Stillhouse Hollow - Lone Star Outdoor News

FISHING
*
Texas’ Premier Outdoor Newspaper
May 12, 2006
Volume 2, Issue 18
See Page 8
w w w. l o n e s t a r o u t d o o r n e w s . c o m
INSIDE
*
Texas rig is no
stranger to coast
Rollin’ across Texas
HUNTING
ShareLunker manager’s job is ‘keeping fish alive’
By Mark England
Hunters should inspect their
treestand and fall-arrest gear in
the off-season and before each
hunt. The Treestand
Manufacturers Association offers
safety guidelines.
David Campbell manages the Budweiser
ShareLunker program. That means from Oct.
1 to April 30, he’s on call 24/7. On a
moment’s notice, he must be ready to drive
anywhere in Texas — provided the caller is
holding a largemouth bass that weighs more
than 13 pounds.
“I’ve met people at a boat ramp at mid-
night, at a marina at three in the morning
and I picked up one at Alan Henry
(Reservoir) at 5 a.m.,” Campbell said. “The
sooner we get a fish in our possession, the
better its chances of surviving.”
The bass are taken to the Lunker Bunker,
part of the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center
in Athens, for spawning purposes as well as
research.
Producing a world-record largemouth bass
See LUNKERS, Page 10
AT SEASON’S END
See Page 6
Volunteers from the Dallas Safari
Club were on hand to help young
hunters at the S.A.F.E.T.Y.
Extravaganza. Josh Lakatos, a world
championship shooter and Olympic
medalist in the 1996 Atlanta
games, was among the instructors.
See Page 7
FISHING
By Craig Nyhus
Supreme masters of camouflage,
the elusive flounder bury their
mottled-brown bodies under soft
bottom slop or grass. There are
ways, however, to catch this
surprisingly aggressive fish.
See Page 9
NATIONAL
A 66-year-old Florida man was
attacked by a 10-foot alligator
while fly-fishing on Lake Istokpoga.
Also, in Boynton Beach, Fla., a
diver hired to retrieve golf balls
from a golf course lake was
attacked by a 9-foot alligator.
See Page 4
CONSERVATION
TOTIN’ A TOM: Derek Rambo crosses the Clear Fork of the Brazos River with a harvested bird. He was
hunting on the Krooked River Ranch. As another turkey season draws to a close, find out how the
hunting was on Page 8. See related photos “Calling all toms” on Page 19. Photo by David J. Sams.
See Page 5
DEPARTMENTS
Product Picks
Heroes
Page 13
Page 14
Outdoor Puzzler
Page 15
Wild in the Kitchen
Page 15
Weather
Page 15
Game Warden Blotter
Page 16
Made in Texas
Page 16
Outdoor Datebook
Page 17
Fishing Report
Page 18
Stillhouse
Hollow
Best-kept
secret in Texas?
Reports from across Texas
indicate it’s a good time for
anglers to head to the lake
because Mr. Whiskers is biting.
Channel cats are leading the way.
See Page 8
Leading national conservation
officials gathered in support of
the National Fish Habitat Action
Plan designed to protect, restore
and enhance fish habitat.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN: David Campbell holds a replica of the
bass he traveled 500 miles to the Canadian River to pick up.
Blaze orange product
a gray area to deer
By Mark England
Next season a product will hit the
market that claims it can trick deer
into turning a blind eye to hunters
wearing blaze orange.
Deer, despite what some hunters
believe, are not color-blind, according
to scientists. But never fear, capitalism
has come to the rescue.
Covert Orange, manufactured by
Carlile Design of Rolla, Mo., is a mixture of safety orange and ultraviolet
pigment designed by three research
ophthalmologists. When applied to a
hat and vest combo, it triggers different reactions in humans and deer, said
Kevin Carlile.
See COLORS, Page 12
Nestled on the fringe of the Texas Hill Country
just five miles east of Belton sits Stillhouse Hollow
Reservoir, a 6,429- acre U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
reservoir impounded in 1968, where big largemouth
and spotted bass are
thriving.
This scenic highland lake offers clear,
deep water with a
maximum depth of
107 feet. A trip to this
unassuming,
uncrowded lake is all the
more appealing if you
consider that it has
excellent fishing.
Stillhouse presents a
different fishing picture than many other
lakes. “The water is HOOKED ON HOLLOW: This 8-pound
super clear, and there largemouth, caught on a Berkley
is a lot of hydrilla,” Beast, is a “Stillhouse” trophy.
said fishing guide and
park ranger Kevin Cobb. To deal with this, most fishermen use braided line and a fluorocarbon leader.
“You might bring up 10 pounds of grass with a 2pound fish, so you need the strength.”
The fishing at Stillhouse has been reported as
excellent. Cobb also fishes the weekly Wednesday
night open tournaments. “Most winners have been
weighing in more than 20 pounds in a 3 1/2-hour
tournament,” he adds.
See STILLHOUSE, Page 11
PRSRT STD
US POSTAGE
PAID
PLANO, TX
PERMIT 210
Page 2 * May 12, 2006
Page 4 * May 12, 2006
NATIONAL
’Gator
attacks
angler
A 66-year-old Florida man was attacked by an alligator while fly-fishing on Lake Istokpoga on April 24.
The 10-foot gator grabbed him by the hip as he stood
in 41-inch deep water.
Also, in Boynton Beach, Fla., a diver hired to retrieve
golf balls from a golf course lake was attacked by a 9foot alligator that bit his arm.
Neither man sustained life-threatening injuries.
Warm weather and spring breeding seasons bring
about increased activity in alligators, and on May 1,
Texas Parks and Wildlife issued public safety tips.
“Springtime is when alligators are most active,” says
Monique Slaughter, a TPW biologist. “Courtship and
mating begins in late spring, and continues through
early summer.”
In Texas, no fatalities have been documented due to
alligators, but 17 injuries have been reported in the
past 15 years. TPW estimates there are about 286,000
alligators in Chambers, Jefferson and Orange
Counties, but no statewide estimate exists. Alligators
currently are found in 120 of the 254 counties in
Texas.
Alligator experts say the most important rule is to
never feed an alligator or allow it to get food. In
October 2003 it became a Class C misdemeanor to
intentionally feed a free ranging alligator. Baiting for
legal hunting purposes is still allowed. As of
September 2005, a special alligator hunting license is
not required to hunt alligators in Texas, but all other
requirements, including tag requirements, remain in
effect.
Other tips for persons near alligators include:
•Keep pets on a leash or in a penned enclosure;
•Don’t get too close or swim in areas where alligators have been observed;
•Don’t harass or agitate alligators at any time;
•Remember that alligators are most active at dawn
and dusk in the warmer months.
— Compiled from Florida Fish and Wildlife and TPW
reports
Mexican wolves
bound for Gila
Photo by Bobby Sanchez
MEXICAN GREY WOLF
The New Mexico Department of
Game and Fish will assist in the
translocation of five federally endangered Mexican Wolves in the Gila
National Forest within the next three
months as part of the Department’s
continued participation in the
Mexican Wolf Recovery Program.
The Department’s recently hired
wolf biologist, Saleen Richter, will
assist with the releases and ensure they
are conducted according to current
restoration rules and with close interaction among the department, other
agencies, landowners and livestock
operators in the release areas.
“We are aware of the need for caution in releasing wolves that have been
captured elsewhere,” Richter said. “It is
important that we work to release
wolves that will adapt to their new surroundings without conflict.”
Two wolves, a male and a pregnant
female, will be released in the eastern
side of the Blue Range Recovery Area in
late April, just prior to birthing to
Judges sentence poacher to penitentiary
For a nighttime poaching spree Nov. 26-27
near Boulder claiming four mule deer bucks,
Michael Benjamin Acuna was assessed $17,000
in fines and restitution — plus sentenced to 2-3
years in the Wyoming State Penitentiary for
being a felon in possession of a firearm when
committing the crimes.
Acuna, 37, was convicted of one count of the
“winter range statute” for taking an antlered
deer out of season, two counts of wanton
destruction of deer, one count of taking a deer
out of season and one count of using artificial
light to take a deer. He was also sentenced to 2.5
years in the Sublette County Jail to run concurrently with his prison term and had his hunt-
ing, fishing and trapping privileges revoked for
20 years.
During sentencing March 23, Sublette
County Circuit Judge John Crow said the fines
and restitution would be waived if a $5,500
donation to the Wyoming Wildlife Protector’s
Association — administrator of the Stop
Poaching Program — was made before the
defendant’s future parole was ended.
District Court Judge Norman Young sentenced Acuna to the prison term for the felony
charge on April 6.
Game wardens were first alerted to the Acuna
case Nov. 27 while keeping the apartment of a
suspect in another case under surveillance. The
In Brief
Monster Missouri crappie
may be international record
John Hortsman, 69, of Fulton, Mo.,
landed a 5.02-pound black crappie
from a private pond in Callaway
County on April 21. The Missouri
Conservation Department has certified the fish as a state record. The fish
is larger than the current all-tackle
record listed by the International
Game Fish Association. The current
record has two fish tied at 4.5 pounds.
Hortsman’s fish was caught on a
minnow. The fish has been donated
to Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, Mo..
Louisiana man, 25, shot
in hunting accident
Louisiana Department of Wildlife
and Fisheries Enforcement Division
agents cited a 24-year-old Colfax resident after he allegedly shot another
hunter accidentally while turkey
hunting in Winn Parish on April 10.
While hunting on the Catahoula
Wildlife Management Area, the
cited hunter mistook another 25year-old Colfax resident for a gobbler.
He had been stalking a turkey that
crossed a woods road near the other
hunter. The injured hunter said he
was unable to get a shot at the turkey
and then saw the 24-year-old hunter
come out onto the road about 35
yards away.
The victim waved his arm to
announce his presence and the
shooter raised his gun and shot.
The accused man and his hunting
partner rendered aid by calling 911
and transporting him out of the
woods. Once on the highway, the
men flagged down Louisiana State
Trooper Mike Gilliam, who transported the injured hunter to Winn
Parish Medical Center. He was
increase the likelihood the wolves will
remain in the area. The site was selected because the release was acceptable
with the owners of the closest private
land, and the current grazing permittee. The site also is a considerable distance from the San Carlos Reservation,
where the wolves were removed in
2005 because of boundary issues.
In June, two female wolves and one
male wolf will be released in one of
four approved sites within the Gila
Wilderness. The females were captured
in the Gila National Forest in 2005 as
pups when the Francisco Pack was
removed from the area because of livestock depredation issues. The male was
captured outside its boundary in 2005
following a single depredation incident. The exact release site of the three
wolves will be determined after other
wolf packs have established dens to
maximize the distance between the
translocated wolves and existing
packs.
— A New Mexico Game and Fish report
treated for his injuries and transferred to St. Frances Cabrini Hospital
for further treatment.
After investigating the shooting,
agents ruled it was accidental, but
cited the hunter for negligent injury
because he failed to identify his target. A Remington 870 Express 12gauge shotgun was seized for evidence.
Marathon Oil joins NWTF’s
Energy for Wildlife program
The National Wild Turkey
Federation’s Energy for Wildlife program recently reached another milestone that could help improve thousands of acres of wildlife habitat.
Marathon Oil Company, based in
Houston, Texas, became the first
petroleum company to join the federation’s membership-based certification program for all energy companies with the primary goal of
enhancing wildlife habitat on company managed, owned or influenced lands. These properties
include power line and gas rights of
way, plant sites, forest lands or other
properties. As part of the program,
Energy for Wildlife’s 26 members
manage more than 1.5 million acres
of wildlife habitat.
Energy for Wildlife was created by
the NWTF in response to the utility
industry’s need for assistance in
managing the millions of acres of
rights of way and other land that
could potentially provide ideal habitat for a number of wildlife species.
Texas groups join
Teaming With Wildlife
Texas groups recently met with
congressional and conservation leaders here as part of a coalition of 3,000
organizations that make up Teaming
with Wildlife, an effort to boost state
and federal funding for wildlife conservation, outdoor recreation and
conservation education and prevent
wildlife from becoming endangered.
Teaming with Wildlife is a national grass-roots organization that
includes wildlife managers, conservationists, hunters, anglers and businesses.
The national steering committee
includes the American Fisheries
Society, American Zoo and Aquarium
Association, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, International
Association of Fish and Wildlife
Agencies, Izaak Walton League of
America, National Audubon Society,
National Wild Turkey Federation,
National Wildlife Federation, Nature
Conservancy, Theodore Roosevelt
Conservation Partnership, Wildlife
Society, Wildlife Conservation
Society and Wildlife Management
Institute.
The group is calling for new and
greater funding to support full implementation of recently completed
State Wildlife Action Plans, which lay
out clear needs and actions for
wildlife conservation in every state.
Sportsman Channel moves
into Laredo market
Time Warner Cable is now offering
The Sportsman Channel, to customers
in Laredo and throughout the South
Texas area. The Sportsman Channel
(TSC) is the first and only television
network dedicated exclusively to
hunting and fishing programming 24
hours a day, seven days a week. The
channel is currently airing on Time
Warner Cable digital cable channel
315.
TSC airs hunting and fishing programming 24/7.
sheriff’s office was looking for a man who had
trespassed into a Pinedale residence to sleep on
a couch. The Wyoming Highway Patrol later
located the suspect at a convenience store and
notified the Game and Fish Department of a
buck mule deer in the back of his truck. The suspect, Michael Acuna, was booked into the
Sublette County Jail for being a felon in possession of a firearm and the out-of-season deer.
“The poaching occurred in the middle of a
large migration route used by thousands of deer
to get to their winter range from the highly coveted Sublette Mule Deer herd,” said South
Pinedale Game Warden Brian Nesvik.
— A Wyoming Fish and Game report
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May 12, 2006 * Page 5
CONSERVATION
Officials launch landmark
fish habitat action plan
Leading national conservation officials recently gathered on the banks of
the Potomac River to announce a bold
new initiative designed to stop the
downward spiral in the populations of
many fish and other aquatic species.
The National Fish Habitat Action
Plan, supported by hundreds of
diverse partners and stakeholders
across the country, provides strategies
to protect, restore and enhance fish
habitats in watersheds and waterways
across the country.
“This is a historic day for the organizations dedicated to making sure we
have healthy fish and other aquatic
Redhead
duck on
new stamp
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
has announced a redhead duck will
be featured on the 2006-2007 Junior
Duck Stamp. The design for the new
stamp, painted by 15 year-old
Rebekah Nastav of Amoret, Mo., was
chosen by judges on April 20 at the
Federal Junior Duck Stamp Design
Contest held in Washington, D.C.
The acrylic painting, entitled
“Morning Swim,” which previously
won the Missouri State Junior Duck
Stamp Contest, was judged the top
painting among the Best-of-State
entries from all 50 states, the District
of Columbia and American Samoa.
The 2006-2007 Federal Junior Duck
creatures for years to come,” said Lynn
Scarlett, acting secretary of the
Department of the Interior. “Clean
water and healthy habitat are essential for people and wildlife. With
today’s announcement, we’ve rededicated our national commitment to
achieving both.”
“We’re putting together American
ingenuity, existing and emerging science and the determination of the
American people to pass along a precious legacy to the next generation:
viable fish habitats,” said Carlos
Gutierrez,
secretary
of
the
Department of Commerce.
The National Fish Habitat Action
Plan is targeted toward fisheries protection, restoration and enhancement
in key watersheds and is based on a
consolidation of the best scientific
expertise on fisheries and habitat
management.
To date, the action plan has more
than 450 organizational supporters,
from small local watershed groups
and fishing clubs to international
conservation organizations, federal
agencies, angling industries and academia.
— A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services
report
Tree seedlings
take root for
wildlife
‘Morning Swim’
Stamp, which the Fish and Wildlife
Service makes available for $5 to
stamp collectors, conservationists
and the general public will be
released on June 1. Proceeds from
Junior Duck Stamp sales are used to
support environmental education
efforts and awards for contest winners.
A conservation message contest
was also held. Chris Thiessen of
Kentucky won first prize with the
message, “When conservation
becomes a way of life, it benefits all
life.”
— A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services
report
Each year, conservation-minded
Americans celebrate National Arbor
Day by joining forces on the last
Friday in April to plant an estimated
18 million tree seedlings.
However, to improve wildlife habitat and the environment, tree-planting efforts must span much further
than Arbor Day celebrations. During
the last two months, more than
1,000 private landowners and land
managers have worked through the
National Wild Turkey Federation’s
regional habitat programs to plant
nearly 225,000 tree seedlings.
Each year, the NWTF distributes
seedlings to volunteers, who in turn
plant the trees to improve wildlife
habitat.
— A NWTF release
Page 6 * May 12, 2006
HUNTING
Drought conditions
dry up turkey season
The toms ‘just weren’t talking’
By BILL MILLER
With only a few days left in the 2006
spring turkey season, state wildlife officials
were predicting a fair harvest, even though
drought conditions were especially unkind
to hunters in south Texas.
Steve DeMaso, upland game program
leader for Texas Parks and Wildlife, said harvest figures wouldn’t be available until June.
But, he noted, “I think we had a pretty
decent season, considering the weather
conditions.
“The Rolling Plains and Edwards Plateau
areas seemed to have the most favorable
conditions, while South Texas is still in a
drought, which kind of delays the nesting
season.’’
Hunters and guides reported inconsistent
gobbler behavior right from the start. The
season opened in the Panhandle and Hill
Country simultaneous with the breeding
season, which wildlife officials try to avoid.
At first, many toms preferred communing
with hens over heeding hunters’ calls. But
the dry weather
down south seemed to
keep things totally out
of whack.
“Hens and gobblers might
not even mate if they have to
spend all their time on maintenance;
i.e., finding food,’’ DeMaso said. “It just
messes up the whole system.’’
Professional guide James Prince of Port
O’Connor agreed. Prince, who sits on the
game bird advisory council for TPW, said he
was especially challenged this year while
Hunters
in high
places
See TURKEYS, Page 7
TREESTAND SAFETY GUIDELINES
Off-season is time
to inspect gear
In spring and summer, most Texas
hunters keep their treestands in a
garage, in the back yard, or, for
some, they may even still be in the
tree from this past season.
Then, as the fall season approaches, some just pick up their treestands
and go hunting. Dozens of times
each fall, a
simple misstep or an
‘Hunters
improperly
installed or
should
failed piece of
inspect their equipment
results in, at
treestand best, a ruined
hunting trip,
before the
and, at worst,
serious injury
beginning
or death.
The off-seaof each
son is a good
season, as time to
inspect your
well as
treestands.
before each “Hunters
should inspect
their treestand
hunt.’
before the
beginning of
— LAWRENCE
each season,
TAYLOR
as well as
before each
hunt,” said Lawrence Taylor of
Pradco Outdoor Brands. “Hunters
should check the webbing, tighten
all bolts, and check for durability. If
they see any problems or cracks,
they absolutely should not use that
stand.”
The Treestand Manufacturers
Association (TMA), a non-profit
organization made up of manufacturers, retailers and other professional organizations, devotes its
resources to treestand safety.
TMA promotes the mandatory
use of fall arrest systems/full body
harness devices. Through education in the proper use of treestands,
the development of treestand manufacturing standards and quality
control, and promotion of proper
equipment, TMA hopes to minimize treestand accidents and
guiding
hunters in several South
Texas counties.
“If I had to rate it on a
scale of one to five, I’d have
to give it a one and a half,’’
he said.” All the hens were
staying together and not even
getting on a nest.
“Of course there’s really no
grass to make a nest.’’
Although there are an estimated 600,000
A GRIP ON SAFETY: Hunters in treestands should always use safety equipment. The No. 1
cause of treestand accidents is falling asleep. Photos by David J. Sams.
injuries.
TMA has issued Treestand Safety
Tips, and also has jointly produced
with the National Bowhunting
Education Foundation a video
titled, “Safe Treestand Hunting,”
which is used by many state wildlife
departments and hunter safety
instructors.
A Lone Star Outdoor News staff report
TMA has prepared its Treestand Safety Guidelines, which include
the following:
• Wear a fall-arrest system (FAS)/full body harness meeting TMA
standards even during ascent and descent. Be aware that singlestrap belts and chest harnesses are no longer the preferred fallarrest devices and should not be used. Failure to use a FAS could
result in serious injury or death.
• Read and understand the manufacturer’s warnings and
instructions before using the treestand each season. Practice
with the treestand at ground level prior to using at elevated
positions. Use all
safety devices
provided with your
treestand. Never
exceed the weight
limit specified by the
manufacturer.
• Inspect the
treestand and the
fall-arrest system for
signs of wear or
damage before each
use. Contact the
manufacturer for
replacement parts.
Destroy all products
that cannot be
repaired by the
manufacturer. The
FAS should be
discarded and
replaced after a fall
has occurred.
• Practice in fullbody harness in the
presence of an adult,
learning what it feels
like to hang
suspended at ground
level.
• Attach the harness
in the manner and
CHECK IT OUT: Lawrence Taylor puts on his fallmethod described by
arrest body harness before climbing into his
the manufacturer.
treestand in West Texas.
Failure to do so may
result in suspension without the ability to recover into your
treestand. Prolonged suspension may be fatal. Have in place a
plan for rescue. If you do not have the ability to recover or
escape, hunt from the ground.
• Hunt with a plan and if possible a buddy. Before you leave
home, let others know your exact hunting location, when you plan
to return and who is with you.
• Carry emergency signal devices such as a cell phone, walkietalkie, whistle, signal flare, personal locator device and flashlight
on your person at all times and within reach, even if suspended.
Watch for changing weather conditions. In the event of an
accident, remain calm and seek help immediately.
• Select the proper tree for use with your treestand. Select a live
straight tree that fits with the size limits of your treestand. Do not
climb or place a treestand against a leaning tree. Never leave a
treestand installed for more than two weeks since damage could
occur from changing weather conditions or other factors.
• Use a haul line to pull up your gear and unloaded firearm or
bow to your treestand once you have reached your desired hunting
height. Never climb with anything in your hands or on your back.
Prior to descending, lower your equipment on the opposite side of
the tree.
• Know your physical limitations. Don’t take chances. If you
start thinking about how high you are, don’t go any higher.
• Never use homemade or permanently elevated stands or make
modifications to a purchased treestand.
• Never hurry! While climbing with a treestand, make slow, even
movements of no more than 10 to 12 inches at a time. Make
sure you have proper contact with the tree and/or treestand every
time you move. On ladder-type treestands, maintain three points
of contact with each step.
For a detailed list of products that meet or exceed TMA
standards, contact the TMA office at 601/584-7983 or visit the
TMA Web site at www.tmastands.com.
May 12, 2006 * Page 7
S.A.F.E.T.Y. for youth
Josh Lakatos, at top, a world championship Olympic shooter, assists a student with
positioning a shotgun. Students also sharpened their archery skills. Photos by David
J. Sams.
More than 100 middle schoolers along with their
parents learned to shoot hunting weapons at the
S.A.F.E.T.Y. Extravaganza held at the Greystone Castle
Sporting Club in Mingus on May 6.
On hand to provide assistance and instruction were
150 volunteers from the Dallas Safari Club, which has
sponsored the event for the past 17 years.
S.A.F.E.T.Y. stands for Shooting Archery Field
Excellency Trials for Youth. Each participant was given
instruction in the safe and responsible handling of .22caliber rifles and revolvers, shotguns, muzzleloaders
and archery equipment. They then had an opportunity to shoot each of them with the help of a certified
instructor. In addition, they were exposed to a field
exercise trail where they applied the knowledge and
outdoor ethics taught in the hunter safety program.
Josh Lakatos, a world championship shooter and
Olympic medalist in the 1996 Atlanta games, was
helping out with the clay target shooting. “ I drove all
the way from California for this,” Lakatos said. “I will
do it every year. I love helping the kids.” Lakatos
helped with the positioning and aiming of the shotguns, as many of the participants were shooting a gun
for the first time. One boy was so nervous that he was
shaking after shooting a 20-gauge and did not want to
shoot again. Kakatos took him aside and calmly spoke
with the youngster. In two minutes, he had him
shooting again. The boy walked away with great confidence and the knowledge that he could shoot a shotgun.
Many of the parents were proudly “outshot” by
their children.
As a requirement for participation, each student
must successfully complete the state-certified hunter
safety course taught in their school’s “Outdoor Trails”
education course. Outdoor Trails is an elective course
taught in participating public schools and introduces
more than 1,500 secondary school kids to the outdoors.
A Lone Star Outdoor News staff report
TWA sets seminar on overabundant white-tailed deer
On May 18 at Texas State
University in San Marcos, the Texas
Wildlife Association will host a
seminar titled:
Overabundant
White-Tailed Deer in Texas:
Impacts on People, Communities,
and the Land.
TWA reports that while white-
tailed deer are a valuable resource
providing enjoyment for thousands
across Texas, they are very adaptive
to life near people. However, when
deer numbers escalate and they
become overabundant, deer can
threaten wildlife and plant diversity
as well as cause economic, health
and safety concerns. Some Texas
communities are confronting these
issues and others soon will be.
This seminar will allow attendees
to learn about the experiences of
communities as well as hear from
nationally recognized experts currently working with overabundant
deer issues. Issues covered will
include the impact of overabundant deer populations, current
management tools, what’s worked
and overabundant deer planning.
Other sponsors include The
Nature Conservancy, Texas Parks
and Wildlife, Texas State University
Turkeys
Recent rains in West Texas and
North Texas offer glimmers of
hope for everyone concerned
about wildlife in those regions.
Folks in South Texas, however,
haven’t seen any of that yet.
Nevertheless, Prince, who shot
two birds this season, urged
hunters to get out and test their
skills, no matter how wet or dry
the conditions.
Some hunters improved their
chances by getting out more
often. Larry Hodge, spokesman for
the Texas Freshwater Fisheries
Center in Athens, wished he
could’ve done that.
He got out got out only twice:
once on his West Texas lease near
Comstock, and the other time on
the Gus Engeling Wildlife
Management Area, 21 miles north
of Palestine in East Texas.
The 30 mph winds gusts kept
gobblers from hearing his calls
during the West Texas hunt. On
the other side of the state, heat
was the problem.
“It was 100 degrees, and it seems
like it just shut them down,’’
Hodge said of his East Texas hunt.
“We knew they were there; they
just weren’t talking.’’
Continued from Page 6
to 1 million Rio Grande turkeys in
Texas, biologists have feared that
dry conditions might throttle vegetation needed for turkey nests,
and also their preferred food —
insects.
and the Lower Colorado River
Authority. The seminar begins at
7:45 a.m. and registration is $50.
For further information, call 800TEX-WILD or visit www.texaswildlife.org.
— A Texas Wildlife Association report
Had he to do it over again,
Hodge would have picked a more
central spot.
“I would have loved to have
been able to get out to the Hill
Country,’’ he said, “but we hunt
where we can and we take our
chances.’’
Bill Miller is a Fort Worth-based
freelancer.
Page 8 * May 12, 2006
FISHING
Texas rig is no stranger to coast
Worm’s weedless ways
lure trout, redfish too
By Danno Wise
DUAL DUTY: A speckled trout often falls victim to a Texas-rigged worm in late spring and early summer. The rig, popular
among freshwater anglers, is not a stranger this time of year in the coastal saltwaters.
The Texas-rigged worm has been a
favorite of bass fishermen since practically the day Nick Creme invented the
“rubber” worm in 1949.
Few folks realize it’s been in use
along the Texas coast for nearly as long.
And, although its use is far from prevalent among coastal pluggers, it remains
a productive way to take speckled trout
and redfish in Texas bays.
“Late spring and early summer is an
ideal time to throw a Texas-rigged
worm,” said longtime South Texas
guide Capt. Chuck Scates. “Especially
when you get a low tide and the grass is
all ‘layed over’ (the top of the water).
Since it is so weedless, it is sometimes
the only thing you can fish through
that grass without getting fouled.”
Besides their weedless qualities, the
worms actually do imitate a natural
forage item for marine fish, says Port
Isabel-based guide Capt. Steve “JR”
Ellis.
“I think it looks like a sand eel,” said
Ellis. “And it is awful effective when
those fish are up on the sand or in
sandy potholes rooting out eels and
those little marine worms. It is one of
the best baits you can use when big
trout are lazing in potholes in kind of a
lethargic state. In that situation, you
just lay the worm right in the pothole
with ’em and irritate them into striking
— just like you would with bedding
bass.
Not only do both guides agree on the
effectiveness of Texas-rigged worms in
saltwater, they also point to the same
source as being responsible for introducing them into South Texas’ saltwater environment — Capt. Freddie Petty
of Laguna Vista.
“We originally started fishing them
back in the ’70s because we were fishing
such shallow water with lots of grass,”
recalled Petty, who still operates a highly successful guide service on the Lower
Laguna Madre along with his wife,
Capt. Janie Petty. “At that time, there
really weren’t any weedless saltwater
baits, so we began using worms. Of
course, we couldn’t hardly find those or
anything else way down here back
then, so I started making ’em myself.
“I’ve experimented with all kinds of
colors back then, but most of the time,
I’d use purple or some other dark color,”
added Petty.
Ellis agrees with Petty’s color choice,
adding that, although he typically
throws purple or red, he will sometimes go with a bright color, such as
chartreuse. Among today’s models of
worms, Scates says his favorite is the
Culprit swirl-tail worm, while Ellis opts
for a Stanley Wedge Tail worm.
“The other great thing about this rig
is its versatility,” Ellis stated. “By varying your choice of worm colors and the
size of your weight, you can rig a worm
to fish in practically any shallow water
situation.”
Danno Wise is an outdoor writer and fishing guide who lives in Port Isabel.
The catfish are jumping 0n Texas lakes
It’s a good time for Texas anglers to head to
the lake in search of Mr. Whiskers.
Reports from across the state indicate catfishing remains good to excellent on many
Texas lakes, with channel cats leading the
way. Fishermen are still awaiting the spawn
in most of the state.
Near Austin, at Canyon Lake, Sylvan
DeJardo reports channel cats are good to
excellent in 15-25 feet of water. “Fishermen
are having the best luck with Lewis King
Punch Bait or live hybrid bluegills,” he said.
On Choke Canyon, the best bet seems to
be either bluegill or goldfish also in 15-25
feet.
In North Texas, Chad Ferguson, who
guides on Lake Grapevine, Lewisville Lake
and Lake Ray Roberts, reports channel cats
are biting good good in 2-3 feet of water on
prepared baits and stinkbaits.
“I expect the spawn to begin in the next
two weeks,” Ferguson said. “The fish will
then move to the rip-rap and timber.”
He also reports good results for blue cats in
4-10 feet, using fresh shad under slip corks.
“It’s been down a little, we’re still catching
MR. WHISKERS: While anglers await the spawn, reports indicate catfish are biting well.
50-60 fish per day, but not like last month
when we were catching over 100 per day.”
Ferguson expects fishing for flathead to
pick up “in another month or so.”
Omar Cotter, who guides primarily on
Grapevine, Lewisville, Lake Tawakoni and
Richland Chambers, agrees the catfish are
biting.
“It’s going to be great real soon,” Cotter
said. “I like to bait out holes with maize, go
fish for sand bass for a few hours, and come
back with fresh cut shad and catch cats.”
He reports success with both channel cats
and blues, but says the flatheads will pick up
soon. “You need live shad for the flatheads,
because they won’t take anything dead,” he
said. “To catch your shad, you’ll have to go to
shallow water well before daylight.”
North of Houston at Lake Conroe, Darrell
Taylor reports good results on channel cats
and blues at depths of 19 1/2 to 20 1/2 feet,
using his creation, Catfish Killer Cheese dip.
Taylor expects the spawn at the end of
May. “We don’t fish too much for big fish,
but we have been catching blues weighing 56 pounds,” he said.
A Lone Star Outdoor News staff report
TEXAS FRESHWATER FISHING HALL OF FAME
Hart, Bradley to join ranks of elite
RICHARD M. “DICK” HART
Two men have been selected as
the 2006 inductees into the Texas
Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame,
and their background and achievements make them perfect complements to each other.
Albert S. “Buddy” Bradley of
Dallas has devoted much of his life
to the study of largemouth bass
and how to fish for them, helping
to popularize bass fishing by giving
how-to-fish presentations across
the nation.
Richard M. “Dick” Hart of Dallas
has spent much of the last several
years raising funds to help preserve
the tradition of fishing so ably
developed and promoted by
Bradley and others. His crowning
achievement was a successful effort
to secure private funding for a $2
million structure to be built at the
Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center
in Athens. Included in those funds
was a $650,000 matching gift from
Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny
Morris. Construction is due to start
this year.
Hart and Bradley will be inducted into the Texas Freshwater
Fishing Hall of Fame in Athens at a
banquet on June 3.
— A Texas Parks and Wildlife report
ALBERT S. “BUDDY” BRADLEY
May 12, 2006 * Page 9
Anglers ‘flip’ for flatfish
A flounder’s forte is hide-and-watch
By John N. Felsher
THE ELUSIVE ONE: To catch a flounder, it’s best to get close.
Most saltwater anglers probably catch
flounders more by accident than intention, but people who know how to work
the weeds might “flip” for flatfish.
Long ago, bass anglers in coastal areas
discovered that flounders love to slurp
worms, jigs, spinnerbaits, crankbaits
and even topwater baits. Any lures that
resemble natural food, such as baby
croakers, shad, menhaden or shrimp,
might work on these surprisingly
aggressive fish.
During one trip to Sabine Lake along
the Louisiana-Texas line, Capt. Skip
James, a guide from Orange, Howard
Hammonds “flipped” for flounder.
With the tide high and water milky, flatfish closely hugged the reeds. Like fishing thick brush for bass, he probed
pockets along the shoreline to yank
flounders from their reedy lairs at close
range.
Flounders don’t run; they hide.
Supreme masters of camouflage, elusive
flatfish bury their mottled-brown bodies under soft bottom slop or grass.
With only their eyes protruding above
the muck, they watch and wait for food
to pass foolishly close. In an instant,
they dart from their silty coating to
devour baitfish or passing shrimp with
astonishing speed for such oddlyshaped fish.
Since flounders rely heavily upon
camouflage to protect themselves from
predators and ambush prey, anglers can
get close to them. Believing themselves
well hidden, they might not spook even
if a boat passes overhead. Therefore, he
positioned the boat close to the shoreline and dropped Texas-rigged worms
into every pocket between the reeds.
Using long rods almost like cane
poles, he stripped a few feet of line from
our reels and held the line in one hand.
Then, he and the fishing party swung
their rods toward likely hiding spots and
slowly released the remaining line.
With this method, the Texas-rigged soft
plastics dropped vertically into cover.
“Flounder bite for two reasons —
intrusion of domain or hunger,” James
said. “Unlike specks or reds, they won’t
go chasing baits. Anglers need to get
close to the bank and put the baits right
on top of the flounders. Put a bait in the
bite window and it will hit.”
When not feeding aggressively, a
flounder might strike something that
almost lands on it, but it might not
reveal its hiding spot to attack a morsel
several feet away. Therefore, anglers
need pinpoint accuracy to work an area
thoroughly. With the hook inserted
into the plastic, the worm easily slips
easily through cover. Jig the bait up and
down a couple times before moving to
the next pocket. Usually, a fish either
bites instantly or not at all.
Wacky worms also provoke flounder
strikes. To rig a wacky worm, run a hook
See FLOUNDER, Page 12
Tournaments
Texas Tournament Trail
Pro Tim Harp, of Pottsboro, caught a two-day total of
10 bass weighing 24 pounds, 8 ounces to win the Texas
Tournament Trail event on Lake Texoma.
A field of 200 pros and 200 co-anglers competed in the
event, which featured a $220,500 purse.
With rainy and windy weather making an uncomfortable two days of fishing, the fishermen prevailed and still
caught healthy limits of fish.
Harp caught his bass on a 3/4-ounce Nichols spinnerbait around boat docks.
Rounding out the top five pros are Spencer McAlester
of Denison (10 bass, 24 pounds, 4 ounces); Chuck
Lawless of Park Hill, Okla. (10 bass, 23 pounds, 3 ounces);
Charles Reagan of Marquez (10 bass, 22 pounds, 3
ounces); and Chad Griffin of Cresson (nine bass, 22
pounds, 2 ounces).
Bass Champs Tournament Trail Central Region
On a tough day with thunderstorms leading up to launch
time, and windy conditions throughout the day, 149 teams
attempted to land first prize in the Central Region’s third
event of the season at Lake Travis.
A total of 408 fish were caught with an average weight of
1.82 pounds. James Scogin and Roland Loera had a huge day,
winning both the event and the big bass competition. Their
five-fish total was 17.84 pounds, and the big bass topped the
scales at 7.88 pounds.
Second place went to Kelly Mauldin and Tom Cantwell
with 14.70 pounds, and Jack Waldrop Sr. and his son Michael
Waldrop finished third with a total weight of 12.28 pounds.
The Central Tour will finish its schedule with its final regular season event on June 17 at Lake Buchanan, with the
Central Tour Championship to follow on June 18, also on
Lake Buchanan.
FLW Redfish Series Western Division
Jonathon and Kris Culpepper, of Houston, caught a six-redfish
total weighing 41 pounds, 12 ounces to win the FLW Redfish
Series Western Division event in Port Aransas .
The Culpeppers fished depth transitions on shallow flats
about 75 miles north of Port Aransas.
Fishing 4-inch Berkley Gulp! Shrimp in pearl-white color on
3/8-ounce jigheads, the winners caught approximately 40 redfish Saturday. “We had 13 pounds within the first half hour,”
Culpepper said. “We kept waiting for that big bite, but they were
all cookie-cutter 6-pounders. We kept culling them and upgrading ounces at a time.”
Rounding out the top five teams were Cory Walker, Stafford,
and Jason White, Austin; Danny Coppin, Belton, and Grant
Coppin, Corpus Christi; Tommy Ramzinsky, Fulton, and Todd
Adams, Rockport; and Jay Watkins and Jay Watkins Jr., both of
Rockport.
Page 10 * May 12, 2006
READY TO ROLL: David Campbell has traveled as much as 10,000 miles in two months when the call came an angler had landed a bass weighing more than 13 pounds. Photo by David J. Sams.
Lunkers
Continued from Page 1
is the ultimate goal.
While Campbell’s unpredictable schedule
seven months out of the year may have some
people questioning who’s really the lunkhead,
Campbell isn’t one of them.
“I tell people I have the best job in the
inland fisheries program,” he said. “I meet the
constituents I work for. And I’ve never met
anyone who was mad after having caught a 13pound bass. It’s very encouraging to me to
meet people who really support the program.”
Jason Baird met Campbell in February.
Baird, the parks and recreation director in
Herington, Kan., caught the ShareLunker program’s 400th bass, a 13.1-pounder taken from
Lake Amistad.
Baird admits to being surprised at
Campbell’s demeanor.
“I caught the fish around noon,” Baird said.
“He got there about 11 at night. He was happy
as could be. We talked for awhile, then he
turned around and drove all the way back. I
couldn’t believe it. He must really love what he
does.”
Catnaps and Budweiser’s specially rigged
truck — which has two 50-gallon compartments complete with temperature probes and
aerators — make the job easier, Campbell said.
“I can monitor the fish while going down
the road,” he said, “rather than stopping every
hour to check the fish. That way, I can make a
little better time.”
Technology and experience have improved
the survival rate of the largemouth bass. This
year, only five of 32 lunkers perished before
reaching Athens. Most were in bad shape
when he picked them up, Campbell said.
“I tell people they‘ve got to realize is that
these are wild animals, and sometimes they
don’t adapt to a controlled environment,” he
said.
Although the ShareLunker Web site details
how to handle a trophy bass, the reality is that
conditions are sometimes not ideal. Campbell
has picked up bass in live wells, on stringers
and in ice chests hooked to aerators.
One handy angler, though, stands out in
Campbell’s mind.
“He was standing in knee-deep water, holding the fish in his hands,” Campbell said. “He
hadn’t even weighed it. He thought it was big
enough, and it was. A lot of people see a 10pound bass and think it’s 13 pounds. I’m not
good at estimating weight either. Some people
are.”
Campbell’s first ShareLunker trip was just
before Thanksgiving in 1986.
Allen Forshage, now director of the Texas
Freshwater Fisheries Center, and Steve Knight,
outdoors editor for the Tyler Morning Telegraph,
accompanied him.
Knight remembers the bass, which weighed
17.67 pounds, a state record at the time, was
being held in a minnow tank at Lake Fork.
“We laughed and joked the whole way
there,” Knight said. “On the way back, though,
it was deathly silent. We kept looking over our
shoulder to make sure the fish wasn’t coming
out of the box it was in. We realized there was
something special in there. I also realized I
wouldn’t want the responsibility for keeping a
man’s trophy bass alive.”
Forshage actually ended up monitoring the
fish over Thanksgiving, as Campbell had holiday plans. Maybe that explains his appreciation
for Campbell’s work.
“I’m glad he carries the pager,” Forshage said.
“It’s kind of a way of life for him. He’s dependable and very knowledgeable. His expertise is
keeping fish alive, I’d say. And he still has the
same fire today that he had when the program
started.”
In case you were wondering, Campbell is
married.
His wife, Micki, is the office manager at the
Athens hatchery and long ago made peace
with the craziness of lunker season.
“It’s just part of his job,” she said. “I do celebrate, though, on May 1.”
—Mark England is associate editor of Lone Star
Outdoor News.
SHARELUNKER HEROES — 2006
JIM LEE - PRIVATE LAKE
13.07 - ZOOM FLUKE
HARRY DURHAM - LAKE CONROE
14.8 - CRANKBAIT
BILLY PFEIL - LAKE FORK
15.5 - 5-INCH SENKO
DAVID UTZ - LAKE RATCLIFF
13.65 - JIG AND PIG
DAVID UTZ - LAKE RATCLIFF
13.03 - JIG AND PIG
MARK SMITH - LAKE FORK
14.09
RODNEY HILL - ALAN HENRY
13.22 - BLUE FLAKE WORM
TREY MCCOLLOM - SAN AUGUSTINE CITY LAKE
13.13 - BEETLE SPIN
JON BABICH - LEWISVILLE LAKE
13.63 - FIN-S-SHAD
FRANK BROWN LAKE CONROE
14.22 - MINNOW
TOM SUTHERLAND - LAKE AMISTAD
15.68 - NORMAN DD-22
KURT WADE MELVILLE - MILL CREEK
13.1 - YUM ZELLAMANDER
JASON BAIRD - LAKE AMISTAD
13.1- SMALLIE BEAVER
STEVEN HOOVER LAKE FORK
14.14 - FLUKE
TANYA SORTER - TOLEDO BEND
14.25 - RATTLIN RAPALA
MIKE TRULOVE - ALAN HENRY
14.24 - TIKI-STICK
TIM TRULOVE - ALAN HENRY
14.26 - RUBBER BLUEGILL
CURTIS NORROD - ALAN HENRY
13.21 -JUNEBUG JIG
EDWARD REID - LAKE CONROE
14.48 - GREEN LIZARD
BILLY GREESON - ALAN HENRY
15.0 - BLACK AND BLUE JIG
FRANCISCO VALLEJOS - ALAN HENRY
13.05 - WATERDOG
JOHNNY WORLEY - PURTIS CREEK STATE PARK
13.31 - WATERDOG
SAM TRINCA - LAKE FORK
14.02 - A GRANDE BASS MUTANT
ROBERT JONES - LAKE FORK
13.01 -WATERMELON SEED BRUSH HOG
A.J. SACHTLEBEN - LAKE FORK
13.2 - SENKO
PATRICK STARNES
CASA BLANCA - 13.06
WAYNE LINDGREN
LAKE AMISTAD - 13.18
DUSTIN GILLIAM - ALAN HENRY
13.04 - HAWG HANGER
JAMIE BONNER - ALAN HENRY
13.43 - MAD MAN CRAW WORM
GREG HOLLERS - ALAN HENRY
14.78 - MINNOW
TRAVIS DARLEY - LAKE AMISTAD
13.58
JAY STEVENS — LAKE CASA BLANCA — 13. 2 — JIG (PHOTO NOT AVAILABLE)
The staff of the Lone Star Outdoor News congratulates the anglers who donated their bass to the ShareLunker program. We applaud you for your conservation efforts.
May 12, 2006 * Page 11
CATCHING ATTENTION: Kevin Cobb and Mike Lott cast to the rocky shoreline at Stillhouse Hollow, where the FLW Texas Tournament Trail is holding its 2006 championship in November. Photo by David J. Sams.
• Capt.. Skipperr Ray
y
956-943-2798
• Capt.. Billl Jarrard
d
954-761-2067
956-497-3454 cell
• Capt.. Allenn Salinass
956-943-6954
956-561-4535 cell
• Capt.. Chriss
Laa Cross
956-739-2142
• Capt.. Bryan
Tyrrell
956-761-2385
956-434-1025 Cell
SOUTH
PADRE ISLAND
FISHING GUIDES
• Capt.. Craigg Woollyy
956-984-9730
• Capt.. Darryll Adamss
956-346-3700
• Capt.. Chriss
Kohnertt
956-761-3432
956-605-0246 cell
• Capt.. Steve
Elliss
956-943-4525
956-492-8472
cell
.
• Capt.. Mikee
Perryman
956-434-9636
2066 W.. Swordfishh • Southh Padree Island,, Texass 785977 • 956-772-13000 • 956-943-2798
Stillhouse
Continued from Page 1
The most popular lures at
Stillhouse are Carolina or Texasrigged lizards or worms in natural
colors. Cobb prefers a Berkley
Powerbait Beast or Zoom baby
brush hog in colors such as green
pumpkin, watermelon or watermelon candy, Carolina-rigged,
fished over the grass.
Thomas Wells of Belton fishes
Stillhouse at least once per week. In
addition to Carolina-rigged soft
baits, he uses large spinnerbaits and
crankbaits fished along the edge of
the grass in 18 to 20 feet of water.
Wells is also a fan of hydrilla. “The
grass creates a natural edge for the
fish, and gives anglers a chance to
catch the big fish.”
Some anglers try for larger numbers of smaller fish. “I use a different approach on Stillhouse,”
Salado resident Mike Lott said. “I
fish the treelines with a split-shot
rig and go small because the water
is so clear. I use 10-pound Vanish
line with a 5-inch Gulp! Wacky
Worm.”
In summer they all recommend
fishing a heavy jig in the grass.
“Use 1 1/2 -ounce jigs thrown right
into the grass,” Cobb said, and use
super heavy line. I use 65-pound
braided line to hopefully bring
them out of the grass.”
Wells prefers a 1 1/4-ounce jig
with 65-80 Power Pro line. “I’ve
even had a few fish break that,” he
added. Wells also uses a 7.3-foot
one-piece Waterloo Scrape Rod that
is “all backbone,” saying “the big
fish along with the grass would
probably break most telescopic
rods.”
The jumbo spotted bass add even
more to the lore of Stillhouse
Hollow. “People are regularly
If You Go:
Stillhouse Hollow Lake offers four
parks with secure, 4-lane boat ramps.
There is a $3 launching fee, although
an annual pass is available for all
Corps of Engineers lakes in the U.S.
for $30. On the north side of the
lake, Stillhouse Park is located on
Simmons Road off of U.S. 190 and
FM 2410, and Stillhouse Hollow Lake
Marina, located in the park, is open
24 hours per day (254-939-5741).
Dana Peak Park, on FM 2410, also
offers campsites with hookups. On
the south side of the lake, Union
Grove Park, on FM 2484, offers
campsites with hookups, and River’s
Bend Park is also located off FM
2484.
For more information, visit the
Stillhouse Hollow Official Web site at
www.swf-wc-usace.army.mil/stillhouse,
or call the Belton/Stillhouse Lake
Office at 254/939-2461.
weighing in spots over 4 pounds in
the tournaments,” Cobb adds, “but
never bother to register them. The
next state-record spot will be
caught at Stillhouse.”
Why are the locals now willing to
share information about Stillhouse
Hollow? Probably because the lake
has drawn the attention of Texas
professional fishermen and tournament officials.
In November, the FLW Texas
Tournament Trail is holding its
2006 championship at Stillhouse
Hollow. The top 50 professionals
and co-anglers from the TTT points
standings will launch from
Stillhouse Hollow Lake Marina and
vie for the Tour Championship
Nov. 11-12. Locals feel what was left
of their best-kept secret will fade
away following the attention the
lake receives in November.
Craig Nyhus is publisher/editor of the
Lone Star Outdoor News.
Page 12 * May 12, 2006
Continued from Page 1
Humans will still see blaze orange; deer, however, will
see gray.
“The science told us that deer see blaze orange as a
bright yellow,” Carlile said. “They also see ultraviolet
light very well. Of course, humans don’t see it all. The
doctors, working with a wildlife biologist, wondered
what would happen if you combined the two. The UV
was overlaid on the blaze orange. Looking at graphs,
they could see where the two crossed. That’s called the
neutral point, where the blaze orange goes from what
the deer perceive as bright yellow to gray.”
“Long story short, they patented that color range,”
said Carlile. “Some hunters believe they don’t see it at
all. But that’s kind of an urban legend. Science tells us
they do see it.”
Deer alert to two colors, said Greg Hageman, one of
the Covert Orange inventors. He’s an ophthalmology
professor at the University of Iowa.
“Deer and other game animals differ from humans in
that their eyes are sensitive to only two colors, blue and
yellow,” he said. “They are therefore called dichromatic.”
Humans are trichromatic. The cells in their eyes are
most sensitive to red, green or blue light. As a result,
humans and deer see the same object differently. That’s
what Covert Orange counts on.
“Because humans have three color-sensitive cells in
their eyes, as opposed to two for deer, the color combination producing this ‘neutral point’ in deer is still perceived as a bright orange by human observers,” said Don
Tell ‘em you’re
shooting birdies.
Most people see a Tuffpak gun
case and assume you’re traveling with golf clubs. Let’ em
think that. It protects your
anonymity and your firearms
both in a way no other case
can. In fact, a Tuffpak
will hold a standard 9"
golf bag. So whether
you’re traveling with a
.300, a 12 gauge, or a
driver, all your
“woods” will arrive
safe and sound.
HUNTER OF A DIFFERENT COLOR: Three opthalmologists say when a mixture of safety orange
and ultraviolet pigment is applied to a vest and hat, a deer sees the hunter’s attire as gray.
The world’s most versatile rifle (or bow, or
shotgun, or boot, or sleeping bag, or…) case.
Colors
Anderson.
Anderson, along with Lincoln Johnson, helped
Hageman develop Covert Orange. Both Anderson and
Johnson work at the Neuroscience Research Institute at
the University of California-Santa Barbara.
Texas wildlife officials said their only concern is the
eyesight of hunters, not deer.
“If it still maintains blaze orange qualities on the
human side of it, it’s OK,” said Steve Hill, hunter education coordinator for Texas Parks and Wildlife.
That doesn’t mean Hill is sold on the need for such
products.
“I’m not aware of any studies that say that hunter success has diminished because of blaze orange,” Hill said.
“As far as deer, I think movement and shine will get you
before anything else. Color may be a factor, but it’s
down on the list, in my opinion.”
The technology behind Covert Orange was patented
in 1995. Carlile sought permission to license the technology last year.
“I spent about a year developing it,” said Carlile, who
also hunts. “It was very painstaking, trying to get the
right combination onto the material and to make it
legal.”
Covert Orange meets the American National
Standards Institute’s criteria for blaze orange, Carlile
said, and was approved for hunters’ use by wildlife officials in Colorado and Missouri.
However, Covert Orange has yet to be field-tested.
“We intend to do that,” Carlile said. “We’re going to
set up some feeders with regular blaze, then our blaze
and see how many deer congregate. We’re confident.
The science and technology behind it is rock solid.”
Two national outdoors chains are currently evaluating the product, according to Carlile.
www.hunters-hq.com
Hunters Headquarters
1725 Woodhill Lane
Bedford, TX 76021
817.267.3700
[email protected]
THE OFFICIAL TRUCK
OF THE
Academy Sports & Outdoors presents the 2006
PRO & AMATEUR TEAM DIVISIONS
PRO DIVISION pays 10 places with
$12,500 cash paid for 1st Place
AMATEUR DIVISION, $150 Entry Fee,
pays $4,000 cash, based on 80 boats
TEAM OF YEAR (PRO & AMATEUR)
wins boat, motor & trailer package.
Lubricant
2006 TOURNAMENTS
TBA • Matagorda
Russell Bait & Tackle (formerly Skippers) • 979-863-7620
April 1 & 2 • Rockport
Lighthouse Inn • 888-790-VIEW
April 29 & 30 • Galveston
Nasa Clear Lake Hilton 281-333-9300
Gulf Coast Troutmasters Association • 7449 Wright Rd • Houston TX • 713-466-STIX (7849)
www.americanrodsmiths.com • [email protected]
Flounder
Continued from Page 9
through the bulbous “egg sack” on
the “neck” of a straight worm
instead of through the “head” as in
a “Texas rig.” With nearly neutral
buoyancy, an unweighted wacky
worm slowly sinks horizontally
while quivering and shaking with
tempting natural vibrations.
“A wacky worm is a slow, horizontal presentation,” James said.
“It’s in the bite window for a long
time and looks similar to a sand eel.
It’s a very slow presentation that
requires considerable patience.
Flounders look up and see the
worm silhouette slowly sinking
toward them for several seconds.
They keep their eyes glued to the
sinking worm until it triggers a
predator instinct to kill.”
Throw a wacky worm as close to
the reeds as possible and let it sink.
After it hits bottom, pop it back up
to the surface. Move it a few feet
and let it sink again. Keep yo-yoing
the worm out from the shoreline to
the drop-off.
“Sometimes, people make the
mistake of sticking close to the
bank for too long,” James said.
“Flounders constantly look up. At
night or early in the morning, they
go into clear, shallow water.
During bright days, they don’t like
looking at the sun, so they prefer
water with a little bit of murk to it
to filter out the sun or they move
into a little deeper water off the
edges of the drops. Bigger flounders are usually in slightly deeper
water. They drop off to the second
break in two to four feet of water,
where the sunlight is not as
intense.”
When fishing wacky worms,
anglers must pay attention to their
lines. Often, fish subtly suck in
falling worms. An angler might not
even detect a strike, but only feel a
slight tug on the line or a bit of
extra weight — or an angler might
simply notice the line moving in an
odd direction.
John N. Felsher is an outdoor writer
based in Lake Charles, La.
May 12, 2006 Page 13
PRODUCT PICKS
HIGH-TECH
HOOCHIE: Mustad
has made its
Hoochie more
attractive to fish
by embedding in it
an EChip that
emits an electrical
impulse that
duplicates the
nerve discharge of
a wounded baitfish.
The 4 3/4-inch
Hoochie lure comes
rigged with 30-pound
Mustad Ultra Line and a
double hook. Available
in 20 colors, it costs
about $7. For dealers,
email
[email protected].
ROOMY TENT: The Promontory by Paha Que
Wilderness Inc. will comfortably
accommodate up to four
campers. It boasts a peak
height of 7 feet plus two
10- by 6-foot rooms. Its
main door plus a door
on either end offer
quick
access to both
rooms. Two 36- by
36-inch windows
provide ventilation;
an awning pro-tects
against stormy
weather.
Outdoorsmen will
appreciate the
adjustable/
removable
mesh gear loft
and gear
hammocks
under each
window where they can stow
their stuff. The tent sells for about
$480. For information, visit www.pahaque.com or call (888)
700-8368.
COMPACT SHOOTER: Leica
Camera touts its DLux 2 as the
compact digital
for mega
pictures. The 8.4
mega-pixel
digital camera
features 4x
optical zoom
lens, an
optical image
stabilizer to
ensure sharp
pictures, three
picture formats
and 14 scene
modes. It also offers
the option of manually
setting the aperture and the
shutter speed for those days when your creative side cries out. Plus, its Digital
Adapter 2 makes the camera ready for digiscoping. It sells for about $750.
FULLY LOADED SUV: The SUV
Sportsmen's Utility vests from
Hunter's Specialties have the
features hunters want. The
vests, constructed of brushed
polyester, have plenty of
pockets, a zippered game
pouch and a compartment for
storing an orange safety flag. A
bonus is the attachable
Gun Stock Buddy, which
holds the butt of the gun
while the hunter is
seated, freeing up both
hands for calling. The
vest comes in two
models: the Standard
has an attached
padded triangle camo
seat cushion and the
deluxe boasts the
Bunsaver Deluxe
Ground Seat. They
sell for about $70
to $90. For dealers,
visit
www.hunterspec.com
or call (319) 3950321.
WATERTIGHT BAG: The Kodiak Deck Bag is
made of urethane-coated nylon and
features a roll-down closure
to ensure contents stay dry.
A translucent window allows
light to penetrate the bag,
making it easier to find small
items inside. Bungee cords and
D-rings make attaching the bag
to a kayak easy. The 16-ounce
bag measures 4 by 12 by 13.5
inches. It costs about $50. For
information, visit
www.seallinegear.com.
STURDY TRAP: Do-All Outdoors
has introduced its Aerial
Assault Auto Trap for target
shooters. The fully-loaded trap
boasts heavy-duty, powdercoated steel construction and a
pivot adapter that allows the
shooter to adjust the height of
the target. Powered by a 12-volt
marine battery, the trap will run
for up to 24 hours. It offers a 50-target
auto feeder that delivers the targets to
the throwing arm, which flings them 80
to 100 yards. The 84-pound trap
comes with an instructional DVD; it
sells for about $682. For dealers,
visit www.do-alltraps.com or
call (800) 252-9247.
BASS
BAIT:
FoodSource Lures,
the maker of molded fishing
lures made from real food ingredients
has expanded its line. The company’s new
4-inch Minnows can be fished like a fluke or jerk bait. Its design allows it to be retrieved like an
injured baitfish. The minnow-shaped lure features a weedless hook slit. It comes in nine colors,
each of which is available in five scents. The 100-percent biodegradable lures cost about $4.90
per pack of nine. For information on all the company’s new products, visit
www.fslures.com or call (866) 375-8737.
WEIGHT YOUR LURE: Bullet Weights has introduced Screw-in Weights for
anglers who like to peg their weights when using a Texas rig for fishing.
On the bottom of the lead bullet-shaped
sinkers is a stainless steel corkscrew device
that threads onto a plastic bait to hold it in
place. The Screw-in Weights come in natural,
black, green, red and purple. They are
available in nine sizes ranging from 1/16
ounce to 1 ounce and cost about $3 per pack.
For information, visit www.bulletweights.com or
call (308) 382-7436.
FRAGRANT FOLIAGE: The new Trophy Leaf
by Wildlife Research Center is a
scent dispenser that can be
hung up or attached to
different surfaces. It
comes in a variety of
scents that have been
impregnated in the
plastic “leaf.” The pine, earth and acorn
dispensers cost about $7 for a pack of four;
the elk-fire and whitetail estrus dispensers
about $10. For dealers, visit
www.wildlife.com or call (800) 873-5873.
Page 14 May 12, 2006
HEROES
MATTHEW BERKMAN,13, from Houston, caught this
largemouth bass while fishing at the Lakes of Danbury. The
bass weighed 8 pounds, 12 ounces.
JAMES PRINCE, a Redhead pro staffer, shot this tom near Vanderbilt. The bird, with a 10 3/4-inch beard,
came in hot and slapped the Pretty Boy decoy with his wing. Prince shot him at 18 yards.
LARRY SMITH of Odessa shows a red
drum he caught.
BETTY BOHNERT show a 9.11-pound bass she caught at Lake
Falcon.
Share a photo adventure
Want to share your great hunting or fishing
photos with the Lone Star Outdoor News family?
E-mail your photo, phone and caption information to editor@lonestaroutdoornews. com,
or mail to: Heroes, Lone Star Outdoor News, 9304
Forest Lane, Suite 114 South, Dallas, TX, 75243.
JASON MELTON, from Jourdanton, shows off two bass he caught on
topwater, pencil poppers at Amistad.
PAUL HUDSPETH, a resident of Mico, holds a couple of bass he caught
while fishing at Amistad.
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May 12, 2006 Page 15
WEATHER
MOON PHASES
For up-to-the-minute weather forecasts, please visit www.accuweather.com
Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2006
Full
May 13
SOLUNAR TABLE
Last
May 20
New
May 27
First
June 3
TIDES
High
Sabine Pass
5/10
3:09 a.m.
5/11
4:00 a.m.
5/12
4:46 a.m.
5/13
5:30 a.m.
5/14
6:17 a.m.
5/15
7:10 a.m.
5/16
8:10 a.m.
5/17
9:18 a.m.
5/18
10:21 a.m.
5/19
11:00 a.m.
5/20
11:23 a.m.
5/21
11:38 a.m.
5/22
11:50 a.m.
5/23
1:27 a.m.
5/24
2:48 a.m.
5/25
3:53 a.m.
5/26
4:50 a.m.
5/27
5:42 a.m.
5/28
6:33 a.m.
5/29
7:27 a.m.
5/30
8:25 a.m.
Port Bolivar
5/10
5:24 a.m.
5/11
6:15 a.m.
5/12
7:01 a.m.
5/13
7:45 a.m.
5/14
8:32 a.m.
5/15
9:25 a.m.
5/16
10:25 a.m.
5/17
11:33 a.m.
5/18
12:36 p.m.
5/19
1:15 p.m.
5/20
1:38 p.m.
5/21
1:53 p.m.
5/22
1:55 a.m.
5/23
3:42 a.m.
5/24
5:03 a.m.
5/25
6:08 a.m.
5/26
7:05 a.m.
5/27
7:57 a.m.
5/28
8:48 a.m.
5/29
9:42 a.m.
5/30
10:40 a.m.
San Luis Pass
5/10
4:18 a.m.
5/11
5:09 a.m.
5/12
5:55 a.m.
5/13
6:39 a.m.
5/14
7:26 a.m.
5/15
8:19 a.m.
5/16
9:19 a.m.
5/17
10:27 a.m.
5/18
11:30 a.m.
5/19
12:09 p.m.
5/20
12:32 p.m.
5/21
12:47 p.m.
5/22
12:49 a.m.
5/23
2:36 a.m.
5/24
3:57 a.m.
5/25
5:02 a.m.
5/26
5:59 a.m.
5/27
6:51 a.m.
5/28
7:42 a.m.
5/29
8:36 a.m.
5/30
9:34 a.m.
Low
High
Low
9:27 a.m.
10:21 a.m.
9:44 p.m.
10:16 p.m.
10:54 p.m.
11:37 p.m.
—12:26 a.m.
1:21 a.m.
2:22 a.m.
3:30 a.m.
4:47 a.m.
6:13 a.m.
7:42 a.m.
9:09 a.m.
10:35 a.m.
9:45 p.m.
10:26 p.m.
11:09 p.m.
11:53 p.m.
—-
1:01 p.m.
12:55 p.m.
————————8:55 p.m.
11:40 p.m.
—12:00 p.m.
12:08 p.m.
12:10 p.m.
—————-
8:53 p.m.
9:16 p.m.
————————7:08 p.m.
6:50 p.m.
7:16 p.m.
7:50 p.m.
8:27 p.m.
9:05 p.m.
—————-
10:14 a.m.
11:08 a.m.
10:31 p.m.
11:03 p.m.
11:41 p.m.
—12:24 a.m.
1:13 a.m.
2:08 a.m.
3:09 a.m.
4:17 a.m.
5:34 a.m.
7:00 a.m.
8:29 a.m.
9:56 a.m.
11:22 a.m.
10:32 p.m.
11:13 p.m.
11:56 p.m.
—12:40 a.m.
3:16 p.m.
3:10 p.m.
————————11:10 p.m.
—2:05 p.m.
2:15 p.m.
2:23 p.m.
2:25 p.m.
—————-
9:40 p.m.
10:03 p.m.
————————7:55 p.m.
7:37 p.m.
8:03 p.m.
8:37 p.m.
9:14 p.m.
9:52 p.m.
—————-
9:56 a.m.
10:50 a.m.
10:13 p.m.
10:45 p.m.
11:23 p.m.
—12:06 a.m.
12:55 a.m.
1:50 a.m.
2:51 a.m.
3:59 a.m.
5:16 a.m.
6:42 a.m.
8:11 a.m.
9:38 a.m.
11:04 a.m.
10:14 p.m.
10:55 p.m.
11:38 p.m.
—12:22 a.m.
2:10 p.m.
2:04 p.m.
————————10:04 p.m.
—12:59 p.m.
1:09 p.m.
1:17 p.m.
1:19 p.m.
—————-
9:22 p.m.
9:45 p.m.
————————7:37 p.m.
7:19 p.m.
7:45 p.m.
8:19 p.m.
8:56 p.m.
9:34 p.m.
—————-
High
Freeport
5/10
3:10 a.m.
5/11
4:01 a.m.
5/12
4:47 a.m.
5/13
5:31 a.m.
5/14
6:18 a.m.
5/15
7:11 a.m.
5/16
8:11 a.m.
5/17
9:19 a.m.
5/18
10:22 a.m.
5/19
11:01 a.m.
5/20
11:24 a.m.
5/21
11:39 a.m.
5/22
11:51 a.m.
5/23
1:28 a.m.
5/24
2:49 a.m.
5/25
3:54 a.m.
5/26
4:51 a.m.
5/27
5:43 a.m.
5/28
6:34 a.m.
5/29
7:28 a.m.
5/30
8:26 a.m.
Pass Cavallo
5/10
4:27 a.m.
5/11
5:18 a.m.
5/12
6:04 a.m.
5/13
6:48 a.m.
5/14
7:35 a.m.
5/15
8:28 a.m.
5/16
9:28 a.m.
5/17
10:36 a.m.
5/18
11:39 a.m.
5/19
12:18 p.m.
5/20
12:41 p.m.
5/21
12:56 p.m.
5/22
12:58 a.m.
5/23
2:45 a.m.
5/24
4:06 a.m.
5/25
5:11 a.m.
5/26
6:08 a.m.
5/27
7:00 a.m.
5/28
7:51 a.m.
5/29
8:45 a.m.
5/30
9:43 a.m.
Port O’Connor
5/10
7:41 a.m.
5/11
8:57 a.m.
5/12
10:07 a.m.
5/13
11:21 a.m.
5/14
12:40 p.m.
5/15
1:59 p.m.
5/16
3:10 p.m.
5/17
4:12 p.m.
5/18
5:05 p.m.
5/19
5:48 p.m.
5/20
6:03 p.m.
5/21
4:21 p.m.
5/22
2:06 p.m.
5/23
12:17 p.m.
5/24
10:28 a.m.
5/25
10:43 a.m.
5/26
11:26 a.m.
5/27
12:18 p.m.
5/28
1:16 p.m.
5/29
2:15 p.m.
5/30
3:11 p.m.
Low
High
Low
8:57 a.m.
9:51 a.m.
9:14 p.m.
9:46 p.m.
10:24 p.m.
11:07 p.m.
11:56 p.m.
—12:51 a.m.
1:52 a.m.
3:00 a.m.
4:17 a.m.
5:43 a.m.
7:12 a.m.
8:39 a.m.
10:05 a.m.
9:15 p.m.
9:56 p.m.
10:39 p.m.
11:23 p.m.
—-
1:02 p.m.
12:56 p.m.
————————8:56 p.m.
11:41 p.m.
—12:01 p.m.
12:09 p.m.
12:11 p.m.
—————-
8:23 p.m.
8:46 p.m.
————————6:38 p.m.
6:20 p.m.
6:46 p.m.
7:20 p.m.
7:57 p.m.
8:35 p.m.
—————-
8:45 a.m.
9:39 a.m.
9:02 p.m.
9:34 p.m.
10:12 p.m.
10:55 p.m.
11:44 p.m.
—12:39 a.m.
1:40 a.m.
2:48 a.m.
4:05 a.m.
5:31 a.m.
7:00 a.m.
8:27 a.m.
9:53 a.m.
9:03 p.m.
9:44 p.m.
10:27 p.m.
11:11 p.m.
11:57 p.m.
2:19 p.m.
2:13 p.m.
————————10:13 p.m.
—1:08 p.m.
1:18 p.m.
1:26 p.m.
1:28 p.m.
—————-
8:11 p.m.
8:34 p.m.
————————6:26 p.m.
6:08 p.m.
6:34 p.m.
7:08 p.m.
7:45 p.m.
8:23 p.m.
—————-
11:12 p.m.
11:38 p.m.
—12:09 a.m.
12:45 a.m.
1:27 a.m.
2:14 a.m.
3:05 a.m.
3:58 a.m.
4:51 a.m.
5:42 a.m.
6:29 a.m.
7:00 a.m.
10:11 p.m.
10:48 p.m.
11:30 p.m.
—12:14 a.m.
1:00 a.m.
1:48 a.m.
2:37 a.m.
—————————————————————-
————————————9:50 p.m.
————————-
High
Corpus Christi
5/10
3:18 a.m.
5/11
4:09 a.m.
5/12
4:55 a.m.
5/13
5:39 a.m.
5/14
6:26 a.m.
5/15
7:19 a.m.
5/16
8:19 a.m.
5/17
9:27 a.m.
5/18
10:30 a.m.
5/19
11:09 a.m.
5/20
11:32 a.m.
5/21
11:47 a.m.
5/22
11:59 a.m.
5/23
1:36 a.m.
5/24
2:57 a.m.
5/25
4:02 a.m.
5/26
4:59 a.m.
5/27
5:51 a.m.
5/28
6:42 a.m.
5/29
7:36 a.m.
5/30
8:34 a.m.
South Padre Island
5/10
3:32 a.m.
5/11
4:29 a.m.
5/12
5:21 a.m.
5/13
6:13 a.m.
5/14
7:11 a.m.
5/15
8:14 a.m.
5/16
9:21 a.m.
5/17
10:23 a.m.
5/18
11:11 a.m.
5/19
11:39 a.m.
5/20
11:50 a.m.
5/21
11:45 a.m.
5/22
11:29 a.m.
5/23
1:46 a.m.
5/24
3:24 a.m.
5/25
4:41 a.m.
5/26
5:47 a.m.
5/27
6:49 a.m.
5/28
7:52 a.m.
5/29
8:54 a.m.
5/30
9:53 a.m.
Port Isabel
5/10
4:17 a.m.
5/11
5:08 a.m.
5/12
5:54 a.m.
5/13
6:38 a.m.
5/14
7:25 a.m.
5/15
8:18 a.m.
5/16
9:18 a.m.
5/17
10:26 a.m.
5/18
11:29 a.m.
5/19
12:08 p.m.
5/20
12:31 p.m.
5/21
12:46 p.m.
5/22
12:48 a.m.
5/23
2:35 a.m.
5/24
3:56 a.m.
5/25
5:01 a.m.
5/26
5:58 a.m.
5/27
6:50 a.m.
5/28
7:41 a.m.
5/29
8:35 a.m.
5/30
9:33 a.m.
Low
High
Low
8:35 a.m.
9:29 a.m.
8:52 p.m.
9:24 p.m.
10:02 p.m.
10:45 p.m.
11:34 p.m.
—12:29 a.m.
1:30 a.m.
2:59 a.m.
3:55 a.m.
5:21 a.m.
6:50 a.m.
8:17 a.m.
9:43 a.m.
8:53 p.m.
9:34 p.m.
10:17 p.m.
11:01 p.m.
11:47 p.m.
1:10 p.m.
1:04 p.m.
————————8:43 p.m.
11:49 p.m.
—12:09 p.m.
12:17 p.m.
12:19 p.m.
—————-
8:01 p.m.
8:24 p.m.
————————6:16 p.m.
5:58 p.m.
6:24 p.m.
6:58 p.m.
7:35 p.m.
8:13 p.m.
—————-
7:58 p.m.
8:22 p.m.
8:50 p.m.
9:24 p.m.
10:04 p.m.
10:50 p.m.
11:41 p.m.
—12:37 a.m.
1:37 a.m.
2:41 a.m.
3:52 a.m.
5:14 a.m.
6:57 a.m.
7:31 p.m.
8:11 p.m.
8:55 p.m.
9:41 p.m.
10:28 p.m.
11:17 p.m.
—-
———————————11:21 p.m.
—10:59 a.m.
———————-
———————————6:20 p.m.
6:27 p.m.
6:55 p.m.
———————-
9:06 a.m.
10:00 a.m.
9:23 p.m.
9:55 p.m.
10:33 p.m.
11:16 p.m.
—12:05 a.m.
1:00 a.m.
2:01 a.m.
3:09 a.m.
4:26 a.m.
5:52 a.m.
7:21 a.m.
8:48 a.m.
10:14 a.m.
9:24 p.m.
10:05 p.m.
10:48 p.m.
11:32 p.m.
—-
2:09 p.m.
2:03 p.m.
————————10:03 p.m.
—12:58 p.m.
1:08 p.m.
1:16 p.m.
1:18 p.m.
—————-
8:32 p.m.
8:55 p.m.
————————6:47 p.m.
6:29 p.m.
6:55 p.m.
7:29 p.m.
8:06 p.m.
8:44 p.m.
—————-
5/10
5/11
5/12
5/13
5/14
5/15
5/16
5/17
5/18
5/19
5/20
5/21
5/22
5/23
5/24
5/25
5/26
5/27
5/28
5/29
5/30
Major/Minor periods:
Houston
Dallas
9:55a/3:45a
10:16p/4:06p
10:34a/4:23a
10:56p/4:45p
11:17a/5:05a
11:41p/5:29p
12:06p/5:53a
——/6:19p
12:33a/6:47a
1:01p/7:15p
1:33a/7:47a
2:02p/8:16p
2:36a/8:51a
3:06p/9:20p
3:41a/9:56a
4:10p/10:25p
4:45a/10:59a
5:13p/11:27p
5:45a/11:58a
6:12p/——
6:39a/12:28a
7:05p/12:52p
7:28a/1:16a
7:52p/1:40p
8:12a/2:00a
8:36p/2:24p
8:55a/2:42a
9:19p/3:07p
9:38a/3:25a
10:03p/3:50p
10:24a/4:11a
10:51p/4:37p
11:15a/5:01a
11:43p/5:29p
12:12p/5:57a
——/6:26p
12:42a/6:57a
1:11p/7:26p
1:44a/7:58a
2:12p/8:26p
2:46a/8:59a
3:12p/9:26p
San Antonio
Amarillo
10:01a/3:51a 7:11p/12:58p
10:22p/4:12p 7:34a/1:22a
10:40a/4:29a 7:58p/1:46p
11:02p/4:51p 8:18a/2:06a
11:23a/5:11a 8:42p/2:30p
11:47p/5:35p 9:01a/2:48a
12:12p/5:59a 9:25p/3:13p
——/6:25p 9:44a/3:31a
12:39a/6:53a 10:09p/3:56p
1:07p/7:21p
—-/4:17a
1:39a/7:53a 1:33a/4:43p
2:08p/8:22p 2:02p/5:07a
2:42a/8:57a 2:36a/5:35p
3:12p/9:26p 3:06p/6:03a
3:47a/10:02a 3:41a/6:32p
4:16p/10:31p 4:10p/7:03a
4:51a/11:05a 4:45a/7:32p
5:19p/11:33p 5:13p/8:04a
5:51a/12:04p 5:45a/8:32p
6:18p/—— 6:12p/9:05a
6:45a/12:34a 6:39a/9:32p
SUN AND MOON
Sunrise/set
5/10
5/11
5/12
5/13
5/14
5/15
5/16
5/17
5/18
5/19
5/20
5/21
5/22
5/23
5/24
5/25
5/26
5/27
5/28
5/29
5/30
Houston
Dallas
San Antonio
Amarillo
6:32a/8:04p
6:31a/8:05p
6:30a/8:06p
6:29a/8:06p
6:29a/8:07p
6:28a/8:08p
6:28a/8:08p
6:27a/8:09p
6:26a/8:09p
6:26a/8:10p
6:25a/8:11p
6:25a/8:11p
6:24a/8:12p
6:24a/8:13p
6:23a/8:13p
6:23a/8:14p
6:23a/8:14p
6:22a/8:15p
6:22a/8:16p
6:22a/8:16p
6:21a/8:17p
6:33a/8:16p
6:32a/8:17p
6:31a/8:18p
6:31a/8:19p
6:30a/8:19p
6:29a/8:20p
6:28a/8:21p
6:28a/8:22p
6:27a/8:22p
6:27a/8:23p
6:26a/8:24p
6:25a/8:24p
6:25a/8:25p
6:24a/8:26p
6:24a/8:26p
6:23a/8:27p
6:23a/8:28p
6:22a/8:28p
6:22a/8:29p
6:22a/8:30p
6:21a/8:30p
6:45a/8:16p
6:44a/8:17p
6:43a/8:17p
6:43a/8:18p
6:42a/8:19p
6:42a/8:19p
6:41a/8:20p
6:40a/8:20p
6:40a/8:21p
6:39a/8:22p
6:39a/8:22p
6:38a/8:23p
6:38a/8:24p
6:37a/8:24p
6:37a/8:25p
6:37a/8:25p
6:36a/8:26p
6:36a/8:26p
6:35a/8:27p
6:35a/8:28p
6:35a/8:28p
6:47a/8:40p
6:46a/8:41p
6:45a/8:41p
6:44a/8:42p
6:44a/8:43p
6:43a/8:44p
6:42a/8:45p
6:41a/8:45p
6:41a/8:46p
6:40a/8:47p
6:39a/8:48p
6:39a/8:48p
6:38a/8:49p
6:38a/8:50p
6:37a/8:51p
6:36a/8:51p
6:36a/8:52p
6:35a/8:53p
6:35a/8:53p
6:35a/8:54p
6:34a/8:55p
Houston
Dallas
San Antonio
Amarillo
5:56p/4:50a
6:53p/5:18a
7:54p/5:50a
8:58p/6:27a
10:02p/7:10a
11:04p/8:02a
none/9:01a
12:01a/10:06a
12:51a/11:14a
1:34a/12:22p
2:11a/1:29p
2:45a/2:34p
3:16a/3:39p
3:48a/4:44p
4:20a/5:51p
4:56a/6:59p
5:37a/8:08p
6:23a/9:14p
7:16a/10:15p
1:34a/12:22p
9:14a/11:54p
6:06p/4:55a
7:05p/5:21a
8:08p/5:51a
9:13p/6:26a
10:18p/7:08a
11:21p/7:59a
none/8:58a
12:17a/10:04a
1:06a/11:14a
1:47a/12:24p
2:22a/1:32p
2:54a/2:40p
3:24a/3:47p
3:53a/4:54p
4:24a/6:03p
4:58a/7:13p
5:36a/8:23p
6:21a/9:30p
7:13a/10:31p
1:47a/12:24p
9:13a/none
6:08p/5:03a
7:06p/5:32a
8:06p/6:04a
9:09p/6:41a
10:14p/7:24a
11:15p/8:16a
none/9:15a
12:12a/10:20a
1:02a/11:28a
1:46a/12:36p
2:23a/1:43p
2:57a/2:48p
3:29a/3:52p
4:01a/4:57p
4:34a/6:03p
5:10a/7:11p
5:51a/8:19p
6:37a/9:26p
7:30a/10:26p
1:46a/12:36p
9:29a/none
6:28p/5:12a
7:29p/5:37a
8:33p/6:06a
9:40p/6:39a
10:46p/7:20a
11:48p/8:10a
none/9:09a
12:44a/10:16a
1:32a/11:27a
2:11a/12:38p
2:45a/1:49p
3:15a/2:58p
3:43a/4:07p
4:11a/5:16p
4:40a/6:26p
5:12a/7:38p
5:49a/8:50p
6:33a/9:58p
7:25a/10:59p
2:11a/12:38p
9:24a/none
Moonrise/set
5/10
5/11
5/12
5/13
5/14
5/15
5/16
5/17
5/18
5/19
5/20
5/21
5/22
5/23
5/24
5/25
5/26
5/27
5/28
5/29
5/30
TEXAS TIDBITS
OUTDOOR PUZZLER
For crossword puzzle solution, see Page 17
ACROSS
1. A trout coloration
5. A catch of the icefishermen
9. Bowhunter’s quarry in Florida
10. The fur seeker’s gear
11. Term applies to icefishing
13. Term for a trophy size game fish
14. A quick-to-erect tent
15. A wingshooter’s quarry
16. Act of dropping antlers
18. Another name for a largemouth
20. A grouping of pheasants
22. An animal hideaway
23. Term for the wild boar
24. To swim off with the bait
25. A wild hog
27. A gobbler’s collection of hens
28. Term for a hookless lure
30. Common name for the brook trout
34. A good wood used for arrow shafts
36. A Northern saltwater flat fish
37. Muley appendage that is large
38. A good bluegill bait
39. The main fin on a fish
DOWN
1. A pool of fish in one spot
2. A field habitat the quail favors
3. An animal’s resting place
4. A shedded antler
6. Anything that attracts game,
fish, fowl
7. Small rodent classed as a predator
8. A lake bird
10. These reveal age of some animals
11. The trapper’s interest
WILD IN THE KITCHEN
Turkey Burger
Want to create a
burger that is lower
in cholesterol and
fat, especially when
prepared over the
open flame of a
charcoal grill? Try
this turkey burger
recipe served piled
high with tomato,
red onion and pickles on a Kaiser bun
dressed with homemade honey mustard and a side of
fries at your next
cookout.
12.
16.
17.
18.
19.
21.
22.
26.
A breed of retriever
The Irish is a good bird dog
An in-hole fireplace
A boat propeller
The fish, game. fowl law man
The _____ Walton League
A finder important to the angler
Used to keep snow, stones
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
35.
out of shoes
Term for the hunting area
A female elk
Bait placed in water to lure fish
Used on a fishline
An exciting outdoor adventure
A bear’s young
Outdoor Puzzler,
Wilbur "Wib" Lundeen
• 3⁄4 cup heavy
cream
• 4 eggs
• 1⁄2 bunch parsley, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup chopped fresh thyme
• 1⁄2 cup chopped fresh chives
• 2 pounds mushrooms, destemmed, sliced
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 5 pounds ground turkey
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• 1 1⁄4 cups fine breadcrumbs
Mix
cream,
eggs,
parsley,
thyme and chives. Cover and
refrigerate. Sauté mushroom,
garlic and onion in oil until tender; add to cream mixture.
Transfer to mixer; add turkey,
salt and pepper, and mix well.
Slowly add breadcrumbs; don't
over-mix. Divide into 7-ounce
patties. Grill or pan fry until
desired degree of doneness.
Yield: 15 servings
Recipe courtesy of National Wild
Turkey Federation. For more wild
turkey recipes visit www.nwtf.org.
Page 16 May 12, 2006
GAME WARDEN BLOTTER
HUMAN SKULL FOUND
•Presidio County Game Warden
Tony Todd and Jeff Davis County
Game Warden Jim Porter assisted
Texas Rangers in the search for and
recovery of human remains after a
human skull was found in a remote
location of the Sierra Vieja
Mountains in Presidio County in
late April. The search resulted in the
finding of numerous human bones
and pieces of clothing. Skull and
bones have been submitted for
examination and possible identity
of the remains.
JUST A LITTLE BIT ILLEGAL
•Bosque County Warden Mike
Sibila and Hill County Warden
Mark Hammonds checked two
men and a woman wading and
catching a lot of white bass at Lake
Aquilla. Upon contact, the wardens noticed several undersize fish
scattered on the shore near the
fishermen.
The
fishermen
explained that those fish had been
hooked too deep to live, so they
were just throwing them ashore.
The wardens located several other
small fish that had made their way
into their bucket and ice chest.
Undersize and fishing license cases
pending.
CATFISH CHEATER CAUGHT
•Tarrant County Game Warden
Chelle Mount was called to
Chisolm Park in Hurst on a report
of fishermen keeping more than
their limit of newly stocked catfish.
After arriving at the park, Mount
checked all the people fishing.
While completing the routine
check, several people told her one
fisherman was catching his limit of
JUST COULDN’T LET IT GO
•Hill County Game Warden Mark Hammonds
and Bosque County Warden Preston Spiller made
contact with a couple operating a boat at Lake
Aquilla. The wardens saw the couple fishing.
Upon contact, the woman denied fishing.
Hammonds made her aware that the fishing pole
five catfish and then taking them
to his vehicle. Mount left and
returned shortly to a new area of
the parking lot to watch the suspected catfish thief. While Mount
was watching, the suspect caught
five more catfish, placed them in a
cooler, and carried them to his
vehicle. Mount approached him as
he neared the vehicle to check the
catch. She asked to look at the fish
that he had in the truck. He
removed the extra fish from his
vehicle. He had 15 more fish in the
cooler in the truck. Charges were
filed for possession of over the limit
of channel catfish.
GUNMAN CAPTURED
•Grayson County Game Warden
Dale Moses assisted local Grayson
County law enforcement in the
capture of a convicted felon wanted for parole violation. The suspect
had led local authorities on a highspeed chase at speeds in excess of
90 mph. The man stole a vehicle
and was confronted by the vehicle’s owner. The suspect then
pulled a gun and fled. Passengers in
the getaway car, arrested after the
vehicle blew a tire and lost a wheel,
said the suspect had been telling
people he would not go back to
lying next to her in the boat was getting a bite.
She quickly grabbed it and set the hook. She
missed the fish but admitted to fishing. The wardens found 14 of 29 crappie boated were undersized, and several items of safety equipment were
missing from the boat. Cases pending.
prison and wanted to kill a cop.
The man was captured after a fourhour manhunt without incident. A
loaded 9mm Glock pistol was also
confiscated. The suspect is in
Grayson County Jail on numerous
charges.
NO VENISON TONIGHT
•Shelby County Game Warden
Mike Hanson received a call about a
deer lying under a shed at a residence in Center. Upon arrival,
Hanson met the local animal control officer who had the deer in his
truck. It appeared that the deer had
been tied up, and a rope around its
neck likely contributed to its death.
Although a language barrier existed, Hanson talked to the shed
owner. The owner said the deer was
tied up so it would not escape (one
front leg was tied to the rope
around the neck). The owner said
they were going to eat the deer.
Case pending.
THE YOUNG AND THE FOOLISH
•Briscoe County Game Warden
Clint Hunt, Lake Mackenzie Lake
Patrol Emmett Tomlin, and a DPS
trooper charged a fraternity group
of 17 minors with drinking alcohol. The minors had about 400
combined cans and bottles of beer,
several bottles of wine, whiskey
and vodka. Two of the fraternity
members were wanted, one for an
outstanding DWI and the other for
possession of marijuana. These two
suspects were arrested. Cases pending.
MASON MAN CONFESSES
•Easter Sunday saw the culmination of four months of work and
investigations with the confession
of one suspect to hunting deer at
night and without landowner consent. Game Wardens Buster Nixon
and Jerry Gordon finally got to the
end of the investigation and were
able to obtain a written confession
and seize two sets of antlers from a
local Mason man. Charges are
pending.
WAIT ’TIL MOM AND DAD FIND OUT
•Hunt County Game Warden Dale
Waters responded to a call of
young children in a small boat
without life jackets. While standing at the bank, Waters noticed a
local fisherman had gone to help
the children, but his boat died and
would not start. Another fisherman approached Waters and said
the children had stolen the boat
from a nearby pier. Once the fisherman had gotten his boat started,
he tied up the boat with the children in it and loaded the children
into his boat; he took them to
shore. Waters went to the location
of the children, but found that as
soon as they had gotten out of the
boat they took off running. One
child was hiding in a storage room
about half a mile away and gave
the names of the other two children involved. The child was
turned over the local sheriff’s
department.
KIDS LEARN LESSON
•Hays County Warden James
Michael received a call from the
Hays County Sheriff’s Office about
people trespassing to hunt in the
Las Lomas subdivision. With help
from the sheriff’s office, they
apprehended two youths who had
hunted a white-tailed doe with a
bow and arrow. One of the youths
was a minor, but the shooter was
18. The landowners did not want
to press felony charges on the local
youths but wanted them to be
charged with something, so the
warden charged them with trespassing and added the charge of
hunting in closed season against
the shooter. Cases pending.
OPEN AND SHUT CASE
•Game Wardens Jason Bussey, Ben
Friebele, Raul “Pinky” Gonzales,
Danny Kelso, Scott McLeod, and
Brandi Reeder conducted a crab
trap operation on San Antonio
Bay. Twenty-six cases were filed
against three commercial crab fishermen for using traps that had the
escape vents completely shut.
MADE IN TEXAS
‘PhotoArt’ a unique focus on the outdoors
By Mary Helen Aguirre
Todd and Nancy Steele are the
owners of Katy-based Todd Steele
PhotoArt, which specializes in custom works of art converted from
treasured photos.
The business serves as a showcase
for Todd Steele’s skills as a photographer, his artistry with a computer
and his love for hunting and fishing.
It also taps into Nancy Steele’s ease
with the business of logistics, marketing and customer service.
The busy Steeles — they are the
parents of Hunter, 7, and Forrest, 5;
plus, he works in the oil industry and
she is a caterer — credit an illness for
the birth of their new business.
“Todd is pretty much known for
having a camera and taking lots of
pictures,” says Nancy Steele of her
husband, whose interest in photography started as a youngster in
Pennsylvania.
When Todd Steele, who also is an
underwater photographer, suffered
an illness about three years ago, he
used his recovery time to experiment
with his brand new digital camera
and the different effects that could be
achieved with the format.
When hunting season rolled
around, he was unable to shoot his
heavy shotgun so he picked up his
digital camera instead. And, he started producing enhanced photos for
members of the Thunderbird
Hunting Club.
The Steeles quickly recognized a
business opportunity and last summer launched their new company at
the Rockport Art Festival.
Although they also offer limited
edition nature photo artwork, it is the
custom pieces that are the most popular.
To create them, artist Todd Steele
Todd and Nancy Steele are making an art of Todd’s photo-enhancing skills. He specializes in outdoor themes.
starts with a photograph and converts it into a digital format. Then, he
uses a variety of programs to manipulate the image — perhaps sharpening
the photo or enhancing the lighting
or stripping the color. Depending on
what the customer has ordered, he
might make the photo look like a
watercolor painting, a hand-tinted
black-and-white photo or an inkbrushed portrait. On the company’s
Web site (www.toddsteelephotoart.
com) are examples of eight different
effects that can achieved.
“The computer mouse is my paintbrush,” says Todd Steele.
A custom conversion of up to 16 by
20 inches costs $300. For an addition-
al fee, customers can also schedule an
urban photo shoot (a 2- to 4-hour session) or a safari photo shoot (a oneday session). But, usually, Steele works
from a print, negative or digital
image the customer has taken of a
treasured moment.
Steele has worked with sports
images, family portraits, pictures of
pets and more. But, his favorites are
hunting and fishing photos because it
is something he can relate to, he says.
“There are only a few people
around who are doing this. But, I’m
probably one of a handful who specializes in the outdoor theme,” says
Todd Steele.
The couple also has an archived
library of about 10,000 nature images
that can be integrated into the custom pieces. For example, Steele
might use an image of birds in flight
and place them above a waterfowl
hunter.
The Steeles’ “photoart” caught the
eye of Mike Falick during the Houston
Fishing Show in March. He ordered a
custom conversion of a photograph
he had taken of his son, Stephen, during a fishing trip to the Bahamas.
The resulting piece, says Falick of
Houston, looks like a watercolor
painting of the 8-year-old holding
two 39-inch barracudas.
“I’m happy enough that we’re
going to do one of my daughter,
Avery, for her birthday,” says Falick,
who plans to use a photo of the 11year-old competitive rider astride her
horse.
The Steeles plan to be at the Texas
Trophy Hunters Extravaganza being
held Aug. 4-6 in Houston. For more
information about their business,
call (281) 398-7100.
Mary Helen Aguirre is a native Texan
with almost 15 years of experience
editing and writing for newspapers.
May 12, 2006 Page 17
OUTDOOR DATEBOOK
be held 3:30 p.m. Thursday-Sunday at
Will Rogers Coliseum. The Majors Expo
will be held 10 a.m. -4 p.m. Saturday
& Sunday at the Amon G. Carter, Jr.
Exhibits Hall. A “Fan Experience” is
scheduled from 4-6 p.m. at Billy Bob’s
in Fort Worth.
HAVE AN EVENT TO PUBLICIZE?
E-mail it to
[email protected]
May 17-20: FLW’s Stren Series visits
Sam Rayburn Reservoir in Jasper. The
event will be held at the Umphrey
Family Pavilion, with registration May
16 at 4-7 p.m. at Jasper Middle
School Gym, (409) 384-3585. For
more information, visit
www.flwoutdoors.com.
May 18: Huntsville State Park’s 50th
Anniversary Celebration will include
fishing, hiking, kayaking, canoeing,
beginner bird watching, nature hikes,
alligator programs, bicycling and much
more. Texas Parks and Wildlife staff,
City of Huntsville Parks & Recreation
Department Staff, Walker County
Chamber of Commerce staff and
volunteers from the local community
will be providing this day of family fun
from 8 a.m.- 8 p.m. Day use entry fee
will be waived. Call (936) 295-5644
for more information.
May 18-20: Women’s Bassmaster Tour
at Lake Lewisville. Event will be held
from Park Ramp. Registration will be
held at Sneaky Pete’s 2 Eagle Point
Drive, Lewisville. Call (972) 434-2500
or visit www.sneakypetesonline.co for
more information. Final weigh-in on
May 20 at Will Rogers Coliseum in
Fort Worth at 3:30 p.m.
May 19: National Wild Turkey
Federation Blackland Prairie Chapter
banquet at old Greenville Post Office
in Greenville. Contact James Handley
at (903) 862-3332 for more
information.
May 19-20: Fishin’ For Freedom II
bass and catfish tournament. Belton
Lake Outdoor Recreation Area. Boat
owners will be paired with soldiers.
$50 registration fee, free to soldiers.
Concerts, carnival rides and
concessions. Donation tickets are $5.
Registration and concert tickets can be
purchased at Texas Boat World in
Harker Heights, (254) 699-9151.
May 18: DU Addison Metrocrest
dinner at the Addison Convention
Center. The event will feature a steak
dinner from Outback Steak House,
plus live and silent auctions. Tickets
are $65 for singles, $85 per couple,
or a table for 10 for $500. All tickets
include a year membership to Ducks
Unlimited. Contact Rob Gokey at
(972) 234-3933 or (972) 994-0783
evenings.
May 20: 6th Annual Swinging into
Summer Youth Fishing Derby. Bramble
Park, Texarkana, Ark. Registration at 9
a.m. Call Tendra Jones at (870) 7794918.
May 18-21: Bassmaster Memorial
Majors tournament at Eagle Mountain
Lake, Fort Worth. Launch Thursday
and Friday at 7:30 a.m. at West Bay
Marina & RV Park at Eagle Mountain
Lake. Launch Saturday and Sunday at
7:30 a.m. at Lake Worth Boating &
Ski Club at Lake Worth. Weigh-in will
May 20: NWTF River City Chapter
banquet at Knights of Columbus Hall
in New Braunfels. Contact Michael
Schraeder at (830) 214-6550 for more
information.
hold a free seminar on GPS operation
from 6-7 p.m. For more information,
contact Mike Wray at (214) 7042920.
May 21: Greater Houston Greenwing
Day at Dewberry Farms-Brookshire. The
free family event will feature a fishing
tournament, Department of Public
Safety helicopter, bird banding
demonstration, archery and air rifle
demonstrations, retriever
demonstration, wood duck nest box
building, fingerprinting, gun safety
information, clay target shooting, rock
climbing wall, duck calling demo and
waterfowl identification, raffles and
door prizes, and much more. If you
plan to compete in the parent and
child 5-Stand Sporting Clay Target
Shoot, please bring your favorite gun
and ammunition. The fee for
competing is $25 for adults and
greenwing or $20 for individuals. Hot
dogs will be available for a small fee
and the event will start at 1 p.m.
Organizers are asking that each child
attending bring a canned good to
donate to needy families. For more
information, please contact Sherrie
Emory at (713) 501-5584 or
[email protected].
June 3: Rocky Mountain Elk
Foundation Houston Chapter Big Game
banquet at Marriott West Chase. For
tickets, contact Kirk Waldron, (281)
219-4600.
June 3: Texas Freshwater Fisheries
Center National Fishing Day. Celebrate
with a fun filled day of fishing,
contests, games and prizes. Free hot
dogs and drinks. Children 12 and
under admitted free. Event will be
held 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. Call (903) 676BASS for more information.
June 3: Coastal Conservation
Association/Central Power and Light
Marine Development Center SFH will
host a National Fishing Day Kidfish.
Bring the family and take a tour of the
visitor center, hatchery brood rooms,
incubation room and fingerling growout ponds. Children 17 and under can
participate in catch-and-release fishing
in ponds. A limited number of fishing
poles available, but bring your own
bait. Fishing will be from 8 a.m.-noon,
tours at 10 a.m. and noon;
reservations required, (361) 9397784. Call (361) 939-7784 for more
information.
May 23: DU Corpus Christi Sponsor
dinner at the Corpus Christi Yacht
Club. Contact John Warren at (351)
883-8567.
May 25: Boater’s World in Dallas will
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OUTFITTERS
Offshore and Bay fishing
30' Stamas
21' Shallowsport
Duck, Goose and
Dove Hunting
40,000 Acres
Capt. Scott Hickman
3218 Coral Ridge Ct.
League City, TX 77573
(281) 535-1930
Fax: (281) 535-1935
www.circleh.org
South Texas
Deer and Turkey
Hunting
10,000 Acres
Fish Texas
956-642-7357
956-642-7357
[email protected]
OUTFITTERS, HUNTING GUIDES AND FISHING GUIDES: Want to profile your business? It’s easy to advertise on this page — just send us your business card, and let us know how many weeks you want your ad to run. Purchase 12
issues of advertising and your business will be profiled with a photo in this section. Lone Star Outdoor News Hunting and Fishing Guide Business Card Listings: $20 each issue. Please include either a check or credit card billing information with your order. Mail to: Lone Star Outdoor News, 9304 Forest Lane, Suite 114 South, Dallas, TX 75243.
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PROPERTIES
South Texas — Brooks, Duval, Jim
Hogg County Ranches. Call: David
A. Lohse Real Estate, Inc. (956)
761-6699.
2004 Larson 190 LXI
Runabout, Merc IO alpha 1
motor w/Clarion stereo Syrius
satellite $22,500 (713)
202-1476, (713) 384-3268.
2004 Larson 210 LXI
Runabout, Merc IO alpha 1
motor $25,400 (713) 2021476, (713) 384-3268.
For Sale — 960 Ac., Fisher Co.,
mule/WT deer, blue/bob quail,
hogs, nice home, barn, pens, bordering the Double Mountain Fork of
the Brazos River, income-producing ranch. $785.00 Ac. www. fickesdorety.com, (817) 925-0483.
2004 Boston Whaler 180
Ventura, 150HP Merc
Optimax, $33,900.
(713) 202-1476, (713)
384-3268.
For Sale — Kansas hunting tracts.
Brown Realty Co. 318-728-9544.
www.brownrealtyco.com
South Padre Island Waterfront properties on the Laguna Madre and Gulf
of Mexico. Call: David A. Lohse Real
Estate, Inc. (956) 761-6699.
2004 Boston Whaler 255
Conquest, twin Merc 150
Optimax, windlass, $72,900.
(713) 202-1476, (713)
384-3268.
Port O’Connor bayfront rental — 4/3,
sleeps 8. Great views. Fish out front.
$300 per night weekly. Available
now.www.kanepochome.com
or (361) 655-7695.
Classifieds sell!
2006 Boston Whaler 270
OR, twin Merc 225HP
Verado 4-stroke, triple axle
w/disc brakes, loaded,
$104,995. (713) 202-1476,
FISHING
Private 16-acre lake — Awesome
fishing, Florida cross largemouth
bass, redear, catfish, B&B and boat
for rent, call (512) 237-4792.
Great fly-fishing.
Page 18 May 12, 2006
FISHING REPORT
CENTRAL
BASTROP: Water murky. Black bass are fair on
chrome/blue and chrome/black spinnerbaits and
crankbaits. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish
are good on cutbait, shrimp, and stinkbait. Yellow catfish are slow.
BELTON: Water murky; 72 degrees; 1.68’ low. Black
bass are good on green and blue soft plastics and
crankbaits. Hybrid striper are good on live shad. White
bass are good on minnows and slabs. Crappie are good
on minnows and jigs. Channel and blue catfish are good
on stinkbait and frozen shad. Yellow catfish are slow.
BROWNWOOD: Water stained; 71 degrees; 1.90’ low.
Black bass to 6 pounds are excellent on watermelon/red
Grande Bass Baits 4” Cannibals, Texas Perch
crankbaits, and Red Bug 4” Squirm Worms. Hybrid
striper to 3 pounds are fair on crankbaits under lights at
night. White bass to 2 pounds are excellent on slabs
and spoons. Crappie to 1.5 pounds are excellent on Li’l
Fishies and minnows in 5 – 10 feet. Channel and yellow catfish are good on trotlines baited with live bait.
BUCHANAN: Water murky to clear; 68 degrees; 9.20’
low. Black bass to 5.5 pounds are good on white
Terminator “double buzz” buzzbaits, JDC Skip-N-Pop
topwaters, and smoke Super Tubes on jigheads early
and all day under cloud cover in 5 - 15 feet. Striped
bass are fair drifting live bait, 3” Spoiler Shads, and
Red Fins in surface activity over humps in 30 feet.
White bass are slow to fair vertically jigging Tiny Traps
and ?oz. silver Pirk minnows along main lake points.
Crappie are fair over brushpiles in 8 - 15 feet. Channel
catfish are good. Yellow and blue catfish are good.
CANYON LAKE: Water murky to clear: 69 degrees;
2.87’ low. Black bass are good on pumpkin JDC SkipN-Pop topwaters, smoke 5” Scoundrel Worms and white
crankbaits along main lake and secondary points at first
light in 5 - 20 feet. Striped bass are slow. White bass
are fair at the fishing pier at night. Smallmouth bass
are good on smoke/red Super Tubes, 4” root beer JDC
curl tail grubs, and Smokin’ Green Devil’s Tongues on
drop shots in 8 - 20 feet. Crappie are good on live minnows at the fishing pier. Channel catfish are fair to good
on trotlines. Yellow and blue catfish are fair on juglines.
COLEMAN: Water clear; 70 degrees; 2.15’ low. Black
bass are good on Rat-L-Traps and spinnerbaits. Hybrid
striper are fair trolling striper jigs. Crappie are slow.
Channel and blue catfish are good on nightcrawlers,
and on trotlines baited with liver. Yellow catfish are
good on trotlines baited with live perch.
COLORADO RIVER: (At Colorado Bend State Park)
Water murky. Black bass are slow. Striped bass are
slow. White bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Catfish are
fair on trotlines and juglines baited with perch.
DUNLAP/MCQUEENY: Water stained; 76 degrees. Black
bass are good on 10” Texas rigged Berkley Power
Worms and 1?oz. firetiger Revenge spinnerbaits in the
river channel on points and bends. White bass are slow.
Crappie are good on small live minnows and chartreuse/white crappie jigs near the ski jump, and upriver
under trees. Channel catfish are excellent on shad,
chicken livers, shrimp, and nightcrawlers in swift water
upriver near the powerhouse, and near the ski lodge.
Blue catfish are fair on shad, shrimp, and nightcrawlers
in swift water upriver near the powerhouse, and near
the ski lodge. Yellow catfish are slow.
FAYETTE: Water stained; 81 degrees. Black bass are
good on shad patterned crankbaits and Carolina rigs
near banks in 2 – 5 feet. Channel and blue catfish are
good on shrimp, stinkbait, and cut shad on humps and
along outside edges of grass in 5 – 6 feet.
GRANBURY: Water murky; 0.43’ low. Black bass are
slow. Striped bass are fair on silver striper jigs. White
bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are
good on stinkbait, shrimp, and live bait.
on stinkbait, liver, and live bait. Yellow catfish are slow.
WALTER E. LONG: Water clear. Black bass are fair on
minnows, spinnerbaits, and crankbaits. Hybrid striper
are good on Rat-L-Traps, silver spoons, and live minnows. White bass are slow. Crappie are good on minnows. Channel and blue catfish are good on punchbait,
frozen shad, and nightcrawlers. Yellow catfish are good
on juglines baited with live perch.
WHITNEY: Water murky; 3.01’ low. Black bass are good
on chartreuse and pumpkinseed spinnerbaits and
crankbaits, and on red/white soft plastics. Striped bass
are fair on silver striper jigs. White bass are fair on minnows and chrome slabs and spoons. Crappie are fair on
minnows. Catfish are slow.
NORTHEAST
ATHENS: Water clear, 68-74 degrees; 1.25’ low. Black
bass are fair to good on white/chartreuse tail trick
worms, spinnerbaits and Carolina rigged green lizards.
Crappie are fair on minnows and chartreuse Road
Runners. Catfish are fair on nightcrawlers.
BOB SANDLIN: Water clear; 69-74 degrees; 4.9’ low.
Black bass are good on Senkos, spinnerbaits and
black/blue lizards in 2 – 6. Crappie are fair on minnows
and blue tube jigs. Catfish are fair on stinkbait and
nightcrawlers.
CADDO: Water fairly clear; 78-83 degrees; 0.21’ high.
Black bass are excellent on watermelon flukes and
Senkos fished around cypress trees, and on frogs and
buzzbaits in the pads and grass. Crappie are fair on
shiners in the shallows around cypress trees. Catfish are
good on limblines with cutbait. Redear bream are excellent on crickets in shallow cypress breaks.
CEDAR CREEK: Water stained; 71 degrees; 1.73’ low.
Black bass are fair on topwaters early, later switching to
Carolina rigs. White bass are excellent on Humbugs over
shallow water early and slabs fished deeper around midday. Hybrid striper are good on Sassy Shad. Crappie are
excellent on tube jigs around shallow banks and docks.
Catfish are good on cut bait drifted over humps.
COOPER: Water stained; 68-73 degrees; 8.23’ low. No
report available. Due to the low level of the lake,
boaters are advised to use extreme caution.
FAIRFIELD: Water clear; 75 (main lake) - 82 (outlet)
degrees; 3.5’ low. Black bass are excellent on white
Bass Assassins or flukes and Pop-R’s above the grass on
secondary points and main lake flats. Hybrid striper are
fair on white/chartreuse slabs and live shad on main
lake points. Redfish are slow on live shad in the inlet
cove and around the dam. Bow fishing for tilapia is
good in the back of coves. Catfish are good on prepared
baits and live shad on main lake flats.
FORK: Water clear; 66-72 degrees; 2.37’ low. Black
bass are good on Carolina rigged watermelon seed fries
and watermelon candy 5’ lizards along the main lake
grass and pockets - the topwater bite has started on
Yellow Magics in 5-8 feet close to spawning areas.
Crappie are fair on small jigs in 14-20 feet under the
main lake bridges and around brush piles. Catfish are
good in 10 feet on prepared baits.
GRAPEVINE: Water lightly stained; 69-74 degrees;
5.54’ low. Black bass are fair to good on Rat-L-Traps,
crankbaits and Texas rigged soft plastics in 4 – 8 feet.
Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs over
brushpiles. White bass are fair on slabs and
Humdingers. Catfish are fair on nightcrawlers.
JOE POOL: Water fairly clear; 68-75 degrees; 0.2’ high.
Black bass are fair on pumpkinseed lizards, black/red
shad craws and spinnerbaits in 2 - 6 feet in creeks and
shallow pockets. Crappie are fair to good on minnows
and jigs. White bass are fair on slabs and Road
Runners. Catfish are fair on cut and prepared baits.
GRANGER: Water clear; 74 degrees; 1.97’ high. Black
bass are slow. White bass are slow. Crappie are good on
1/32oz. jigs in 1 - 15 feet. Blue catfish are very good
along newly flooded shorelines in 2 - 3 feet. Yellow catfish to 75 pounds are very good on trotlines baited with
live perch.
LAKE O’ THE PINES: Water stained; 69-73 degrees;
1.65’ low. Black bass are fair on chartreuse/white
buzzbaits, spinnerbaits and Texas-rigged blue fleck
Power Worms. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs in
coves and around structure. Catfish are good on nightcrawlers and prepared baits.
LBJ: Water murky to clear, 68 degrees; 0.30’ low.
Black bass are good on Rat-L-Traps along 5 - 8 foot
break lines and over coon-tail early and late, blue flake
Whacky Sticks, and green pumpkin Snap Back Tubes
in brushpiles. Striped bass are fair on 2” Spoiler
Shads and free lining live bait at night. White bass are
good on 1.5” Li’l Fishies at night. Crappie are good on
white crappie jigs and live minnows. Channel catfish
are good. Yellow and blue catfish are good.
LAVON: Water stained; 68-76 degrees; 8.13’ low. Black
bass are fair on white/chartreuse spinnerbaits, Texasrigged Gene Larew black/blue tube jigs and 5”
black/blue or green pumpkin lizards in 4 - 8 feet.
Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs. Catfish
are fair on nightcrawlers and stinkbait.
NAVARRO MILLS: Water fairly clear; 4.34’ low. Black
bass are slow. White bass are fair on minnows. Crappie
are good on minnows and jigs. Channel and blue catfish are slow. Yellow catfish to 65 pounds are fair on
trotlines baited with live bait.
PROCTOR: Water murky; 72 degrees; 2.31’ low. Black
bass are very good on chartreuse, yellow, white, and
pink spinnerbaits, crankbaits, soft plastics, and Rat-LTraps. Striped bass are good on striper jigs, slabs,
spoons, and live bait. White bass are good on minnows, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and Rat-L-Traps.
Crappie are good on minnows and tube jigs. Channel
and blue catfish are very good on frozen shrimp, shad,
liver, nightcrawlers, and minnows. Yellow catfish are
fair on live bait.
SOMERVILLE: Water clear; 1.98’ low. Black bass are
slow. Hybrid striper are slow. White bass are good on
Rat-L-Traps and spinnerbaits. Crappie are good on
minnows. Channel and blue catfish are fair on shrimp
and nightcrawlers. Yellow catfish are slow.
STILLHOUSE: Water clear; 81 degrees; 2.50’ high.
Black bass are good on minnows, and on watermelon
and tequila sunrise soft plastics. White bass are good
on minnows at night. Smallmouth bass are slow.
Crappie are good on minnows at night. Channel and
blue catfish are good on nightcrawlers, liver, shrimp,
stinkbait, and cutbait. Yellow catfish are slow.
TRAVIS: Water murky; 74 degrees; 15.50’ low. Black
bass are slow. Striped bass are slow. White bass are
slow. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are fair
LEWISVILLE: Water stained; 69-75 degrees; 6.55’ low.
Black bass are good on flukes, lizards and spinnerbaits.
Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair to
good on nightcrawlers and cut bait.
MARTIN CREEK: Water clear; 3.16’ low. Black bass are
fair to good on white buzzbaits and spinnerbaits, and
off main lake points on Carolina-rigged blue fleck
french fries and Arkansas Shiner flukes. Crappie are
good on minnows and jigs over submerged brushpiles.
Catfish are good on trotlines with cut bait. Bream are
good on red wigglers in 4 feet.
PALESTINE: Water fairly clear; 68-72 degrees; 1.76’
low. Black bass are good on green pumpkin/red shad
craws, spinnerbaits and black/blue lizards. Crappie are
fair on minnows and jigs. Hybrid striper are fair on live
shad and slabs. White bass are good on slabs and torpedoes. Catfish are fair to good in the shallows.
RAY HUBBARD: Water fairly clear; 67-71 degrees;
0.11’ low. Black bass are fair on spinnerbaits, Senkos
and buzzbaits in 2-6 feet. Crappie are fair to good on
minnows and jigs in the marinas and around bridge
columns. White bass are good on slabs and
Humdingers. Catfish are fair on prepared baits.
RAY ROBERTS: Water clear main lake, muddy in the
creeks; 67-78 degrees; 3.69’ low. Black bass are good
on split shot rigged green Houdini shad and Chatter
Baits fished around milfoil. White bass are excellent on
chartreuse Bomber slabs - surface schooling starting on
the main lake. Crappie are excellent on minnows and
jigs around Corps of Engineers brush piles.
RICHLAND CHAMBERS: Water fairly clear; 68-74
degrees; 4.95’ low. Black bass are fair to good on Texas
rigged watermelon lizards, black/blue jigs and spinnerbaits. White bass and hybrid striper are fair to good on
white/chartreuse or chartreuse slabs on main lake
humps and secondary points. Crappie are good on minnows in the mouth of the creeks around brush. Catfish
are good on juglines with live shad set off the main
creek channels and flats.
TAWAKONI: Water stained; 69-73 degrees; 5.53’ low.
Black bass are good on worms, lizards, Senkos and jigs
in 1-3 feet. Crappie are fair on live minnows and jigs.
White bass are excellent on chartreuse, gold or chrome
slabs. Striped bass and hybrid striper are fair on chartreuse or white Sassy Shad, 1 1/4 oz. slabs and Rat-LTraps. Catfish are good on cut bait, shrimp and nightcrawlers.
TEXOMA: Water clear; 69-74 degrees; 1.3’ high. Black
bass are fair on weightless flukes, spinnerbaits and blue
fleck lizards. Striped bass are fair to good on live shad
and chartreuse slabs, with a sporadic topwater bite early
and late. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers and
cut shad.
WEATHERFORD: Water stained; 73 degrees; 6.64’ low.
Black bass are good on crankbaits and soft plastics. Crappie are excellent in the fishing barge and
marina cove on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on
nightcrawlers, liver and shrimp. Schooling white bass
are good on Little George’s and Road Runners. Bream
are good on worms. The boat ramp is open.
SOUTH
AMISTAD: Water clear; 72 degrees. Black bass are good
on watermelon red and watermelon seed jerkbaits,
crankbaits, soft plastics, jigs, and topwaters. Striped
bass are good on red fins and topwaters early and late.
White bass are fair on shallow running crankbaits.
Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are good on
cheesebait, shrimp, and nightcrawlers. Yellow catfish
are good on trotlines baited with live perch.
BRAUNIG: Water stained; 92 degrees. Black bass to 5
pounds are good on dark soft plastic worms and some
crankbaits near the jetty and in reed beds. Striped bass
to 5 pounds are very good on perch, shad, and chicken
livers early. Redfish to 20 pounds are good on tilapia,
crawfish, and perch on the bottom. Channel and blue
catfish to 4 pounds are good on liver, shrimp, and shad.
Yellow catfish are slow.
CALAVERAS: Water stained; 93 degrees. Black bass are
slow. Striped bass to 4 pounds are very good on liver
and silver spoons early. Redfish to 21 pounds are very
good on crawfish, perch, and Rat-L-Traps early and late.
Crappie are slow. Channel catfish are good on liver,
shrimp, and nightcrawlers. Blue catfish are fair to good
on liver and nightcrawlers. Yellow catfish are slow.
CHOKE CANYON: Water stained; 76 degrees; 4.29’
low. Black bass are very good on white 1?oz. Revenge
spinnerbaits and rainbow trout Reaction Innovations
Vixen on main lake points early in 2 - 8 feet, and later
on banana cream Norman DD-22’s and spring craw
Lucky Craft CB-D20’s tight to timber in 10 - 15 feet
and good on weightless watermelon seed 6” YUM
Dingers and smoke red pepper YUM Houdini Shad.
White bass are fair on live minnows and vertically jigging C.C. spoons or KT spoons along main lake points.
Crappie are good on live minnows and chartreuse
sparkle Berkley Power Worms over brushpiles and
standing timber in 4 - 12 feet. Channel and blue catfish are very good on Lewis King punchbait, perch,
and shad gizzards in 8 - 15 feet. Yellow catfish are
good on trotlines and juglines baited with hybrid
bluegills and jumbo minnows in 15 - 25 feet.
COLETO CREEK: Water clear; 83 degrees (93 degrees
at hot water discharge); 3.68’ low. Black bass to 4
pounds are fair on soft plastics and Rat-L-Traps in weed
beds in 6 – 8 feet. Striped bass are slow. White bass
are slow. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish to
2 pounds are fair on perch, liver, and nightcrawlers in
12 – 15 feet. Yellow catfish are slow.
FALCON: Water stained; 79 degrees. Black bass are
good on crankbaits, topwaters, brush hogs, and soft
plastics along outside points. Striped bass are slow.
Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are very
good on shad, cutbait, and frozen shrimp. Yellow catfish
are slow. Mexican fishing licenses and boat permits are
required to fish in Mexican waters. Everyone in the boat
must have a Mexico Fishing License whether fishing or
not.
MEDINA: Water stained; 75 degrees; 17.03’ low. Black
bass to 4 pounds are good on shad 3/8oz. Revenge
spinnerbaits and clear Yo-Zuri poppers across main
lake points and coves early in 2 - 15 feet, and later on
motor oil neon 2.5” YUM Craw Papi’s and June bug
candy Berkley Beasts in 10 - 20 feet. Striped bass are
fair vertically jigging chrome/blue Fle-Fly slabs in 15 30 feet. White bass are fair vertically jigging KT
spoons and chrome/blue Pirk Minnows along main lake
points. Crappie are good on live minnows and chartreuse sparkle Berkley Power Worms around brushpiles
and standing timber at night under lights in 10 - 25
feet. Channel and blue catfish to 6 pounds are very
good on Lewis King punchbait, hybrid bluegills, and
cut shad. Yellow catfish to 20 pounds are good on juglines baited with perch and goldfish.
SOUTHEAST
CONROE: Water stained; 3.37’ low. Black bass are
good on chartreuse and pumpkinseed/orange spinnerbaits and medium running crankbaits, and on watermelon seed and watermelon red soft plastic worms
and lizards. Striped bass are fair on chrome striper
jigs and silver spoons and slabs. Crappie are fair on
minnows. Catfish are fair on stinkbait, nightcrawlers,
and shrimp.
piers. Catfish are good on stinkbait and chicken livers
off piers.
LIVINGSTON: Water fairly clear; 69 degrees; 3.06’
low. Black bass are fair on spinnerbaits and soft plastics. Striped bass are slow. White bass are good on
slabs, pet spoons, and hellbenders. Crappie are good
on minnows over brushtops. Blue catfish are excellent
on shad. Yellow catfish are slow.
SAM RAYBURN: Water clear; 71 degrees; 1.12’ low.
Black bass are fair on chartreuse/white spinnerbaits,
crankbaits, and Rat-L-Traps, and on pumpkinseed jerkbaits over grass. Crappie are good on minnows and
blue tube jigs.
TOLEDO BEND: Water stained; 3.29’ low. Very little
fishing activity due to low water level. Navigation is
dangerous due to numerous stumps and stickups.
Tournaments have been moved to Lake Sam Rayburn.
PANHANDLE
BAYLOR: Water lightly stained; 67 degrees. Black bass
are slow. Crappie are slow. Catfish are fair on live bait.
GREENBELT: Water lightly stained; 66 degrees;
25.22’ low. Black bass are good on topwater lures at
dawn, and shad-colored spinnerbaits with willow
blades and white twin-tail trailers and crankbaits near
grass lines and timber throughout day. Crappie are
good on jigs and minnows. White bass are good on live
bait and jigs tipped with minnows. Smallmouth bass
are fair on crankbaits along channels. Walleye to 4
pounds are good on live bait and crankbaits. Catfish to
10 pounds are good on live bait and chicken liver.
MACKENZIE: Water lightly stained; 60 degrees;
67.75’ low. Black bass are good on live bait and shadcolored spinnerbaits. Crappie are good on minnows
and jigs. White bass and striped bass are good on jigs
tipped with minnows. Smallmouth bass are fair on
small crankbaits. Walleye are good on minnows and
crankbaits. Catfish to 8 pounds are good on live baits.
MEREDITH: Water lightly stained; 61 degrees; 29.25’
low. Black bass are fair on live bait, white spinnerbaits
and shad-colored crankbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs suspended 12 feet. White bass are good
on minnows and jigs near humps. Smallmouth bass
are good on crankbaits. Walleye are fair on live bait
and chrome jerkbaits near northern points and riprap.
Channel catfish are good on minnows. Note: Fritch
Fortress ramp is closed for upgrades.
PALO DURO: Water lightly stained; 58 degrees; 48.25’
low. Black bass are good on live bait, black/blue jigs
and white spinnerbaits. Crappie are fair on jigs and
minnows. Smallmouth bass are fair on small
crankbaits and live bait. Walleye are fair on crankbaits
and live bait. Channel catfish are good on minnows
and chicken liver.
WEST
ALAN HENRY: Water lightly stained; 75 degrees; 1.3’
low. Black bass exceeding 10 pounds are good on live
bait, black/blue jigs or watermelon soft plastics in timber, and deep diving chartreuse crankbaits in stained
waters in river along timberlines. Crappie are good on
minnows and jigs.
ARROWHEAD: Water lightly stained; 74 degrees; 2.3’
low. Black bass are fair and improving on crankbaits
and soft plastics off points and in flooded brush.
Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs at State Park,
and Henrietta, Deer Creek and Post Oak bridges and
wading near 1-2 feet flooded vegetation. White bass
are good on shad-imitation baits on shallow points and
schooling on flats. Blue catfish are good on shad,
punch bait and juglines in upper part and west side of
lake.
COLORADO CITY: Water clear; 74 degrees; 2.55’ low.
Black bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows and
jigs. White bass are fair on live bait and jerkbaits.
Catfish are fair on live and cut baits.
FT. PHANTOM HILL: Water clear; 71 degrees; 6.74’
low. Black bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows
and jigs. White bass are fair on live bait. Catfish are
fair on live bait.
HUBBARD CREEK: Water lightly stained; 73 degrees;
10.5’ low. Black bass are fair on live bait and pumpkin/chartreuse soft plastics near timber and reeds.
Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. White bass and
hybrid striper are good on live baits. Catfish are good
on minnows and juglines.
STAMFORD: Water lightly stained; 72 degrees; Black
bass are fair on live bait and white spinnerbaits.
Crappie are fair on red/white jigs and minnows. White
and striped bass are good on live baits. Catfish are fair
on minnows and prepared baits.
SWEETWATER: Water lightly stained; 73 degrees;
31.72’ low. Black bass are fair on live bait and
black/blue jigs. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs.
White bass are fair on minnows. Catfish are fair on minnows and cut shad.
WHITE RIVER: Water lightly stained; 74 degrees; 22.9’
low. Black bass are fair on live bait and junebug soft
plastics along grass lines and timber. Crappie are fair on
jigs and minnows. Walleye are fair on live bait and
white/black crankbaits. Channel catfish are good on live
baits.
WICHITA: Water lightly stained; 71 degrees; 4” low.
Crappie are good on 1/8 oz. chartreuse jigs or small
minnows along dam riprap and near old pavilion pier
poles American Legion point and old yacht club areas.
White bass and hybrid striped bass are fair on minnows,
white twister-tails and trolling along riprap. Channel catfish are fair on bait shrimp, punchbait or trotlines baited with shad. The north side (yacht club) and east side
boat ramps are open and serviceable.
COASTAL
NORTH SABINE: Flounder are fair to good in the guts
and bayous on mud minnows and jigs tipped with
shrimp. Trout and redfish are fair to good on live shad
in the river.
SOUTH SABINE: Trout are fair to good on the Reef and
Johnson’s Bayou on live shrimp under a popping cork.
Flounder are fair to good on the shorelines and in the
guts on live bait. Redfish are fair to good at the jetty on
finger mullet and crabs.
BOLIVAR: Trout are fair near Big Pasture Bayou on
chartreuse and pearl Corkies and Top Dogs. Trout and
redfish are fair while drifting deep shell on live shrimp
under a popping cork and glow/chartreuse and red shad
Bass Assassins, Trout Killers and Sand Eels.
TRINITY BAY: Redfish are fair to good on the shell and
in the grass on live shrimp under a popping cork.
Croaker, whiting and sand trout are good at the Spillway
on shrimp. Trout are fair to good on the east shoreline
on topwaters and live shrimp.
EAST GALVESTON BAY: Trout are fair at Dollar Point on
live shrimp and croaker. Redfish are fair to good in the
back lakes on live shrimp under a popping cork.
WEST GALVESTON BAY: Redfish and black drum are
fair around the railroad and causeway bridge on live
shrimp under a popping cork. Flounder are fair to good
in the same areas.
TEXAS CITY: Trout and redfish are fair at night off the
piers on live shrimp under a popping cork. Croakers,
sand trout, gafftop, whiting and sheepshead are fair on
fresh dead shrimp.
FREEPORT: Trout and redfish are fair at Cold Pass on
live shrimp under a popping cork. Trout, flounder and
redfish are fair in Christmas Bay on live shrimp under a
popping cork.
EAST MATAGORDA: Trout are fair along the shorelines
on gold spoons and topwaters. Redfish are fair to good
in the grass on pumpkinseed Trout Killers, Hogie’s and
Sand Eels. Tides are above normal.
MATAGORDA: Trout are fair on the south shoreline on
topwaters and red shad, morning glory and pumpkinseed/chartreuse Bass Assassins and Norton Sand Eels.
Redfish are fair to good on live shrimp under a popping
cork around Shell Island and in Oyster Lake.
PORT O’CONNOR: Trout are good on live shrimp under
a popping cork on the grass flats. Redfish, sharks and
black drum are good on live bait at the jetty. Trout are
fair to good in the back lakes on live shrimp under a
popping cork and topwaters.
ROCKPORT: Trout are fair to good around Traylor and
Mud Island on live shrimp and croakers. Redfish are
fair to good on the Estes Flats and around Hog Island
on live shrimp and finger mullet. Trout are fair on topwaters on the St. Joe shoreline.
NASWORTHY: Water lightly stained; 72 degrees. Black
bass are fair on live bait. Crappie are fair on minnows
and jigs. Redfish are fair. White bass and striped bass
are good on minnows and inline spinners. Catfish are
fair on prepared baits and minnows.
PORT ARANSAS: Trout and redfish are fair in Shamrock
Cove on bone Super Spooks and pumpkinseed/chartreuse Bass Assassins, Trout Killers and Norton Sand
Eels. Trout are fair at the jetty on live shrimp and finer
mullet.
OAK CREEK: Water lightly stained; 69 degrees; 19.2’
low. Black bass are fair on live bait. Crappie are fair on
minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on minnows. No
boat ramps open. 4x4 vehicles can unload on dirt road
near the dam.
CORPUS CHRISTI: Trout and redfish are fair around the
causeway and on the reefs in Nueces Bay on live
shrimp. Trout are fair to good on topwaters around
Pelican Island.
OH. IVIE: Water lightly stained; 70 degrees; 17.3’ low.
Black bass are good on live bait, white spinnerbaits,
white soft jerkbaits near timber and humps. Crappie
are good on minnows and jigs. White bass are fair on
inline spinners and minnows. Smallmouth bass are
good on chartreuse/black crankbaits. Channel catfish
are good on live baits.
GIBBONS CREEK: Water stained. Black bass are fair on
chartreuse green and chartreuse blue crankbaits and
Rat-L-Traps, and on red/white soft plastics. Crappie are
fair on minnows and blue tube jigs. Catfish are good on
stinkbait, frozen shrimp, nightcrawlers, liver, and live
perch.
POSSUM KINGDOM: Water clear; 73 degrees; 2’ low.
Black bass are fair on Senkos, spinnerbaits and
crankbaits in the shallows lake wide. White bass are
good around river and off points near Willow Beach.
Striped bass are fair at night near lighted piers. Blue
and channel catfish are fair on setlines baited with
shad in the upper part of reservoir.
HOUSTON COUNTY: Water stained; 80 degrees; 0.69’
high. Black bass are good on cherry seed worms on the
east end of the lake. White bass are good on silver
spoons near the marina. Crappie are good on live minnows in coves on the north end of the lake over structure in 15 feet. Bream are good on live worms off
SPENCE: Water lightly stained; 71 degrees; 50.25’ low.
Black bass are fair on live baits and spinnerbaits.
Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. White bass are
fair on minnows and jigs. Striped bass and hybrid
striper are fair on minnows. Catfish are fair on cut shad
and live baits.
BAFFIN BAY: Trout, redfish and black drum are fair to
good at the Land Cut on live shrimp under a popping
cork. Redfish are fair on shrimp in Emmords Hole. Trout
and redfish are fair to good around the rocks on live
shrimp and croakers.
PORT MANSFIELD: Trout are fair to good on the grass
beds adjacent to the Intracoastal on live shrimp and
bone Trout Killers, Sand Eels and Bass Assassins. Trout,
redfish and black drum are fair to good on live mullet
and shrimp around the Land Cut.
SOUTH PADRE: Trout, redfish and black drum are fair
to good on gold spoons around Airport Cove. Trout and
redfish are fair to good on topwaters at Holly Beach.
PORT ISABEL: Trout and redfish are fair to good in
Cullen Bay on topwaters, pumpkinseed/chartreuse and
plum/white Trout Killers, Sand Eels and Bass Assassins.
Black drum and redfish are fair to good on the Gas-Well
Flats on live shrimp under a popping cork.
May 12, 2006 Page 19
Calling all toms
T
urkey hunting has been tough.
The birds have been henned-up
all year and the season is nearing the end. Guides on the
Krooked River Ranch near
Haskell were working hard to get their
hunters birds.
At 4:45 a.m. Roy Wilson, owner of Texas
Best Outfitters, pointed to a painting of two
strutting toms in a field of wildflowers that
hangs on the wall of the dining hall. “ That
is what you are looking for,” he told Derek
Rambo.
All the other guides laughed, but Rambo
took it in stride, as he was the new guide at
the camp. The new guide gets the worst of
it, forced to travel the farthest and work the
hardest. But that is what he loves the most
— hard work.
Rambo has entered and won many calling contests, but this morning he sat quietly in the dark listening to the yelps and
gobbles that were all around him.
He was sitting with his hunter in a spot
where he felt the turkeys would move
after fly down. He made two soft yelps
while the birds were still up and two more
when they were on the ground.
STORY
AND
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
DAVID J. SAMS
After thirty minutes, two toms and two
hens came into view. The birds worked
slowly in his direction, the toms in full
strut. Both hens and toms were moving in
and out of the brush. Gobbles were few
but a couple of birds slipped in on the left
side and gave a few territorial gobbles, not
even bothering the locked-up toms.
One of the hens started running
around doing the kee kee call, a call heard
mostly in the fall. The big toms came out
after her but there was an extra bird, probably one of the birds from the left.
Now there were three toms strutting.
“Take the one in the middle when I yelp
and he looks up,” he said.
Feathers flew and a nice tom was kicking on the ground. “I guess we saw the
painting that Roy showed me come to life
this morning,” Rambo said.
When he walked back into the camp
house, the other guides could see the success on his face. He pointed to the painting. “We saw that and we brought one
home.”
The other guides were skunked.
You can reach Texas Best Outfitters at
www.krro.net or at (325) 773-2457.