may 2013
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THE Authority on Texas Fishing & Hunting Texas Fish & Game is the largest, oldest, and best outdoors resource of its kind in the nation. No other publication matches our coverage of hunting, fishing, guns, gear, tackle, conservation, outdoor news, and wildlife subjects. Our editorial cadre includes the best outdoor writers in the state—all experts in their respective fields. This is the sportsman's one-stop resource for information and education on Texas' outdoors.TRANSCRIPT
How TriggerfishWent from Unwanted
to Endangered
‘hoo DoYou Love?JUMP ON THEBALLYHOOBANDWAGONSTAY SHARP:
Always Carrya Knife
CURE FOR THOSE Post-SpawnBlues
DUSTIN ELLERMANN: Buildingan AR 15
Brush BassBRUSHPILES AREN’TJUST FOR CRAPPIE
Digital Edition
happyTrigger-
MAY 2013 | VOL. XXX • NO. 1 | $3.95
VenomousSnakes of
Texas
Un
coastal cover
Digital1.indd 1 4/25/13 3:30 PM
Brushpiles Aren’t Just for Crappie Any More
Digital Edition
Brush Bass
MAY 2013 | VOL. XXX • NO. 1 | $3.95
VenomousSnakes of
Texas
‘hoo DoYou Love?
JUMP ONTHE BALLYHOO
BANDWAGON
Trigger-UnhappyHOW TRIGGERFISH WENT FROM UNWANTED TO ENDANGERED
DUSTIN ELLERMANN: Building an AR 15
STAY SHARP: Always Carry a Knife
iNLANd cOVer
CURE FORTHOSE
Post-Spawn
Blues
Digital2.indd 1 4/25/13 3:30 PM
2 | M A Y 2 0 1 3 | T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ®
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StaffBox-Contents.indd 3 4/4/13 9:10 AM
4 | M A Y 2 0 1 3 | T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ®
CONTENTSFEATURES
‘hoo Do YoU LovEThey are the go-to bait for offshore big-game anglers, but inshore fish like trout and reds have a big appe-tite for them, too. So you should just relax and embrace all the “ballhoo” over Ballyhoo.
by Calixto Gonzales
FiShinG ThE PoST SPAwnIs the post-spawn period really bass fishing’s toughest time? Keith Combs, Stephen Johnston and Jim Tutt give a pro’s perspective on the so-called Post-Spawn Blues.
by Matt williams
bUiLD YoUR own AR15The AR 15 can be built from the ground up in a variety of calibers and accessorized for many distinct shooting purposes. In a multi-part series, we look at the various AR15 builds for different types of hunting and self defense applications.
by Dustin Ellermann
GETTinG ThE bLADEOne of the best ways to stay sharp, whether you are in the woods, on a boat, at work, or puttering around the house, is to always have a knife on you.
by Paul bradshaw
MAY 2013 • Volume XXX • NO. 1
CoASTAL CovER:Trigger-Unhappy
How triggerfish went from being unwanted — a real nuisance
to red snapper anglers — to a current status of “overfished” bordering on endangered.
Story by Mike holmesCover photo © Can Stock
inLAnD CovERS:brush bass
A group of seasoned pro-fessional bass anglers who fish
Texas lakes talk about fishing over brush piles, and all of them agree: They aren’t just for crap-pie any more.
Story and cover photoby John N. Felsher
www.FishGame.com
SToRY:
56
SToRY:
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42
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6 | M A Y 2 0 1 3 | T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ®
CONTENTSCOLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS
COLUMNS DEPARTMENTS
10 Editor’s Notes Lies and Liars by DON ZaiDLe TF&G Editor-in-Chief
14 Chester’s Notes Scariest Beasts in the Wild by CheSTeR mOORe TF&G Executive Editor
16 Doggett at Large Brawling with a Barracuda by JOe DOGGeTT TF&G Senior Contributing Editor
18 Pike on the Edge The One Thing Missing in Texas Bass Fishing by DOuG Pike TF&G Senior Contributing Editor
20TexasWild Family Terrorized by Cops & Caseworkers by TeD NuGeNT TF&G Editor At Large
21 Commentary Zero Tolerance Zeitgeist by keNDaL hemPhiLL TF&G Politcal Commentator
32 Texas Saltwater Broken Dreams by CaLixTO GONZaLeS TF&G Saltwater Editor
34 Texas Bow Hunting Have I Got a Deal for You by LOu maRuLLO TF&G Bow Hunting Editor
36 Hunt Texas Memories of a Rabbit Stalker by bOb hOOD TF&G Hunting Editor
50 Texas Freshwater The Art of Flipping, Punching and Pitching by maTT WiLLiamS TF&G Freshwater Editor
64 Open Season Kid Fish by ReaviS WORTham TF&G Humor Editor
8 LETTERS
12 TF&G REPORT
12 BIG BAGS & CATCHES
38 TExAS DEPT. OF DEFENSE
46 TRUE GREEN
MAY 2013 • Volume XXX • NO. 1
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Crossbow ControversyHaving been a bowHunter for almost 30 years, I don’t see any controversy regarding crossbows. A crossbow is a crossbow and a bow is a bow. I have no problem with people hunting with crossbows during archery season or any other time.
What Mr. Marullo (“The Crossbow Controversy,” March 2013) misses in his column, however, is that the most difficult part of taking a deer or any other wary game with a bow is the draw. Crossbows allow you to draw in advance, not in the animal’s presence, which is a huge advantage. Far more of an advantage than the compound’s advantages over longbows and recurves.
Bows and crossbows are different, and the distinction needs to be recognized. Hunting with a crossbow is crossbow hunt-ing. Hunting with a bow is bowhunting, and the two are not equivalent.
It takes considerably more skill to shoot a deer with a bow, and this seems to be glossed over far too much at the behest of crossbow manufacturers and their sponsored representatives. As I said, I have no problem with crossbow hunting; I do have a problem with people who call it bowhunting.
Kevin CalongneKaty, TX
Yeah, and those telescopic rifle sights give way too much advantage, too. And so does camouflage clothing. A REAL hunter hunts naked. With a rock. And garlic on his breath. And don’t get me started on those mechanical bowstring releases...
—Don Zaidle, editor-in-chief
gun owners Could back Part of schumer’s PlanaCCording to PublisHed rePorts (aP,
3/14/13), Sen. Charles Schumer, speaking about his proposed background-check bill, said, “The bill explicitly says there is no registration, explicitly says no confiscation.” It’s good that Mr. Schumer put this on the table; it’s a step in the right direction.
The firearms community might accept this, in principle, with slightly different wording. It’s a question of laws with teeth. What if, instead of saying “no gun registra-tion,” Schumer’s bill said, “Anyone who creates or attempts to create any sort of gun registration shall go to prison.”
Think of it as constitutional comitatus law — law with teeth that holds officials accountable, instead of laws that merely make statements (like Mr. Schumer’s draft). The rewrite is modeled after our posse comitatus law that has worked so well for a century and a half.
Similarly, instead of “explicitly” saying no confiscation, let it say, “Anyone who confiscates or attempts to confiscate firearms (or ammo or accessories) that the public bears shall go to prison, too. And pay seri-ous fines.” Mr. Schumer’s noble assurance would be met.
I’ll bet the pro-rights community might support Mr. Schumer along those lines, and we’d have at least partial agreement at last. Let’s work together for reasonable bipar-tisan compromise. No registration and no confiscation, under penalty of law. It’s just common sense. Honest legislators should have no reason to object.
Alan KorwinVia email
advice for idiotsI keep reading Don Zaidle’s January
issue Editor’s Notes, “Advice for Idiots.” Each time I have read this article, I have had trouble getting past the very first “Don’t.”
Isn’t your own magazine made partly of recycled paper? Would your magazine cost less if it didn’t have this type of paper in it?
Or would it just put more money in your pocket?
How much more land and waters do we want to fill up with trash—wildlife land and waters. At what time do we take a look at ourselves. It will cost our grandchildren and great grandchildren to refurbish the lands and waters that we have taken advantage of.
As we are now refurbishing our wetlands and the numerous of wildlife that has and is taking place now. I realize that I myself maybe an idiot if you could help me under-stand exactly your point because it didn’t come out very well in your article.
Paul CarlineOrange, TX
The point was and is that most “green initiatives” such as recycling of certain types of materials are nothing more than feel-good exercises for people who think they simply must “do something.” If you want to recycle plastic bags, re-use them for other purposes.Taking them to a “recycling center” causes more pollution and energy consumption than making an original bag does. The same is true of recycled paper—which IS more expensive than virgin paper.
Around my house, we “recycle” paper in the fireplace, underneath the dog, and on the truck floorboard on muddy days.
—DZ
8 | M a y 2 0 1 3 | T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ®
letters to the editor
send yourComments to:mail:EditorTexas Fish & Game1745 Greens RdHouston TX 77032
email:[email protected]
Letters.indd 8 4/4/13 2:59 PM
Lies and Liars
NotwithstaNdiNg the amaLgam of inhumanity that characterizes politics and the minions thereof, the nature of my profession (and business in gen-
eral) constantly exposes me to crooks, cheats, and liars.
Almost daily, I encounter examples of hucksters (and sometime jokesters) using junk science to dupe bright people into believing total bull cookies.
Among the worst offenders: the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). Ordinarily, I would never question let alone bother to investigate the bona fides of an organization with such a respectable-sounding name, but PCRM first drew my scrutiny with a full-page ad in the Washington Post dissuading people from eating fish. Any fish. From anywhere. Ever. Period.
The ad depicted a fish and text that read: “Mercury is such a potent neurotoxin that even small doses can cause irreversible brain and heart damage. Our single biggest source of mercury exposure is fish consumption. So why is the federal Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee—the panel of experts charged with determining what we should eat—getting set to recommend Americans eat 8 to 9 ounces of fish a week, an amount that will put our health at risk? ... Mercury is everywhere. In the canned tuna from your local grocery store. In the salmon, shrimp, and shellfish you order at the restaurant.”
The text goes on to make the outrageous claims: “One in six women of childbearing age in the United States has blood mercury levels exceeding the ‘safe’ levels recommend-ed by the EPA. More than 600,000 babies are born every year at risk of mercury-related birth defects....”
While I am far from a fan of the EPA, the very things that give me pause about the agen-cy (overkill regulations and Chicken Little
reactions to minor environmental hiccups) convince me that double the mercury level it considers safe is probably still well outside the red zone. A bit more digging disclosed the “600,000 babies” bit a monumental crock of misapplied, out-of-context junk science.
PCRM is closely aligned with and actu-ally a front group for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, the animal fetish group.
According to the Center for Consumer Freedom (www.consumerfreedom.com), a watchdog group that keeps an eye on and exposes congregations of idiots such as PETA and PCRM: “While PCRM pres-ents itself as a doctor-supported, unbiased source of health guidance, the group’s own literature admits that 95 percent of its mem-bers have no medical degrees.”
The American Medical Association (AMA)—the real representative of the medi-cal profession—labeled PCRM a “fringe organization” that uses “unethical tactics” and is “interested in perverting medical sci-ence.” The AMA even imposed a formal censure of the group—a rare thing, indeed.
PCRM discourages donations to health charities, including the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, American Foundation for AIDS Research, Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation, American Red Cross, March of Dimes, and even Boys Town because those groups sup-port medical research that uses lab animals.
PCRM president Neal Barnard is not a physician in the strictest sense, but a psy-chiatrist. Nonetheless, he produces a steady torrent of anti-meat, anti-dairy nutrition research, all of which invariably conclude a vegetarian diet solves all kinds of health prob-lems from hangnails to hangovers.
Barnard is PETA’s medical advisor, president of the Foundation to Support Animal Protection (a.k.a. “The PETA Foundation”), and advisory board member of EarthSave International. Would you buy a diet book from this man?
As for PCRM’s “fish advisory,” Richard Berman, Executive Director of the Center
for Consumer Freedom, said in a press release: “Legitimate medical authorities like the American Heart Association and the American Dietetic Association recommend eating fish for better health. But PETA’s extremists care more about fish than people, so their pseudo-medical front group is mud-dying the waters with animal-rights arguments masquerading as medical science. Animal rights nuts are not credible medical authori-ties. Americans who catch PCRM’s anti-fish propaganda should toss it back. It’s not worth swallowing.”
The point I am trying to drive home is: We must take all medical advice dispensed en-masse with a huge grain of the proverbial.
Organized hucksters like PCRM, PETA, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), et al use lies, misinformation, and junk science to indoctrinate the incautious with their brand of religion, and persuade government to enforce their immorality on the rest of us. Anyone using scare tactics to convince you not to eat meat (including poultry and fish), eggs, or dairy products is misrepresenting the facts at best, and prob-ably lying, too.
Personally, I think I will go and catch a mess of crappie or speckled trout, fry them up with hushpuppies made from an egg-based batter, wash it down with a tall glass of cold milk, and chase it with a nice cut of beef. Then, come November, near this certain deer blind I know of...
Contact Don Zaidle at [email protected]
10 | M A Y 2 0 1 3 | T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ®
editor’s Notes
by Don Zaidle | TF&G Editor-in-Chief
“PCRm discourages
donations to health charities.“
EdNotes.indd 10 4/5/13 11:01 AM
Big Buck Update: Taylor Buck Takes Over Race for Non-Typical State RecordTheRe haS BeeN a Big leagUe Shake-Up iN the race for the new Pope and Young non-typical state record whitetail. I call it big because there is nothing little about either of the whitetail bucks involved in what has turned out to be a seesaw battle of inches for one of Texas’ most prestigious deer hunting titles.
Here’s a little history on the two bruiser bucks in question:
A.J. Downs Buck: The buck was taken on Sept. 29 on a 12,000-acre open range lease in San Jacinto County by bow hunter A.J. Downs of Conroe. The enormous 28-point rack grosses 263 1/8 and nets 253 3/8 Boone and Crockett inches, according to the official score sheet turned over to P&Y last November by certified scorers Randy Reeves and Bob Sweisthal, both of Spring.
The Downs buck score crushed that of the former P&Y state record non-typical shot in Dec. 2010 in Dimmit County by South Texas hunter Thomas Friedkin. The Friedkin buck, a 19 pointer, nets 229 6/8, according to P&Y records.
Following the
submission of his official score, Downs was told by P&Y that his deer ranked as the No. 9 P&Y non-typical of all-time in North America, and is the highest scoring non-typical entered nationally during P&Y’s last two year recording period.
He also was issued acceptance certifi-cates from P&Y and B&C, and invited make his deer
Big Bags CatChes&
12 | M a y 2 0 1 3 | T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ®
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The TF g Report&
Mike Harger, his wife Yvette, and Nick Casatelli caught this 80-pound sailfish just 10 miles from San Luis Pass. Fortunately, mike knew how to handle the huge surprise catch. They quickly took this photo, then released it back into the Gulf.
John hall took this 10-point buck while hunting in Carrizo Springs. it scored an impressive Boone & Crockett 191.
t
a.J. Downs’ San Jacinto County
28 pointer went before a panel of
P&Y judges inlate February. The
outcome was a different score
from the original net of 253 3/8.
TFGReport.indd 12 4/8/13 11:30 AM
available for “panel judging” prior to the P&Y Club’s 28th Biennium Awards Banquet and Convention set for April 10-13 in Dallas. Additionally, Downs has been invited to bring his deer to Reno, Nev. for panel judging at the B&C Club’s 28th Big Game Awards Program in July.
Panel judging involves several certified scorers evaluating the rack for accuracy of the original measure-ments on top end bucks. An official score can go up or down if judges deem it fit.
Keep in mind, the level of difficulty involved in scoring a freak rack such as this is considerably greater than taping a slick 10-pointer. One miscalculation, one bad judgement call or one wrong measurement can result in a bunch of ground gained or lost in a hurry on a deer of such caliber.
In late February, the buck was evaluated by a panel of P&Y judges at Cabelas in Ft. Worth. Downs says he has since been told by Mike Kitsler, P&Y Records Committee Chairman that the panel came up with a score that is different from the original turned in by Reeves and Sweisthal.
How significant the difference is in the two scores is not yet known. Downs says he won’t release the new score until the official
score sheet has been delivered. As of April 2, it had not showed up in his mailbox.
Robert Taylor Buck: The Taylor buck was arrowed on Dec. 29 in Grayson County by Robert Taylor of Aubrey. Like the Downs buck, the deer was taken on a low fence spread, only significantly smaller in size. That’s small as in 4.7 acres.
The gross “green” score on the 42-point rack was 256 3/8, 249 2/8 “green” net, according to measurements turned in to the Texas Big Game Awards Program in January by official B&C scorers Eric Stanosheck of Haslet and Jennifer Barrow of Decatur. Green scores are tallied ahead of a mandatory 60-day drying period required before antlers can be officially scored for Pope and Young or Boone and Crockett
records. T a y l o r ’ s
buck was offi-cially re-taped by Stanosheck
and Barrow last week (March
26) following the 60-day drying period,
and that’s when the shake-up in the race for the state record
occurred.According to Stanosheck, the rack
actually netted out 5 2/8 inches higher (254 4/8) after drying than it did when it was green. That’s largely because the scor-ers took a different route when it came to interpreting one of the main beams and a G3 tine.
“We spent a pretty good while just talk-ing about those two things before we ever
put a tape on it this time,” Stanosheck said. “We eventually decided that what we called the main beam in green scor-ing truly wasn’t the main beam. When we made a different call on the main beam, it changed the G3. That made a big difference in the net score.”
Additionally, Stanosheck said the Taylor buck gained two scoreable points after drying, which made it a 44 pointer instead of 42 pointer. According to Stanosheck, a point must be at least one inch long, and no wider
that it is long, to factor into a score.“Two of the (webbed or palmated)
points didn’t qualify as scoreable points when the rack was wet, because their length was not in excess of their width,” he said.
After drying, however, Stanosheck said the webbing shrunk enough that they were able to squeeze two more scoreable points out of the rack. One of the points was 1 1/8 inches, the other 1 3/8 inches, he said.
Bottomline: Unless the P&Y panel score on the Downs buck is higher than the original (and it seems likely that it is not), it appears that the Taylor buck has taken over the No. 1 spot in the race for the P&Y state record non-typical.
It is also worth noting that it will be 2015 before the Grayson County whitetail will be eligible to undergo the same panel scoring scrutiny that the Downs buck did. P&Y scoring periods run in increments of two years, and Taylor’s official score was not available before the passage of P&Y’s Dec. 31, 2012 deadline for the most recent two-year scoring period.
When asked how it feels to be atop the big buck heap for Texas non-typicals - pend-ing panel scoring - Taylor said he is excited to say the least.
“I think it is pretty awesome,” he said. “I’ve always thought pretty highly of my deer, and to tell you the truth I was happy being No. 2. I hate it for A.J., because his is a great buck, too. I would have loved to have had mine panel scored right along beside his so there wouldn’t be any doubts. Unfortunately, it just didn’t work out that way. It will be real interesting to see how it all shakes out when I take it for panel scoring in two years.”
—Matt Williams
T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® | M a y 2 0 1 3 | 13
allen Peterson caught this 20-pound red snapper while fishing in the Gulf.
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Robert Taylor’s buck netted out at 254 4/8 Boone & Crockett. it won’t be eli-
gible for Pope & Young’s panel scoring until 2015.
TFGReport.indd 13 4/4/13 9:13 AM
Chester’s Wild Life
Scariest Beasts in the Wild
There iS no queSTion The moST dan-gerous thing to encounter in the woods or on the water are people.
And this comes from someone who has had personal encounters with everything from leopards to great white sharks.
Most people of course will be harmless but when it comes to raw, destructive force humans are undeniably at the top of the list. Hunters along the border are rightly concerned about the civil war taking place in Mexico spilling over into their hunting camp.
In addition, there is the potential to encounter just plain bad people anywhere out there. And while a statistical study would probably show people encountered in rural areas are less likely to wish you harm than those in urban areas, bad people encountered in the wild have isolation on their side.
Encountering people with bad intentions in isolated locations is the reason I always remain cautious when beyond the pavement. Of course seeing “Deliverance” when I was 14 years old probably has something to do with this as well. That whole “squeal like a pig thing” terrifies me to no end.
I will never forget walking down to Boggy Creek near Fouke, Ark. With my friend Smokey Crabtree who was one of the stars of famous 1970s Bigfoot pseudo-documentary “The Legend of Boggy Creek”.
As he strapped on his .357, Smokey said with his trademark whit, “This gun’s not for the monster. It’s for the people.”
He was referring to dangerous elements that sometimes use such remote locations to prey on others and on that day I had no doubt, my famous friend would have defended us whether the “monster” was of the human or not-so human variety.
Maybe I am hyper aware of this than most because I have traveled the world and been exposed to all kinds of situations, often in the middle of nowhere. From gun-toting criminals in Venezuela to white supremacists in Europe to hardline poachers in East Texas, I have seen them all.
By far the most frightening encounter however occurred on top of a mountain in Humboldt County, Ca nearly 14 years ago.
My Dad and I were field-testing some killer audio recording equipment and gen-eration 3 night vision goggles. While looking through them, I saw a beam of light shine up toward us. I took the goggles off and could not see it. Then I put them back on and the light was there. I immediately knew someone had an infrared light and was trying to remain concealed and I had a feeling they weren’t testing new equipment.
We were parked at the end of a logging road near the top of the mountain and had gear spread everywhere. We hurriedly threw it all in the rental truck and headed back toward civilization.
When we hit the main road on the moun-tain, we were met with headlights on the other side of the road we were on. The car stayed on our tail as I literally drove 70 down the mountain and they refused to pass when I offered them space in the passing areas.
Dad and I both knew we had encountered smugglers and prayed heavily for safety.
When we got to the main highway, the vehicle turned around and went back up. We went back to our hotel and never returned to that area or told anyone of this incident until now.
When we got home I called the U.S. Forest Service and without mentioning what happened and asked about carrying a gun on their lands while hiking and doing photog-raphy. The ranger who answered the phone said, “By all means do.”
She then said that whole county was dan-gerous to traverse and that we were lucky. If a ranger working for the federal government in California tells you to pack heat, you know it’s bad!
Then there are people who may not mean
to do harm but conduct themselves in such a way as to become a menace.
Let us take drunk boaters for instance.It is just as dangerous to drive a boat
drunk as it is to drive a car and over the last few years there have been several high profile drunk boater related fatal collisions on Texas waterways.
Something else that we may not like to talk about but is a reality is unsafe hunters.
Statistically hunting is safer than most sports but every year we hear a couple of incidents of people shooting at the bushes and killing their son who was walking behind them or shooting another hunter walking through the woods.
It is important to always stay alert when you are in the great outdoors and to surround yourself with good people.
Taking good friends with you on fishing and hunting expeditions ups the safety factor by a long shot and not only gives you an edge in case there is an encounter with bad guys but also in case you get hurt.
People die every year simply because they could not get to a hospital on time after everything from heart attacks to snake bites. The outdoors is not a good place to be alone.
I am the most positive person you will ever meet but I am a realist. Dangers do lurk in the outdoors and the most insidious kind are human created.
Think safety first and always keep an eye out on the other guy so that no one gets hurt out there. And always carry a gun where you have the ability to do so.
It is somewhat politically correct to say, “the last thing I would want to have to do is use a gun in self defense.”
While I certainly would not want to be in that position, the last thing I would want to do is need to use a gun in self defense and not have one handy.
Think about it.
Catch Chester on the radio Fridays, 6 pmon 560 KLVI Beaumont (www.klvi.com) and Thursdays online on TF&G Radio
(www.fishgame.com) Contact him at [email protected]
by Chester Moore | TF&G Executive Editor
14 | M A Y 2 0 1 3 | T e x a S F i S h & G a M e ®
Chester’s Wild Life
ChesterWildLife.indd 14 4/10/13 9:25 AM
Brawling with a Barracuda
Playa Blanca flats guide carlos Vasquez planted the push pole and pointed across the white sand. “Good barracuda at 2 o’clock.”
I held the limp bonefish rod and stared, shocked at the awesome image. It had mate-rialized from nowhere.
The four-foot fish was motionless, poised like a thick gray-green javelin. I looked
dumbly at the 7-weight rod and the puny No. 6 Gotcha fly and recalled the old axiom about bringing a knife to a gunfight.
Dave Hayward, sitting in the center, broke the spell. “Hurry, hand me your bone-
fish rod and take the plug rod.”I reached back and grabbed the seven-
foot casting rod. It was rigged for barracuda. The reel was spooled with 50-pound braid and a short wire leader was knotted to a chartreuse tube lure.
The barracuda turned slightly, giving us the cold stink eye. It knew we were there; it just didn’t care.
I cocked the rod and made a decent cast across the breeze. The elongated lure fell about 15 feet in front of the fish. As soon as the tube hit, I started cranking the 6-to-1 ratio reel as fast as possible.
The bright tube splashed and twisted, coming hard on a straight retrieve. The barracuda flashed into life, accelerating with frightening speed, and snatched the lure about 20 feet off the rod tip.
All three of us shouted and yelled as the water flew.
The big fish tore about 75 yards from the reel then came out in a low, arching leap. The spool was getting thin but the run
slowed. Vasquez heaved on the push pole and I was able to start regaining line.
The barracuda made another jump, fol-lowed by several spurts around the boat. But, like all furious sprinters, it was short-winded. Vasquez hopped from the poling platform, reached gingerly with a cupped hand behind the wolf teeth, and lifted under the big gill plate.
The barracuda was a gorgeous predator, maybe 20 pounds, gleaming silver and green with “fearful symmetry.” The cold eyes and wolf teeth defined an apex killer.
Vasquez held tight as I reached with needle-nosed pliers and popped the large treble from the corner of the snaggled jaw. I took a quick photo and he eased the fish back into the water. It stirred back and forth then shot away.
That incident occurred several months ago dur-ing a fishing trip to Playa Blanca Lodge on the southern end of the Yucatan Peninsula. I mention it in detail because it was typical of barracuda encounters on clear tropical flats.
Mexico, Belize, Bahamas, Cuba, Florida Keys — wherever the great barracuda roams the shallows, the potential for light-tackle sight-casting awaits. And it is some of the most dramatic fishing you can imagine. I remain amazed that barracudas do not command more attention among high-pro-file angling experts.
Barracudas often move shallow on the tides to feed on schools of mullet
and bonefish. The fact that they can rou-tinely outrun frantic bonefish should tell you something fast-lane capabilities.
Regardless of venue, the bonefish/permit angler stands an excellent chance of seeing
16 | M A Y 2 0 1 3 | T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® Photo: Joe Doggett
doggett at large
by Joe Doggett | TF&G Senior Contributing Editor
t
Playa Blanca flats guide
Carlos Vasquez with
Doggett’s 20-pound (+/-)
‘cuda.
Doggett.indd 16 4/4/13 9:16 AM
at least one sizeable barracuda during a day on the flats. Most likely, several opportuni-ties will be faced. At least, this has been my experience.
“Sizeable” is open to interpretation. The shallow-water scale starts at about 10 pounds. Most mature barracudas on the flats weigh in the mid-teens. Anything topping an honest 20 is a standout. My largest, estimat-ed at 30, struck a propeller-type bass plug.
Regardless of size, these are aggressive fish. They roam the shallows to feed but hooking one is not always a “gimme.” The key when bonefishing is to be ready with a backup outfit. You want to have a rod of suitable caliber specifically set up with a short wire leader and a proper lure.
Fumbling around, trying to re-rig after a barracuda is sighted, can be a disaster. The hovering fish might seem arrogant and indif-ferent but the longer you stare at each other across a clear flat, the more cautious the fish is likely to become.
A quick draw vastly improves the odds of a blazing strike.
The most effective barracuda outfit is a
large open-faced spinning reel fitted to a 7- or 7 1/2-foot medium-heavy rod. The spinning reel offers two advantages over a free-spool casting reel: First, you can chunk with impunity into gusting wind; second, the big spool provides a superior retrieve ratio. And when tempting barracudas, speed kills.
A medium-heavy plug casting outfit will suffice and I (as many Texans) prefer the clean style of plugging over spinning. But don’t blame me if you and your “educated thumb” wham into an upwind backlash of major proportions, or you cannot get the lure moving fast enough to excite a strike.
Spinning or casting, the reel should be spooled with 15- to 20-pound mono, or braid of similar diameter.
Big barracudas can be hooked on 9- to 10-weight fly tackle but consistent success is difficult. For a legitimate shot, you must get inside 70 or 80 feet without spooking the fish. And any upwind presentation is extremely difficult — especially with an elongated or bushy streamer.
Also, the ready-rigged fly rod is harder to get into play; you’ve got to frantically strip
a workable length of line from the reel, and then make the necessary false casts to load the rod. By now, the clock is against you.
Finally, it’s hard to retrieve the line fast enough to ignite a strike from a following barracuda. You strip-strip-strip until half the 9-foot leader is through the tip guide. Now you’ve run out of string. The lean, mean killer gives you a scary stare, almost close enough to poke, then vanishes.
I’ve caught several nice barracudas on flies but if you want to maximize potential, switch to conventional tackle. Many grand opportunities are forfeited with the fly rod simply because the fish is too far, or the wind is wrong, or getting the fly in the water takes too long. But if you are willing to accept the limitations, go for it.
Regardless of approach, the caster firing a shot at a sighted barracuda is primed for one of the most dramatic experiences that inshore angling can offer.
Contact Joe Doggettl at [email protected]
T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® | M A Y 2 0 1 3 | 17
Doggett.indd 17 4/10/13 10:25 AM
Pike on the Edge
by Doug Pike | TF&G Senior Contributing Editor
The One Thing Missing in Texas’ Bass Fishing
AnyOnE whO knOws ME knOws OF My singular pet peeve with Texas’ large-mouth bass fishery. I’ll point out plenty of positives first, then drop
that nagging hammer. First, the Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department has done a stellar job for decades of raising and releasing fast-grow-ing, hard-fighting bass. By the millions, our hatchery system – which has its flaws, but that’s for another space – churns out fry and fingerlings and delivers them annually
wherever they are most needed. If it mattered to the points I’ll make here,
I’d have dredged up all sorts of facts and figures about Texas bass. But it does not. So I will not. Instead, just know that there aren’t many reservoirs in our state from which you couldn’t catch a “mess of fish” most any day that conditions were conducive to doing so.
I am confident also that no other state has as many lakes that hold such quantities as ours of quality fish. To my knowledge, and there’s a dozen donuts waiting for
anyone who can prove me wrong, Texas is the only state that can officially document the catching, spawning and healthy release of hundreds of largemouth bass weighing at least 13 pounds each.
That’s TPWD’s Sharelunker program, in case you’re not familiar, and it rewards participants – as if catching a 13-pound bass weren’t reward enough – a replica mount, recognition at an annual banquet, and other goodies.
Let’s recognize here also that a bass need not weigh 13 pounds to qualify as big. Anywhere else on the planet than Lake Fork, a bass that weighs 10 pounds or heavier is a major-league largemouth. Lake Fork, for the record, spits out three, four, maybe five hundred of those big-league bass every year.
Pike on the Edge
by Doug Pike | TF&G Senior Contributing Editor
Pike.indd 18 4/4/13 9:22 AM
T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® | M A Y 2 0 1 3 | 19
The same impoundment also is respon-sible for more than half those hundreds of Sharelunker entries. The other half, in varying quantities, came from several dozen more lakes in Texas that proved themselves capable of producing monster bass.
Now would be a good time for Texas bass fishermen to pat each other’s backs. We catch these enormous fish, snap a couple of pictures, then either release them immedi-ately back into the lake or, for Sharelunkers, get them to a holding tank until transporta-tion arrives for the trip to our Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens.
At Lake Fork and many other Texas reservoirs – but especially at Lake Fork – deliberately killing a big bass sparks roughly the same reaction as calling a man’s wife ugly in public and in her presence.
In contrast, with apologies to my Louisiana friends, a story broke in late March about a new lake-record bass caught in New Orleans’ City Park. I fished that water as a kid, with my father during visits to his mother’s home. It’s a “fishy” lake that should be more productive.
Unfortunately for anyone who fishes there this summer or next, the man who caught the new record bass from City Park Lake (and replaced a record that stood 40-something years) hauled it away. The accompanying picture showed the man hold-ing the lake’s best-ever bass, long after it drew its last oxygen from water, while stand-ing in what appears to be his own driveway.
I don’t begrudge any person a meal of fresh fish, but some fish deserve to be set free. Lake records get such a pass. He could have gotten $20 from my wallet to ease her back into the water, and that would have bought plenty of market fillets for his family.
Farther north than Texas and Louisiana, the growing season typically isn’t long enough to super-size largemouth bass. State records “way up there” run pretty light com-pared to ours.
Even Oklahoma, where the same lake produced new state records in 2012 and again this year, each of those fish were 14 pounds and change. Texas’ Top 50 all weigh more than 15 pounds.
Hammer in three, two….But we don’t
have a 20-pounder. Not to take anything away from Barry St. Clair, whose Texas state-record bass of 18.18 pounds was caught many more years ago than should have passed without a new queen being crowned, but we’re overdue.
I can’t find fault with TPWD’s aggressive stocking program, I can’t fault Californians for feeding their bass rainbow trout, I can’t begrudge Florida its 20-pounders since it’s their strain of fish that grow so large, and I can’t for the life of me figure how Georgia put one on the board before we did.
About the only thing I can do, and so can you, is keep casting and casting and casting and casting and casting and casting…until one of us catches one of those 20-pound largemouth bass that we all know are swim-ming in a dozen Texas lakes.
If you catch it first, congratulations. At this stage, it doesn’t matter who hits the ball so long as it goes over the fence.
Contact Doug Pike at [email protected]
Pike.indd 19 4/4/13 9:23 AM
Family Terrorized by Cops & Caseworkers
To know The CulTure war is raging and that gun rights are the tip of the spear, you need to look nom further than what happened to the Moore
family that lives in Carneys Point, New Jersey.
Shawn Moore, the father of a good son doing good things, posted an on-line picture of his smiling and proud boy holding his new rifle. The rifle was the son’s birthday pres-ent, the kind of present given to millions of good kids by millions of good parents across America for time immemorial.
The innocent picture of the smiling young boy brought out New Jersey Department of Children and Family caseworkers and the local cops who reportedly were dressed in black raid gear and wearing body armor.
Reportedly, the dangerously discon-nected unprofessionals from the New Jersey Department of Children and Family Caseworkers threatened to take the Moore children from the home for no good reason whatsoever.
Reports are the local cops wanted to search the family home but that Shawn Moore put his attorney on the phone who told the cops that if they wanted to search the home they would have to first go and get a search warrant. As if the cops didn’t know this already.
The family attorney was spot-on in tell-ing the cops to get a search warrant and for saying that this could have all been avoided with a simple phone call.
It breaks my law enforcement heart to know that this young boy may now have a frightening and negative image of cops and other authorities for this over-reaction and unnecessary unprofessional conduct. I can’t blame the lad if he does. What he and his family experienced was scary, ugly, wrong, and heavy-handed.
How do you explain to the Moore boy that what happened to him was wrong, that the authorities were blatantly abusing power, that there is nothing wrong with the picture and what his father did when his experience tells him otherwise?
What happened to the Moore family is not the America I know and love – the land of the free and home of the brave. What
happened reminds me of the actions of some secret police goon squad in a commie-infest-ed, third-world cesspool of a country where people are trampled upon by the authorities with reckless abandon.
Someone should be fired for doing this to this young boy and his family, but I bet no one will. That’s not how the out-of-control bureaucracy engine is tuned in these corrupt, troubling times. There is zero accountability among bureaucrat punks who are drunk on power.
If the individual in charge of the New
Jersey Department of Children and Family Caseworkers has an ounce of integrity, he or she will offer their resignation. Same goes for the Chief of Police.
The city cops and the New Jersey Department of Children and Family Caseworkers should publicly apologize to the family, beg them for forgiveness, and inform the public of the changes they have made to their procedures so that other families won’t experience the terror that the Moore family felt.
There is no justification for what hap-pened –— not the massacre at Sandy Hook or the slaughter in Aurora. The only excuse for raiding a family home because of a picture of a smiling young boy holding his new rifle is because some bureaucrats are stoned on abuse of power and the insanity of nonsensical hyper fear of guns. Case closed.
It is my hope that someday the entire Moore family could come to the Nugent ranch for a day of firearm’s fun under the freedom-drenched Texas sun. The young Moore boy and his family could celebrate the time honored quality shooting sports that ultimately teaches the aim small miss small marksmanship discipline that tens of millions of American families enjoy week in and week out in every state in the nation. We will spend the day together blazing away with a variety of weapons, hunting varmints, checking traps, eating venison barbecue, and going on four-wheel drive excursions where no man has gone before.
Note to soulless bureaucrats: We are going to take plenty of pictures and post them all over the Internet because this is how good, law-abiding American families spend our time. And the Texas authorities will smile with approval, because they do the same good, proper, legal things.
Contact Ted Nugent at [email protected]
20 | M A Y 2 0 1 3 | T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ®
Ted’s Texaswild
by Ted Nugent | TF&G Editor-at-Large
“What happened
to themoore family is
not the america i know and
love – land of the free and home of
the brave.“
Nugent.indd 20 4/4/13 9:23 AM
T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® | M A Y 2 0 1 3 | 21
Zero Tolerance Zeitgeist
March, 2002 – a Ten-year-old boy, along with seven friends, was suspended from Dry Creek Elementary School in Centennial,
Colorado, for pointing their fingers like guns during a game of ‘Army and Aliens’ on the school playground. – Washington Times
February, 2010 – A twelve-year-old girl in Forest Hills, New York wrote ‘I love my friends Abby and Faith. Lex was here 2/1/10.’ Police were called, and the girl was arrested, handcuffed in front of her classmates, and taken to jail. – CNN Justice
February, 2013 – A seven-year-old boy at Blair Elementary School in Loveland, Colorado was suspended for throwing an imaginary grenade at imaginary bad guys at recess while playing a game he’d invented called ‘Rescue the World.’ – Fox News
March, 2013 – A seven-year-old boy, while eating breakfast at Park Elementary School in Baltimore, Maryland, received a two-day suspension for chewing a Pop Tart into the shape of a gun. – Fox News
March, 2013 – An eight-year-old girl at Love Joy Elementary School in Alton, Illinois threw a tantrum, and was subse-quently handcuffed and held by police for two hours. – KMOV.com local news sta-tion.
These are just a few examples of ram-pant abuse caused by Zero Tolerance rules adopted by school districts in the U.S. Personally, I thought we had hit rock bot-tom when a high school senior in Dallas was
suspended because a butter knife was found in the back of his pickup, after he’d helped his grandmother move. Not so much.
A reader sent me a note after a recent column, castigating me for claiming that political correctness was the greatest threat to America today. His opinion was that our country faces many greater threats, such as drug abuse, racism, and terrorism. And those are certainly legitimate problems.
Most of the issues we must overcome as a nation, however, could be addressed much easier if political correctness were not a factor. We are so afraid we might fracture someone’s delicate feelings, we err far to the side of caution. And in the above examples of zero tolerance in schools, such an effort was made to protect the rights of students that the rights of other students were disre-garded in toto.
In two of the cases mentioned, girls were placed in handcuffs, as if a twelve- or eight-year-old girl posed such a threat to her class-mates, even while in contact with a police officer, that physical restraint was necessary. Are our cops so feeble they have to handcuff little girls to maintain control? If so, we have other issues to address.
Granted, the other students in those classes have rights, too, such as the right to study at desks unmarred by graffiti, and the right to learn in a calm environment. But I submit those rights could have been restored without the debasement and humiliation of the offenders.
As unbelievable as the treatment of those girls may be, the other cases mentioned, while expected in today’s atmosphere of gun fear, are even more ridiculous. The girls, at least, physically damaged property and dis-rupted class. The boys harmed no one, and in fact did nothing but act like boys.
Far more disturbing than the boys being punished for doing nothing wrong, however, is what happened in one of the cases after the fact.
After the boy in Maryland was sus-pended for chewing a pastry into the shape of a pistol, the school sent a letter home to parents offering counciling for any children
who were ‘troubled’ by the incident. I imagine more students were troubled by the behavior of school administrators than by a Pop Tart shaped like a gun, but the implica-tion is that the mere shape of a firearm might be emotionally traumatic for a child. Pfffft.
All of that is entirely too politically cor-rect (in other words, wrong), but far more bizarre the case (Fox News) of the 16-year-old Florida student who was suspended for having a gun on a school bus. But it wasn’t his gun. Another boy had brandished the loaded weapon, and pointed it at a third student. The hero then wrestled the gun away from its owner, and was subsequently suspended for it. The school evidently has a rule that all parties involved in any incident involving a weapon must be suspended.
So a boy could have stayed out of trou-ble by allowing a fellow student to be shot. Since he acted, and possibly saved a life, he is being punished. Doing the right thing has become the wrong thing.
Without question, there are risks that must be taken into account for doing the right thing. My best friend was once stabbed when he came to the defense of a girl being threatened by a boy with a knife. The Florida student, or someone else, could have been shot as he wrested the gun from the other kid. Life is what happens while you’re making other plans.
But if we stop to consider all the bad things that can happen before we act, we will never make a difference. Personally, I’d rather live in a world where people try to help others and fail, than a world where everyone sits idly by and watches evil run rampant with no opposition.
As a society we can be politically correct, or we can be right. We can’t be both.
Contact Kendal Hemphill at [email protected]
commentary
by Kendal hemphill | TF&G Political Commentator
Commentary.indd 21 4/4/13 9:24 AM
22 | M A Y 2 0 1 3 | T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® Photo: John n. Felsher
“I’ve fished brush piles at lots of Texas
lakes,” said Kevin VanDam, a four-time
Bassmaster Classic champion. “Crappie
fishing has become extremely popular
around most Texas lakes, but people put
out as many piles for bass as they do for
crappie. Almost all Texas lakes have brush
piles. Lakes like Sam Rayburn, Toledo
Bend and Lake Fork have hundreds of
brush piles, but even some border lakes
like Amistad and Falcon have numerous
brush piles.”Anglers build brush piles to attract min-
nows and threadfin shad, the favorite food of crappie, but heaps of woody debris sit-ting on the lake bottom create ideal habitat to support an entire food chain. Within 24
In just about every lake In texas, par-ticularly in the eastern half of the state, crap-pie anglers create thousands of brush piles each year. While most exist to concentrate those delicious and prolific panfish, these woody clumps recently began to attract more atten-tion from dedicated bass anglers.
Fea 2-Bass.indd 22 4/8/13 11:48 AM
T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® | M A Y 2 0 1 3 | 23
BrushPilesAre NotJust forCrappieAny More
by john n. felsher
Fea 2-Bass.indd 23 4/2/13 2:04 PM
hours, a good brush pile could become thriv-ing oasis for many species. Minnows and other baitfish use the cover to escape from predators. Crappie and bluegills feed upon
tiny baitfish and other organisms hiding amid the branches. Bass also eat minnows and shad, but more likely, they show up to gobble bluegill and smaller crappie.
“Brush piles can be dynamite places to fish for bass, especially on lakes that don’t have much natural cover,” explained Denny Brauer, a former Bassmaster Classic
t
KevinVanDam used
a jointed crankbait to
pull this bass out of the
brush.
t
Denny Brauer looks for
brush pileson lakeswithout
muchnaturalcover.
Fea 2-Bass.indd 24 4/2/13 2:04 PM
champion. “A brush pile is such a good place to fish because it makes an entire ecosystem. Algae builds up on the branches. That attracts minnows, shad and other
small organisms. Small baitfish and other organisms attract larger fish like bluegill and crappie. Bass eat those species and other things. The more different species the pile attracts, the more activity around the pile and the better the fishing as bigger species work up their way up food chain.”
Not so long ago, people who built brush piles concealed their locations with almost the same vigor that pirates used to guard maps to buried treasure. With modern electronics, however, lakes no longer hold
secrets. A skilled angler using a high-defini-tion side or structure scanning sonar unit can easily find any pile on the lake and instantly determine how to pick apart that piece of cover. With a GPS, anglers can pinpoint hot brush piles and effortlessly return to that precise spot.
Brush piles come in all shapes and sizes. Around Lake Sam Rayburn and Toledo Bend, many anglers create piles about 20 feet square. At each corner of the square, they drop fresh green willows, oak branches
t
Texan James Niggemeyer rigs up one of his favorite jigs for fishing around
brush piles.
Ph
ot
os
: Jo
hn
n.
Fe
ls
he
r
Fea 2-Bass.indd 25 4/2/13 2:05 PM
or similar woody cover. Others use bundles of bamboo weighted at one end with con-crete to make them stand vertically like underwater forests.
No matter how a pile looks, most anglers position their boats a good casting distance away to avoid running directly over it and first throw to the edges. By circling a pile and hitting the edges almost like working a shoreline, anglers might entice five or six bass before they work in toward the middle.
“The only time I start with the middle of a brush pile is when I figure out that’s the only place I can get a bite,” Brauer recommended. “Then, I’ll sit over the top of the pile and vertically jig. The problem with starting in the middle of the pile is tak-ing the risk of spooking the fish by hanging up a bait. If nothing bites on the outside edges, move in deeper. Sometimes, we have to really pound brush piles to find the right spot where bass congregate and switch baits to see what fish want to eat that day. Sometimes, getting one fish to bite will fire up the entire school.”
Since bass lurking around brush piles primarily eat other fish, crankbaits or sus-pending jerkbaits can produce excellent results. Many anglers try to provoke reaction strikes by careening deep-running crankbaits off the outside limbs or wobbling them over the tops of the piles. Unfortunately, treble hooks on such baits can easily snag limbs, startling fish.
“I’ll use a wide variety of baits to fish brush piles,” VanDam advised. “Sometimes, a crankbait snags. That can spook the fish, but sometimes, bass want that crankbait. Day in and day out, though, the best lures to fish around brush piles are jigs and big 10-inch plastic worms. I first make a finesse type of presentation with a jig or a Texas-rigged worm. If nothing happens for 10 or 15 minutes, I’ll try to rattle the brush with a crankbait.”
Many fishermen hit the piles from all angles with various lures. At times, dragging a Carolina rig around the edges or vertically fishing a drop shot through the middle of cover might work best. Slow rolling a spin-nerbait over the branches can also work. When bass key on shad or other fish, a slow-sinking swimbait flicked over the top of a pile makes a natural presentation that can entice vicious strikes. Highly versatile baits and relatively snagless, a shaky head tipped with a succulent worm can dance in and out of entangling branches.
26 | M A Y 2 0 1 3 | T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® Photos: John n. Felsher
t
a crankbaitcan be achallengeon a brushpile, butsometimesthat is whatthe basswant.
t
mike iaconelli lands a bass he caught on a jig in heavy South Texas brush.
t
Kevin VanDam checks his side-scan sonarunit forbrush piles.
Fea 2-Bass.indd 26 4/2/13 2:05 PM
“Brush pile fishing has really caught on as more bass guys are winning tournaments on them,” remarked James Niggemeyer, a
professional angler and guide (903-312-0780, JamesNiggemeyer.com) from Van, Texas. “On Lake Fork, I like to fish brush piles with a big shaky head worm or a jig. With a shaky head, I drag and shake it with intermittent pauses. I don’t hop it; I shake the slack in the line to make the worm dance and jiggle on the bottom. I want to give the bait some action, but not move it away from the fish.”
With good electronics and a few casts, anglers can often determine where fish want
to stay around any brush pile on a given day, but keep experimenting with different baits, depths, angles and presentations. After establishing a pattern, look for more nearby brush piles that offer similar combinations of configuration, depth and other conditions.
t
Kevin VanDam fights a bass he caught on a jointed crankbait at
Lake Amistad.
Fea 2-Bass.indd 27 4/2/13 2:05 PM
28 | M A Y 2 0 1 3 | T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ®
or,Why you should
just relaxand embrace
all the ‘balyhoo’over Ballyhoo
Photo: CanstoCk
Fea 5-Ballyhoo.indd 28 4/2/13 2:15 PM
“I guess topwaters are out,” Dave
quipped. “You could probably throw a
Super Spook 150 yards with that tailwind.”
We all rigged our trout rods the same
way: bottom rigs with 1 ounce bell sinkers
and a 3/0 Kahle hook hanging off a staging
15 inches above the lead. I reached into the
red soft-sided cooler I had stowed under my
Bay Quests center console and pulled out a
packet of 15-18 inch ballyhoo.
“Time for a little magic,” I declared, and
cut one of the “blackbacks” into four large
sections. I tossed a chunk each to Anibal
and Dave and kept the head for my own
use. We pinned the silver pieces of fish on
our hooks and cast them out in the direction
of our very fast drift.
It took maybe 10 minutes before Anibal
Conditions were not what you would Call fisherman-friendly. the wind was blowing straight south at a steady 25 knots with gusts pushing 35. foam lines streaked the water of lower laguna madre, which looked like a cup of coffee with a generous dollop of cream in it. The fish were biting however, and my two stalwart partners—Anibal Gorena and Dave Rutledge—were going to make a serious try for them.
T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® | M A Y 2 0 1 3 | 29
by calixto gonzales
Fea 5-Ballyhoo.indd 29 4/2/13 2:15 PM
hooked the first fish of the trip, a chunky 25 inch redfish. I followed with another similar-sized red a couple of minutes later. Dave,
ever the rebel, broke the
streak by hooking and
landing a fat 19-inch speckled trout. Three baits,
three fish. 20 minutes.When we got back to the dock later that
morning, we had 7 redfish and 9 trout for the morning. It wasn’t too bad for gale-type conditions. We probably would’ve caught more had we not decided that no sensible person would stay out in that wind. Even so, we were the only anglers who brought fish to the cleaning table that day.
Maligned but EffectiveWhatever you call them, ‘hoo, black-
backs, halfbeaks or pajaritos, ballyhoo are versatile baitfish. Over the years they have developed the exotic reputation of being the offshore-anglers staple trolling bait for mar-lin, sailfish, tuna, and other pelagic game fish, but the slender with the over-exagger-ated overbite is a piscatorial Everyman. Inshore species such as trout, redfish, floun-der, and snook feed on ballyhoo whenever possible. Many a night fisherman has used the fine-meshed pier nets to scoop up a 3-inch ‘hoo that is darting around in the glow of a pier’s lights to hook it on a small hook and send it back. Usually, the biggest trout roaming around the pilings will fall victim to the offering, even though it ignored every live shrimp and speck rig that has passed by its nose. Snook strafe the schools of juvenile ballyhoo that cling to the tree lines in South Bay, and the bigger linesiders that lurk in deeper passes, the Brownsville Ship Channel, and the surf will inhale a larger ballyhoo with abandon. Redfish are so hooked on the gray, oily flesh of ballyhoo so much that most longtime ‘hoo chunkers call it “redfish crack.”
Many of the more puritanical saltwater
anglers turn their noses up at the idea of using ballyhoo as bait for inshore species. For crying out loud, it’s cut bait! Where is the challenge in that? Why not fool the fish instead of feeding it?
“The name of the game is ‘fishing,’” said longtime ballyhoo adherent Captain Jimmy Martinez. “My clients are more interested in catching fish and having fun. If a piece of ballyhoo is going to get redfish to bite, they’re happy.”
Martinez added that fresh ballyhoo has produced for him on days when nothing else worked, even live shrimp. When conditions make fishing tough, whether it is a gusty March day when murky water precludes the effective of lures, or the steamy, windless dog days of August when the stillness prevents a good drift, ballyhoo can salvage a trip.
Not So Limited OptionsIt may appear that there isn’t much to
using ballyhoo. Keeping ballyhoo alive for any length of time is problematic because of their space requirements. Ballyhoo must be kept in small numbers in cylindrical tanks with excellent fresh water flow. The limited number more so than the storage require-
ments make it impractical for bait shops to sell live hoos. Rather, most bait shops sell
fresh-frozen ballyhoo in vacuum-sealed plastic bags,
or they offer the commercially-sold bags of the bait. The fact that ballyhoo are mostly available as dead bait doesn’t mean that the only way to use it is as cut bait on a bottom rig.
Admittedly, cutting ballyhoo into chunks and fishing them as cut bait on dropper rigs can be effective, as seen in the feature’s opening vignette. It is also a very easy way for novices to find success on their maiden trips in saltwater. It isn’t, however, the only way to fish with ballyhoo.
Skip to My ‘HooFred Rodriguez, host of The Texas
Sportsman television show loves using a 6=inch ballyhoo as a sort of topwater. He breaks the beak off the baitfish, cuts the tail and cuts off the tail and part of the tail section. What’s left is streamline and casts well. He pins the bait on a 3/0 Croaker hook by coming up through the chin and out the nose. Casting the ‘hoo out, Rodriguez works it back with a Walk=the=Dog style retrieve. The bait skips along just under the surface and leaves a scent trail behind it.
Ballyhoo have a reputation as the go-to trolling bait for big game offshore fish like marlin and sailfish, but specks, reds and other inshore gamefish have a strong apetite for them too.
One challenge to using ballyhoo is the effort it takes to keep them alive.
30 | M A Y 2 0 1 3 | T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® Photos: CanstoCk; snaPPer slaPPer lures
Fea 5-Ballyhoo.indd 30 4/2/13 2:15 PM
Rodriguez, and other practitioners call it ‘skipping a hoo’. It is a very effec-
tive technique when redfish and trout are very active, or when snook are busting bait around the mangroves.
I have found that “crunching” the back-bone from behind the
head down to the tail and
squeez-ing out
the air and fluid from the
intestines (and any roe they may have dur-
ing spring) makes ballyhoo pliable and enhances the skipping
action with a little extra wiggle.
Strip TeaseStrips from the sides and belly of large
ballyhoo make excellent trailers on jigs and
spoons. The strips of skin and meat leave a scent trail behind any retrieved lure which serve as a bright line for fish to follow up to the lure, and the flutter, color, and texture of
the strips help fool fish into striking and hanging on. Strips are especially
effective when used with hair and feather jigs such as Bugz or pro bucktails.
Flounder are especially sus-ceptible to a ballyhoo trailer.
Gain, the scent, taste, and texture move flounder to hang onto the jig longer, which buys time for an angler to set the hook as hard as he can. The biggest flounder I’ve caught in several years, a broad 5 pounder out of the East Cut, clobbered a black Bugz jig with a long strip of ballyhoo belly on it.
Some purists might sniff at the idea of matching a lure with meat, but flounder aren’t so discriminating.
You just have to decide hoo do you love.
Fea 5-Ballyhoo.indd 31 4/4/13 10:27 AM
Broken Dreams
Let’s taLk oLD schooL. Let’s taLk returning to the roots of saltwater arti-ficial fishing. Let’s talk broken backs.
The first artificial I ever used was the Beetle Spin spinnerbait in Catalpa. The second one was a Cotton Cordell Jointed Red fin. An old fisherman who saw me with the Beetle Spin tied to my spinning rod, heard the snide comments of the guides at the marina about “the dumb 13 year old kid not knowing a bass lure when he saw one,” and handed me the slightly-used but functioning lure.
“Why don’t you put that in your tackle box and save it for another trip,” the old gentleman said. “I hope you shut those guys up someday.”
I would like to tell you that I went out the next morning, tied that Red Fin on my line and absolutely whacked the trout with it, but if anyone remembers an earlier col-umn, “Spin Cycle,” you’d know that would be untrue. The fact is that I didn’t touch another lure for five years. I was 18 years old and treated myself to a trip over to Port Mansfield.
My mom had given me $20 for the trip (big money back in 1988), and in my excitement, I had left it on my dresser that morning. So, I had no money for bait. In despair, I opened my tackle box and looked for anything that might give me a fighting chance. There, in the center tray of my old Plano was that Red fin. I grabbed it, my rod, and went fishing.
I caught one trout that day, along with a bunch of skipjack, and I was hooked. Jointed plugs have had a place in my tackle arsenal ever since.
Call them what you will: jointed plugs, broken back minnows, segmented lures, Herman The wonder Plug, but there is no disputing the effectiveness of jointed
rues such as the Jointed Red Fin, the Bomber Jointed Long A, or the Sebile Magic Swimmer, segmented lures have been real fish catchers for decades. Through the 1980’s, the ultimate big-trout killer up and down the coast, especially in Baffin Bay was the Red Fin in Pink back, silver sides, yel-low belly; the classic Texas Chicken. The red-headed jointed Long A ran a close sec-ond, and the long-extinct Mirrolure Snake Dancer claimed its share of Galveston Bay yellow mouths. Brokenbacks were the king of wall hanger lures.
Over time, first Spook-style top waters, and then the Corky, took over the spot that belonged to the jointed plug, and rightfully so. Both catch plenty of big fish, and not just trout. What wasn’t replaced was the former king’s effectiveness.
I have Become a DIe-harD swIm BaIt afI-cionado over the years (I’m also in the middle of a Kelly Wigglers renaissance, but that’s a column for another time), but I still throw the broken back more than a couple of times each season. When snook are chasing mullet along the mangroves in South Bay, I break out the Long A and let fly. The combination of heft (most are ¾ ounce) and thin profile allow me to make long casts, and linesiders can’t abide the erratic wiggle of a well-retrieved plug. They absolutely crush it. A Red Fin is my go-to bait near docks and channel points in the Ship Channel, and I’ve often let one trail behind my boat during long drifts. They rarely fail to pro-duce and on the occasions that they do fail, so has everything else I’ve used.
The different applications speak to joint-ed lures’ versatility. The industrial-sized Long A is still a popular trolling bait for kingfish and dolphins along weed lines and oil rigs. There is some surf anglers fling them off the point of jetties and breakwaters form Bolivar to Brazos Santiago. When red-fish are schooling in bays in late summer and early fall to feed just before migrating, sling a Texas Chcken in their midst and hang on.
It may seem mysterious why the jointed plug has fallen from grace after so long a run
on top. The easiest explanation is that the growth in popularity of saltwater lure fish-ing over the past 20 years. There are more effective artificial baits on the market than a single angler could ever use in a lifetime of fishing. There are new designs and colors, each being the next ultimate fish catcher.
Ironically, the jointed plug is still among the easiest lures to use. Much like the spoon—another lure that has fallen in popu-larity over the years (even though I know of at least two Captains, the Neu brothers in Port Mansfield, who swear by them as redfish killers)—you can literally fish one out of the box without having to learn a new retrieve. You can literally cast and wind all day, and the inherent action of the lure’s design gives you a good chance of success From there, you can begin experimenting with retrieve styles, whether it’s a pull-pause, or a slow-and-steady, or a frenetic fleeing-baitfish retrieve. The only thing that limits you is your imagination.
A perk of the growth in the saltwater lure industry is that jointed lures have also benefitted from the explosion. Alongside Cotton Cordell, Bomber, and Sebile, com-panies such as Reaction Strike, Strike King, Rapala, Smithwick and may others have their versions of segmented lures. Some are designed with multiple sections, which have a slithering action that fish love (try the pull-pause retrieve with a Magic Swimmer and see what happens).
I still have that old Red Fin. It’s scratched up, the hooks are misshapen from years of being straightened and re-bent, and I doubt the split rings could handle a pinfish, much less a big trout. It stays in my tackle box, however.
Call it a joint-resolution from the past.
Contact Calixto Gonzales at [email protected]
32 | M A Y 2 0 1 3 | T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ®
texas saltwater
by Calixto Gonzales | TF&G Saltwater Editor
Saltwater.indd 32 4/4/13 9:30 AM
Photo credit
Texas Bowhunting
by Lou Marullo | TF&G Bowhunting Editor
Have I Got a Deal for You
I THouGHT I mIGHT sTarT THIs monTH’s column with a question: Is the sport of hunting with a bow expensive? It really never even occurred to me until one day
a friend of mine wanted to get into bow-hunting but thought he could not afford the equipment.
It is true that, as in any sport you pursue, it can get expensive, very expensive, but it does not have to be like that. I harvested my first deer many moons ago. My “expensive” choice of weapon was a borrowed recurve bow and a few cedar arrows. To tell you the truth, I am not even sure if those arrows were cedar or made from a less costly wood. It really did not matter to me because I felt that, with practice (and lots of it), I fancied myself a regular Robin Hood of sorts. Although my hunting friends might disagree. As the years progressed, so did my taste of bow equipment, but you can rest assured that the doe I harvested with my first “cheap” recurve, gave me as much joy and excitement as the last deer I took. Looking back, It probably means even more to me because it was my “first” and there is not a hunter out there that cannot recall every detail of his or her “first” harvest.
With some bows on the market today, you can spend over $500 just for the bow. Carbon arrows will cost you about $100 or more per dozen. Broadheads average about $10 each depending on which one you pick. Add to that some camo clothing, boots, tree stand or stands and all the accessories that go on your bow (sights, silencers, peeps, quiver just to name a few) and you can run into a few major coupons.
I am here to tell you it does not have to be like that.
Let’s look at a few of the items I men-tioned.
OK, you NEED a bow. As I men-tioned earlier, it does not have to cost you your first male born child and a bag of chips. A $100 recurve will be just as deadly as that $700 bow your friend might have. Better yet, if you have a family uncle who has a bow he is not using, you might be able to borrow that. Of course you would have to have it checked at a bow shop to make sure it is safe to hunt with and can be made to fit you. See that? I just saved you $700.
Arrows. Yes sir, you NEED arrows. The first thing you should do is choose what bow you will use and then have a pro shop give you some choices of arrows that would fit with the bow you are shooting. Like anything else, these will vary in price. I have seen Redhead arrows that sell for $69 a dozen. However, most go for about $100 plus. You just have to do some shopping. Looky here… I saved you $30 more.
Broadheads. Unless you plan on shoot-ing at tree stumps, you NEED broadheads for big game. Any way you look at it, they run about $10 each everywhere. Sorry, no savings here.
Camo clothing. Ahhhh here is some-thing that is nice to have, but not something you NEED to harvest a whitetail deer. A checkered flannel shirt will break up your pattern nicely. As long as you use a cover scent like Scent Away, then the deer will never know you are there. Remember, a deer is colorblind and sees only in shades. Just try to beak up your pattern and you will be fine. I just saved you another $200.
Boots will cost you another $100 on average. Are they necessary? I do not like snakes…so for me they are a necessity. However, I hunted with a guy once who just wore his “hunting sneakers”. He believed that because they had rubber bottoms they would not leave a scent. He was comfortable
until they got wet and the wind picked up. He had to call his bow hunting trip short telling me he had the “agony of da-feet”. I guess he was cold.
Tree stands. These can vary in price. Both ladder and portable tree stands can go anywhere from $80 to $300 or more. Many whitetails have been harvested from a ground blind or by someone simply hiding behind some tree. Just this past season, I gave my brother my favorite tree stand and I chose to hunt on the ground in a hedgerow. I shot my deer at 8 yards. My point is that although tree stands have a distinct advan-tage, they are not needed to have success in the deer woods. There…I just saved you another $150.
A quiver is another item that you NEED with you for bowhunting. You have to have a safe method for storing your arrows. Quivers come in all shapes and sizes, but the most common are the ones that attach right to your bow and have a hard cover that protects you from the razor sharp blades on your broadheads.
The other items I mentioned are accesso-ries that, although very nice to have, are not a necessity for bowhunting success, but while I’m thinking about it, you NEED your tags and if you are married, then you NEED an understanding wife too.
In conclusion, you can see that the price of bowhunting is as deep as you want to reach in your pockets. You can either spend a lot of money or get by with less and still enjoy the fruits of your labor.
Funny, but after proofreading this col-umn, I realized I just saved you about $1000.00. You would be crazy to pass up a deal like that. If you are not bowhunting yet, then give it a try. It will be well worth the effort.
Have fun and hunt safe out there.
Contact Lou Marullo at
34 | M A Y 2 0 1 3 | T e x a S F i S h & G a M e ®
Bowhunting.indd 34 4/4/13 10:32 AM
Memories of a Rabbit Stalker
TheRe aRe SoMe ThingS you neveR forget, especially if you grew up hunt-ing rabbits as I did in Comanche County with a .22 rifle in one hand
and a hankering to just mosey around my grandparents’ dairy pasture in my heart.
Those days were long ago, but their memories of stalking cottontails along the briar-infested fence rows and near the hay barn as well as pursuing jackrabbits in the wide-open spaces between the dairy barn and stock tanks never seem to fade.
In fact, I passed by the old dairy place outside Comanche a few weeks ago on the way to a hunting lease in Lampasas County and stopped my pickup on the county road bordering it to just stare across the pasture where I used to get my first taste of hunting and my first taste of eating wild game.
The cottontail rabbits were just as predict-able as the jackrabbits. I learned early that they liked the thick cover of the fence rows and low brush close to the hay barn and behind the chicken house. The jackrabbits, on the other hand, preferred the wide-open plain-like areas of low grass and hard turf.
When one of them saw me approaching, they would execute different styles of retreat. The cottontails would play a hide-and-seek game, bouncing only a few yards at a time along the trails through the low brush, stop-ping as if they thought they had become invisible, then darting a few yards further when pressed by the young hunter with his Stephens Target .22 rifle.
The jackrabbits, on the other hand, gen-erally were spotted sitting erect, their long ears up like radar towers at long distances or squatting with their ears laid back across their shoulders in a hiding position if I was
fortunate enough to get close to them before they saw me.
Although I didn’t realize it at first, the cottontails and jackrabbits helped me learn two important things about shooting animals: how to adjust for close-range shots and long-range shots with a rifle equipped with iron sights sighted in at about 25 yards. After all, it was my grandfather’s .22 Target rifle I had the privilege of using and I wasn’t about to change the sights for any reason.
I’ll admit that as a 10-year-old, a cottontail and a jackrabbit, despite their different prefer-ences for habitat, were just two different types of rabbits. I soon learned just how wrong I was. And the more I hunted them on my grandparents’ dairy, the more I wanted to know more about them.
I long have loved to read, especially to learn about birds and animals, and that desire soon led me to our elementary school library where I discovered that a cottontail is, indeed, a rabbit but a jackrabbit is not a rabbit at all but rather one of several types of hares.
I also learned that Mark Twain, in his western novel “Roughing It,” was credited with giving the jackrabbit its name when he described the long-eared critter as a “jackass rabbit.”
Despite their differences, they do have some similarities.
When I first began hunting cottontails, I thought they both built their nests under the ground but I soon learned that neither cottontails or jackrabbits lived in burrows underground. Instead, they scratch out shal-low depressions on top of the ground and line it with fur from their bellies and grass.
A little more reading led me to other facts about these two“rabbits.” For one, I learned that cottontails are born naked (with no fur) and blind while jackrabbits are born fully-furred and with their eyes open, something that frees them from the need for paternal care and enables them to flee from predators very soon after birth.
At first, I just wandered around the pas-ture with no real plan but as I grew older, I planned my day of hunting rabbits carefully. Since the cottontails were more plentiful close to the hay barn, chicken pen and a nearby fence row, I started there first, walking cau-tiously in hopes of getting a shot at them when they stopped on a trail or in an opening.
Once I finished hunting the fence row, I headed across a large, open flat where I switched ammunition from the .22 Shorts I used for the cottontails to .22 Long Rifle ammunition for the longer shots presented by the jackrabbits. I had learned the Long Rifle cartridge, with a heavier bullet than the Short, was better suited for the larger jackrabbits.
I remember the “jackrabbit chili” my grandparents made with the ones I shot on their dairy but I quit hunting jackrabbits several years ago when I learned their popula-tions had dwindled in many areas. I still find them occasionally on some ranches I where I have hunting privileges and enjoy watching them lope across the open fields.
I still hunt cottontails occasionally for sport and for food, and it brings joy to me today when I see a youngster toting a .22 rifle into the woods. Unfortunately, that doesn’t hap-pen as often as it used to. Like the jackrab-bits, the number of young hunters seems to have dwindled also, and it is sad.
Contact Bob Hood at [email protected]
Photo: BoB hood
hunt Texas
by Bob Hood | TF&G Hunting Editor
36 | M a y 2 0 1 3 | T e x a S F i S H & G a m e ® Photo: BoB hood
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Hunting-Hood.indd 37 4/10/13 9:47 AM
| Self Defense |
| Concealed Carry |
| Tactical |
by Steve LaMascus& Dustin Ellermann
Weapons for WTSHTF
THere iS mucH Talk THeSe dayS abouT weapons that are best for situations where the normal societal conventions have broken down and chaos and lawlessness prevail. In
other words, when the stuff hits the fan.While I hope this never happens, I can
foresee situations where exactly that might transpire. For instance, what would take place if there were suddenly no electricity for an extended period of time? The cities
would suddenly have no power to run the devices that allow people to live in large concentrations. The people living in the cit-ies would have to find some way to survive and those who have not would immediately begin to prey on those who do have, and the hoodlums would use the circumstances to rape, pillage, and plunder. In such instances it would be necessary to protect yourself
with whatever was at hand and a good gun is always better than a 36-ounce Louisville Slugger.
This type of chaos is precisely what is portrayed in the many zombie shows now on TV and in the movies. Just replace the zombies with conscienceless gangs of thugs bent on destruction and thievery and you have it well in mind.
Springfield competition Xdm 5.25”Springfield Armory intro-duced their latest XDM 5.25” model this past year designed with the com-petition shooter in mind. After talking with Rob Leatham about this model at SHOT show I decided to order my own for 3 Gun use. Available in 9mm, .40 and .45ACP I opted for the 9mm ver-sion that would hold an impressive 19 rounds in the magazine. This makes the 1911 angled grip just a tad longer than other pistols would be, but it also gives the shooter more surface area to grasp. The pistol has the same legendary XD grip and trigger safeties as well as the creative ambidextrous magazine release. The magazine release is not one that
the user has to switch out, but instead is functional from both sides of the grip which can be handy even for a right handed shooter if wishing to drop the magazine out of a holstered gun.
The XDM 5.25 has a fully adjustable rear sight machined into the slide, mak-ing it as close to the bore as possible with a low enough profile to be out of the way. The front sight is a bright fiber optic for fast acquisition.
The slide is where the most extra features are obvious with the XDM 5.25 beginning with the extra long match grade 5.25” barrel and lightened slide.
The slide cuts help speed up the cyclic rate as it cuts down the weight of the slide. I could get shots off in .19 of a second so it cycles plenty fast for me, a seasoned competition shooter could probably do even better.
I’m used to a pretty crisp trigger on my firearms and the XDM was a bit heavy and mushy for my taste. In fact it was a little heavier than my stock sub-compact XD that comes in at 6 pounds. I heard from a forgettable source that since most competition shooters tweak
Texasdepartmentof defense
Photo credit38 | M a y 2 0 1 3 | T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® Photo: dustin ellermann
Continued on page 40 u
| Self Defense |
| Concealed Carry |
| Tactical |
by Steve Lamascus& Dustin ellermann
tDustin’s Springfield XDM 5.25” 9mm customized
for 3 Gun by Springer Precision.
DoD.indd 38 4/4/13 3:05 PM
T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® | M a y 2 0 1 3 | 39
If I were to arm myself and my family for such an event, I would certainly not depend on a single gun. I would have at least three, and four or five would be better.
Let’s start with long guns. Obviously a shotgun would be my first choice to defend against home invasion. I would have two shotguns, one for myself and one for my wife. Choice would depend on personal
“Just replace
the zombies withconscienceless
gangs of thugs and you have it well
in mind.“P
ho
to
: C
an
St
oC
k
DoD.indd 39 4/4/13 3:05 PM
t Continued from page xx
Story Jump
preference, but any of the many pump action shotguns in the riot gun configuration would suffice. I would probably opt for a Mossberg Model 590 Special Purpose for the simple reasons that it is a very durable and depend-able weapon and because it holds a lot of shells. The 590 with a 20-inch barrel will
hold 8 rounds in its magazine, 9 with one up the spout. That is a lot of firepower. Stuff it full of number 1 or 00 buckshot and you have a manstopper that cannot be beat by anything short of an M60 machine gun.
For the Little Lady I would choose a Model 500 Super Bantam All Purpose in 20 gauge. This slick little gun comes with a stock adjustable for length of pull and will hold 6 buckshot loads. Stoked with Number
Texas Department of Defense
their own triggers Springfield decided the trigger stock to make it more afford-able. I suppose I could have sucked it up, trained with it and made it work, but I opted to have it tuned. Enter Springer Precision in Oregon. They have extensive experience working with Glocks, 1911s and XDs so I contacted them about getting a drop in trigger kit to fix my pistol. They recommended I send it to them to allow them to give it the best trigger possible so I took them up on that and opted to have a few more “upgrades” done to my pistol.
In about three weeks I had a sweet upgraded XDM. The trigger pull was lightened to a nice 2.5 pound break, with a shorter take up and reset travel. The inside rail was cleaned and polished to a mirror shine and the guide rod replaced with a polished stainless one. They replaced the wider factory fiber optic front sight with a more precise Dawson sight. Then they saved me several hours of work with a soldering iron by stippling the grips. Springer Precision is also an experienced machine shop and they gave the slide an extra .25” lightening cut on each side in addition to the exist-ing factory cut on the top. An extended magazine release button was installed and my magazines were numbered and branded with my logo by laser engraving. And finally, the slide was refinished to an olive drab color with CeraKote.
The factory barrel is plenty adequate, but is lacking threads for suppressor use. I recently acquired a multi caliber Oasis suppressor for Silencer Co. that needs a threaded barrel to mount. Barsto bar-
rels are Springer Precision’s choice for match upgrades and with the proper ½” x 28 threaded adapter the Oasis sits
quietly on the end. With either light powered 124 grains or full powered 147 grain 9mm subsonic rounds shooting was taken from a blast to a “puff…ding” on steel.
I’ve used this pistol in several compe-titions now and have found it to be very accurate and fast to shoot. While I find
shooting paper targets boring and prefer to shoot steel with speed, my accuracy test boils down to being able to hit a
LaRue FAST silhouette target at 100 yards repeatedly. Needless to say this pistol passes the test. See some video of me running it in 3 Gun competitions at www.fishgame.com.
—Dustin Ellermann
40 | M a y 2 0 1 3 | T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® Photos: Cody Conway
t Continued from page 38
Springfield XDM
tSpringer Precision Customized Springfield XDM 5.25” in tactical mode complete with Silencer
Co. Osprey .45 Suppressor.
tDustin Firing the Springfield XDM 5.25”.
DoD.indd 40 4/4/13 3:05 PM
T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® | M a y 2 0 1 3 | 41
4 buckshot or BBs, it won’t bruise the wife, is a great backup, and is almost as lethal as the 12 gauge Model 590. These are my choices, but any of the pump action shot-guns from the major manufacturers, such as Remington or Ithaca, would be good.
I am not a big believer of rifles as defense against home invasion, because I think a shotgun is far better, but in some instances it may be needed. If so, I would choose one of the various AR15s that are on the market. I prefer the M4 version because it has a collapsible stock and can be carried in a ready position, slung across the chest, and because it is short enough to be used in confined spaces. My current M4 is the Smith & Wesson version; a flat-top with clamp-on sights, so I can mount a scope on it if I find the need. I would load my M4 with 55-grain soft point ammunition and would have a minimum of a half dozen spare 30-round magazines, all loaded and ready to go, carried in military style pouches attached to a belt. That is 6 spare magazines, plus the one in the gun, for 7 total. That gives you 210 rounds of ammo, instantly available.
In addition to the long guns above, I think a good handgun for every adult mem-ber of the family would be mandatory. Not as a primary defensive weapon, but because it is carried on the belt and is instantly avail-
able should the primary weapon fail at an inopportune moment, or you are surprised when you don’t have one of the long guns in your hands. All the handguns should be
of the same caliber. And I believe that every member of the family that is old enough to be trusted with a handgun should be taught gun safety and how to shoot.
Any of the various semi-autos of appro-priate caliber would suffice, but if we are arming for a worst case scenario, I would go with one of the high capacity weapons in either .40 S&W or 9mm. This is not because I think these calibers are better than the .45 ACP, I don’t, but because hand-guns in these calibers generally hold more ammunition than guns of the same size in the larger .45. A gun such as the Glock 17 or Glock 22 would be great. A Glock 17, fully loaded, with 2 spare magazines, gives you 52 rounds of ammo on your person, should your long gun jam or break.
There you are. Now just pray that those government zombies don’t figure out a way to take away all the guns. Lock and load!
—Steve LaMascus
“i think a good
handgun for every adult member of
the family would be mandatory.“
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T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® | M A Y 2 0 1 3 | 43
PART ONE IN A SERIESBY DUSTINELLERMANN
While a feW people might believe the misnomer propagated by the media that the “aR” in AR15 stands for “Assault Rifle” it actually refers to one of the origi-nal manufacturers, “armalite.” But i like to tell folks that aR15 stands for “Awesome Rifle — everyone needs at least 15.”
The AR15 is like a grown man’s tinkertoy. You can build it
from the ground up in a variety of calibers, or switch out any part
or accessory to customize it to your exact specifications.
the loWeR
While it is easiest to purchase a complete AR15 and reconfig-
ure it to your liking many shooters enjoy building their own from
the ground up or by swapping out complete uppers and lowers.
The AR15 lower is the aluminum piece that is considered to be
the firearm that bears the rifle’s serial number and is transferred
from your local dealer by a Federal Firearms License. The lower
is usually the least expensive large part and contains the trigger
group, stock, and grip. A standard lower will cost around $100
plus all the other small parts. You can purchase a mil-spec stock
around $60 and a complete lower parts kit containing all the
small pieces, grip and trigger group for another $60. Assembling
the fire control group, upper receiver pins, springs and magazine
release may look intimidating since it contains around 30 small
pieces, but if you have enough mechanical capability to change out
brakes on a vehicle you should be able to complete the task with a
hammer, punch, and a little guidance from YouTube or Brownell’s
online videos.
the Stock
Assembling the buffer tube on the back of the lower receiver
is relatively simple. When ordering your stock you need to know
if you either have the mil-spec or commercial version of the buffer
tube, for they vary in diameter slightly and are not cross compat-
ible. Thread on the tube after installing the buffer retainer and
springs, tighten the castle nut with a multi-function barrel wrench,
and then slide in the buffer spring and buffer weight. Most tele-
scoping stocks will just slide on at this point by pulling the latch
out.
Installing the trigger guard is just as easy as drifting in one pin
and screwing in another. Followed by screwing on the pistol grip.
I have grown fond of MAGPUL for both these pieces for their
ergonomics, value and ease of installation. This will complete your
lower that can then be mated to any standard AR upper assembly.
Fea 1-AR15.indd 43 4/2/13 9:09 AM
For the purpose of my build I wanted to have a short-barreled AR15 in order to attach a suppressor to, yet I didn’t want to wait 9 months to register it with the BATF as a short-barreled rifle. So when I trans-ferred my lower receiver, Evans Brother Guns listed it as a pistol on my form 4473. So instead of attaching a shoulder stock to the lower I purchased a pistol buffer tube along with a single point 5.11 Tactical bungee sling. It might look peculiar and not be as easy to shoot, but it’s in a nice compact package that I found perfect for a 10” Wilson Combat .300 Blackout barrel.
The Upper:receiver, Barrel and Gas System
Assembling your AR upper will be easier and faster than the lower as long as you have a barrel wrench and AR vise block. A blank upper receiver usually runs around $100, but your barrel will be your largest single expense starting at $150. Your final major component will be the bolt carrier group around $150. Add on your choice of handguard, gas assembly, and other small parts listed below and it’s time to build.
First you complete installation of the forward assist assembly by drifting in a small keeper pin followed by the dust cover that is done with just a spring keeper. With the upper in a vise block you insert your barrel by just sliding it into the receiver on the grooves then use your barrel nut wrench and torque to at least 35 foot pounds. At this time you need to check for proper alignment for your gas tube.
The gas system is important and prob-ably the most complex-looking to a new AR builder, but in fact it is simple as long as your gas block is aligned with the port
in the barrel and the tube isn’t in a bind when inserted into your upper. When you purchase your gas system you need to be aware of the type of barrel you are mounting it on. There are gas blocks made for pins that require a barrel with slots for the pins to pass through and keep aligned, then there are barrels that have a detent for setscrews to sink into to stay alignment. Tactical opera-tors prefer the pin version so there is less chance of failure, but for my build I wanted simplicity and the setscrews looked like the best option.
Gas tubes come in different lengths: pistol, carbine, mid-length or rifle. For most 16-inch barrels the carbine is the standard. Some upgraded ones might be mid-length, and then oddball ones like my build use a shorter pistol length. Just be sure to buy the correct tube for your rifle’s barrel and this length will also need to be known for choos-ing the correct handguard.
First step of gas system installation is to align your barrel nut with the hole in the upper receiver. This is done from the receiver end with either a special gas tube alignment rod by going the cheap route and using a #15 drill bit, or .180 gauge. Adjust
the nut so the bit can be inserted freely, then install the gas tube into the block, slide the block down the barrel, insert the tube and install the block onto the barrel.
After this you can install the handguard. If you chose mil-spec style you will need to put the delta ring, spring and handguard cap in place when you assemble the barrel nut and gas block, but installation will simply be snapping the guards into place. For my free-floated thread-on, it was as simple as screwing it on and timing it so my rail slots were aligned. Finally, if you have a threaded barrel you can cap it off with a cool muzzle brake or flash suppressor; just don’t forget to use a crush washer for correct timing and torque. Complete the upper assembly by sliding in the charging handle and bolt car-rier group, then pin the upper to the lower receiver and function check.
The possibilities are endless with AR15s, and building your own from scratch is a great way to get exactly what you want. For this is your rifle—there are many like it, but this one is yours.
44 | M A Y 2 0 1 3 | T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® Photos: Cody Conway
t
t
assembled lower receiver for a pistol aR 15, along with a disassembled upper
and Trijicon RmR.
an aR15 stripped lower receiver and all the lower parts, less buffer tube system and stock.
t
Complete aR Pistol in 300 Black-out with Trijicon RmR, magpul grip
and mag, pistol buffer tube and Nordic Components handguard
Fea 1-AR15.indd 44 4/2/13 9:09 AM
46 | M a y 2 0 1 3 | T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ®
DSC Tops $2 Million in GrantsFor The SeConD STraiGhT year, Dal-las Safari Club (DSC) in 2013 will grant more than a million dollars for conservation, education and hunter advocacy efforts worldwide.
DSC’s total funding commitment for 2013 is $1,010,000—a record for the organization.
The allocation follows major growth in the DSC annual conven-tion and expo. Held early each January at the Dallas Convention Center, the event has been steadily growing in size, attendance and total fundraising.
Ben Carter, DSC executive direc-tor, said, “As gratifying as it’s been to see our annual convention grow, it’s even more rewarding to see the money from our supporters go for conserving wildlife, protecting wild places, educating youth and the general public, and defending hunt-ers’ rights around the world.”
Carter thanked convention exhib-itors, attendees and volunteers, along with DSC members, for their passion and continuing support of the DSC mission.
Projects to receive DSC fund-ing this year include anti-poaching efforts in Africa, forest restoration in New Mexico, genetic and lion research in Africa, pronghorn and desert bighorn sheep restoration initiatives in Texas, mule deer and elk research in Nevada, habitat improvements in Africa, several
TRUE GREEN
CCa Teams with DU for Fish and Fowl habitatThe CoaSTal ConServaTion aSSoCia-tion (CCA) recently contributed $200,000 to support a Ducks Unlimited project that will ultimately construct 3 miles of rock breakwater at Sargent Marsh in Matago-rda County, Texas. Funding from CCA will complement existing funding from the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA), the Meadows Foun-dation, Phillips 66 and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to provide for a Phase 1 construction effort of nearly 3,200 linear feet. The project has been permitted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and construction should be initiated by April 2013. Approximately 1,200 acres of coastal habitat will receive direct benefit from the breakwater construction. Future funding efforts will be needed to complete the remaining breakwater (approximately 2 more miles).
As part of another grant to DU, CCA also supported the construction of more than 2 miles of breakwater at J.D. Mur-
phree WMA. Combined with funds from the Coastal Impact Assistance Program and NAWCA, the CCA grant will pro-vide a total of $1.6 million. The J.D. Mur-phree breakwater will protect approximate-ly 900 acres of managed freshwater marsh, and prevent saltwater intrusion into 200 acres of adjacent brackish marsh. Portions of this breakwater have been constructed, with remaining construction expected to be initiated in early 2013.
Rock breakwaters are used along navi-gation channels to halt shoreline erosion and reverse adjacent marsh degradation due to saltwater intrusion and soil loss. Breakwaters have the immediate benefits of halting erosion, marsh loss and saltwa-ter intrusion while providing longer-term benefits of promoting vegetation recovery and serving as a substrate for oysters and other crustaceans. These wetlands serve as spawning and nursery grounds for fish,
TRUE GREEN
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TrueGreen.indd 46 4/4/13 3:37 PM
TRUE GREEN TRUE GREENOil & Gas to Fund Study of Prairie ChickensIn MarCh, wIldlIFe exPertS Started the second annual aerial survey to assess lesser prairie-chicken populations across five states, part of a multi-state collaboration to conserve the bird, as federal authorities consider whether to list it as a threatened species. New this year: oil and gas compa-nies have committed $150,000 to help fund aerial survey work.
“The oil and gas industry enthusiastically supports the work of the five state wildlife agencies to gather accurate population esti-mates of the lesser prairie-chicken,” said Ben Shepperd, president of the Permian Basin Petroleum Association, representing several companies helping to fund the survey.
“We want to make sure any listing deter-
mination, which could have widespread eco-nomic impact, is based on the best available science,” said Obie O’Brien, governmental affairs vice president with Apache Corpora-tion, an independent oil and gas exploration and production company that is providing survey funding.
With wind turbine development and oil and gas production booming across West Texas, many industry and landowner groups are watching the prairie-chicken listing deci-sion closely. The Lesser Prairie-Chicken Interstate Working Group, composed of biologists from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and similar agencies in New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas and Colorado, has just completed the first round of public
comments on a range-wide conservation plan that could help preclude the need to list the bird.
The multi-state plan includes manage-ment goals and voluntary conservation pro-
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TrueGreen.indd 47 4/4/13 3:37 PM
Record Cat at Texas Fisheries CenterJoRdan ReThmeieR oF GaRland and his father often fish in Lake Zebco, the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center’s stocked cast-ing pond. They’ve caught some big catfish, but Saturday, March 16, produced the biggest yet, a new water body record blue catfish.
Jordan reeled in a 54.3-pound fish that was 47 inches long and 31 inches around.
Lake Zebco covers about 1.5 acres. A stream enters one end of the pond, and fishing piers line both sides. At the oppo-site end the pond widens and deepens, and that’s where Jordan was fishing.
“The bait was a whole four-inch gizzard shad set two to three feet below the bobber and left to drift as the wind blew it across the pond,” he said. “I was using a heavy spinning reel with 50-lb. braided line on our standard big-fish pole that we never thought would get seriously tested by any-thing. We set the pole down and flipped the bail so if it got a bite the fish wouldn’t haul off with it; it’s a good idea if you want
to keep your rod and reel!”Jordan sat down to rig a trout pole, and
suddenly his dad yelled, “Jordan your bob-ber is gone and it’s not coming back up!”
Jordan continued his story. “The fish took the bait as all the other big ones do in that pond. They grab it and start swim-ming off. There is no playing around with those catfish. Once they decide to eat it, they rarely if ever let go.
“This fish was big and fighting like it; you could feel the power in every tail stroke! When he would start to get close to shore he would peel off line and head back for the middle of the pond. The dif-ference with this fish was the endurance he had. He just would not tire out and kept peeling line whenever he would get close to the bank. There was one point when he went into a roll, and I thought I was going to lose him.
“Then we caught a glimpse of him and my dad just said, ‘OH MY! We may need a golf cart to haul him to the scales!’ The fight must have lasted eight minutes or more—just a tug of war with him tak-ing line whenever he came in close and me pulling him back in afterwards. Thank-fully he got tired out just before I did! I pulled one last time and got him close in, where my dad managed to grab him and
we pulled him up on shore. We both were speechless, and just knew we had a BIG one but didn’t know how big! Fortunately a TFFC staff member arrived with the golf cart to put him in, and it was off to the big scale. I was exhausted! We weighed him and measured him and couldn’t believe the numbers! 54.3 pounds, 47 inches long, and 31 inches around! All I could do was smile. We took him back to the pond and made sure he was doing OK and let him go. Truly a magnificent fish!”
TRUE GREEN CONTINUED...
—Texas Parks & Wildlife «TG
youth and veteran hunts, numerous conservation education events and other worthy initiatives.
DSC also is continuing its annual purchase of life insurance policies for
all game wardens in Texas.Finally, funding also will sup-
port DSC’s own mission delivery programs, such as the Dallas Eco-logical Foundation’s popular Out-door Adventures program, which is expanding conservation curriculum in Texas schools.
An independent organization
since 1982, DSC has become an international leader in conserving wildlife and wilderness lands, edu-cating youth and the general public, and promoting and protecting the rights and interests of hunters world-wide. Get involved atwww.biggame.org.
—Staff Report «TG
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dsC Grants
offering calm, shallow waters, abundant food and protection from predators for eggs and young fish.
The marsh habitat protected through these breakwater projects is the most
valuable habitat type to the millions of wintering waterfowl that visit the Texas Coast. Without the protection of shore-line breakwaters, these habitats would likely convert to saline marsh due to saltwater intrusion from eroded natural banks and tidal channels. Saline marsh has considerably lower foraging value to waterfowl, further exacerbating a shortage
of quality foraging habitat that currently exists in the mid- and upper Texas coast when waterfowl populations are at their peak. By protecting valuable wetlands along the Gulf Coast, breakwater projects contribute significantly to Gulf Coast Joint Venture waterfowl foraging habitat goals.
—Staff Report «TG
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TRUE GREEN
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TRUE GREEN CONTINUED...
grams and practices to be applied through-out the lesser prairie-chicken’s range: (www.kars.ku.edu/geodata/maps/sgpchat).
The historic first effort to conduct a large-scale, helicopter-based survey to locate lesser prairie-chicken breeding areas or leks across the High Plains region in all five states occurred March-May 2012 and cov-ered more than 300,000 square miles.
“Last year’s aerial survey reported the first statistically-valid, range-wide population estimate for the lesser prairie-chicken at an estimated 37,170 birds, but the continuing drought has been pretty horrendous, and could affect this year’s results,” said Sean Kyle, TPWD wildlife biologist in Lubbock.
Aerial surveys will continue through mid-May, extending from the southern plains of the Texas Panhandle and southeast New
Mexico up to northern Kansas and Colo-rado. Surveys will be flown at 35-40 mph about 80 feet above ground.
Alongside the aerial work, TPWD biologists are continuing ground counts of prairie-chickens using known leks on long-term study areas on private land, work that goes back to the 1940s in areas, such as the northeast corner of the Texas Panhandle.
New this year, TPWD, Texas Tech University, and volunteers from several local organizations willc onduct audible “call counts” along public roadways in Bailey, Cochran and possibly other nearby counties to determine lesser prairie-chicken use of Conservation Reserve Program acreage.
Lesser prairie-chicken numbers have been largely increasing in Kansas for the last 15 years, while populations have declined in parts of the southern portion of the range. Some biologists believe this northward expansion may be caused by climatic condi-tions associated with changing precipitation patterns.
To help conserve and restore habitat for the bird, private landowners in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico have been enrolling their lands under voluntary Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances (CCAA). In exchange for implementing various management prac-tices such as prescribed grazing, brush management, and prescribed burning land-owners receive assurances that they will not be required to meet any new regulations should the bird be listed under the Endan-gered Species Act. To date more than 322,000 acres have been enrolled in LPC CCAA’s inTexas.
Landowners can get details regard-ing the lesser prairie-chicken CCAA by contacting TPWD Biologist Jeff Bonner at 806-665-3494 or Manuel DeLeon at the U.S. Department of Agriculture Zone office in Lubbock at (806) 791-0581.
—Texas Parks & Wildlife «TG
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Prairie Chicken
TRUE GREEN
TrueGreen.indd 49 4/8/13 11:51 AM
The Art of Flipping, Punching and Pitching
BAss Are cover nuTs. Give Them grass, brush, lily pads and other junk and they will gravitate to it like flies to honey.
At times, especially during the warmer months, bass will bury up in the muck so far that is impossible get to them with conven-tional casting techniques. This is when you need to break out the heavy artillery and give flipping, pitching and punch-ing a try.
All three are short range tactics used for vertical lure presenta-tions around bushes, stumps and matted hydrillla beds using soft plastics and jigs. If you are new to bass fishing, or just looking to expand your hori-zons a little, here is a beginners guide with some key tips to help to get you started:
Flippin’ hooks and snell Knots:
When performing either tactic with plas-tics, it is a good idea to use a heavy gauge, straight shank hook like a Strike King Hack Attack Heavy Cover, Lazer Trokar or a Halo Cobra. These hooks are stout enough to handle big fish. Plus, they are built to withstand violent hook sets performed with braided super lines and heavy duty flippin’ sticks without bending.
More importantly, these hooks are designed to be used in combination with a snell knot, which fastens to the hook shank rather than the eye. Many pros are sold on the snell knot because it causes the hook to kick outwards on the hookset and improves hook-up ratios significantly. The true test is try it yourself and compare results. For illustrated instructions on tying the snell knot and other knots, see netknots.com.
Peg That sinker:Pegging the slip sinker snug against the
head of the soft plastic is a good idea for sev-eral reasons. It prevents the bait and weight from separating. This allows the bait/weight to penetrate the vegetation as one unit and maximizes efficien-
cy by getting the bait to the strike zone on every flip or pitch. It also prevents the line from looping around the grass and fouling the presentation.
When pegging the line it is important use something that won’t create weak spots in the line by chaffing or crimping. Several companies make rubber pegs specifically for this purpose. Check out the Bobber Stop at halofishing.com, the Punch Stop at pay-checkbaits.com or the Peg It at topbrasstack-le.com.
Tungsten vs. Lead:Tungsten weights are heavily preferred
over lead for flipping in heavy cover. Tungsten is heavier than lead, which means the weight will be smaller in profile and pass through cover easier than a lead weight of equal size. Also, tungsten is harder than lead. This means it makes more noise when it comes in contact with a hard bottom and other objects, thus increasing the odds of drawing “reaction strikes.”
The cutting edge:Always use braided line (60-80 pound
test) for flipping in heavy vegetation. Braid is super strong. Plus, braid will actually saw or cut through the grass when you are battling a big fish. Fluorocarbon or monofila-ment lines will cause vegetation to gather or ball up against the line, thus increasing the odds of the fish getting away.
Many pros also prefer braid for flipping around brush. Others don’t, because it has a tendency to cut into the wood and become wedged.
Going high speed:It is always a good idea to use
a baitcasting reel with a gear ratio of 7.0:1 or faster for flipping in
heavy cover. The high speed reel gathers line quickly and
allows for faster hook sets once a bite is detected.
heavy on Action:Always use a rod with a stiff or “heavy”
action for thick cover flipping. The stiff action in combination with a stout braided line will allow you to turn a big fish and horse it out of thick cover quickly.
Bait choicesMany pros prefer a jig or small profile
plastic with compact appendages for flip-ping, mainly because these baits pass though cover with very little resistance. Baits with long, curly tails or arms are generally are not preferred in thick cover because the oversize appendages tend to wrap or snag on the cover and hamper penetration.
Contact Matt Williams at [email protected]
50 | M A Y 2 0 1 3 | T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® Photo: toPbrasstackle.com
Peg it from topbrasstackle.com
Texas Freshwater
by matt Williams | TF&G Freshwater Editor
Freshwater-Williams.indd 50 4/4/13 10:56 AM
52 | M A Y 2 0 1 3 | T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® Photo: Matt WilliaMs
Keith Combs(pictured below),
Stephen Johnston, and Jim Tutt give a pro’s
perspective onthe so-called Post
Spawn Blues.
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For as long as I can remember post spawn bass fishing has gotten a bad rap. The theory
among many anglers is that Micropterus Salmoides goes into some kind of a weird funk during late April and May result-ing in a case of lockjaw
so severe that you can’t hardly buy a bite.
Texas bass pros Jim Tutt of Longview, Stephen
Johnston of Hemphill and Keith Combs of Huntington
don’t put much stock in all the negative chalk talk. In
fact, all three anglers agreed that it is more of a fallacy
than anything else.
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“I used to think the same thing when I was growing up, but now the post spawn is one of my favorite times to fish,” says Combs. “Once you get the fish figured out, get them patterned and you can catch them every day in the same places. In my book, the post spawn bite is one of the most con-sistent bites of the year.”
Tutt offered up a similar theory when queried about the “post spawn blues.”
“I think it is more of an excuse the fishermen use to explain why they didn’t catch anything more than anything else,” Tutt said. “Think about it. In East Texas lakes and in Texas in general, there are fish spawning from February through April. Those fish that spawned in February and March will be back on a big time feeding binge by the time May rolls around. The reason some guys can’t catch them is because they don’t make necessary adjustments.”
Like Combs and Tutt, Johnston’s liv-ing depends on his ability to catch bass 12 months a year. The Toledo Bend guide says fishing during the post spawn is no different than the pre-spawn, summer or fall in that the main keys are being in the right
areas and employing the proper tactics to catch fish.
“A lot of it can vary with the lake,” Johnston said. “Lakes like Toledo Bend, Sam Rayburn, Amistad and Falcon are so big that there could be fish just finishing up with the spawn on the south end, and fish up north and around midlake that have been done for quite a while. The fish at midlake and up north are going to be a whole lot more cooperative than the ones that are just finishing up with the spawn.”
Post Spawn: The BLAH State
Johnston said there is a period right after the spawn winds down when bass may become sort of difficult to catch, mainly because of stress factors that slow their metabolism and makes them reluctant to chase.
“After the females are done spawning and the males are done guarding fry they may be in a blah-kind-of mood for a little while,” Johnston said. “They’re tired and not real interested in feeding right away.
They’ll still be hanging around the spawning areas and they’ll still bite, but you will need to change things up to catch them.”
Johnston offered two key words of advice to anglers who find themselves in situation
Photo: Matt WilliaMs
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when the fish don’t seem to be cooperating -- slow down.
“A lot of guys still want to power fish in the shallows
during the post spawn,” Johnston said. “They want to throw big spin-nerbaits, big Rat-L-Traps and big lizards, but that’s not the deal. This
is when fishing real slowly with the wacky worm, Senko and Strike King Caffeine Shad comes into play. It’s what I call the ‘soaking time.’”
Target the Active Guys
As earlier mentioned, bass that occupy the north end of a large impoundment lake will likely be much farther along in the recovery process than those that live down south. Johnston says these fish will naturally be more energized and willing to cooperate than those that are just coming off beds.
“The area of the lake you are fishing can make a big difference in how active the fish are,” he said. “On Toledo Bend, the bass may be hammering a spinnerbait up north around the old 1215 area in May, but they won’t touch it down south around Hausen or Six Mile. The fish down south may not be as active because the spawn is just wind-ing down. They’ll still bite, but you may need to soak a bait to catch them.”
Target Transitional AreasOnce the bass’ spawning duties are com-
plete, Tutt says many of the fish will begin finning their way out of spawning pockets towards main lake hangouts located in closer proximity to deeper water.
The Ranger pro staffer pointed out that the move doesn’t occur overnight. Instead, it occurs in stages with the bass taking the same paths to deeper water that they fol-lowed when moving shallow.
“It’s basically a reversal situation,” Tutt said. “A lot of the places where you caught fish during the pre-spawn will be holding fish in May. They won’t be bunched up quite as well, though. That’s why I think it is real
important to stay on the move and cover lots of water.”
Tutt says certain types of areas will be more prone to hold fish than others. While creeks, ditches and drains that connect deep water to shallow are always worth a look, he is much more fond of main lake and sec-ondary points. He named a Rebel Pop-R, Stanley Ribbit Frog and Senko as his go-to baits on most Texas lakes.
“The first points located just outside the spawning flats are always a good bet during the post spawn,” Tutt said. “That’s the first structure the fish will come to. Plus, points are good holding spots for bait fish and they are good places for bream to spawn. Vegetation like pepper grass or hydrilla makes it even better.”
Combs is a big fan of points, as well. On Lake Falcon, underwater ledges, ridges other stuff that can’t be seen with the naked eye can be productive, as well. Carolina rig, deep crank baits, football jigs and Texas rigs get top billing.
“The bass will move out there and set up on schools of bait, sometimes in big num-bers,” Combs said. “These types of places will replenish from one day to the next on Falcon, because there will be fish steadily moving out of the spawning flats. Once you establish a pattern, it may be consistent for a month or so.”
Banking on BreamMay marks the beginning of the spawn-
ing season for bream on many lakes across Texas. This means there there will be tons of the feisty pan fish occupying skinny water in large colonies that may contain 50 or more spawning beds in a 10X10 area.
“Bass see bream beds as easy meal ticket,” Tutt said. “They’ll be up cruising around the beds and they will bust a topwa-ter or a frog if you get one around them. It’s a real simple pattern to run, too. Find the bream beds and the bass probably won’t be far away.”
Catching bass during the post spawn isn’t rocket science, but it does require anglers to make some adjustments in lure selection and fishing locations. Take some time to figure out the puzzle and bass fishing’s toughest time may eventually become your favorite time.
Jim Tutt says that some anglers just use the “post spawn blues” as an excuse for notcatchinganything.
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56 | M A Y 2 0 1 3 | T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® Photo: CanstoCk
My first experience at off-shore fishing came at the end of my freshman year in high school. Growing up in East Texas, a class trip with my Vocational Agriculture group on Capt. Tee Boy McCall’s old Sunrise II party boat out of Cameron. Louisiana was about as exciting to me then as a trip to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef would be today.
Howthe Triggerfish
Went from Unwanted to Endangeredby mike holmes
Fea 3-Triggerfish.indd 56 4/2/13 9:26 AM
Probably the most inter-
esting part of that trip was the amazing variety of fish
we caught. I got to see close up and for the first time large grouper, a hefty shark, LOTS of red snap-
per – and triggerfish. In those days of seemingly unlimited snapper populations, it would have been unheard of to put a triggerfish in the
fish box. They were ugly, for one thing. Gray and odd-shaped, with teeth like a farm animal. Didn’t
smell real good, either. It was obvious that these were not a highly prized sport or food fish, but they were certainly not
shy about taking a hooked offering, and fought very aggressively for their size.
Fast forward to the years when I captained various charter boats in the Gulf, and I learned that triggerfish were actually good eating. The thick skin that makes it so difficult to cut them into bait sized chucks also discourages many from filleting them, but there is a sort of natural entry point near that trigger-like dorsal that a fillet knife can be slid into to begin the cut – or an electric fillet knife with a sharp blade can be used to make the job even easier. Some old time fisher-men admitted to me they actually preferred eating triggers to snapper.
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Even with being good eating and a hard fighter for it’s size class, Triggers were still ugly, and fish that are “too easy” to locate and catch aren’t considered very challenging for sport anglers. Triggerfish were so com-mon, in fact, as to be a nuisance for snapper fishermen, and even sometimes shredded baits drifted just below the surface for king mackerel. Fishermen have spent far more time trying to NOT catch triggerfish than trying to catch them. When around a rig or over a reef in large numbers, which was very common, it could be impossible to get a bait down to snapper, and the small mouth and crushing teeth of a triggerfish made them hard to hook, if a person did decide to fish for them.
Several years ago, gray triggerfish were placed under regulation as part of the “reef
Photo : canstock
t
historically, anglers have spent more time trying NOT to catch triggerfish, which can be a nuisance if you are trying to get bait down to red snap-per. Now, the gray triggerfish (here in a huge catch with Spanish mackerel) are considered “overfished.”
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fish aggregate” limit, with several other spe-cies, in federal waters. This meant there was actually a bag limit on a fish few people had any interest in catching. I discussed this with Hal Osborn, when he was Director of Coastal Fisheries for TPWD, and he felt it was because on the east coast, fishing opportunities were getting so bad that trig-gerfish were actually sought after, and maybe over pressured. We agreed this was another instance supporting regional management of Gulf fisheries. I suspect very few Texas fishermen knew much about the “reef fish aggregate” limit, and even fewer would need to be careful not to go over their 4 fish daily limit of triggerfish.
Then came the summer of 2012, and the complete closure of recreational fishing for triggerfish in the Gulf of Mexico, begin-ning on June 11, 2012, and running until January 1, 2013, in the waters more than 9 nautical miles off the Texas coast regulated by NOAA/NMFS, and in state waters for charter boats holding a Federal Reef Fish Permit. The reasoning for the closure was that NMFS estimated the recreational quota of 217,000 pounds, whole weight, of trig-
gerfish would have been landed by that date. “This closure is necessary to protect the gray triggerfish resource. This stock is considered overfished and undergoing overfishing.” The commercial quota for this species was only 60,900 pounds, again whole weight, and though it had not been deemed to have been reached, commercial harvest of triggerfish would be halted when that event did occur.
Very curious, I checked with some of the few active charter captains in my area to get their views on the subject. I was told that there really were very few triggerfish around, and the thinking was they had been over pressured when anglers turned to them when red snapper fishing was closed.
Then we got Dr. Bob Shipp’s take on the matter. Dr. Shipp is a long time member of the Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council, a respected expert on Gulf of Mexico fisheries, and a university level educator in this field in Alabama – in my opinion as knowledgeable as anyone on such subjects. Dr. Shipp feels the drop in triggerfish populations is directly linked to booming red snapper stocks. Like many of us, he feels that artificially protecting red
snapper has caused them to over populate reefs and rigs, not only competing with other species for the food source, but also eating their competition! In the case of triggerfish, he suggests the snapper are feeding on trig-gerfish egg masses, and all but depleting the species in some areas.
By restricting the catch of red snapper, they seem to have actually exceeded the historical carrying capacity for that spe-cies. This is causing a “disturbance in the force”, as Star Wars fans might say, and the abnormally large population of snapper are affecting other fish species sharing the same range and food sources. Basically, the “suc-cess” of the snapper re-building program is a “failure” for the overall health of Gulf fisheries. If the theory about red snapper being responsible for the dramatic decline in triggerfish numbers is true, shutting down recreational fishing for triggers will probably not do much to solve the problem – and some might be worried what species will fol-low the triggerfish in it’s decline next?
Fea 3-Triggerfish.indd 59 4/10/13 10:27 AM
60 | M A Y 2 0 1 3 | T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® Photos: canstock
Why Carrying a Knife Will Help Keep You Sharp
Fea 6-Knives.indd 60 4/8/13 11:57 AM
Of course, this was back before the days of zero tolerance in schools, so today this would get kids in trouble. But for the rest of you, there is no excuse for not having a knife.
To this day I do a pocket check every time I walk out the front door to make sure I have a blade on me somewhere. It looks like some strange obsessive compulsive dance, or a really bad version of the Macarena. Call
me nuts, but I also have a couple of knives in the truck and one on my bicycle just in case (yes I’m over 30 years old and still ride a bike on occasion, don’t look at me that way) plus my wife keeps one in her purse as well because you never know when you might need a knife. I used mine less than five minutes ago.
A good knife really is one of the most versatile simple tools you can own, but
There are cerTain lessons in life ThaT my father taught me that i’ll never forget. how to drive a standard transmission (i’m sure he hasn’t forgotten that lesson either). That your belt buckle, pants zipper, and the buttons on your shirt should all line up (still trying to teach this one to my son who refuses to wear a belt). and never ever leave the house without a knife.
ever.
T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® | M A Y 2 0 1 3 | 61
BY PAUL BRADSHAW
Fea 6-Knives.indd 61 4/2/13 9:36 AM
way) plus my wife keeps one in her purse as well because you never know when you might need a knife. I used mine less than five minutes ago.
A good knife really is one of the most versatile simple tools you can own, but which one do you choose? Is it possible to get one knife that fits all situations? The quick answer is no, one knife won’t cover every scenario from a night on the town to gutting a Tyranasaurus Rex but if you own just a couple you can get by.
When choosing a knife there are a few things you need to look at before making a selection. First is the chemical make-up of the blade itself and there are a lot of different metals that could be used, all with different positive and negative aspects. Two of the more commonly used steels in knife making are 1040 and 1095. The 10 means it is a carbon steel, the last two digits are the per-centage of carbon (40 = 40%, 95 = 95%).
1095 blades take an edge very well and stay sharp but also rust easily and aren’t as strong as a 1040 or 1050 blade. So if you choose a knife with this type of blade you have to make sure to keep it dry and oiled.
A knife with 1040 doesn’t hold an edge as well but is less rust prone so if you live along the coast or plan to spend a lot of time near
water you might want to check into knives with these kinds of blades. 1040 material is also stronger than 1095 which means the knife can take a beating. When choosing a knife blade material you have to weigh your options carefully to make sure what you get fits your needs and environment.
If you are partial to knives with a stainless blade then look for something with a blade made of 440 material (it will have an A, B, or C designation on the end). 440 material takes an edge well and is corrosion resistant, but don’t be lulled into thinking that it doesn’t have to be maintained. Stainless material can rust if left unattended, it just takes longer.
The second consideration when choosing a knife is whether or not you need a smooth or partially serrated blade. Both have their place and really it is user preference as to which one you choose. If all you are doing is open boxes and cut small items a smooth blade is preferable. If you need to cut through more substantial items then consider a serrated blade for sawing.
For my everyday job (yes, I do work other than writing) I have to spend my P
ho
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: C
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k
“A good knife
is one of the most versatile tools you
can own.“
Fea 6-Knives.indd 62 4/5/13 1:42 PM
days wearing nice clothes sitting behind a desk being all responsible and junk. In this case a Bowie knife strapped to my waist or a jack knife in my boot just wouldn’t be appropriate. So my every day carry
knife, when I have to be proper, is an Old Timer Minuteman two blade. It’s a classic looking little knife, like your grandfather used to carry, and while it looks small it still has plenty of blade to do just about anything I need in an average day. The non-serrated blades are made from 1040 steel so it does take some maintenance to keep sharp, but I don’t have to worry about the blades bend-ing or breaking under a load which might have been a concern since they are thin. You can get a solidly built Old Timer for under $30 just about anywhere.
When I do not have to be socially accept-able I change my every day carry knife to something a little more substantial, and it’s not just to make me feel manlier. My carry knife in these times is a Gerber EVO with a partially serrated blade with a lightweight skeletonized aluminum handle. The blade is almost 3.5 inches long and made from 440 stainless steel, so it is easy to sharpen, stays that way for a while, and I don’t have to worry a lot about keeping it spotless clean. The blade also has an easy open lever mak-ing it easy to open with one hand just in case I don’t have two free hands. The other feature that is popular on many knives today is the belt or pocket clip. This makes it easy to get to the knife so you don’t have to dig it out of your pocket. My Gerber, and most other comparable knives, will run under $40 so they don’t break the bank.
Now, if you just have money to burn then
check out the line of knives by William Henry
Studios. These knives are closer to works of
art than tools, some with Damascus blades and gold inlays, but expect to pay for it. Starting prices are around $250 and run upwards of
$2500. For an extra $1000 you can even get a matching pen.“
In thiscase, a Bowie
knife strapped to my waist wouldn’t
be appropriate.“
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Fea 6-Knives.indd 63 4/5/13 1:42 PM
Kid Fish“D
a, can you get this hooK out of my shirt?”
I am Da. My youngest daughter, Taz, started calling
me that when she first began to speak twenty years ago. We thought it was cute, and she couldn’t say Dad, so I started answering to Da. Now my eight-year-old Trey, grandson by marriage, and all children use it.
One day a few years ago, I typed Da into the Google search engine and it came up as an old German name for Dad.
Go figure. The individual affixed to the hook was
Trey. I helped remove the Tru-Turn hook from his shirt. “Can you cast it now?”
“Sure,” he said, and heaved the line thirty yards into the large stock tank behind the ranch house. The bobber plopped into the water and he watched intently for a strike.
“Can you cast this for me?” asked five-year-old Faith, Bubba’s youngest daughter.
Bubba wasn’t there. He was working cows up at the barn. I knew better than try and teach Faith how to cast in the strong southern winds. We were hunkered behind the dam, using it as a windbreak.
I pitched her line several yards from Trey’s bobber. “Now, don’t reel and watch the bobber.”
“Can I reel?” “No, I just said you can’t. You have to
leave it out there for the fish to find it.” “Can you cast this for me?” I turned to Bubba’s seven-year-old son,
Dylan. “Sure, give me the line. Now remem-ber, you have to leave it in the water so…” I heaved the line as far as possible and handed him the rod. “…don’t reel it in. Just let it sit out there and wait for a bite.”
“I like to reel.” “I know. Trey! You’re getting a bite. Set
the hook!” “What does that mean?” I grabbed the butt of his rod and gave a
strong jerk. Fish on! “Reel buddy!” The rod bent. “Da, can I get a fish?” “Well, Faith, you have to wait for a bite.
Dylan, why is your minnow in your hand? You aren’t supposed to reel until you get a bite.” I cast his line back into the water.
Trey’s rod was bent double as he fought a substantial fish. “Hang onto him, Trey!”
“Da, can you get this fish hook out of these weeds?”
I hurried over to Faith, untangled her line, and cast again.
“Dylan, why are you reeling?” “I wanted to see the minnow.” “Stop it. You can’t catch fish in the air…
Hang onto him Trey! You’re doing fine! But Dylan, you have to leave the bobber out there.” Cast. “Now, don’t reel until your bobber goes under.”
Trey finally landed his fish. The five pound bass was too much for him to pick up, so I hauled it in for him and shot his photo. Release. Rebait. Cast.
“Why is my bobber beside that stick?” “Well, Faith, because the wind blew
it there.” I broke the tangled line. “Keep
watching… Trey…you have another fish! Dylan, why is your minnow in your hand?”
Retie the line for Faith. Cast. Try and teach Dylan how to hook a new
minnow through the tail, since its predeces-sor was dead and almost fish jerky. Another lecture on not reeling. Cast.
Help Trey land another fish. Faith catches a big one. “I can’t get him.
Will you help me?” She was right. The largemouth was too
much for her, so I held her rod while her little arms struggled to crank the reel.
I grabbed Dylan’s rod, cast again because he’d reeled the minnow almost into the guides. “Trey, move over here so I can get that fish. Faith, keep cranking!”
We landed two more fish. Cast Dylan out again.
Rebait. Run to Faith so another large fish
wouldn’t pull her in. “Would you stand here with me, Da?”
“Love to, but I have to help Trey with his fish. Dylan, quit reeling.”
Unhook. Rebait. Cast. “Dylan quit reeling. Let it just sit there.”
Cast. Retie broken line. Rebait. “Dylan quit reeling.” “I’m hot.” “I’m thirsty.” “I have to go to the bathroom!” “Dylan quit reeling.”Cast. Unhook. “Dylan quit reeling!!!” Cast. I was exhausted by the time the War
Department arrived. “You look tired.” “Dylan, quit reeling! That’s because
fishing seems to be a lot more work than it used to be.”
“You’re just getting old.” “Yep, and I know what’s aging me….
Dylan, quit reeling!”
Contact Reavis Wortham at [email protected]
64 | M A Y 2 0 1 3 | T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ®
open season
by Reavis Wortham | TF&G Humor Editor
“i grabbed thebutt of his rod
and gave astrong jerk.
Fish on!.“
Humor-Wortham.indd 64 4/4/13 10:57 AM
In this two-part series we will closely examine the varieties of venomous snakes found in the Lone Star State beginning with two of the most commonly encountered.
No creature has better natural camouflage than the cop-perhead.
These medium-sized serpents have a pattern than when
hidden amongst pine straw, sticks and leaves renders them invisible. Copperheads are pit vipers (as are cottonmouths and rattlesnakes) that have heat seeking pits that allow them to sense their prey in dense cover and low light conditions.
These snakes have very small fangs and reportedly have less toxicity than rattlesnakes and cottonmouths. There are almost
Phot
o: C
hest
er M
oore
“Snake!” no word uttered in the great outdoorS commands attention more than the proclamation of a serpentine sighting. to most, snakes are terrifying and to some they are fas-cinating but one thing is for sure. Snakes cannot be ignored in the texas outdoors.
T F & G A L M A N A C T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® M A Y 2 0 1 3 | 65
part one of a two-part series • by chester moore
Venomous
of TexasSnakes
Coastal Edition
ALMANAC Digital.indd 65 4/23/13 5:16 PM
no fatalities related to copperhead bite and, in fact, I know someone who has been bitten twice and never went to the hospital. He is our editor-in-chief Don Zaidle.
That is definitely not recommended. Always seek medical attention after snakebite but it does go to show copperheads are not typically killers. Their venom is hemotoxic meaning that it destroys tissue and causes severe pain.
There are five varieties of copperheads in the United States and Texas is home to three of them.
The southern copperhead lives through-out East Texas west toward Austin where the broad-banded copperhead takes over. Additionally the Trans-Pecos copperhead is a resident of the arid country of West Texas.
According to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, southern copperheads are diur-nal (active during daylight hours) during early spring and late fall, at which time they will generally depend on the ability of their bodies to blend in with their environment to obtain prey and avoid enemies.
“They are nocturnal during the sum-mer heat, actively hunting for prey during the cooler evening hours. Southern cop-perheads often eat one single meal every three weeks even during their most active
months. Copperheads sometimes nest with other snake species during hibernation.”
There are several snakes that have at least some resemblance to copperheads.
In some cases, cottonmouths (especially those found on dry land) can look surpris-ingly close to copperheads and in fact, the babies can be virtually indistinguishable as both sport yellow on the tip of their tails.
The hognose snake has a blotched pattern and can vary in color and over the years I know of several killed for being copperheads. The broad-banded water snake also has a similar pattern.
While filming a television program for Animal Planet, I stepped on two copper-heads in the same day and never got as much as a strike. Both of these snakes were about two feet long and did not seem to mind my rude treatment.
There is some debate over the tempera-ment of this beautiful snake with some claim-ing them to be extremely aggressive and others saying they are passive. In experience, they have been non-aggressive but that can vary by individual and even by area.
The copperhead’s close cousin, the cot-tonmouth, has a slightly different disposition.
For local outdoors lovers one of the most frightening visions is looking down and seeing
a black serpentine body curled up revealing a white mouth and protruding fangs.
That is the sign of an agitated cotton-mouth (aka water moccasin).
Cottonmouths are far more dangerous than the typical docile copperhead, being able to deliver a large amount of tissue and while they are not out to get people, they are more aggressive than their more attractive cousins.
Most cottonmouths are from 18 to 24 inches. The western cottonmouth which is the variety that lives in Texas can reach lengths of five feet. I caught one last year that was nearly four feet long and was nearly as big around as my wrist.
Over the years I have seen very few cot-tonmouths in the marshes. They are certainly there and the largest I ever saw was curled up alongside the side of 87 slithering away from a marsh pond near Sabine Pass. It was five feet long and too big to fit in the grip of my snake grabber.
The vast majority of my sightings have been in the woods.
Cottonmouths love the habitat of hard-wood bottomlands and the upland areas surrounding them.
HOW-TO SECTION
68 TExaS bOaTINg • Bail! | by lenny rudow
72 TExaS kayakINg • Live Bait Season | by greg berlocher
74 paul’S TIpS • Strange Baits | by paul bradshaw
76 TExaS guNS & gEar • Bullets for Varmint Hunting | by steve lamascus
gEarINg up SECTION
77 TExaS TESTEd • Shimano, Drag-onfly | by tF&g staFF
78 fISH aNd gamE gEar• Hot New Outdoor Gear | by tF&g staFF
80 INduSTry INSIdEr • Xpress Boats, Hooked for Life | by tF&g staFF
97 SpECIal SECTION • A Father’s Day Tribute | by tF&g staFF
fISHINg fOrECaSTSECTION
82 HOTSpOTS fOCuS: uppEr COaST • Time for May | by capt. eddie hernandez
83 HOTSpOTS fOCuS: galvES-TON • Will the Meek Inherit the Gulf? | by capt. mike holmes
84 HOTSpOTS fOCuS: maTagO-rda • Water-Jacked | by mike price
86 HOTSpOTS fOCuS: rOCkpOrT • The Night Shift Part 2 | by capt. mac gable
88 HOTSpOTS fOCuS: lOWEr COaST • A Little Color | by calix-to gonzales
90 TExaS HOTSpOTS • Texas’ Hot-test Fishing Spots | by calixto gonzales, bob hood & george knighten
110 SpOrTSmaN’S daybOOk • Tides & Prime Times | by tF&g staFF
OuTdOOr lIfESTylE SECTION
119 TExaS TaSTEd • Texas Wagon Wheels | by bryan slaven
120 OuTdOOr ClaSSIfIEd dIrECTOry • Guides, Gear and More | by tF&g staFF
122 Tf&g pHOTOS • Your Action Photos | by tF&g readers
TF&G ALMANAC Table of Contents
65 COvEr STOry • Venomous Snakes of Texas | by chester moore
www.FishGame.com
CONTINuEd ON pagE 68 u
66 | M A Y 2 0 1 3 T E x a S f I S H & g a m E ® T F & G A L M A N A C
ALMANAC Digital.indd 66 4/23/13 5:16 PM
Bail!C
halk it up to unintended Conse-quences, Murphy’s Law, or just plain bad luck, the main reason our boat was sinking was a 10-pound
fish. A mahi-mahi, to be specific, and although that feisty little critter had shaken off the hook and was now swimming freely through the ocean, my life and that of three other anglers was now on the line.
With 60-some miles between us and the inlet, knee-deep water sloshed back and forth in the cockpit and the outboard’s pow-erheads were dipping into the water with each roll of the boat. Yet we couldn’t so much as turn the bow into the waves, much less generate forward motion to force the water aft and evacuate it through the now-submerged scuppers, because our boat was securely tethered to the bottom of the ocean hundreds of feet below.
Again, I blame the fish. While trolling
for tunas and billfish, we’d come upon a fish trap marked by a polyball float, and knowing that mahi-mahi are attracted to flotsam, the captain had decided to head for it. When we got close he saw the mahi hovering in the polyball’s shadow, enjoying a momentary break from the day’s unremit-ting sunshine. So the captain drove closer, and closer.
Sure enough, when the polyball was within a few yards, the fish darted out from its sanctuary and grabbed one of our lures. Unfortunately, a moment later the starboard prop grabbed the half-inch-thick polypropyl-ene rope securing the float to the fish trap. The boat stopped moving, the engine cut out, and the three-foot following seas began knocking at our transom door.
Stop. Think. The first priority was to cut the line off the prop, so the boat would no longer be anchored in place with its stern to the seas. I darted to the cutting board, grabbed a bait knife, and climbed out onto the transom. The motor well was completely submerged already and as waves washed over it and then over the transom, they were hitting me at waist height. Although
it only took 15 or 20 seconds to tilt up the outdrive and cut the line. It’s amazing how quickly you can saw through polypro with a rusty old bait knife when your adrenaline is pumping so hard your eyes are bulging. Three of those waves entered the boat.
Free of the fish trap, I scrambled back into the cockpit and made eye contact with my buddy’s 18 year old son long enough to yell “bail!”
Stop. Think. The next priority was to get some forward momentum going, so water could drain out of the cockpit. The captain shifted the port motor into gear and gave it some juice, while turning the bow into the seas. Between bailing and forward motion, after about 15 minutes the main cockpit had more or less drained. But the boat still acted mysteriously sluggish.
As we motored along waiting for the bilge pumps to finish de-watering the boat, the adrenaline abated. I took my time cutting the rest of the snarl free from the starboard outdrive, tilted it back down, and re-started the second powerplant. We thought we were in the clear. Yet it still seemed to take longer than usual for the
by Lenny Rudow | TF&G Boating Editor
texas Boating
The most likely place to encounter them is in puddles and drying ponds where they prey on dead and dying fish.
Cottonmouths will actually eat carrion and are known to gorge on dead fish like pot-bel-lied minnows when seasonal wetlands recede. The iconic showing of the white mouth is a warning from a snake that rarely retreats when cornered. While there are occasions when cottonmouths will actually approach people (usually on the water), they definitely are not big on backing down.
I have photographed many that refused to retreat. Although I have never had one come at me even after I moved and approached closely for photos, only a few have slithered
away.While cottonmouths are common in many
areas, most of the snakes killed for being cot-tonmouths are non-venomous water snakes.
The banded, broad-banded and green water snake appears similar to cottonmouths as does the larger diamondback water snake. The snake killed most often, however is the yellowbelly water snake. Looking like their venomous counterpart from the top side, they are super aggressive and will lash out with great force.
Although these water snakes are not cot-tonmouths, they try very hard to be.
When alarmed, they open their mouth full and strike just like the real thing. These snakes and several other local water snakes will also change the shape of their heads to
look like a cottonmouth as well.This gets most of the ones spotted by
outdoorsmen a death sentence.There are two main ways to tell the dif-
ference between the cottonmouth and other water snakes. One is to look them in the eyes. If the pupil is round, the snake is non-ven-omous. If it is split, it is a cottonmouth. The other way is to look for fangs. Water snakes have rows of bunches of fine teeth while the cottonmouth has fangs.
Despite giving these identification tips, I do not think many people will get close enough to look. At least I hope not.
Cottonmouths are not vicious killers, but approaching one with a looking glass might get you in trouble.
COVER STORY: SNAKES
t CONTINUED FROM PAGE 66
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ALMANAC Digital.indd 68 4/23/13 5:16 PM
bow to rise with the waves. We still seemed to be wallowing through the seas instead of riding over them. Although we were surely in better shape than we’d been in a few minutes earlier, the boat’s sluggish nature didn’t seem to be getting better. In fact, it was growing worse.
Stop. Think. We needed to make a Pan-Pan call (indicating a dangerous situa-tion that could become life-threatening) and alert the Coast Guard to our situation and location, then figure out why we were still taking on water. When I keyed the VHF radio mic, nothing happened. The radio was dead—as we would later learn, the result of a fuse that blew when rising bilge waters over-topped the house battery. This far from shore and with no other boats in sight, the back-up handheld VHF I always tote along was entirely useless. I fished a SPOT emergency satellite messenger out of my gear bag, and hit the power button. Fortunately, I knew the batteries were fresh because I had replaced them the day before. Smart. Unfortunately, I knew it could take several minutes for the unit to get a GPS fix, because after a battery change it needs to re-download the GPS almanac, and I hadn’t fired up the unit since swapping them. Not
so smart.Stop. Think. How could we still be tak-
ing on water? We hadn’t struck anything solid. The cockpit was dry, and a check of the outlets confirmed that the bilge pumps were steadily pumping. It would have taken an amazing coincidence for some un-related mishap, say a broken hose or a faulty through-hull, to have suddenly begun flood-ing the bilge at this particular point in time. So, why were we still taking on water?
While running the possibilities through my mind I walked to the back of the boat, and glanced over the transom. Though I wasn’t looking for anything in particular, what I saw in the motor well told me every-thing I needed to know: the two pie-plates that seal the bilge access ports were gone. The gaping holes they left behind looked like a pair of eight inch wide liquid black eyes, the eyes of a monster about to swallow us down. With the plates were gone, those holes provided a steady diet of ocean water for the bilge to drink up every time the back of the boat dipped down into a trough.
What had happened, since we’d snagged the float line in our prop? The scenario cascaded through my mind as rapidly as the flow of adrenaline returned to my body.
Several hundred gallons of water had ini-tially spilled from the cockpit into the cabin, as I was cutting the prop free. Then the boat suddenly started moving forward, which forced the water to flood aft, and into the bilge. As it did so, it pressurized the bilge. The pie-plates, which were the pry-out type, were blown out of the access ports by air pressure.
Stop. Think. Seal those damn holes.Sometimes, the simplest solution is also
the most effective one. We balled up a cou-ple of rain jackets, crammed them into the
ports, and shifted as much weight as pos-sible towards the bow to reduce the amount of time the motor well spent dipping below the surface. Now, the pumps were getting the job done. Slowly, the boat became more and more responsive. We began floating higher and higher in the water. And less than an hour later, we had lightened the load enough for the boat to get on plane. We set a course for the inlet, and didn’t stop running until the ramp was 100 yards away.
All this is because of a 10 pound fish? In reality, it should be clear to any experienced boater that the mahi-mahi wasn’t at fault. The responsibility lies squarely upon the captain’s shoulders, for coming too close to that float and entangling the propeller. But I still like to blame the fish. Because the captain was me.
Contact Lenny Rudow at [email protected]
70 | M A Y 2 0 1 3 T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® T F & G A L M A N A C
Texas Boating
Stop.Think.
Seal those damn holes.
“
“
ALMANAC Digital.indd 70 4/23/13 5:16 PM
Live Bait Season
AS much AS I Love SLIngIng ArtI-ficial lures, hardware doesn’t come close to the productivity of live bait. Regardless whether you fish fresh
or saltwater, feeding the fish is easier than fooling them. The Month of May ushers in what I refer to as live bait season but fishing with live bait from a kayak can be a challenge.
Give or take a week, the thermostat in
Texas gets pushed over to “max heat” the first week of May. It isn’t coincidental that many different types of live bait attain the optimum size for attracting apex predators about this period and remain readily avail-able throughout the summer.
Live bait anglers have a plethora of options from which to choose. Angle worms, grubs, lizards, catalpa worms, frogs, and grasshoppers can be ensconced in a tin can and their services are easily acquired while afloat, but sunfish, piggy perch, croaker, shrimp, and other crustaceans, require oxy-genated water to keep them alive. This requires extra equipment and extra effort.
The most common solution is a trolling-style bait bucket. The ubiquitous Frabill
FlowTroll is a common sight on lakes and bays. Its black and yellow color scheme is as familiar as its conical top, which allows you to keep your bait in the water while trolling or moving slowly from one point to another. This concept is a good one if your vessel if powered by an outboard but if you are paddling, the bait bucket adds a lot of drag. Drag impedes your progress, making it harder to paddle your hull forward. Towing a bait bucket isn’t the end of the world but if you are paddling several miles you will notice the extra effort required.
In addition to the extra effort, drag has negative affect on the track of your hull. Assuming you tie off your bait bucket on the side of your kayak, your hull will want to pull to that side with each stoke. This requires constant attention and course cor-rections must be made along the way. Of course, towing your bait bucket directly behind your kayak will solve the track-ing issue it doesn’t solve the overall drag problem; plus, it is harder to retrieve a bait bucket when it is behind your hull.
I tend to lift the bait bucket into my cock-pit before paddling. This eliminates drag but it adds clutter to the deck, a minimal and temporary nuisance. If the weather is hot, stop periodically and dunk the bucket to exchange the old water with new. This will make sure there is plenty of oxygen in the water and your bait stays alive while you
72 | M A Y 2 0 1 3 T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® T F & G A L M A N A C
by Greg Berlocher | TF&G Kayaking Editor
texas Kayaking
Live bait anglers have a plethora of options from which
to choose.
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ALMANAC Digital.indd 72 4/23/13 5:16 PM
are paddling.Another simple technique is to keep live
bait housed in a five-gallon bucket outfitted with a battery powered bubbler. A long handled dip net makes it easier to snag frisky baits. Baitfish, such as mullet, and shrimp will both jump while in captivity. If you plan on using a five-gallon bucket, add a snap on lid and cut a small entry door to minimize the number of escapees. You can also drape a fine mesh net over the top. Nothing is as frustrating as getting to your favorite fishing hole and discovering Elvis has left the bait box.
Kayak manufactures have noticed the quandary of live bait anglers and sev-eral have introduced accessories that allow
fishermen to ferry bait from spot to spot. Hobie’s Live Well is a well thought out live bait system. The tank holds several gal-lons of water and a battery powered pump replenishes fresh water through a plastic tube which is fed down through a scupper hole.
If you plan on keeping live bait on board, be wary of the amount of water you keep in your bucket or tank. Water weighs 8-pounds per gallon; 5 gallons equates to 40-pounds. That adds a significant amount of weigh to your hull and will affect how low the hull sits it the water, how quickly it can turn, and its general responsiveness. A lot of weight up high changes the center of gravity and will make a hull quite tipsy.
My favorite bait bucket for a kayak is a soft-sided cooler. They are water tight, easy on the legs when stored in the cockpit, will keep the water cool when the sun’s heat is blistering, and the handles make it easy to move the cooler around while on the water. Soft-sided coolers are very affordable and serve double duty, keeping your catch cool on the way home from your favorite fishing spot.
Most of the options discussed here have limited holding capacity. Don’t overload your bait bucket’s capacity to keep baits alive. A few lively baits are better than a whole bunch of dead ones.
As summer progresses, the catch rate of lure fishermen drops much lower than their counterparts offering “the real thing”. If you want to have your string stretched nothing beats fishing with live bait.
Greg Berlocher can be reached for question or comment at
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Strange Baits
The Boy, my almoST 12 year old son, looked into the plastic container, then back at me and asked, “What is it?”
“Chicken livers,” I answered incredulous that he would even ask.
“Will it catch catfish,” he questioned while threading some onto his hook.
Casting my own line out I replied, “Yep, I caught some on it just a few weeks ago.”
Wiping his hands off on his shirt he remarked, “Well, you also tried to catch an alligator on an old turkey a few years back so I don’t know if I can trust you.”
He did have a point. (However, in my defense the turkey worked. I think it was the Cajun seasonings that did the trick.)
I have been known to try some stupid stuff to catch fish (and apparently alli-gators). Some of it worked, a lot of it didn’t. You can say I’m an expert on what won’t catch fish. Without trying these oddi-ties I never would be able the definitively say whether they worked or not, but this month we’re not going to go over the really stupid stuff. We’re just going to look at simple items you have in your house right now that will catch fish, spe-cifically
catfish, but won’t make your friends avoid you at the next office party.
I have heard multiple times of people using Ivory soap on trotlines to catch catfish. Of course, the person telling the story has never used it themselves but they swear that their cousin’s wife’s brother’s father-in-law caught a 40 pound blue cat using it one time. I’ve never used it either, so feel free to try it out and let me know how it works but I’m going to want pictures to back up your story.
What I have used, or more specifically what my kids use all the time, is hotdogs. Quit laughing. No, it’s not some hot, new age, state of the art scientifically engineered stink bait, but it works and keeps kids fish-ing which is the overall goal isn’t it? It’s just difficult for anyone over the age of 14 to admit they’ve used them to catch fish before. My daughter out-fished her brother and me just a few days ago using chunks of hotdog suspended under a bob-ber. They are easy to hook, stay on fairly well, and your kids won’t make funny faces while threading them on a hook like they do
with worms. Hotdogs are also
readily available year round and cheap which
isn’t always the case for other catfish baits. Plus, have you ever
read the ingredients in a hotdog? It’s probably safer to feed them to the
fish instead of eating them yourself anyway.The other item you probably have in
your refrigerator right now that will catch catfish is bacon. That’s right bacon. I’m not talking about the precooked, microwav-able stuff that doesn’t require refrigeration (that’s not natural). Nope. You need the extra fat, artery clogging, half a pig kind of bacon that your wife doesn’t approve of you eating but you do anyway because it tastes so good.
It really shouldn’t come as a surprise that bacon works on catfish. Pork has been used to catch bass for the past 90 years. Where do you think the jig-n-pig rig got its name? I’ll give you a hint, the trailer was originally made from real pork even though today the majority of us use plastic.
Why does bacon work on catfish? Simply put, catfish use their sense of taste to find food more than just about any other kind of fish swimming and bacon puts off a lot of tastes into the water. Once bacon hits the water it starts exud-ing oils and salts and who
d o e s n ’ t like oil and
salt. A catfish is
literally covered in taste buds with even
the smallest fish having over a quarter of a million taste buds on its
body, not just in its mouth. You, on the other hand only have around 10,000 taste buds all in your mouth. With all of these taste buds, a catfish can literally taste bacon (remember the oil and salt in the water) before it touches it.
If you simply cannot bring yourself to fishing with bacon for fear of looking stupid (trust me, you get over it after a while) then at the very least save the grease after it is cooked. Put it in a small plastic container and refrigerate it. Then when you go fishing take whatever bait you use and smear some of the grease on it. This will give any bait more scent and attract more fish.
Contact Paul Bradshaw at [email protected]
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by Paul Bradshaw | TF&G Contributing Editor
Paul’s Tips
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Bullets for Varmint Hunting
One Of tHe fastest grOwing sports in Texas is predator calling. Due in large part to the explosion of electronic predator callers which
allow a person who does not have the expe-rience required to use a mouth call to get into the field and have success in luring the hunters of the animal world.
I started calling predators in the mid-1960s. In those days there were no elec-tronic callers and the prospective hunter had to learn to make the proper sounds on a mouth call or stay home. I practiced on my home-made calls until I finally learned to sound like a rabbit, but in between there were a lot of dry stands.
As for armament, I started out shooting military surplus rifles in .30-06 and 7mm Mauser calibers, but soon graduated to rifles of more modern calibers and designs. In the 50-odd years since I began calling, I have learned a little about what kind of bullets it takes to get the job done.
First, let me say that most .22 caliber bul-lets of years past were intended for varmint hunting. That is not as true today as it was then. Today there are bullets on the market for the various .22 centerfires that will work for anything from packrats to deer to long-range targets. If you are a handloader the selection is even greater. However, for this piece we will focus on the bullets I believe are best for hunting predators, specifically, gray foxes, bobcats, and coyotes. We will begin with the .22s, which are the epitome of the varmint caliber.
I see a lot of relatively inexpensive bulk-packaged rounds on the shelves these days.
Often these are loaded with lightweight bullets at high velocities. The higher velocity draws shooters like syrup draws flies. The naïve, novice predator caller buys these, takes his electronic caller out, and calls in and shoots varmints. Often these bullets work quite well, but not all the time or even most of the time. For instance I have seen the 45 grain bullets fail to perform properly in the .222, .223, and .22-250. This hap-pens most often with a frontal shot where the bullet strikes the animal’s brisket. The light bullet at high velocity strikes the bone of the chest and enthusiastically blows up, causing a large but non-fatal wound. This happened recently when my son-in-law shot a coyote in just that way. The bullet struck, the coyote hit the ground, then bounced up and hit the brush. They killed it just before it was out of sight with a second well-placed round. When they skinned the coyote they discov-ered just what I have described above. The round used was a factory 45-grain bullet in a .22-250 at nearly 4000 feet per second.
Since in predator calling the animal is almost always coming toward the caller, it stands to reason that many of the shots taken are at the breast of the animal. Therefore I suggest that you use a bullet with enough weight, and a tough enough jacket, to get through the brisket and into the chest, where all animals live.
For the .22s, almost any 55-grain bul-let will provide the penetration needed. I have never had a bullet of this weight fail to penetrate deeply enough to kill. I have seen bullets of 45 grains do so repeatedly.
Also, some of the modern bullets are made for shooting bad guys, and some of them are very soft, to prevent over-penetration in crowded situations, so choose your bullets carefully. In my experience, any of the 55-grain soft-point bullets made by Speer, Hornady, and Sierra, will serve admirably. They are also very accurate. It is not necessary to use bonded core or partition bullets on predators, and bullets heavier than 55 grains can fail to open
quickly enough and fail to kill quickly. This is especially true of the overly heavy 69 and 70 grain hollow point bullets popular these days in the AR-15 platforms. Stick with bullets made for the purpose and you can’t go wrong.
In the .243 calibers, I prefer bullets of from 70 to 85 grains. The lighter bullets of 55 and 60 grains are fine for prairie dogs and such, and will work well for gray foxes if you don’t mind them blown into bite-sized pieces, but I do not like them for animals the size of coyotes. My favorite is the standard 80- to 87-grain soft-point.
In the .25 calibers, which are the largest that can be considered “varmint” calibers, I like the 85- and 87-grain bullets. I have shot a fair truckload of coyotes with a .25-06 using 87-grain Sierra soft-points, and recently I have shot a good number using 85-grain Nosler Ballistic Tips. The Ballistic Tips are extremely accurate and incredibly explosive. Hit a coyote in the chest with either of these bullets, or similar bullets by Hornady or Speer, and it will hit the ground so hard it will bounce.
Please, do not try to use the .17 rimfires for predators. They are in no possible way sufficient for the job. Even the .17 center-fires are none too good for anything larger than foxes and will fail you at some impor-tant time if you try to use them on coyotes. The new .204 Ruger is the smallest I can with good conscience recommend, and then use the heavier bullets, and don’t worry about velocity.
There it is. This data is based on the experience of many years and untold days in the brush. I hope you will find it useful. If you want more specific information on loads and calibers, email me at the address below.
Contact Steve LaMascus at [email protected]
76 | M A Y 2 0 1 3 T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® T F & G A L M A N A C
by Steve Lamascus | TF&G Shooting Editor
texas guns
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Shimano EvairI’vE bEEn wEarIng a paIr of ShI-mano’s Evair Fishing Boots for several months now, and although I feel mighty strange getting excited over footwear, I’ve got to
say that these boots are the biggest comfort-enhancer since Under Armor. They’re made from one-piece EVA and are 100-percent water-proof. They weigh just eight ounces per boot. And they have a “water canal” non-skid outer sole that keep s a grip on the deck, no matter how wet it gets.
The biggest surprise I had when wear-ing the Evairs is how comfortable they are to stand in, for hours on end. Standing on a hard fiberglass deck can lead to sore feet and back pain, but the molded-in arch seems to meld themselves to your foot’s shape, and gives your tootsies the support they need to remain pain-free. In fact, I found them so comfortable that–I am not making this up—sometimes I even wear them around the house.
These boots are insulated but not too heavily, so they’re comfortable in cold or warm weather but not in sub-freezing conditions. Molded in air channels help your feet breathe, and sweating (read: smelly feet) hasn’t been a problem since I’ve been wearing them. One of my favor-ite perks is being able to slip the boots on and off easily. Although they come up above your ankles the flexible cuffs make it easy to get in and out of them, unlike many waterproof fishing boots that come up over the top of your feet.
The Shimano Evairs are avail-able in Khaki
and gray, and list for an MSRP of $70. Check out fish.shimano.com, for more info.
—Lanny Rudow
DragonflyIt’S bEEn many yEarS SIncE raymarInE designed a fishfinder purely for inshore and freshwater use, but they’ve come roaring back into this marketplace with a hot new unit called the Dragonfly. Just how hot is it? At the Miami Boat Show, the Drag-onfly won the 2013 NMMA Innovations award for new electronics.
The Dragonfly features a relatively low-powered form of
CHIRP, also
known as spread-spectrum or ClearPulse technology. Essentially, a unit with this type of function sends out multi-frequency pulses, instead of a single or double fre-quency ping. In this case, dual channels produce pairs of multi-frequency pulses, one which has a 60-degree fan-like beam and probes through the higher frequency ranges to create a high-res “DownVision” scan, and the other with a traditionally-shaped 25-degree conical beam that pro-vides a more traditional fishfinder view, but with enhanced detail.
When I tried the Dragonfly, I felt the pictures it provided were pretty dang spectacular. We could see each individual fish holding just above a shelf, and the 640 x 480 pixel 5.7-inch color LCD was exceptionally crisp and bright (although, as is true with many LCD screens, it does go dim when you’re wearing polarized sunglasses and you move off to the sides). What’s really shocking, however, is the price of this unit. In the past you couldn’t touch CHIRP technology for less than a few thousand dollars, but the Dragonfly lists at $649.
Surprised you can get this little magic box for such a low cost? You should be – but there’s more to this story. In fact, the Dragonfly is also a chartplotter with a 50-channel GPS receiver and if you opt for it, Navionics chartography. And despite all of this functionality, the Dragonfly is easy to use and very intuitive. In fact, all it took was about 15 minutes of flipping through the menu with the joystick-like “unicontroller” and I was ready to navi-gate to the fish, and then find them on the meter. If you’re looking for a new inshore or freshwater fishfinder/chart-plotter that mixes high-tech with low price, this is one you’ll want to check out. Visit www.raymarine.com.
—LR
Phot
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hima
no; R
ayma
Rine
texas tested
Evair Fishing Boots from Shimano, in Khaki and gray.
The new Rayma-rine Dragonfly fishfinder.
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Shield in Climate, Keep Bugs OutThe new ClimaTe Bug Sheild iS deSigned for round electrical connections on RVs and travel trailers. It seals the hole, so that if you lose your door you do not lose the protective shield against bugs and vermin.
Climate Bug Shield is a simple grommet that securely fastens into the electric cord box outlet. It solves the problem with no unsightly mess.
And, where bugs can enter, you can also feel cool air coming from the connection box. Yes, duct tape works in this case but who wants to see the tape residue and have to clean it off often having to use harsh solvents or dangerous chemicals?
The Climate Bug Shield stops cool air from escaping in the summer and warm air from escaping in the fall and winter. This saves on wear and tear on your AC unit
and propane use in the winter.Climate Bug Shield is currently available
for 30 amp square box hook-ups and for 30 amp round box applications.
They also now supply blanks for RVs and travel trailers that have lost the little door covering.
Proudly made in the U.S., it only costs $10.00 plus $2.95 shipping and handling.
For more information, contact C&R Enterprises, 2003 N. Winfree, Dayton, Texas 77535, www.climatebugshield.com.
The Bayonet by e.F.g.The BayOneT waS inTrOduCed in The 17th century as a “close combat” weapon that could quickly be attached or detached from a soldier’s musket. It meant that the infantry was getting serious and was known
to strike fear in the enemy. It is said that E.F.G.’s bayonet fishing system has the same effect on finned creatures world-wide. When it is time to get serious, fix bayonets!
Emmrod Fishing Gear (E.F.G.) manufac-tures extremely durable, very com-pact yet totally func-tional fishing poles for harsh environments and situations.
E.F.G.’s patented bayonet system is constructed from stainless steel and is guar-anteed for life.
The bayonet system is unique in the fishing industry as it utilizes a detachable rod end (bayonet) making for a compact unit measuring only 13 inches when broken down and weighing a mere 8 oz. This makes for an excellent survival or backpack-ing tool with no equal in the marketplace.
E.F.G.’s company motto is pretty sim-
ple, “Fish to survive, survive to fish!”Check out E.F.G.’s full line of versatile
bayonet fishing rods at www.Emmrod.com or give them a call at 509-435-6048.
a must-have hunting ToolBriTe-STriKe TeChnOlOgieS iS The established innovator of tactical lighting solutions and tools for police, military and civilian operators. Based on Brite-Strike’s extensive military background and their passion for hunting and the outdoors, Brite-Strike introduces the Hunter Pro Kit.
The Hunter Pro Kit comes complete with a 5” flashlight, red, green and blue color interchangeable lenses and a hook and loop flap ballistic nylon holster. The green lens adds contrast for easier topographical map reading in virtually any lighting condi-tion, it is also recommended for hunting as animals cannot detect the green light. The blue lens is perfect for tracking a blood trail in low light conditions. The red lens is ideal for finding your way in the dark without compromis-ing
your natural night vision capabilities. The flashlight
comes with High, Low, and Strobe modes
where the highest setting can produce up to 310 lumens of brilliant light. Powered by two 123A lithium batteries the flashlight has a run time of up to 4.5 hours on the low set-ting, 2.5 on high and 3 hours on the strobe setting.
The manufacturer’s suggested retail price is $200.00
For more information call (508) 746-8701 or visit www.brite-strike.com.
Bayonet Fishing System.
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Fish and game gear
hunter Pro Kit
Photos: Climate bug shield; emmrod Fishing gear; brite strike
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The Ultimate 3-Gun RifleRock RiveR ARms, inc., An indUsTRy leader well-known for producing a full line of high-quality AR15-style rifles, compo-nents, parts, and accessories introduces the R3 Competition Rifle, representing further growth in RRA’s expanding line of high performance hunting, tactical and competi-tive firearms.
The R3 Competition Rifle, chambered
in .223 Wylde (for 5.56mm and .223 caliber), was stra-tegically designed to be light-weight for running and gunning. The 18” fluted stainless steel barrel has been cryogen-ically treated to increase the shooters accu-racy and aids in cleaning the firearm. The R3 boasts Rock River Arms’ new TRO XL (Top Rail Octagonal - 15 inch) free-float full-length handguard that encompasses a variety of competitive shooting styles. The ventilated design of the handguard adds not only flare but also functionality as it helps dissipate heat.
The forged A4 upper receiver allows attachments for scopes, red dot sights or other optics. The rifle is equipped with a RRA two-stage trigger and the RRA winter trigger guard, which accommodates winter or competition gloves. The R3 Com-petition Rifle is equipped with a low-profile gas block and RRA’s custom muzzle brake with directional porting, which significantly reduces muzzle climb and recoil.
The R3 Competition Rifle is available with either the RRA Operator A2 Stock or RRA 6-position Operator CAR Stock. The rifle comes with one magazine, RRA hard case, owner’s manual and limited life-time warranty. MSRP: $1310
For more information call (309) 792-5780; online: www.rockriverarms.com
scent killerscenT killeR Gold is The hoTTesT new scent elimination spray on the market and Wildlife Research Center, inc. is meeting
the incredible demand with the new bigger size, Quart Combo.
Scent Killer Gold Spray - with Hunt Dry Technology, is the Ultra-Premium Scent Elimination spray that is formulated for maximum effectiveness after it dries, so you don’t have to hunt in wet clothing. You can spray your hunting outerwear hours, days, or even weeks before you hunt.
Scent Killer Gold Spray is scientifically formulated to last longer. Scent Killer Gold Spray works so good, it was found to be over 99% effective
at stopping replicated human odor in testing at Rutgers University - 10 days after drying!
It’s a specialized blend of advanced odor fighting ingredients that work both wet and dry, attacking a wide range of odors and at the same time, helps to pre-
vent new odors from forming.The new Scent Killer Gold Quart
Combo comes complete with a 32 FL OZ. Refill Bottle and a 12 FL OZ. Field Bottle of the hottest scent elimination spray you can get, for a combined total of 44 FL OZ.
Scent Killer Gold Spray with Hunt Dry Technology - A Whole New Level! Apply it, Dry it, and Go Hunt!
MSRP on Scent Killer Gold Quart Combo 44 FL OZ is $24.99 and will be available at the better Sporting Goods Stores this fall.
Visit www.wildlife.com.
soft Plastics Game changer TwA sPoRTs inTRodUces iTs new Weed Guards which will change the way you fish your soft plastic worm. These new Weed
Rock River ‘s R3 Competition Rifle.
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CONTiNUeD ON PaGe 81 u
Photos: Rock RiveR ARms; Wildlife ReseARch centeR; tWA sPoRts
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Xpress Boats Teams with Dobyns RodsXpRess BoaTs, The oRiginal all-welDeD aluminum boat manufacturer and industry leader has announced its endorsement of Dobyn’s Rods as a valued partner in the company’s Team boat, Collegiate and Pro-Staff program.
In making the announcement, Xpress Boats expressed most excited about this relationship as both companies are truly best of class.
Gary Dobyns, owner of Dobyns Rods, is not only a fan of Xpress Boats, but also an Xpress owner.
“When I decided to buy a big tough aluminum boat to fish local rivers and duck hunt out of, I knew there was only one choice. That choice was an 18’ Xpress. I ordered my boat out of Louisiana and had
it shipped to me in California. The boat is everything I thought it would be! It was a great decision and now the boat is 10 years old with a few beauty marks but still in excellent condition; lots of ducks, dogs and fish and no signs of slowing down!”
Nearly 50 years ago in an old school-house in Friendship, Arkansas, Kermit Bryant’s dream was to develop and build
the original “all-welded” aluminum boat. Today, Xpress operates in a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Hot Springs, Arkansas, producing top-of-the-line alumi-num boats for nearly any application. As in 1966, Xpress Boats remains owned and operated by the Herndon family. Never deviating from its roots, Xpress Boats
continues to do what it does best, design and manufacture America’s premier high performance all-welded aluminum boats.
Learn more at www.xpressboats.com.
hooked for lifeon May 18, 2013 hookeD foR life, kiDs Gone Fish’n will host a FREE fishing tournament for kids 16 years old and
80 | M A Y 2 0 1 3 T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® T F & G A L M A N A C
industry insider
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os: X
Pres
s Bo
ats,
DoB
yns
roDs
t
xpress pioneered the all-weld aluminum boat.
tDobyns Rods are the product of
decades of tournament experience.
FiSh anD Game GeaR
ALMANAC Digital.indd 80 4/23/13 5:17 PM
under. The tournament will be held in Brownsville, Texas.
The goal is to introduce children to the sport and joy of fishing and bring families together in an old fashion tradition. This year free rod-and-reel combos, t-shirts, goodie bags and snacks will be provided to
participants while they last.The waters will be stocked with 5,000
pounds of fresh water catfish giving chil-dren plenty of opportunities for a catch.
Last year’s tournament drew more than 1,600 young anglers, enough participation to bring it to the attention of the Guiness Book of World Records, which had a representative on hand to judge whether the tournament set a new record for fish-
ing events. Although last year was not a record, likely due to its holiday schedul-ing (Memorial Day), the previous year’s tournament did get into the record book. Record-breaking or not, this year’s event
will introduce hundreds of kids to the joys of fishing.
For further information visit the website www.hookedforlife.us.
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Guards perform three basic functions. First- the shape and the flexibility of the guards allow the point of the guard to follow the line pull and the inclined plane of the nose lifts the worm up and around obstruc-tions. Second – the Weed Guards allow you to place the hook further back in the worm body, accounting for a higher hook-up ratio. Third and not least- the Weed Guards greatly prolong the useful life of your plastic worm, proof of this is apparent at the end of the day by looking in the bot-tom of your boat and counting how many torn worms are there.
Weed Guards come in four colors and two sizes and with or without a weight chamber. Weed guard assortments come packaged eight per package and include a
nylon line threader, and instructions on how to install.
For more information, visit their web site www.twasports.com.
Stick’Em RodsStick’Em RodS waS foundEd by two experienced anglers in 2005. They provide top-notch fishing rods, great customer sup-port, and the best price for the quality in the industry.
The company develops rods for the true sportsman including all different actions enabling the fisherman to throw an array of different baits.
When you purchase a Stick’Em Rod you will understand why we take pride in the craftsmanship of our product. Awesome load, great action, unparalleled sensitivity
makes Stick’Em Rods the best in the busi-ness. Catch more fish. Period.
Contact Glen C Linebarger, Stick’em Rods LLC, by phone at (281)-898-0421 or email [email protected].
FiSh and Game Gear
t COnTinUed FrOm PaGe 79
t
Young contestants were lined for a mile on both banks of last year’s Hooked for Life fishing tournament
site in Brownsville.
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Time for May
The waiT is over. The MonTh of May has finally strutted into town in full plumage and riding on it’s coat tail are water temperatures above 70
degrees, somewhat stable weather, green tides, tons of hyper bait fish and big, mean, hungry predators. What more could you ask for?
It was a long wait, and seemed even longer than it actually was but it is over now and it’s time to get this party started.
It’s time to put on some shorts and hook up the boat. Summer is just around the corner and it’s time to get in that mindset. It’s time to start focusing on the patterns that will consistently put fish in the boat for the next several months. It’s time to start
thinking about the surf, the jetties, the lake, bayous and rivers. Here on Sabine it’s time for us to start thinking about basically the entire ecosystem.
With air and water temperatures begin-ning the ascent into the summer months we are becoming limitless as to where we can go and what we can do to catch fish. Plentiful bait fish and strong tides are beginning to loosen the reins on trout, reds and flounder
that will follow shrimp, shad and mullet from the Gulf of Mexico, up the Neches and Sabine rivers and everywhere in between.
Nice stringers of hefty trout and reds will be taken early on topwaters. The ship chan-nel and jetties have the potential to produce some real monsters.
The same holds true for both the north and south revetment walls on Pleasure Island and various points in the Sabine and Neches rivers.
On the Louisiana side of the lake, key on protected areas with pretty water and a nice mud/clam bottom.
Moving water is always your friend and the presence of bait fish will definitely up the odds in your favor. Skitterwalks, Super Spooks, Top Dog Jr., and She Dogs are all good for multiple blow ups. Good color choices are bone, pearl, black/chartreuse and pink/silver.
When the sun begins to penetrate the water and the topwater bite starts to taper a bit switch to soft plastics bounces off the bot-tom on 1/8 oz. lead heads or under a pop-ping cork. Flounder Pounder’s CT SHad in flow or glow/chartreuse and Gulp Shrimp and Swimming Minnow will definitely get their attention. Flounder will also find theses hard to resist.
It is time to take advantage of the warm-ing conditions and start focusing on what is going to put meat on the table for a while.
Location: Pleasure IslandSpecieS: Flounder, RedfishBaitS/LureS: Mud minnows, fresh shrimpBeSt timeS: Moving Tides
Contact Eddie Hernandez at [email protected]
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“time to put on
shorts and hook up the boat.“
the Bank Bite
by capt. eddie hernandez
hotspots focus:Upper Coast
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Will the Meek Inherit the Gulf?I
n the days When I fIshed alMost exclusively from the beach, I of course spent many hours gazing out over the water towards the distant horizon.
Although I loved surf fishing, and still do, it would be less than truthful to say I didn’t spend a lot of that time yearning for a boat to get me out “where the big ones” lived. That wish was eventually granted, but in stages. First my buddies and I used various floats, even life jackets – to “swim” baits out further than we could cast. Mostly this was for shark fishing, but we also caught bull reds and big stingrays with this technique. Later we advanced to inflatable dinghies that were rowed far enough to catch Span-ish mackerel and other small game fish that did not regularly come in the surf. When we went on to outboard powered inflatable’s and a 16 foot fiberglass dory, we thought we were in the big time. With greatly increased “range” we began to get bigger sharks, more reds, and occasionally a ling.
When I moved to an 18 foot outboard, I got to enjoy the close rigs. On the first trip we caught enough king mackerel to really feel good about the day. Like most who get badly bitten by the offshore bug, I kept stair-stepping to bigger boats and more distant fishing grounds, but always remembered that we passed over a lot of good fishing on the way out. In today’s Brave New World of saltwater fishing, those spots we deemed unworthy of our time in the past are prob-ably the new reality for most fishermen. There are a lot of rigs within 10 miles of the beach that hold fish, from kings and ling in summer to snapper and Gulf trout in winter – and within nine miles of shore the state of Texas has no closed season on snapper.
Even nearer to the beach – well within range of the bigger bay boats in calm weather, good action can be had for both king and Spanish macks, jack crevalle, bonito (little tunny) and ling by trolling or drifting, and these are the best of all waters for big sharks and tarpon.
I used to tell charter customers that every old wooden shrimp boat we saw out working was another snapper “spot” wait-ing to happen, and enough of these vessels have sunk close to the beach to create a whole lot of fish-holding structure usually ignored by charter and head boats as well as commercial fishermen. Some are already charted, some you might get locations of
from friends, others you might find on your own (the best way!). Natural bottom forma-tions also occur close to shore off Galveston and Freeport, although not as much so as off South Padre Island. Where these areas are found, even grouper are sometimes present, and it is not unheard of for a sailfish – basi-cally a reef dweller – to be hooked nearby,
T F & G A L M A N A C T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® M A Y 2 0 1 3 | 83
“We passed over a lot of good fishing
on the way out.“CONTiNUeD ON PaGe 85 u
by Capt. Mike Holmes
hotspots focus:Galveston
ALMANAC Digital.indd 83 4/23/13 5:17 PM
Water-Jacked
The WaTer color in WesT MaTago-rda Bay, near Phillip’s Bayou, was trout green with about 20 inches of visibility as Jeff Wiley made his first
cast. Wiley delights in catching flounder, trout, and redfish while wade fishing, but on this beautiful morning in May he got a double dose of fishy trouble along with a few of the desired fish. He had the drag set to handle a big trout or redfish, and was swimming his
Berkley Jerk-Shad Lime Tiger Glow Gulp soft plastic through the water, when something hit the lure and took off like there was no drag. Now, Wiley enjoys a good tussle with a lively fish, but after 30 minutes of holding his rod high and putting a little line on his reel only to have the fish once again take it off, he decided that he had had all of this kind of fun that he could handle; besides he had seen the fish and did not want to keep it. It was a crevalle jack, so Wiley cut the line. When the water temperature approaches 80F°, crevalle jack venture into the bays because they know the waters are loaded with small fish to prey on. Another fish that goes from the Gulf of Mexico into West Matagorda Bay when the water warms is the shark.
Wiley had caught several 16- to 19-inch trout. He put the trout on his stringer and continued to fish in chest deep water. Then his enjoyable fishing moment was shattered by a very big splash that took place right behind him. He looked around and saw a six foot shark making off with some of his trout. That shook him up, but he was even more shook up when the shark came back a few seconds later and sunk it’s formidable teeth into a couple more trout. At that point, he decided to fish in shallower water. Matagorda guide Floyd Ciruti floats a large plastic container on a line as a shark-proof fish box. He said that sharks in West Matagorda Bay will follow a stringer or bucket with holes in it, like following a chum line, but they leave the sealed box alone.
May is a good time to fish the very shallow flats, and if you go fishing on a day with a fairly light wind from the southeast you may want to target the many redfish that move onto these flats to feed, with a fly rod. I have been amazed at the number of redfish at Pipeline Bayou in West Matagorda Bay working the flats in May.
On the same day that Wiley was getting his thrills from shark and crevalle jack, I was fishing a gut that was about four feet deep. I was working a pink Rapala Skitter Walk topwater when it was hit by a trout. It turned out to be 22-1/2 inches and 3-3/4 pounds. The month of May just may be the best month for trout action. Mullet and other bait fish congregate in the back lakes and bayous, attracting trout. I was fishing Pipeline bayou and saw thousands of bait fish jumping out of the water in a small cove. Trout were attacking, making the bait fish leap out of the water in quick succession as the trout moved through, creating the sound of a giant zipper being ripped open. I dropped a pumpkinseed chartreuse Bass Assassin in the midst of this and hooked and landed the biggest trout of my life, measuring 28-1/2 inches.
Kayak fishing the bayous in May for redfish is really fun. I was going along the shoreline in my kayak when I saw a distinctive redfish splash, and heard something like a
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by mike Price
hotspots Focus:Matagorda
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T F & G A L M A N A C T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® M A Y 2 0 1 3 | 85
WAMP. As I watched the shoreline to see where it would show up next, I noticed that I wasn’t the only one watching where that red-fish was going. A snowy egret danced along with the redfish and every time the fish went after little minnows, the egret got a snack. I dropped my red and white Norton Sand Eel Jr. soft plastic in front of the fish and it was instantly pounced on.
May is a good time for fishing in the bays, but just as the fish become very active in May, so do many fishermen. So be courteous, give others some space to fish.
LocaTion: The Matagorda jettiesSpecieS: Everything from shark to flounderBeST BaiTS: Live shrimp with baits both on the bottom and under popping corksBeST Time: On a moving tide, either in or out
Contact Mike Price [email protected]
The Bank BiTe
well within sight of the beach. Jacks and bonito are not generally eaten, but are won-derful light tackle sport fish and convert to the best snapper or shark bait in the world.
Of course, these close trips are not as “macho” maybe as venturing beyond the horizon, but they are more affordable, and great fun. On a memorable early May weekend years ago, my fishing buddy and I had a night’s tally of a 35 and a 41 pound bull red, a 46 pound blacktip shark, several “runs” from larger sharks, and a 140 pound stingray – all from the beach. Nothing “meek” about that kind of action!
LocaTion: All the warm weather spots are getting ready to produce. Jetties and piers are good for those who don’t want to get wet, the surf and bay shorelines beckon waders. Watch the tide schedules and fish when there is most
water movement, regardless of the time of day or night.
SpecieS: Flounder are moving back in from offshore, and specks can be ambushed from the jetties or piers. Reds will hit the surf, along with panfish. Most sharks are waiting for the 70 degree mark to be reached on inshore water temperatures, but some will “rush the season.”
BeST BaiTS: Fresh cut bait like mullet or shad works on just about anything, but live bait is king when available. Jigs and other artificials still need to be worked slowly, even when fish are obviously actively feeding.
BeST TimeS: Weekends are much less crowded this time of year, and especially early and late the beaches and piers should be very quiet.
Contact Capt. Mike Holmes [email protected].
GaLveSTon FocuS
t conTinueD FRom paGe 83
The Bank BiTe
ALMANAC Digital.indd 85 4/23/13 5:17 PM
The Night Shift Part 2
The ColemaN laNTerN CraCkled as the waves slapped the side of the old 16 foot aluminum Lonestar we were in. The night was cold and
while there were better times to fish at night, I jumped at the chance to wet a line when asked. I was young, not much older than 10, and had dreams of a book I had just read , “McElligot’s Pool” by Dr. Seuss and the giant whoppers of the finny kind that awaited only those with the patience of Job. The only reliable light we had on the boat was a slit cut in the tin foil absconded from my mom’s pantry that made a half wrap around the white gas light of the warming lantern.
The lantern was tied to a makeshift rod holder and pointed such that the foil side
faced the boat and the open side faced the water. When the waves rocked the boat, the light might be parallel to the water or facing the North Star, depending on the pitch and yaw of the Lonestar we were huddled in, but it seemed to work, as bait soon appeared in the moving lantern’s light. Us old timers often believed that the light attracted the bait but a truism is that it is plankton that draws the life circle into play under our fishing lights. Admittedly there are many hotly debated discussions as to whether the light attracts the multitude of plankton (especially zoo plankton) but after examining water samples before and after a light is turned on I tend to believe the light does its share in attracting. Look up “bioluminescence” and its relation-ship and you will see what I am talking about. Not a biology lesson here, but suffice it to say this chemical reaction has several purposes some we know of, some we don’t. Those we know of include: reproductive purposes; counter shading, or camouflage, for protec-tion; and communication. Not the scientific
type? Then go ask any old-timer who fishes at night if he just sits in the dark and fishes or if he uses a light, and get ready for an old style verbal education. Or, he might just walk away shaking his head. Either way you have your answer: lights work and you will catch more fish at night with them than without them.
The days of the old Coleman are about gone, but I still have one and it brings back good memories for me. It helped me catch a lot of fish and was a pretty good flounder light if you didn’t mind using your mouth as a third hand for things. Today there are many more options, from floating lights to submerged lights to lighted lures... and even lights that you attach to real bait.
Night fishing spans a broad spectrum so for the sake of space I have limited this article to boat fishing for the recreational angler.
A couple of lights I like to use are the floating green light (pick your brand) or, when the conditions warrant, a submerged green light that you can anchor away from your boat within easy casting distance, or if deep enough, drop straight over the edge of your boat. The submerged light has two advantages: it reflects light to deeper depths and it does not attract as many bugs as a floating light, although some old salts claim the bugs are a good thing; fish feed on them, so just swat’em and catch fish.
The color of the light does matter and many studies have ranked green light No. 1 and white light No. 2. A case has been made for a blue light but that color seems to work best in higher salinity environments. Most experts agree it’s the plankton that is attracted to the lights that set up the feeding life circle, not the bugs. New LED lights are just as effective and claim to draw less off of the battery. You will find a price range from $19.99 up to around $450.00 so pick your poison carefully. I will say most I have tried work and fish don’t care about price!
Bait choices also cover the spectrum, with the standard baits being the easiest to use. Shrimp can be deadly, as can cut squid. If
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by Capt. mac Gable
hotspots Focus:rockport
ALMANAC Digital.indd 86 4/23/13 5:17 PM
you use cut fish like mullet or menhaden or piggy’s you might not like what shows up, like big bull sharks or gators. In our area alligator gar love to wreak havoc on night fishermen so unless you target these guys, start with shrimp or squid... then work your way up the food chain.
Lures at night can be a blast, but this is a specialized sport in itself. Day prank bait chunkers find it hard to catch fish at night for two main reasons: 1) the food chain is a lot different at night and that includes colors and the way they refract light at different depths; 2) retrieval speeds have to change as well with slow-to-dead-stops normal in the winter, to high-speed in the summer.
Here are a few tips for night fishing that has served me well and took years to learn: With bait, start out fishing as close to the light as you can, being careful not to get your hooked fish tangled in the light or its cord. With lures (and the old standard grubs with the lightest jig head you can get by with is hard to beat when the action heats up) cast into the dark, past your light and bring the lure across the light spectrum. On most nights the trout and reds seem to attack the lure at about the same distance from the light almost every time. A few more tips: The best lights, the most expensive bait or lures, or the fanciest wrapped boat won’t help you one bit if you’re not fishing in a spot that holds fish, and these can be—and usually are—different spots than day time fishing. In the winter months I like deeper water and in the summer, shallow shell with escape routes to deep channels.
Time seems to stand still at night and if a day on the water adds a day to one’s life then a night on the water adds double, let it be so written! It can be a lot of fun and quite an adventure. Just go slow, be careful and a word of caution: you might just look up one night and see an orange glow on the horizon which means you are most certainly in trouble when you get home. But aren’t sunsets and sunrises truly one of the best gifts of fishing?
• • •
Copano Bay – Live shrimp on Shell Bank Reef are good for some keeper trout. Switch between a silent cork and a rattle cork for best action. The top of this reef holds reds late evening with free lined finger mullet the best choice. Redfish Point in good for black drum using peeled shrimp on a light Carolina
rig. Be patient here for the bite, the more bait you have out the better to get the bite started.
aransas Bay – Mack Reef is good for trout using mud minnows on a light Carolina rig. Berkley Jerk Shad in morning glory and electric chicken are effective here as well. The shallow water edges of Blackjack Point are good for a few flounder using a slow retrieve jig tipped with cut squid or menhaden. Drifts close to Deadman’s Island on the ICW side is good for trout using a Mansfield mauler and Berkley gulp shrimp.
st Charles Bay – Black drum in the 17 to 20 inch range are at the mouth of Cavasso Creek with peeled shrimp on a light Carolina rig being the bait of choice. Delay hook sets until a steady pull is felt. Bird Point is good for reds on high tide. The key to this spot: a slight wind from the north or north-west which allows for a silent approach. The bait of choice is cut mullet or menhaden on a light Carolina rig.
Carlos Bay – The shell on Cedar Reef is good for reds and trout and a few keeper flounder using free lined shrimp. Drifts down this reef with a south east wind are highly effective. Have your anchor ready and when the action starts set a silent anchor.
Wading Cedar Point is good for reds using top water bone/red colored lures.
When a red hits keep your rod tip high as the there are many small trenches in this area and it is easy for fish to cut you off.
Mesquite Bay – The east shoreline is good for sheep head using cut squid and/or small chunks of shrimp. Free line is best but a silent cork works well here too. Black drum frequent the mouth of Little Brundrett Lake with peeled shrimp on a light Carolina rig the preferred bait.
ayers Bay – The south east shoreline is good for reds using a popping cork and shrimp. Keep your rod tips high as this heavy shell can cause frequent break offs. The north end of Second Chain Island is good for flounder and black drum using live shrimp under a popping cork.
the airport shoreline on the south-east shoreline of Copano is a good wade for trout and reds with new penny colored jerk shads the preferred bait. Most fish are caught in waist deep water so wading gear is the best approach. Fish 360 degrees covering water you have just waded through with your casts.
Contact Capt. Mac Gable at Mac Attack Guide Service,
512-809-2681, 361-790-9601
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the Bank Bite
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A Little Color
By the time mAy roLLs Around, Lower Laguna Madre fishermen have a wide range of choices to fish. Warm spring weather (or
some wags would call pre-summer) warms waters to the point that trout, redfish, and flounder have stretched out their fins and begin haunting all the popular spots up and down the Lower Texas Coast. Still there are a few areas that should be the ambi-tious angler’s first choice on a bright May morning.
The color change that forms where the grass flats along the South Padre Island shoreline just north of the SPI Convention Center meets up with the sand and spoils of the ICW is worthy of more than a couple of casts. Both speckled trout and redfish utilize the change in water clarity--which switches from gin-clear to “Laguna green” so abruptly that a sharply defined boundary is formed—as cover to ambush prey. The color change also provides fish with a safety zone they can easily retreat to when they are cruising the grass flats.
The Color Change is a short hop from all of the popular boat ramps and marinas in Port Isabel and South Padre Island. It isn’t difficult to find, for anglers who lack the GPS units others utilize,, and if the bite is on, it is a spot capable of providing a memorable trip. The ease of returning to port also makes the Color Change a great area to bring children fishing. If they get tired, a short run back, and they’re back in their air conditioned hotel room or condo to rest and change for a run to the beach or Schlitterbahn on SPI.
A long slow drift is the most effective strategy to adopt for the color change because it allows you to efficiently cover the
zone between the clear and sandy water. Begin your drift just inside of the boundary, and allow the wind to dictate your direction. A straight southerly wind will push you on a parallel with the boundary line, and a south-easterly will create a more perpendicular drift. If the wind is a little stiffer than usual, a drift sock will slow you down to a more efficient speed. If your boat is equipped with a trolling motor, don’t hesitate to use it to direct your drift the way you would like it to go.
Schools of smaller mullet and pinfish tend to aggregate in the color change, which draws trout and redfish, so it’s important that the bait and lures you use reflect that trend. Live shrimp under a noisy float such as a popping cork or Cajun Thunder is going to always work. The Cajun Thunder, along with the Paradise Popper, Original Mansfield Mauler, and other paradigms of the design, are made not only provide the “bloop” of a good popping cork, but the rattle beads threaded on the floats’ wire add to the racket and continue to provide sound while the rig is at rest. Fish key in on the rattle corks more effectively.
A 16 to 20-inch, 20 pound fluorocar-bon leader, #3 split shot and a 2/0 Kahle hook rounds out the popping cork rig. The Kahle hook is much better than the typical treble hook because it is less prone to tearing a fish up. Mostly, the hook lodges in the top of a fish’s mouth or in the corner of the jaw, making release much easier.
If you don’t want to drop a double saw-buck on a quart of live shrimp, shrimp imitators are just as effective. The main go-to artificial that most coastal fishermen are turning to is the Gulp! 3” Shrimp. Popular colors are Nuclear Chicken and Glow, with Pearl also a good choice. You can use a 1/8 ounce jig head, or on the same live shrimp rig.
If you prefer plastics over Gulp!, then a good choice are the shrimp tales by Kelly Wiggler. These are classic baits that have produced literally millions of game fish over
the years, and they continue to do so. I’ve had great success with the classic red/white patter, clear/glitter (in the clear water) and glow. I’m fascinated with the new colors that Kelly Wigglers has recently produced, especially “Lagunaflage,” and all are worth a try. Kelly shrimp tails are also effective bounce along the bottom. Fish them slowly with about a two second pause between twitches.
Shad tails are also very effective around the color change. The throbbing “boot tail” of a Norton Bull minnow, H&H Queen Cocahoe, or Berkley Power Mullet is an effective fish attractor. Again, colors such as glow/chartreuse, pearl chartreuse, or the ageless strawberry and whit are the standards you’ll want to load your tackle box with.
When the sun gets higher in the sky later in the morning, keep an eye out for dark patches of weeds scattered throughout the sandy bottom inside the Color Change. These clumps of grass offer still another ambush point that speckled trout utilize when feeding. Cast over or parallel to these patches and work your bait through or by them. Again, the key word is slow, so make sure your drift doesn’t take you by them too quickly. Don’t discount a clump as being too small. I once caught a 27” trout that ambushed my bait from a weed clump the size of a garbage can lid.
A short run, easy location, and good fishing…What more could you want from a fishing spot?
Location: Pirates Landing Fishing PierSpecieS: Speckled Trouttip: Night fish with live shrimp on a freeline rig.
Contact Calixto Gonzales [email protected]
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the bank bite
by calixto Gonzales
hotspots Focus:Lower Coast
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LOCATION: West Matagorda BayHOTSPOT: CottonsGPS: N28 30.60198, W96 12.603 (28.510033, -96.210050)SPECIES: redfishBEST BAITS: TopwatersCONTACT:Capt. Tommy Countz281-450-4037tcountz@sbcglobal.netwww.matagordafishing.comTIPS: Wade-fish the grass beds; look for working bait.
LOCATION: East Galveston BayHOTSPOT: Pig PenGPS: N29 25.176, W94 44.11602 (29.419600, -94.735267)SPECIES: speckled troutBEST BAITS: Pearl/chartreuse back or Pink Skitter WalksCONTACT:Capt. Steve Hillman409-256-7937captsteve@hillmanguideservice.comwww.hillmanguideservice.comTIPS: Wade-fishing; don’t forget to take some Red Shad colored Bass Assassins.
LOCATION: East Matagorda BayHOTSPOT: Raymond’s ShoalGPS: N28 39.79002, W95 54.48198 (28.663167, -95.908033)SPECIES: speckled troutBEST BAITS: Chicken on a Chain, Tequila and plum colored Norton soft plastics with 1/8-ounce; leadheads
CONTACT:Capt. Tommy Countz281-450-4037tcountz@sbcglobal.netwww.matagordafishing.comTIPS: Drifting if you can find lots of bait, you are going to find the fish.
LOCATION: East Matagorda BayHOTSPOT: Oyster LakeGPS: N28 36.54, W96 10.99998 (28.609000, -96.183333)SPECIES: redfishBEST BAITS: Black Magic Norton soft plastics with 1/8-ounce; leadheadsCONTACT:Capt. Tommy Countz281-450-4037tcountz@sbcglobal.netwww.matagordafishing.comTIPS: Early in the morning, start in close. Later in the day work out into the bay as the morning progresses; key on drop-offs behind sand bars. If drifting, work the deep shell.
LOCATION: Galveston BayHOTSPOT: Todd’s DumpGPS: N29 29.71668, W94 54.55002 (29.495278, -94.909167)SPECIES: speckled troutBEST BAITS: Limetreuse or Red Shad colored Bass Assassins with 1/8-ounce; jigheadCONTACT: Capt. Steve Hillman409-256-7937captsteve@hillmanguideservice.comwww.hillmanguideservice.com
TIPS: Work the cuts in the reef looking for slicks and bait concentrations.
LOCATION: Sabine LakeHOTSPOT: South Causeway ReefGPS: N29 47.22102, W93 55.91898 (29.787017, -93.931983)SPECIES: speckled troutBEST BAITS: Pearl colored Skitter Walks early and lateCONTACT:Capt. Eddie Hernandez409-721-5467, [email protected]: Once the sun comes up switch to soft plas-tics under a popping cork.
LOCATION: Sabine LakeHOTSPOT: Blue Buck PointGPS: N29 47.77998, W93 54.43902 (29.796333, -93.907317)SPECIES: speckled troutBEST BAITS: Lighter colored soft plastics with a 1/4-ounce jigheadCONTACT: Capt. Eddie Hernandez409-721-5467, [email protected]: Look for bird activity or schooling fish.
LOCATION: Sabine PassHOTSPOT: East JettiesGPS: N29 40.287, W93 49.27002 (29.671450, -93.821167)SPECIES: speckled troutBEST BAITS: Lighter colored soft plastics with a 1/8-ounce jigheadCONTACT: Capt. Eddie Hernandez409-721-5467, [email protected]: Make sure you have a Louisiana license.
LOCATION: Trinity BayHOTSPOT: Hanna’s ReefGPS: N29 28.70298, W94 45.70302 (29.478383, -94.761717)SPECIES: speckled trout
90 | M A Y 2 0 1 3 T E x A S F I S H & G A m E ® T F & G A L M A N A C
GPS COORDINATES are provided in two for-mats: “Decimal Degrees” (degrees.degrees) and “Degrees and Minutes” some-times called “GPS Format” (degrees minutes.minutes). Examples (for Downtown Austin): Decimal Degrees: N30.2777, W97.7379; Degrees and Minutes: N30 16.6662, W97 44.2739. Consult your manual for information specific to your GPS device.
Take a Cotton to West Mat Reds
UPPER GULF COAST
by GEORGE [email protected]
ALMANAC Digital.indd 90 4/23/13 5:17 PM
BEST BAITS: Red Shad colored Bass AssassinsCONTACT: Capt. Steve Hillman409-256-7937captsteve@hillmanguideservice.comwww.hillmanguideservice.comTIPS: Hanna’s reef produces a lot of big fish in May.
LOCATION: West Galveston BayHOTSPOT: San Luis Pass FlatsGPS: N29 5.673, W95 6.88002 (29.094550, -95.114667)SPECIES: speckled troutBEST BAITS: Super Spooks and Skitter Walks in chrome/blue, Bass Assassins in plum, and chartreuseCONTACT: Capt. Steve Hillman409-256-7937captsteve@hillmanguideservice.comwww.hillmanguideservice.comTIPS: Wade-fishing; if there is a lot of current or wind, switch to 1/8-ounce jighead/
LOCATION: Corpus Christi BayHOTSPOT: Shamrock CoveGPS: N27 44.955, W97 10.00002 (27.749250, -97.166667)SPECIES: flounderBEST BAITS: Mud minnows with small egg sinkersCONTACT:Capt. Jon [email protected]: Look for flounder in the channels.
LOCATION: Espiritu Santo BayHOTSPOT: Long Island Shoreline
GPS: N28 21.82302, W96 33.645 (28.363717, -96.560750)SPECIES: flounderBEST BAITS: Pearl/chartreuse Texas Tackle Factory soft plastics with 1/8-ounce; jigheadsCONTACT:Capt. Chris [email protected]: Look for the fish on the bottom coming out of the guts.
LOCATION: Espiritu Santo BayHOTSPOT: Conti LakeGPS: N28 19.023, W96 37.58598 (28.317050, -96.626433)SPECIES: redfishBEST BAITS: Cut mullet Carolina riggedCONTACT:Capt. Chris [email protected]: Redfish, good on either wade-fishing or drifting.
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Shamrock Lucky for Corpus Flatties
mIDDLE GULF COAST
by GEORGE [email protected]
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LOCaTiON: Mesquite BayhOTSPOT: Cedar Point FlatsGPS: N28 14.184, W96 39.91002 (28.236400, -96.665167)SPeCieS: redfishBeST BaiTS: Topwater lures
CONTaCT: Capt. Chris [email protected]: Chrome/blue is the best color combination for topwater baits in May.
LOCaTiON: Port AransashOTSPOT: Upper Estes FlatsGPS: N27 57.05802, W97 5.331 (27.950967, -97.088850)SPeCieS: redfishBeST BaiTS: live shrimp or croakerCONTaCT: Capt. John Barbree361-222-0477jebarbree@yahoo.comwww.barbree-guide-service.comTiPS: Drifting or wading, fishing live bait under a popping cork.
LOCaTiON: Port AransashOTSPOT: Traylor IslandGPS: N27 55.995, W97 4.494 (27.933250, -97.074900)SPeCieS: speckled troutBeST BaiTS: live croakerCONTaCT:Capt. John Barbree361-222-0477jebarbree@yahoo.comwww.barbree-guide-service.comTiPS: Fish the shoreline in water no deeper than 2-4 feet deep.
LOCaTiON: Port O’ConnorhOTSPOT: Ransom PointGPS: N27 50.862, W97 8.397 (27.847700, -97.139950)SPeCieS: speckled troutBeST BaiTS: live croakerCONTaCT: Capt. John Barbree361-222-0477jebarbree@yahoo.comwww.barbree-guide-service.comTiPS: Look for spawning trout on the grass beds.
LOCaTiON: San Antonio BayhOTSPOT: Chicken Foot ReefGPS: N28 15.82002, W96 47.08002 (28.263667, -96.784667)SPeCieS: speckled trout
BeST BaiTS: live shrimpCONTaCT: : Capt. Chris [email protected]: Excellent location in May to drift with live shrimp under a popping cork.
LOCaTiON: Upper Laguna MadrehOTSPOT: Yarborough Pass FlatsGPS: N27 12.53202, W97 24.414 (27.208867, -97.406900)SPeCieS: speckled troutBeST BaiTS: Four-inch H&H chartreuse col-ored grubs with a twister tailCONTaCT: Capt. Jon [email protected]: Make long drifts in 2-4 feet of water.
LOCaTiON: Port MansfieldhOTSPOT: King Ranch ShorelineGPS: N26 46.30602, W97 28.35198 (26.771767, -97.472533)SPeCieS: speckled troutBeST BaiTS: Topwaters, Catch 5ís in Smoke, pinfish patterns; Soft plastics in red/white, Bone-chartreuse, gold or chrome spoonsCONTaCT:Captain Danny Neu979-942-0165TiPS: Work either your soft plastic or topwater as slowly as you can. A stealthy approach is best, so wading is recommended. Watch for nervous mullet to tip you off to where the fish are.
LOCaTiON: Port MansfieldhOTSPOT: Marker 173GPS: N26 27.64002, W97 22.24998 (26.460667, -97.370833)
Texas Hotspots
Shoreline Fit for a King Speck
LOWeR GULF COaST
by CaLixTO [email protected]
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SPeCieS: speckled troutBeST BaiTS: Topwaters, Catch 5ís in Smoke, pinfish patterns; Soft plastics in red/white, Bone-chartreuse, gold or chrome spoonsCONTaCT:Captain Danny Neu979-942-0165TiPS: Fish the drop-offs between the spoils Island and the ICW for speckled trout. Drift parallel to the islands. Use dark-colored plastics.
LOCaTiON: South Padre IslandhOTSPOT: Coast Guard StationGPS: N26 4.36002, W97 10.03098 (26.072667, -97.167183)SPeCieS: speckled troutBeST BaiTS: Cut mullet, cut ballyhoo, Gulp! shrimp in Rootbeer/Gold and New PennyCONTaCT:Captain Richard Cadengo956-434-2511TiPS: Anchor up along the drop-off of the chan-nel or wade out from the campground and fish the edges with live bait, cut bait or soft plastics. Fish parallel to the channel and let your offering drop into it.
LOCaTiON: South Padre IslandhOTSPOT: Unnecessary Island FlatsGPS: N26 13.81098, W97 16.34202 (26.230183, -97.272367)SPeCieS: redfishBeST BaiTS: live shrimp, Gulp! shrimp in Nuclear Chicken, Lime Tiger, soft plastics in Chartreuse patternsCONTaCT:Captain Jimmy Martinez956-551-9581TiPS: Fish the flats just east of the Island with live or cut bait. An old stand-by is a gold spoon fished just under the surface. Watch for schools of slot reds cruising just under the surface.
LOCaTiON: South Padre IslandhOTSPOT: East Shoreline SandGPS: N26 10.713, W97 11.10702 (26.178550, -97.185117)SPeCieS: speckled troutBeST BaiTS: live bait, cut ballyhoo, topwaters, Gulp! shrimp in Rootbeer/Gold and New PennyCONTaCT:Captain Richard Cadengo956-434-2511
TiPS: Big trout are holding up in the shallows more as murky water persists during dredging. Long casts with live bait and scented artificials are good. Topwaters work early.
LOCaTiON: South Padre IslandhOTSPOT: Stover ShorelineGPS: N26 13.93002, W97 19.39002 (26.232167, -97.323167)SPeCieS: speckled troutBeST BaiTS: live shrimp, topwaters, Gulp! shrimp in Nuclear Chicken, Lime Tiger, soft plas-tics in Chartreuse patternsCONTaCT:Captain Jimmy Martinez956-551-9581TiPS: Fish near shoreline guts early with top-waters early in the morning. Fish further off in potholes later in the morning with live bait or soft plastics. Watch for jumping bait.
LOCaTiON: South Padre IslandhOTSPOT: Horsehead BayGPS: N26 20.87298, W97 19.70802 (26.347883, -97.328467)SPeCieS: redfish
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BeST BaiTS: live shrimp, Gulp! shrimp in Nuclear Chicken, Lime Tiger, soft plastics in Chartreuse patternsCONTaCT:Captain Jimmy Martinez956-551-9581TiPS: This is VERY shallow work. The redfish, however, are there and feeding. Watch for boils and nervous water Fish closer to shore on a high tide, closer to the entrance on an outgoing tide.
LOCaTiON: South Padre IslandhOTSPOT: Three IslandsGPS: N26 16.27998, W97 16.42002 (26.271333, -97.273667)SPeCieS: speckled troutBeST BaiTS: live shrimp, Topwaters in rain-bow, Pinfish, blue/chrome, black chrome; soft plastics; Gulp! shrimp in Nuclear Chicken, Lime TigerCONTaCT:Captain Jimmy Martinez956-551-9581TiPS: If the water warms up, then topwaters are a good choice, especially She Dogs and Skitterwalks. If the water is still cool, fish soft plas-tics near the bottom with 1/8th-ounce jigheads. Work slowly and keep a soft touch to detect light takes.
LOCaTiON: Lake ForkhOTSPOT: Purdy PointGPS:N32 51.642W95 35.860(32.8607, -95.597667)SPeCieS: largemouth bassBeST BaiTS: shad colored RapalaCONTACT Ricky Vandergriff903-561-7299ricky@rickysguideservice.comrickysguideservice.comTiPS: Lake Fork will be clear and surface temps
will range from 65 to 78 degrees with great numbers of bass out on the points and along the channels later in the day and back in the pockets early and late. Fork is one of the better lakes when it comes to taking big bass on top waters in May and June. Good areas to catch bass on topwaters will be in the back of Indian Creek and down the main lake pockets near Lends End Golf Course. There is timber, weeds and grass in these areas and the fishing does not get any better. When the day is at its hottest, try a big shad colored Rapala along the main lake points where you find stand-ing timber.
LOCaTiON: CaddohOTSPOT: Jeems BasinGPS: N32 44.25708, W94 1.49484 (32.737618, -94.024914)SPeCieS: largemouth bassBeST BaiTS: buzzbaits, popping frogs, SenkosCONTaCT:Paul [email protected]: Fish the areas that have a mixture of cypress trees and visible grass. Most of the bass you catch should be in two to four feet of water here this month.
LOCaTiON: CaddohOTSPOT: Old Folks PlaygroundGPS: N32 43.76472, W94 6.74772 (32.729412, -94.112462)SPeCieS: breamBeST BaiTS: CricketsCONTaCT:Paul [email protected]: Fish crickets around the bases of the moss surrounding the cypress trees. The perch are spawning and will be close to the roots of the trees, especially those with green vegetation. Long-shanked cricket hooks will help you unhook your catch easier.
LOCaTiON: ConroehOTSPOT: Lewis CreekGPS: N30 25.25706, W95 34.18518 (30.420951, -95.569753)SPeCieS: crappieBeST BaiTS: Minnows, jigsCONTaCT:
Richard [email protected]: Focus on brush piles in 12-14 feet of water where the post-spawn crappie have moved to during the early-morning hours. Move out to brush in 16-20 feet later in the day. I use a slip bobber so I can adjust my minnow so it swims just above the brush.
LOCaTiON: Lake ForkhOTSPOT: Long BranchGPS: N32 53.282W95 32.284(32.888033, -95.538067)SPeCieS: crappieBeST BaiTS: crappie jigs, live minnowsCONTACT Ricky Vandergriff903-561-7299ricky@rickysguideservice.comrickysguideservice.comTiPS: Crappie are moving shallow to spawn and will be around boathouses with brush and brush piles in shallow water. Places to check will be the boat houses in Morgan/s Branch in Big Caney, Long Branch and Opossum. The boat houses on Wolf Creek will also be good.
LOCaTiON: LivingstonhOTSPOT: The LumpGPS: N30 41.17194, W95 5.66196 (30.686199, -95.094366)SPeCieS: white bassBeST BaiTS: Jigging White Slabs, Pet Spoons, Tsunami Zombie Eye JigsCONTaCT:David S. Cox936-291-9602dave@palmettoguideservice.compalmettoguideservice.comTiPS: Fish the slope of the drop-off, jigging the Slabs and Tsunami Zombie Eyes right off the bottom. Feel for the strikes as the lures fall. Bank access is available at Beacon Bay Marina.
LOCaTiON: Lake O the PineshOTSPOT: Highway 155 Lily PadsGPS: N32 52.37244, W94 42.3501 (32.872874, -94.705835)SPeCieS: largemouth bassBeST BaiTS: Floating soft plastic frogs, buzz-baitsCONTaCT:Sonny Kopech
Texas Hotspots
Fork Bass Looking Mighty Purdy
PiNeY WOODS
by BOB [email protected]
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[email protected]: Target the pockets in the lily pads and fish their outside edges with floating frogs. Crank buzzbaits along the edges of the pads and around the numerous stumps here. Use 20-pound test line and keep the pressure on the bass after setting the hook.
LOCaTiON: Toledo BendhOTSPOT: Snake PitGPS: N31 45.79596, W93 50.817 (31.763266, -93.846950)SPeCieS: breamBeST BaiTS: Crickets, earth worms, meal wormsCONTaCT:Greg [email protected]: Bream will be on the beds in shallow water. Cruise the shoreline and look for honey-comb circles along sandy banks. Once you find a bed, pick off the fish from the outside to inside so you don’t spook the fish. It’s a great time to take a kid fishing.
LOCaTiON: TawakonihOTSPOT: Tall Man’s ReachGPS: N32 51.3174, W95 54.09264 (32.855290, -95.901544)SPeCieS: hybrid striperBeST BaiTS: 4-inch Sassy ShadsCONTaCT:Tony Parker903-348-1619tawakonifishing@yahoo.comtonyparkerfishing.comTiPS: Look for birds to point you to the fish. The fish will school in shallow water so don’t overlook birds diving into just-inches of water. Sun Point and Wolf Cove also should have schooling action. Approach the fish slowly with your trolling motor.
LOCaTiON: Cedar CreekhOTSPOT: Main Lake DocksGPS: N32 12.8772, W96 6.22854 (32.214620, -96.103809)SPeCieS: crappieBeST BaiTS: Small crappie jigs, Road RunnersCONTaCT:Jason Barber903-603-2047kingscreekadventures@yahoo.comwww.kingcreekadventures.comTiPS: Use a light to medium action spinning rod and reel with 4-8-pound test line rigged with a 1/32 or 1/8-ounce jig or Road Runner. Pitch or shoot the lures under the docks and let the lures fall. Some of the deeper docks have brush beneath them.
LOCaTiON: Fayette CountyhOTSPOT: Buzzard PointGPS: N29 55.941, W96 43.67796 (29.932350, -96.727966)SPeCieS: catfishBeST BaiTS: worms, punch baitCONTaCT:Weldon Kirk
Tawakoni Hybrids Within Reach
PRaiRieS & LaKeS
by BOB [email protected]
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[email protected]: This point offers 2-10 feet of water close to a road bed. Anchor and cast to two feet of water, then set out other rods outward to 10 feet of water to find the depth the fish are in. Chum soured grain to bring the fish close to the boat.
LOCATION: Gibbons Creek.HOTSPOT: Eagle Point South SideGPS: N30 37.92, W96 2.883 (30.632000, -96.048050)SPECIES: catfishBEST BAITS: Shad, punch baitCONTACT: Weldon Kirk979-229-3103weldon_edna@hotmail.comFishTalesGuideService.comTIPS: This lake is open only Friday-Sunday. Fish water 5-10 feet deep. Anchor away from the shore and fish close to the boat or park the boat bottomed on shore and cast out to the lake. Action is best right after daybreak when shad are close to the bank.
LOCATION: AquillaHOTSPOT: Snake IslandGPS: N31 55.215, W97 12.891 (31.920250, -97.214850)SPECIES: white bassBEST BAITS: Little Georges, Rat-L-TrapsCONTACT:Randy [email protected]: White bass are running along the edge of the island chasing shad early and late. Make long casts. Carry a pair of binoculars along to scout for feeding birds over schools of white bass. Chrome and blue are my favorite lure colors.
LOCATION: CooperHOTSPOT: Harper’s CrossingGPS: N33 18.63714, W95 39.04248 (33.310619, -95.650708)SPECIES: hybrid striperBEST BAITS: Sassy ShadsCONTACT:Tony Parker, [email protected],903-348-1619, tawakonifishing.comTIPS: Target the shallow humps such as this one and Pelican Point. The hybrids will be on top
of them feeding on shad. Drift over the humps so you won’t spook the fish with your outboard motor. Work the lure just off the bottom with a steady retrieve.
LOCATION: LavonHOTSPOT: 380 Bridge AreaGPS: N33 9.73734, W96 25.24554 (33.162289, -96.420759)SPECIES: crappieBEST BAITS: Crappie jigs, minnowsCONTACT:Billy Kilpatrick214-232-7847straightlineguide@yahoo.comstraightlineguide.comTIPS: Crappie are in 1-3 feet of water for the spawn. Lots of males are near the beds and 5-10 fish at each spot is common. Minnows under glow bobbers at night work well. My favorites for day-time are a black-blue and black-chartreuse jigs.
LOCATION: LewisvilleHOTSPOT: Cottonwood ParkGPS: N33 8.4624, W96 56.8002 (33.141040, -96.946670)SPECIES: catfishBEST BAITS: Secret 7 dip baitCONTACT:Bobby Kubin817-455-2894bobby@bobby-catfishing.combobby-catfishing.comTIPS: Look for schools of feeding catfish in five feet deep or less water along the banks. Use Secret 7 dip bait with Dead Red Dip Tubes or Furry Thang bait holders on a Carolina rig with 18-inch leader and No. 4 or 6 treble hooks.
LOCATION: PalestineHOTSPOT: Flat CreekGPS: N32 16.9533, W95 29.87256 (32.282555, -95.497876)SPECIES: largemouth bassBEST BAITS: Blue Herring Shimmy Shakers, jigs, crankbaitsCONTACT:Ricky Vandergriff903-561-7299ricky@rickysguideservice.comrickysguideservice.comTIPS: Largemouth bass action is good in the shallows throughout the day. Cobb Creek is another area that produces some great action dur-ing May. Fish the areas slowly.
LOCATION: PalestineHOTSPOT: 155 Bridge Brush PilesGPS: N32 8.6355, W95 28.49754 (32.143925, -95.474959)SPECIES: crappieBEST BAITS: Minnows, jigsCONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff903-561-7299ricky@rickysguideservice.comrickysguideservice.comTIPS: Look for brush piles on your sonar units and mark their locations. Start at the first one located, fishing minnows or jigs on top of the brush. Move from one brush pile to another to improve your success.
LOCATION: PalestineHOTSPOT: Big Eddy BayGPS: N32 13.65648, W95 29.4453 (32.227608, -95.490755)SPECIES: catfishBEST BAITS: Red worms, punch bait, minnowsCONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff903-561-7299ricky@rickysguideservice.comrickysguideservice.comTIPS: Catfish are feeding along the sandy flats near deep water. Both drifting minnows and earth-worms or anchoring and fishing punch bait over areas pre-baited with soured maize can put lots of eating-sized fish in your boat,
LOCATION: PalestineHOTSPOT: Main Lake PointsGPS: N32 4.84476, W95 25.42038 (32.080746, -95.423673)SPECIES: white bassBEST BAITS: Slabs, spoons, Rat-L-Traps, topwatersCONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff903-561-7299ricky@rickysguideservice.comrickysguideservice.comTIPS: Watch for gulls, herons and egrets feed-ing on shad injured by the schools of white bass. Approach the bird activity cautiously to prevent from spooking the fish. Make long casts rather than pulling right into the middle of the action.
LOCATION: SomervilleHOTSPOT: Nails Creek East Side
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GPS: N30 17.60496, W96 39.45498 (30.293416, -96.657583)SPECIES: catfishBEST BAITS: Shad, stinkbaitCONTACT:Weldon [email protected] Service.comTIPS: Lily pads are beginning to emerge. Anchor where you can fish close to shore or, if the pads are thick, fish their outer edges. If the lake is low look for rocks near the bank and drift your slip cork across them.
LOCATION: TexomaHOTSPOT: IslandsGPS: N33 50.93388, W96 42.40014 (33.848898, -96.706669)SPECIES: striperBEST BAITS: Zara Spooks, Pencil Poppers, Sassy ShadsCONTACT:Bill Carey877-786-4477bigfish@striperexpress.comstriperexpress.comTIPS: Start early fishing topwaters close to the bank and off the points of the islands. Move out to deeper water as the day progresses. Watch for feeding gull activity throughout the day.
LOCATION: WhitneyHOTSPOT: Whitney PointGPS: N31 54.65874, W97 20.89866 (31.910979, -97.348311)SPECIES: striperBEST BAITS: live gizzard shadCONTACT:Randy [email protected]: This is the time to catch big sow striped bass. Anchor just off the hump and use a Carolina rig with a two-ounce weight and No. 2 circle hook. I also drop a couple of lines straight down in 26-feet deep water and reel up 3-4 turns off the bottom.
LOCATION: Richland ChambersHOTSPOT: Fisherman’s Point MarinaGPS: N31 56.45394, W96 7.41012 (31.940899, -96.123502)SPECIES: crappieBEST BAITS: jigs, minnowsCONTACT:Royce and Adam Simmons
[email protected]: Crappie are in the shallows on the southeast end of the lake where bank fishermen will be able to catch them in the coves around Fisherman’s Point Marina. Small minnows or jigs under slip corks will work well.
LOCATION: Richland ChambersHOTSPOT: 309 FlatsGPS: N31 58.87884, W96 7.99722 (31.981314, -96.133287)SPECIES: white bassBEST BAITS: Silver Glitter RSR Shad Slabs, Rat-L-TrapsCONTACT: Royce and Adam [email protected]: White bass will be roaming all over the flats. Use one-ounce Slabs or Rat-L-Traps in 20 to 30 feet of water and be prepared to catch some very large hybrid stripers along with white bass. Watch for feeding gulls to locate the whites and hybrids.
LOCATION: Possum KingdomHOTSPOT: Caddo BayGPS: N32 51.7023, W98 32.53236
(32.861705, -98.542206)SPECIES: striperBEST BAITS: live shadCONTACT:Dean [email protected]: Striped bass action has improved consider-ably over the past two years. Last May, we caught a 10.2 hybrid and 17-pound striper here. Down-rigging one-ounce bucktail jigs also will catch some fish. The best depth is 24 feet down in 50 feet of water.
LOCATION: AmistadHOTSPOT: Castle CanyonGPS: N29 31.60608, W100 58.8906 (29.526768, -100.981510)SPECIES: largemouth bassBEST BAITS: Jigs, plastic worms plastic jerk-baits, topwaters, swimbaits, spinnerbaitsCONTACT:Stan [email protected]: This is the time of the year when just about any lure will catch bass. I prefer topwaters because of the explosive bites. Texas-rigged worms are a guarantee. All major creek channels will hold fish.
Storm the Castle for Amistad Bass
BIG BEND
by BOB [email protected]
Possum Stripers Come on Strong
PANHANDLE
by BOB [email protected]
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LOCATION: Canyon LakeHOTSPOT: Potter Creek Fishing PierGPS: N29 54.07998, W98 15.58998 (29.901333, -98.259833)SPECIES: largemouth bassBEST BAITS: Bass Kandie Baby Bass Buster, Piscasso spinnerbait, Berkley Power WormCONTACT:Kandie [email protected]
TIPS: Fish main lake points, timber on the right side and timber in the back of the cove and across from the ramp. Use a 3/8-ounce. spinnerbait early then a Bass Kandie Stick or Berkley worm Texas-rigged with Piscasso tungsten weight when the sun comes up.
LOCATION: Canyon LakeHOTSPOT: Turkey CoveGPS: N29 51.53988, W98 13.14306 (29.858998, -98.219051)SPECIES: striperBEST BAITS: Striper jigsCONTACT:Steve Nixon210-573-1230steve@sanantoniofishingguides.comsanantoniofishingguides.comTIPS: Look for the stripers to be in deep water, 30-50 feet. They will be suspending over the creek channel and close to the river channel. Trolling striper jigs on downriggers around this area pro-duces fish.
LOCATION: GrangerHOTSPOT: Main Lake BrushpilesGPS: N30 41.98194, W97 22.08012 (30.699699, -97.368002)SPECIES: crappieBEST BAITS: Crappie jigsCONTACT:Tommy [email protected]: Numerous brush piles are in the lake. Locate them at 4-15 feet deep with your sonar unit. Fish jigs vertically, using 1/16-ounce in murky water, 1/32-ounce in clear water. When the jig touches the brush, hold the jig still for several seconds.
LOCATION: Falcon LakeHOTSPOT: Siesta ShoresGPS: N26 50.80794, W99 15.45618 (26.846799, -99.257603)SPECIES: largemouth bassBEST BAITS: Topwaters, spinnerbaits, plastic worms, jigsCONTACT:Robert Amaya956-765-1442robertsfishntackle@gmail.comrobertsfishntackle.comTIPS: Fish the pockets around the stickups with topwaters and spinnerbaits early, then fish the bushes and laydowns tight with Texas-rigged plastic worms and jigs once the sun gets up. Keep a lookout for bass occasionally chasing shad in the shallows.
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Falcon Lunkers Like a Siesta
SOUTH TExAS PLAINS
by BOB [email protected]
Texas Hotspots
Find Thousands of Texas Fishing Hotspots with our HOTSPOT FINDER app:
www.FishGame.com/hotspots
Canyon Bass Feel Pier Pressure
HILL COUNTRY
by BOB [email protected]
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A.G. Russell Knives Page 104
Black Hills Ammunition Page 98
Brite-Strike Technologies Page 103
Climate Bug Shield Page 107
CORBON/Glaser Page 102
DeSantis Holsters Page 100
EMMROD FISHING GEAR Page 101
Faultline Outdoors Page 103
Fishing Tackle Unlimited Page 99
Hallmark Cutlery Page 107
Lansky Sharpeners Page 106
Lews Page 105
Stick’em Rods, LLC Page 106
and Texas Fish & Game
ALMANAC Digital.indd 99 4/23/13 5:18 PM
The Power of the Father
It was one of those moments I would never forget.
at the time, it somehow seemed important but later on, it would prove pivotal.
I sat in the lap of my father, Chester
Moore, Sr. and put together a scrapbook
of fish and game photos.
It was common for us to cut up his
old copies of Sports
Afield, Field & Stream
and Outdoor Life and
eventually expanded into
going to the local thrift
shop and wiping out their supply of out-
doors magazines.
They sold for a nickel apiece so dump-
A Tribute to Outdoor Dads
bychestermoore
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ing out my piggy bank would yield several
dozen at a time.
They were gold to me.
I would look at the photos and imagine
myself pursuing the amazing creatures
splashed across the pages.
They were wild, exotic animals and fish
from Africa, South America and Asia but
some of my favorites were animals I knew
lurked our local woodlands.
Back in the early 80s, North American
Hunter (the NRA’s magazine) would have
a centerfold of some game animal or bird
in each issue. I cut out a stunning photo of
a wood duck drake that haunted my imagi-
nation every time we would go out to my
Aunt Ann’s property in southern Newton
County.
On this particular night, I remember
locking eyes with my Dad and seeing pure
love emanating from him. It was nothing
new to me really but at that point I had a
friend with an estranged Dad and while
I could not deny him caring for his son at
some level, I never saw this look. In fact, I
almost never saw him with his son.
Growing up, I never doubted
the love of my father and
while there were times of
arguing, the existence of
love is never an issue. He was there for me
every step of the way even when he might
have thought I was crazy for some of my
actions. (Handling rattlesnakes and playing
with jaguars for example.)
Several friends my age had fathers who
were either entirely absent or extremely
absentee in their lives and their path
was different. Drugs, alcohol, loneliness,
depression were all part of the equation.
And while I believe after a certain age of
accountability we should answer for our
own actions, there is no question the lack
of a father played a huge role in influencing
to walk down a dark, dismal road.
Statistics sadly prove this to be true.
A 2002 Department of Justice survey
of 7,000 inmates revealed that 39 percent
of jail inmates lived in mother-only house-
holds. Approximately forty-six percent of
jail inmates in 2002 had a previously incar-
cerated family member. One-fifth experi-
enced a father in prison or jail.
A Tribute to Outdoor Dads
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In a study of 6,500 children from
the ADDHEALTH database, father
closeness was negatively correlated with
the number of a child’s friends who smoke,
drink, and smoke marijuana. Closeness was
also correlated with a child’s use of alcohol,
cigarettes, and hard drugs and was con-
nected to family structure. Intact families
ranked higher on father closeness than
single-parent families.
And according to the U.S. Census
Bureau, children in father-absent homes
are almost four times more likely to be
poor. In 2011, 12 percent of children in
married-couple families were living in pov-
erty, compared to 44 percent of children in
mother-only families.
There is no denying the world shaping
power of fathers.
For you fathers with young children,
the good news is you have incredible
t
Theauthor,
sharing an outdoors
moment with his daughter
Faith
ALMANAC Digital.indd 103 4/23/13 5:18 PM
104 | M A Y 2 0 1 3 T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® T F & G A L M A N A C
A Tribute to Outdoor Dads
opportunities to mold the lives of your chil-
dren in an extremely positive way and use
the great outdoors to do so.
A couple of years ago my wife Lisa
and I talked about the lack of school age
children in our neighborhood. Other than
a group of fun-loving skaters who cruise
through the area from time to time, we
rarely saw any kids.
Then the school district started making
pick ups across the street and I noticed
numerous youngsters we had never seen
before. They were not playing football or
baseball in the field down the street and
they certainly were not catching the catfish
and bass in the bayou down the road.
They were no doubt in their homes
glued to video games, the Internet or televi-
sion.
There is of course nothing necessarily
wrong with any of those things but for a
child to only get their stimulation solely
from electronics is to deny them what is
natural. That is why it is essential get kids
outdoors. I am of course an advocate of
bringing them fishing and hunting but at
this point I would be perfectly happy even
seeing them play croquet.
Some believe the current generation of
kids is simply not wired for outdoors activi-
ALMANAC Digital.indd 104 4/23/13 5:18 PM
ties but that is an extreme falsehood. The
Lord fashioned us all to enjoy nature.
Every couch potato kid I have taken
outdoors had been blown away by the
experience. Simply seeing a bird or squirrel
up close or catching a hand-sized bream is
often the most exciting thing that has ever
happened to them. A couple of years ago,
our church held an outdoors campout type
event for boys ages 7-12. We were shocked
at how many had never roasted weenies or
marshmallows or even see a campfire for
that matter.
Their excitement touched our hearts
and reminded all involved how blessed
we were to have been brought up in an
outdoors lifestyle. It is sad to see kids with
such little life experience outside of what
they get in school or what they can control
with a joystick or mouse.
Make time to take the kids in your life
into the great outdoors. Whether they go
crabbing, perch jerking or searching for
shells on the beach, there are life-enhancing
experiences to be had. Do not take them
ALMANAC Digital.indd 105 4/23/13 5:18 PM
106 | M A Y 2 0 1 3 T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® T F & G A L M A N A C
Carolina rig fishing for bass or chunking
topwaters for trout on their first trip. Perch,
crabs and croaker are the ticket because
they provide simple, quick action.
Sometimes in reality, the best oppor-
tunities for encounters for really young
children come in places like zoos and
aquariums. They do not always have the
patience for long hikes but a place like a
zoo for example has many different things
to see so they can keep moving.
My wife Lisa and I take
our daughter to every
zoo, aquarium and other
animal related venue we
can. If there is a wildlife drive thru park or
nature center wherever we travel, we stop
and let her experience nature in a close,
personal way.
A great way to top off an opportunity to
encounter wild things is giving them photos
of their trip. These will help build powerful
memories they will one-day share with their
own children. You can get prints made
from digital photos for just a few cents
apiece and buy photo albums for a couple
of dollars.
Some fathers lack confidence in taking
girls outdoors but they should embrace the
opportunity.
Last fall my wife Lisa and I along
with our friend Tracy Ellis, and her daugh-
ter Ashlyn took our pastor’s daughters
Abby and Rachel Rose out to our friend
Ken Swenson’s whitetail ranch to film
some clips for my WebTV series “God’s
Outdoors with Chester Moore”.
As the nine-year-old twins fed “Bucky”,
a massive young buck I told the girls the
difference between antlers and horns and
how the buck’s horns are still growing and
in velvet now.
They marveled at the fact the buck that
was friendly now would not be approach-
able in a couple of months when the rut
kicked in and the antlers would be used to
defend territory.
Watching the girls marvel at the antlers
really got me to thinking about the value of
this educational opportunity.
Abby and Rachel were captivated by
the growth of the antlers and how they
were soft now but would soon be hard.
A Tribute to Outdoor Dads
ALMANAC Digital.indd 106 4/23/13 5:18 PM
t
Chester Moore, Sr. (right) and his brother Jackie Moore were powerful earlyinfluences on the author and Jackie’s son Frank.
ALMANAC Digital.indd 107 4/23/13 5:18 PM
108 | M A Y 2 0 1 3 T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® T F & G A L M A N A C
Growing up I was intrigued that once
antlers were shed they became food for
squirrels, mice and other rodents who gnaw
on them for their calcium content. Girls
may or may not get into fishing but as a
father of one and a children’s minister who
works with dozens on a weekly basis I have
yet to find one that does not have an inter-
est in animals. Even antlers can captivate a
young lady.
Finally, for those of us with fathers still
living, we can pay them back and honor
their sacrifice for us by spending time in
the great outdoors with them. If you have
the budget take them on a hunting or fish-
ing trip, they have always dreamed of. I
had the chance to do this with my Dad 10
years ago when we went white sturgeon
fishing in the Oregon’s Columbia River,
A Tribute to Outdoor Dads
tWe owe it to our older dads to spend time with them in the
outdoors, just as they did with us when we were kids.
phot
o : c
anst
ock
ALMANAC Digital.indd 108 4/23/13 5:18 PM
T F & G A L M A N A C T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® M A Y 2 0 1 3 | 109
it was the best fishing trip of my life, and
more importantly it was the best of his.
If you do not have a budget, scout out
a special stand location on your deer lease
to offer Dad a shot at a nice buck or set a
goal to catch the biggest bass of your life
with him this year. Dedicating time to Dad
can enhance both of your lives.
One day you will not have that oppor-
tunity and it is always best to sacrifice your
time and resources now because it will not
be possible at some point. The day we all
dread will come.
Father’s day gets little attention because
our society has looked at fathers in many
ways as disposable and in many ways mul-
titudes of men have neglected their fatherly
duties.
Millions however have not and we
should honor with them with our love,
respect and time.
You see time is the greatest gift of all
because once it is gone; there is no way to
get it back. Fathers, seize the day on behalf
of your children and sons and daughters do
the same for your fathers.
Make this father’s day count and do it
in the outdoors.t
Chester moore, Sr. with hisgranddaughter Faith.
All photos courtesy chester moore, unless otherwise noted.
ALMANAC Digital.indd 109 4/23/13 5:18 PM
Sunrise: 6:54a Set: 8:14pMoonrise: None Set: 10:24aAM Minor: 9:47a AM Major: 3:32aPM Minor: 10:17p PM Major: 4:02pMoon Overhead: 5:02aMoon Underfoot: 5:32p
Sunrise: 6:53a Set: 8:14pMoonrise: 12:38a Set: 11:29aAM Minor: 10:53a AM Major: 4:38aPM Minor: 11:22p PM Major: 5:07pMoon Overhead: 6:02aMoon Underfoot: 6:31p
Sunrise: 6:52a Set: 8:15pMoonrise: 1:28a Set: 12:33pAM Minor: 11:54a AM Major: 5:40aPM Minor: ----- PM Major: 6:07pMoon Overhead: 6:59aMoon Underfoot: 7:26p
Sunrise: 6:52a Set: 8:16pMoonrise: 2:13a Set: 1:36pAM Minor: 12:25a AM Major: 6:36aPM Minor: 12:49p PM Major: 7:02pMoon Overhead: 7:52aMoon Underfoot: 8:18p
Apr 29 Low Tide: 1:04 AM -0.29ft.High Tide: 9:33 AM 1.67ft.Low Tide: 2:48 PM 1.39ft.High Tide: 4:58 PM 1.40ft.
30 Low Tide: 2:03 AM -0.20ft.High Tide: 10:36 AM 1.61ft.
May 1 Low Tide: 3:08 AM -0.05ft.High Tide: 11:32 AM 1.54ft.Low Tide: 6:25 PM 1.18ft.High Tide: 8:21 PM 1.19ft.
» 2 Low Tide: 4:19 AM 0.14ft.High Tide: 12:17 PM 1.46ft.Low Tide: 6:53 PM 1.00ft.High Tide: 10:40 PM 1.13ft.
Sunrise: 6:48a Set: 8:19pMoonrise: 4:39a Set: 5:31pAM Minor: 3:21a AM Major: 9:32aPM Minor: 3:44p PM Major: 9:55pMoon Overhead: 11:02aMoon Underfoot: 11:25p
Sunrise: 6:47a Set: 8:19pMoonrise: 5:14a Set: 6:28pAM Minor: 4:01a AM Major: 10:13aPM Minor: 4:24p PM Major: 10:36pMoon Overhead: 11:48aMoon Underfoot: None
Sunrise: 6:47a Set: 8:20pMoonrise: 5:51a Set: 7:23pAM Minor: 4:43a AM Major: 10:55aPM Minor: 5:07p PM Major: 11:19pMoon Overhead: 12:35pMoon Underfoot: 12:12a
Sunrise: 6:46a Set: 8:21pMoonrise: 6:30a Set: 8:18pAM Minor: 5:28a AM Major: 11:40aPM Minor: 5:52p PM Major: 12:04pMoon Overhead: 1:22pMoon Underfoot: 12:59a
6 High Tide: 3:14 AM 1.36ft.Low Tide: 9:09 AM 0.87ft.High Tide: 2:08 PM 1.26ft.Low Tide: 9:05 PM 0.20ft.
7 High Tide: 4:16 AM 1.45ft.Low Tide: 10:06 AM 1.00ft.High Tide: 2:28 PM 1.26ft.Low Tide: 9:37 PM 0.08ft.
8 « High Tide: 5:10 AM 1.51ft.Low Tide: 10:56 AM 1.11ft.High Tide: 2:47 PM 1.27ft.Low Tide: 10:09 PM -0.00ft.
9 « High Tide: 5:57 AM 1.55ft.Low Tide: 11:40 AM 1.20ft.High Tide: 3:05 PM 1.29ft.Low Tide: 10:41 PM -0.04ft.
Sunrise: 6:43a Set: 8:23pMoonrise: 9:32a Set: 11:36pAM Minor: 8:52a AM Major: 2:40aPM Minor: 9:15p PM Major: 3:04pMoon Overhead: 4:35pMoon Underfoot: 4:12a
Sunrise: 6:42a Set: 8:24pMoonrise: 10:23a Set: NoneAM Minor: 9:44a AM Major: 3:32aPM Minor: 10:07p PM Major: 3:56pMoon Overhead: 5:22pMoon Underfoot: 4:59a
Sunrise: 6:42a Set: 8:25pMoonrise: 11:16a Set: 12:17aAM Minor: 10:35a AM Major: 4:24aPM Minor: 10:58p PM Major: 4:47pMoon Overhead: 6:08pMoon Underfoot: 5:45a
Sunrise: 6:41a Set: 8:25pMoonrise: 12:09p Set: 12:56aAM Minor: 11:25a AM Major: 5:13aPM Minor: 11:47p PM Major: 5:36pMoon Overhead: 6:53pMoon Underfoot: 6:31a
13 Low Tide: 12:26 AM 0.05ft.High Tide: 8:58 AM 1.49ft.
14 Low Tide: 1:05 AM 0.13ft.High Tide: 9:44 AM 1.46ft.
15 Low Tide: 1:45 AM 0.22ft.High Tide: 10:29 AM 1.43ft.
16 Low Tide: 2:28 AM 0.32ft.High Tide: 11:07 AM 1.40ft.
Sunrise: 6:39a Set: 8:28pMoonrise: 3:55p Set: 3:15aAM Minor: 2:00a AM Major: 8:12aPM Minor: 2:24p PM Major: 8:36pMoon Overhead: 9:56pMoon Underfoot: 9:32a
Sunrise: 6:38a Set: 8:29pMoonrise: 4:57p Set: 3:52aAM Minor: 2:43a AM Major: 8:55aPM Minor: 3:08p PM Major: 9:21pMoon Overhead: 10:48pMoon Underfoot: 10:22a
Sunrise: 6:38a Set: 8:29pMoonrise: 6:03p Set: 4:33aAM Minor: 3:28a AM Major: 9:41aPM Minor: 3:55p PM Major: 10:08pMoon Overhead: 11:42pMoon Underfoot: 11:15a
Sunrise: 6:37a Set: 8:30pMoonrise: 7:10p Set: 5:18aAM Minor: 4:17a AM Major: 10:31aPM Minor: 4:46p PM Major: 11:00pMoon Overhead: NoneMoon Underfoot: 12:11p
20 High Tide: 1:25 AM 1.15ft.Low Tide: 6:18 AM 0.86ft.High Tide: 12:42 PM 1.30ft.Low Tide: 7:28 PM 0.42ft.
21 High Tide: 2:38 AM 1.30ft.Low Tide: 7:28 AM 0.99ft.High Tide: 12:59 PM 1.30ft.Low Tide: 8:03 PM 0.17ft.
22 High Tide: 3:42 AM 1.46ft.Low Tide: 8:37 AM 1.12ft.High Tide: 1:18 PM 1.33ft.Low Tide: 8:44 PM -0.08ft.
23 « High Tide: 4:40 AM 1.60ft.Low Tide: 9:39 AM 1.23ft.High Tide: 1:41 PM 1.38ft.Low Tide: 9:29 PM -0.29ft.
Sunrise: 6:36a Set: 8:32pMoonrise: 11:20p Set: 9:13aAM Minor: 8:25a AM Major: 2:09aPM Minor: 8:55p PM Major: 2:40pMoon Overhead: 3:48aMoon Underfoot: 4:19p
Sunrise: 6:35a Set: 8:33pMoonrise: None Set: 10:20aAM Minor: 9:31a AM Major: 3:17aPM Minor: 10:00p PM Major: 3:46pMoon Overhead: 4:48aMoon Underfoot: 5:17p
Sunrise: 6:35a Set: 8:34pMoonrise: 12:09a Set: 11:26aAM Minor: 10:34a AM Major: 4:21aPM Minor: 11:02p PM Major: 4:48pMoon Overhead: 5:45aMoon Underfoot: 6:12p
Sunrise: 6:35a Set: 8:34pMoonrise: 12:52a Set: 12:30pAM Minor: 11:32a AM Major: 5:20aPM Minor: 11:58p PM Major: 5:45pMoon Overhead: 6:38aMoon Underfoot: 7:03p
27 « High Tide: 8:19 AM 1.71ft.Low Tide: 1:31 PM 1.35ft.High Tide: 4:25 PM 1.40ft.
28 Low Tide: 12:52 AM -0.40ft.High Tide: 9:09 AM 1.64ft.Low Tide: 2:46 PM 1.25ft.High Tide: 5:37 PM 1.30ft.
29 Low Tide: 1:47 AM -0.22ft.High Tide: 9:55 AM 1.54ft.Low Tide: 4:05 PM 1.09ft.High Tide: 7:16 PM 1.16ft.
30 Low Tide: 2:45 AM 0.02ft.High Tide: 10:36 AM 1.45ft.Low Tide: 5:11 PM 0.88ft.High Tide: 9:14 PM 1.04ft.
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY
10:30P —12:30A
PRIME TIME
9:30 —11:30 PM
PRIME TIME
5:30 —7:30AM
PRIME TIME
12:30 —2:30 AM
PRIME TIME
4:00 —6:00 PM
PRIME TIME
5:00 —7:00 PM
PRIME TIME
6:00 —8:00 PM
PRIME TIME
7:00 —9:00 PM
PRIME TIME
8:30 —10:30 PM
PRIME TIME
9:00 —11:00 PM
PRIME TIME
10:00P —12:00A
PRIME TIME
11:00P —1:00A
PRIME TIME
3:00 —5:00 PM
PRIME TIME
4:00 —6:00 PM
PRIME TIME
5:30 —7:30 PM
PRIME TIME
8:00 —10:00 PM
PRIME TIME
3:30 —5:30 AM
PRIME TIME
4:30 —6:30 AM
PRIME TIME
5:30 —7:30 AM
PRIME TIME
2:00 —4:00 PM
PRIME TIME
Sportsman’s Daybook
TIDE forecast for GALVESTON CHANNEL (29.3166° N, 94.88° W)SOLUNAR forecast for TEXAS CENTER (31.14° N, 99.39° W)
Tides and Prime Times MAY 2013
110 | M A Y 2 0 1 3 T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® T F & G A L M A N A C
ALMANAC Digital.indd 110 4/23/13 5:18 PM
PRIME TIME
Sunrise: 6:51a Set: 8:16pMoonrise: 2:53a Set: 2:38pAM Minor: 1:13a AM Major: 7:26aPM Minor: 1:38p PM Major: 7:50pMoon Overhead: 8:42aMoon Underfoot: 9:07p
Sunrise: 6:50a Set: 8:17pMoonrise: 3:29a Set: 3:37pAM Minor: 1:59a AM Major: 8:10aPM Minor: 2:22p PM Major: 8:34pMoon Overhead: 9:30aMoon Underfoot: 9:54p
Sunrise: 6:49a Set: 8:18pMoonrise: 4:05a Set: 4:34pAM Minor: 2:40a AM Major: 8:52aPM Minor: 3:03p PM Major: 9:15pMoon Overhead: 10:17aMoon Underfoot: 10:39p
3 Low Tide: 5:36 AM 0.34ft.High Tide: 12:52 PM 1.38ft.Low Tide: 7:26 PM 0.78ft.
4 High Tide: 12:30 AM 1.16ft.Low Tide: 6:53 AM 0.53ft.High Tide: 1:22 PM 1.32ft.Low Tide: 8:00 PM 0.57ft.
5 High Tide: 2:00 AM 1.25ft.Low Tide: 8:05 AM 0.71ft.High Tide: 1:46 PM 1.28ft.Low Tide: 8:33 PM 0.37ft.
Sunrise: 6:45a Set: 8:21pMoonrise: 7:12a Set: 9:12pAM Minor: 6:16a AM Major: -----PM Minor: 6:40p PM Major: 12:52pMoon Overhead: 2:11pMoon Underfoot: 1:46a
Sunrise: 6:44a Set: 8:22pMoonrise: 7:56a Set: 10:03pAM Minor: 7:07a AM Major: 12:54aPM Minor: 7:31p PM Major: 1:19pMoon Overhead: 2:59pMoon Underfoot: 2:35a
Sunrise: 6:44a Set: 8:23pMoonrise: 8:43a Set: 10:51pAM Minor: 7:59a AM Major: 1:47aPM Minor: 8:23p PM Major: 2:11pMoon Overhead: 3:48pMoon Underfoot: 3:23a
10 l High Tide: 6:43 AM 1.56ft.Low Tide: 12:17 PM 1.26ft.High Tide: 3:19 PM 1.30ft.Low Tide: 11:15 PM -0.04ft.
11 « High Tide: 7:27 AM 1.55ft.Low Tide: 12:50 PM 1.29ft.High Tide: 3:27 PM 1.32ft.Low Tide: 11:50 PM -0.01ft.
12 « High Tide: 8:12 AM 1.52ft.Low Tide: 1:23 PM 1.31ft.High Tide: 3:17 PM 1.32ft.
Sunrise: 6:40a Set: 8:26pMoonrise: 1:04p Set: 1:32aAM Minor: ----- AM Major: 6:01aPM Minor: 12:12p PM Major: 6:23pMoon Overhead: 7:37pMoon Underfoot: 7:15a
Sunrise: 6:40a Set: 8:27pMoonrise: 1:59p Set: 2:06aAM Minor: 12:33a AM Major: 6:46aPM Minor: 12:57p PM Major: 7:08pMoon Overhead: 8:22pMoon Underfoot: 8:00a
Sunrise: 6:39a Set: 8:27pMoonrise: 2:56p Set: 2:40aAM Minor: 1:18a AM Major: 7:29aPM Minor: 1:41p PM Major: 7:52pMoon Overhead: 9:08pMoon Underfoot: 8:45a
17 º Low Tide: 3:15 AM 0.44ft.High Tide: 11:38 AM 1.37ft.Low Tide: 7:37 PM 1.00ft.High Tide: 9:44 PM 1.01ft.
18 Low Tide: 4:08 AM 0.57ft.High Tide: 12:04 PM 1.34ft.Low Tide: 6:49 PM 0.86ft.High Tide: 11:54 PM 1.05ft.
19 Low Tide: 5:09 AM 0.71ft.High Tide: 12:24 PM 1.31ft.Low Tide: 7:00 PM 0.66ft.
Sunrise: 6:37a Set: 8:31pMoonrise: 8:18p Set: 6:09aAM Minor: 5:11a AM Major: 11:27aPM Minor: 5:42p PM Major: 11:57pMoon Overhead: 12:41aMoon Underfoot: 1:12p
Sunrise: 6:36a Set: 8:31pMoonrise: 9:24p Set: 7:06aAM Minor: 6:12a AM Major: 12:04aPM Minor: 6:43p PM Major: 12:28pMoon Overhead: 1:43aMoon Underfoot: 2:14p
Sunrise: 6:36a Set: 8:32pMoonrise: 10:25p Set: 8:08aAM Minor: 7:17a AM Major: 1:02aPM Minor: 7:49p PM Major: 1:33pMoon Overhead: 2:46aMoon Underfoot: 3:17p
24 « High Tide: 5:36 AM 1.71ft.Low Tide: 10:37 AM 1.32ft.High Tide: 2:10 PM 1.43ft.Low Tide: 10:16 PM -0.45ft.
25 ¡ High Tide: 6:31 AM 1.76ft.Low Tide: 11:32 AM 1.38ft.High Tide: 2:47 PM 1.46ft.Low Tide: 11:06 PM -0.52ft.
26 « High Tide: 7:26 AM 1.76ft.Low Tide: 12:28 PM 1.39ft.High Tide: 3:31 PM 1.46ft.Low Tide: 11:58 PM -0.51ft.
Sunrise: 6:34a Set: 8:35pMoonrise: 1:31a Set: 1:31pAM Minor: 12:01a AM Major: 6:12aPM Minor: 12:25p PM Major: 6:37pMoon Overhead: 7:28aMoon Underfoot: 7:52p
Sunrise: 6:34a Set: 8:35pMoonrise: 2:07a Set: 2:30pAM Minor: 12:48a AM Major: 7:00aPM Minor: 1:12p PM Major: 7:23pMoon Overhead: 8:15aMoon Underfoot: 8:39p
Sunrise: 6:34a Set: 8:36pMoonrise: 2:42a Set: 3:27pAM Minor: 1:32a AM Major: 7:44aPM Minor: 1:55p PM Major: 8:07pMoon Overhead: 9:02aMoon Underfoot: 9:24p
31 Low Tide: 3:47 AM 0.29ft.High Tide: 11:12 AM 1.36ft.Low Tide: 6:04 PM 0.65ft.High Tide: 11:11 PM 1.02ft.
Jun 1 » Low Tide: 4:58 AM 0.55ft.High Tide: 11:42 AM 1.29ft.Low Tide: 6:50 PM 0.42ft.
2 High Tide: 1:00 AM 1.08ft.Low Tide: 6:21 AM 0.79ft.High Tide: 12:09 PM 1.24ft.Low Tide: 7:31 PM 0.22ft.
FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY
1:00 —3:00 AM
PRIME TIME
2:00 —4:00 AM
PRIME TIME
3:00 —5:00 AM
PRIME TIME
1:00 —3:00 PM
PRIME TIME
7:30 —9:30 PM
PRIME TIME
8:00 —10:00 PM
PRIME TIME
12:00 —2:00 AM
PRIME TIME
12:30 —2:30 AM
PRIME TIME
2:00 —4:00 PM
PRIME TIME
6:30 —8:30 PM
PRIME TIME
7:30 —9:30 PM
PRIME TIME
7:00 —9:00 PM
PRIME TIME
12:00 —2:00 AM
PRIME TIME
1:00 —3:00 AM
PRIME TIME
8:00 —10:00 AM
PRIME TIME
PLACE HIGH LOW
SAbine bAnk LigHTHOUSe(29.47° N, 93.72° W) -1:46 -1:31
SAbine PASS JeTTy(29.65° N, 93.83° W) -1:26 -1:31
SAbine PASS(29.73° N, 93.87°W) -1:00 -1:15
MeSqUiTe PT, SAbine PASS(29.77° N, 93.9° W) -0:04 -0:25
gALv. bAy, SO. JeTTy(29.34° N, 94.7° W) -0:39 -1:05
POrT bOLivAr(29.36° N, 94.77° W) +0:14 -0:06
TX CiTy TUrning bASin(29.38° N, 94.88° W) +0:33 +0:41
eAgLe POinT(29.5° N, 94.91° W) +3:54 +4:15
CLeAr LAke(29.56° N, 95.06° W) +6:05 +6:40
MOrgAnS POinT(29.68° N, 94.98° W) +10:21 +5:19
rOUnd PT, TriniTy bAy(29.71° N, 94.69° W) +10:39 +5:15
PT. bArrOw, Trin. bAy(29.74° N, 94.83° W) +5:48 +4:43
giLCHriST, e. bAy(29.52° N, 94.48° W) +3:16 +4:18
JAMAiCA bCH., w. bAy(29.2° N, 94.98° W) +2:38 +3:31
ALLigATOr PT., w. bAy(29.17° N, 94.13° W) +2:39 +2:33
CHriSTMAS PT, CHr. bAy(29.08° N, 94.17° W) +2:32 +2:31
gALv. PLeASUre Pier(29.29° N, 94.79° W) -1:06 -1:06
SAn LUiS PASS(29.08° N, 95.12° W) -0.09 -0.09
FreePOrT HArbOr(28.95° N, 95.31° W) -0:44 -1:02
PASS CAvALLO(28.37° N, 96.4° W) 0:00 -1:20
ArAnSAS PASS(27.84° N, 97.05° W) -0:03 -1:31
PAdre iSL.(SO. end)(26.07° N, 97.16° W) -0:24 -1:45
POrT iSAbeL(26.06° N, 97.22° W) +1:02 -0:42
Tide STaTion CorreCTion Table
(Adjust High & Low Tide times listed in the Calendar by the amounts below for each keyed location)
NOT FOR NAVIGATION
NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION
TIDE CORRECTION TABlE
Add or subtract the time shown at the rightof the Tide Stations on this table (and map) to determine the adjustment from the time shown for gALveS-
TOn CHAnneL in the calendars.
KEY PLACE HIGH LOW Sabine bank Lighthouse -1:46 -1:31 Sabine Pass Jetty -1:26 -1:31 Sabine Pass -1:00 -1:15 Mesquite Pt, Sab. Pass -0:04 -0:25 galveston bay, S. Jetty -0:39 -1:05 Port bolivar +0:14 -0:06
KEY PLACE HIGH LOWgalveston Channel/bays Texas City Turning basin +0:33 +0:41 eagle Point +3:54 +4:15 Clear Lake +6:05 +6:40 Morgans Point +10:21 +5:19 round Pt, Trinity bay +10:39 +5:15
KEY PLACE HIGH LOW Pt barrow, Trinity bay +5:48 +4:43 gilchrist, east bay +3:16 +4:18 Jamaica beach, w. bay +2:38 +3:31 Alligator Point, w. bay +2:39 +2:33 Christmas Pt +2:32 +2:31 galveston Pleasure Pier -1:06 -1:06
KEY PLACE HIGH LOW San Luis Pass -0.09 -0.09 Freeport Harbor -0:44 -1:02 Pass Cavallo 0:00 -1:20 Aransas Pass -0:03 -1:31 Padre island (So. end) -0:24 -1:45 Port isabel +1:02 -0:42
SYMBOl KEY
l New
Moon
º First Qtr
¡Full
Moon
» last Qtr
«Good Day
BESTDAYS
PRIME TIME
T F & G A L M A N A C T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® M A Y 2 0 1 3 | 111
ALMANAC Digital.indd 111 4/23/13 5:18 PM
Sportsman’s Daybook
112 | M A Y 2 0 1 3 T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® T F & G A L M A N A C
Tides and Prime Times MAY 2013
USING THE PRIME TIMES CALENDAR
SPORTSmaN’S DaYBOOK iS SPONSOReD BY:
The following pages contain TIDE and SOLUNAR predictions for Galveston Chan-nel (29.3166° N, 94.88° W).TIDE PREDICTIONS are located in the upper white boxes on the Calendar Pages. Use the Correction Table below, which is keyed to 23 other tide stations, to adjust low and high tide times.
SOLUNAR ACTIVITY is shown in the lower color boxes of the Calendar pages. Use the SolUnar adjUSTmenT SCale below to adjust times for points east and West of Galveston Channel.
TIDE PREDICTIONS are shown in graph form, with High and low tide predictions in text immediately below.
SOLUNAR ACTIVITY data is provided to indicate major and minor feeding periods for each day, as the daily phases of the moon have varying degrees of influence on many wildlife species.
AM & PM MINOR phases occur when the moon rises and sets. These phases last 1 to 2 hours.
AM & PM MAJOR phases occur when the moon reaches its highest point overhead as well as when it is “underfoot” or at its highest point on the exact opposite side of the earth from your positoin (or literally under your feet). most days have two major Feeding Phases, each lasting about 2 hours.
PEAK DAYS: The closer the moon is to your location, the stronger the influence. FULL or NEW MOONS provide the strongest influnce of the month.
PEAK TIMES: When a Solunar Period falls within 30 minutes to an hour of sunrise or sunset, anticipate increased action. a moon rise or moon set during one of these periods will cause even greater action. If a FUll or neW moon occurs during a Solunar Period, expect the best action of the season.
T1T2
T3T4
T5T6
T7
T8
T9T10
T11T12
T13
T14T15T16
T17
T18
T19
T20
T21
T22T23
NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION
TIDE CORRECTION TABLE
Add or subtract the time shown at the rightof the Tide Stations on this table (and map) to
determine the adjustment from the time shown for GALVESTON ChANNEL in the calendars.
KEY PLACE HIGH LOW Sabine Bank Lighthouse -1:46 -1:31 Sabine Pass Jetty -1:26 -1:31 Sabine Pass -1:00 -1:15 Mesquite Pt, Sab. Pass -0:04 -0:25 Galveston Bay, S. Jetty -0:39 -1:05 Port Bolivar +0:14 -0:06
KEY PLACE HIGH LOWGalveston Channel/Bays Texas City Turning Basin +0:33 +0:41 Eagle Point +3:54 +4:15 Clear Lake +6:05 +6:40 Morgans Point +10:21 +5:19 Round Pt, Trinity Bay +10:39 +5:15
KEY PLACE HIGH LOW Pt Barrow, Trinity Bay +5:48 +4:43 Gilchrist, East Bay +3:16 +4:18 Jamaica Beach, W. Bay +2:38 +3:31 Alligator Point, W. Bay +2:39 +2:33 Christmas Pt +2:32 +2:31 Galveston Pleasure Pier -1:06 -1:06
KEY PLACE HIGH LOW San Luis Pass -0.09 -0.09 Freeport harbor -0:44 -1:02 Pass Cavallo 0:00 -1:20 Aransas Pass -0:03 -1:31 Padre Island (So. End) -0:24 -1:45 Port Isabel +1:02 -0:42
T1T2T3T4T5T6
T7T8T9T10T11
T12T13T14T15T16T17
T18T19T20T21T22T23
KEYS TO USING THE TIDE AND SOLUNAR GRAPHS
12a12a 6a 12p 6p
12a12a 6a 12p 6p
AM Minor: 1:20a
AM Major: 7:32a
PM Minor: 1:45p
PM Major: 7:57p
Moon Underfoot: 9:15p
Moon Overhead: 8:50aTime Moonis at its highest Point in the Sky
SOLUNaR aCTiViTY:
Time Moon is DirectlyUnderfoot (atits peak on opposite sideof the earth)
AM/PM Timeline
MAJORFeedingPeriods(+/- 2 hrs.)
MINORFeedingPeriods(+/- 1.5 hrs.)
TiDe GRaPh:
BeST:5:30 — 7:30 AM
Yellow: Daylight
Light Blue:Nighttime
AM/PMTimeline
Blue:Rising Tide
Gold Fish:Best Time
Blue Fish:Good Time
Red Graph:Fishing Score
Green: Falling Tide
Tab: PeakFishing Period
ALMANAC Digital.indd 112 4/23/13 5:18 PM
T F & G A L M A N A C T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® M A Y 2 0 1 3 | 113
NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION
Fishing Score Graph
Day’s BestScore
2ndBest
= Peak FishingPeriod
BeST:7:45-9:40 AM
= FALLING TIDE= RISING TIDE= DAYLIGHT HOURS= NIGHTTIME HOURS
29
Low Tide: 1:04 am -0.29 ft.High Tide: 9:33 am 1.67 ft.Low Tide: 2:48 pm 1.39 ft.High Tide: 4:58 pm 1.40 ft.
30
Low Tide: 2:03 am -0.20 ft.High Tide: 10:36 am 1.61 ft.
May 1
Low Tide: 3:08 am -0.05 ft.High Tide: 11:32 am 1.54 ft.Low Tide: 6:25 pm 1.18 ft.High Tide: 8:21 pm 1.19 ft.
2 »
Low Tide: 4:19 am 0.14 ft.High Tide: 12:17 pm 1.46 ft.Low Tide: 6:53 pm 1.00 ft.High Tide: 10:40 pm 1.13 ft.
3
Low Tide: 5:36 am 0.34 ft.High Tide: 12:52 pm 1.38 ft.Low Tide: 7:26 pm 0.78 ft.
4
High Tide: 12:30 am 1.16 ft.Low Tide: 6:53 am 0.53 ft.High Tide: 1:22 pm 1.32 ft.Low Tide: 8:00 pm 0.57 ft.
5
High Tide: 2:00 am 1.25 ft.Low Tide: 8:05 am 0.71 ft.High Tide: 1:46 pm 1.28 ft.Low Tide: 8:33 pm 0.37 ft
AM Minor: 9:29a
AM Major: 3:14a
PM Minor: 9:59p
PM Major: 3:44p
AM Minor: 10:35a
AM Major: 4:20a
PM Minor: 11:04p
PM Major: 4:49p
AM Minor: 11:36a
AM Major: 5:22a
PM Minor: -----
PM Major: 5:49p
AM Minor: 12:07a
AM Major: 6:18a
PM Minor: 12:31p
PM Major: 6:44p
AM Minor: 12:55a
AM Major: 7:08a
PM Minor: 1:20p
PM Major: 7:32p
AM Minor: 1:41a
AM Major: 7:52a
PM Minor: 2:04p
PM Major: 8:16p
AM Minor: 2:22a
AM Major: 8:34a
PM Minor: 2:45p
PM Major: 8:57p
Moon Underfoot: 5:14p
Moon Overhead: 5:43a
Moon Underfoot: 6:12p Moon Underfoot: 7:07p
Moon Overhead: 7:33a Moon Overhead: 8:24a Moon Overhead: 9:12a
Moon Underfoot: 10:21p
Moon Overhead: 9:58a
+2.0
+1.0
0
-1.0
feet feet
+2.0
+1.0
0
-1.0
Moon Overhead: 6:40a
Moon Underfoot: 9:35p
Moon Overhead: 4:43a
Moon Underfoot: 8:48pBeST:
1:00 — 3:00 AMBeST:
2:00 — 4:00 AMBeST:
3:00 — 5:00 AMBeST:
12:30 — 2:30 AMBeST:
5:30 — 7:30AMBeST:
10:30P — 12:30ABeST:
9:30 — 11:30 PM
Moon Underfoot: 7:59p
Tides and Prime Times for MAy 2013MONDAy TUESDAy WEDNESDAy THURSDAy FRIDAy SATURDAy SUNDAy
SO
LU
Na
R a
CT
iViT
YS
OL
UN
aR
aC
TiV
iTY
Sunrise: 6:34a Set: 7:57pMoonrise: 3:46a Set: 4:15p
Sunrise: 6:35a Set: 7:56pMoonrise: 3:10a Set: 3:18p
Sunrise: 6:35a Set: 7:56pMoonrise: 2:33a Set: 2:20p
Sunrise: 6:36a Set: 7:55pMoonrise: 1:52a Set: 1:20p
Sunrise: 6:37a Set: 7:54pMoonrise: 1:06a Set: 12:17p
Sunrise: 6:38a Set: 7:54pMoonrise: 12:15a Set: 11:13a
Sunrise: 6:39a Set: 7:53pMoonrise: None Set: 10:09a
Ti
De
L
eV
eL
ST
iD
e
Le
Ve
LS
12a 12a6a 12p 6p 12a6a 12p 6p 12a6a 12p 6p 12a6a 12p 6p 12a6a 12p 6p 6a 12p 6p 12a 12a6a 12p 6p
l= New Moon
º = First Quarterl = Full Moon » = Last Quarter« = Good Dayn = Best Day
SyMBOL KEy
ALMANAC Digital.indd 113 4/23/13 5:19 PM
Sportsman’s DaybookNOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION
Fishing Score Graph
Day’s BestScore
2nd Best
= Peak FishingPeriod
BEST:7:45-9:40 AM
= FALLING TIDE= RISING TIDE= DAYLIGHT HOURS= NIGHTTIME HOURS
114 | M A Y 2 0 1 3 T E x a S F i S h & G a m E ® T F & G A L M A N A C
6
High Tide: 3:14 AM 1.36ft.Low Tide: 9:09 AM 0.87ft.High Tide: 2:08 PM 1.26ft.Low Tide: 9:05 PM 0.20ft.
7
High Tide: 4:16 AM 1.45ft.Low Tide: 10:06 AM 1.00ft.High Tide: 2:28 PM 1.26ft.Low Tide: 9:37 PM 0.08ft.
8 «
High Tide: 5:10 AM 1.51ft.Low Tide: 10:56 AM 1.11ft.High Tide: 2:47 PM 1.27ft.Low Tide: 10:09 PM -0.00ft.
9 «
High Tide: 5:57 AM 1.55ft.Low Tide: 11:40 AM 1.20ft.High Tide: 3:05 PM 1.29ft.Low Tide: 10:41 PM -0.04ft.
10 l
High Tide: 6:43 AM 1.56ft.Low Tide: 12:17 PM 1.26ft.High Tide: 3:19 PM 1.30ft.Low Tide: 11:15 PM -0.04ft.
11 «
High Tide: 7:27 AM 1.55ft.Low Tide: 12:50 PM 1.29ft.High Tide: 3:27 PM 1.32ft.Low Tide: 11:50 PM -0.01ft.
12 «
High Tide: 8:12 AM 1.52ft.Low Tide: 1:23 PM 1.31ft.High Tide: 3:17 PM 1.32ft.
AM Minor: 3:03a
AM Major: 9:14a
PM Minor: 3:26p
PM Major: 9:37p
AM Minor: 3:43a
AM Major: 9:55a
PM Minor: 4:06p
PM Major: 10:18p
AM Minor: 4:25a
AM Major: 10:37a
PM Minor: 4:49p
PM Major: 11:01p
AM Minor: 5:10a
AM Major: 11:22a
PM Minor: 5:34p
PM Major: 11:46p
AM Minor: 5:58a
AM Major: -----
PM Minor: 6:22p
PM Major: 12:34p
AM Minor: 6:49a
AM Major: 12:36a
PM Minor: 7:13p
PM Major: 1:01p
AM Minor: 7:41a
AM Major: 1:29a
PM Minor: 8:05p
PM Major: 1:53p
Moon Overhead: 11:30aMoon Overhead: 10:44a Moon Overhead: 12:16p Moon Overhead: 1:04p Moon Overhead: 1:52p
Moon Underfoot: 11:53p Moon Underfoot: None Moon Underfoot: 1:28a Moon Underfoot: 2:16a Moon Underfoot: 3:05a+2.0
+1.0
0
-1.0
feet feet
+2.0
+1.0
0
-1.0
BEST:1:00 — 3:00 PM
BEST:7:30 — 9:30 PM
Moon Underfoot: 12:40aBEST:
8:00 — 10:00 PMBEST:
7:00 — 9:00 PMBEST:
6:00 — 8:00 PMBEST:
5:00 — 7:00 PMBEST:
4:00 — 6:00 PM
Moon Underfoot: 11:07p
Tides and Prime Times for MAY 2013MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY
Ti
DE
L
EV
EL
ST
iD
E
LE
VE
LS
12a 12a6a 12p 6p 12a6a 12p 6p 12a6a 12p 6p 12a6a 12p 6p 12a6a 12p 6p 6a 12p 6p 12a 12a6a 12p 6p
SO
LU
Na
R a
CT
iViT
YS
OL
UN
aR
aC
TiV
iTY
Sunrise: 6:29a Set: 8:01pMoonrise: 8:28a Set: 10:29p
Sunrise: 6:29a Set: 8:01pMoonrise: 7:41a Set: 9:41p
Sunrise: 6:30a Set: 8:00pMoonrise: 6:57a Set: 8:50p
Sunrise: 6:31a Set: 8:00pMoonrise: 6:15a Set: 7:57p
Sunrise: 6:32a Set: 7:59pMoonrise: 5:35a Set: 7:02p
Sunrise: 6:32a Set: 7:58pMoonrise: 4:58a Set: 6:07p
Sunrise: 6:33a Set: 7:58pMoonrise: 4:22a Set: 5:11p
Moon Overhead: 2:40p Moon Overhead: 3:29p
l= New Moon
º = First Quarterl = Full Moon » = Last Quarter« = Good Dayn = Best Day
SYMBOL KEY
ALMANAC Digital.indd 114 4/23/13 5:19 PM
Sportsman’s DaybookNOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION
Fishing Score Graph
Day’s BestScore
2ndBest
= Peak FishingPeriod
BEST:7:45-9:40 AM
= FALLING TIDE= RISING TIDE= DAYLIGHT HOURS= NIGHTTIME HOURS
13
Low Tide: 12:26 AM 0.05ft.High Tide: 8:58 AM 1.49ft.
14
Low Tide: 1:05 AM 0.13ft.High Tide: 9:44 AM 1.46ft.
15
Low Tide: 1:45 AM 0.22ft.High Tide: 10:29 AM 1.43ft.
16
Low Tide: 2:28 AM 0.32ft.High Tide: 11:07 AM 1.40ft.
17 º
Low Tide: 3:15 AM 0.44ft.High Tide: 11:38 AM 1.37ft.Low Tide: 7:37 PM 1.00ft.High Tide: 9:44 PM 1.01ft.
18
Low Tide: 4:08 AM 0.57ft.High Tide: 12:04 PM 1.34ft.Low Tide: 6:49 PM 0.86ft.High Tide: 11:54 PM 1.05ft.
19
Low Tide: 5:09 AM 0.71ft.High Tide: 12:24 PM 1.31ft.Low Tide: 7:00 PM 0.66ft.
AM Minor: 8:34a
AM Major: 2:22a
PM Minor: 8:57p
PM Major: 2:45p
AM Minor: 9:26a
AM Major: 3:14a
PM Minor: 9:49p
PM Major: 3:38p
AM Minor: 10:17a
AM Major: 4:06a
PM Minor: 10:40p
PM Major: 4:29p
AM Minor: 11:07a
AM Major: 4:55a
PM Minor: 11:29p
PM Major: 5:18p
AM Minor: 11:54a
AM Major: 5:43a
PM Minor: -----
PM Major: 6:05p
AM Minor: 12:15a
AM Major: 6:28a
PM Minor: 12:39p
PM Major: 6:50p
AM Minor: 1:00a
AM Major: 7:11a
PM Minor: 1:23p
PM Major: 7:34p
Moon Underfoot: 3:53a Moon Underfoot: 4:40a Moon Underfoot: 5:27a
Moon Overhead: 6:34p Moon Overhead: 7:19p Moon Overhead: 8:04p
Moon Underfoot: 8:27a
Moon Overhead: 8:50p
+2.0
+1.0
0
-1.0
feet feet
+2.0
+1.0
0
-1.0
Moon Overhead: 5:49p
Moon Underfoot: 7:41a
Moon Overhead: 4:17p
Moon Underfoot: 6:57aBEST:
12:00 — 2:00 AMBEST:
12:30 — 2:30 AMBEST:
2:00 — 4:00 PMBEST:
11:00P — 1:00ABEST:
10:00P — 12:00ABEST:
9:00 — 11:00 PMBEST:
8:30 — 10:30 PM
Moon Underfoot: 6:12a
Tides and Prime Times for MAY 2013MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY
SO
LU
NA
R A
CT
IVIT
YS
OL
UN
AR
AC
TIV
ITY
Sunrise: 6:25a Set: 8:06pMoonrise: 2:37p Set: 2:21a
Sunrise: 6:25a Set: 8:05pMoonrise: 1:41p Set: 1:46a
Sunrise: 6:26a Set: 8:05pMoonrise: 12:46p Set: 1:11a
Sunrise: 6:26a Set: 8:04pMoonrise: 11:53a Set: 12:35a
Sunrise: 6:27a Set: 8:03pMoonrise: 11:00a Set: None
Sunrise: 6:28a Set: 8:03pMoonrise: 10:08a Set: 11:56p
Sunrise: 6:28a Set: 8:02pMoonrise: 9:17a Set: 11:14p
Moon Overhead: 5:03p
TI
DE
L
EV
EL
ST
ID
E
LE
VE
LS
12a 12a6a 12p 6p 12a6a 12p 6p 12a6a 12p 6p 12a6a 12p 6p 12a6a 12p 6p 6a 12p 6p 12a 12a6a 12p 6p
ALMANAC Digital.indd 116 4/23/13 5:19 PM
Tides and Prime Times for MAY 2013
T F & G A L M A N A C T e x a S F i S h & G a m e ® M A Y 2 0 1 3 | 117
20
High Tide: 1:25 AM 1.15ft.Low Tide: 6:18 AM 0.86ft.High Tide: 12:42 PM 1.30ft.Low Tide: 7:28 PM 0.42ft.
21
High Tide: 2:38 AM 1.30ft.Low Tide: 7:28 AM 0.99ft.High Tide: 12:59 PM 1.30ft.Low Tide: 8:03 PM 0.17ft.
22
High Tide: 3:42 AM 1.46ft.Low Tide: 8:37 AM 1.12ft.High Tide: 1:18 PM 1.33ft.Low Tide: 8:44 PM -0.08ft.
23 «
High Tide: 4:40 AM 1.60ft.Low Tide: 9:39 AM 1.23ft.High Tide: 1:41 PM 1.38ft.Low Tide: 9:29 PM -0.29ft.
24 «
High Tide: 5:36 AM 1.71ft.Low Tide: 10:37 AM 1.32ft.High Tide: 2:10 PM 1.43ft.Low Tide: 10:16 PM -0.45ft.
25 ¡
High Tide: 6:31 AM 1.76ft.Low Tide: 11:32 AM 1.38ft.High Tide: 2:47 PM 1.46ft.Low Tide: 11:06 PM -0.52ft.
26 «
High Tide: 7:26 AM 1.76ft.Low Tide: 12:28 PM 1.39ft.High Tide: 3:31 PM 1.46ft.Low Tide: 11:58 PM -0.51ft.
AM Minor: 1:42a
AM Major: 7:54a
PM Minor: 2:06p
PM Major: 8:18p
AM Minor: 2:24a
AM Major: 8:37a
PM Minor: 2:50p
PM Major: 9:02p
AM Minor: 3:09a
AM Major: 9:23a
PM Minor: 3:37p
PM Major: 9:50p
AM Minor: 3:59a
AM Major: 10:13a
PM Minor: 4:28p
PM Major: 10:42p
AM Minor: 4:53a
AM Major: 11:09a
PM Minor: 5:24p
PM Major: 11:39p
AM Minor: 5:54a
AM Major: -----
PM Minor: 6:25p
PM Major: 12:10p
AM Minor: 6:59a
AM Major: 12:43a
PM Minor: 7:31p
PM Major: 1:15p
Moon Underfoot: 9:13a Moon Underfoot: 10:03a
Moon Overhead: 10:29p Moon Overhead: 11:24p Moon Overhead: None Moon Overhead: 12:22a Moon Overhead: 1:24a Moon Overhead: 2:27aMoon Overhead: 9:38p
Moon Underfoot: 2:58pMoon Underfoot: 12:53pMoon Underfoot: 11:53a+2.0
+1.0
0
-1.0
feet feet
+2.0
+1.0
0
-1.0
BeST:6:30 — 8:30 PM
BeST:7:30 — 9:30 PM
BeST:7:00 — 9:00 PM
BeST:5:30 — 7:30 PM
BeST:4:00 — 6:00 PM
BeST:3:00 — 5:00 PM
BeST:2:00 — 4:00 PM
Moon Underfoot: 1:55p
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY
SO
LU
Na
R a
CT
iViT
YS
OL
UN
aR
aC
TiV
iTY
Moon Underfoot: 10:56a
Sunrise: 6:22a Set: 8:10pMoonrise: 10:03p Set: 7:53a
Sunrise: 6:22a Set: 8:09pMoonrise: 9:01p Set: 6:51a
Sunrise: 6:23a Set: 8:09pMoonrise: 7:56p Set: 5:53a
Sunrise: 6:23a Set: 8:08pMoonrise: 6:48p Set: 5:02a
Sunrise: 6:23a Set: 8:08pMoonrise: 5:41p Set: 4:16a
Sunrise: 6:24a Set: 8:07pMoonrise: 4:37p Set: 3:35a
Sunrise: 6:24a Set: 8:06pMoonrise: 3:36p Set: 2:57a
Ti
De
L
eV
eL
ST
iD
e
Le
Ve
LS
12a 12a6a 12p 6p 12a6a 12p 6p 12a6a 12p 6p 12a6a 12p 6p 12a6a 12p 6p 6a 12p 6p 12a 12a6a 12p 6p
l= New Moon
º = First Quarterl = Full Moon » = Last Quarter« = Good Dayn = Best Day
SYMBOL KEY
ALMANAC Digital.indd 117 4/23/13 5:19 PM
Sportsman’s DaybookNOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION
Fishing Score Graph
Day’s BestScore
2ndBest
= Peak FishingPeriod
BEST:7:45-9:40 AM
= FALLING TIDE= RISING TIDE= DAYLIGHT HOURS= NIGHTTIME HOURS
27 «
High Tide: 8:19 AM 1.71ft.Low Tide: 1:31 PM 1.35ft.High Tide: 4:25 PM 1.40ft.
28
Low Tide: 12:52 AM -0.40ft.High Tide: 9:09 AM 1.64ft.Low Tide: 2:46 PM 1.25ft.High Tide: 5:37 PM 1.30ft.
29
Low Tide: 1:47 AM -0.22ft.High Tide: 9:55 AM 1.54ft.Low Tide: 4:05 PM 1.09ft.High Tide: 7:16 PM 1.16ft.
30
Low Tide: 2:45 AM 0.02ft.High Tide: 10:36 AM 1.45ft.Low Tide: 5:11 PM 0.88ft.High Tide: 9:14 PM 1.04ft.
31
Low Tide: 3:47 AM 0.29ft.High Tide: 11:12 AM 1.36ft.Low Tide: 6:04 PM 0.65ft.High Tide: 11:11 PM 1.02ft.
Jun 1 »
Low Tide: 4:58 AM 0.55ft.High Tide: 11:42 AM 1.29ft.Low Tide: 6:50 PM 0.42ft.
2
High Tide: 1:00 AM 1.08ft.Low Tide: 6:21 AM 0.79ft.High Tide: 12:09 PM 1.24ft.Low Tide: 7:31 PM 0.22ft.
AM Minor: 8:07a
AM Major: 1:51a
PM Minor: 8:37p
PM Major: 2:22p
AM Minor: 9:13a
AM Major: 2:59a
PM Minor: 9:42p
PM Major: 3:28p
AM Minor: 10:16a
AM Major: 4:03a
PM Minor: 10:44p
PM Major: 4:30p
AM Minor: 11:14a
AM Major: 5:02a
PM Minor: 11:40p
PM Major: 5:27p
AM Minor: -----
AM Major: 5:54a
PM Minor: 12:07p
PM Major: 6:19p
AM Minor: 12:30a
AM Major: 6:42a
PM Minor: 12:54p
PM Major: 7:05p
AM Minor: 1:14a
AM Major: 7:26a
PM Minor: 1:37p
PM Major: 7:49p
Moon Underfoot: 4:00p
Moon Overhead: 4:30a
Moon Underfoot: 4:58p Moon Underfoot: 5:53p
Moon Overhead: 6:20a Moon Overhead: 7:09a Moon Overhead: 7:57a
Moon Underfoot: 9:06p
Moon Overhead: 8:43a
+2.0
+1.0
0
-1.0
feet feet
+2.0
+1.0
0
-1.0
Moon Overhead: 5:26a
Moon Underfoot: 8:20p
Moon Overhead: 3:29a
Moon Underfoot: 7:33pBEST:
12:00 — 2:00 AMBEST:
1:00 — 3:00 AMBEST:
8:00 — 10:00 AMBEST:
5:30 — 7:30 AMBEST:
4:30 — 6:30 AMBEST:
3:30 — 5:30 AMBEST:
8:00 — 10:00 PM
Moon Underfoot: 6:45p
Tides and Prime Times for MAY 2013MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY
SO
LU
NA
R A
CT
IVIT
YS
OL
UN
AR
AC
TIV
ITY
Sunrise: 6:20a Set: 8:14pMoonrise: 2:24a Set: 3:07p
Sunrise: 6:20a Set: 8:13pMoonrise: 1:48a Set: 2:11p
Sunrise: 6:20a Set: 8:13pMoonrise: 1:11a Set: 1:13p
Sunrise: 6:21a Set: 8:12pMoonrise: 12:31a Set: 12:13p
Sunrise: 6:21a Set: 8:12pMoonrise: None Set: 11:10a
Sunrise: 6:21a Set: 8:11pMoonrise: 11:47p Set: 10:04a
Sunrise: 6:21a Set: 8:11pMoonrise: 10:58p Set: 8:58a
TI
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L
EV
EL
ST
ID
E
LE
VE
LS
12a 12a6a 12p 6p 12a6a 12p 6p 12a6a 12p 6p 12a6a 12p 6p 12a6a 12p 6p 6a 12p 6p 12a 12a6a 12p 6p
l= New Moon
º = First Quarterl = Full Moon » = Last Quarter« = Good Dayn = Best Day
SYMBOL KEY
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by Bryan Slaven | The Texas Gourmet
Texas Tasted
Wagon Wheels
We are alWays looking for new ways to serve chicken, and we love asparagus, so I created this dish a few years ago. It was
an instant hit and can be prepped up ahead of time and frozen for grilling at a later date.
Serves 4
ingredients4 Boneless/skinless Chicken Breasts2 Slices of Provolone Cheese – round –
cut in half12 Stalks Asparagus – thin stalks, skinned
& steamed12 Slices Thin sliced Bacon – laid out
on a cookie sheet, lightly sprinkled with dried Basil Leaf and black pepper
2 cored, seeded, & chopped jalapenos1 Onion finely chopped2 Jalapenos- seeded and finely chopped1 cored Red Bell Pepper, finely chopped2 Roma Tomatoes, cored, seeded &
chopped well1/2 Stick of Butter1 Box round toothpicksBaste2 T honey3 T Soy Sauce1 T Dijon Mustard2 t Sesame Seeds1 t Dried Basil Leaf½ jar TXG Jalapeno Kiwi Jelly3 Minced Cloves of Garlic2 T Olive Oil3 T Lemon Juice1/2 t Black Pepper1 Cup dry white winePlace all basting ingredients in a sauce
pot; bring to a light boil, stirring well, until ingredients and flavors are well mixed (approx. 4 – 5 minutes). Remove from heat.
Preparation: Place chicken breast on a cutting board
covered with saran wrap. then cover with another piece of saran wrap.
Pound lightly with lightly stipple faced mallet until breast spreads and flattens out. Don’t break holes through the breasts.
After flattening each breast, place into bowl of icy cold water.
Place chopped onion, bell peppers, jala-peno, & roma tomatoes into skillet with a half stick of butter, saute until softened but not brown, remove from heat and save for recipe.
Place a breast flat on the cleaned cutting board. Put a half piece of provolone onto breast. Spread small amount of onion, toma-to, & pepper mixture over cheese. (Approx. half tablespoon) Place three asparagus on cheese, closest end towards you with heads not exposed past the ends.
Carefully roll mixture away from you into a roll. Carefully starting from one side, wrap the roll with a slice of bacon, you will need two pieces to finish. Use toothpicks to
seal and hold roll together. Roll tightly. Cut any excess from edges of roll (asparagus or cheese) then stretch a final piece of bacon long ways around the wrap to cover and seal both ends and pick shut.
Cooking instructions: On a well heated grill at medium high to
high setting either charcoal or gas, place rolls indirectly over the flames. Baste well and then cover. Turn every five minutes and baste again. After about 20-25 minutes the bacon should be browning. Move closer to flame for the final few minutes but watch carefully and keep turning to keep from over browning.
Remove from fire and cover with a piece of foil for four to five minutes. Be sure to remove all of the toothpicks used in cooking.
Slice into three quarter inch circles and then arrange on plate. Heat any leftover baste to a boil, to spoon over the wagon wheels.
Email Bryan Slaven [email protected]
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Speckled TrouT
Aransas passNine-year-old Sarah Her-nandez caught this trout on live shrimp in Aransas Pass.
red SnApper
port AransasJohn Jimenez of San Anto-nio caught this nice red snapper using dead shrimp on the north side of the Port Aransas jetties.
Flounder
port o’connorAbigail Clark, age 9, of Hallettsville, caught her first flounder while fishing in Port O’Connor. The fish measured 15-1/2 inches.
BlAck drum
Trinity BayGrace Soto, age 9, from Cove, Texas caught her first black drum while fishing in Trinity Bay. The drum was 40 inches. Pictured with Jason Soto.
STriped BASS
lake TexomaBrycen Alexander of Hurst didn’t let his broken arm keep him from landing his first striper, caught on Lake Texoma.
cATFiSh
Toledo BendTruman Cloud from Stonewall La. was fishing with great-nephew Keith Cloud of Willis on Toledo Bend and caught This 30-pound blue cat, at Huxley on the Texas side.
BASS
Guadalupe riverKevin Harris of Kerrville caught this 6-pound largemouth bass with a spinnerbait in the Guadalupe river.
Turkey
mason countyClark Mannas, 14, shot two large turkey hens in the head with one shot from his 20 gauge, while hunting on the Bella Rio Ranch in Mason County. Also pictured are friends Kolby Glennt,left, and Steven Severence, right.
Speckled TrouT
GalvestonJulianna Rodriguez, 9, of Humble caught this 21-inch speck on live shrimp under a popping cork while fishing with her dad.
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No guaran-tee can be made as to when, or if, a submitted photo will be published.
KinG macKerel
matagordaHunter Mckay, 11, caught this 35-pound king
mackerel fishing with his dad 15 miles off Matagorda. He used his trout rod and 10 pound test line to land the king.
BlacK Drum
Port lavacaAwww… the joy of catching a big one… and the pride of a fisher-man to let it go! Lee Armola caught and released this black drum in Port Lavaca.
reDFiSh
FreeportDavid Camacho, 11, caught this 30-inch redfish at the Freeport Park pier.
craPPie
Private lakeKace Arceneaux landed this monster crappie while on a fishing trip with his uncle.
BaSS
Goliad countyRick O’Bannon landed this hawg largemouth while fishing on the Southern Oasis Ranch in Goliad County.
MAIL TO: TFG PHOTOS1745 Greens Rd, Houston TX 77032NOTE: Print photos can not be returned.
EMAIL: [email protected] best results, send MED to HIGH quality JPEG digital files only, please.
TurKey
Goliad countyJeff Richards and his son Trenton with Trenton’s first turkey. The bird had 4 beards, which is extremely rare. He killed it on the Brothers ranch in Goliad County with guide Dave Richards (not related).
WhiTeTail
Wise countyCatherine Carter, age 10, shot an 11-point buck at 15 yards with a 50 cal. black powder in Wise County.
reDFiSh
SargentJim Snyder caught this 41-inch bull red while fishing in Sargent using a Carolina rig and dead shrimp. The red
weighed 38 pounds.
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