is used, thread the shrimp on the hook, cast into the sand holes and then freeline. Fish one sand pocket 10-15 minutes. If you don’t do any good, move on to the next pocket.

LOCATION: Redfi sh BayHOTSPOT: Dagger FlatsGPS: N27 49.75398 W97 10.60992 (27.829233, -97.176832)SPECIES: redfi shBEST BAITS: Pin perch or mulletCONTACT:Capt. Kevin [email protected]: In March Capt. McCoy will be fi shing the sand holes on the fl ats, shallow water, not more

than 2 feet deep. A benefi t of shallow water: “Even it’s blowing really hard, the fl ats are normally comfortable and accessible. It’s got to be cranking 30-40 mph to muddy up. Fifteen to 25 you are still good to go.” Kevin McCoy

LOCATION: Redfi sh BayHOTSPOT: Stedman’s ReefGPS: N27 52.98198 W97 7.48296 (27.883033, -97.124716)SPECIES: black drumBEST BAITS: Live shrimpCONTACT:Capt. Kevin [email protected]: McCoy is fi shing from an anchored boat if fi shing for drum. Let the shrimp sit; don’t add any additional movement.

LOCATION: Redfi sh BayHOTSPOT: Inside DaggerGPS: N27 51.10398 W97 9.35196 (27.851733, -97.155866)SPECIES: redfi shBEST BAITS: Mud minnowsCONTACT:Capt. Marvin [email protected]: Rigging the mud minnow: Hook the min-now on the bottom by the anal fi n, cast the min-now out to the sand pockets, and freeline the bait. Let the minnow swim around.

Take a Pass at Brazos Sheeps

LOWER GULF COAST

by CALIXTO GONZALES

LOCATION: Brazos-Santiago PassHOTSPOT: North Jetties, Surf SideGPS: N26 4.06278 W97 8.75208 (26.067713, -97.145868)SPECIES: sheepsheadBEST BAITS: Live shrimp, fresh shrimp. Gulp! Shrimp or shrimp-fl avored Fish Bites.

Texas Hotspots












than 2 feet deep. A benefi t of shallow water: “Even it’s blowing really hard, the fl ats are normally comfortable and accessible. It’s got to be cranking 30-40 mph to muddy up. Fifteen to 25 you are still good to go.” Kevin McCoy

LOCATION: Redfi sh BayHOTSPOT: Stedman’s ReefGPS: N27 52.98198 W97 7.48296 (27.883033, -97.124716)SPECIES: black drumBEST BAITS: Live shrimpCONTACT:Capt. Kevin [email protected]: McCoy is fi shing from an anchored boat if fi shing for drum. Let the shrimp sit; don’t add any additional movement.

LOCATION: Redfi sh BayHOTSPOT: Inside DaggerGPS: N27 51.10398 W97 9.35196 (27.851733, -97.155866)SPECIES: redfi shBEST BAITS: Mud minnowsCONTACT:Capt. Marvin [email protected]: Rigging the mud minnow: Hook the min-now on the bottom by the anal fi n, cast the min-now out to the sand pockets, and freeline the bait. Let the minnow swim around.

Take a Pass at Brazos Sheeps

LOWER GULF COAST

by CALIXTO GONZALES

LOCATION: Brazos-Santiago PassHOTSPOT: North Jetties, Surf SideGPS: N26 4.06278 W97 8.75208 (26.067713, -97.145868)SPECIES: sheepsheadBEST BAITS: Live shrimp, fresh shrimp. Gulp! Shrimp or shrimp-fl avored Fish Bites.

CONTACT:Captain Jimmy Martinez956-551-9581TIPS: Come around to the surf side of the newly-rejuvenated jetties on a calm day to fi sh for some burly sheepshead You can see them hovering around the rocks Dead shrimp is actually more effective than live, but both work Suspend the bait over the rocks with a fl oat and watch closely Much like a crappie taking a minnow, the cork may do little more than lay on its side If it does, set the hook and don’t give any line.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna MadreHOTSPOT: Brownsville Turning BasinGPS: N25 57.12054 W97 24.15762 (25.952009, -97.402627)SPECIES: sheepsheadBEST BAITS: Live shrimp, fresh shrimp.CONTACT:Captain Jimmy Martinez956-551-9581TIPS: Fish up along the pilings and walls at the back of the ship channel for big sheepshead Live shrimp is tough to beat, but fresh dead shrimp will do in a pinch Most free-line their bait, but a fl oat rig will help you detect the lighter baits that could be a big fi sh and help you snatch ‘em before they wrap you up on a snag.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna MadreHOTSPOT: Brownsville Ship Channel 2GPS: N25 58.42278 W97 20.30796 (25.973713, -97.338466)SPECIES: black drumBEST BAITS: Live shrimp, dead shrimp. Fresh crab chunks. Gulp! Shrimp.CONTACT:Captain Carlos Garcia956-433-8094southtexasredfi [email protected]: Fish the points around the Shrimp Outlet canal for puppy drum that are still hanging around along the point and ledges Live shrimp and crab chunks fi shed on a bottom rig are most effective You can also succeed by bottom-bouncing a Gulp! Shrimp along the bottom Glow is the most effec-tive color.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna MadreHOTSPOT: Highway 100 ShorelineGPS: N26 4.953 W97 14.41392 (26.08255, -97.240232)SPECIES: speckled troutBEST BAITS: Live shrimp, live fi nger mullet. Soft plastics and suspending baits in red/white, black/gold, Morning Glory (plastics), other dark patterns. CONTACT:

Captain Jimmy Martinez956-551-9581TIPS: Speckled trout use the dropoff along the shoreline as a migration route. When water begins to warm in March, trout begin to move Anglers can intercept them by working the edges with live bait and soft plastics and Gulp! Shrimp Suspending plugs such as the Catch 5 in dark color patterns works well Use live bait on split-shot rigs.

Harmonize with Livingston Whites

PINEY WOODS

by BOB HOOD andDUSTIN WARNCKE

LOCATION: LivingstonHOTSPOT: Harmon CreekGPS: N30 52.45542 W95 24.34674 (30.874257, -95.405779)SPECIES: white bassBEST BAITS: Sassy Shad jigs, Rat-L-TrapsCONTACT:Dave Cox926-291-9602dave@palmettoguideservice.compalmettoguideservice.comTIPS: Use chrome and blue Rat-L-Traps or Sassy Shads and cast them into the deep water holes off the sandy points, working them back to the boat with a steady retrieve. Trolling the lures in this area in between the islands and sandy points also can pay off with some great catch.

LOCATION: CaddoHOTSPOT: Jeems BayouGPS: N32 48.42 W94 1.24926 (32.807, -94.020821)SPECIES: largemouth bassBEST BAITS: Senkos, swim baits, spinnerbaitsCONTACT:Paul [email protected] shing.comTIPS: Fish the lures around the bases of the cypress trees in one to three feet of water. Also target the pockets in between. The bass are in the spawning mode and are searching for ideal shal-low water but won’t be too far from deep water.

LOCATION: Lake O the PinesHOTSPOT: Button Willow IslandsGPS: N32 52.2804

W94 42.06708 (32.87134, -94.701118)SPECIES: largemouth bassBEST BAITS: Jigs with soft plastic trailers, plas-tic worms and lizards, spinnerbaitsCONTACT:Sonny [email protected]: This is the time of the year for the bass to be moving to the series of button willow islands north of the Highway 155 bridge. The fi sh will be






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here for the next two months, feeding from the hideouts of the button willows and moving around the shallow, sandy areas just off the islands for spawning grounds. Fish the button willows tight with jigs and Texas-rigged worms and lizards. If the action slows, try spinnerbaits on the outside edges of the islands. However, most of the bass should be holding tight in the thickest part of the button willows.

LOCATION: Lake O the PinesHOTSPOT: Lily Pad FlatsGPS: N32 53.89002 W94 42.51534 (32.898167, -94.708589)SPECIES: crappieBEST BAITS: Flea Flies, minnowsCONTACT:Sonny [email protected]: Fish the outside edges of the lily pads that are close to the channels and ditches. Fish the jigs or minnows beneath slip corks and dabble them around the lily pads, stumps, beaver dams and any other structures near gradual changes in depths.

LOCATION: Toledo BendHOTSPOT: Anderson IslandGPS: N31 40.122 W93 46.82694 (31.6687, -93.780449)SPECIES: largemouth bassBEST BAITS: Spinnerbaits, stick baits, square-billed diving lures, soft plastics, jigs, tubesCONTACT:Greg [email protected]: Fish the backs of the pockets and coves that are protected from the wind near this island, which also is called Car Body Hole. During the fi rst of the month, fi sh the mouths of the creeks that are leading to the fl ats as the bass move in and out of them. If you catch a bass, slow down. There should be other bass in the same area.

Duck into the Park for Lavon Crappie

PRAIRIES & LAKES


LOCATION: LavonHOTSPOT: Mallard ParkGPS: N33 3.04914 W96 25.50942 (33.050819, -96.425157)SPECIES: crappieBEST BAITS: Small minnowsCONTACT:Billy [email protected]: This is a great time to catch crappie during the late-evening hours and just after dark. The fi sh are looking for warmer water and will gather around rocks that warm up when they absorb the sunlight. The railroad bed is a good area to fi sh now. Fish four to 10 feet of water with small min-nows. Cold fronts will cause the fi sh to move but the fi sh will move back in after a few days of warm temperatures. This is a time to dress warm, use night-lights and stay long.

LOCATION: AquillaHOTSPOT: Snake Island and Triplet PointGPS: N31 55.04166 W97 12.13146 (31.917361, -97.202191)SPECIES: white bassBEST BAITS: Slabs, Little Georges, Rat-L-TrapsCONTACT:Randy [email protected]: Chartreuse and chrome are the best colors for your lures. Cast Slabs, Little Georges and Rat-L-Traps towards the points and work them back with slow retrieves. Once you fi nd a speed that draws strikes, stay with it or vary it slightly. Work from the island to the point and back.

LOCATION: BeltonHOTSPOT: Slabbing on Lake Belton Channels GPS: N31 6.8052 W97 30.3276

(31.11342, -97.505460)SPECIES: white bassBEST BAITS: TNT180 slab, 3/4 oz. whiteCONTACT:Bob Maindelle254-368-7411Bob@HoldingTheLineGuideService.comwww.HoldingTheLineGuideService.comTIPS: We’re anticipating continued cold water, which translates into deep fi sh and slow, methodi-cal fi shing. Don’t hesitate to search channels and channel edges in 45-55 feet of water. Use pauses and “deadstick” approaches when fi shing slabs. Limit boat movement. GPS: N 31 08.740’, W 97 32.381’

LOCATION: BeltonHOTSPOT: Beds and CovesGPS: N31 7.08294 W97 29.3904 (31.118049, -97.489840)SPECIES: largemouth bassBEST BAITS: “C”-Rigged 6-inch Zoom Lizard in Watermelon/Red, Watermelon-colored Wacky Rigged Senko, light-weighted C-Rigged LizardCONTACT:Henry Niemiec - Sure Strike Guide Service 254-368-0294 surestrikeguideservice@yahoo.comwww.surestrikeguideservice.comTIPS: The water has warmed up and the big female bass will be moving up on beds. Look for coves that have been protected from north winds and starting at the points leading into these coves and work your way to the backs of them. At the entrance to the cove and on the points, a light (1/4oz. or less) C-Rigged Lizard will pick up those fi sh that are ready to move up but haven’t yet. Once back in the coves look for fi sh up shallow and on beds. A weightless Wacky Rigged Senko (Watermelon colored) fl ipped into these beds is deadly. Another great pattern this time of the year on Lake Belton or Stillhouse Hollow here in Central Texas, is to fi sh the spawning fl ats. This is an exciting time of the year and provides every angler with an opportunity to catch a big bass but please remember these big females are up to spawn. Handle them with care and release them as quickly as possible so others may experience the joy of her on their line in the years to come.

LOCATION: Cedar CreekHOTSPOT: Twin CreeksGPS: N32 19.81122 W96 5.34114 (32.330187, -96.089019)SPECIES: largemouth bassBEST BAITS: Spinnerbaits

Texas Hotspots







http://www.HoldingTheLineGuideService.com


http://www.surestrikeguideservice.com


CONTACT:Jason Barber903-603-2047kingscreekadventures.comTIPS: Target the backs of the creeks and other spawning areas. I prefer a six-foot, six-inch medium to medium-heavy rod with 15 to 20 pound test line. I usually fi sh about one-third of the way back into the creek all the way to the end with a one-half ounce double-blade spinnerbait.

LOCATION: CooperHOTSPOT: Main Lake HumpsGPS: N33 19.53678 W95 40.71438 (33.325613, -95.678573)SPECIES: catfi shBEST BAITS: Punch bait, shrimp, chicken liverCONTACT:Tony Parker903-348-1619tawakonifi [email protected] shing.comTIPS: The Lake’s low water levels have restricted the launching of large boats. If you can get a small boat onto the lake, try drift fi shing with punch bait or shrimp over the tops and edges of the main lake humps in 10 to 15 feet of water. Chumming the area with soured maize will help increase your chances of catching fi sh. The fi sh usually travel the small ditches and other deep-water areas to and from the humps to feed.

LOCATION: Richland ChambersHOTSPOT: Main Lake PointsGPS: N31 58.04094 W96 12.6783 (31.967349, -96.211305)SPECIES: white bassBEST BAITS: Slabs, Sassy Shad jigsCONTACT:Bob Holmes214-228-3310Bob@texasfi shingguides.nettexasfi shingguides.netTIPS: Look for the white bass off the main lake points like Windsock, Ferguson and off Pelican Island.

LOCATION: Richland ChambersHOTSPOT: Highway 287 AreaGPS: N32 0.22812 W96 12.72822 (32.003802, -96.212137)SPECIES: crappieBEST BAITS: Minnows, small jigsCONTACT:Bob Holmes214-728-2210Bob@texasfi shingguides.nettexasfi shingguides.netTIPS: Fish the trees and stumps located on either

side of the old Highway 294 roadbed as well as other trees in the area at daybreak and then move under the new bridge nearby and fi sh the bridge pilings. Many of them have some brush next to the pilings. Fish vertically and expect a light bite. Later, move up to Little and Big Cedar Creeks and work the shallow brush along the shorelines. The fi sh are in the spawning mood.

LOCATION: Richland ChambersHOTSPOT: Ferguson PointGPS: N31 57.92802 W96 9.59538 (31.965467, -96.159923)SPECIES: catfi shBEST BAITS: Threadfi n shad, gizzard shad, shrimpCONTACT:Bob Holmes214-728-3310Bob@texasfi shingguides.nettexasfi shingguides.netTIPS: The blue catfi sh have moved up onto the shallow areas of the main lake points like Ferguson on the south side of the lake. This point gets some good wind from the east and west. Cast shad on Carolina rigs up onto the points and use a slight slack in the line to see a strike. Some of the mud fl ats off the other main lake points also should produce fi sh.

LOCATION: Stillhouse HollowHOTSPOT: ChannelsGPS: N31 1.18152 W97 34.0203 (31.019692, -97.567005)

SPECIES: white bassBEST BAITS: TNT180 slab, 3/4 oz. whiteCONTACT:Bob Maindelle254-368-7411Bob@HoldingTheLineGuideService.comwww.HoldingTheLineGuideService.comTIPS: We’re anticipating continued cold water, which translates into deep fi sh and slow, methodi-cal fi shing. Don’t hesitate to search channels and channel edges in 45-55 feet of water. Use pauses and “deadstick” approaches when fi shing slabs. Limit boat movement. GPS: N 31 01.962’, W 97 34.588’

LOCATION: WhitneyHOTSPOT: Whitney HumpGPS: N31 54.67194 W97 20.87298 (31.911199, -97.347883)SPECIES: striperBEST BAITS: Wide Eye Shad, live gizzard shadCONTACT:Randy [email protected]: Cast Wide Eyed Shad onto the hump early. The stripers are moving onto the hump to spawn. After the sun rises, move out and cast live shad onto the hump on Carolina rigs, letting them free line for long distance battles.

LOCATION: WhitneyHOTSPOT: Nolan RiverGPS: N32 5.31306




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www.texasmarine.com

W97 28.04286 (32.088551, -97.467381)SPECIES: white bassBEST BAITS: Sassy Shads, Flea Flies, Tail Hummers CONTACT:Randy [email protected]: The white bass are moving up the Brazos and Nolan Rivers to spawn. You also can fi nd some spawning white bass in the other major creeks on the main lake. Tie Flea Flies 10 inches below chartreuse Sassy Shads or use swim baits and cast to the points and along steeper banks.

Henry Bass Seek Refuge Up Creek

PANHANDLE


LOCATION: Alan HenryHOTSPOT: Creeks and CovesGPS: N33 1.88238 W101 1.9164 (33.031373, -101.03194)SPECIES: largemouth bassBEST BAITS: Clear Water: Bomber Fat Free Shads, and Strike Kings XD5,s and XD6,s in a shad color in dirtier water: chartreuse/red colorsCONTACT:Norman Clayton’s Guide Services [email protected]/norman_clayton.htmTIPS: March will fi nd the bass at Lake Alan Henry starting to move up the creeks and in the coves. A lot of bass can still be caught in deep water, but when the water temperature starts hitting in the low 50-degree range it will be time to really break out the crank baits. The bass will be up Gobbler, Rocky, and both Grape and Little Grape creeks. Use your temperature gauge to fi nd the warmest water in the lake, and you will fi nd the bass. The best days will be after a few days of sunshine, and the northwest coves will be the best.

LOCATION: Possum KingdomHOTSPOT: Rocky CreekGPS: N32 58.26396

W98 24.19698 (32.971066, -98.403283)SPECIES: striperBEST BAITS: Sassy Shad jigs, Rat-L-Traps, 3-inch Mister Twister grubsCONTACT:Dean [email protected]: The fi sh are moving up the major creeks and main river channel including the Brazos River, Rocky Creek, Caddo Creek and Cedar Creek anticipating the spawn. Live baits will continue to out-produce artifi cial lures but Sassy Shad jigs, Mister Twister grubs and Rat-L-Traps still will catch a lot of fi sh, including both striped bass and white bass. Other species also can be found here. Keep an eye out for runoffs at this time of the year. The runoffs will attract feeding fi sh.

Bass Scout Spawn Spots at Amistad

BIG BEND


LOCATION: Lake AmistadHOTSPOT: Evans CreekGPS: N29 32.14098 W101 3.6096 (29.535683, -101.060160)SPECIES: largemouth bassBEST BAITS: Baybe E swimbaits, spinnerbaits, Senko worms, topwater luresCONTACT:Stan [email protected]: Bass are in the back two-thirds of the creeks looking for spawning areas. This creek pro-duces lots of big fi sh in March. I prefer slow-rolling a spinnerbait in 10-20 feet of water in shad color. During a cold front, fi sh slow with a 1/4-ounce Senko.

Appointment with Austin Docks

HILL COUNTRY


LOCATION: AustinHOTSPOT: DocksGPS: N30 21.04746 W97 47.84064 (30.350791, -97.797344)SPECIES: largemouth bassBEST BAITS: 5” swimbaits in shad color, Texas and Carolina-rigged El Grande Lures Jr Gila Monsters in the green pumpkin, green pumpkin candy and watermelon red colors.CONTACT:Bryan Cotter Texas Hawgs Bass Fishing Guide [email protected]: North of 360 bridge, fi shing is good using 5” swimbaits in shad color around and under docks in 6-10 feet of water. Fishing is also good along deep river channel edges in 16-22 feet of water. Further north use deep diving crankbaits paralleling the outside edge of docks, bluff walls, and rock piles in 10-20 feet of water. Texas and Carolina-rigged El Grande Lures Jr Gila Monsters are working very well on and around fl ats and grass lines.

LOCATION: AustinHOTSPOT: Grass Beds and Outside FlatsGPS: N30 17.70792 W97 47.09262 (30.295132, -97.784877)SPECIES: largemouth bassBEST BAITS: El Grande Lures Hatch Match Sticks or Shaky Heads with watermelon or green pumpkin colored trick worms, El Grande Lures Boom R Ang’s in Talapia, Baby Bass or Foxy Fred colors. CONTACT:Bryan Cotter - Texas Hawgs Bass Fishing Guide [email protected]: Fish deep diving crankbaits down ledges outside grass fl ats. Work grass beds with El


Texas Hotspots




http://www.lakealanhenry.com/norman_clayton.htm




http://www.texashawgs.com



Grande Lures Hatch Match Sticks or Shaky Heads.

LOCATION: BuchananHOTSPOT: Deep River Channel on Upper BuchGPS: N30 52.29498 W98 26.36328 (30.871583, -98.439388)SPECIES: striperBEST BAITS: Live shad.CONTACT:Clancy Terrill512-633-6742centraltexasfi [email protected] shing.comTIPS: The lake has risen about 3 feet in the last 3 months so the lake is a little safer than before. Stripers and White Bass are bunching up in deep water ranging from 40 to 70 feet deep and mostly in the river channel. Early morning is good with live bait at 30 ft. down. All the fi sh recently caught at the time of this report were full of eggs meaning they are on the move toward the upper end on the lake.

LOCATION: BuchananHOTSPOT: Mid to Upper BuchGPS: N30 50.22594 W98 23.82948 (30.837099, -98.397158)SPECIES: catfi shBEST BAITS: Large cut baits or smaller fresh-cut shad.CONTACT:Clancy Terrill512-633-6742centraltexasfi [email protected]://www.centraltexasfi shing.com/TIPS: Big Blue Cats are excellent early mid to upper lake on Lake Buchanan. Fish in 10 to 20 ft. of water with rod and reel or use jug-fi shing rigs.

LOCATION: BuchananHOTSPOT: BanksGPS: N30 46.25376 W98 25.15308 (30.770896, -98.419218)SPECIES: catfi shBEST BAITS: Cut bait or fresh cut shad.CONTACT:Clancy Terrill512-633-6742centraltexasfi [email protected] shing.comTIPS: Big blue cats are being caught in the lake using rod and reel or jug lines in 25 to 30 feet of water. Best catching times are in early morning and late evening. Some of these fi sh have been ranging from 30 pounds and up!

LOCATION: BuchananHOTSPOT: Island Action

GPS: N30 48.5808 W98 23.64924 (30.80968, -98.394154)SPECIES: all speciesBEST BAITS: Catfi sh: Cut shad and perch. White Bass: Silver slabs. Stripers: Silver slabs and live shadCONTACT:Ken Milam’s Guide Service (325) [email protected]: Stripers and Hybrids will be on the upper end of the main body the lake around the Shaw Island area and around Rocky Point. Lake Buchanan is still 30+ feet low so the white bass will not be able to make it up the river as easy as years past but there will still be PLENTY to be had in the Silver Creek and Paradise point areas. Use silver slabs along the ridges. Troll diving baits along the tree line around Garret Island as well. Catfi sh will be best on cut shad and perch along the windy side of the point.

LOCATION: GrangerHOTSPOT: San Gabriel RiverGPS: N30 39.84324 W97 23.36502 (30.664054, -97.389417)SPECIES: white bassBEST BAITS: Jigs, Mr. Twister grubs, in-line spinnersCONTACT:Tommy [email protected]: The white bass are moving up the main channels to spawn and will hit just about anything, especially lures with lots of action or spinners. Cast up into the shallow waters and bring the lures back on a slow, steady retrieve. Once you have caught white bass, place them on ice as soon as possible. This will help keep them in good eating condition.

LOCATION: TravisHOTSPOT: Arkansas BendGPS: N30 23.70522 W97 56.9988 (30.395087, -97.949980)SPECIES: largemouth bassBEST BAITS: Deep crankbaits and C-rigs with Watermelon Finesse worms and Baby Brush Hogs in Watermelon Candy color.CONTACT:Bryan Cotter - Texas Hawgs Bass Fishing Guide [email protected]: Work the Arkansas Bend area using deep

crankbaits and Carolina rigs with Watermelon Finesse worms and Baby Brush Hogs in Watermelon Candy in 15-30 feet.

LOCATION: TravisHOTSPOT: Sandy CreekGPS: N30 28.16778, W97 54.56292(30.469463, -97.909382)SPECIES: largemouth bassBEST BAITS: Shallow to medium diving crank-baits and Shaky Heads with craw worms.CONTACT:Bryan Cotter - Texas Hawgs Bass Fishing Guide [email protected]: The Sandy Creek area is producing nice bass in the backs of pockets but be sure to fi sh this area earlier in the day for the best results.

Falcon Bass Cross into Texas

SOUTH TEXAS PLAINS


LOCATION: Falcon LakeHOTSPOT: Upper Rio Grande TributariesGPS: N27 0.06276 W99 23.61198 (27.001046, -99.393533)SPECIES: largemouth bassBEST BAITS: Jigs, plastic worms, lizards, spin-nerbaitsCONTACT:Robert Amaya956-765-1442robertsfi [email protected] shntackle.comTIPS: Fish the numerous coves on the Texas side of the Rio Grande with spinnerbaits early and then switch to jigs and soft plastic worms and target the brush along the rocky banks in three to four feet of water. Fish slowly. There are some very large fi sh spawning in these coves at this time of the year. Many bass will be holding in the tightest cover available but some will be spawning in the small openings between the brush.


Appointment with Austin Docks

HILL COUNTRY


LOCATION: AustinHOTSPOT: DocksGPS: N30 21.04746 W97 47.84064 (30.350791, -97.797344)SPECIES: largemouth bassBEST BAITS: 5” swimbaits in shad color, Texas and Carolina-rigged El Grande Lures Jr Gila Monsters in the green pumpkin, green pumpkin candy and watermelon red colors.CONTACT:Bryan Cotter Texas Hawgs Bass Fishing Guide [email protected]: North of 360 bridge, fi shing is good using 5” swimbaits in shad color around and under docks in 6-10 feet of water. Fishing is also good along deep river channel edges in 16-22 feet of water. Further north use deep diving crankbaits paralleling the outside edge of docks, bluff walls, and rock piles in 10-20 feet of water. Texas and Carolina-rigged El Grande Lures Jr Gila Monsters are working very well on and around fl ats and grass lines.

LOCATION: AustinHOTSPOT: Grass Beds and Outside FlatsGPS: N30 17.70792 W97 47.09262 (30.295132, -97.784877)SPECIES: largemouth bassBEST BAITS: El Grande Lures Hatch Match Sticks or Shaky Heads with watermelon or green pumpkin colored trick worms, El Grande Lures Boom R Ang’s in Talapia, Baby Bass or Foxy Fred colors. CONTACT:Bryan Cotter - Texas Hawgs Bass Fishing Guide [email protected]: Fish deep diving crankbaits down ledges outside grass fl ats. Work grass beds with El



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Sportsman’s Daybook


Tides and Prime Times MARCH 2014

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 literally under your feet). Most days have two Major Feeding 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.

T1T2

T3T4

T5T6

T7

T8

T9T10

T11T12

T13

T14T15T16

T17

T18

T19

T20

T21

T22T23

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

12a12a 6a 12p 6p

12a12a 6a 12p 6p

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 Time

Red Graph:Fishing Score

Green: Falling Tide

Tab: PeakFishing Period


www.fishingtackleunlimited.com



Fishing Score Graph

Day’s BestScore

GoodScore

= Peak FishingPeriod

BEST:7:45-9:40 AM

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

24

Low Tide: 5:29 AM -0.47ft.High Tide: 2:16 PM 1.06ft.Low Tide: 6:37 PM 0.97ft.High Tide: 9:36 PM 0.99ft.

25


26

Low Tide: 7:32 AM -0.59ft.High Tide: 3:20 PM 1.08ft.Low Tide: 8:06 PM 0.77ft.

27

High Tide: 12:58 AM 1.07ft.Low Tide: 8:26 AM -0.55ft.High Tide: 3:48 PM 1.05ft.Low Tide: 8:47 PM 0.59ft.

28


Mar 1


2


AM Minor: 12:28a

AM Major: 6:43a

PM Minor: 12:58p

PM Major: 7:13p

AM Minor: 1:22a

AM Major: 7:37a

PM Minor: 1:52p

PM Major: 8:06p

AM Minor: 2:15a

AM Major: 8:29a

PM Minor: 2:44p

PM Major: 8:58p

AM Minor: 3:07a

AM Major: 9:21a

PM Minor: 3:35p

PM Major: 9:50p

AM Minor: 3:59a

AM Major: 10:13a

PM Minor: 4:27p

PM Major: 10:41p

AM Minor: 4:53a

AM Major: 11:06a

PM Minor: 5:20p

PM Major: 11:33p

AM Minor: 5:48a

AM Major: 11:31a

PM Minor: 6:15p

PM Major: 12:01p

Moon Underfoot: 8:34p Moon Underfoot: 9:33p Moon Underfoot: 10:31p Moon Underfoot: 1:16a+2.0

+1.0

0

-1.0

FEET FEET

+2.0

+1.0

0

-1.0

Moon Underfoot: 12:23aMoon Underfoot: NoneBEST:

4:30 — 6:30 AMBEST:

12:00 — 2:00 PMBEST:

1:00 — 3:00 PMBEST:

4:00 — 6:00 AMBEST:

3:00 — 5:00 AMBEST:

2:00 — 4:00 AMBEST:

1:00 — 3:00 AM


Tides and Prime Times for MARCH 2014MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

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Sunrise: 6:43a Set: 6:19pMoonrise: 7:25a Set: 8:06p







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12a 12a6a 12p 6p 12a6a 12p 6p 12a6a 12p 6p 12a6a 12p 6p 12a6a 12p 6p 6a 12p 6p 12a 12a6a 12p 6p

= New Moon

= First Quarter = Full Moon = Last Quarter = Good Day = Best Day

SYMBOL KEY

Moon Overhead: 9:04a Moon Overhead: 11:00a Moon Overhead: 11:56a Moon Overhead: 12:50p Moon Overhead: 1:43pMoon Overhead: 10:02aMoon Overhead: 8:04a


www.berniesboats.com

Sportsman’s DaybookNOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION

Fishing Score Graph

Day’s BestScore

2ndBest


BEST:7:45-9:40 AM


3

High Tide: 5:36 AM 1.08ft.Low Tide: 11:36 AM 0.19ft.High Tide: 5:35 PM 0.94ft.Low Tide: 11:51 PM -0.09ft.

4

High Tide: 6:46 AM 1.03ft.Low Tide: 12:19 PM 0.42ft.High Tide: 6:01 PM 0.93ft.

5

Low Tide: 12:44 AM -0.15ft.High Tide: 8:03 AM 0.98ft.Low Tide: 1:03 PM 0.63ft.High Tide: 6:26 PM 0.92ft.

6


7


8

Low Tide: 4:01 AM -0.13ft.High Tide: 1:25 PM 0.99ft.

9 Begin DST

Low Tide: 6:15 AM -0.11ft.High Tide: 3:23 PM 1.02ft.Low Tide: 9:00 PM 0.91ft.High Tide: 10:35 PM 0.92ft

AM Minor: 6:45a

AM Major: 12:32a

PM Minor: 7:11p

PM Major: 12:58p

AM Minor: 7:43a

AM Major: 1:30a

PM Minor: 8:09p

PM Major: 1:56p

AM Minor: 8:40a

AM Major: 2:27a

PM Minor: 9:06p

PM Major: 2:53p

AM Minor: 9:36a

AM Major: 3:24a

PM Minor: 10:01p

PM Major: 3:49p

AM Minor: 10:30a

AM Major: 4:17a

PM Minor: 10:55p

PM Major: 4:42p

AM Minor: 11:20a

AM Major: 5:08a

PM Minor: 11:45p

PM Major: 5:33p

AM Minor: 12:44a

AM Major: 6:56a

PM Minor: 1:08p

PM Major: 7:20p

+2.0

+1.0

0

-1.0

FEET FEET

+2.0

+1.0

0

-1.0

BEST:5:00 — 7:00 PM

BEST:7:30 — 9:30 AM

BEST:12:30 — 2:30 AM

BEST:4:00 — 6:00 PM

BEST:3:00 — 5:00 PM

BEST:2:30 — 4:30 PM

BEST:1:30 — 3:30 PM



SO

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Sunrise: 7:35a Set: 7:23pMoonrise: 1:38p Set: 2:45a

Sunrise: 6:37a Set: 6:23pMoonrise: 11:49a Set: 12:56a


Sunrise: 6:39a Set: 6:21pMoonrise: 10:16a Set: None




= New Moon


SYMBOL KEY

Moon Overhead: 3:26pMoon Overhead: 2:35p Moon Overhead: 4:18p Moon Overhead: 5:08p Moon Overhead: 5:58p

Moon Underfoot: 3:01a Moon Underfoot: 3:52a Moon Underfoot: 5:33a Moon Underfoot: 6:23a Moon Underfoot: 8:11aMoon Underfoot: 4:43aMoon Underfoot: 2:09a

Moon Overhead: 6:47p Moon Overhead: 8:35p

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www.northtexasmarine.com


www.fishingtackleunlimited.com


Fishing Score Graph

Day’s BestScore

2ndBest


BEST:7:45-9:40 AM


10


11


12


13

High Tide: 2:11 AM 1.04ft.Low Tide: 9:27 AM 0.02ft.High Tide: 4:24 PM 1.01ft.Low Tide: 9:32 PM 0.69ft.

14


15


16


AM Minor: 1:29a

AM Major: 7:40a

PM Minor: 1:52p

PM Major: 8:04p

AM Minor: 2:11a

AM Major: 8:23a

PM Minor: 2:34p

PM Major: 8:46p

AM Minor: 2:52a

AM Major: 9:03a

PM Minor: 3:14p

PM Major: 9:26p

AM Minor: 3:32a

AM Major: 9:43a

PM Minor: 3:54p

PM Major: 10:05p

AM Minor: 4:11a

AM Major: 10:22a

PM Minor: 4:33p

PM Major: 10:44p

AM Minor: 4:52a

AM Major: 11:03a

PM Minor: 5:13p

PM Major: 11:24p

AM Minor: 5:34a

AM Major: 11:45a

PM Minor: 5:56p

PM Major: ——-

+2.0

+1.0

0

-1.0

FEET FEET

+2.0

+1.0

0

-1.0

BEST:11:30A — 1:30P

BEST:11:30P — 12:30A

BEST:12:00 — 2:00AM

BEST:11:00P — 12:00A

BEST:10:30A — 12:30P

BEST:10:00A — 12:00P

BEST:9:00 — 11:00 AM


SO

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Moon Underfoot: 8:58a Moon Underfoot: 9:45a Moon Underfoot: 10:30a

Moon Overhead: 11:36p Moon Overhead: None Moon Overhead: 12:20a


Moon Overhead: 1:04aMoon Overhead: 10:52p


Moon Overhead: 9:22p

Moon Underfoot: 11:58aMoon Underfoot: 11:14a

Moon Overhead: 10:07p


Tides and Prime Times for MARCH 2014

17


18

High Tide: 6:22 AM 1.19ft.Low Tide: 11:58 AM 0.54ft.High Tide: 5:48 PM 1.03ft.

19

Low Tide: 12:03 AM 0.14ft.High Tide: 7:20 AM 1.19ft.Low Tide: 12:33 PM 0.69ft.High Tide: 5:58 PM 1.05ft.

20

Low Tide: 12:45 AM 0.04ft.High Tide: 8:26 AM 1.19ft.Low Tide: 1:10 PM 0.85ft.High Tide: 6:02 PM 1.07ft.

21


22


23


AM Minor: 6:19a

AM Major: 12:08a

PM Minor: 6:42p

PM Major: 12:31p

AM Minor: 7:08a

AM Major: 12:56a

PM Minor: 7:32p

PM Major: 1:20p

AM Minor: 8:01a

AM Major: 1:48a

PM Minor: 8:25p

PM Major: 2:13p

AM Minor: 8:57a

AM Major: 2:44a

PM Minor: 9:22p

PM Major: 3:09p

AM Minor: 9:55a

AM Major: 3:41a

PM Minor: 10:22p

PM Major: 4:08p

AM Minor: 10:55a

AM Major: 4:41a

PM Minor: 11:23p

PM Major: 5:09p

AM Minor: 11:54a

AM Major: 5:40a

PM Minor: ——-

PM Major: 6:08p

+2.0

+1.0

0

-1.0

FEET FEET

+2.0

+1.0

0

-1.0

BEST:4:00 — 6:00 AM

BEST:5:00 — 7:00 AM

BEST:12:00 — 2:00 AM

BEST:3:00 — 5:00 AM

BEST:2:00 — 4:00 AM

BEST:1:30 — 3:30 AM

BEST:12:30 — 2:30 AM

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

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Sunrise: 7:22a Set: 7:30pMoonrise: None Set: 10:36a





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= New Moon


SYMBOL KEY

Moon Underfoot: 2:11p Moon Underfoot: 2:58p

Moon Overhead: 2:34a Moon Overhead: 3:22a Moon Overhead: 4:13a Moon Overhead: 5:05a Moon Overhead: 6:00a Moon Overhead: 6:57aMoon Overhead: 1:48a

Moon Underfoot: 7:25pMoon Underfoot: 5:33pMoon Underfoot: 4:39p Moon Underfoot: 6:28pMoon Underfoot: 3:47p


www.bayflatslodge.com



Fishing Score Graph

Day’s BestScore

GoodScore


BEST:7:45-9:40 AM


24

Low Tide: 4:48 AM -0.14ft.High Tide: 1:40 PM 1.28ft.

25


26


27


28


29


30


AM Minor: 12:23a

AM Major: 6:37a

PM Minor: 12:52p

PM Major: 7:06p

AM Minor: 1:18a

AM Major: 7:32a

PM Minor: 1:46p

PM Major: 8:00p

AM Minor: 2:10a

AM Major: 8:24a

PM Minor: 2:38p

PM Major: 8:52p

AM Minor: 2:59a

AM Major: 9:13a

PM Minor: 3:26p

PM Major: 9:40p

AM Minor: 3:47a

AM Major: 10:00a

PM Minor: 4:14p

PM Major: 10:27p

AM Minor: 4:35a

AM Major: 10:48a

PM Minor: 5:01p

PM Major: 11:14p

AM Minor: 5:25a

AM Major: 11:38a

PM Minor: 5:51p

PM Major: 12:04p

+2.0

+1.0

0

-1.0

FEET FEET

+2.0

+1.0

0

-1.0

BEST:4:30 — 6:30 AM

BEST:12:00 — 2:00 PM

BEST:12:30 — 2:30 PM

BEST:3:30 — 5:30 AM

BEST:3:00 — 5:00 AM

BEST:1:00 — 3:00 AM

BEST:12:00 — 2:00 AM


SO

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31

High Tide: 5:49 AM 1.41ft.Low Tide: 11:42 AM 0.62ft.High Tide: 5:02 PM 1.15ft.Low Tide: 11:34 PM -0.04ft.

Apr 1

High Tide: 6:50 AM 1.41ft.Low Tide: 12:28 PM 0.80ft.High Tide: 5:26 PM 1.16ft.

2


3


4


5

Low Tide: 2:50 AM 0.07ft.High Tide: 11:32 AM 1.26ft.

6

Low Tide: 3:54 AM 0.17ft.High Tide: 12:49 PM 1.25ft

AM Minor: 6:18a

AM Major: 12:05a

PM Minor: 6:44p

PM Major: 12:31p

AM Minor: 7:13a

AM Major: 1:00a

PM Minor: 7:39p

PM Major: 1:26p

AM Minor: 8:10a

AM Major: 1:57a

PM Minor: 8:36p

PM Major: 2:23p

AM Minor: 9:07a

AM Major: 2:54a

PM Minor: 9:33p

PM Major: 3:20p

AM Minor: 10:04a

AM Major: 3:51a

PM Minor: 10:29p

PM Major: 4:16p

AM Minor: 10:58a

AM Major: 4:45a

PM Minor: 11:22p

PM Major: 5:10p

AM Minor: 11:49a

AM Major: 5:37a

PM Minor: ——-

PM Major: 6:01p

+2.0

+1.0

0

-1.0

FEET FEET

+2.0

+1.0

0

-1.0

BEST:9:30 — 11:30 PM

BEST:5:30 — 7:30 AM

BEST:12:00 — 2:00 AM

BEST:3:30 — 5:30 PM

BEST:2:30 — 4:30 PM

BEST:2:00 — 4:00 PM

BEST:1:00 — 3:00 PM

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

TI

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Sunrise: 7:05a Set: 7:38pMoonrise: 10:41a Set: None






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

T1T2T3T4T5T6

T7T8T9T10T11

T12T13T14T15T16T17

T18T19T20T21T22T23


Moon Overhead: 8:51a

Moon Underfoot: 9:20p Moon Underfoot: 10:15p

Moon Overhead: 10:43a Moon Overhead: 11:36a Moon Overhead: 12:29p

Moon Underfoot: 12:55a

Moon Overhead: 1:21pMoon Overhead: 9:48a

Moon Underfoot: 12:03a

Moon Overhead: 7:54a

Moon Underfoot: NoneMoon Underfoot: 11:10p

Moon Underfoot: 1:47a Moon Underfoot: 2:39a

Moon Overhead: 3:05p Moon Overhead: 3:57p Moon Overhead: 4:48p Moon Overhead: 5:39p Moon Overhead: 6:28p Moon Overhead: 7:16pMoon Overhead: 2:13p

Moon Underfoot: 6:52aMoon Underfoot: 5:14aMoon Underfoot: 4:23a Moon Underfoot: 6:03aMoon Underfoot: 3:31a



www.bassinonline.com

The assumption is that when you pur-chase a fi rearm, you either know how to use it, or are going to seek training in its use. The fact is that many neither know

how to use the fi rearm or seek training. In some cases, these individuals get a friend or family member to show them how to load and shoot a few rounds in a fi rearm. But

is this really training, and from this “train-ing,” could they utilize the fi rearm on their own? Better yet could they defend them-selves with their fi rearm?

SENIOR CITIZENS ARE BUYING FIREARMS AT A RATE EQUAL TO—or exceeding —the general purchase rate of the population. The question is: are we capable of using the fi rearms we purchase?


PHOT

O: ©

BIL

DERS

TOEC

KCHE

N - F

OTOL

IA.C

OM

Sporting Tales

BY ROD BOUFFARD

Senior Citizens are taking up arms in record numbers. Are they adequately trained?

ArmedSeniors


In Texas, it is very popular to get a Concealed Handgun License (CHL). When you get the license, you are sup-posed to be at least basically profi cient in the use of a handgun. But frequently, this is not the case. I know of many folks who have CHLs who could not demonstrate today that they have an even basic profi -ciency with a handgun. They may have passed the test to get a license, but if you have taken the test, you know it’s pretty easy. Even if you were profi cient when you took the test, profi ciency must be main-tained with practice. If a certain percentage of folks with CHLs are not profi cient with a handgun, what does that say about all handgun owners in general?

Profi ciency with a handgun, or other fi rearm for a senior citizen, can even be more complicated than for other folks. Our vision may not be as good. Our reaction time is slower. Our grip may be affected by arthritis or any number of other bodily infi rmities.

So, if we couple the lack of profi ciency with fi rearms along with the possible bodily infi rmities of a certain percentage of senior citizens, you get a potential for some unde-sirable outcomes.

I have a friend, a senior citizen who will go unnamed, who thought that with the hype about crime and second amendment challenges that it would be a good idea to have a handgun (common thinking among senior citizens). I took him to the range to try my handgun. He liked it and immedi-ately went and bought his own handgun. He then went to the range to shoot it without further training. When he fi red his fi rst shot, the slide came back and pinched his hand, injuring him because of improper grip. He has not fi red the handgun since, yet he keeps it loaded at home.

Another friend, who has arthritis in his hands, wanted a handgun for the same reasons as most. He went to a gun store to purchase a handgun. The sales clerk, not knowing his fragilities, sold him a very nice short barrel .45 automatic. He can no more handle that gun than the man in the moon. One shot and he is done.

Anna M. Tinsley, in her Ft. Worth Star-Telegram article of Sept. 13, 2013, writes: “As the number of concealed handgun licenses continues to increase in Texas, the top age group seeking concealed handgun licenses in the past fi ve years

has been over 50” and “Last year, more 57-year-old Texans sought a CHL than any other age.”

At the end of 2012, it was estimated that there were 313.9 million people in the United States. Approximately 13-percent of this population was 65 years of age or older, or approximately 40.8 million were senior citizens.

There have been a number of recent reports on aging baby boomers which indicate that in 2011, baby boomers began turning 65 at the rate of 10,000 per day, a rate which will continue for at least 10 years. The result is that between 2020 and 2030, the number of senior citizens will double to over 80 million, resulting in one in fi ve Americans being over 65.

The 2012 population estimate for Texas is 26.1 million people. The percent of that population over 65 is slightly lower than the national rate, sitting at 10.5-per-cent and resulting in approximately 2.7 million senior citizens in Texas. However, the rate of growth is expected to increase somewhat as senior citizens continue to move to warmer states.

Using the same data rate (of U.S. cal-culations) for increases in the Texas popu-lation turning 65, there will be approxi-mately 5.4 million people over 65 in Texas between 2020 and 2030. In Texas baby boomers will turn 65 at a rate of approxi-mately 830 a day for the next 10 years.

While there are a number of estimates on the number of guns in the U.S., nobody knows exactly how many. Most projections are in excess of 300 million with about one-third of those being handguns. This would equate to a fi rearm for every person in the U.S. However, not everyone owns a fi rearm while some own multiple fi rearms. At the end of 2011, Gallup, Inc. estimated Texas gun ownership by individuals at 36-percent.

The problem is that this data is a little dated. Gun sales soared in 2013 and con-tinue to rise. The other diffi cult problem here is that no one really knows how many guns are in the possession of senior citi-zens. We know that they are there in large numbers and that purchases have increased signifi cantly, but just how many is hard to put an actual number on.

However, if we believe there will be at least 5.4 million Texans over 65 in the next few years, and we assume gun owner-

ship and purchases equate to the overall average, we get approximately 1.9 million Texans who will own fi rearms. If we take a conservative estimate and say 25-percent are not profi cient in the use of their fi re-arms, we get about a half-million senior citizens with fi rearms they are not capable of using. This does not even address the general population of gun owners and I fi nd this troubling.

The question is what do we do? I am a fi rm believer in the second amendment. I also believe more regulation would be ineffective. Who is to say what makes one profi cient?

The answer lies with those of us who are knowledgeable fi rearms advocates, deal-ers, trainers, and regular users. When we sell a gun, we can tell a person’s skill level. When we talk to folks about guns, we can determine their skill level. And when we observe their actions, we can observe their skill level. It is our responsibility to do our best to convince the folks we see that are not profi cient with fi rearms to get training and to practice.

So, I implore you to stress fi rearms competence. It is not enough to sell a fi re-arm or just offer training. We must make it our responsibility to ensure that those we come in contact with who have fi rearms are capable of safely using them.

When you have identifi ed someone who needs training, seriously talk to them about available training, and talk to them about their need to get training. Give them publi-cations about training options. Give them business cards. Introduce them to trainers or anything else you can do to convince them to get adequately trained.

I am a senior citizen. I love shooting and I would never give up my fi rearms. But the truth of the matter is that an inad-equately trained shooter is a danger to us all.

Rod Bouffard is one of the organizers of the Seniors Gun Association. For more

information, visit the website,

SeniorsGunAssociation.com



Duck and Sausage Gumbo

DUCK HUNTING IN TEXAS IS A LONG standing tradition. Many people are hesitant to eat duck, but if it is properly taken care of it’s a delicacy.

We do a lot of our duck hunting out of the Saltwater Lodge just out of Port O’Connor, Texas. Saltwater Lodge is 2,400-square feet of sheer enjoyment. The well-appointed great room features plush, overstuffed couches, a 70-inch TV with surround sound, a versatile game table, and a relaxing reading area with an excellent view of the natural landscape and two-acre fi shing pond.

The main lodge building houses the man-ager’s offi ce and two bedrooms plus a com-plete commercial kitchen, which enables us to feed very large groups on request. The WiFi-equipped dining area has seating for up to 16. A large picture window invites diners to feast their eyes on the beautiful scenery while enjoying their meal. The casual, welcoming

atmosphere of the lodge makes it an ideal setting for a variety of activities: dining, table games, watching a movie or sporting event, or just kicking back and relaxing.

There are two cabins on the property for the exclusive use of two- or three-person fi shing/hunting parties. Each cabin has three bedrooms, a kitchen, a sitting area, and an outdoor covered deck.

Give Scott Weiler a call to set up your next duck hunt, fi shing trip or relaxing week-end at 832-335-0266 or check out the site at www.saltwaterlodgetx.com.

Ingredients 6 to 8 duck breasts, with breast bone4 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1 cup all-purpose fl our 1 1/2 cups small diced onion 3/4 cup small diced celery 3/4 cup small diced green, red and/or

yellow bell peppers 2 tablespoons minced garlic 1 (12-ounce) bottle of stout beer (recom-

mended: Shiner Bock Beer, or your local favorite)

6 cups chicken stock, or water 1 teaspoon dried thyme 2 bay leaves ½ teaspoon black peppercorns5 teaspoons Essence, recipe follows 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 1/2 pounds andouille sausage (or other

smoked sausage), cut into 1/2-inch rounds Steamed white rice, for serving 1 cup chopped green onions 1/2 cup chopped parsley leaves

Directions Rinse the duck breasts under cold run-

ning water both inside and out. Remove the breasts fi lets from the breast bone. Place the bones into a large stock pot and add eight cups of water, two chopped stalks of celery, ½ chopped onion, two bay leaves, thyme, and four cloves of garlic. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a medium heat and allow to cook for 1 ½ hours. Strain the mixture and

set aside. . Place the breast fi lets in a large bowl of

cold water (approximately six to eight cups), add three tablespoons of salt and stir well. Add two cups of ice and mash the breasts lightly with the back of a wooden spoon to release any blood and carefully remove any shot. Change the water out after 30 minutes and repeat, this will allow the duck to taste its best. Remove the breasts from the water, pat dry, then season with The Texas Gourmet’s Sidewinder Searing Spice on both sides.

Place a large Dutch oven over medium heat for two minutes, or until hot. Place the seasoned breasts in the pan and sear until golden brown, about three to four minutes. Turn and sear on the second side as well for an additional three to four minutes. Remove the breasts from the pan and place on a plat-ter while you make the roux. Once cooled, dice the breasts into small bite sized squares.

Add the vegetable oil to the Dutch oven as well as the fl our. Using a wooden spoon, stir the roux continuously over medium heat until the color of dark chocolate, about 20 to 25 minutes. Add the onions, celery, pep-pers, and garlic to the roux and stir gently until the vegetables are slightly wilted, about four to fi ve minutes. Pour the beer over the vegetables and stir to incorporate. Add the stock to the pan with the thyme, bay leaves, Sidewinder Searing Spice, cayenne pepper, and the remaining two teaspoons of salt. Add the sausage, then stir the pot well to ensure that the roux and the stock are well blended. Raise the heat to medium-high, bring the gumbo to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Add the diced duck breasts to the gumbo, stir, and cover. Cook for another 30 to 45 minutes, then it is ready to serve.

To serve the gumbo, ladle one cup into a heated soup bowl with 1/4 cup white rice. Garnish with the green onions and chopped parsley.

Serves 12

Email Bryan Slaven,“The Texas Gourmet,” at

[email protected]


by Bryan Slaven | The Texas Gourmet

Texas Tasted


http://www.saltwaterlodgetx.com



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VERMILION SNAPPER

OffshoreSeven-year-old Luke Pool from Kyle caught a vermilion snapper on his fi rst offshore trip. He and his family were fi shing out of Port Aransas.

CATFISH

Lake TravisEight-year-old J.T. Hawthorne of Houston caught and released this catfi sh from his family’s boat dock on Lake Travis New Year’s Day. It was his big-gest catch in fi ve years.

WHITETAIL

Uvalde CountySara Wright, 13, of Sugarland shot her fi rst deer ever on her fi rst hunt ever with her uncle Michael Pettigrew and cousin Brett Carter in Uvalde county.

Sara Wright, 13, of Sugarland shot her fi rst deer ever on her fi rst hunt ever with her uncle Michael Pettigrew and cousin Brett Carter in Uvalde county.

FLOUNDER

Sabine PassMadelynn Salvaggio, age 6, caught her fi rst-ever fi sh, a 24-inch, six pound fl ounder, while fi shing with her Dad, Mom and sister Emma. She caught it on a Gulp! Shrimp.

CATFISH

Lake TravisEight-year-old J.T. Hawthorne of Houston caught and released this catfi sh from his family’s boat dock on Lake Travis New Year’s Day. It was his big-gest catch in fi ve years.

Brett Carter in Uvalde county.Brett Carter in Uvalde county.

SPECKLED TROUT

Port AransasDr. Keith Burnett of Port Aransas, caught this monster “gator” 31-inch, 10.28 pound, speckled trout off the South Jetty on a silver spoon. He reported that “the big one got away!”

SPECKLED TROUT

Port AransasDr. Keith Burnett of Port Aransas, caught this monster “gator” 31-inch, 10.28 pound, speckled trout off the South Jetty on a silver spoon. He reported that “the big one got away!”

FLOUNDER

MatagordaJosè Aleman caught this 20-inch fl ounder while fi shing near Matagorda, using Gulp! New Penny Shrimp.



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

ROOSTERFISH

Costa RicaDebbie Otis of Houston caught this roosterfi sh near Jaco, Costa Rica. The fi sh was successfully released.

REDFSIH

Galveston BaySix-year-old Blake Lance caught this 17-inch redfi sh while fi shing in Galveston Bay. Blake’s mom, Amanda Lance, says Blake is an avid young fi sherman who loves and respects the outdoors.

SPECKLED TROUT

Laguna MadreSamantha Barnett caught this 27.5-inch trout while fi shing in the Laguna Madre.

BOBCAT

GrahamBrent Miklos, 16, shot this bobcat while deer hunting with his father, Troy, north of Graham on New Year’s Day. The cat was creeping up on a feeder where squirrels had been eating.

NILGAI

EncinoMark Loredo of Rio Hondo shot this nilgai while hunt-ing in Encino with friends.

WHITETAIL

LlanoDaniel Roberts got this nine-point buck with a bow while hunting at the John-son Ranch in Llano.

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.

REDFSIH

Galveston BaySix-year-old Blake Lance caught this 17-inch redfi sh while fi shing in Galveston Bay. Blake’s mom, Amanda Lance, says Blake is an avid young fi sherman who loves and respects the outdoors.

SPECKLED TROUT

Laguna MadreSamantha Barnett caught this 27.5-inch trout while

MAIL TO:1745 Greens Rd, Houston TX 77032NOTE: Print photos can not be returned.

EMAIL:For best results, send MED to HIGH quality JPEG digital fi les only, please.quality JPEG digital fi les only, please.

BASS

JasperJoseph Ramey caught this nice largemouth while in the Jasper City park. He gave it the CPR treatment—Catch, Photograph, Release—to be caught

another day.

park. He gave it the

Catch, Photograph, Release—to be caught

REDFISH

Laguna MadreJaime Quiroga caught this monstrous 30-inch redfi sh while drifting into Peyton’s Bay out of the Lower Laguna Madre. An artifi cial, Saltwater Assassin was the enticing bait he used to land this beauty.

avid young fi sherman who loves and respects the outdoors.

Release—to be caught another day.

Release—to be caught

REDFISH

Laguna MadreJaime Quiroga caught this monstrous 30-inch redfi sh while drifting into Peyton’s Bay out of the Lower Laguna Madre. An artifi cial, Saltwater Assassin was the enticing bait he used to land this beauty.




www.mthoustonmarine.com

C4_ALL.indd 4 2/6/14 2:01 PM

www.springfieldarmory.com

March 2014

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