Plastic frogs devastate reticent bass

ADVENTURE
Te x a s ’ P r e m i e r O u t d o o r N e w s p a p e r
July 8, 2005
$1.75
Volume I, Issue 22
New Mexico Fly Fishing
See page 12
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
HUNTING NEWS
Plastic frogs devastate reticent bass
By John N. Felsher
M
ore and more anglers
are discovering that
when it’s hot outside, so are the bass
— with the right bait.
Soft plastic frogs aren’t just a
professional’s tool anymore.
They’re the latest trend sweeping the country. No other lure
combines the heart-throbbing
excitement of topwater baits
with the fish-finding abilities of
buzzbaits and the weedless
advantages of Texas rigs like soft
plastic buzzing frogs.
“Soft plastic frogs are a hot
trend in bass fishing right now,”
said Eddy Gresham, a bass pro
from Lufkin.
A big bass may stay in incredibly shallow water, even during
the heat of summer, if it can find
sufficient cover. As anglers put
more pressure on bass, lunkers
burrow into the thickest grass.
Rich in protein, frogs create
prime forage for largemouths,
especially in thick weeds or lily
pads.
Until recently, anglers couldn’t fish matted grass very effectively. They probed the edges
with worms, spinnerbaits or topwaters, but couldn’t work lures
where the big ones lurked. So
companies such as Zoom,
Sizmic, Stanley and Wave began
designing floating or slow-sinking frogs that could buzz across
the tops of matted grass without
snagging. Rigged weightless,
buzzing frogs look like natural
forage as they skitter across
impenetrable salads where no
Texas Parks and Wildlife dovehunting changes mean more
opportunity this fall.
See page 6
Want to shoot better this year?
Then take some tips from Ducks
Unlimited pros.
See page 7
FISHING NEWS
Big mackerel can be caught off
jetties or in the surf. Either way,
the key is a light breeze.
See page 8
A 90-inch tarpon hauled in off
Port Aransas is poised to
become a state catch-andrelease record. Other records are
pending.
See page 8
CONSERVATION
Texans will get to voice their
ideas about conserving native
wildlife and habitats during
eight meetings to be held at
zoos across the state.
See page 4
NATIONAL NEWS
The world’s biggest freshwater
fish, a rare Mekong catfish that
weighed 646 pounds, was
hauled in by villagers. However,
they could not keep it alive.
See page 5
Federal employees are asked to
support the Farmers and
Hunters Feeding the Hungry
program. Donated game is
needed to supply food banks
and soup kitchens with meat
nationwide.
See page 5
DEPARTMENTS
Product Picks
Page 13
Made in Texas
Page 14
Bordering Texas
Page 14
Weather
Page 15
Wild in the Kitchen
Page 15
Crossword
Page 15
Game Warden Blotter
Page 16
Fishing Report
Page 17
Outdoor Datebook
Page 19
Heroes’ Corner
Page 19
Continued on page 11
LEAPING FISH: Plastic frogs are a hot item in the bass-fishing industry right now.
Bacteria lurk in salt water
By David Sikes
B
acteria season has
begun along the Texas
coast. But health officials say this is no reason for most anglers to avoid
saltwater recreation, including
wade fishing.
The summertime rise in
waterborne bacteria, however,
is reason to take special precautions against allowing bay
water to come in contact with
open wounds and to pay close
attention to wounds that get
wet. Awareness of symptoms
and swift medical attention are
the best defenses against infection from saltwater bacteria
Continued on page 11
Archery gear hits bull’s-eye
for homesick U.S. soldiers
By Robert Cadwallader
G
renade launchers, .50caliber machine guns
and sniper rifles may be
the weapons of choice
at the Idaho National Guard
camp in northern Iraq. But some
of these homesick military
mechanics are thinking retro as
they pine for their beloved wild
game hunts in the northwestern
United States.
At the top of their e-mail wish
list: bows and arrows.
“A few of my guys were sitting
around talking about what we
missed, and that was a common
thing that we all missed,’’ said
1st Lt. Randall Russell, an
Continued on page 10
PRSRT STD
US POSTAGE
PAID
PLANO, TX
PERMIT 210
WATER WORRIES: Scott Sommerlatte and Gray Thornton wade near Port
O’Connor. Warm water increases bacteria risk. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone
Star Outdoor News.
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Page 4 July 8, 2005
CONSERVATION UPDATE
Texas zoos to host meetings on wildlife’s future
T
exans will get to voice
their ideas about conserving native wildlife
and their habitats when
eight zoos across the state host
meetings this July to get public
input
on
a
proposed
Comprehensive
Wildlife
Conservation Strategy. The new
plan is tied to millions of dollars
in federal funding for the state.
Texas Parks and Wildlife must
submit a final plan to the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service by Oct.
1 to continue to receive funds
from the State Wildlife Grants
program.
Last year, the federal grants
program provided about $3 million for Texas sea turtle conservation, coastal seagrass mapping
projects, wildlife data collection
and mapping, a freshwater mussel survey, and staff salaries and
research to aid various nongame wildlife species and habitats such as the lesser prairie
chicken and swift fox. For the
first time, Texas zoos are hosting
a series of public meetings to
focus on conserving native
Texas wildlife.
Anyone can comment on the
draft plan. To make comments
online via the TPW Web site,
phone (800) 792-1112, ext. 4427
or send mail to Steve Bender,
Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department, 4200 Smith School
Road, Austin, TX 78744.
All public meetings listed
below will take place from 7 to 9
p.m. unless otherwise noted. All
zoos, except the Dallas Zoo, will
not have normal exhibits open
to the public.
Meetings include:
• Austin: July 11, Texas Parks and
Wildlife Headquarters, 4200 Smith
School Road, (512) 389-4800.
• Houston: July 13, Houston Zoo,
1513 N. MacGregor, (713) 533-6500.
• Dallas: 1-4 p.m., July 14, Dallas Zoo,
650 South R.L. Thornton Freeway,
(I-35E), (214) 670-5656.
• Waco: July 14, Cameron Park Zoo,
1701 North 4th St., (254) 750-8400.
• Lufkin: July 18, Ellen Trout Zoo,
402 Zoo Circle, (936) 633-0399.
• Abilene: July 19, Abilene Zoological
Gardens, 2070 Zoo Lane, Nelson
Park, (325) 676-6085.
• Lubbock: July 20, Science
Spectrum, 2579 S. Loop 289, (806)
745-1216.
• El Paso: July 21, Magoffin Home
State Historic Site, 1120 Magoffin
Ave.
• San Antonio: July 25, San Antonio
Zoological Gardens and Aquarium,
3903 North St. Mary’s St., (210)
734-7184.
• Brownsville: July 26, Gladys Porter
Zoo, 500 Ringgold St., (956) 5467187.
• Corpus Christi: July 27, Texas State
Aquarium, 2710 North Shoreline,
(800) 477-4853.
— A Texas Parks and Wildlife
report
West Galveston Bay wetlands project gets national award
A
Texas effort to restore
hundreds of acres of
ecologically important
wetlands
in
the
Delehide Cove area of West
Galveston Bay received one of
two
National
Wetland
Conservation
Awards
last
month in Washington, D.C.
The Delehide Cove project
team received a $939,862 grant
from the National Wetlands
Conservation Grants Program of
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service in December 2000. The
grant, along with an additional
federal contribution of $50,000
from the USFWS Coastal
Program, was matched with
funds and in-kind contributions
from state and local sources that
included the Texas General Land
Office’s
Coastal
Erosion
Planning and Response Act
Program,
Galveston
Bay
Foundation, Galveston Bay
Estuary
Program,
Pirates
Homeowners Association, Fish
America Foundation, Restore
Americas Estuaries, NOAA
Fisheries, Blackard Development, Reliant Energy and Texas
GenCo. A total of more than $2
million was provided by these
federal and state contributors to
protect and restore the area’s
coastal wetland habitat.
Approximately 8,100 linear
feet of sand-filled geotextile tube
breakwaters were constructed to
protect
existing
intertidal
marsh, tidal bayou, and subtidal
flats from erosion.
One year after construction,
200 acres of habitat have been
protected from erosion, 2.4 acres
of sand flat have been restored,
3.2 acres of seagrass habitat have
been enhanced and 48 acres of
salt marsh and open water complex have been restored or
enhanced. A total of 250 acres of
estuarine marsh complex in the
West Bay area of Galveston Bay
were protected, and another 55
acres were restored or enhanced.
Each year the USFWS gives two
wetland conservation awards:
one to a team and one to an individual. Matt Hogan, acting director of USFWS, presented the
award June 30.
—A Texas Parks and Wildlife
report
Grant will give Texas waterfowl additional habitat to wait out the winter
T
exas will boost its habitat
for wintering waterfowl
thanks to the Migratory
Bird
Conservation
Commission, which approved
acquiring 330 acres in Liberty
County near the Trinity River
National Wildlife Refuge.
The acquisition is part of the
nearly $18 million in grants
approved by the commission for
habitat conservation in the
United States and Canada to
benefit migratory birds. The
awards were announced by
Interior Secretary Gale Norton.
The funds will be given to
states and other partners
through the North American
Wetlands Conservation Act.
“NAWCA represents exactly
the kind of partner-driven conservation efforts that are conserving and improving wildlife
habitat across the entire North
American continent,” said
Norton, who chairs the
Commission.
“Thanks to the dedication of
the citizen conservationists
who make NAWCA work on the
ground, we are turning the tide
and working to reach President
Bush’s goal of a net increase of
wetlands across the U.S.”
The NAWCA Standard Grants
awarded more than $3 million
to four U.S. projects in five states
to protect, restore or enhance
5,446 acres of wetlands and associated upland habitats. Project
partners added nearly $32 million.
The
commission
also
approved more than $14 million
for 14 projects in Canada.
Partners added nearly $30 million. In addition, based on the
results of 38 grants under the
“small grants” program, the
commission approved an additional $2 million in allocations
for the 2006 small grant program.
“Since many of North
America’s waterfowl species we
enjoy in the U.S. during the
spring and fall depend on
Canadian wetland habitat during the summer months, it is also
CORRECTION
A page 1 story on nesting ducks that appeared June 24
misspelled Donnie Draeger’s name and misidentified him.
He is the wildlife manager of Comanche Ranch.
WANT TO SOUND OFF ON AN ISSUE? WRITE US!
Lone Star Outdoor News welcomes comments and suggestions
on our newspaper and your views on the Texas outdoors.
Letters may be edited for length and clarity. Send letters to:
editor@lonestarout doornews.com, or mail them to: Lone
Star Outdoor News, 9304 Forest Lane, Suite 114 South,
Dallas, TX 75243.
appropriate to use NAWCA funds
to support wetlands conservation projects in Canada,” said
Norton.
Funding for this program
comes from congressional
appropriations, funds collected
from fines, penalties, and forfeitures under the Migratory Bird
Treaty Act, interest accrued to
the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife
Restoration Act, and from excise
taxes paid on small-engine fuels
through the Dingell-Johnson
Sport Fish Restoration Act.
Money raised by the sale of
Federal Duck Stamps pays for
wetland acquisitions for the
National
Wildlife
Refuge
System.
The
Commission
approved using nearly $1 million dollars in stamp funds to
acquire land for the National
Wildlife Refuge System. All
acquisitions were previously
approved by the respective
states.
NAWCA awardees are:
Arizona: A partnership led
by the Yuma Crossing National
Heritage Area will receive nearly
$500,000 and put up more than
$3 million to conserve wetlands
along the lower Colorado River.
California: A partnership
led
by
the
Wildlife
Conservation Board will receive
nearly $1 million and put up
nearly $13 million to conserve
wetlands in San Pablo Bay.
Idaho/Wyoming: A partnership led by the Teton
Regional Land Trust, Inc., will
receive $1 million and put up
nearly $14 million to conserve
wetlands in the Teton River
Basin.
Washington: A partnership
led by Ducks Unlimited, Inc.,
will receive $1 million and put
up $2.2 million to conserve wetlands in the San Juan Islands.
Stamp fund awardees are:
Texas: Acquisition of 330
acres to provide habitat for wintering waterfowl near Trinity
River National Wildlife Refuge
in Liberty County. The tract will
become part of the refuge.
Arkansas: Addition of nearly
10,000 acres to the refuge
boundary at Cache River
National Wildlife Refuge in
Tucker County. The service
plans to buy an estimated 980
acres this summer to conserve
bottomland hardwood habitat
for migratory waterfowl.
Virginia: Acquisition of a
355-acre easement to protect
wetland habitat for waterfowl
near Rappahannock River Valley
National Wildlife Refuge in
Richmond County. The tract
will become part of the refuge.
New Jersey: Acquisition of
19.1 acres to preserve a Spartina
salt marsh for migrating waterfowl within the boundaries of
the Cape May National Wildlife
Refuge.
Tennessee: Acquisition of 56
acres to protect habitat for wintering waterfowl within the
boundaries
of
Chickasaw
National Wildlife Refuge in
Lauderdale County.
Compiled from a U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service report
FROM OUR
READERS
Dear Editor,
For the past year I have been a subscriber
to your (newspaper) and really enjoy reading the articles. However, there is a group
of men with the Louisiana National Guard
currently serving a tour in Iraq who enjoy
it even more. For you see, my first cousin,
Maj. Jason Yeates, is serving with that unit
based out of Lake Charles, La. After reading each issue, I forward it on to him.
There are several members of the unit
from East Texas. They all enjoy reading
your (newspaper). Jason being the big
duck hunter that he is really enjoys the
duck-related articles, naturally. Your
(newspaper) has brought a little bit of
home to all of those Louisiana boys (Tiger
Brigade). Keep up the good work on a great
(newspaper).
Scott Woodward
semper fi
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July 8, 2005 Page 5
NATIONAL NEWS
Mekong catfish
called rare giant
W
hat is believed to be
the world’s largest
freshwater fish, a
giant
catfish
weighing 646 pounds, was
caught by Thai fishermen on
the Mekong River, according to
an announcement by the World
Wildlife Fund.
Thai fisheries department
officials determined that this
new catch was 11 pounds heavier than the previous record
holder, another Mekong catfish.
The WWF reported that the
catfish was caught May 1.
“This catfish is as heavy as a
grizzly bear. It’s amazing to
think that giants like this still
swim in some of the world’s
rivers,” said Jamie Pittock, Head
of
the
WWF’s
Global
Freshwater Program.
Wildlife officials had urged
villagers to release the 9-foot
adult male so it could spawn. It
died, however, and was eaten by
villagers in the Chiang Khong
village in the Chiang Rai
province.
The Mekong River Basin is
home to more species of giant
fish than any other river on
earth, according to WWF officials. It is also the most produc-
tive river fishery in the world,
generating $1.4 billion each
year, and provides the primary
source of protein for many
more than the 73 million people who live along the river.
The giant catfish species has
been in decline, which local
fishermen blame on dams and
environmental damage along
the Mekong River.
The Mekong giant catfish
shares the title of largest freshwater fish with a close relative,
the dog-eating catfish. The
Mekong giant catfish was listed
as critically endangered in
2003. Research showed its numbers had fallen by at least 80
percent over the past 13 years.
A century ago the Mekong
giant catfish was found the
entire length of the river from
Vietnam to southern China.
Today, scientists estimate that
number has decreased by about
90 percent in the past 20 years.
Zeb Hogan, a WWF conservation science expert, said: “Due
to the precarious state of the
Mekong giant catfish and other
large fish, the effort to protect
these amazing creatures is a race
against the clock.”
— A World Wildlife Fund report
Remington remains largest
U.S. firearms manufacturer
R
emington Arms Co.
remains the largest
firearms manufacturer
in the U.S. for the third
year in a row, leading in the
categories of both rifle and
shotgun production, according
to 2003 government statistics.
The statistics were recently
released by the Bureau of
Alcohol,
Tobacco
and
Firearms. Remington was also
the largest exporter of shotguns in 2003 and was in a statistical tie as the largest
exporter of rifles.
Remington made history in
2001 when it became the
largest U.S. firearms manufacturer. It was the first long gun
manufacturer to secure the top
position.
In commenting on this data,
Remington President and CEO
Tommy Millner said: “I am
pleased that Remington’s commitment to new product innovation, creative marketing
techniques and a strong distribution system bore fruit for the
third year in a row. We are,
however, dedicated to further
growth in the years ahead as
the markets we serve demand
further innovation.”
Remington, headquartered
in Madison, N.C., is one of the
world’s leading manufacturers
of sporting firearms, ammunition and accessories.
The company employs nearly
2,500 people worldwide.
Venison for
the hungry
plan involves
employees
O
ne deer can feed up
to 200 hungry people. With that in
mind, Farmers and
Hunters Feeding the Hungry
wants to give hunters the
opportunity to become foodproviders for the needy by
transforming deer and other
big game into a meal.
Federal employees nationwide are invited to partner
with FHFH by designating a
gift to the group through the
combined federal campaign
this fall.
FHFH is a national venison
and big game donation ministry that operates local programs in states nationwide.
Hunters are invited to donate
deer and other big game to
licensed butcher shops that are
participating in a local FHFH
program. The butchers process
and package the meat for pickup by local feeding agencies
and regional food banks that
serve the poor. FHFH raises
money to cover the butchering
costs so hunters can donate
deer and other animals free of
charge.
To date, FHFH and participating hunters have been
responsible for distributing
more than 1,800 tons of venison and other wild game that
added up to 14.4 million meals
for the hungry. Food banks
and soup kitchens nationwide
agree that meat is their most
needed yet least available food
item. A 100-pound, field
dressed deer yields about 200
meals and costs FHFH an average of $50 to process. This
equates to $1 per pound or
about 25 cents per serving.
Larger animals such as elk provide even higher amounts of
meat.
FHFH is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
ministry that was formed in
Maryland in 1997 and now
operates programs in more
than 25 states. Visit FHFH at
www.fhfh.org or call (866) GETFHFH for more information.
EVERYBODY’S
COMFORTABLE.
EXCEPT THE
COMPETITION.
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THE
SIERRA
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— A Farmers and Hunters
Feeding the Hungry report
—A Remington Arms Co. report
Hunting leases
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FISHING GUIDES
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PROPERTIES
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LEASES
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*Call 1-888-4ONSTAR (1-888-466-7827) or visit onstar.com for system
limitations and details.
**Available in the 48 contiguous states. Basic service fees apply. Visit
gm.xmradio.com for details.
© 2005 OnStar Corp. All rights reserved. OnStar and the OnStar emblem are
registered trademarks of OnStar Corporation.
© 2005 XM Satellite Radio Inc. All rights reserved. The XM name and related
logos are registered trademarks of XM Satellite Radio Inc.
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Page 6 July 8, 2005
HUNTING
Changes afoot for
hunters and anglers
N
ew limited-entry management programs for the Texas
oyster and Gulf of Mexico shrimp fisheries, changes in the
game bird stamps hunters are required to buy and clarified enforcement powers for game wardens are just some
of the results of bills passed by the 79th Texas Legislature.
A number of bills that became law affect Texas Parks and Wildlife
along with hunters and anglers. Below are descriptions of selected
bills. Unless otherwise noted below, all new laws take effect Sept. 1.
•HB 505 — This bill makes it a Class C misdemeanor to discharge
a firearm across a private property line while hunting or engaging in
recreational shooting. The bill contains a provision so there is no violation if the person shooting owns both sides of the property line or
has obtained written permission from the landowner.
•HB 506 — Currently, when private property becomes flooded by
a public river or stream, that land can then be used for hunting. This
bill requires a person to obtain landowner consent to hunt a wild animal or wild bird on private land submerged by public water when the
land is conspicuously marked as privately owned.
•HB 1076 — As a token of appreciation for the sacrifices being made
by active duty Texas service members, this bill directs the TPW
Commission to waive all fees for hunting and fishing licenses for Texas
residents on active military duty. A Texas resident is defined as a person who has resided continuously in the state for more than six
months prior to applying for a license.
•HB 1636 — Currently, the TPW defines a resident as an individual
who has resided continuously in Texas for more than six months
immediately before applying for a hunting, fishing, or other TPW
license. However, there are no requirements for documenting whether
or not a person is a bona fide Texas resident. This bill gives the TPW
Commission the authority to establish the proof required to prove residency for the purpose of obtaining a department license or permit.
This bill was technically effective when the governor signed it on June
18. As a practical matter, though, it won’t take effect until the commission adopts the proposed requirements at their Aug. 25 meeting.
•SB 454 — This bill establishes a license moratorium for Texas
gulf shrimp licenses due to overcapitalization (too many boats
working the water). The industry has suffered in recent years from
new entrants in the fishery, market conditions and the increased
cost of production. Furthermore, a moratorium on shrimp licenses
in federal waters (beyond nine nautical miles offshore) is anticipated. The federal moratorium is expected to drive more shrimpers
into the gulf waters. A license moratorium for Texas gulf shrimping
should limit the destabilization of the market for existing participants. This bill took effect when the governor signed it May 20.
•HB 2026 — This bill repeals ambiguous language and clarifies
statutes related to taking wildlife resources, possessing wildlife eggs,
and disposing of seized wildlife, including exotic livestock and fowl.
It also repeals the alligator-hunting license and allows a person to
take an alligator with a general hunting license. The bill repeals the
maximum number of acres for a private bird hunting area and clarifies area sign placement. Internet hunting is banned under the provisions of this bill with a fine of $200 to $2000 and/or 180 days in jail.
A person may not engage in computer-assisted remote hunting of any
animal or bird or provide or operate facilities for computer-assisted
remote hunting if the animal or bird being hunted is in Texas. The bill
also provides a $25 to $500 penalty for a person leaving public or private water who does not remove and lawfully dispose of any harmful
or potentially harmful aquatic plant clinging to the person’s boat,
trailer or vehicle.
For more information visit TPW at www.tpwd.state.tx.us.
—A Texas Parks and Wildlife report
BIRD IN MOUTH: “Gem” retrives a white-winged dove that owner Paul Hudspeth shot near San Antonio.
Texas white-winged zone
changes win approval
T
exas dove hunters will
enjoy a 20-percent
increase in the size of
the
special
whitewinged dove hunting zone this
September.
The U. S. Fish and Wildlife
Service Regulations Committee
has accepted Texas’ proposal to
expand the special white-winged dove zone, adding a new
portion of land west of
Interstate 35 and south of U. S.
Highway 90 near San Antonio.
The special zone is open to
white-winged dove afternoononly hunting the first two
Saturdays and Sundays in
September. Also, a new bag
limit increase will raise the
number of doves from 10 to 12
birds, with no more than four
mourning doves and two
white-tipped doves.
Although the change drops
the mourning dove bag limit
from five to four, it does mean
more hunting opportunities
along the Highway 90 corridor.
Dove hunting starts Sept. 1 just
north of Highway 90 in the
Central Zone, but South Zone
dove hunters until now had to
wait until the first Friday after
Sept. 20 to hunt south of the
highway.
“We’ve seen a huge increase
in whitewings in this section of
country and hunters north of
Highway 90 see whitewings
trading back and forth across
the highway and can’t understand why they can’t hunt both
sides,” said Vernon Bevill, the
TPW’s small game and habitat
assessment program director.
“The real issue with the
Service has been growing concern for mourning doves,”
Bevill added, “which appear to
be declining somewhat rangewide, even though there are
still several hundred million of
them, making them one of the
10 most abundant birds in
North America. We have begun
collaboration with other dovehunting states to band mourning doves and develop better
databases to clearly understand
changes in populations to see
what is really happening. By
gaining the opportunity to
expand the special whitewing
zone, we are at least able to
offer some added opportunity
to hunters asking for this
change.”
The TPW will be actively
monitoring hunting in the area
to ensure the additional opportunity doesn’t adversely impact
mourning doves. Hunters will
have to pay closer attention to
what species of dove they are
targeting to assure they do not
take more than four mourning
doves.
“We are pleased that our staff
put together a good, sciencebased proposal that was acceptable to the Service Regulations
Committee,” said Mike Berger,
the TPW wildlife division director.
Berger said the TPW ran its
proposal past the Central
Flyway Council for its endorsement. The extent of the proposed hunting area was modified as a result.
“That helped eliminate concerns that too many mourning
doves would be taken in an area
where some nesting effort
extends into September,”
Berger said. “Until we have a
better understanding of what is
going on with mourning doves,
we have to be sensitive to err on
the side of the resource.”
Berger went on to say that the
new Migratory Game Bird
Stamp that rolls the waterfowl
and white-winged dove stamps
into one stamp covering all
migratory game birds will give
the TPW additional funding to
direct toward research on
mourning doves.
Since the Texas Legislature
passed SB 1192 in the recent session, all dove hunters will be
Continued on page 10
July 8, 2005 Page 7
Shoot better this year
with tips from DU
W
ith waterfowl seasons just around the
corner, it’s time to
start dusting off
your decoys, getting your dog in
shape, practicing your calling and
patching those leaky waders. And
don’t forget one of the most
important ways to get ready for
hunting — practicing your shotgunning skills.
Becoming a better shot will not
only help you put more ducks in
the bag, it will also help reduce
the number of crippled birds that
get away.
To help hone your skills before
the season starts, here are tips
designed especially for waterfowl
hunters. Ducks Unlimited’s Gary
Goodpaster, with help from Jim
Alexander, explains how these
tips and a little practice can make
you a better shot.
MASTER EYE
Virtually every shooter has a
dominant, or master, eye. To
shoot well, you must use that
dominant eye and shoot from
that shoulder. Most right-handed
shooters have a right dominant
eye, and most lefties have a left
dominant eye. But not always.
Here’s a quick test.
With both eyes open, extend
your arm and index finger full
length and point the index fingertip at a distant object. Keep
both eyes open and focus on the
target object. Now close your left
eye, while still focusing on the
target object. If your fingertip
stays on the target object, you
have a right master eye. If your
finger jumps off of the target
object when you close your left
eye, you probably have a left mas-
ter eye.
If you’ve found that your master eye is on the opposite side of
the shoulder you shoot from,
there are some alternatives.
The simplest and quickest is to
simply close your off-shoulder
master eye and shoot with one
eye only.
But that might not be the best
for you. We suggest that you
check with a competent shooting
instructor at your local gun club
for other options.
QUICK TEST TO SEE IF
YOUR GUN FITS YOU
Make sure your gun is
unloaded, and then fully mount
it to your shoulder with your
eyes closed. Now, open your
eyes, without moving the position of your head on the stock. If
the back of the thumb of your
grip hand (right hand for a righthander) is not touching your
nose, and is no more than two
inches from your nose, the
length of pull is probably fine.
And if your master eye is generally looking down the centerline
of the ventilated rib (laterally),
and it is not notably above or
below the plane of the rib (vertically), the drop at comb is probably fine as well. But, if you don’t
pass both of these quick tests,
you might need a stock adjustment by a competent gunsmith
in your area.
GUN MOUNT
In shotgunning, movement is
everything, and everything is
moving. The target is moving. So
is your body. So is the gun.
Coordinating those movements
is critical to success.
TARGET PRACTICE: John McWilliam pulls for shooters Perry Lowery and Johnny Cantu at the Elm Fork shooting range.
Your movement of the gun to
the target must be confident and
smooth, and the entire shot
process must be fluid. Watch the
target and bring the stock
smoothly up to your cheek. Do
not lower your cheek to the
stock! The butt must nestle firmly against your shoulder, with
your body leaning forward
slightly. As you move to the target, keep the gun firmly against
your shoulder, with your head
firmly on the stock, and the gun
moving smoothly throughout
the shot. Don’t stop moving
until after the shot has been
fired.
Remember, movement is
everything, and everything is
moving. Jerky, hesitant movement is bad. Smooth, confident
movement is good.
FOCUS ON THE TARGET
Of all the lessons a shooter will
learn, this is the most impor-
TWA elects new officers for 2005-2006
T
he
Texas
Wildlife
Association celebrated its
20th anniversary last month
at its annual meeting where a slate
of new leaders were elected for
2005-2006.
Newly elected this year is
Charles Davidson of San
Antonio, president; Dr. Neal
Wilkins of College Station as vice
president; Tina Yturria Buford of
Harlingen as treasurer; and
Randy Rehmann of Austin as secretary. Terms will officially run
through the next annual convention, scheduled in San Antonio,
but new officers typically serve
for a two-year period.
“It was great to see solid representation from all regions of the
state, especially in light of my
objectives for the next two years
that center around serving a
statewide membership and
resource with excellence and continuing to grow our organization
throughout the state,” said
Charles Davidson, TWA president.
Kirby Brown, executive vice
president of TWA and the TWA
Foundation, said the association
continues to provide strong leadership and advocacy.
“We are essentially a habitatbased organization encouraging
sound management for all species,
unlike a lot of the single speciesfocused groups,” Brown said.
Brown encouraged those interested in making a difference for
wildlife and habitat in Texas to
view the TWA website at
www.texas-wildlife.org.
— A Texas Wildlife Association
report
tant. It doesn’t matter if the target is a clay bird or a drake mallard. Watch the target.
Learn to trust your eyes. Your
hands and body will move the
shotgun to where your eyes are
looking. Just make sure they’re
looking at your target. Think
about other sports. How can
Tiger Woods repeatedly make
those incredible shots on a golf
course? His first rule is to watch
the ball. How does Barry Bonds
hit all those home runs? He
keeps his eye on the ball from
the time it leaves the pitcher’s
hand until his bat makes contact
and he drives it over the wall.
And Tiger and Barry don’t just
watch the ball, they focus completely on the ball. Tiger may
focus on just one dimple on that
golf ball, and Barry actually
watches the rotation of that 95mph fastball. They focus completely on their target.
A shotgunner must do the
same thing to become proficient. Pick out your target, focus
on it intently and keep focused
on it until you’ve made the shot.
Then you can relax. Or, if another target is available, refocus on
that second target and repeat
the shot process. But always
watch the target.
“STAY IN THE GUN”
In the language of shotgunners, that means keep your
head down on the stock with
the gun positioned against your
shoulder and your hands in
control of the fore-end and grip
of the shotgun. It’s the equivalent of keeping your hands on
the wheel when driving your
car. Stay in complete control of
the shotgun, and most importantly, keep your head on the
stock.
Lifting you head off the stock
is one of the most frequent causContinued on page 10
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Page 8 July 8, 2005
FISHING
Big-time tarpon
hauled to shore
A
father-son team fishing
for mackerel, instead
hauled in a 7-foot 6-inch
tarpon off Port Aransas,
which will most likely earn the
son a state catch-and-release
record.
Allan Reiter was fishing off
the North Jetty June 21 when a
giant tarpon took his 30pound line at 8:30 p.m. He
used a ribbon fish for bait.
Page Campbell, program specialist for Texas Parks and
Wildlife, said the fish probably
would have been a state record,
but Reiter couldn’t keep it without a tarpon tag. Campbell said
the state record tarpon weighed
210 pounds and measured 80
inches long. Reiter’s fish was 90
inches long, which would
mean the fish probably
weighed 237 pounds by the
Spanish big macs
ready for attack
By Scott Sommerlatte
W
hile most Spanish
mackerel are found
beyond the beach
in the Gulf or along
the surf, many schools of mackerel find their way through the
passes and into the bays.
They can often be found herding glass minnows and small
menhaden beneath wheeling
gulls and terns. Just look for the
jumping baitfish.
Anglers in search of Spanish
mackerel should search no further than the surf or any one of
the numerous passes or jetties
along the 300-plus-mile coast of
Texas. The key to success is a
light wind that pushes the green
water in from offshore. The fish
will move up into the surf and
then slowly work their way into
the passes and bays as long as
conditions remain favorable. A
few hot spots for Spanish mackerel include the Padre Island
surf, the Port Aransas jetties,
Matagorda Bay just inside Pass
Cavallo, and San Luis Pass.
As for tackle for these toothy
critters — chances are, you’ve
already got it. Spanish mackerel
rarely exceed 3 to 4 pounds, with
most running around 2 pounds.
So the standard medium-light
casting or spinning rods used for
trout fishing will suffice for landing one. The fish can be quite
fast and take a great deal of line,
so a reel capable of holding 100
yards of 12-pound test line with
a good, smooth drag is a definite
plus.
When choosing lures for
mackerel, remember they have
lots of sharp teeth. Go with a
large silver spoon with a short
section
of
wire
leader.
Occasionally topwater baits produce well, but because mackerel
typically feed on smaller forage,
downsizing the bait is often necessary to get them to hit.
Spanish mackerel also provides great sport for the fly fish-
Texas Lady Anglers charity event
helps nonprofit breast cancer center
GOOD CATCH: Brian Holden catches a
Spanish mackerel while fly fishing.
erman. An 8-weight rod with a
matching reel is perfect for these
fish. As for flies, small Clouser
Minnows and Deceivers work
well, as do small poppers.
Just a few days ago, the winds
were light and the mackerel
moved in for some fast and furious action — just a reminder
that it’s mackerel time again!
—Scott Sommerlatte is a freelance
writer/photographer based in Lake
Jackson.
Island cabins prove popular with bidders
By David Sikes
T
he Texas Lady Anglers
charity
tournament
raised $6,500 this June
and attracted 61 women
anglers. The money raised will
go to The Rose, a Houston nonprofit group that helps lowincome women receive mammograms and treatments to
fight against breast cancer.
The tournament results are as
follows:
Redfish 1st place - Michelle
Gauthier: 8.41 pounds
Redfish 2nd place - Robbyn
White: 4.92 pounds
Trout 1st place - Tammy
Townsend: 4.21 pounds
Trout 2nd place - Patti
Polensky: 3.75 pounds
Trout 3rd place - Lavona
Kuzniar: 3.53 pounds
Flounder 1st place - Vicki
Pike: 1.77 pounds
Flounder 2nd place - Azalia
Tennis: 1.76 pounds
F
ive new fishing cabins will
be erected soon on the
Upper Laguna Madre spoil
islands for the first time in
decades.
It’s part of an innovative plan
by the Texas General Land Office
to offer cabin sites to the highest
bidders as a way to raise money
for the department.
The pilot program brought in
$112,501 in the first-ever sealedbid sale of cabin sites, which are
accessible only by boat.
GLO officials consider the
recent sale a success, prompting
them to continue the program in
other sections of the Texas coast
as a way to help finance schools.
Permits for land-based cabins
on spoil islands initially were
issued in 1973 to people who had
built a cabin or occupied one
when the School Land Board and
the GLO were granted regulatory
authority over the structures that
year. Since then, permits have
been handed down to the heirs of
permit holders or transferred
with state approval.
Permits must be renewed every
five years. The renewal fee is $175.
And then there is an annual
CABIN FEVER: Fly fishing houses have been popular with anglers in the past.
cabin fee of 60 cents per square
foot. Rules regarding the newly
permitted cabin sites will allow
cabins no greater than 1,000
square feet.
About 84 land-based cabins
exist now on the Upper Laguna
Madre, which holds the highest
concentration of cabins on the
Texas coast. About the same
number of floating cabins are
between Corpus Christi and the
Landcut, just south of Baffin Bay.
Several years ago, a moratorium
was imposed on floating cabins
along the Texas coast, making the
land-based sites more valuable.
In part, the moratorium law was
meant to limit the number of permanently moored houseboats in
coastal waters, while addressing
safety concerns and assigning
accountability to owners.
GLO spokesman Rene Truan
expects bidding on future sites
department’s calculations, she
said.
“It was a big fish,” Campbell
said, adding Reiter fought the
fish for more than four hours.
At the time, he was fishing with
his 72-year-old dad.
Meanwhile, other fish records
await
approval
by
the
International
Game
Fish
Association. Joshua Hill of Dallas
is up for a world record in fly fishing. Hill was using a 16-pound
tippet on the Pedernales River
when he pulled in a smallmouth
buffalo weighing 20 pounds, 14
ounces.
Tim Pruitt of Alton, Ill., stands
to unseat Cody Mullennix of
Howe, Texas, for the blue catfish
record. Pruitt caught a 124pounder. Mullennix’s Lake
Texoma cat weighed 121.5
pounds.
will be spirited. Selection of those
sites is under way.
A total of 12 bidders participated in the June sale, which
involved four sites near Bird
Island and one near Baffin Bay.
The average bid for the remote
lots was $22,500. The GLO had
set $10,000 as the minimum bid
amount.
Successful bidders have 12
months to build a cabin on their
site.
Structures built on these sites
would be the property of the
state. But if builders obey the
rules, the GLO is prepared let
them stay indefinitely.
For program information, email [email protected] or
call Amy Koltermann at (361)
825-3038.
David Sikes writes about the outdoors
for the Corpus Christi Caller-Times.
The Texas Slam winner - Jo
Williams: 7.71 pounds
One trout at 1.89 pounds;
one redfish at 4.43 pounds; one
flounder at 1.38 pounds
Sponsors such as Laguna
Rods, Boaters World, Boats
U.S., Academy and Guy Harvey
pitched in, as well as many
guides who donated trips that
were raffled off:
• South Texas Charters –
South Padre Island
experience.
• Reel Fiddler Charters –
Rockport to Laguna Madre.
• Salty Dawg Guide Service –
Galveston Bay.
• Bay Bound Guide Service –
Galveston Bay.
• Burdett’s Gulf Coast Guide
Service– Trinity, Galveston,
and Matagorda bays.
• Coastal Adventures –
Matagorda Bay.
• Rusted Hook Guide Service –
launch at Port
O’Connor/The Fishing
Center.
• Bay Flats Waterfowl and
Fishing Guide Lodge.
• Fun Fishing Trips, one-half
day trip.
• Captain Elliot’s Party Boat,
12 hour deep sea fishing trip.
• Laguna Guide Team, full day.
• Steve Coffee Guide Service,
full day.
The weigh-in was on June
18th at Topwater Grill in San
Leon, Texas. In addition, a
seminar was held June 17 at
Kemah Community center as
part of the tournament events,
with Capt. Steve Coffee and
Capt. Clint Sholmire providing
information
on
fishing
Galveston Bay using live bait
and lures.
Texas Lady Anglers is now
over 130 ladies strong, sharing
a true passion for fishing.
The next seminar will be July
29 at the Cowboy Ranch in
Pasadena, Texas, with Don
Netek’s Wildlife Cookers.
July 8, 2005 Page 9
Widgeon grass snags up summer fishing
By Diana Kunde
T
his summer’s thick carpet of widgeon grass
growing along the state’s
central coastal region
could prove a headache for
boaters and anglers now, but it
probably bodes well for fall fishing, say guides and biologists.
“From a selfish, human standpoint, it limits the fishing,” said
Brian Holden, head guide at
Redfish Lodge on Copano Bay.
“From a biological standpoint,
it’s doing wonderful things for
our fishing. I’m realistic. We
can’t fish certain areas, but I
know what the extensive grasses
do to protect the fish that live
there.”
Holden has seen large stands
of widgeon in parts of Copano
Bay, St. Charles Bay and
Sundown Bay. “The widgeon has
become so long and overgrown
that in some places it appears
like a bad comb-over,” he said.
This time of year all seagrasses
are growing. But the widgeon
grass (scientific name: ruppia
maritima) — one of five species
of seagrass that line the shallow
flats and inlets of the coast —
got a special boost from nearly
TPW stocks 7.2 million fish
T
he Inland Fisheries
Division of Texas Parks
and Wildlife produced
and stocked 4.6 million
striped bass and hybrid striped
bass fingerlings into 42 lakes this
season. An additional 2.6 million striped bass and hybrid
striped bass fry were stocked into
just three lakes.
This number of fish is in the
middle of average production
levels prior to the onset of golden alga, said Gerald Kurten,
hatchery program director for
catfishes and striped bass.
Golden alga is a microscopic
organism that can produce toxins capable of killing fish of any
size.
“We are proud to be back
where we should be in spite of
the fact that golden alga continues to be problematic for both
the Dundee and Possum
Kingdom hatcheries,” Kurten
said.
This year’s stockings represent
about 80 percent of the requests
from the TPW’s Inland Fisheries
managers. The TPW is keenly
aware of the importance of the
striped bass and hybrid striped
bass fisheries to local economies,
said Gary Saul, TPW hatcheries
chief.
“Our staff works around the
clock for weeks to produce and
stock these fish in order to sustain this valuable fishery,” he
said.
The fingerlings were produced
at the A.E. Wood Hatchery at
San Marcos, the Possum
Kingdom Hatchery near Graford
and the Dundee Hatchery near
Electra.
The process began with the
collection of striped bass males
and egg-laden females from the
Trinity River at the foot of
Livingston Dam in mid-April.
The fish were transported in
tank trailers to the hatcheries,
where TPW fisheries biologists
and technicians continuously
monitored the females to determine when their eggs were
mature and ready to be spawned.
Technicians then stripped the
eggs from each female into a
container while milt from one or
more males was added. The eggs
and milt were mixed using a
turkey feather, and the fertilized
eggs were then placed into
hatching jars. Large striped bass
females are capable of producing
as many as a million eggs.
After the fry hatched, most
were reared in outdoor ponds to
fingerling size, about 1.5 inches
long, before being stocked into
lakes.
The presence of golden alga at
the Possum Kingdom and
Dundee hatcheries complicated
the production. Hatchery personnel monitored the level of
golden alga toxins continuously
during the spawning and growout periods and took measures
to ensure the fish survived.
Successful management of fingerling ponds requires constant
attention to water quality
parameters such as temperature,
pH and ammonia concentrations. High pH and ammonia
concentrations are the key to
keeping golden alga at bay in
hatchery ponds, but they are
also potentially lethal to young
striped bass. Hatchery staff must
perform a balancing act to maintain the appropriate conditions
in the ponds. Fluctuations in
temperature and cloud cover
also have an impact, and the
staff must consider how future
weather will affect the ponds.
When golden alga is present, the
fish can be lost at any time during pond production, so constant vigilance on the part of the
hatchery staff and predictable
weather are the keys to success.
Striped bass are anadromous
like salmon in that they spawn
in fresh water and then migrate
out to salt water. Striped bass
were first introduced into Texas
in 1967, when they were stocked
into lakes Navarro, Mills and
Bardwell. They can survive in
fresh water and, except in Lake
Texoma, they normally do not
produce enough offspring naturally to maintain their population. The TPW stocks fish to supplement the natural production
and provide additional fishing
opportunities.
“The way our hatcheries do
the spawning absolutely makes
them the leaders in this field,”
said Roger McCabe, who retired
in June 2005 after heading the
Texas striped bass program for a
quarter of a century. “As far as
stocking for maintaining fisheries is concerned, we have the
largest striped bass and hybrid
striped bass stocking program in
the country.”
Striped Bass Stockings,
2005:
• E. V. Spence: 37,243
• Possum Kingdom: 156,355
• Buffalo Springs: 3,686
• Whitney: 332,999
• Kemp (Baylor County):
149,771
• Granbury: 125,155
• Livingston: 526,148
• Amistad: 318,908
• Lavon: 107,008
• Canyon: 40,997
• Tawakoni: 100,211
• Buchanan: 150,100
• Travis: 96,000
—A Texas Parks and Wildlife
report
20 months of heavy rainfall in
the drainage areas of the San
Antonio and Guadalupe rivers,
said Dennis Pridgen, fisheries
biologist with Texas Parks and
Wildlife. These drainage areas
empty into coastal estuaries,
Pridgen said.
“What’s happened is that widgeon grass had a really good year
last year. It put out a tremendous
seed bed, and as those seeds
floated out they found good
conditions,” Pridgen said.
That’s because widgeon grass
— so named because it attracts
the American widgeon and
Continued on page 11
OVERGROWTH: Widgeon grass is taking over many back country lakes along the barrier
islands.
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Page 10 July 8, 2005
Continued from page 1
Academy grows with the market
Archery
Anchorage,
Alaska,
native
assigned to the Bravo Company,
145th
Support
Battalion.
“Archery is big in Alaska. And
from what I understand, archery
is also big there in Idaho.’’
Russell’s e-mailed plea for help
with starting an Iraq archery
club caught the attention of Ron
Carmichael, who runs the Texas
State Archery Association’s Web
site. Carmichael quickly set up a
TSAA fund-raiser that collected
nearly $1,900, including donations from archers around the
country. A Pennsylvania archery
supply store is stretching those
funds by applying purchase discounts and handling the shipping.
“I thought that even if you’re
against the war,” Carmichael
said, “here’s something you can
do to help the guys over there
instead of just putting a stupid
magnet on your car.”
Ousted by firearms in the 16th
century as the dominant battlefield weapon, the bow and arrow
remains popular for competitions and hunting. Russell’s
archery club would focus on targets and competitions, but he
has been told there may be some
wild boar in the vicinity.
He admits it would be interesting to see the look on the face of
an insurgent who met up with
some American archers.
“I’m not sure that the insurgents would know how to react if
they saw someone carrying a
bow,’’ he said.
He jokes but he knows the
threat of an attack is relentless,
especially in a war with no
defined combat front. Two soldiers from his battalion were
killed within a few days of each
other in June, one in a bomb
attack and the other from a noncombat incident. One of the soldiers, Staff Sgt. Virgil Case, was a
member of his company and
among those anxiously awaiting
the arrival of archery equipment.
“He was a big bow hunter back
home in Mountain Home,
Idaho,’’ Russell said. “That week
was hard on a lot of us, but we all
deal with it in our own ways and
get on with life. It is important
to remember that they both died
for their country and making a
difference in Iraq.”
Such stress makes recreation
all the more important, said Sgt.
Maj. Eric Parris of III Corps public affairs at Fort Hood.
“That’s one of the things you
fight,” he said. “It’s a challenge
to make sure they have some
quality down time.”
Parris recently returned from a
year-long deployment in Iraq,
where he was based at Camp
Victory, which was set up in a former palace of Saddam Hussein.
Recreational opportunities were
plentiful — pools, a recreation
center and a gym were available.
At Camp Anaconda, an hour’s
drive north of Baghdad, Parris
said facilities included a building
converted into a movie theater.
He hadn’t heard of an archery
club in Iraq, though. “That definitely would be different,” he
said. “But there’s definitely room
for it.”
Archery wouldn’t be Russell’s
only weapon against the stress
and boredom. The post has two
gyms with weights, basketball
and volleyball, a swimming pool
and a pitching machine. Soldiers
recently competed in a wild-animal-calling contest.
“These items and events allow
for us to unwind and forget — for
a little bit — where we are,”
Russell said.
Bravo Company is finding lots
of support among archers back
home. Some equipment has
already started to arrive in Iraq —
six compound bows and two
recurve bows. Arrows and targets, though, were lagging
behind as of June 27.
Lancaster Archery Supply in
Pennsylvania is coordinating the
shipping of the Texas archery
association’s project, said TSAA
President Michael Hojnacki.
Ten Ring Archery, a store near
Chicago, has sent a care package
— two bows, a dozen arrows, targets, arm guards and sights — in
response to the TSAA request.
“And we sent some bow hunter
magazines because they said
they didn’t have much to read,’’
said store owner Ken Walther, an
archer since his Boy Scout days.
“It’s my way of saying thanks for
what they’re doing. This is something we can truly help them
with.”
—Robert Cadwallader is a FortWorth area freelancer with more
than two decades of experience as a
journalist and writer.
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the Wild Side…
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A
cademy
Sports
&
Outdoors will open its
premier Texas store in
Corpus Christi on July 14
in response to a growing need for
retail space.
At 81,000 square feet, the store
will be the chain’s largest Texas
location — more than 15,000
square feet bigger than the company’s traditional store.
“It’s huge for us,” said Carl Main,
Academy’s advertising director.
“This will be a premier store.”
Academy has been quietly
expanding the size of its stores,
Main said. The company’s stores
used to be in the range of 50,000
square feet.
“When you look at our stores,
we’re just flat outgrowing them,”
Main said. “It was a struggle for
everyone — associates and customers. That’s why we went to
65,000 square feet as our basic layout. But with Corpus Christi and
other select markets, we wanted to
step out there and try something
new.”
Academy officials say they aren’t
responding to superstores like the
one Cabela’s recently built in Fort
Worth that’s more than 230,000
square feet. So don’t look for an
aquarium or the entire product
line, said Academy District
Manager Jeff Richards. But do look
for better service.
“I don’t know that you’ll see a
tremendous amount of different
equipment,” Richards said. “We
will have room for expanded
inventories. For example, we’ll be
able to keep a selection of hunting
products year-round in this store.
Most of all, though, our customers
will have an easier time shopping.
Our store will give them room to
move around. Our customers in
Corpus Christi have always supported us very nicely in a cramped
location. We wanted to do something to provide a better shopping
experience for our customers
there.”
Academy Sports & Outdoors
traces its roots in Texas back to
1938, when founder Max
Gochman opened Academy Tire
Shop in San Antonio. In the early
’80s, Academy added sports and
outdoor items to its product line.
Opening across the street from
the old store, Academy’s new
Corpus Christi store will provide a
smooth transition for customers.
The grand opening is July 30.
“We’ll close down our current
location on the evening of July
13,” Richards said, “and we’ll open
our new store the next day, July 14,
at 9 a.m.”
—A staff report
Shoot better
FOLLOW THROUGH
low through” concept generally
applies to the completion phase
of the shot. A shooter can do
almost everything right and still
miss the target. That’s usually
because he stops moving the
gun just as he pulls the trigger, or
shortly thereafter. It’s a guaranteed miss.
To watch an online video of
these
techniques
visit:
www.ducks.org/waterfowling/s
hotgunning/index.asp.
Movement is everything, and
everything is moving. The “fol-
— A Ducks Unlimited report
es of missed targets. Remember
that your master eye is actually
the rear sight of the gun. To keep
that rear sight on the target,
your head must stay on the
stock. If you move your head at
all, your master eye (your rear
sight) moves too, and the result
is almost always a miss. Keep
your head down until after the
shot is fired.
Continued from page 6
Dove
required to purchase the new $7
Migratory Game Bird Stamp this
fall. However, there will be no
practical change for a large percentage of dove hunters who
were already buying the whitewinged dove stamp.
“As it was, we were already seeing more than 60 percent of
dove hunters buying the Whitewinged Dove Stamp, probably
because whitewing numbers
have grown so much and spread
so far that hunters were concerned about staying legal,” said
Robert L. Cook, the TPW executive director.
Cook said the new stamp gives
the TPW added flexibility to
address mourning dove needs
because the agency could not
spend white-winged stamp
funds on research involving
mourning doves.
“Hunters should thank the
game bird hunting conservation
groups that supported game bird
stamp reorganization in the
recent legislative session, including Ducks Unlimited, Dove
Sportsman’s Society, National
Wild Turkey Federation, Quail
Unlimited,
and
Texas
Audubon,” Cook said.
The recommendations approved by the USFWS regulations
committee must be published in
the Federal Register for another
30-day comment period. If they
are approved, the 2005 dove
SEASON OPENER: Doves prove plentiful.
season will be as follows: North
Zone — Sept. 1-Oct. 30, with a
15-bird bag and not more than
two white-tipped doves; Central
Zone — Sept. 1-Oct. 30 and
reopening Dec. 26 — Jan. 4,
with a 12-bird bag and not more
than two white-tipped doves;
South Zone — Sept. 23-Nov. 10
and reopening Dec. 26-Jan. 15
with a 12-bird bag but not more
than two white-tipped doves;
Special South Texas Whitewing
Zone — Sept. 3-4 and Sept. 1011 afternoon only, with a 12bird aggregate bag including
not more than four mourning
doves and two white-tipped
doves.
The USFWS has also indicated
there will be a September teal
season this year, with details to
come later.
—A Texas Parks and Wildlife
report
July 8, 2005 Page 11
Safety advice and facts for anglers
Continued from page 1
Vibrio
such as vibrio vulnificus, which
is the same microorganism that
sometimes makes people sick
from eating raw oysters.
Two other bacteria, staph and
strep, have infected anglers in the
Coastal Bend. Both men had openings in their skin and both have
recovered. These three bacteria
occasionally invade the body
through skin wounds but none is
known to penetrate healthy skin.
The vibrio victim, Rockport
guide James Fox, 64, was hospitalized for nearly three weeks after
the bacteria entered his bloodstream through a small abrasion
between his fingers. Fox’s treatment included an aggressive
regime of intravenous antibiotics
followed by plastic surgery to
reconstruct his hand.
His advice? Don’t neglect the
symptoms of infection.
Symptoms generally include
redness and/or swelling, pain,
VIRUS: Rockport guide James Fox is recovering from an infection. Photo by Laura Fox.
discoloration and localized
warmth.
While the Texas Department of
Health Services documents some
three dozen cases of vibrio annually, only a tiny fraction of these
involve anglers who contracted
the infection through wounds.
And there is no indication that
vibrio infections are on the rise.
Eating tainted oysters is the primary source of illness from the
bacteria. Most deaths attributed to
vibrio involve high-risk patients
who are elderly or have liver problems, deficient immune systems,
diabetes, gastric disorders, cancer
or steroid dependency.
Health officials are quick to
point out that millions of people
fish, wade, swim or otherwise
come in contact with coastal
waters each summer without any
ill effects.
—David Sikes writes about the
outdoors for the Corpus Christi
Caller-Times.
Continued from page 1
Frogs
other lure can go.
“Buzzing frogs have taken the
bass world by storm. It’s really a
hot bait on the tournament trail.
Many companies are coming out
with similar baits,” said Gresham.
In weedy lakes, such as Toledo
Bend or Sam Rayburn, grass
grows so thick in places that
these type of baits are often
mandatory.
“A Ribbit looks like a live frog as
it runs on top of the water over
virtually any cover,” said Lonnie
Stanley, a five-time Bassmaster
Classic veteran and owner of
Stanley Lures in Huntington.
Rigged weedless, it’s designed to
go across thick, matted grass or
lily pads. It can do what topwaters, buzzbaits and Texas-rigged
baits can do, all in one package.
Anglers can also use the “stop
and hop” method. Let a frog sit
on a matted surface for a
moment. Then, pop it vigorously
and repeat. The commotion simulates a live frog. This method
works effectively in places where
lily pads grow thick or matted
grass can support the weight of a
frog.
“We can’t fish thick pads with
a conventional spinnerbait or
other lure,” Gresham said. “I fish
buzzing frogs in matted grass and
lily pads at Lake Sam Rayburn
and Toledo Bend.”
GETTING THE JUMP: A largemouth bass preys on a frog bait. Photo by David J. Sams,
Lone Star Outdoor News.
John N. Felsher is an outdoor writer
based in Lake Charles, La.
Continued from page 9
Widgeon grass
other duck species — prefers less
saline water than the other four
seagrass varieties. It got that, in
spades, due to heavier-thanusual rains in the Texas Hill
Country that eventually drained
into the mid-coastal waters.
The slender, tall grass grows
back farther from the coast, in
the more inland, or tertiary,
estuaries where salt content is
lower. Pridgen saw an especially
big stand earlier this month just
where Copano Creek empties
into the bay, an area popularly
known as the Turtle Pen.
Widgeon grass is more noticeable when it does have a good
year because it grows taller than
the other four species, Pridgen
said. The “comb-over” effect
Holden described is probably
due to seeds and flowers that
grow above the surface of the
water, he said.
Bobby Caskey, owner of Shoal
Grass Lodge in Aransas Pass, said
he doesn’t see much widgeon
grass — but what he’s seen is in
big stands. “We don’t have a
whole lot of it around here, but
what we do have seems to be
doing well. You can be in 2 feet
of water and it’s all the way to
the surface,” he said.
Widgeon and other seagrasses
are valuable because of the many
functions they perform in the
overall ecology of the coastal
area, said Ed Hegan, regional
director for the southern coast in
TPW’s coastal fisheries division.
“It provides hiding and protection for small shrimp and fish
that larger fish feed on. It stabilizes the soil. It also recycles
nutrients and produces oxygen,
like any plant,” Hegan said. The
grass beds also function as fish
nurseries. TPW recently reinstituted the scientific designation
for the Redfish Bay State
Scientific Area, protecting 14,000
acres of seagrass beds, and therefore the fishing habitat.
Typically, seagrasses die back
in the fall, clearing more areas of
the shallow flats and estuaries.
“As soon as it does that, the
fish will be exposed a little
more,” said Holden. “I’m sure
they’ve had a great summer.
They’ve eaten like pigs. I’ve no
doubt fishing will be good in the
fall.”
Diana Kunde has 30 years of
experience writing and editing for
newspapers that include the Dallas
Morning News. She is a free-lancer
based in Arlington, reachable at
[email protected].
• Know that wounds exposed to
seawater (whether wading, shore
fishing or fishing from a boat)
could become infected with vibrio
vulnificus.
• This bacterium is more prevalent during warmer months in
shallow bays.
• Don't wade with open (particularly fresh) wounds that could be
exposed to seawater.
• Alcohol consumption substantially enhances chances of
infection.
• Seek medical attention immediately if a wound, cut, burn or sore
rapidly becomes painful, swollen,
discolored or feels hot after exposure to fish/shellfish and/or seawater. Don't wait until tomorrow.
Sometimes hours count.
• Seek medical attention if you
experience fever, chills, vomiting
or dizziness during or after fishing
or
eating
raw/undercooked
seafood.
• If you cut or puncture your skin
while
fishing
or
handling
fish/shellfish, flush the wound
with soap and/or freshwater immediately. Bring freshwater and antibacterial wash along for this purpose.
• Use over-the-counter betadine,
peroxide, diluted chlorine bleach,
antiseptic soap or cleanser to treat
cuts or pricks incurred while fishing, cleaning seafood or swimming
in seawater.
• Freezing and refrigeration do
not kill this bacterium. Cooking
well does.
• People at higher risk of infection include patients with diabetes,
liver disorders, immune deficiencies, gastric disorders, cancer or
steroid dependency and alcoholics.
• Vibrio vulnificus infections are
not contagious.
For more information, visit
www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/vibriovulnificusg.htm or
www.epi.state.nc.us/epi/hab/vibfactsheet.html
Source: Texas Department of
Health, vibrio victims and
physician interviews
Page 12 July 8, 2005
ADVENTURE
San Juan magic: tiny flies, big trout
Enchanting New Mexico trout stream is a must-visit tailwater for Texas anglers
By Lynn Burkhead
D
riving east from Aztec, New Mexico,
along Highway 173, the desert wilderness seems to be virtually devoid of life.
Any life. As the sun bakes the parched
earth into a dusty brown, the colors of the rainbow
trout seem to be far, far away.
And yet, suddenly, the twisting two-lane road
winds across a bridge in the shadow of Abe’s Motel
and Fly Shop below Navajo Dam and there it is, the
cold, rushing bluish-green waters known to fly
fishermen across the world over as the San Juan
River.
Legendary trout waters sometimes fail to live up to their advanced billing. But on my
first sojourn to this desert trout stream a few years ago to fish with guide Matt Pyle, I
found everything I had ever heard about this desert dream stream to be true.
“If it was in my backyard and no one else could fish it, yeah, it would be the perfect
trout stream,” quipped guide Matt Pyle of the San Juan.
After doing some guiding while working for the National Wildlife Federation, Pyle
discovered the San Juan River. He caught an 8-pound trout on his second journey to
the tailwater fishery, and the rest, as they say, is history.
What intrigued the high school science teacher, guide and commercial fly tyer the
most were the huge rainbow trout the San Juan supported and the tiny flies they
gulped down.
“It is a very unique fishery,” Pyle said. “You’ll see the fish rising and it will look like
they’re not eating anything — you’ll look a little closer and you’ll see a little black dot.”
“Fish are keying in on a little black speck. It’s hard to believe they’ll expend the energy to chase something so tiny, but they do. The good thing is that they have to eat a
lot of them.”
Once I adjusted to the art of fishing tiny midges and dry flies, the San Juan more
than lived up to its advance billing.
IF YOU GO:
Navajo Dam: about 26 miles
west of Aztec, N.M. on Highway
173.
Abe’s Motel and Fly Shop:
1793 Highway 173
Navajo Dam, NM 87419
(505) 632-2194
The motel has rooms with one
to four double beds; most have
kitchenettes. Rates are from
$40 to $105 plus tax. Rates are
subject to change without
notice.
The full-service fly shop offers
a complete range of tackle and
gear and fishing licenses can be
purchased there.
In fact, by the time my fishing partner, Doug
Rodgers of Whitesboro, Texas, and I had stumbled
into our room, we had managed to land more than
two dozen spunky fish between the two of us.
Weary yes, but still able to wear the silly grins on
our faces that fly anglers have after a superb, but
challenging day on the water.
“Bites are sometimes extremely subtle,” Pyle
advises. “You have to be able to recognize the
strike. Any subtle hesitation, flicker, or pause on
the strike indicator, and you’ve got to be ready to
set the hook.”
What equipment should an angler use to set the
hook? Dennis Harrison of Abe’s Fly Shop and
Motel provides the answer with more than two
decades of experience to back it up.
“I’d suggest either a 9-foot five-weight or six-weight rod,” Harrison said. “Our river is
fairly large and open and the average size of the fish is anywhere from 16 to 18 inches
and many will go in excess of 20 inches. There are a few real hogs out here up to 28
inches and you need a rod with a lot of backbone to fight these fish.”
Harrison suggests a 9-foot 5X or 6X leader. Off of that, he’ll usually fish a dropper
combination with a 5X tippet section from the leader to the attractor fly, then dropping a 16- to 18-inch section of 6X tippet from the eye of the attractor fly to his dropper fly.
Some say that the San Juan has slipped a bit in recent years due to drought-induced
low water flows and the ever-present angling crowds. But if it has, it’s hard to tell since
fishing is generally being reported as good this year.
Plus, after the runoff from massive winter snows filled the reservoir above the
Navajo Dam earlier this spring, a silt-cleansing flow of nearly 5,000 cubic feet per second has resulted.
“We’re kind of spoiled here with lots of big fish, lots of small bugs, and lots of light
tippets,” Pyle said.
And that’s the magic of the San Juan.
July 8, 2005 Page 13
PRODUCT PICKS
SINK OR SWIM. It’s the weighted balance and bent-blade
design that give the Power Bait Blade Dancer such
versatility. This means fishermen have more ways to work
this lure: They can jig it, swim it, drop it, pause it or
walk it. Berkley’s bait is pre-rigged with a grub, which
has a swimming tail, realistic textured fins and 3-D eyes.
The Blade Dancer comes in four sizes (from 1/16-ounce
to 3/8-ounce) and 15 colors. It costs about $5.50 (which
includes three extra bodies). For retailers, visit
www.berkley-fishing.com or call (800) 237-5539.
FALLING FOR A LINE. P-Line promises more strikes with this
fishing line, which is extruded from Japanese fluorocarbon
crystals. Because fluorocarbon has a refractive index very
close to that of water, the line virtually disappears when
immersed. This 20-pound, 250-yard line costs about $22. For
retailers, check the company’s website at www.p-line.com or
call (800) 537-2394.
ALL CHOKED UP. Quiet that
cough this cold and flu season
with the Magnum Cough Muffler.
This compact muffler by
Hunter’s Specialties features a
satin finish to minimize
reflections and is easy to
disassemble for cleaning. It
sells for about $20. Go to
www.hunterspec.com or call
(319) 395-0321 for the nearest
dealer.
NONSCENTS. This Unscented Hand Lotion formulated by the Wildlife
Research Center will allow outdoorsmen to moisturize dry hands without
the fragrances that can spook fish and game. The 4-ounce size costs
about $4.50. For the nearest dealer, e-mail the research center at
[email protected] or call (800) 873-5873.
A STEADY HAND. The Level-Level-Level by Wheeler Engineering
is designed to make it easier to perfectly mount a scope on a
bolt-action rifle. The magnetic base in the rifle level bridges
the bolt raceway, allowing users to position the rifle perfectly
level, according to the manufacturer. Then, just level the
scope and tighten the rings. It retails for about $20. For
dealers, go to www.battenfeldtechnologies.com or call (573)
446-3857.
SPREAD IT ON THICK. Abby Manufacturing’s spreader is just the right size for those in
the hunting industry to seed and fertilize their food plots. Its polyethylene hopper
and stainless-steel splash guard and spreading mechanism are corrosion-resistant. It
sells for about $750. For the nearest retailer, call Terry Abby at (888) 794-4004.
For more information about this implement, which attaches to an ATV, visit
www.abbymfg.com.
BAG ’EM. The Excell Auto 5 by H&R 1871 LLC is a self-loading,
12-gauge shotgun. It feature 5-shot magazines, ventilated
recoil pads and up to a 3-inch Magnum capability. This one, in
walnut stock, retails for about $460. It’s also available in a
black synthetic stock, a hardwood camo pattern for turkey
hunters or a wetlands pattern for water fowlers. To check out
all its features or for dealer information, visit www.hr1871.com
or call customer service at (978) 630-8220.
A BETTER VIEW. The new Nikon Buckmasters
riflescope has gotten more ergonomic. It’s
rounder and sleeker, but with the same great
optics and exceptional light transmission. This
3-9x40 riflescope features a matte finish and
costs about $200. Its body tube is
constructed from aircraft-grade aluminum. The
scopes are O-ring sealed and nitrogen-filled for
waterproof, fog-proof and shockproof
performance in the field. For dealers, go to
www.nikonsportoptics.com or call (800) 6456687 (option 7).
ALLURING BAIT. Tiny propellers on the front of
these Pistol Pete flies create an action and
sound that attract the fish, according to the
makers. Hi-Country Flies, Inc. makes the
flies in more than 50 patterns and sizes. For
pike or saltwater game fishing, try the
Simple Saltwater Streamer #1/0, which
comes in orange, chartreuse or blue. It costs
$3.34 or $39 per dozen. To order, call (888)
846-6900. Visit www.pistolpeteflies.com for
more information.
Page 14 July 8, 2005
MADE IN TEXAS
Ties bind Texan
to his past
By Mary Helen Aguirre
B
y the time T.J. Neal was
10 — when he first cast
in the shallow, crystal
clear waters of Port
Mansfield — he was familiar
with the fly fishermen’s rite.
Before each outing, his grandfather and father would painstakingly and patiently tie the flies
they were planning to use.
“(Tying your own flies) adds a
little bit to the whole experience,” Neal explained.
Now, as the owner of East Cut
Saltwater Flies, it’s something he
does professionally for other
anglers. Through his Boernebased business, he designs and
manufactures saltwater flies sold
in more than 50 retail shops
throughout Texas and along the
Gulf Coast.
“I saw there was a market for
Texas-style saltwater flies,” said
Neal, who started his company
in 1999 and named it for the East
Cut (which runs from Port
Mansfield to the Gulf).
Most companies offer flies
that are slightly too big for use in
Texas, he said. Unlike such
locales as Louisiana or Florida,
where fly fisherman cast in
deeper waters, Texas fishing
takes place in shallow, clear
water. So the wily fish need to be
lured in with smaller flies.
The Texas A&M University
graduate designed a colorful
half-inch redfish popper fashioned from foam and started
marketing it. He also designed
other downsized saltwater flies
and modified existing patterns.
In the beginning, he said, he
was tying all his own flies.
Now that his company offers
20 to 30 patterns (each in different sizes and colors), he contracts
out most of the tedious handiwork to three or four people.
But on some, like his best-selling Scott’s Spoon Fly designed by
fishing guide Scott Graham, Neal
personally hand finishes the flies.
He places about 30 dozen of the
one-inch flies on a rotating
drum. Then, using a small disposable paint brush, he carefully
coats the baits’ prismatic tape
bodies with epoxy, which makes
them more durable.
“What’s superior about T.J.’s
flies is the quality and attention
to detail,” said Ray Boazman of
San Antonio.
Boazman, who’s been fly fish-
T.J. Neal’s company, East Cut Saltwater Flies, offers hand-tied flies ranging from $3 to $6. For the future, he’s concentrating
on adding more patterns and selling to more stores. Although he handles sales in Texas, he has added a sales representative for
Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas. Photo by Angela Ramos.
ing for 15 years, said if he had to
pick one bait with which to fish,
it would be a spoon. “What T.J.
has tied is a miniature version of a
Johnson Spoon,” he said of the
fly that sparkles and wobbles in
the water. “The fish will come
from 10 feet away to get one.”
Most of Neal’s saltwater flies
average about 3 to 4 inches. They
are made from natural materials,
including feathers and deer hair,
and synthetic materials such as
yarns, chenille and filaments.
Neal said that as a businessman, he prefers the synthetics
because they’re more consistent.
“It’s easier to get my patterns to
look the same.”
Developing patterns is one
aspect of his business he especially enjoys. Perhaps because it
takes him back out to the water,
where he tests potential designs.
“Fishing is a big part of what I
do,” he said.
Mary Helen Aguirre is a native
Texan with almost 15 years of
experience editing and writing for
newspapers, including the Atlanta
Journal-Constitution. She is a freelancer in Connecticut.
BORDERING TEXAS
ARKANSAS
BASS FISHERMEN HELP
AGFC STOCK LAKE OUACHITA
Arkansas bass fishermen continue to do their part in helping
improve Lake Ouachita’s bass
fishery. The Arkansas Game and
Fish Commission’s fisheries
division, along with the
Arkansas Black Bass Coalition,
have recently completed scheduled stockings of largemouth
bass and smallmouth bass into
Lake Ouachita.
The group assisted AGFC biologists by distributing the fingerling size bass throughout Lake
Ouachita. ABBC members provided the use of their fishing
boats in carrying the young
bass, in stock tanks, to select
habitat sites.
According to AGFC biologist
Brett Hobbs, more than 66,000
fingerling smallmouth bass were
stocked into sites on the east end
of the lake, while 62,000 fingerling size largemouth bass were
released into mid-lake sites.
“These hatchery-reared young
bass should add to a good natural spawn present throughout
the lake,” Hobbs said.
Prior to bass stockings, AGFC
fishery biologists sampled
shoreline fish cover at numerous
locations around Lake Ouachita,
Hobbs said. “With rare exception, young largemouth bass are
present in shallow vegetation
from one end of the lake to the
other,” he said.
Additional largemouth bass
will be stocked into the western
end of Lake Ouachita in early
July through the AGFC’s nursery
pond.
Approximately
40,000 largemouth bass will be
about 5 inches in length when
released.
The smallmouth bass fingerlings were produced at the
AGFC’s Andrew Hulsey State
Fish Hatchery near Hot Springs
while the largemouth bass fingerlings stocked were produced
at Joe Hogan State Fish
Hatchery near Lonoke.
LOUISIANA
MULTIPLE FINES ISSUED
The National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration’s
Office of General Counsel for
Enforcement and Litigation has
issued Notices of Violation and
Assessment (NOVAs) totaling
$20,500 that allege Gulf Reef
fishermen John Tabor, John
Langlois, John Hagmann and
George Donaldson violated the
Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery
Conservation and Management
Act.
The recreational fishermen
were the subjects of a year-long
investigation for allegedly selling recreationally caught Gulf
reef fish by the NOAA Fisheries
Service’s Office for Law
Enforcement and the Louisiana
Department of Wildlife and
Fisheries.
“Basically, these fishermen
were spear-fishing around the
oil rigs in the Gulf and then selling their catch to a seafood dealer in Baton Rouge,” said Special
Agent Steve Campbell, NOAA
Fisheries Service’s Office for Law
Enforcement
–
Southeast
Division.
Gulf reef fish are subject to
annual quotas split between the
commercial and recreational
fisheries as determined by the
Gulf
of
Mexico
Fishery
Management Council. Only
reef fish harvested under the
commercial quota may be sold.
Recreational fishermen are subject to individual catch limits,
and Gulf reef fish possessed
under the catch limits may not
be sold or purchased.
To report illegal fishing activities, contact the NOAA Fisheries
Service’s Enforcement Hot Line
at 800-853-1964.
around. It eclipsed the old
record, a 33-pound, 8-ounce
blue catfish caught in 1999 by
Tubby Oldfield, also at Elephant
Butte Lake. The North American
and world record blue catfish
weighed 121 pounds, 8 ounces
and was caught in 2004 at Lake
Texoma in Texas.
Gower, from Truth or
Consequences, caught his big
blue in the North Monticello
area of Elephant Butte Lake. He
used cut carp as bait on a trotline.
Elephant Butte Lake is known
for producing very large catfish.
The state record flathead catfish,
a 78-pounder that measured 47
1⁄2 inches long, was caught
there by Jim Wilson in 1979.
OKLAHOMA
NEW MEXICO
ANGLER LANDS STATE
RECORD BLUE CATFISH AT
ELEPHANT BUTTE LAKE
David Gower raised the bar for
New Mexico’s record blue catfish catch by more than 18 1⁄2
pounds on June 20 when he successfully landed a 52-pound, 1⁄4ounce whopper at Elephant
Butte Lake.
The new state record, subject
to final confirmation, was 43 1⁄2
inches long and 30 1⁄4 inches
TEXOMA PRODUCING BIG
STRIPERS
The water level may be down six feet low, but rising at last
report - but the fishing at Lake
Texoma is as good as ever.
Anglers on the sprawling reservoir are reporting excellent
striped bass fishing over the last
several weeks.
“Not only are folks catching
good numbers of stripers, they’re
also catching some big fish,” said
Paul Mauck, south central region
fisheries supervisor for the
Oklahoma
Department
of
Wildlife Conservation. “I have
had several reports of fish from
20 to 25 pounds.”
Lake Texoma, located on the
Red River along the Oklahoma
and Texas border, has earned a
reputation as being one of the
top striper lakes in the nation.
Known for their outstanding
fighting abilities, striped bass are
long-lived and fast growing.
Stripers are voracious predators
with a diet consisting mainly of
threadfin and gizzard shad.
“The striped bass population is
really in good shape right now.
And the number of fish over 20
inches has been impressive during the last few weeks,” Mauck
said.
Anglers are allowed to keep
two stripers over 20 inches in
length, and Mauck is urging
anglers to exercise caution once
they catch their limit.
“This time of year, schools of
stripers will often move to deeper water to find cooler temperatures,” Mauck said. “There can
be problems when you pull a big
fish up quickly from 30 feet or
deeper and then release it. Their
air bladders cannot compensate
for the quick changes in pressure
and the fish may die.”
Mauck said the best thing to
do is find another school of fish
once anglers have caught two big
stripers. Additionally, information on how to release the pressure on the striper’s air bladder
can be found at wildlifedepartment.com.
Those fishing Lake Texoma
need either an Oklahoma or
Texas annual fishing license,
depending on which state’s
waters they will be fishing, or
anglers can purchase a Lake
Texoma Fishing License for $12.
The Lake Texoma license allows
an angler to fish the entire lake.
July 8, 2005 Page 15
WEATHER
MOON PHASES
New
July 6
For up-to-the-minute weather forecasts, please visit www.accuweather.com
Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2005
SOLUNAR TABLE
First
July 14
Full
July 21
Last
July 27
TIDES
High
Sabine Pass
7/6
6:24 a.m.
7/7
6:51 a.m.
7/8
7:14 a.m.
7/9
7:36 a.m.
7/10
7:56 a.m.
7/11
8:13 a.m.
7/12
8:25 a.m.
7/13
8:30 a.m.
7/14
8:23 a.m.
7/15
12:00 a.m.
7/16
7:01 a.m.
7/17
2:58 a.m.
7/18
3:45 a.m.
7/19
4:28 a.m.
7/20
5:09 a.m.
7/21
5:45 a.m.
7/22
6:17 a.m.
7/23
6:44 a.m.
7/24
7:08 a.m.
7/25
7:28 a.m.
7/26
7:45 a.m.
Port Bolivar
7/6
8:39 a.m.
7/7
9:06 a.m.
7/8
9:29 a.m.
7/9
9:51 a.m.
7/10
10:11 a.m.
7/11
10:28 a.m.
7/12
10:40 a.m.
7/13
10:45 a.m.
7/14
12:06 a.m.
7/15
2:15 a.m.
7/16
9:16 a.m.
7/17
5:13 a.m.
7/18
6:00 a.m.
7/19
6:43 a.m.
7/20
7:24 a.m.
7/21
8:00 a.m.
7/22
8:32 a.m.
7/23
8:59 a.m.
7/24
9:23 a.m.
7/25
9:43 a.m.
7/26
10:00 a.m.
San Luis Pass
7/6
7:33 a.m.
7/7
8:00 a.m.
7/8
8:23 a.m.
7/9
8:45 a.m.
7/10
9:05 a.m.
7/11
9:22 a.m.
7/12
9:34 a.m.
7/13
9:39 a.m.
7/14
9:32 a.m.
7/15
1:09 a.m.
7/16
8:10 a.m.
7/17
4:07 a.m.
7/18
4:54 a.m.
7/19
5:37 a.m.
7/20
6:18 a.m.
7/21
6:54 a.m.
7/22
7:26 a.m.
7/23
7:53 a.m.
7/24
8:17 a.m.
7/25
8:37 a.m.
7/26
8:54 a.m.
Low
High
Low
10:34 p.m.
11:10 p.m.
11:43 p.m.
—12:14 a.m.
12:44 a.m.
1:13 a.m.
1:43 a.m.
2:17 a.m.
2:57 a.m.
6:01 p.m.
6:52 p.m.
7:46 p.m.
8:40 p.m.
9:34 p.m.
10:55 a.m.
11:23 a.m.
12:10 p.m.
12:07 a.m.
12:56 a.m.
1:43 a.m.
—————5:08 p.m.
7:33 p.m.
9:51 p.m.
—7:53 a.m.
—————12:28 p.m.
2:10 p.m.
3:43 p.m.
5:19 p.m.
7:03 p.m.
9:01 p.m.
—————2:44 p.m.
3:18 p.m.
3:52 p.m.
4:30 p.m.
5:13 p.m.
—————10:27 p.m.
11:18 p.m.
—1:04 p.m.
2:03 p.m.
3:03 p.m.
11:21 p.m.
11:57 p.m.
—12:30 a.m.
1:01 a.m.
1:31 a.m.
2:00 a.m.
2:30 a.m.
3:04 a.m.
3:44 a.m.
6:48 p.m.
7:39 p.m.
8:33 p.m.
9:27 p.m.
10:21 p.m.
11:42 a.m.
12:10 p.m.
12:05 a.m.
12:54 a.m.
1:43 a.m.
2:30 a.m.
—————7:23 p.m.
9:48 p.m.
—10:38 a.m.
10:08 a.m.
—————2:43 p.m.
4:25 p.m.
5:58 p.m.
7:34 p.m.
9:18 p.m.
11:16 p.m.
—————3:31 p.m.
4:05 p.m.
4:39 p.m.
5:17 p.m.
6:00 p.m.
—————11:14 p.m.
—12:57 p.m.
1:51 p.m.
2:50 p.m.
3:50 p.m.
11:03 p.m.
11:39 p.m.
—12:12 a.m.
12:43 a.m.
1:13 a.m.
1:42 a.m.
2:12 a.m.
2:46 a.m.
3:26 a.m.
6:30 p.m.
7:21 p.m.
8:15 p.m.
9:09 p.m.
10:03 p.m.
11:24 a.m.
11:52 a.m.
12:39 p.m.
12:36 a.m.
1:25 a.m.
2:12 a.m.
—————6:17 p.m.
8:42 p.m.
11:00 p.m.
—9:02 a.m.
—————1:37 p.m.
3:19 p.m.
4:52 p.m.
6:28 p.m.
8:12 p.m.
10:10 p.m.
—————3:13 p.m.
3:47 p.m.
4:21 p.m.
4:59 p.m.
5:42 p.m.
—————10:56 p.m.
11:47 p.m.
—1:33 p.m.
2:32 p.m.
3:32 p.m.
High
Freeport
7/6
6:25 a.m.
7/7
6:52 a.m.
7/8
7:15 a.m.
7/9
7:37 a.m.
7/10
7:57 a.m.
7/11
8:14 a.m.
7/12
8:26 a.m.
7/13
8:31 a.m.
7/14
8:24 a.m.
7/15
12:01 a.m.
7/16
7:02 a.m.
7/17
2:59 a.m.
7/18
3:46 a.m.
7/19
4:29 a.m.
7/20
5:10 a.m.
7/21
5:46 a.m.
7/22
6:18 a.m.
7/23
6:45 a.m.
7/24
7:09 a.m.
7/25
7:29 a.m.
7/26
7:46 a.m.
Pass Cavallo
7/6
7:42 a.m.
7/7
8:09 a.m.
7/8
8:32 a.m.
7/9
8:54 a.m.
7/10
9:14 a.m.
7/11
9:31 a.m.
7/12
9:43 a.m.
7/13
9:48 a.m.
7/14
9:41 a.m.
7/15
1:18 a.m.
7/16
8:19 a.m.
7/17
4:16 a.m.
7/18
5:03 a.m.
7/19
5:46 a.m.
7/20
6:27 a.m.
7/21
7:03 a.m.
7/22
7:35 a.m.
7/23
8:02 a.m.
7/24
8:26 a.m.
7/25
8:46 a.m.
7/26
9:03 a.m.
Port O’Connor
7/6
12:16 p.m.
7/7
1:14 p.m.
7/8
2:10 p.m.
7/9
2:59 p.m.
7/10
3:41 p.m.
7/11
4:11 p.m.
7/12
3:38 p.m.
7/13
11:54 a.m.
7/14
9:25 a.m.
7/15
8:22 a.m.
7/16
8:29 a.m.
7/17
9:04 a.m.
7/18
9:54 a.m.
7/19
10:54 a.m.
7/20
12:03 p.m.
7/21
1:20 p.m.
7/22
2:42 p.m.
7/23
4:11 p.m.
7/24
5:53 p.m.
7/25
11:33 a.m.
7/26
10:16 a.m.
Low
High
Low
10:04 p.m.
10:40 p.m.
11:13 p.m.
11:44 p.m.
—12:14 a.m.
12:43 a.m.
1:13 a.m.
1:47 a.m.
2:27 a.m.
5:31 p.m.
6:22 p.m.
7:16 p.m.
8:10 p.m.
9:04 p.m.
10:25 a.m.
10:53 a.m.
11:40 a.m.
12:34 p.m.
12:26 a.m.
1:13 a.m.
—————5:09 p.m.
7:34 p.m.
9:52 p.m.
—7:54 a.m.
—————12:29 p.m.
2:11 p.m.
3:44 p.m.
5:20 p.m.
7:04 p.m.
9:02 p.m.
—————2:14 p.m.
2:48 p.m.
3:22 p.m.
4:00 p.m.
4:43 p.m.
—————9:57 p.m.
10:48 p.m.
11:37 p.m.
—1:33 p.m.
2:33 p.m.
9:52 p.m.
10:28 p.m.
11:01 p.m.
11:32 p.m.
—12:02 a.m.
12:31 a.m.
1:01 a.m.
1:35 a.m.
2:15 a.m.
5:19 p.m.
6:10 p.m.
7:04 p.m.
7:58 p.m.
8:52 p.m.
10:13 a.m.
10:41 a.m.
11:28 a.m.
12:22 p.m.
12:14 a.m.
1:01 a.m.
—————6:26 p.m.
8:51 p.m.
11:09 p.m.
—9:11 a.m.
—————1:46 p.m.
3:28 p.m.
5:01 p.m.
6:37 p.m.
8:21 p.m.
10:19 p.m.
—————2:02 p.m.
2:36 p.m.
3:10 p.m.
3:48 p.m.
4:31 p.m.
—————9:45 p.m.
10:36 p.m.
11:25 p.m.
—1:21 p.m.
2:21 p.m.
12:46 a.m.
1:29 a.m.
2:09 a.m.
2:45 a.m.
3:16 a.m.
3:42 a.m.
3:59 a.m.
3:50 a.m.
7:15 p.m.
7:53 p.m.
8:41 p.m.
9:35 p.m.
10:31 p.m.
11:27 p.m.
—12:21 a.m.
1:12 a.m.
1:59 a.m.
2:40 a.m.
3:14 a.m.
3:33 a.m.
———————————————————8:02 p.m.
11:20 p.m.
———————7:35 p.m.
———————————2:53 p.m.
4:45 p.m.
High
Corpus Christi
7/6
6:33 a.m.
7/7
7:00 a.m.
7/8
7:23 a.m.
7/9
7:45 a.m.
7/10
8:05 a.m.
7/11
8:22 a.m.
7/12
8:34 a.m.
7/13
8:39 a.m.
7/14
8:32 a.m.
7/15
12:09 a.m.
7/16
7:10 a.m.
7/17
3:07 a.m.
7/18
3:54 a.m.
7/19
4:37 a.m.
7/20
5:18 a.m.
7/21
5:54 a.m.
7/22
6:26 a.m.
7/23
6:53 a.m.
7/24
7:17 a.m.
7/25
7:37 a.m.
7/26
7:54 a.m.
South Padre Island
7/6
7:37 a.m.
7/7
8:21 a.m.
7/8
8:55 a.m.
7/9
9:13 a.m.
7/10
9:13 a.m.
7/11
9:03 a.m.
7/12
8:46 a.m.
7/13
8:27 a.m.
7/14
8:02 a.m.
7/15
7:13 a.m.
7/16
2:39 a.m.
7/17
3:33 a.m.
7/18
4:27 a.m.
7/19
5:22 a.m.
7/20
6:16 a.m.
7/21
7:05 a.m.
7/22
7:41 a.m.
7/23
8:00 a.m.
7/24
8:01 a.m.
7/25
7:52 a.m.
7/26
7:37 a.m.
Port Isabel
7/6
7:32 a.m.
7/7
7:59 a.m.
7/8
8:22 a.m.
7/9
8:44 a.m.
7/10
9:04 a.m.
7/11
9:21 a.m.
7/12
9:33 a.m.
7/13
9:38 a.m.
7/14
9:31 a.m.
7/15
1:08 a.m.
7/16
8:09 a.m.
7/17
4:06 a.m.
7/18
4:53 a.m.
7/19
5:36 a.m.
7/20
6:17 a.m.
7/21
6:53 a.m.
7/22
7:25 a.m.
7/23
7:52 a.m.
7/24
8:16 a.m.
7/25
8:36 a.m.
7/26
8:53 a.m.
Low
High
Low
9:42 p.m.
10:18 p.m.
10:51 p.m.
11:22 p.m.
11:52 p.m.
1:52 p.m.
12:21 a.m.
12:51 a.m.
1:25 a.m.
2:05 a.m.
5:30 p.m.
6:00 p.m.
6:54 p.m.
7:48 p.m.
8:42 p.m.
10:03 a.m.
10:31 a.m.
11:18 a.m.
12:12 p.m.
12:04 a.m.
12:51 a.m.
—————5:17 p.m.
7:42 p.m.
10:00 p.m.
—8:02 a.m.
—————12:37 p.m.
2:19 p.m.
3:52 p.m.
5:28 p.m.
6:51 p.m.
9:10 p.m.
——————2:26 p.m.
3:00 p.m.
3:38 p.m.
4:21 p.m.
—————9:35 p.m.
10:26 p.m.
11:15 p.m.
—1:11 p.m.
2:11 p.m.
9:55 p.m.
10:31 p.m.
11:03 p.m.
11:32 p.m.
—12:01 a.m.
12:30 a.m.
1:03 a.m.
1:43 a.m.
4:35 p.m.
5:19 p.m.
6:08 p.m.
7:02 p.m.
7:57 p.m.
8:53 p.m.
9:47 p.m.
10:39 p.m.
11:30 p.m.
12:41 p.m.
12:19 a.m.
1:09 a.m.
———————9:32 p.m.
——————————4:11 p.m.
6:26 p.m.
8:58 p.m.
———————3:39 p.m.
4:00 p.m.
——————————1:20 p.m.
2:09 p.m.
10:13 p.m.
10:49 p.m.
11:22 p.m.
11:53 p.m.
—12:23 a.m.
12:52 a.m.
1:22 a.m.
1:56 a.m.
2:36 a.m.
5:40 p.m.
6:31 p.m.
7:25 p.m.
8:19 p.m.
9:13 p.m.
10:34 a.m.
11:02 a.m.
11:49 a.m.
12:43 p.m.
12:35 a.m.
1:22 a.m.
—————6:16 p.m.
8:41 p.m.
10:59 p.m.
—9:01 a.m.
—————1:36 p.m.
3:18 p.m.
4:51 p.m.
6:27 p.m.
8:11 p.m.
10:09 p.m.
—————2:23 p.m.
2:57 p.m.
3:31 p.m.
4:09 p.m.
4:52 p.m.
—————10:06 p.m.
10:57 p.m.
11:46 p.m.
—1:42 p.m.
2:42 p.m.
7/6
7/7
7/8
7/9
7/10
7/11
7/12
7/13
7/14
7/15
7/16
7/17
7/18
7/19
7/20
7/21
7/22
7/23
7/24
7/25
7/26
Dallas
San Antonio
Amarillo
7:56p/1:43p
8:19a/2:05a
8:47p/2:33p
9:12a/2:56a
9:43p/3:27p
10:09a/3:52a
10:41p/4:25p
11:10a/4:53a
11:43p/5:26p
12:13p/5:57a
——/6:29p
12:46a/7:01a
1:16p/7:31p
1:50a/8:04a
2:18p/8:32p
2:51a/9:04a
3:17p/9:29p
3:48a/10:00a
4:12p/10:24p
4:41a/10:53a
5:05p/11:16p
12:13p/6:00a
——/6:26p
12:40a/6:52a
1:04p/7:17p
1:32a/7:43a
1:55p/8:07p
2:22a/8:34a
2:45p/8:56p
3:12a/9:22a
3:32p/9:43p
3:58a/10:08a
4:18p/10:28p
4:43a/10:53a
5:03p/11:13p
5:26a/11:36a
5:46p/11:56p
6:09a/12:19p
6:30p/——
6:52a/12:40a
7:15p/1:03p
7:37a/1:24a
8:02p/1:49p
8:25a/2:11a
8:53p/2:39p
9:18a/3:02a
9:49p/3:33p
10:15a/3:58a
10:47p/4:31p
11:16a/4:59a
11:49p/5:32p
—-/6:03a
3:52a/6:35p
4:12p/7:07a
4:37a/7:37p
4:57p/8:10a
5:20a/8:38p
5:40p/9:10a
6:03a/9:35p
6:24p/10:06a
6:46a/10:30p
7:09p/10:59a
7:31a/11:22p
SUN AND
Sunrise/set
7/6
7/7
7/8
7/9
7/10
7/11
7/12
7/13
7/14
7/15
7/16
7/17
7/18
7/19
7/20
7/21
7/22
7/23
7/24
7/25
7/26
Major/Minor periods:
Houston
12:07p/5:54a
——/6:20p
12:34a/6:46a
12:58p/7:11p
1:26a/7:37a
1:49p/8:01p
2:16a/8:28a
2:39p/8:50p
3:06a/9:16a
3:26p/9:37p
3:52a/10:02a
4:12p/10:22p
4:37a/10:47a
4:57p/11:07p
5:20a/11:30a
5:40p/11:50p
6:03a/12:13p
6:24p/——
6:46a/12:34a
7:09p/12:57p
7:31a/1:18a
MOON
Houston
Dallas
San Antonio
Amarillo
6:26a/8:26p
6:27a/8:26p
6:27a/8:26p
6:27a/8:26p
6:28a/8:25p
6:28a/8:25p
6:29a/8:25p
6:30a/8:25p
6:30a/8:24p
6:31a/8:24p
6:31a/8:24p
6:32a/8:23p
6:32a/8:23p
6:33a/8:22p
6:33a/8:22p
6:34a/8:21p
6:35a/8:21p
6:35a/8:20p
6:36a/8:20p
6:36a/8:19p
6:37a/8:19p
6:26a/8:40p
6:26a/8:40p
6:27a/8:40p
6:27a/8:39p
6:28a/8:39p
6:28a/8:39p
6:29a/8:38p
6:29a/8:38p
6:30a/8:38p
6:31a/8:37p
6:31a/8:37p
6:32a/8:36p
6:32a/8:36p
6:33a/8:35p
6:34a/8:35p
6:34a/8:34p
6:35a/8:34p
6:36a/8:33p
6:36a/8:33p
6:37a/8:32p
6:38a/8:31p
6:40a/8:38p
6:40a/8:37p
6:40a/8:37p
6:41a/8:37p
6:41a/8:37p
6:42a/8:37p
6:42a/8:36p
6:43a/8:36p
6:43a/8:36p
6:44a/8:35p
6:45a/8:35p
6:45a/8:35p
6:46a/8:34p
6:46a/8:34p
6:47a/8:33p
6:47a/8:33p
6:48a/8:32p
6:48a/8:32p
6:49a/8:31p
6:50a/8:31p
6:50a/8:30p
6:38a/9:05p
6:39a/9:04p
6:39a/9:04p
6:40a/9:04p
6:40a/9:04p
6:41a/9:03p
6:42a/9:03p
6:42a/9:03p
6:43a/9:02p
6:44a/9:02p
6:44a/9:01p
6:45a/9:01p
6:46a/9:00p
6:46a/9:00p
6:47a/8:59p
6:48a/8:58p
6:48a/8:58p
6:49a/8:57p
6:50a/8:56p
6:50a/8:56p
6:51a/8:55p
Houston
Dallas
San Antonio
Amarillo
6:17a/9:04p
7:13a/9:45p
8:11a/10:20p
9:07a/10:52p
10:02a/11:20p
10:56a/11:47p
11:50a/none
12:45p/12:13a
1:41p/12:40a
2:42p/1:09a
3:46p/1:42a
4:54p/2:21a
6:04p/3:09a
7:12p/4:07a
8:14p/5:15a
9:07p/6:29a
9:51p/7:45a
10:29p/8:59a
11:02p/10:08a
2:42p/1:09a
none/12:18p
6:15a/9:20p
7:12a/9:59p
8:10a/10:34p
9:08a/11:03p
10:05a/11:30p
11:01a/11:55p
11:56a/none
12:53p/12:20a
1:51p/12:45a
2:53p/1:12a
3:59p/1:43a
5:09p/2:21a
6:21p/3:07a
7:29p/4:04a
8:30p/5:12a
9:21p/6:28a
10:03p/7:46a
10:39p/9:01a
11:10p/10:13a
2:53p/1:12a
none/12:27p
6:31a/9:16p
7:28a/9:57p
8:25a/10:32p
9:21a/11:04p
10:16a/11:32p
11:10a/11:59p
12:03p/none
12:58p/12:26a
1:54p/12:53a
2:54p/1:22a
3:58p/1:55a
5:06p/2:35a
6:16p/3:23a
7:24p/4:21a
8:26p/5:29a
9:18p/6:44a
10:03p/7:59a
10:41p/9:13a
11:15p/10:22a
2:54p/1:22a
none/12:30p
6:26a/9:46p
7:24a/10:25p
8:24a/10:58p
9:23a/11:26p
10:21a/11:52p
11:18a/none
12:15p/12:15a
1:13p/12:38a
2:13p/1:02a
3:17p/1:28a
4:25p/1:58a
5:36p/2:34a
6:48p/3:19a
7:57p/4:16a
8:57p/5:24a
9:46p/6:41a
10:27p/8:00a
11:00p/9:17a
11:30p/10:31a
3:17p/1:28a
none/12:48p
Moonrise/set
7/6
7/7
7/8
7/9
7/10
7/11
7/12
7/13
7/14
7/15
7/16
7/17
7/18
7/19
7/20
7/21
7/22
7/23
7/24
7/25
7/26
TEXAS TIDBITS
TEXAS WORD TREASURES
WILD IN THE KITCHEN
Shrimp Pesto Linguine
Across
For crossword puzzle solution, see page 18
3. Helps prevent spills when
adding gas to your tank
4. Two-cycle engines burn this
in addition to gasoline
6. Type of pine tree
10. Your should always wear this
when shooting
11. Saltwater baitfish
15. Snake that plays dead when
threatened
17. Redneck 401(K) retirement
plan
18. Bird of prey
19. Type of light found on a boat
Down
1. Opossums are this type of
animal
2. Another name for an offshore
party boat
3. Coast Guard safety device
required on most larger boats
5. Rare spotted cat sometimes
seen in South Texas
7. Mesh scoop that fishermen
use
8. Sit on Top, initials
9. Freshwater live bait that children love to collect
12. Heavy section of line which
helps prevent cut-offs
13. Bismuth is a type of _____
shot.
14. Feathers used in fly tying
16. Billfish
Copyright 2004 Texas Word Treasures, Greg Berlocher. All Rights Reserved.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 (10-ounce) package frozen
peas
1 tablespoon pesto sauce (purchased or homemade)
1
⁄4 teaspoon pepper
1
⁄8 teaspoon salt
1 pound shrimp or crab-flavored surimi seafood, flakestyle; or a mixture of both products
8-10 ounces dried linguine, broken in half and cooked according to directions
2 tablespoons fresh parsley,
minced
Cook the pasta according to
package directions. Reserve 1/2
cup of the pasta cooking liquid.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil
over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the onion and sauté
until tender, about 5 minutes.
Add the peas, pesto sauce, pepper and salt. Cook, stirring
occasionally, about 5 minutes.
Add 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking liquid to the skillet and
bring to a simmer. Add the
shrimp or surimi seafood and
cook until thoroughly heated.
Photo by National Fisheries Institute.
Divide the linguine among 4
bowls or shallow plates. Pour
the sauce over the pasta and toss
gently. Sprinkle with parsley.
NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS PER SERVING:
Calories: 365
Protein: 32 grams
Carbohydrate: 35 grams
Fat: 10 grams
Cholesterol: 221 milligrams
Sodium: 473 milligrams
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Check out other great recipes at
aboutseafood.com.
Page 16 July 8, 2005
GAME WARDEN BLOTTER
WOMAN’S BODY RECOVERED
AFTER GOLF CART MISHAP
Matagorda County Game
Warden David Janssen was contacted by a neighbor whose 70year-old wife had taken their golf
cart to the creek behind their
house four hours earlier to go
fishing. The man said that when
he went to check on his wife, he
found her gear still set out, but
could not locate her or the golf
cart. Janssen spotted an object
floating in the stream and borrowed a small boat kept at the
neighbor’s home to investigate.
Janssen and a sheriff’s deputy
who had arrived on the scene
discovered the woman’s body in
the creek. Investigators later
located the missing golf cart and
removed it from the creek. The
cart’s gear selection was still in
the forward position.
A FRIEND INDEED
• San Jacinto County Game
Warden Aryn Corley arrested a
man for boating while intoxicated on Lake Livingston.
While the man was being
booked, a friend who was an
occupant of the boat came to
the jail to get his comrade. A
Department of Public Safety
trooper at the jail arrested the
friend for driving while intoxicated.
IT’S A TUMMYACHE
• Grayson
County
Game
Warden Jim Ballard arrested a
man for boating while intoxicated. The man refused all
sobriety tests. He told Ballard
that he was on drugs and was
nauseated. Ballard later arrested another intoxicated boater
who was running without
lights at 11:30 p.m. The person
registered a .203 percent blood
alcohol content. Both cases
are pending.
CAN I KEEP IT?
• Grayson
County
Game
Warden Jim Ballard received a
call from the Sherman Animal
Shelter stating that a boy had
caught a 2-foot alligator while
fishing for crawfish in a creek in
Sherman. Grayson County
Game Warden Randolph
McGee took possession of the
alligator. It will be released back
into the wild in East Texas.
who at first appeared to be
fishing illegally. Following a
short investigation, a small
quantity of a controlled substance was discovered. Both
people were arrested and
their cases are pending.
DOUBLE TROUBLE
• Tarrant
County
Game
Wardens Michael McCall
and Ronald Mathis attempted to serve an arrest warrant
on an Azle resident for a citation issued last November.
The person was not home,
but McCall noticed that the
vehicle identification number on an all-terrain vehicle
parked in the driveway
appeared to be altered. After
leaving the home, McCall
contacted the Department of
Public Safety’s Auto Theft
Task Force for assistance.
McCall and a DPS sergeant
returned to find the man
home. McCall was able to
serve the warrant. Two ATVs
were confirmed stolen out of
Fort Worth and were seized.
Property hearings and the
cases are pending.
WAITING TO EXHALE
• Harris
County
Game
Wardens Derek Spitzer and
Kevin Mitchell along with
Chambers County Game
Wardens Bobby Jobes and
Hector Gonzalez arrested a
person for boating while
intoxicated in the Kemah
Channel. The suspect refused
to give a breath sample at the
jail. The case is pending.
ILLEGAL HUNTERS OUTFOXED
• Palo Pinto County Game
Warden
Cliff
Swofford
received a call regarding two
men who were hunting illegally. Swofford contacted
Palo Pinto County Game
Warden David Modgling for
assistance. Modgling arrived
at the scene first and found
two men with shotguns, a
blind set up, a dove decoy on
SEE, WE WEREN’T FISHING
• Clay County Game Warden
Eddie Hood and Jack County
Game Warden Gary Hobbs,
while
patrolling
Lake
Arrowhead for fishing violations, came upon two people
the fence, and a feeder hanging from a tree. The men
claimed to only be shooting
cans. Once Swofford arrived,
he and Modgling began to
search the tall Johnson grass
for evidence of bird hunting.
It was at that time that one
of the men decided to talk
and admitted they had
indeed been hunting and
had tried to trap a fox. Two
dead mourning doves were
found by the wardens. Both
men were cited for having no
hunting license and for
hunting dove in a closed season. The cases are pending.
LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON
• Newton County Warden Ellis
Powell traveled to Vidor to
meet with Orange County
Warden Ryan Hall to serve
warrants on a Vidor man.
Powell had talked to Jasper
County Warden Phillip Wood,
who also had warrants on the
same man. The man’s father,
who is a lawyer in Beaumont,
also had warrants to be served
from San Augustine County
Continued on page 18
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EXP. DATE
SIGNATURE
070805
July 8, 2005 Page 17
FISHING REPORT
CENTRAL
BASTROP: Water stained. Black bass are good on
chartreuse/green and chartreuse/blue crankbaits,
spinnerbaits, and Rat-L-Traps. Crappie are good on
minnows and watermelon tube jigs. Channel and
blue catfish are good on shrimp, liver, stinkbait, and
live bait. Yellow catfish are slow.
BELTON: Water fairly clear; 85 degrees. Black bass
to 3 pounds are good on soft plastics along shorelines. Hybrid striper are slow. White bass are good
on topwaters, spoons, and slabs. Crappie are slow.
Channel and blue catfish are very good on shrimp,
prepared baits, liver, nightcrawlers, and live bait.
Yellow catfish are fair on live bait and dead shad.
BROWNWOOD: Water stained; 82 - 85 degrees;
0.57' low. Black bass to 3 pounds are good on soft
plastics, StrikeWorks jigs, spinnerbaits, and
Persuader stealth shad crankbaits on the main lake
in the shallows early and late and in the shade
under the docks during midday. Hybrids are fair at
night under lights and trolling. White bass are fair
to good at night under lights, and fair trolling
crankbaits. Crappie are good on small tube jigs and
minnows on the main lake at night in 15 - 20 feet
off docks. Yellow catfish to 10 pounds are good on
trotlines baited with live perch. Channel catfish are
fair on live bait and cutbait.
BUCHANAN: Water clear; 80 degrees; 2.60' low.
Black bass are fair to good on white 7/16oz.
Tungsten spinnerbaits, Bleeding Shad Rat-L-Traps,
and Texas rigged watermelon/red Craw Tubes along
laydowns, bluffs and secondary creek points at daylight in 4 - 15 feet. Striped bass are fair to good on
black back 3" Spoiler Shads, Perk Minnows, and
white Blade Runners over humps in 30 feet early.
White bass are good on pearl 2" Spoiler Shads, Li'l
Fishies, and live minnows at night under dock
lights. Crappie are fair on 1/32oz. red/chartreuse
crappie tubes, white crappie jigs, and minnows at
night and very early in 12 feet. Channel catfish are
good on liver, nightcrawlers, and live bait. Yellow
and blue catfish are good on trotlines.
CANYON LAKE: Water gin clear; 80 degrees; 0.89'
high. Black bass are fair to good on 1⁄4oz. Bleeding
Shad Rat-L-Traps, wacky rigged pumpkin Whacky
Sticks, and 6" Scoundrel worms on jigheads at daylight in 5 - 10 feet. Striped bass are fair on Spoiler
Shads, Perk Minnows, and white grubs at night
under lights. White bass are good on 2" pearl
Spoiler Shads, vertically jigging Perk Minnows, and
tight lining live minnows on main lake channel
points at night under lights. Smallmouth bass are
good on 1/8oz. Tiny-T jig and pigs, Sliding Weight
Baby Craws on split shot rigs, and 4" Scoundrel
worms on drop shot rigs along ledges and rock piles
at night in 15 - 25 feet. Crappie are good on
1/32oz. crappie jigs, blue/white crappie Tube Lures,
and live minnows upriver tight to trees and laydowns in 10 - 14 feet. Channel catfish are good on
minnows, liver, and nightcrawlers. Yellow and blue
catfish are good on juglines baited with live bait.
COLEMAN: Water clear; 85 degrees. Black bass to
5.7 pounds are good on crankbaits, spinnerbaits,
and soft plastic worms and lizards. Hybrid striper
are fair trolling deep diving crankbaits and white
striper jigs. Crappie are good on minnows and crappie jigs. Channel and blue catfish are fair. Yellow
catfish are fair on live perch.
COLORADO RIVER: (At Colorado Bend State Park)
Water stained. Black bass are fair on spinnerbaits
and crankbaits. Striped bass are slow. White bass
are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows. Channel and
blue catfish are good on live bait and cutbait.
Yellow catfish are slow.
DUNLAP/MCQUEENY: Water stained; 75 degrees;
Black bass to 3 pounds are slow on 1/2oz.
chrome/blue Rat-L-Traps, 1/4oz. chartreuse/white
spinnerbaits with gold blades, and 6.5" June bug
Culprit worms with 3/16oz. weights in 3 - 8 feet
early. White bass are good on live minnows and
1/8oz. white jigs at night under green lights in 8 20 feet. Crappie are good on live minnows and
Curb's crappie jigs
GRANBURY: Water stained; 0.22' low. Black bass are
good on chartreuse/blue, watermelon seed, and
pumpkinseed crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Striped
bass are slow. White bass are good on minnows,
hellbenders, and pet spoons. Crappie are fair on
minnows and watermelon/green tube jigs. Catfish
are good on stinkbait, shrimp, and live bait.
GRANGER: Water clear; 85 degrees; 0.24' high.
Black bass are fair on crankbaits. White bass are
good on slab spoons. Crappie to 2 pounds are good
on 1/32oz. marabou jigs. Channel and blue catfish
are fair on shad and prepared baits. Yellow catfish
are slow. LBJ: Water stained; 80 degrees. Black
bass are good on 1⁄4oz. black Terminator spinnerbaits, watermelon/red Craw Tubes, and 1⁄4oz. RatL-Traps at night and early in the morning in 4 - 10
feet along seawall riprap, and later on channel
break lines with wood. Striped bass are good on
chartreuse Spoiler Shads, white 1/8oz. bucktails,
and free lining live bait at night. White bass to 2
pounds are very good on Li'l Fishies, Spoiler Shads,
and Curb's crappie jigs at night. Crappie to 14" are
good on crappie jigs and live minnows. Channel catfish are good on liver and worms at night. Yellow
and blue catfish are good on trotlines baited with
cut perch, live perch, and carp.
NAVARRO MILLS: Water fairly clear; 0.47' low. Black
bass are fair on chartreuse green crankbaits and
spinnerbaits. White bass are fair on Little Georges.
Perch are good on worms and small minnows.
Crappie are fair on minnows. Channel and blue catfish are fair on liver and shrimp. Yellow catfish are
slow.
PROCTOR: Water clear; 82 degrees. Black bass are
good on chrome/blue and chartreuse Rat-L-Traps,
soft plastics, and spinnerbaits. Striped bass are fair
on deep diving shad patterned crankbaits. White
bass are slow. Crappie are good on minnows and
watermelon tube jigs. Channel and blue catfish are
good on shrimp, liver, nightcrawlers, and stinkbait.
Yellow catfish are slow.
SOMERVILLE: Water clear; 0.12' low. Black bass are
slow. Hybrid striper are slow. White bass are slow.
Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are slow.
Yellow catfish are slow.
STILLHOUSE: Water fairly clear; 85 degrees; 0.47'
high. Black bass are fair on soft plastic worms and
lizards, and on live shad. White bass are excellent
on minnows. Smallmouth bass are fair on live shad.
Crappie are excellent on minnows. Channel and
blue catfish are very good on minnows, shrimp, and
chicken livers. Yellow catfish are fair on live bait.
TRAVIS: Water clear; 85 degrees; 2.10' low. Black
bass are good on chrome/white topwaters and
pumpkinseed/green soft plastic worms and lizards.
Striped bass are slow. White bass are fair on
white/red tiny torpedoes and white grubs in 10 - 30
feet. Crappie are fair on minnows and chartreuse
tube jigs in 15 - 25 feet. Channel and blue catfish
are good on frozen shrimp, cutbait, and nightcrawlers in 15 - 35 feet. Yellow catfish are slow.
WALTER E. LONG: Water clear; 80 degrees. Black
bass are good on watermelon and pumpkinseed soft
plastic worms and lizards, and on minnows in cattails and reeds. Hybrid striper are good on shrimp,
striper jigs, and frozen shad. White bass are fair on
minnows and silver spoons. Crappie are good on
minnows. Channel and blue catfish are good on
shrimp, nightcrawlers, and frozen shad. Yellow catfish are fair on live bait.
WHITNEY: Water murky; 2.08' low. Black bass are
fair on chartreuse/green spinnerbaits and
crankbaits. Striped bass are slow. White bass are
good on Charlie slabs, pet spoons, and
watermelon/red spinnerbaits. Crappie are good on
minnows and blue tube jigs. Catfish are good on
stinkbait, shrimp, and prepared baits.
NORTHEAST
ATHENS: Water stained; 80-82 degrees; normal
pool. Black bass are fair on buzzbaits over shallow
grass early. Night fishing is good over shallow grass
on 10" Power Worms and dark spinnerbaits.
Crappie are slow on jigs and minnows in 12-20 feet
around man-made brushpiles. Catfish are good on
punchbait and worms around baited holes.
BOB SANDLIN: Water clear; 79-83 degrees; 1.80'
low. Black bass are good on topwaters and small
buzzbaits early and on Texas rigged worms later in
the day and at night. Kentucky spotted bass are
good on soft plastics and crawfish crankbaits in 1520 feet around steep lower lake ledges and submerged humps. Crappie are fair on minnows under
the Highway 21 and Railroad bridges. White bass
are good on slabs on the submerged humps near
the Monticello Dam and under the railroad bridge
on minnows at night. Catfish are good on live bait
and punchbait in 12-15 feet.
CADDO: Water clear; 79-83 degrees; 0.33' low.
Black bass are good on Texas rigged worms and
spinnerbaits on the outside edge of lily pads.
Crappie are good on live minnows around brush in
6-8 feet on the submerged ledge of the Little
Cypress River. White bass are good in the river
channel with some schooling activity in the Big
Lake area; trolling Rat-L-Traps is a good way to
locate schools. Channel catfish are good on small
live bream. Bream are good on crickets and worms.
Warmouth are good on bits of nightcrawler fished
along the edge of lily pad fields.
CEDAR CREEK: Water stained; 80-84 degrees; 0.64'
low. Black bass are fair on topwaters early - better
catches coming late in the afternoon and at night
on spinnerbaits and 10" worms rigged Texas style.
White bass are excellent on TNT Lures (slabs)
early, switching to trolling with Hellbenders/Pet
Spoon rigs. Hybrid striper are good on live shad and
trolling with Hellbenders/Pet Spoon rigs later.
Crappie are fair on tube jigs around the shady side
of bridge columns and under boathouses in water 8
feet or deeper. Catfish are excellent around steep
humps and ledges in 15 feet.
COOPER: Water stained; 80-83 degrees. Black bass
are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs
around standing timber in 10-15 feet. Catfish are
good on juglines with live bait and in baited holes
on punchbait in shallow water around heavy cover.
White bass are fair on small spoons and slabs.
FAIRFIELD: Water clear; 81-90 degrees. Black bass
are fair early and late on Texas rigged worms and
medium running perch imitation crankbaits.
Redfish are slow. Hybrid striper are fair on shad and
small live perch in 15 feet. Bream are good on
worms in 4-6 feet, fish around lay down trees and
logs.
FORK: Water clear 80-84 degrees; 1.04' low. Black
bass are good at first light on topwaters fished over
shallow grass close to deep water. Carolina rigs are
producing after the topwater bite slows in 15-20
feet out from the shallow grass and close to deeper
water. Night fishing is good on black spinnerbaits
and 10" black worms around shallow grass beds.
Channel catfish are biting well in holes baited with
soured grain in 15 feet.
GRAPEVINE: Water stained; 80-84 degrees; 1.50'
low. Black bass are fair during early morning, late
afternoon and at night on Texas rigged worms and
spinnerbaits around submerged vegetation in 6-8
feet. Crappie are fair on minnows around docks with
brush in 8-12 feet and on deep water brush around
points in 20 feet. White bass are good on TNT
Lures around humps and points in 15-25 feet.
Catfish are good on prepared baits and fresh shad
in 15-20 feet in baited holes.
JOE POOL: Water stained; 80-84 degrees; 0.50' low.
Black bass are fair on soft plastics around points
and humps with vegetation close to deep channels.
Crappie are fair on live minnows and jigs around
Corps of Engineer brush piles, docks with brush and
under the bridges. White bass are good on small
topwaters, switching to TNT Lures on humps and
points in 15-22 feet during the day. Channel catfish
are excellent around shallow rock riprap on punchbait.
LAKE O' THE PINES: Water stained; 80-84 degrees;
1.10' low. Black bass are fair early, late and after
dark on topwaters and 10" worms rigged with light
weights. Crappie are slow during the day - better
catches coming at night on live minnows. White
bass are fair on jigging spoons and live minnows in
15-20 feet. Flathead catfish are excellent in 15
feet on trot- and juglines with live perch. Channel
catfish are good on punchbait in holes baited with
soured grain.
LAVON: Water stained; 80-84 degrees; 1.50' low.
Black bass are slow. Crappie are good on live minnows in 20-22 feet around main lake points with
brush and out from the dam. White bass are good
on slabs and Tiny Torpedoes during early morning.
Catfish are excellent on Danny King's Punch Bait
and fresh shad in 12-18 feet around baited holes.
LEWISVILLE: Water stained; 80-82 degrees; 0.95'
low. Black bass are fair on crankbaits and Texas
rigged worms in 6-10 feet around riprap and docks
with brush. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs in
10-15 feet around bridge columns and heavy
brush. White bass are good on slabs in 15-18 feet
around submerged humps and ridges. Catfish are
excellent on Danny King's Punch Bait in 15-18 feet
around holes baited with soured grain.
MONTICELLO: Water clear; 80 degrees upper end,
92 degrees at hot water discharge; normal pool.
Black bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Channel catfish are fair to good on punch bait in 10-20 feet.
PALESTINE: Water clear; 80-84 degrees; 0.37' low.
Black bass are fair in 8-10 feet on 4" worms rigged
with a light weight around shaded boat houses with
brush. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs in 1520 feet. Catfish are good on trotlines with live perch
and around baited holes on prepared catfish baits.
White bass are good during early morning on slabs
and spoons around main lake points and humps.
Hybrid striper are slow on live perch and large RatL-Traps.
RAY HUBBARD: Water stained; 80-83 degrees; 0.55'
low. Black bass are fair early on plastic worms and
spinnerbaits around shoreline vegetation north of
the I-30 bridge. Crappie are fair after dark on live
minnows under the bridges. White bass are excellent on Rat-L-Traps and slabs in 15-24 feet. The
long point at the Heath Boat ramp is a good spot
during mid-day. Hybrid striper are good in 20 feet
on live perch and slabs. Catfish are excellent on
fresh shrimp and Danny King's Punch Bait around
riprap and baited holes.
RAY ROBERTS: Water clear; 80-83 degrees; 0.57'
low. Black bass are fair on topwaters early, midday
switching to Carolina rigged centipedes in 8-15 feet
around main lake points. Night fishing is good on
10" dark worms around shallow vegetation. Crappie
are fair on live minnows in 18 feet around heavy
timber. White bass are good on spoons and slabs in
22-28 feet. Catfish are good on punchbait and cut
bait in 12-20 feet.
RICHLAND CHAMBERS: Water stained; 80-84
degrees; 0.80' low. Black bass are fair on Carolina
rigs around submerged pond dams. White bass are
excellent on slabs and topwaters - lots of schooling
activity in the 309 Flats area. Hybrid striper are fair
on large slabs and Rat-L-Traps. Crappie are fair on
minnows in 6-8 feet around heavy brush and timber
in feeder creeks around Oak Cove Marina. Catfish
are excellent on prepared baits and fresh shad in 310 feet.
TAWAKONI: Water stained; 80-84 degrees; 2.15'
low. Black bass are slow. Crappie are good early and
late at Duck Cove Marina's fishing barge - during
the day channel catfish in the 1.5 to 4 pound range
landed. White bass are excellent on 1oz. white or
chartreuse Holiday Slabs and topwaters - the flats
out form the mouth of Wolf Cove has been productive. Striped bass and hybrid striper are good under
the birds in the lower lake on 2oz. chartreuse or
white Holiday Slabs, Sassy Shad and Chug Bugs.
TEXOMA: Water clear; 80-82 degrees; 3.70' low.
Largemouth bass are fair early on worms fished
around docks with brush. Crappie are slow. Striped
bass are excellent on Sassy Shad, Pencil Poppers
and live shad in 20-35 feet. Blue catfish are good
on Danny King's Punch Bait and fresh shad.
WEATHERFORD: Water stained; 85 degrees;1' low.
Black bass are good on crankbaits, minnows and
soft plastics. Crappie are good on minnows over
brush piles or under docks. Catfish are good on live
bait, liver and prepared baits. White bass are fair
along the east wall in the early morning and on
deep humps later in the day. Bream are excellent
on worms.
WRIGHT PATMAN: Water clear; 80-84 degrees.
Black bass are slow. Crappie are fair on live minnows and jigs at Kelly Creek Marina and around
shoreline cover in 4-8 feet. Catfish are good on
trotlines with small perch and on rod & reel in 1015 feet with live minnows or punchbait.
SOUTH
AMISTAD: Water clear; 80 degrees. Black bass to 9
pounds are excellent on watermelon seed and motor
oil soft plastics and Oldham's heavy jigs, and on
Zara spooks early and late in 30 - 40 feet. Striped
bass are fair on slabs and striper jigs. White bass
are fair on slabs and striper jigs. Crappie to 2.5
pounds are fair on watermelon tubes. Channel and
blue catfish are fair on cheesebait in 10 - 70 feet,
and in baited holes. Yellow catfish are fair on live
bait.
BRAUNIG: Water stained; 90 degrees. Black bass are
fair on watermelon/green flake soft plastic worms
and lizards along shorelines. Striped bass are good
on chicken livers and silver spoons. Redfish are fair
on live perch and tilapia. Channel catfish are very
good on shrimp, liver, and cutbait. Blue catfish are
fair on chicken livers, shrimp, and live bait. Yellow
catfish are slow.
CALAVERAS: Water stained; 89 degrees. Black bass
are good on chartreuse/blue and chartreuse/green
spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and Rat-L-Traps. Striped
bass are fair on shad and silver spoons. Redfish are
good on perch and shrimp on the bottom. Channel
catfish are good on shad, shrimp, and cutbait in 10
- 20 feet.
CHOKE CANYON: Water stained; 78 degrees; 0.23'
low. Black bass to 7 pounds are good on white
buzzbaits, Tennessee shad Brush Babies, gold digger Reaction Innovations Trixie Shad, Carolina
rigged watermelon/red YUM Sooies, and large minnows in 10 - 30 feet. White bass are fair on live
minnows and vertically jigging 1/16oz. jig heads
with chartreuse bodies tipped with live minnows,
and chrome/white Bomber slabs, around main lake
points at night under lights in 12 - 20 feet. Crappie
to 2 pounds are good on live minnows, CC spoons,
and chartreuse Berkley crappie bits tipped with
minnows over brushpiles and pilings at night under
lights in 6 - 15 feet. Channel and blue catfish to
15 pounds are good on live minnows, Lewis King
punchbait, Big Marv's cheese bait, cut shad, and
red wigglers in 6 - 18 feet. Yellow catfish to 26
pounds are good on trotlines and juglines baited
with hybrid bluegills and large goldfish.
COLETO CREEK: Water stained; 87 degrees (95
degrees at hot water discharge); 0.09' low. Black
bass are good on watermelon seed and watermelon/red soft plastic worms and lizards in 5 - 15 feet.
Striped bass are slow. White bass are slow. Crappie
are good on minnows and green tube jigs in 10 15 feet. Channel and blue catfish are good on trotlines baited with perch and liver. Yellow catfish are
slow.
FALCON: Water clear, 89 degrees. Black bass are
excellent on chartreuse/white and chartreuse/blue
soft plastics and crankbaits. Striped bass are slow.
Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are excellent
on shrimp and cutbait. 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 clear; 78 degrees; 0.08' low. Black
bass are good on gold skirt/gold bladed Nichols
spinnerbaits and bumble bee Norman crankbaits
around stickups and laydowns before sunrise in 6 12 feet, and later on watermelon red Reaction
Innovations Dominators and Carolina rigged watermelon red YUM Zellamander lizards in 20 - 30
feet. Striped bass are fair drifting live goldfish and
hybrid bluegills around the dam and trolling 2oz.
white Curb's spinner striper jigs over main lake
points at night under lights. White bass are fair on
live minnows, 1/32oz. chartreuse Road Runners,
and vertically jigging CC spoons across main lake
points at night under lights in 10 - 20 feet.
Smallmouth bass to 3 pounds are good on drop
shot rigged watermelon seed Mini-skirts and watermelon seed YUM Crawbugs over rock piles and
steep ledges in 8 - 20 feet. Crappie are good on live
minnows, white Fle-Flys, and 1/16oz. chartreuse
Blade Dancers tipped with live minnows around
brushpiles and in the backs of creeks at night under
lights in 10 - 25 feet. Channel and blue catfish to
15 pounds are good on Lewis King punchbait and
Big Marv's cheesebait, and on trotlines baited with
Redneck soap bait. Yellow catfish to 25 pounds are
good on juglines baited with hybrid bluegills and
large goldfish.
SOUTHEAST
CONROE: Water murky. Black bass are fair on
green/white/blue flake spinnerbaits and crankbaits.
Striped bass are slow. Crappie are good on minnows
and blue and green tube jigs. Catfish are good on
liver, shrimp, cutbait, and live bait.
Prepared by J.P. Greeson, Bink Grimes, Kendal Hemphill and Karen Taylor for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
GIBBONS CREEK: Water murky. Black bass are good
on watermelon/red and pumpkinseed/red spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and soft plastics. Crappie are
good on minnows and chartreuse/green tube jigs.
Catfish are fair on liver, shrimp, and cutbait.
HOUSTON COUNTY: Water stained with clear shallows; 85 degrees; 0.29' high. Black bass to 2
pounds are good on watermelon soft plastic worms,
and black/red shad and green/orange rooster tail
spinnerbaits, around the islands in 8 feet. Crappie
are excellent on live minnows in the cove between
the marina and Golden Acres12 feet deep in 18 32 feet, and near the dam around stumps in 20
feet. Channel catfish to 8 pounds are excellent
using crappie rigs baited with live worms near piers
in the dam area in the evenings. Bream are good on
live worms off piers.
LIVINGSTON: Water fairly clear; 86 degrees; 0.09'
low. Black bass to 5 pounds are good on crankbaits,
spinnerbaits, and soft plastics. Striped bass are
slow. White bass are very good on slabs, pet spoons,
hellbenders, and trolling tubes. Crappie are excellent on minnows over deep brushpiles. Channel and
blue catfish are good on cutbait, prepared baits,
and live bait. Yellow catfish are slow.
SAM RAYBURN: Water clear; 85 degrees; 0.85' low.
Black bass are good on watermelon and plum apple
Trick worms and Super Flukes in hydrilla beds in 6
- 12 feet during the day, and on topwaters and toad
baits around shallow grass on main lake and secondary points early and late in 2 - 5 feet. Crappie
are good on live shiners and jigs over brushtops in
25 - 30 feet. Catfish are good on juglines baited
with prepared baits.
TOLEDO BEND: Water lightly stained north, clear
south; 86 degrees; 3.11' low. Black bass are good
on black/blue heavy jigs and camo and watermelon
Carolina rigged lizards and French fries over hydrilla
in 8 - 15 feet, and on spinnerbaits and shallow running crankbaits near shoreline cover in 3 - 6 feet.
Crappie are fair trolling black/chartreuse jigs over
hydrilla beds, and are moving to offshore brushtops
in 20 - 25 feet.
PANHANDLE
BAYLOR: Water lightly stained; 80 degrees. Black
bass are slow. Crappie are slow on minnows. Catfish
are slow.
GREENBELT: Water lightly stained; 79 degrees;
17.65' low. Black bass to 6 pounds are good on
watermelon and white soft plastics worked along
grass lines, and topwaters early and late in day.
Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass
are good on live bait and Rat-L-Traps along the
dam. Smallmouth bass are good on jerkbaits and
small crankbaits. Walleye up to 4 pounds are good
at night on live bait and crankbaits. Catfish are
good on cut bait.
MACKENZIE: Water lightly stained; 78 degrees;
60.45' low. Black bass are good on shad-colored
spinnerbaits and jerkbaits. Crappie are good on
minnows and jigs. White bass and striped bass are
good on live bait and chrome/blue back Rat-LTraps. Smallmouth bass are fair on live bait and
jerkbaits. Walleye are fair on minnows and small
crankbaits. Catfish are good on minnows.
MEREDITH: Water lightly stained to stained with
water rising; 78 degrees; 14.15' low. Black bass are
fair on chartreuse/white spinnerbaits along brush
lines, and watermelon red jigs or soft plastics in
brush. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. White
bass are good on live bait and small crankbaits.
Smallmouth bass are fair on black back jerkbaits on
north end. Walleye are good on jigs tipped with
minnows suspended in 12-18 feet and on black
back jerkbaits along main lake points near dam.
Channel and Blue Catfish are good on cut bait,
shad and perch.
PALO DURO: Water lightly stained; 75 degrees; 36.5'
low. Black bass are fair on white spinnerbaits and
topwater lures. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. Smallmouth bass are fair on minnows.
Walleye are fair on jigs and minnows. Catfish are
good on minnows and cut shad.
WEST
ALAN HENRY: Water lightly stained; 80 degrees.
Black bass to 7 pounds are good on green pumpkin
jigs in the brush and white soft jerkbaits or topwater
lures along brush line,. Crappie are good on minnows and white jigs in the brush.
ARROWHEAD: Water muddy in upper end; 80
degrees; 5' low. Black bass are fair to slow on spinnerbaits around rocky areas and flooded brush.
Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs as fish moving
deeper. White bass are fair on shad-imitation baits.
Blue catfish are good on cut shad and prepared
baits.
BUFFALO SPRINGS: Water lightly stained; 68
degrees. Black bass are good on waterdogs near
dam and fair on perch near Crappie House. Crappie
are good on minnows and cut shad in Crappie
House. Hybrid strippers are fair on crankbaits, RatL-Traps, and live bait near cattails and Crappie
House near cattails and dam. Channel catfish are
good on stinkbait, punchbait and liver near docks
and northeast shores.
COLORADO CITY: Water clear; 78 degrees. Black bass
are slow. Crappie are slow. White bass are slow.
Redfish are slow. Catfish are slow.
FT. PHANTOM HILL: Water clear; 77 degrees; .25'
low. Black bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. White bass are fair on minnows and
small crankbaits. Catfish are fair on minnows and
cut baits.
HUBBARD CREEK: Water lightly stained; 79 degrees;
11.3' low. Black bass are fair on white buzzbaits
and chartreuse/white spinnerbaits along main points
and stickups, and red shad jigs in the reeds.
Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. White bass
and hybrid striper are fair on minnows and
crankbaits. Catfish are good on worms.
NASWORTHY: Water lightly stained; 77 degrees.
Black bass are fair on white spinnerbaits and live
bait. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows.
Redfish are fair. White bass and striped bass are
good on minnows chartreuse crankbaits. Catfish are
good on minnows and cut shad.
OAK CREEK: Water lightly stained; 77 degrees; 22.5'
low. Black bass are fair on live bait. Crappie are fair
on jigs and minnows. Catfish are fair on cut shad
and minnows. No boat ramps open. 4x4 vehicles
can unload on the dirt road near the dam.
O.H. IVIE: Water lightly stained; 79 degrees; 2.35'
low. Black bass are fair on live bait and watermelon
or black neon soft plastics along brush and topwater
lures near grass lines. Crappie are good on minnows
and jigs. White bass are fair on live bait.
Smallmouth bass are fair on live bait and small
crankbaits. Channel catfish are good on live and cut
baits.
POSSUM KINGDOM: Water clear; 81 degrees; 4.7'
low. Black bass are fair in Rock Creek and Caddo
Creek areas. Crappie are slow on live bait. White
bass and Striped bass are good near lighted piers at
night. Blue and channel catfish are fair in the upper
part of reservoir.
SPENCE: Water lightly stained; 78 degrees; 47.45'
low. Black bass are fair on shad-colored soft plastics and white/chartreuse spinnerbaits. Crappie are
good on minnows and jigs. White bass are fair on
live bait and chrome jerkbaits. Striped bass and
hybrid striper are fair. Catfish are fair on live bait.
STAMFORD: Water lightly stained; 77 degrees; 4.2'
low. Black bass are slow. Crappie are fair on jigs
and minnows. White and striped bass are fair on
jigs tipped with minnows. Catfish are fair on minnows and cut baits.
SWEETWATER: Water lightly stained; 77 degrees;
30' low. Black bass are fair on live bait and
white/blue spinnerbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. White bass are fair on live bait.
Catfish are good on minnows and shad.
WHITE RIVER: Water lightly stained; 77 degrees;
16.4' low. Black bass are fair on black/blue soft
plastics and white spinnerbaits along grass lines.
Crappie are fair on minnows. Walleye are fair on
minnows and chrome crankbaits. Channel catfish
are good on minnows.
WICHITA: Water clearing; 81 degrees. Black bass
are slow. Crappie are slow in old yacht club,
American Legion and Lakeside City areas. White
bass and hybrid striped bass are good on large minnows, white twister-tails and silver spoons along
dam and near Lake Wichita Park. Channel catfish
are fair on shrimp, punchbait and shad. North side
public ramp is closed for maintenance.
COASTAL
NORTH SABINE: Trout are fair to good on topwaters
and Corkies for waders working the islands. Redfish
are good and schooling in the middle of the lake on
mullet and live shrimp and black plastics. Trout and
redfish are good in the river on live shad.
SOUTH SABINE: Trout are good from the Causeway
Pier at night under the lights on live shrimp and
alewife tandem-rigged 1.5" Bass Assassins and
glow DOA Shrimp. Flounder are good on
pepper/chartreuse Bass Assassins, Trout Killers and
Sand Eels tipped with shrimp on the shorelines
near the bayous leading to the marsh. Redfish are
good at the jetty and in the middle of the lake on
live shad and shrimp.
BOLIVAR: Redfish are good in the surf on mullet.
Gafftop, sand trout and flounder are good at the
Pass on live bait. Trout are fair to good along the
shorelines on morning glory Bass Assassins, Trout
Killers, Sand Eels and Catch 5s.
TRINITY BAY: Trout are good while drifting deeper
shell reefs and slicks on glow/chartreuse, pumpkinseed/chartreuse and plum Bass Assassins, Trout
Killers and Sand Eels. Trout, sand trout, redfish and
croaker are fair to good on live shrimp in front of
the Spillway.
EAST GALVESTON BAY: Trout are fair to good while
drifting deeper reefs on glow/chartreuse, plum/white
and red shad Norton Sand Eels, Bass Assassins,
Trout Killers and live shrimp. Trout are fair to good
off the spoil banks in the Ship Channel on live
croakers.
WEST GALVESTON BAY: Trout are good on live shrimp
and mullet in the surf . Trout are fair to good off the
spoil banks on live croakers. Gafftop, sand trout,
speckled trout and whiting are good from the
beachfront piers on live bait. Flounder are good in
around Green's Cut on jigs tipped with shrimp.
TEXAS CITY: Trout are fair to good on live croaker off
the Dollar Flats. Redfish are good from the deep
holes and off the pier at the end of the dike on live
shrimp. Trout and oversized redfish are good at
night from the piers.
FREEPORT: Trout are good at the Surfside and
Quintana jetties on live shrimp, croaker and
MirrOlures. Trout, redfish and black drum are good
at San Luis Pass on live bait and DOA Shrimp.
Trout are good while drifting Bastrop Bay on live
shrimp.
EAST MATAGORDA: Trout are fair to good on live
shrimp and DOA Shrimp over mid-bay reefs.
Redfish are fair to good at the Oyster Farm and at
Three Mile on chartreuse She Dogs and morning
glory, limetreuse and bug juice Bass Assassins,
Trout Killers and Sand Eels. Flounder are fair to
good on the shorelines on jigs tipped with shrimp.
MATAGORDA: Trout are fair to good on the grass beds
of the south shoreline on red shad, morning glory
and pepper/chartreuse Bass Assassins, Sand Eels
and Trout Killers. Redfish are fair to good on limetreuse and pepper/chartreuse plastics and gold
spoons over sand bars on the shorelines. Trout,
black drum and redfish are fair to good on live
shrimp at Shell Island.
PORT O'CONNOR: Trout are good on live croakers over
deep shell and on morning glory and fire tiger Bass
Assassins, Trout Killers and Sand Eels on the south
shoreline of West Matagorda Bay near the Cedars.
Trout are good while drifting the flats on topwaters.
Trout and redfish are good on live shrimp at the
jetty.
ROCKPORT: Trout are good on the outside of Traylor
Island, Mud Island and St. Joe Island on croaker.
Redfish are good on cut-mullet and live shrimp on
the Estes Flats. Trout are good at night under the
lights on live shrimp, DOA Shrimp and speck-rigs.
ARANSAS PASS: Redfish are good in the Lighthouse
Lakes for waders with kayaks on orange and gold
topwaters. Flounder are good for fly fishers on
red/white Clousers on the drop-offs of Brown & Root
Flat
PORT ARANSAS: Trout are good at the North Jetty on
croaker, perch and pumpkinseed/chartreuse Bass
Assassins and Norton Sand Eels. Redfish are good
on live bait in the Lydia Ann Channel. Offshore is
good for snapper, ling, wahoo, amberjack and kingfish.
CORPUS CHRISTI: Trout and redfish are fair to good
on live shrimp and croaker around the causeway
and at the Oso Bridge. Trout and redfish are good
around the shell in Nueces Bay on live shrimp and
croakers.
BAFFIN BAY: Trout are fair to good at the Tide Gauge
and Rocky Sloughs on croaker, live shrimp and
morning glory Bass Assassins, Sand Eels and Trout
Killers. Trout are fair to good at Yarborough on
Corkies and pink-headed Super Spook Jr's.
PORT MANSFIELD: Trout and are fair to good on live
bait in the Intracoastal. Trout are fair to good on
live shrimp in the Ship Channel. Trout and redfish
are fair to good on topwaters and morning glory
Bass Assassins, Trout Killers and Sand Eels while
wading the sand and grass.
SOUTH PADRE: Trout are fair to good at the Gas-Well
Flats on gold spoons, live shrimp, Bass Assassins,
Sand Eels and DOA Shrimp. Snook and tarpon are
beginning to show at the jetty on live shrimp and
mullet.
PORT ISABEL: Trout are fair to good at Holly Beach
on plum Bass Assassins and live shrimp. Trout, redfish and black drum are fair to good at UnNecessary Island and Laguna Vista on live shrimp
under a popping cork and She Dogs.
Page 18 July 8, 2005
Continued from page 16
Game warden blotter
Game Warden Johnny Jones.
After traveling to the father’s
office, the wardens discovered
the son had just left for
Louisiana. A phone call later,
the son decided to return to
his father’s office. Both men
were placed in the Orange
County Jail — the father with
three Texas Parks and Wildlife
warrants and the son with
four TPW warrants and three
Department of Public Safety
warrants.
NOT AROUND THE KIDS
• Polk County Game Warden
Chuck Cotton and San
Jacinto
County
Game
Warden Aryn Corley responded to a call concerning men
smoking marijuana in the
presence of a small child.
Charges filed included possession of marijuana, drug
paraphernalia, no fishing
license, failure to identify and
public intoxication.
ONE DROWNS, FOUR INJURED AT
CEDAR CREEK
• Henderson County Game
Wardens Audie Hamm and
Tony Norton had recovered a
drowning victim on Cedar
Creek Lake when they were
called back for a boating
accident with injuries. A
boat had run into a bridge
pylon.
A
rescue
crew
retrieved the four victims,
and they were all taken to
local hospitals. The investigation revealed the operator
and all of the other victims
had been drinking alcohol.
The driver was arrested and
charged with boating while
intoxicated and intoxication
assault.
YOUR FRIEND CAN COME, TOO
• Anderson County Game
Warden Dave Raybin and
Cherokee County Game
Warden Bobby Strickland saw
a personal watercraft violate
the 50-foot rule on Lake
Palestine. During the contact,
wardens noticed signs of
intoxication. After their investigation, the driver was arrested for boating while intoxicated and transported to the
Henderson County Jail. The
man blew a .23 percent blood
alcohol content on the breath
tester and had two previous
arrests for driving while intoxicated. During the arrest, one
of the man’s friends came to
see what was happening and
was arrested for public intoxication.
Navarro Mills Lake in reference to an accident involving
a personal watercraft and a
swimmer. The investigation
revealed that the operator of
the personal watercraft had
been drinking and drove
toward two children who were
swimming. The operator was
arrested for boating while
intoxicated and intoxication
assault.
BIGGER’S NOT BETTER
• Matagorda County Game
Wardens Aaron Koenig and
David Janssen were working
Matagorda Bay watching for
commercial shrimping viola-
tions. They boarded a boat at
the 2 p.m. closure, and the
captain immediately started
having problems getting his
net into the boat. The wardens
settled in for the wait.
Realizing that the officers
weren’t going anywhere, the
captain admitted that he was
pulling an illegal 60-foot net.
Once aboard, the net actually
measured 70 feet across, and
the captain was cited for operating an oversized bay shrimp
net. White shrimp weighing
225 pounds were seized and
later sold to the high bidder
for more than $600. The case
is pending.
BOATER ARRESTED AFTER ACCIDENT
• Deshanna Creager and Jimmy
Woolley, Navarro County
game wardens, were called to
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July 8, 2005 Page 19
OUTDOOR DATEBOOK
HAVE AN EVENT
TO PUBLICIZE?
E-mail it to
[email protected].
Events must be open to the public.
JULY 9: Buescher State Park, Junior
Angler Clinic and Family Fishing
Celebration. We will start with angler
education and introduction from 9-11
a.m., followed by fishing in Buescher
Lake from 11 a.m.-noon. Open to kids
6-13; parents must accompany kids.
Fee: $2 adults, free for children 12
and under. Call (512) 237-2241.
JULY 9: Media Bass Tournament Trail
ArkaTex Teams Tournament, ramp No.
3, Wright Patman Lake. Saturday
registration is 5 a.m. Take off and
weigh-in are at ramp No. 3. Entry fee
and membership fee are required. For
more information, call Chad Cranford
(870) 898-6296.
JULY 9: Media Bass Tournament Trail
Central Teams Tournament, Sunny Glen
Marina, Cedar Creek Reservoir.
Saturday registration is 5 a.m. Take off
and weigh-in are at Sunny Glen
Marina. Entry fee and membership fee
are required. For more information, call
Jimmy Bennett at (254) 774-9984.
JULY 9: Tying Bass Bugs with Bill
Sargeant. Spinning deer hair isn’t hard
if you know a few simple rules. Come
learn techniques from master fly-tyer
Bill Sargeant.
JULY 9: Media Bass Tournament Trail
Northeast Teams Tournament, Titus
County Park, Lake Bob Sandlin.
Saturday registration is 5 a.m. Take off
and weigh-in are at Titus County Park.
Entry fee and membership fee are
required. For more information, call
Eldon Stout at (972) 222-3751.
JULY 10: The 2 of Us Northeast Region
Couples Fishing Tournament, Lake Bob
Sandlin. Contestants must be members
of The 2 of Us (annual membership
$30 per year). Tournament entry fee is
$70 if mailed by the Monday
preceding the event; $80 if paid after
that Monday. Payback is 70 percent for
the first five places. For more
information, contact The 2 of Us
Northeast Region Directors Cliff and
Robbie Kirby at (903) 856-9811 or
e-mail [email protected].
JULY 10: The 2 of Us Southeast Region
Couples Fishing Tournament, Toledo
Bend Reservoir. Contestants must be
members of The 2 of Us (annual
membership $30 per year).
Tournament entry fee is $70 if mailed
by the Monday preceding the event;
$80 if paid after that Monday. Payback
is 70 percent for the first five places.
For more information, contact The 2 of
Us Southeast Region Directors W.R.
and Rose Smith at (409) 787-9994 or
e-mail [email protected].
JULY 9, 16, 23: Go Fishing with a
Ranger, Inks Lake State Park. After
brief safety and basic skills instruction,
children will get a chance to go fishing
with a park ranger. A limited amount of
fishing equipment (including poles and
bait) is available from the park, or you
can bring your own. Adults are
requested to attend with small children
or with large groups. 6-7 p.m. (512)
793-2223.
JULY 12: Ducks Unlimited volunteer
recruitment meeting, Chester’s
Hamburgers, San Antonio. For more
information call Todd Willingham at
(830) 624-7913 or e-mail
[email protected].
JULY 12: Ducks Unlimited Bowie County
new chapter organizational evening,
Front Street Junction Restaurant,
Dekalb, 6:30 p.m. Join the fun of
starting a new Ducks Unlimited
Chapter. For more information, call J.E.
Yazoo Thomas at (936) 368-7263 or
e-mail [email protected].
JULY 12: Ducks Unlimited volunteer
recruitment meeting, Fort Worth
Mercado Juarez, Fort Worth. Come join
fellow water fowlers in learning more
about Ducks Unlimited and
conservation work. For more
information, contact Pat Hall at (817)
832-0467 or e-mail
[email protected].
JULY 12: Ducks Unlimited volunteer
recruitment meeting, Ruby Tequila’s,
Amarillo. Come join fellow water
fowlers in learning more about Ducks
Unlimited and conservation work. For
more information, call Dean or Damaris
Schlong at (806) 353-9604 or e-mail
[email protected].
JULY 12-13: Cooper Lake State
Park/South Sulphur Unit — Project
WILD Workshop. Learn to teach young
people how to think about wildlife with
fun, hands-on easy to do educational
activities. Activities are for grades K-12
with a major science content focus but
many are inter-disciplinary. All
materials are aligned to the TEKS.
Teachers, informal educators and youth
group leaders may take the training.
Both workshops qualify for TEEAC and
SBEC credit. Bring a sack lunch. 8:30
a.m.-2 p.m.; for required registration email [email protected] or call
Chrystal Reneau (903) 439-4585 or
Karen Phillips (903) 348-1175; (903)
395-3100.
JULY 13-15: Goliad State Park —
summer youth program. There will be a
variety of wildlife management topics
covered in this series of programs for
youth ages 9-12; 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; fee:
$10 children 12 and under;
reservations required (361) 645-3405.
JULY 14: Ducks Unlimited McLennan
and Coryell counties volunteer
recruitment meeting. For more
information contact John White at
(325) 236-6726 or e-mail
[email protected].
JULY 14: Ducks Unlimited recruitment
meeting, Plano-Martinez Café, Plano.
Come join fellow water fowlers in
learning more about Ducks Unlimited.
For more information, contact Gordon
Waller at (214) 926-6779 or e-mail
[email protected].
JULY 14: Ducks Unlimited new chapter
organizational meeting, Sister’s Café,
Gun Barrel City, 6:30 p.m. For more
information, contact J.E. Yazoo Thomas
at (936) 368-7263 or e-mail
[email protected].
JULY 14: Ducks Unlimited new chapter
organizational meeting, Alice Chamber
of Commerce, Alice. Come join fellow
water fowlers in learning more about
Ducks Unlimited. For more
information, contact Todd Willingham
at (830) 624-7913 or e-mail
[email protected].
JULY 16: Media Bass Tournament Trail
East Teams Tournament, West Bay
Marina, Johnson Creek Park, Lake O’
the Pines. Saturday registration is 5
a.m. Take off and weigh-in are at
Johnson Creek Park. Entry fee and
membership fee are required. For more
information, call Aaron Palmer at (903)
856-5473.
JULY 16: The 2 of Us West Region
Couples Fishing Tournament, Brady
Creek Reservoir. Contestants must be
members of The 2 of Us (annual
membership $30 per year).
Tournament entry fee is $70 if mailed
by the Monday preceding the event;
$80 if paid after that Monday. Payback
is 70 percent for the first five places.
For more information, contact The 2 of
Us West Directors Richard and Jeannie
Davis at (325) 643-4761 or e-mail
[email protected].
JULY 16: 3rd Annual Catfish Kid Fish,
Landmark Inn State Historical Site. A
free fishing event for children 4 to 16
years of age, with all tackle supplied by
park staff. Adults must accompany
children. 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.; fee $2 per
adult, children free; no license
required but catch limits enforced;
reservations strongly recommended.
HEROES’ CORNER
Want to share your great hunting or fishing adventure with the Lone Star Outdoor News family? E-mail your photo, phone and caption information to
[email protected], or mail to: Heroes’ Corner, Lone Star Outdoor News, 9304 Forest Lane, Suite 114 South, Dallas, TX, 75243.
FEATURED HERO
STEVE FOGEL caught
this keeper white bass
on a recent Lake
Lewisville fishing trip.
Fogel said the fishing
has been great in the
past few weeks, but
on his most recent
venture he had to
work for his supper by
following the baitfish.
JUSTIN GATLIN caught the fish of a lifetime at age 5. Caught on a private lake near
Athens, the fish was well over 10 pounds.
KEITH WARREN and CAPT. LEE WARMKE
with Keith’s first tripletail!
GREG WHITE, son of Rocky Robison, was
lucky to fish with Skeeter Pro Jay Yelas. He
caught this 4.41-pounder and had a great
day fishing. Later that day Greg went out
with his father and caught his personal
best, a 7.6-pound bass on Lake Fork.
This trout was caught by KEITH PONSONBY of Spring Texas.
The fish was 2 ounces less than 10 pounds and was 31
inches long. He caught it while fishing with Capt. Ronnie
Biddy on May 11, 2005.
MARK MEISSENBURG just got back from a New Mexico
oryx hunt and had great luck. He drew for an off-range
hunt for the month of June. The heat was bad, but he
saw a ton of animals and had a lot of fun. After four
days of hard hunting, he harvested this great bull oryx,
with horns 37-inches long and 7 3/4-inch bases.
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