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2 | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 0 | T E X A S F I S H & G A M E

Published by Texas Fish & Game Publishing Co., LLC.TEXAS FISH & GAME is the largest independent,family-owned outdoor publication in America.

Owned by Ron and Stephanie Ward and Roy and Ardia Neves.

ROY NEVESPUBLISHER

DON ZAIDLEEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

CHESTER MOOREEXECUTIVE EDITOR

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

JOE DOGGETT SENIOR CONTRIBUTING EDITORDOUG PIKE SENIOR CONTRIBUTING EDITORTED NUGENT EDITOR AT LARGE

BOB HOOD HUNTING EDITORMATT WILLIAMS FRESHWATER EDITOR

CALIXTO GONZALES SALTWATER EDITORLENNY RUDOW BOATING EDITOR

STEVE LAMASCUS FIREARMS EDITORLOU MARULLO BOWHUNTING EDITOR

KENDAL HEMPHILL POLITICAL COMMENTATORTOM BEHRENS CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

GREG BERLOCHER CONTRIBUTING EDITORPAUL BRADSHAW CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

HERMAN BRUNE CONTRIBUTING EDITORCAPT. MIKE HOLMES CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

PATRICK LEMIRE SALTWATER RIGS EDITORREAVIS WORTHAM HUMOR EDITOR

JOHN GISEL WEBSITE CONTENT MANAGER

A D V E R T I S I N G

ARDIA NEVESVICE PRESIDENT/ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

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TEXAS FISH & GAME (ISSN 0887-4174) is published monthly by Texas Fish & GamePublishing Co., LLC., 1745 Greens Road, Houston, Texas 77032. Texas Fish &Game Publishing Co., LLC. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reprinted or oth-erwise reproduced without written permission. The publication assumes no responsi-bility for unsolicited photographs and manuscripts. Subscription rates: 1 year$19.00: 2 years $34.75; 3 years $48.50. Address all subscription inquiries to TexasFish & Game, 1745 Greens Road, Houston, Texas 77032. Allow 4 to 6 weeks forresponse. Give old and new address and enclose latest mailing address label whenwriting about your subscription. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: TEXAS FISH& GAME, 1745 Greens Road, Houston, TX 77032. Address all subscription inquiriesto TEXAS FISH & GAME, 1745 Greens Road, Houston, TX 77032. Email change ofaddress to: [email protected] Email new orders to:[email protected] Email subscription questions to: [email protected].

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38 DRIVING SNOWS AWAYOnce relatively scarce, snow geese now num-ber in the millions. But are Texas manage-ment practices actually creating a decline inthe number of birds that winter in our state?

by Chester Moore

FEBRUARY 2010 Volume XXV NO. 10

ON THE COVER:Bassmaster Classic champ AltonJones admires a Fayette Countybass with Shawn Johnson andtwo-time BASS Womens Tourchampion Judy Wong. Shawnwas the winner of Texas Fish &Games Ultimate Trophy Questcontest, and won a day of fish-ing with Alton and Judy onFayette County Reservoir.

The trip took place in Decem-ber and was a great success,despite a frosty wind chill andwhitecaps on the tiny lake. Seethe full story on PAGE 42

Photo by Chester Moore

ALSO IN FEBRUARY:

46 BRUISER BLUESFew freshwater gamefishes hit as hard asa bad-boy Blue Cat-fish. by Paul Bradshaw


FEATURES

www.FishGame.com

22 THE WALKABOUT ANGLER:BELOW THE SALTIn the second installment of our series onlow-tech access to high-yield fishing spots,we explore places where you can step intofresh- and saltwater with the same foot.

by John Felsher

26 ALL CHOKED UPWith a reputation that is spreading likewildfire, its not hard to swallow claims thatChoke Canyon is the Next Lake Fork.

by Matt Williams

www.twitter.com/FishandGame

www.facebook.com/pages/Texas-Fish-Game-Magazine/86524948620

30 BEATING THE BLACK DRUMThe black drum is not as pretty as its bronzedcousin, the redfish, but when it comes to rawdetermination to avoid the landing net, thegreat ugly fish is more than admirable.

by Chester Moore

48 TEXAS LURE MASTERSEighty-odd years ago, saltwater lures did notexist in Texas tackle stores. Thanks to theminds, hands and heart of a talented few,that situation changedushering an entireindustry and a passion for collecting thatrivals the passions of the original innovators.

by Doug Pike


COLUMNS

FEBRUARY 2010 Volume XXV NO. 10


11 Editors NotesPhotos and Smart Readers by DON ZAIDLE TF&G Editor-in-Chief

14 Chesters NotesDire and Desirable Predictions by CHESTER MOORE, JR. TF&G Executive Editor

16 Doggett at LargeTween Season Respitesby JOE DOGGETTTF&G Senior Contributing Editor

18 Pike On the EdgeZero ToleranceIdiocy by DOUG PIKETF&G Senior Contributing Editor

20 TexasWildStrapAssassin Oneby TED NUGENTTF&G Editor-at-Large

41 Texas FreshwaterLooking for Lunkers in All the Right Placesby MATT WILLIAMSTF&G Freshwater Editor

52 Texas SaltwaterThe Stomach Flu Columnby CALIXTO GONZALESTF&G Saltwater Editor

53 Hunt TexasThe Epicurian Hunter by BOB HOODTF&G Hunting Editor

54 Open SeasonHow to TrainBird Dogsby REAVIS WORTHAM TF&G Humor Editor

DEPARTMENTS

10 YOUR LETTERS

12 TF&G REPORT

34 TRUE GREEN

42 ULTIMATETROPHYQUEST

COLUMNS and DEPARTMENTS

www.FishGame.comwww.twitter.com/FishandGame

www.facebook.com/pages/Texas-Fish-Game-Magazine/86524948620


Just Say No to BowhuntingIn response to Jimmy Malones letter in

the December issue titled, Just Say No ToBowhunting: I myself took up bowhuntingafter deer hunting with slugged shotgun andrifle for many years on family and publiclands. But I must say ethics are ethics. Youwere either raised with them or not. I have putdown more deer than I really care to countthat had been shot by rifle or shotgun withwounds that I will not describe--and not oncehave had to put one down poorly arrowed.

I am not saying it does not happen, but I,along with many other bowhunters, will tellyou that deer can jump string as well, as somerifle hunters get buck fever so bad that theycould not hit the broadside of a barn from theinside, much less hit a deer at, as Maloneclaimed, 300 yards.

Mr. Malone, we as hunters have a choiceat this time to choose a weapon of legal means.So, rather than sit back and throw stones atfellow hunters or sport hunters, why dont youwrite your local congressman and use yourenergy to support hunting in general; becauseif the antis have it their way, you may not getto hunt your way for very much longer.

To TF&G: Thank you for the great maga-zine and all the great tips and advice. It justgoes to show, youre never too old to learnmore about whatever sport you choose.

Jody A. FinkleaVia email

I just completed reading Jimmy Malonesletter, which basically just badmouthedbowhunting. While I would never argue that ahunter has an ethical responsibility to make aclean kill, I would definitely argue most of hisother points.

To read his letter, you would think thatevery deer shot with a bow was a bad shot,and an unethical activity. Not only that, hegoes on to brag that he can shoot a deer deadat 300 yards with his rifle and it will run only30 yards, and that is real hunting skill.Wrong. That was marksmanship skill. Hunt-

ing skill is getting within bow range, and mak-ing a clean kill. Most people I know whobowhunt have practiced extensively to preventa bad situation.

As an NRA High Power Long Rangecompetitor (600-1000 yards), I can attest tothe fact that many things can happen with a300-yard rifle shot that will result in a wound-ed deer. It has nothing to do with the skill ofthe marksman, just bad luck. Crosswind andmirage play a big factor when you get out to200 yards and beyond. The thing I wouldstress to hunters is that you need to hone yourskills and go hunting--but never would I try totell a person to give up his chosen method ofhunting. Please disregard letters like Mal-ones in the future.

Charles Chick CollinsVia email

Flounder Bite Videos a HitI just watched the flounder bite videos on

the TF&G website. It still amazes me, evenafter watching that footage over and overagain. Thanks for the insight and keep plug-ging away at all the stuff that keeps us on theedge of our seats.

Scott BandyVia email

Fantastic videos! We thought we knewwhat was happening with our strikes, but nowwe can, in our minds eye, see it each time onehits. Great job!

Troy M. StewartWebster, TX

The Wealthy Soak the Poor

Thank you so much for Chester Moorescolumn in regarding no-fishing zones. Wehave been aware of this problem for manyyears along the Galveston coast. When thewealthy move in, the poor and middle-incomeare forced out. It started on West Beach andstretches all the way to Beaumont and so on.Im sure it happens to the south also, but ourfamily is Galveston area fishermen.

When development started on West Beach(there was no bridge over San Luis Pass), wecamped with our three young children nearlyevery weekend and had so many wonderfultimes. There were no stores for miles (this wasin the 1970s) so we had to carry everythingwe would need for the 2-3 nights or more thatwe would be there. We saw the developmentstart and the area became closed to vehicletraffic, then it became too far from your vehi-cle to walk to get to an area suitable for camp-ing, and it pushed us all the way to EastBeach.

Then we moved to Bolivar. Guess what?Around Crystal Beach began to develop andwe were pushed closer to High Island andfound Rollover Pass. Over the years, thelandowners along Bolivar Peninsula haveslowly choked off wade-fishing, camping,automobiles, and so on. Now the wealthyhave a voice in state government and it lookslike Rollover will close and the wealthy will berid of the poor and middle class that botherthem.

I hope our letters help, but I dont hold outany hope. When our legislators and electedofficials from the dogcatcher to the WhiteHouse are bought and paid for, our chancesare really quite slim. I used to think a petitiondrive would help influence our legislators, butsince many of them own property on theisland or peninsula, or have relatives that do,it is a lost cause.

Kenneth and Mary EverittVia email


Letters

On the Web

www.fishgame.com/video(Keyword: flounder)


T E X A S F I S H & G A M E | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 0 | 11

Photos andSmartReaders

SOMETIMES, OUR READERS ARE SO SMARTthey scare me. Well, maybe not scare,but certainly impress and awe.

Such was the case regardingresponse to my January A ThousandWords column, wherein I presented uncap-tioned photographs of assorted non-tradi-tional flora and fauna and asked readers toidentify them. I purposely chose difficult sub-jects, but amazingly, some of you guys nailedit.

Reader Weldon Hatch, III, correctlyidentified all eight subjects, and Ray C.Telfair II, Ph.D., got all but one, demon-strating far above average knowledge.

Photo No. 1 depicted a species ofconenose bug, a member of the Triatomasubfamily that feeds on mammal blood,including humans. The initially painless biteproduces painful, itchy welts that last fordays, and provokes anaphylactic reactions insome people.

These insects do not crawl on prospectivehosts, but remain on the ground or other sur-face and crawl up to the meal to remainundetected. I found the one in the photoafter the damned thing fed on me three times

in a week as I slept, hiding out during theday underneath the bed.

Photo No. 2 is a real stumper for mostpeople. I knew what it was but not the prop-er name until Mr. Hatch informed that theice formation sourced from a class of vegeta-tion generically called frost weed.

Certain plants that remain alive into falland early winter sprout ice flowers nearthe stem bases under certain conditions,specifically, when air temperature is at orbelow freezing while the ground remainswarm enough to support an active root sys-tem. Moisture flows from the roots up intothe stem, where the cold air freezes it.Expanding ice crystals split the stem andextrude out to form ice ribbons.

The first time a saw this phenomenonwas after a sharp cold snap following severaldays of warm temperatures. I first thoughtsomeone had toilet papered the creek bot-tom because, from a distance, the ice lookedlike toilet paper wrapped around plant stembases.

I chose photo No. 3 from a series I shotof a Texas rat snake because the foliageobscured its head, making identification a bitmore difficult. Messrs. Hatch and Telfairboth identified the snake, and Dr. Telfaircorrectly identified the foliage as hackberry;impressive knowledge, to put it mildly.

My grandfather always told me not toshoot cottontail rabbits in months with anR because they had worms. Turns outhe was right, as photo No. 4 depicts. I wasin the process of cleaning the late summer(September) cottontail when two botfly lar-vae voluntarily popped out from the skin onits back. Fascinated, I grabbed my camera todocument the event.

Photo No. 5 captures an excellent exam-ple of natures near-perfect camouflage.Even from a short distance, distinguishingthe katydid from a leaf is nigh impossibleuntil the insect moves.

I have always wondered at but neverinvestigated the spine-and-rib markings onthe underside of a deer hide as shown inphoto No. 6. The markings do not match ribcount, so I doubt there is any association.Perhaps another astute reader or 12 can edu-cate the rest of us about this.

I found the shrew in photo No. 7 on theparking lot at the Texas Fish & Game officesin Houston, apparently squashed by a tire.Everyone who had noticed it thought it wasa mouse, but woods rats Moore and Zaidleimmediately recognized the tiny predatorand regaled the staff with fact and lore aboutthese fascinating mammals.

I photographed the large rat snake inphoto No. 8 on my front porch. It hadcrawled up one of the juniper posts that sup-port the porch roof and ensconced itself inthe rafters. I have twice seen copperheads intrees mating, so I know they can climb, too.After making this discovery, considering myknack for acquiring copperhead bites, I amnow understandably nervous at the prospectof attack from above while on my porch.

Below are a few more of my non-non-game photos for your amusement and inspi-ration. Remember, we want to see your pho-tos, too. Send them via email to [email protected].

E-mail Don Zaidle at [email protected]

Editors Notes

by Don Zaidle| TF&G Editor-in-Chief

PHOTOS BY DON ZAIDLE

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TF&G Report

LUMINANT, A SUBSIDIARY OF ENERGY FUTUREHoldings Corporation and owner of theComanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant andassociated Squaw Creek Reservoir, is

developing plans to reopen the lake on a limitedbasis to employees, charitable events, and eventu-ally to the public.

We know that employees and our plantneighbors have been looking forward to theopportunity to fish on Squaw Creek onceagain, and we are excited to be able to sharethis great news, said Comanche Peak SiteVice President Mitch Lucas. While we stillhave a lot of planning to do and park infra-structure upgrades to make, we will shareupdates as they are available.

Weve watched as other nuclear facilitieshave reopened their lakes for fishing. Andnow, after careful consideration and an exten-sive review, we have started planning to

reopen the reservoir by mid-2010.In a press release issued in early December

2009, the company addressed a number ofanticipated questions about the re-opening:

Q: When will it be open to the public?A: As part of our commitment to sur-

rounding communities, it is our intention toinitially provide access to the public throughfishing tournaments that benefit charitableorganizations. Broader public access beyondthis will be decided in 2010.

Q: How do I register to fish on SquawCreek, how many boats will be allowed andwill there be admission fees for the public?

A: We are currently exploring several reg-istration options as well as the number ofboats that will be allowed on the reservoir. Wehave not made a decision regarding publicaccess fees. More details will be forthcoming

in the first quarter of 2010.Q: Why did you close Squaw Creek

Reservoir, and why are you planning toreopen it?

A: We decided the prudent course ofaction was to close the lake after the events ofSeptember 11, 2001. In the past eight years,we have significantly enhanced our securitymeasures to protect Comanche Peak. Therehas been strong interest from within our com-pany, our community and throughout the stateto allow access for recreational fishing atSquaw Creek Reservoir.

Q: How will Luminant ensure the safetyand security of the plant and surroundingcommunities?

A: The safety of our employees and thecommunity has always been, and will contin-ue to be, our top priority. Since September11, 2001, Luminant has worked closely withthe Nuclear Regulatory Commission to aug-ment security around Comanche Peak. Wewill continue to exercise security proceduresand install infrastructure designed to protectboth public and plant safety and security. Inaddition, Comanche Peak security, game war-dens, and other licensed peace officers will beon site to patrol the lake and surroundingareas.

Q: What will have to be done to reopenthe lake?

A: Reopening the lake will require severalinfrastructure updates to ensure a safe experi-ence for visitors. We will also continue to keepthe Nuclear Regulatory Commissioninformed of our plans.

At the time of its closure in 2001, SquawCreek was open to the public during daylighthours for general recreation and fishing. Itwas best known for its smallmouth bass andchannel catfish fisheries.

Plans to Reopen SquawCreek Reservoir

PHO

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On the Web

www.luminant.com

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TPWDStudiesBlue CatfishSlot Limit

IN MID DECEMBER 2009, TPWD BEGAN WORK ATRichland-Chambers Reservoir on a study todetermine if it will implement a slot limit forblue catfish on some reservoirs.

The trip was the first of a series of winter-time research trips to help biologists betterunderstand what it takes to produce big bluecatfish at Richland-Chambers and two otherTexas reservoirs. The research is designed toevaluate an experimental 30- to 45-inch slotlength regulation geared towards enhancingthe trophy catfish potential of lakes Waco,Lewisville, and Richland-Chambers.

The regulation went into effect in Septem-ber 2009 for the three lakes and allowsanglers a total daily bag of 25 fish per day.Harvested fish may be any size below 30inches, but only one fish over 45 inches isallowed as part of the daily bag.

The research is being directed by fisheriesbiologist John Tibbs of TPWDs InlandFisheries office in Waco and is being con-ducted by staff from fisheries offices in Tyler,Fort Worth, and Waco.

During the study period, biologists areconducting simulated angler jugline sets toevaluate catch rates and size distributions ofblue catfish. Length, weight and growth dataare being collected from the fish to determinejust how long it takes blue catfish to grow to30 inches and beyond in these reservoirs. Pre-liminary results indicate that it may take 10years or more for a blue catfish to reach 30inches.

Muscle tissue samples are being collectedfrom fish below 30 inches in length, those 30-45 inches in length, and over 45 inches inlength to evaluate the potential for bioaccu-mulation of toxicants as the fish age.

Angler support for the regulation is alsobeing evaluated as part of the study. Anglerinterest in fishing for large blue catfish has

increased in recent years, and TPWD hopesto increase the opportunities anglers have tocatch a trophy. The three reservoirs wereselected for the experimental regulation due totheir ability to support a large population of

blue catfish and the fact they have all pro-duced fish in excess of 45 inches.

Research will be ongoing through 2016,and results will be used to evaluate whetherthe regulation is achieving the goal of increas-ing the number of large blue catfish in thereservoirs. If the lakes begin to produce largerfish, variations of the special regulation maybe considered for other Texas reservoirs.

Juglines may be constructed and fished dif-ferently by each angler, although most utilizea surface float with a vertical line attached toa small weight on the bottom. Up to fivehooks are spaced out evenly at various depthsalong the line and commonly baited with cutshad or sunfish. Floats are often designed tomove or flag to alert the angler from a dis-tance when a fish is hooked. Jugline floats arerequired to be white and must have a valid(dated) gear tag while being fished in Texas.Consult the Outdoor Annual or the TPWDweb site for specific regulations regarding jug-lines before fishing.


PHOTO COURTESY OF TPWD

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Dire andDesirablePredictions

IN CASE YOU HAVE NOT NOTICED, TIMES AREchanging in the outdoors world. Prices,regulations, and access are all concernsfor hunters and anglers in the Lone Star

State, including myself.A few things have been on my mind late-

ly that have inspired some research into thefuture of our beloved outdoors lifestyle.While I certainly do not claim to be aprophet of any kind, I have been ablethrough study predict outdoors trends in thepast and have a few ideas on what is comingin the not so distant future.

Here we go

Coastwide 5-trout Limit: Within fiveyears, I believe there will be a coast widespeckled trout bag limit of five fish. Surveysshow some disturbing trends over the last fewyears, with huge dips in abundance in somebay systems on the middle coast. The mini-mum I believe we will get is a five-fish limit,perhaps between San Antonio to Aransasarea, but if things do not get better, coastwide is likely.

The amount of pressure exerted on ourcoastal resources is staggering, and by that Ido not mean simply harvest of fish. Every-thing from the closing of fish passes torestrictions of freshwater flow and pollution

are having an impact. Bad or good, troutregulation changes are coming.

Widgeon Restrictions: Hunters cancurrently (and as far as I know, have alwaysbeen able to) take a full limit of widgeon. Aswe reported in the January 2009 issue, wid-geon numbers are consistently below thelong-term average and barely above half ofthe scaup population, and scaup have beenreduced to two birds in the Central Flyway.I suspect we will see something happen withwidgeon unless trends increase.

Big Buck Backlash: When you walkinto a hunting show and see numerous signsreading, Deer Semen for Sale, you knowsomething is not right. I have no problemwith people breeding deer or even highfences, but I do believe the big buck crazehas gotten way out of hand.

When you can produce 200-class buckson demand, is it still a trophy? And who canafford them? Since I believe our current eco-nomic situation will fundamentally changethe way America spends its money and val-ues its resources, there is a very good chancewe will see more respect paid to 8-pointersand 10-pointers instead of everyone judg-ing a deer only by its Boone & Crockettscore.

Then, when someone takes a big buck,no matter what kind of fence it was shotbehind, it will mean something.

Cast Net Comeback: Two things arehappening now in fishing, particularly infreshwater. People are staying closer to homeand fishing in their local rivers, bayous, andprivate ponds, and those same people arerealizing they do not have to go a long wayto have a quality fishing experience.

I have been receiving many more ques-tions about how to use cast nets and live baitin freshwater. I think with the price of fishinglures and many more people starting to pur-sue crappie and catfish, we will see a cast netrenaissance on inland waters.

No Fishing Zones by Default: Thisties in with last months column and must bementioned in any outdoors predictions. Thefederal government does not have to come inand create official no fishing zones. Byclosing down areas it controls, as it has atvarious times at Pleasure Island on SabineLakeand as the state government wants todo at Rollover Passthe government ismaking no fishing zones by default.Expect more to come.

On top of that, expect executive ordersthat shut down key fishing areas in the Gulf.The Flower Gardens is the first area thatwill go down off the Texas coast, but thereare other possibilities.

Further Federal Encroachment:The federal government was not happywhen the Texas Parks & Wildlife Commis-sion voted to keep state-water snapper fish-ing open year-round. In case you have notnoticed, the federal bureaucracy is growingin power daily, exerting its influence overstates all over the place.

With bailout money flowing like floodwa-ters and the state government taking in farless money than it thinks is needed, look forfurther federal restrictions on the outdoors tocome, tied with funding like matching grantsto state projects and other ventures. You willnever find any hard connections, but it willnot take a genius to connect the dots.

I fully expect the state-water snapper sea-son to match federal mandates, and if youdoubt it, look at the recent changes withsharks. While the state left a small loophole,our shark size and bag limits match those forfederal waters.

How long before other restrictions reachfrom 9 nautical miles to the beach? I expectnot long.

(To contact Chester Moore, e-mail him [email protected]. You can hear him onthe radio Fridays from 6-7 p.m. on NewstalkAM 560 KLVI or online at www.klvi.com.)

Chesters Notes


by Chester Moore, Jr. | TF&G Executive Editor

TF&G FIRST

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TweenSeasonRespites

FEBRUARY IS THE THROWAWAY CARD IN THEdeck of 12 for the outdoor enthusiast inTexas. Most of the major hunting sea-sons are finished and most of the prime

fishing waits somewhere over the horizon.Plus, the blasts of cold, wet weather can

be among the worst of the year.February is a lousy draw, no doubt, but

opportunities for quality trips are available,especially for the sportsman with a flexibleschedule and proper priorities. The key is tohit it when its right. A few days, even a fewhours, can mean the difference between agreat session and a miserable bust.

Keeping this all-important factor of timingin mind, here are a few choices to consider.

Quail Hunting: The bird seasonruns through February 28 statewide, andhunting for non-migratory bobwhites andblues can be excellent during the final weeks.Quail, unlike ducks and dove, dont relocate.The coveys are there and, as a huge plus, theconditions can be favorable for quality dogwork.

The mornings often are coolevencoldand the green underbrush of early sea-son has thinned considerably. The depletedground cover allows noses to function effec-tively, and the odds of recovering long fallsand cripples improves.

Also a thought: you are less apt to stum-ble blindly over a 6-foot western diamond-back rattlesnake.

If the lease or ranch had good numbers ofquail during November, and no major winterdie-offs occurred, the February hunting canbe the most enjoyable and productive of theseason.

Hog Hunting: The deer seasons closed

during January, but feral hogs are open year-roundand February is a great month tobear down on a resident pig population. Youare not that far removed in spirit from thehunt, and the chill weather often is conducivefor being in the brush.

A pig patrol is a good excuse for onemore trip to the lease and, as added incen-tive, you are not interfering with anyone hunt-ing a trophy whitetail.

If the available property hosts anyexotics, February offers a shot at somethingdifferent. Keep in mind that several species ofexotics have free-ranging populations; axisdeer in the Hill Country and nilgai antelopealong the lower coast are good examples, andboth are excellent on the tableso, for thatmatter, is a young cold-weather hog.

Big Trout: February can be a goodmonth for large speckled trout on the flats.The key is to intercept the warming, risingtides behind a stiff northerand the secondmonth is no stranger to these frontal weatherpatterns.

Wading is the best approach, and after-noons under the mild sun are prime. Thedrill is to grind for hours hoping for the onebig hit. This can be lonely fishing along ashrouded shoreline, but you have the chanceat a career trout, a fish crowding 30 inches.

The big sows usually are loners, cruisingthe warming shallows over sand and mud tofeed on baitfishes. For this reason, a slow-sinking mullet imitation plug is an excellentchoice for this specialized early-season fish-ing.

Big Bass: February is perhaps a bit earlyfor trophy largemouth bass (March andApril have the ShareLunker numbers), but asustained warming trend can produce potbel-lied results for determined anglers.

Two factors can improve the odds in Feb-ruary:

First, look south. The reservoirs of SouthTexas such as Choke Canyon, Amistad, andFalcon warm faster than the traditionalPineywoods lakes. Pick the right run of mildweather and be prepared to trailer south for along weekend expedition.

Optionally, seek out a pond or stock tankknown to hold big bass. These smaller, shal-

lower waters heat faster during brief winterwarming trends, encouraging pre-spawn bassto move early.

Regardless of venue, the odds for a dou-ble-digit bass favor a big bottom-bumpingplastic, or maybe a large spinnerbait orcrankbait (especially in the smaller lakeswhere bass often snug close to the banks). Aswith the big trout on the coast, muggy south-wind afternoons often see the most aggressivefeeding.

White Bass: The annual spawning runsof white bass from reservoirs into rivers andcreeks often start during late winter. Muchdepends on the water flow; too much muddycurrent or localized runoffs can be a dealkiller. But, when low-water conditions align,February can provide flurries of outstandingfishing for schools of pre-spawning whites.

Again, lakes along the warmer southerntier of the state usually go off first, but theTrinity River on Lake Livingston and theSabine River on Toledo Bend Reservoir canoffer excellent early-season runs.

White bass staging to spawn in cold waterusually gather in deeper holes and bends, andthe right spot can provide phenomenal actionfor anglers using small jigs and spinners. But,to reiterate, get it while you can. This can beextremely fickle fishing; one big rain can wipeout a river or creek for several weeks.

The Nearest Airport: February is one ofthe best months of the year to jump on a jetand fly south. Latin latitudes beckon, and ourwinter is the dry season across most of Cen-tral and South America, not to mention Mex-ico and the Bahamas.

Texans are fortunate to be within easy airtime of numerous prime tropical fish-ing/hunting destinations. Many flights arenon-stop, dropping you into an endless sum-mer within a few hours of departure.

Reserve a week (or even a long weekend),shop some prices (many attractive packagedeals are available), and pack the appropriategear. Take a much-needed break from win-terbut dont forget a valid passport.

E-mail Joe Doggett at [email protected]


by Joe Doggett | TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

Doggett at Large

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by Doug Pike | TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

Pike on the Edge

ZeroToleranceIdiocy

POLITICAL CORRECTNESS HAS RUN SO LONGand so far from reality that we arenumb now to its presence and thenoxious effect it has on us. As out-

doors enthusiasts, we must be vigilant of andproactive against this tomfoolery or risk los-ing that which we love.

Examples of PC lunacy abound.This past summer, the leader of a high-

school drill squada good studentwassuspended under her districts zero-tolerancepolicy against weapons on campus. Theoffense: Carrying wooden practice rifles(painted white) onto school property in hercar. These were nothing but sculpted 2x4s.No metal parts. No triggers. No barrels.They looked something like rifleswhich apractice rifle shouldbut had the samecapacity as a fence post to fire a bullet.

A few months later, an otherwise trouble-free California high school student wasexpelled under similarly myopic and intoler-ant policy. After an early morning bird huntwith friends, he didnt want to be late forschool. Knowing the rule about guns oncampus, he parked a block off school prop-erty and walked to class. Someone whollyignorant of guns and hunting told someoneelse no more educated either, and the boysubsequently was tossed from school. (Hismother appealed for obvious reasons.)

Want one more? Lets make it two. ACub Scout who brought his folding camputensil seta gift from his outdoors-lovingfatherto school to eat his lunch originallyfaced juvenile detention (with truly unrulykids) until someone with a brain intervened.

And another kid caught troublefor bringing empty shotshells toShow and Tell. The hollowhulls, if memory of the incidentserves correctly, were collectedat a charity sporting clays shoota few days earlier.They, like the wood-en practice rifles,posed no morethreat than paperclips or EberhardFaber erasers.

So-called zero tol-erance policies are to blame.They eliminate the need for administra-tors to actually sit down, study an individualcase, and make an informed decision. Its theeasy way out, plain and simple, like buying agift card because you dont want to investtime selecting a personal gift.

In the cases mentioned earlier, ZT andPC made it impossible for honest, outdoors-minded kids to get fair shakes. Each of theseyoung people was told, even if not in the spe-cific words, that their passions for firearms orfolding spoons or military precision weresomehow bad.

To the contrary, fishing and hunting andcamping are avenues that rarely intersectwith dishonesty or misbehavior. The out-doors and all its associated activities promotegood and responsible action, and that hasbeen proved at the scientific level. (ReadLast Child in the Woods by Richard Louvor From Boys to Men of Heart by Dr. Ran-dall Eaton.)

The farther you are from the city, thefewer the temptations and bad influences.Trouble now is that kids have a harder timeexploring the outdoors on their own.

Parents, especially those who were notintroduced to the outdoors themselves, oftenfail their children by not taking the time ormaking the effort to provide outdoors experi-ences. The activities you and I so deeplyenjoy wont be for every child, and thatsokay. But children who show interest shouldget an age-appropriate chance to make their

own decisions about fresh air andsunshine.

School district administratorsand board members across

the nation and even in Texasfail those same children by

tellingthem,

throughinflexibleZT and

PC directives, to avoid theoutdoors and its tools.

We have an obligation towildlife, to fisheries, and to chil-

dren that can only be met by mak-ing young people aware of those preciousresources. PC and ZT are contrary to pro-vision of that awareness, especially for urbankids.

You and I wont be here forever, and forthe first time ever, there are more people liv-ing in cities than in rural areas. The majori-ty of Americans, in other words, dont knowsquat about the outdoors because they rarely,if ever, go there. If we remain silent as casessuch as those mentioned earlier in this col-umn arise, well see further erosion of natur-al resources and our access to them.

Emphasize the value of the outdoors toyour children and anyone else who will lis-ten. Otherwise, the only message theyll hearis that delivered by people for whom issuescan be only black or white, yes or no.

To borrow from the acronym-fancyingkids impacted most tragically by this silliness,Im about to OD on PC and ZT.

Hunting is okay. Fishing is okay. Targetshooting is okay. Being outdoors in general isa healthy activity and can make you LOL.The tools used to enjoy those pastimes aresafe in sane hands and valuable for theirintended purposes.

Anyone who tells children differently ismisguided and should be ashamed.

E-mail Doug Pike at [email protected]

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StrapAssassin One

IHAVE ALWAYS BEEN A HAPPY STRAPPER.Backstraps are my life. I sure wish I hadphotos of my jubilant kills from the1960s--young, skinny Nuge, long haired

rock dog all a glitter and toothy with littlewhitetail does and fawns in my smiling grasp.More glowing than many a photo I have seenof hunters with a fistful of record book bone-heads, I can assure you. I always was andremain what you would call unsuspecting,uninhibited, and hopelessly pure in my preda-torship. My primal scream cup runneth over.

Many of my hunting buddies are bona fidebone collectors; stealthy, patient and dedicat-ed trophy hunters of the highest order. Iadmire them immensely, and though I occa-sionally, too, luck into a mega-antlered beastat the end of a good arrow, I am by far andaway simply a meat guy. A strap assassin.Backstrap barbecue boy, pure and simple.Want food? Kill beast. The purest, nakedpulse of life. Raw. Natural. As it should be.What I seek from life is happiness and meat;and good, accurate arrows with the reward ofbackstraps is all I really need and all I reallywant. Really.

This wonderful hunting season was trulythe most exciting and enjoyable of my 61years. If we could compare a snapshot ofyoung Ted with his trusty recurve bow, turkeyfletched cedar arrows, and a dainty Michigandoe from the 1960s, to a photo of elderlyNuge in 2009, with yet another gorgeouswhitetail she-deer at my feet, I dare say thatthe grey-bearded old man might very well out-glow the teenage whippersnapper of yore. Mylife is all about the growth of glowage.

Each day afield today is as pure and pri-mal as those early years, but there is no ques-tion that with all these many years and longhunting seasons trying to figure it all out, my

woods time is more cherished today than everbefore. And each and every arrow and eachand every deer I kill are as thrilling as the veryfirst time, every time. My awe for the beasthas increased exponentially over time, and Ithank God every day for giving me suchunbridled passion for the simplest and purestlifestyle on earth. I am a hunter. A very happyhunter. Period.

It was my fourteenth ambush setup in thelast seven days since, how appropriately,Thanksgiving. I had killed a magnificentTexas Hill Country buck that magic morning,giving much thanks, and that highest of highshad remained strong in my belly since thatintense encounter, shot, kill, and recovery ofthe stunning buck.

But six-plus hours a day for seven withouta shot presenting itself days does tend to cre-ate a sense of frustration, made even moreexasperating on such deer rich grounds as ourhome SpiritWild Ranch. Quite honestly, itwas driving me nuts. Good nuts, and certain-ly fun nuts, but nuts nonetheless.

Hoping I had finally picked the right treestand for this rare northeast wind, VidCam-Dude Bobby Bohannon and I had climbedinto a pair of sturdy ladder stands to greetanother spellbinding Texas dawn in the beau-tiful habitat. A nice scattering of golden ker-nels peppered the rocky ground before us, butafter the first hour of daylight, no animals hadshown themselves. We remained poised, stat-ue still, cocked, locked, and ready to rock,doc, nonetheless. Patience we have. Stealthwe know. Dreams we dream.

And there she was. One moment, noth-ing; the next instant, a handsome Hill Coun-try matriarchal whitetail doe nosed her wayultra cautiously out of the ash juniper clumpinto our little bowhunting arena. Game on.Showtime. Bring it.

With all the heavy breathing coming fromBobby and me, you would think that a gar-gantuan world record behemoth trophy beasthad arrived. But to us, the test of predatorradar versus prey radar was it, everythingthese two bowhunters craved.

She came, she went, she looked, she

sniffed. The old girl was afraid of her ownshadow and I doubted I would ever get a shotat her. Finally joined by five other handsomewhitetails, she nosed a yearling out of the wayand gave me the picturesque broadside shot Iwanted. Without missing a beat, my arrowcame back and was instantly on a missionfrom God directly through her pump station,bloodied and sticking hard into Texas terrafirma.

Deer scattered every which way and allwas silent once again as I turned to Bobby,nearly burning the lens of the vidcam with myeffervescent smiling glow. It was timeless, itwas wonderful.

We tracked that old doe on video to cele-brate a perfect bowhunting morning, and gavemuch adulation to our prize strapper for allthe world to see that this old bowhunter, likethe vast majority of American bowhunters,cherished each and every encounter, each andevery morning afield, and most exuberantly,every good arrow into every good critter, big,small or otherwise.

That afternoon we pulled off a genuineTexas bowhunting miracle as we performedthe identical predator torture-test ballet on awary old axis doe, which may very well be themost difficult deer to arrow on earth. But welucked out, pulled it all together, and onceagain celebrated as if she were a monsterantlered deerzilla.

Trophy hunting is wonderful, fun, andultimately challenging, but dont forget whywe originally went hunting in the first place.Keep it simple, keep it fun. Every herd needsa balanced kill each season, and never let adoe kill become an also ran. Make the most ofour beloved time in the deer woods. It shouldalways be about exciting times, good friends,good arrows, and predator stealth. And ofcourse, the mighty backstraps. Strap Assas-sins are cool. I am Strap Assassin One. Goodhunting forever my fellow strappers, whereveryou are.

E-mail Ted Nugent at [email protected]


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

Ted NugentsTexasWild

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PHOTO BY JOHN FELSHER22 | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 0 | T E X A S F I S H & G A M E


THE TROLLING

MOTOR PROP kicked upclear green water hidingbeneath a layer of muddyriver water, floating on thebrine like molten grease as Itossed a topwater bait towardshore.

Moments later, a largemouth basssmashed the plug while another fishing part-ner hooked up with a redfish demolishing aspinnerbait. The third member of our crewenticed a flounder into sucking down a plasticworm. Our fourth companion landed a speck-led trout on a jighead. Freshwater bass shouldnot live near salty redfish, flounder, andspecks, but they often share the same coastalwaters blow the salt line.

Below the salt is an archaic term of infe-riority, harkening to the seating arrangementsat noblemens tables where a saltcellar center-piece was the line of demarcation betweenblooded and common diners, the latter pro-hibited access to the rare and expensive tablesalt.

There is a salt line in Texas, a boundaryostensibly separating salt- from freshwater,but nothing inferior lies beneath it nor arecommoners denied access save appropriatelicensure. For the angler worth his salt, itmarks a place of unrivaled variety.

Among the most fertile habitats in NorthAmerica, river deltas spawn incredibly richand diverse fauna where fresh and saltywaters collide into a smorgasbord of life.Many freshwater species can tolerate somesalinity while some marine species thrive inpure freshwater, creating conditions whereranges overlap in many brackish estuaries.Along the Texas coast, bass, redfish, flounderand several other predators often compete forthe same prey, including menhaden, sunfish-es, shrimp, crabs, minnows, mullet, andsometimes each other.

Studies show that largemouth bass donteven notice salinity of 5 parts per thousand,said Todd Driscoll, a Texas Parks & WildlifeDepartment district fisheries biologist inJasper. They dont alter their behavior ormove from those areas. Above 5 ppt, bass

might try to move away fromthat salinity, but in some sys-tems, they might not have achoice. They can toleratesalinities of 5 to 10 ppt,but grow slower. Whensalinity goes above 10 ppt,they dont do very well. If thewater stays that salty and theycant get away, bass willdie.

Blue catfish also toler-ate higher salinity thanmany freshwater fishes.Bluegill, crappie, andwhite bass also enterbrackish systems. Redfishand flounder can exist inalmost pure freshwater,although they cannotbreed there. Tarpon and garfishes canbreathe air and live anywhere. Bull sharksreadily enter rivers. In Texas, bull sharks occa-sionally venture as far up the Trinity River asthe Livingston Dam. Like salmon, stripedbass live in saltwater, but enter rivers tospawn. Speckled trout and black drum might

live near largemouth bass, butprefer saltier water.

We see many largemouthbass and blue catfish belowthe saltwater line, saidLance Robinson, a

TPWD biologist with theDickinson Marine Laboratory.After weve had considerable

rainfall, well pick up bluecats in our trawls whensampling for shrimp inthe middle of GalvestonBay. Weve stocked reddrum in some reser-voirs. Flounder can also

survive very well in afreshwater environment.

We often hear reportsof people catching

flounder, red drum, and crabs on thelower Trinity River below the LivingstonDam.

Texas has an established legal demarcationbetween fresh- and saltwater based on historicsalinity samples along the coast. Unless other-wise exempt, anyone fishing public waters

On the fresh/salt boundary, aplastic worm meant for bassmight net you a flounder.

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east or south of this line must possess a salt-water license or endorsement, regardless ofthe species targeted.

The legal definition of the saltwater lineis not necessarily true biologically or environ-mentally on any given day, Robinson said.The creel regulations apply to the variousspecies; it doesnt matter where people catchthem. People can keep any freshwater fish inaccordance with state regulations if they catchthem below the saltwater line as long as theyhave the proper licenses for fishing in thatarea. The same is true for any saltwater fishthey catch above the saltwater line.

As daily conditions dictate, the actual salt-water gradient zone, not a line, might varygreatly. Sometimes, conditions change by thehour. Anglers at a given location might startcatching bass, but soon begin landing redfishfollowed by speckled trout as the tides change.Winds can also influence tidal movement. Inaddition, heavier saltwater sinks to the bottomas freshwater floats over the top. When ariver enters the Gulf of Mexico, currentsmight push freshwater downstream over asalty wedge moving upstream as the tide rises.

Before coming to Texas, I did some work

on water stratification in the Mobile RiverDelta of Alabama, Robinson said. Onsome days, we measured zero salinity on thesurface. As we put our probe down deeper,water became more salty. In the channel, thewater was more than 30 feet deep, with thesalinity near the bottom at 28 parts per thou-sand. For comparison, the Gulf of Mexico istypically at 35 ppt salinity. We were 50 milesfrom the Gulf in the upper Mobile Bay estu-ary. Theoretically, the water at the bottom ofthe channel could have supported king mack-erel, cobia, and other Gulf fish.

Fed by the Sabine and Neches rivers, theSabine Estuary on the Louisiana-Texas bor-der probably offers Lone Star anglers the bestopportunity to catch species from both envi-ronments. Sabine Lake stretches about 19miles long and 9 miles wide. Marshes in the124,500-acre Sabine National WildlifeRefuge on the Louisiana side dominate theeastern shoreline with several canals and bay-ous entering the system. On the Texas side, aship channel provides deep water. The systemcontains about five times as much marsh asGalveston Bay, another estuary where anglersmight catch multiple species.

Any bay systems with an influx of fresh-water will have some brackish areas wherespecies of both environments might mix,Robinson explained. The Trinity Riverdelta is a good example. We see some fresh-water influence in Matagorda Bay from theColorado River and the SanAntonio/Guadalupe delta in San AntonioBay. South Texas doesnt have as many riversand ones in that area dont carry the volumeof freshwater as rivers farther north. The RioGrande is more channelized and doesnt flowinto a true bay system.

When fishing anywhere near the coast,save yourself some trouble. Spend a few extrabucks for the combo license and fish anywherein Texas you wish.


LOCATION: Simmons Drive Boat Ramp (Orange)SPECIES: blue catfish, striped bass, largemouthbass, flounder, redfishBAITS/LURES: live and cut mullet, spinnerbaitsBESTTIMES/CONDITIONS: The fishing is best fora variety of species when saltwater is pushed far intothe river system. Avoid night-fishing for safety rea-sons.

LOCATION: Entergy Intake Canal (Bridge City)SPECIES: redfish, black drum, blue catfishBAITS/LURES: dead shrimp, cut mulletBESTTIMES/CONDITIONS: Incoming tides onwarm afternoons. Avoid night-fishing for safety rea-sons.

LOCATION: Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge(Anahuac)SPECIES: speckled trout, redfish, largemouth bass,crappie

BAITS/LURES: soft plastics in pink,Glow/chartreuse; spoonsBESTTIMES/CONDITIONS: Incoming and outgoingtides.LOCATION: McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge(Sabine Pass)SPECIES: flounder, redfish, alligator gar, blue catfishBAITS/LURES: live finger mullet, cut mullet, shrimpBESTTIMES/CONDITIONS: Outgoing tides.

LOCATION: Wallisville Lake Project (Wallisville)SPECIES: flathead catfish, blue catfish, largemouthbass, redfish, flounderBAITS/LURES: live perch, live and cut mullet, spin-nerbaits, light-colored soft plasticsBESTTIMES/CONDITIONS: Watch for periods ofclear water and high salinity in the river.

Below-the-Salt Bank Accessible Hotspots

On the Web

www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/annual/fish/coastal.boundary


T E X A S F I S H & G A M E | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 0 | 27PHOTO BY RICK TRACEWELL


THE SOUTH TEXAS

BRUSH COUNTRY might

not be ablaze, but one of

the regions most popular

bass fisheries is smokin.

Choke Canyon Reservoir, a 26,000-acrebrush-infested impoundment built along theFrio and San Miguel rivers in McMullen andLive Oak counties, has been kicking out scadsof lunker largemouths in recent times, andstarry-eyed anglers across Texas and beyondhave taken notice. Not surprisingly, the lake isfast becoming a hub for big bass nuts with aninsatiable appetite for getting the big bite.

Though it has not yet gained the fame gar-nered by legendary Lake Fork, many anglersand fisheries scientists believe it is only matterof time until Choke rises to the top of pre-mier Texas big bass factories; some contend itis already there.

Choke Canyon is producing a lot of fishthe 8- to 9-pound range, and were also see-ing quite a few in the double digits, includingseveral giants weighing upwards of 15 poundsthat started showing up last year, said TexasParks and Wildlife Department biologist JohnFindeisen. Based on what I have seen in thelast couple of years, I would put this lake upagainst the best in the world right now. Itwouldnt surprise me a bit to see a new staterecord come out of there any day. My guess isthere is a 20-pounder swimming around outthere somewhere.

An avid angler himself, Findeisen said thesecret to Chokes recent success is built heav-ily around one key component: water. Thatmight seem absurd when discussing a reser-voir, but quick peek at the lakes past andpresent explains it.

During mid-1990s, a prolonged droughtcombined with water demands by the city ofCorpus Christi sucked Chokes water level tonearly 30 feet below normal and shrank itssurface acreage more than 50 percent. In themeantime, vast flats and miles of shorelinethat hadnt seen sunlight in years sproutedthick with huisache, mesquite, and other ter-restrial vegetation native to the fertile SouthTexas landscape.

In 1998, the lake caught several feet ofwater. Though it was still well below fullcapacity, the rise flooded hundreds of acres of

new plant growth and created a nursery ofsorts that allowed existing forage fishes andlargemouth bass to flourish the following year.

The rejuvenation process got anotherboost in July 2002, when heavy floodingupstream caused the lake to refill to capacityin a matter of two weeks. Seeminglyovernight, Choke Canyon made the transfor-mation from a tired honey hole to a vibrantreservoir ripe with fields of terrestrial vegeta-tion at all the right depths. To hear Findeisentell it, it was a jungle out there.

The lake pretty much doubled in size andtripled in volume in a matter of two weeks,he said. The rise flooded thousands of acresof new-growth brush and other terrestrial veg-etation, and that pumped a tremendousamount of nutrients into the water. It gotanother big shot of nutrients once the vegeta-tion started to die.

Findeisen said native and non-native vege-tation seed lying dormant in the soil for yearsresponded to the liquid fertilizer with avengeance, creating even more quality habitat

in which bass and forage species such as shad,bluegill, and tilapia could thrive. Add to themix the nearly 1 million Florida bass finger-lings stocked during 1998-2003, and thestage was set for a resurrection.

Casual anglers and tournament buffs alikeenjoyed fairytale outings on Choke during theyears that followed, the perfect storm every-one knew was coming finally arrived in 2009.

Between February 21 and April 26,

Choke Canyon erupted with an unprecedent-ed flurry of huge bass that included six entriesof 13 pounds or more in the ShareLunkerprogram. Among them was a trio of giantstopping 15 pounds, including a new lakerecord of 15.45 pounds caught by BradBookmyer of Leander.

Amazingly, the aforementioned list is but afraction of the heavyweights reeled in by visit-ing anglers last year. Findeisen said he knowsof five more bass topping the 15-pound markcaught but not entered in the ShareLunkerprogram last year. Three were caught andreleased during the height of summer, whichtypically is not optimum big bass season.Additionally, several more 13-pounders werereported and countless fish in the 8- to 10-pound range crossed the scales in club andother organized tournaments.

There is no telling how many 5- to 7-pounders were caught and released,Findeisen said. Fish like that dont even turnheads here anymore.

As encouraging as it all sounds, those who

have experienced big bass magic at ChokeCanyon are surely wondering how muchlonger the bonanza can last. According toFindeisen, the answer heavily depends on theliquid component that made the lake theheavy hitter it is today.

The main key to Chokes success is thatit was at full capacity, or real close to it, for sixstraight years after it first refilled in 2002, hesaid. We had an exceptionally dry year in

After finally filling to capacity inthe wake of drought relief, ChokeCanyon Reservoir establishedstatus as a standout bass factory.


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2009, and the lake had dropped to 9 feetbelow full pool by November. So, we arestarting to lose that critical component. Whenthat happens, you start losing the habitat com-ponent, which in turn reduces the carryingcapacity of both the forage and predatoryspecies.

Naturally, the best-case scenario is for the

rain gods to act soon and replenish the water,starting the rejuvenation process all overagain.

Regardless, the biologist said the bass fish-ery is in good enough shape to hold its ownagainst any muscle lake on the planet for quitesome time to come.

Its a great lake, even though the water

level is beginning to drop, he said. Chokehas had some phenomenal spawns and it isfull of big fish. After what happened last year,you have to wonder what might be in storedown the road. My gut feeling is this lake isreally going to shock some people this year.


SpringtimeBig BassTips

While Choke Canyon hasas proven a lake for all sea-sons, late winter and earlyspring rank high with local bigbass gurus like CharlesWhited of San Marcos.

Whited (512-557-6772)has been guiding on the lakefor nearly a decade and hasrecorded a number of tourna-ment wins, including the 2007

Bass Champs team event heand Phillip Walker wonwith a five-fish sack totaling anastonishing 44.98 pounds.

Whited said Februarypacks plenty potential forcatching numbers and careerbass on Choke. The bite isusually best at the lakes upperreaches in the vicinity of theSan Miguel and Frio riversbottleneck.

The river bite alwaysstarts turning on in Februaryand February, usually aroundthe full moon phases, Whitedsaid. The water up thereshould be 4-5 degrees warmer

than on the main lake. If thecold fronts will hold off, a lotof the big fish will make theirmoves then.

If the water level remainslow, Whited targets smallinlets or indentions off themain channel swings that offerthe bass something to relate to,such as stumps, laydowns, orrock. Water depths of 3-7 feetwill be key. His baits of choiceinclude a chatterbait, squarebill crankbait, and aYamamoto Senko.

Whited suggested puttingin at the FM 99 bridge andrunning west until the two

rivers form a Y. He said helikes the San Miguel arm bet-ter than the Frio, mainlybecause it offers more bluff-style banks with sharp breaksas opposed to tapering shore-lines: The main idea is to putthe trolling motor down andcover water. These big fish aregoing to be crawling uptowards the shallows thismonth. If you time thingsright, it can be downright phe-nomenal up there. Ive seen ithappen more than once.



COASTAL ANGLERS interestedin a super stiff, no frills battle have

two choices this month: ugly and

uglier.

The black drum is not as pretty as

its beautifully bronzed cousin, the red-

fish, and certainly is not as flashy as a

speckled trout, but when it comes to

raw determination to avoid the land-

ing net, the great ugly fish is more

than admirable.


COMPOSITE GRAPHIC BY TEXAS FISH & GAME T E X A S F I S H & G A M E | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 0 | 31

by Chester Moore



Slot-sized drum are highly prized bycommercial fishermen in Texas and arebecoming increasingly popular with recre-ational anglers. Best of all, blackened andsprinkled with your favorite seasoning, drummeat is hard to beat.

On the other hand, the over-sized drumcalled bull drum are not only illegal toretain but are full of big, disgusting spaghettiworms. That on top of their big-mouthed,barbell-chinned profile does make them phys-ically unattractive, but that has nothing to dowith their fighting power. Bull drum haveincredible stamina and are one of the easiestgiant fishes for land-bound anglers to contact.

There are thousands of marker buoys andbarnacle encrusted channel marker poles inthe Intracoastal, and they are good spots tofind drum this time of year. These poles makeup their own mini ecosystems in much thesame way oil and gas platforms do offshore.They are obviously not as productive as rigs,but they do draw fish. The first thing youneed to do is check to see if the poles havemany barnacles on them. Those spots are

good ones to fish because they are likely todraw in lots of baitfishes and crustaceans,which drum (and redfish) dine on.

Markers located near shorelines with shellare great places to fish. The markers typicallydesignate where the channel and shallowsmeet, so setting up between the shell along theshore and the marker puts an angler in a greatposition. Chunk one line in the shallows andanother in the deep, and there is a very goodchance you will score.

From now through spring, a place you arelikely to find slot-sized black drum is oysterreefs. Look for some of the deeper oyster reefson the middle coast in Aransas, Oso, andnorth toward Matagorda Bay to provide someof the best fishing in Texas. On the uppercoast, Hannahs Reef at Galveston and thebig reef on the south end of Sabine Lake alsoproduce plenty fish.

The general practice while fishing reefs isto make long drifts using drop-shot rigs withdead shrimp. Look for the structure within

structure. An oyster reef is a structure all byitself, but there is structure on top of thatstructure. A big clump of oysters rising up ona slight ridge on a reef with an average depthof 10 feet is structure on structure, and asunken boat on a reef is structure on structure.

Look for bull drum at the jetties, too. Thegeneral rule is to fish the channel side of thejetties when the tide is moving out, and theGulf side when it is moving in. Once youknow the tidal movement, start searching forstructure.

What you will want to do is look for thedeep holes at the jetties. At both Galvestonand Sabine, there are deep holes at the south-ern tips on both sides and these are usuallyloaded with monster drum, said Joe Persohnof Beaumont.

Known as the jetty man by his friends,Persohn said if for some reason the deepestholes are inaccessible, you should back offand look for dips in the rocks.

These dips are indicative of small spotsslightly deeper than the surrounding water,and thats where the drum will be, he said.

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Their redfish cousins got all the looks, butblack drum make up for it in fighting powerand sheer numbers.


Another sign to look for is vegetationgrowing on the rocks. These areas hold manysmall crabs, which big drum like to dine on. Ihave seen drum with their backs sticking outof the water, feeding right along the surface.

Another good spot is the jetty boat cuts.These cuts offer a spot for drum to move from

the channel to the Gulf side of the rocks andeasy dining. At these cuts, target the rocksright along the edges as crabs moving throughwill often cling to the first structure they find.

If that does not work, fish with your linesabout 50 yards from the cut where the tidalpull widens. It does not matter which tide you

fish here because this is a transition zone.Sometimes, the drum will gather there and

feed as the forage moves through the cut. Ifthe tide is going from the channel into theGulf, anchor near the jetty and cast awayfrom it. If it is moving from the Gulf into thechannel, anchor out about 75 yards and casttoward the cut.

I prefer to fish for drum with heavy tacklein the 30- to 50-pound class using blue crab.Broken in half, and hooked through the cara-pace, it has a long hook life and is irresistibleto drum. Big drum like to peck at the line.Sometimes, they will just double the rod overand take off, but most of the time, they toywith it a while.

Try fishing on the bottom first, but if thatdoesnt work, rig a piece of bait on a hookwith a 1/4-ounce split shot above it. Let itdrift in the current and hold on tight...blackdrum fight as ugly as they look.

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An oversized bull drum is a great catch, but is nota keeper. It is illegal to retain them, plus they arefilled with worms. TF&Gs Ardia Neves caught andreleased this bull on Copano Bay.


EPA DelaysDecision onMore Ethanolin GasTHE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCYANNOUNCED IN DECEMBER IT WOULD DELAYMAKING A DECISION ON A WAIVER REQUESTEDBY THE PRO-ETHANOL LOBBYING GROUPGROWTH ENERGY TO INCREASE THE AMOUNTOF ETHANOL IN GASOLINE BEYOND THE CUR-RENT 10 PERCENT LEVEL.

The Boat Owners Association ofThe United States (BoatU.S.) remainsconcerned that the EPA said that itwould review initial findings on testingof mid-level ethanol blends in newerautomobiles before revisiting the waiverpossibility in mid-2010.

BoatU.S. said in a press release thatthe harm already inflicted on boat own-ers when ethanol in gasoline was

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In the December issue of Proceedings ofthe National Academy of Sciences, USCDavis School of Gerontology professorCaleb Finch revealed that evolutionarygenetic advantages, caused by slight differ-ences in DNA sequencing and improve-ments in diet, make humans uniquely sus-ceptible to diseases of aging such as cancer,heart disease, and dementia when com-pared to other primates.

However, a major contributor to humanlongevity is genes that adapt to higher

exposure to inflammation.Over time, ingestion of red meat, par-

ticularly raw meat infected with parasites inthe era before cooking, stimulates chronicinflammation that leads to some of thecommon diseases of aging, Finch said.

But humans evolved unique variants ina cholesterol-transporting gene, apolipopro-tein E, which also regulates inflammationand many aspects of aging in the brain andarteries. Apolipoprotein E is unique tohumans and could be what Finch calls ameat-adaptive gene that has increased thehuman lifespan.

Staff Report TG

DESPITE GENETIC SIMILARITY TO HUMANS, CHIM-

PANZE AND GREAT APE LIFESPANS RARELY EXCEED

50 YEARS. THE DIFFERENCE IS IN THE HUMAN RED

MEAT-RICH DIET.

WhyHumansOutliveApes

PUBLIC DOMAIN PHOTO

TF&G FIRST


Continued on page 36

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Fred Pearce, environmental consultantto New Scientist and author of Confessionsof an Eco Sinner, has revealed that super-ships pump out killer chemicals linked tothousands of deaths because of the filthyfuel they use.

Super-vessels use as much power assmall power stations because they havecolossal engines that are as big as a smallship, Pearce wrote in a report published in

the Mail Online on November21. He also noted that super-shipscan burn the cheapest, filthiest,high-sulfur fuel that is in fact

residues left behind in refineries afterlighter liquids are taken and pointed outthat there are laws prohibiting the use ofsuch fuel on land.

Thanks to the International MaritimeOrganization rules, the largest ships caneach emit as much as 5,000 tons of sulfurin a year the same as 50 million typicalcars, each emitting an average of 100grams of sulfur a year, he added.

The number of cars driving around theplanet is estimated at about 800 million,and this means that only 16 super-shipscan emit as much sulfur as the world fleetof cars, he stated.

Staff Report TG

16 Ships are Worse Pollutersthan All of the Worlds CarsAN AWARD-WINNING SCIENCE WRITER SAYS JUST 16 OF THE

WORLDS LARGEST SHIPS CAN PRODUCE AS MUCH LUNG-CLOGGING

SULFER POLLUTION AS ALL THE WORLDS CARS

PHOTO COURTESY US NAVY

True Green.qxd:Layout 1 12/31/09 11:52 AM Page 35

ACCORDING TO A U.S. DEPARTMENT OFAgriculture document, PETA is aterrorist threat.

The agencys APHIS FacilitySecurity Profile form sent to research facili-ties that use lab animals asks security-relatedquestions, including:

B. Terrorist Threat. What terroristactivities have occurred in or around yourbuilding/facility in the past 5 years (docu-mented cases)? Please check all that apply.

[ ] Attack from international terrorists[ ] Attack from domestic special interestterrorists[ ] Earth Liberation Front (ELF)[ ] Animal Liberation Front (ALF)[ ] People for the EthicalTreatment of Animals (PETA)[ ] Animal Defense League (ADL)[ ] Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty(SHAC)[ ] Formal hate group(s) (please specify):[ ] Other (please specify):____________________[ ] Cyber Attack from a known orunknown source.

The FBI list of domestic terrorist listhas long included ELF and ALF whosemembers commit arson, vandalism, andother terrorist acts. PETA has served as a

front group for those organizations by dis-seminating propaganda on their behalf,funding legal defenses, and otherwise sup-porting their activities, but this is the firsttime PETA been listed in official govern-ment documents as a terrorist organization.

Staff Report TG

TF&G TRUEGREEN

CONSERVATIONPARTNERS

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increased to 10 percent (E10) sever-al years ago should be a concern forregulators as they debate the effectof higher ethanol blends in all gas-powered vehicles and equipment, notjust automobiles.

Waiting for the data is a step inthe right direction, said BoatU.S.Vice President of GovernmentAffairs Margaret Podlich. However,focusing on automobiles leaves out

millions of other gas-poweredengines. If you own a lawnmower,chain saw, all-terrain vehicle, genera-tor, or boat, I would be very con-cerned over the costs to repair orreplace those items after using high-er levels of ethanol gas. Additionally,the possibility of selling gas with dif-ferent amounts of ethanol content atthe pump raises significant infra-structure and consumer educationconcerns.

We strongly encourage the EPA

to use the next six months to consid-er the effects of higher ethanolblends on all gas powered engines,and not on just new products. Ameri-cans deserve to know if all of theirgas-powered engines will run reliablyand safely on this proposed newfuel.

Staff Report TG

PETA a Terrorist Threat

Continued from page 34

The pop singer Pink, affecting a provocativepro-PETA pose.


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CCA TEXAS HABITAT TODAY FOR FISHTomorrow is donating $10,000 andjoining hands with the Coastal BendBays and Estuaries Program

(CBBEP) and the Fish America Foundation(FAF) to help restore 150 acres of marshthat has been lost to various factors along theNueces Bays Portland Causeway.

This is another vital marsh restorationproject and CCA Texas is proud to be a part-ner with two such fine groups such asCBBEP and FAF, said HTFT Director,John Blaha. This restoration project, muchlike the Sportsmans Road project in Galve-ston Bay and the Goose Island Project inAransas Bay are vital in rebuilding andreplenishing Texas marshes. These areas pro-vide vital cover for numerous species as well

as help keep our bay waters clean and clear.The CCA Texas HTFT Program has

donated ten of thousands of dollars for vari-ous project including major reef building ini-tiatives along the near-shore waters along theTexas coast.

Habitat projects have become a majorfocus for CCA Texas in recent years, statedBlaha. The more habitat areas we canrestore today will mean more habitat, morefish, and better angling opportunities foranglers in the future. CCA Texas is able tocontinue this important work thanks to thededication of our 50,000 members whounderstand the importance of giving today fora brighter future for tomorrow.

Staff Report TG

Game WardenOutpost Complete

IN SEPTEMBER 2008, CCA TEXAS PLEDGED$32,000 to Texas Parks and WildlifeDepartment game wardens for the con-struction of a floating cabin in Lower

Laguna Madre. Construction is now com-plete.

The Game wardens in south Texas areto be commended for doing such a fantasticjob on this floating cabin. Using the moneydonated by CCA Texas, they built thisimportant facility by hand, said CCATexas Executive Director, Robby Byers.Their hard work on this project as well astheir unyielding drive to protect Texas nat-ural resources and the people that enjoythem show a dedication in which all CCATexas members can take pride.

Staff Report TG

CCA to Aid Nueces Restoration

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T E X A S F I S H & G A M E | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 0 | 39MAIN PHOTO BY CLOUDRAIN; INSET BY MICHAEL MILL



BILL STRANSKY COULD

not believe his eyes. The

dedicated waterfowler and

founder of Wharton-based

conservation group Texas

Rice Industry Coalition

for the Environment

(R.I.C.E.) was stunned at

the number of snow geese

he saw before him.I had heard about all of the birds that had

started to stack up in Arkansas and made atrip up there a few years ago to see what all ofthe buzz was about, Stransky said. It wasstunning.

What he saw was snow geese as far as theeye could see on far more rice and other agri-culture than in Texas.

All of the wetlands enhancement wecould do in a decade would not equal whatyou can see down one farm road up there inArkansas. Those birds have plenty to eat andlittle pressure, Stransky said.

Arkansas hunters prefer green to white,focusing their efforts on the states bountifulmallards and other puddle ducks and do verylittle snow goose hunting.

Juxtapose that scenario with the rice coun-try east of Houston, where there has been arice loss of 83 percent over the last 30 yearsand an increase in hunters putting extremepressure on geese.

Theres scarcely a huntable field any-where east or west of Houston that does nothave hunters on it throughout the season,said David Schmidt of Baytown. And if youlook at the number of birds you see driving theInterstate 10 corridor, it is obvious that pres-sure is having an effect on the birds.

Schmidt hunts near Anahuac and said hebelieves the 2009 season might be a breakingpoint for waterfowl on the local prairies: Youjust do not have any large concentrations ofgeese here anything remotely comparable toeven just a few years ago. And then the duckswere not on the prairie except for a few largereservoirs. The marsh had ducks and even

some geese, but the prairie was pitiful. Eventhough there has been some rice in areas thathavent had it in many years, it was scatteredall over the place and not in any large contigu-ous tracts.

Once relatively scarce, snow geese nownumber in the millions and are causing majordamage to their nesting habitat in the arctic.Special conservation order seasons were putin place to help trim the population.Electronic calls, unplugged shotguns, and alimitless bag were something waterfowl man-agers hoped would help the population, butsome believe in Texas it actually helped sendthe birds elsewhere.

Outfitter William L. Sherrill is not a fanof the special conservation order and puts astrict limit on the number of geese his partiescan take. If there has ever been a waterfowlguru out there, Sherrill is it. I have had thepleasure of hunting with him several timesand am blown away by the habitat manage-ment on the property he hunts and his focuson small details.

There is such a thing as putting too muchpressure on the birds, and with geese it seemslike thats exactly what were doing, Sherrillsaid.

When the special conservation order wasput in place in 1999, Texas hunters tookaround 370,000 light geese. The next year,the harvest slipped only a bit, but by the2007-2008 season, it had dropped to around250,000 birds. The difference is in the num-ber of geese wintering in Texas, which was abig topic of conversation at last MarchsTexas Parks & Wildlife Commission hearing.

Speaking to Commissioners, Texas Parks& Wildlife Department migratory bird pro-gram leader Dave Morrison used Kansas asan example of how snow geese are changingtheir patterns.

they had 350- to 400,000 birds intheir state, they killed 15,000. Theyre notputting pressure on their birds like we do. Wehave a mid-winter estimate of around 350- to400,000 year before last, and we shot about250,000 birds.

Think about that for a second. Texashunters shot more than half the light geesethat wintered in Texas. According toMorrisons testimony, there is a direct correla-tion between the pressure here and winteringbird numbers, and the lack of pressure else-where.

Now thats a direct relationshipIunderstand, thats just the indices comparedto population estimates. But the decline, you

can see the decline, whats going on. Now,understand that the intent was to cause [thenumber of] birds to go down. That was theintent of the expanded and liberal seasons.But the continental population has not gonedown. Its simply a Texas problem.

When asked by commissioner Friedkin ifbiologists were sure the problem was huntingrelated, Morrison replied: The reasons forthe decline are really very...I mean, you lookat whats going on in Arkansas and Kansas;Kansas had 400,000 birds this year.Typically, Texas would winter anywhere from80 to 90 percent of the white geese in theCentral Flyway; now were down to about 41percent.

But continental populations have notdeclined. Its just this Texas portion that, forsome reason, birds arent getting to Texas,and were trying to figure out a way. How dowe at least keep those birds here in Texaslonger and provide maximum opportunity?Were not suggesting that were trying to backaway from harvest, simply because there con-tinues to be a continental population; werejust looking at how do we restructure thisthing to provide the best possible opportuni-ties.

As I sat down to write this story, I couldnot help but think about what I have seen dur-ing the 2009-2010 season. During the monthof November, I drove back and forth fromBeaumont to Houston nearly a dozen timesand saw geese once. Historically, that areahas had thousands of geese along Interstate10.

What is interesting, the two years priorthere was more rice production in the areathan at any time in the last decade, yet thegeese stayed away in droves. I hunted the areaaround Garwood during this time and it washolding lots of birds, but areas like that areundoubtedly on the decline in Texas.

Can this trend be reversed, and if so, how?A closure of the special conservation order?A five-bird limit?

Let us know your thoughts online in theTexas Fish & Game hunting forums.

On the Web

www.forum.fishgame.com


| A L M A N A C T E X A S F I S H & G A M E F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 0 | C /1

STANDING IN THE LEFT CORNER, THE SKINNYwater and grassy flats of the southernTexas coast are sure to produce mag-nificent numbers of speckled trout and

redfish. In the right corner, hailing from thetop half of Texas is the north coast. Bothprove themselves day in and day out as won-derful fishing destinations and fierce com-petitors in attracting fishermen and produc-ing speckled trout and redfish for anglers.But when placing the two halves of theTexas Coast in the trenches of competitionand comparing them in terms of fishability,sheer numbers of target species, staterecords, popularity, and convenience, whichcoast ranks supreme?

Round 1: Formation &Fishability

The Lone Star State offers a diversecoastline. Likely, the most polarizing qualitybetween the North and South coast is thestructure of the bay systems. Obvious com-parisons reveal that the northern waters,including Matagorda and Galveston Bay,are much deeper, muddier, and have averagedepths over 7 feet.

Averaging less than 3 feet, South Texas

Lower Laguna Madre is rich with sand andgrass, presenting beauty while offering someof the finest shallow sight-fishing for troutand redfish on the entire Gulf Coast.

During windy conditions, the abundanceof sand and grass provides cloudy greenwater rather than the chocolate milk colorupper coast anglers are so accustomed to;north and south coast anglers define off-color water rather differently.

Seasoned fishermen on the upper coast

know the benefits of fishing a muddier bay.Distinct water color-changes, mud boils,and lines of streaky water occur quite fre-quently, marking ambush zones for speckledtrout and redfish. Alternatively, the crystalclear waters of South Texas provide the ben-efits of precisely casting to potholes anddrop-offs. To actually see a fish rise from apatch of subsurface grass to strike a lure is athrilling experience.

No bay can withstand everything naturedishes out. Complaints from northernanglers arise when high winds churn entirebay systems into brown water, causing allanglers to flock to what remains of clearwater on a protected shoreline. While high

winds might not avert anglers from the southcoast, calm spells can hinder fishing successby causing water to become too clear to fish.

Fishing tactics that work well on one endof the coast do not always work on the otherend. Nothing illustrates this more clearlythan fishing for numbers of speckled trout.While artificial lures can work well inmuddy water, best effect is in water clearenough for them to be seen.

The south coast will always offer moredays with better water clarity, thus providingmore options. But when live bait is intro-duced to the upper half of the coast, it seemsto level the playing field. There is no won-der so many anglers turn to live bait andscented plastics on the upper coast duringtimes of high windsit works.

Round 2: Fish PopulationsFor speckled trout and redfish, there is no

excuse for anglers not to catch fish on theentire Texas coast. Texas Parks & WildlifeDepartment catch rate data for 2006 revealsthat the majority of Texas bays sport highcatch rates for both speckled trout and red-fish. In the largest bays, there are no drasticdifferences between the north and south

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coast in gill net surveys. However, catchrates for speckled trout were greater in thedeeper and larger bays of the upper coastcompared to the lower coast. Redfish catchrates were significantly greater on the lowercoast.

Round 3: Guide FavoritesCaptain Jarid Ray Malone is a fly-fish-

ing guide that routinely fishes the entirecoastline from Port Isabel to Louisiana. Heis well aware of the diversity that Texas hasto offer and favors certain bays for specificfish species, whether fishing with fly or con-ventional tackle.

Its tough to say whether the upper orlower coast is actually better, but I definitelyhave my favorites, said Malone. Forupper coast trophy trout, East MatagordaBay is my hunting ground. I have caughtmore trout over 8 pounds in that bay than allof the other bays combined, including mybiggest to date, a fish that stretched a Bogato just over 10 pounds.

I seem to catch big fish more consistent-ly in bays like East Matagorda that havesuch a variety of structure, ranging frommud, shell, grass, and sand.

Malone said the southwest corner of EastMatagorda Bay is a perfect example of whata trophy trout magnet looks like on paper. Insouthern waters, he prefers to target thewaters inside Baffin Bay.

Despite being located on opposite endsof the coast, the trophy trout powerhouses ofBaffin Bay and East Matagorda Bay arequite similar in many of their fish-attractingcharacteristics. Both bays are minimallyaffected by the Gulf due to little influencefrom any major passes, consisting mostly ofdeeper water and containing a wide selec-tion of bottom structure. As a result, the twolocales produce high numbers of trophytrout each year.

Malones favorite style of fishing isundoubtedly sight-casting to redfish. Thekayak-friendly, no-prop zone of Redfish Bayis tough to beat for shallow-water excite-ment. Miles of protected paddling trailsrange from narrow mangrove passages to biglake sanctuaries that can attract hundreds offeeding redfish, thanks to the areas low fish-ing pressure and unique sea grass habitat.

Lower Laguna Madre, near Port Isabel,is another of Malones favorites: Theareas water clarity and warm climate allowsfor world class sight-fishing to the largestvariety of Texas inshore species, including a

respectable and very fishable population ofsnook.

Round 4: Record BreakersBaffin Bay produced two state

february 2010

Documents

texas fish game publishing

greens road

texas fish gamepublishing

pm page

texasfish game

f e b r u

new address

s f i s h g