24
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID PLANO, TX PERMIT 210 Time Sensitive Material • Deliver ASAP February 25, 2011 Texas’ Premier Outdoor Newspaper Volume 7, Issue 13 Sausage fest Family traditions run deep around sausage grinder. Page 4 Inside ❘❚ LSONews.com Barge companies risk profits to help fisheries during freeze. Page 8 Unsung heroes ❘❚ FISHING Texas-based group sending oryx to Senegal. Page 5 Exotic transport Biologists trying to separate Guadalupe and smallmouth bass. Page 8 Pure strains ❘❚ HUNTING By Mark England LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Some Texans’ hunting trips next year could fall victim to legislative budget cutters. Plans call for the Public Hunting Program's $3.6 million budget at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to be sliced by half over the 2012-2013 biennium. Among other things, the program leases pri- vate land for public hunts. “Public hunting as a whole is going to suffer,” said Joey Park, who heads Texas Outdoor Partners, made up of more than 50 wildlife conservation groups. A quirk in the legislative budget proposal calls for suspending TPWD’s Public Hunting Program for half of the biennium’s first year (2012). “The way the cuts are being pro- posed would hamstring the depart- ment,” Park said. “Basically, it shuts down public hunting for the first six months of the first year.” TPWD officials are trying to per- suade the Legislature to spread the cuts over 24 months. “Every agency is dealing with issues,” said Clayton Wolf, director of the Wildlife Division. “The big- gest thing for us is to take a cut that could be problematic and turn it into something manageable.” Public hunts face deep cuts ❘❚ CONTENTS Classifieds . . . . . . . . . Page 19 Crossword . . . . . . . . . Page 18 Fishing Report . . . . . . . Page 10 For the Table. . . . . . . . Page 18 Game Warden Blotter . . . . Page 12 Heroes. . . . . . . . . . . Page 21 Outdoor Datebook . . . . . Page 20 Outfitters and Businesses . . Page 20 Products . . . . . . . . . . Page 16 Sun, Moon and Tide data . . Page 18 VanDam makes history at Classic, 2 Texans reach top 10 By Conor Harrison LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Dorothy Young knows big bass. The 75-year-old Garland resident began fishing with her parents on Texas lakes when she was 6 years old. She fished throughout her adult life, even participating in tournaments and gracing the cover of Honey Hole magazine. “Mom and dad were crappie fishermen,” Young said. “And don’t get me wrong, I love to crap- pie fish, too. But bass fishing is what I really enjoy.” See LADY'S LUNKER, Page 14 See PUBLIC HUNTS, Page 14 SPECK SURVIVAL: Anglers and guides are eager to start fishing as spring temperatures begin to rise. Although an esti- mated 2,000 speckled trout died in back-to-back freezes the first and third weeks of February, it only represented about 1 percent of the total freeze kill. Photo by Scott Sommerlatte, for LSON. By Nicholas Conklin LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Kevin VanDam asserted his dominance yet again Feb. 18-20 on the Louisiana Delta by winning his second straight Bassmaster Classic. It was the fourth time the cham- pionship was won by the pro angler from Kalamazoo, Mich. — an accomplishment achieved only by Rick Clunn of Ava, Mo. And like Clunn, VanDam is the only other angler to win back-to- back Classics. But VanDam’s 2011 catch — NEW RECORD: Despite freezing temperatures on the coast, Michael Marquis, 11, of Austin on Feb. 5 caught this 28-inch record-breaking trout in Aransas Bay. Photo by Robert Marquis. BEST EVER? Kevin Van- Dam blew away the field at the Bassmaster Classic on the Louisiana Bayou, winning his fourth overall title and sec- ond straight. Photo by BASS. By Bill Miller LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS The thermometer was stuck in the 20s when Michael Marquis and dad Robert launched from Conn Brown Harbor at Aransas Pass. Guides and state wild- life officials in early February were worried that a recent freeze might have killed a lot of fish along the coast. But that couldn’t keep this Austin family off the water on Saturday, Feb. 5. They caught a few redfish and a couple small trout. And then something took a powerful chomp on Michael’s tequila gold soft plastic. At age 11, he knows about big fish hav- ing caught two striped bass around 30 inches See ON THE RISE, Page 20 Lady’s lunker See BASSMASTER, Page 17 Season ending with mixed reviews. Page 5 Quail wrap East Texas hog tournament to battle pig problems. Page 6 Hog woes TROPHY ROOM: Dorothy Young shows some of her past trophies and awards she acquired as a lifelong bass angler. Photo by Conor Harrison, LSON. On the rise Record trout being caught despite February freezes

February 25, 2011 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

Embed Size (px)

DESCRIPTION

Daily fishing and hunting news with weekly fishing reports, game warden blotter, fishing and hunting products, events calendar, fishing and hunting videos and more.

Citation preview

Page 1: February 25, 2011 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

LSONews.com Lone✯Star Outdoor News February 25, 2011 Page 1

PR

SRT

STD

US

PO

STA

GE

PAID

PLA

NO

, TX

PER

MIT

210

Tim

e Se

nsiti

ve M

ater

ial •

Del

iver

ASA

P

February 25, 2011 Texas’ Premier Outdoor Newspaper Volume 7, Issue 13

Sausage festFamily traditions run deep around sausage grinder. Page 4

Inside

❘❚ LSONews.com

Barge companies risk profi ts to help fi sheries during freeze.

Page 8

Unsung heroes❘❚ FISHING

Texas-based group sending oryx to Senegal.

Page 5

Exotic transport

Biologists trying to separate Guadalupe and smallmouth bass.

Page 8

Pure strains

❘❚ HUNTING

By Mark EnglandLONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

Some Texans’ hunting trips next year could fall victim to legislative budget cutters.

Plans call for the Public Hunting Program's $3.6 million budget at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to be sliced by half over the 2012-2013 biennium. Among other things, the program leases pri-vate land for public hunts.

“Public hunting as a whole is going to suffer,” said Joey Park, who heads Texas Outdoor Partners, made up of more than 50 wildlife conservation groups.

A quirk in the legislative budget proposal calls for suspending TPWD’s Public Hunting Program for half of the biennium’s fi rst year (2012).

“The way the cuts are being pro-posed would hamstring the depart-ment,” Park said. “Basically, it shuts down public hunting for the fi rst six months of the fi rst year.”

TPWD offi cials are trying to per-suade the Legislature to spread the cuts over 24 months.

“Every agency is dealing with issues,” said Clayton Wolf, director of the Wildlife Division. “The big-gest thing for us is to take a cut that could be problematic and turn it into something manageable.”

Public hunts face deep cuts

❘❚ CONTENTSClassifi eds . . . . . . . . . Page 19Crossword . . . . . . . . . Page 18Fishing Report . . . . . . . Page 10For the Table. . . . . . . . Page 18Game Warden Blotter . . . . Page 12Heroes. . . . . . . . . . . Page 21Outdoor Datebook . . . . . Page 20Outfi tters and Businesses . . Page 20Products . . . . . . . . . . Page 16Sun, Moon and Tide data . . Page 18

VanDam makes history at Classic, 2 Texans reach top 10

By Conor HarrisonLONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

Dorothy Young knows big bass.The 75-year-old Garland resident

began fi shing with her parents on Texas lakes when she was 6 years old. She fi shed throughout her adult life, even participating in tournaments

and gracing the cover of Honey Hole magazine.

“Mom and dad were crappie fi shermen,” Young said. “And don’t get me wrong, I love to crap-pie fi sh, too. But bass fi shing is what I really enjoy.”

See LADY'S LUNKER, Page 14

See PUBLIC HUNTS, Page 14

SPECK SURVIVAL: Anglers and guides are eager to start fi shing as spring temperatures begin to rise. Although an esti-mated 2,000 speckled trout died in back-to-back freezes the fi rst and third weeks of February, it only represented about 1 percent of the total freeze kill. Photo by Scott Sommerlatte, for LSON.

By Nicholas ConklinLONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

Kevin VanDam asserted his dominance yet again Feb. 18-20 on the Louisiana Delta by winning his second straight Bassmaster Classic.

It was the fourth time the cham-pionship was won by the pro

angler from Kalamazoo, Mich. — an accomplishment achieved only by Rick Clunn of Ava, Mo.

And like Clunn, VanDam is the only other angler to win back-to-back Classics.

But VanDam’s 2011 catch —

NEW RECORD: Despite freezing temperatures on the coast, Michael Marquis, 11, of Austin on Feb. 5 caught this 28-inch record-breaking trout in Aransas Bay. Photo by Robert Marquis.

BEST EVER? Kevin Van-Dam blew away the fi eld at the Bassmaster Classic on the Louisiana Bayou, winning his fourth overall title and sec-ond straight. Photo by BASS.

By Bill MillerLONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

The thermometer was stuck in the 20s when Michael Marquis and dad Robert launched from Conn Brown Harbor at Aransas Pass.

Guides and state wild-life offi cials in early February were worried that a recent freeze might have killed a lot of fi sh along the coast.

But that couldn’t keep this Austin family off the water on Saturday, Feb. 5. They caught a few redfi sh and a couple small trout.

And then something took a powerful chomp on Michael’s tequila gold soft plastic.

At age 11, he knows about big fi sh hav-ing caught two striped bass around 30 inches

See ON THE RISE, Page 20

Lady’s lunker

See BASSMASTER, Page 17

Season ending with mixed reviews. Page 5

Quail wrap

East Texas hog tournament to battle pig problems.

Page 6

Hog woes

TROPHY ROOM: Dorothy Young shows some of her past trophies and awards she acquired as a lifelong bass angler. Photo by Conor Harrison, LSON.

On the riseRecord trout being caught despite February freezes

Page 2: February 25, 2011 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

Page 2 February 25, 2011 Lone✯Star Outdoor News LSONews.com

Page 3: February 25, 2011 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

LSONews.com Lone✯Star Outdoor News February 25, 2011 Page 3

Page 4: February 25, 2011 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

Page 4 February 25, 2011 Lone✯Star Outdoor News LSONews.com

HUNTING

Papa’s Sausage RoomBy Craig NyhusLONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

J. Martin Davis of Rio Medina started mak-ing venison sausage after moving to the Hill Country in the early 1960s.

“He was an avid hunter and we had a deer lease near Boerne,” said his daughter Danna Kohleffel. “They had been taking their meat to the locker plant to have sausage made. Then they decided to make their own.”

The project didn’t start out that well. “It was strictly trial and error. The fi rst year,

they hung the sausage and every link fell,” Danna said. “But they quizzed the guys at the butcher shop and got better at it.”

This season, at age 89, Davis hunted on Dec. 11. He cut up deer meat on Dec. 13. He died on Dec. 15.

“He shot two deer on Saturday,” Danna said. “He cut them up on Monday and later started feeling bad and we took him to the hospital. He died very peacefully on Wednesday.

“We should all be so lucky.”The tradition Davis started, though, will

last for decades.He built a sausage room that contained all

of the elements. An old grinder that had to be signed by all family, friends and guests that brought venison to be processed.

There is a giant steel table for cutting, grinding and stuffi ng. Also:• A kitchen for frying up the test batch and

providing food for all the attendees.• A walk-in cooler for deer meat.• A drying room with a dehumidifi er for

hanging the sausage.• And, from his son-in-law, Theo (Ted)

Kohleffel, an ancient hand-cranked cast iron sausage stuffer.Theo has been involved in the process for years.“I started in 1973,” he said. “It’s been great,

with family, friends and now with all the children and grandchildren.

“It’s a taste of how the stuff was made cen-turies ago.”

Theo is now in charge of the spices, and keeps the recipe handed down from his father-in-law — in his head.

“The basic recipe came over from Germany

in 1849,” he said. “Danna’s dad and grandfather would mix it and smell it. I fi gured someone should document it in the ’60s, so I weighed it out and came up with a formula.

“We’ve spiced it up a little since then, adding some cayenne pep-per, crushed red pepper and some fresh garlic tea and other stuff.”

Now, they also make salami, venison hamburger and a jerky recipe that has the meat soaking in brine and spices for 10 days.

The highlight, though, is the dried sausage.

The family and friends, includ-ing Theo and Danna’s sons, Nick and Chris, get together for a night of poker playing in Mr. Davis’ honor,

followed by a full day of work mixed with fun. Friends have joined in, and the festival got

some of them interested in hunting.“My friends started coming for poker and

sausage making,” Chris Kohleffel said. “Now they’re getting into hunting and want to bring their own deer.”

After the meat is cubed, it makes its way to the grinder and to a bin. The name of the per-son who provided the venison is marked on the bin, and the process continues.

Once the grinding is done, the women seem better equipped to handle the untan-gling and soaking of the casings.

“I always ended up doing that,” Danna said.Then it’s the stuffer’s turn. With one per-

son placing the ground mixture into the ancient stuffer, another cranks the wheel while a third gently guides the meat into the casing. Still others tie off the measured ends of each length.

The 500 pounds of sausage from that day were smoked and then hung to dry — and hundreds more were prepared in the follow-ing weeks.

“It’s all hanging in my garage,” Danna said. “The dogs just lay there and look up and dream. It’s worth waiting for.”

And next year, the tradition will continue at Davis’ daughter and son-in-law’s home near Boerne, on property that was part of Davis’ deer lease from the 1950s.

“Daddy specifi ed in his will that the equip-ment would go to Ted so the tradition could continue,” Danna said.

Now, the family and friends wait for the end result. They know it will be good.

And everyone knows they will be back again next year.

“I’ll miss doing it with Papa,” Chris said. “But we’ll keep doing it — and my kids already like it.”

Hunting accidents declining,

fatalities riseBy Conor HarrisonLONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

Hunting accidents in Texas contin-ued their overall decline, although hunting-related deaths rose in the state by 25 percent last year, from three to four, according to numbers released by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

The number of hunting accidents in 2010 declined to the lowest levels since records began being kept in 1966. There were 25 hunt-ing related inju-ries last year, down from 29 in 2009. The state’s worst year was in 1968, when 105 accidents,

including 37 deaths, were reported.The 2010 fatalities included:

• Matthew Thomas Jansen, 29, of the Houston area who was accidentally shot and killed Jan. 17 while hunt-ing ducks in Jefferson County. As Jansen stood up, a friend swung his shotgun outside of the safe zone of fi re. Jansen had recently celebrated the birth of his fi rst child.

• Jeremy Blake Hampton, 20, was hog hunting Feb. 12 in Throckmorton County when he accidentally dis-charged his .22-caliber rifl e while getting on an ATV.

• On Sept. 23, 69-year-old Robert Henry Worley was crossing a fence in Hamilton County when his shot-gun accidentally discharged, mor-tally wounding him in the chest.

• And Eden Gonzales, 14, was hunt-ing rabbits on Oct. 28 with a friend near his home in Duval County when he was accidentally shot in the chest with a .222-caliber rifl e. “Every one of those accidents

could have been prevented if those hunters would have followed the No. 1 commandment of hunter safety, and that is always keep the muz-zle pointed in a safe direction,” said Terry Erwin, TPWD hunter educa-tion coordinator. “Hunter educa-tion is so successful because we teach them how to handle those fi rearms.”

Erwin said TPWD records show that Jansen and Hampton both com-pleted the hunter education course, while Worley and Gonzales had not.

Every hunter in the state born on or after Sept. 2, 1971, must success-fully complete a hunter education course. But people between the ages of 9 and 16 can hunt without having taken the class if an adult who has taken the class accompanies them.

“You know you’re not going to stop accidents altogether,” he said. “But you’re going to help people build knowledge and skills to avoid accidents.

“It’s things like the 10 Commandments of Shooting Safety — the very basic safety principles — that are promoted a whole lot more now than 30 or even 20 years ago.”

Careless handling incidents almost always involve three factors: pointing a loaded fi rearm muzzle at yourself or someone else; keeping the safety off; and keeping your fi n-ger inside the trigger guard.

See Related Stories■ Hunter education Page 6■ Boating fatalities down Page 8

Family tradition continues after death of patriarch

HANG ’EM HIGH: Once the meat is ground, pushed into casings and smoked, it sits and dries in a special room with a dehumidifi er.

SECRET SPICES: Theo (Ted) Kohleffel spreads the secret family recipe of spices dating back to 1849 on venison and pork ready to be put through the grinder to be made into sausage. Photos by Craig Nyhus.

HEIRLOOM: The grinder at Papa's sausage room has been signed by family, friends and guests who brought venison there to be processed.

Page 5: February 25, 2011 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

LSONews.com Lone✯Star Outdoor News February 25, 2011 Page 5

Cliffhanger for Panhandle quail season, happy ending in South Texas

Natives head home

By Conor HarrisonLONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

The Ingram-based Exotic Wildlife Association is in the fi nal phase of a three-part project to repopulate Scimitar-horned oryx to their native country of Senegal in Northwest Africa.

Although there are more than 11,000 oryx in the state of Texas, the animals

are virtually extinct across their native range, with less than 25 animals reported in Senegal.

The main reason for repop-ulating the animals is to pre-vent inbreeding in the minis-cule native herd with a hope of future repopulation efforts in other African countries that got their oryx from the Senegal herd.

The fi rst phase of the

project was to obtain per-mits from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife and the Department of the Interior, as well as coordinating with the Senegalese government, according to Charlie Seale, executive director of EWA.

“It’s frustrating because these foreign countries really don’t want the animals

See EWA SENDING, Page 6

Ranchers of exotics sending oryx back to Senegal

PLENTY HERE: The Exotic Wildlife Association is hoping to send 24 Scimitar-horned oryx, like the one pictured above with hunter Gil McCoy, back to their native country of Senegal to bolster bloodlines in that country. Photo by Gil McCoy.

By Bill MillerLONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

When there’s good news and bad news, a lot of people prefer to hear the bad fi rst.

Like the fi nale of a suspenseful television drama, the 2010-2011 Texas upland game season is set to end Feb. 27 with a West Texas cliffhanger.

Hunters on the Rolling Plains, along with quail researchers, are stumped over why they saw lots of coveys before the start of the season, but then most of them seemed to disappear.

This was supposed to be a great year for bobwhites and blue quail because abundant rainfall had set the stage for a rebound of the drought-stunted populations.

Not so, hunters lament.“I hunted around Abilene and conditions were

perfect — everyone felt really good in September,” said Joe Crafton of Dallas.

But by October, he said, hunters noticed a dearth of quail. “And,” he added, “in November and December, they were apoplectic.”

Researchers suspect disease and they pledged to explore that hypothesis in the coming months. That’s an important task, said the upland game pro-gram leader for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

“We got lots of calls from people who said they had quail and then they sort of disappeared,” said Robert Perez, the program leader.

“We don’t know what, but something unusual happened.”

Perez said TPWD would help the researchers as much as budget cuts will allow. The Texas Legislature is considering deep reductions for the agency.

But quail hunters are ready to join the effort. Crafton, vice chairman of Park Cities Quail

Coalition, said his group plans to donate $2 million to the cause.

But it wouldn’t be fair to say hunting in West Texas, and the Panhandle in particular, was com-pletely bleak.

Ranches that managed quail habitat had birds.Stephen Deane of Amarillo hunted in Donley and

Briscoe counties, where the biggest problem seemed to be temperatures below freezing in early February.

“On a good day, I’d see about a covey an hour, usu-ally with about 15-25 birds,” Deane said. “I was real happy with it right up until this cold weather.

“Our hunting hasn’t been superb, but it has been much better than last year and 100 percent better than the year before that.

“We just need another wet spring and I think it will be excellent.”

As for the good news, there’s no cliffhanger in South Texas, where bobwhites did achieve a modest population recovery.

“We got into tons of coveys,” said Ken Burch of Houston of his weekend hunt in Duval County. “I’d say Friday we saw 15-20 coveys and Saturday was pretty much the same. Sunday morning, I’d say we probably got up eight or nine.”

The 2010 rains had thoroughly fueled the habitat of the region, but recent freezes knocked down some of it, Burch said.

“There was lots of ground cover and it was very thick,” he said. “It made retrieving very diffi cult. Second fl ushes were really diffi cult.”

Nevertheless, Burch said his group downed 86 birds.The good reports out of South Texas offer enthusi-

asm for next season, if nature cooperates with more rain, Perez said.

“Places where quail held on — that’s where we see them recover best,” he said.

MYSTERY: Hunters on the Rolling Plains are baffl ed why bobwhite quail suddenly disappeared in West Texas. But in South Texas, hunters are celebrating the little bird’s rebound from years of dam-aging drought. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.

Page 6: February 25, 2011 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

Page 6 February 25, 2011 Lone✯Star Outdoor News LSONews.com

East Texas hog tournament aims to blunt depredations

PIG PROBLEMS: National forests in East Texas don’t have hunting year-round, so feral hogs numbers are growing, along with the dam-age they infl ict on nearby private property. The Lone Star Wild Hog Tournament, Feb. 26-March 6, is intended to thin the pig population. Photo by David J. Sams, LSON.

back,” Seale said. “They have trouble feeding their own (people), so we had to assure them we would pay for the feed for three to fi ve years.”

The second phase of the project involved shipping infrastructure to Senegal, including game fences donated by Stay-Tuff Company and tools from Uvalco Supply.

The areas that received the supplies included the Gumball Reserve and Ferlo National Park in Senegal.

“These are wide-open areas and we had to have a way to separate the oryx by themselves,” Seale said. “We com-pleted this phase last summer with all donated supplies.”

So far, Seale said, EWA has spent $85,000 on expenses. But it is sending more than 11 miles of fencing to Senegal

that’s worth $25,000 per mile.The fencing will be used to make

enclosures for several different species, including dama and dorca gazelles, which were reintroduced in the park in 2002.

The fi nal stage will be to ship the ani-mals to Senegal; a process made more challenging by a recent change in the Senegalese government.

“Currently, we are at a stalemate,” Seale said. “We were hoping to have it done by January, but that isn’t going to happen. When we do move these ani-mals, they will be loaded in shipping crates, two at a time, and transported by fl ight to Senegal.”

The 24 animals will be DNA tested to confi rm that they are pure Scimitar-horned oryx, since the oryx can inter-

breed with Gemsbok and Arabian oryx. A veterinarian will accompany the

animals on the freighter voyage.“It’s quite a process,” Seale said. While the oryx are critically endan-

gered in the wild, Seale and EWA have been working to have the animals removed from the endangered spe-cies list here in the United States.

“These animals should never have been placed on the endangered spe-cies list,” he said. “We are fi ghting to get them taken off, and hunting this species in Texas has never been better.”

EWA sendingContinued From Page 5

By Bill MillerLONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

Feral hog depredations continue across Texas, but organizers of a nine-day hunting contest in the state’s eastern counties aim to blunt the destruction.

The Lone Star Wild Hog Tournament, Feb. 26 through March 6, offers $2,250 in prizes at each of the fi ve national forest ranger stations in the region.

The money will be paid to contestants who deliver the most hogs to the ranger stations.

The National Wild Turkey Federation is working with the Forest Service and the Texas AgriLife Extension Service and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to hold the contest.

Why the turkey group?Hogs, consumers of plants and meat, have been

known to eat turkey eggs after fl ushing hens from their nests.

There is no scientifi c proof blaming pigs for reduc-tions in turkey populations, said Scotty Parsons, a NWTF biologist.

“But,” he explained, “they do compete for the same food, like the hard-mast crops — the winter food — principally the acorns.”

Tubers, shoots and forbs also are coveted by the two species.

“So, this is trying to control a non-native invasive species,” Parsons said. “We are partnering with U.S. Forest Service, which started to receive a bunch of calls from all around the national forests about hogs.”

But the problem seems to be growing on private property surrounding national forests in East Texas.

Parsons explained that these public lands are used by a variety of “constituent” groups, such as horse-back riders.

“So, they don’t have year-round hunting,” he said. “Because of that, the feral hog population is getting

out of control.”Fannin County Agent Roger Skipper, another tour-

nament organizer, said hogs have rooted up some of his own land where he hoped to plant grasses to feed livestock.

“It’s rough,” Skipper said. “You can’t get across. It’s just like someone came in and started digging holes the size of my offi ce.”

Skipper said the tournament is modeled after the various varmint-hunting contests in Texas.

Contestants can pre-register, but the organizers said they could also sign up when they bring hogs to the check stations.

Entry fees are $20 per person or $35 per two-person team. Only freshly harvested, not frozen, hogs will be accepted.

They can be taken by any legal means or methods, but only contestants with valid hunting licenses may participate.

Hogs captured in traps and taken to state-certifi ed buying stations will be counted if the trapper brings sales receipts to the contest check-in stations.

It’s up to the hunters to dispose of the hogs, although Parsons said some needy families living near the Caddo National Grasslands will receive some of the meat.

Parsons and Skipper said they hope to donate more wild pork from future contests.

“This fi rst time, we just didn’t want to get into a position of stockpiling the hogs on the Forest Service properties,” Parsons said.

Check stations include the Caddo National Grasslands Work Station, north of Honey Grove and ranger stations on these national forests: the Angelina near Zavala; the Sabine east of Milam; the Davy Crockett near Ratcliff; and the Sam Houston at New Waverly.

For information, call Parsons at (409) 739-5553 or Skipper at (903) 583-7453.

Leschpers plead guilty to violations in Alaska

An outdoors writer from Texas who settled in Alaska has pleaded guilty to the illegal kill-ing of a black bear in 2008.

Lee Leschper, the former outdoors editor of the Amarillo Globe-News, entered his plea on Jan. 20 in Juneau.

The charge was unlawful methods of taking game, according to a news release from the Alaska State Troopers.

The incident happened on a boat near Juneau, the troopers said. It is illegal to shoot game from boats in that area of the state, but not others.

Leschper’s attorney, Wayne Anthony Ross of Anchorage, said in a prepared statement that Leschper and his son, William, an out-doors writer in Corpus Christi, didn’t know they were breaking the law.

Ross said they both shot at the bear at the urging of their friend who had the boat.

William, who already had a bear, also shot to help keep a wounded animal from escaping,

Ross said.The lawyer noted that Alaska Department of

Fish and Game guideline literature “encour-ages using all means to ensure a wounded bear doesn’t escape and they were doing so. They did not believe this constituted William shooting over his limit of black bears.”

Lee Leschper is also a former execu-tive director of the Texas Outdoor Writers Association.

A judge fi ned him $5,000 with $2,000 suspended, and $600 in restitution for the bear. His Alaska hunting license was revoked for one year and he was ordered to forfeit the black bear.

William was fi ned $500 and also ordered to pay $600 in restitution for the bear, the troopers said.

The Leschpers were also ordered, “to write a story for publication concerning the impor-tance of following Fish and Game laws,” the troopers said.

The Leschpers declined to comment, but Lee referred to a quote from him that is included in the statement from his lawyer.

“Clearly we regret everything about this incident,” he said. “Not knowing or trusting someone else’s judgment to know is no excuse.

“Hunting anywhere, especially Alaska, is a right and a responsibility that demands nothing less.”

—Staff report

TPWD Hunter Ed instructors needed

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will be conducting a free hunter education new instruc-tor training workshop Saturday, March 12, 2011, in Waco. The workshop will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 8451 Gholsen Road in Waco.

Instruction will be offered for new appli-cants and currently certifi ed instructors in skills trial, live-fi ring exercises and home study procedures. The training puts fun and exciting activities into the learning experi-ence. Students will benefi t by going through actual hunting simulations and by making their own decisions regarding responsible

actions using “shoot-don’t-shoot” scenarios.Before attending this workshop, you must

go to the TPWD Web site and prepare yourself by going over the instructor training manual. Applicants must sign an acknowledgement and release that they have done this pre-work-shop assignment as part of their training.

Every Texas hunter born on or after September 2, 1971, must successfully com-plete a hunter education course. The hunter education program’s goals are to reduce hunt-ing-related accidents and violations; promote safe, responsible and knowledgeable hunting; and enhance hunting traditions and values.

Hunter education provides instruction in Texas hunting regulations, wildlife manage-ment and identifi cation, conservation, ethics, fi rearm and hunting safety and responsibility and outdoor skills.

By understanding hunting through educa-tion, hunters and non-hunters alike will help make a bright future for the sport.

To register, contact TPWD Area Chief Brent Heath at (254) 722-5660.

—Staff report

SUCCESS: EWA is hoping the shipment of Scimitar-horned oryx goes as smooth as previ-ous shipments of animals, including Dama gazelles pictured. Photo by EWA.

Page 7: February 25, 2011 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

LSONews.com Lone✯Star Outdoor News February 25, 2011 Page 7

Murski to receive lifetime award

By Conor HarrisonLONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

Ray Murski will be this year’s recipient of the T. Boone Pickens Lifetime Sportsman Award, which will be presented to him at the Park Cities Quail Annual Dinner and Auction on March 10 in Dallas.

The 71-year-old from Brenham grew up quail hunting and regards the award as one of the highlights of a life spent in the outdoors.

“This means everything in the world to me,” Murski said. “It’s just one of the greatest things that ever happened to me. It was a great surprise just to be nominated.

“It’s an award I’ll cherish the rest of my life.”Murski began hunting quail when he was 10 years old, but his real passion is bringing chil-

dren into the outdoors.“I started 40 years ago and there is a rumor I’ve sent 100,000 kids through the outdoor expe-

rience,” he said. “I give them a chance to experience the outdoors, and if they don’t like it, at least they had the chances I had.”

Murski regularly hosts Boy Scout troops on his ranch to teach them about the outdoors.“One of the greatest things for me is when I ask them what their favorite (merit) badge is and

most say ‘shooting,’” he said. “It’s up to people like myself to get kids outside and away from their TVs and video games.”

Joe Crafton, Park Cities Quail vice president, said Murski was a perfect choice for the award.“Ray has a lot of dear friends that really respect and love him,” Crafton said. “They all say he’s

given more to conservation and the outdoors than most people. He created opportunities for young people to shoot their fi rst bird or catch their fi rst fi sh.

“He’s lived a life of adventure but he’s still all about giving back.”

TOP HONOR: Ray Murski stands next to the T. Boone Pickens Lifetime Sportsman Award. Murski has spent the better part of 40 years introduc-ing Texas youth to the outdoors. Photo by Conor Harrison, Lone Star Outdoor News.

Page 8: February 25, 2011 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

Page 8 February 25, 2011 Lone✯Star Outdoor News LSONews.com

FISHING

By Conor HarrisonLONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

A voluntary shutdown of barge traf-fi c along the Intracoastal Waterway is credited for helping to save thou-sands of fi sh during back-to-back freeze events in early February.

Speckled trout, black drum and redfi sh often head to the deep ship-ping channel of the ICW when tem-perature drops in the shallow bays, said Robin Riechers, coastal fi sheries director for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

But, when barge traffi c moves through the channel, cold-stunned fi sh can get caught in propeller wash or be bounced along the bottom by turbulence.

Sediment that settles to the bottom after a barge travels through the channel also kills fi sh.

However, a voluntary agreement is in place between TPWD and the Gulf Intracoastal Canal Association, which represents nearly 200 barge operators along the Southeastern coast.

“This is a volunteer system in its second year of imple-mentation,” said Jim Stark, executive director of GICA. “I get a call from scientists at Texas A&M who work closely with TPWD biologists monitoring water temperatures.

“They have a model to predict lethal temperatures for fi sh and will recommend a closure.”

Stark then sends notices to all barge operators to “simply ask them to voluntarily suspend transit.”

“That is what we did in this instance, and I’m pleased

that almost all of the operators complied,” Stark said. “We did have one barge that had to get through with a critical commodity, but it went through within the fi rst eight hours of the closure.”

Stark said the Laguna Madre is a critical waterway but not as well traveled as other portions of the Intracoastal Waterway.

“Six or seven companies held up and didn’t make transit,” he said. “I’m happy they all pulled together and complied.”

TPWD can order anglers not to fi sh during severe cold snaps, but suspend-ing barge traffi c is a volunteer measure that can eat at a company’s profi ts.

John Rooney, operations manager for Brown Water Marine Service, a

barge company based in Rockport, said it costs the com-pany about $7,000 in lost revenues for every day they can’t operate.

“We participated in (the shutdown),” Rooney said. “We kind of saw what was going on ahead of time so we reshuf-fl ed some things instead of shutting down this time. It does cost us, but it’s something we do.”

Rooney said many of his clients are based along the northern stretches of the Mississippi River, and they have to be educated about the fi sheries in the Laguna Madre.

“Once we explain that it could damage the fi shery for the next three or four years, they understand the delay,” he said.

Riechers praised barge company owners.“The barge stoppage helped a lot,” he said. “We are

giving them big kudos.”

Guadalupe bass revival gaining

momentum

Unsung heroes: Barge operators risk losses to help fi sheries

Boating fatalities fall to record low in 2010

SACRIFICE: Barge company owners voluntarily suspend traffi c during severe freezes so that fi sh, stunned by cold, don’t get caught in propeller wash. But that can cost a company as much as $7,000 a day. Photo by David J. Sams, LSON.

Blue ‘cats’ boated from both deep and shallow waters

By Nicholas ConklinLONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

Catfi sh anglers in Texas are start-ing to chase blues from the deep water into the warmer shallow water of Texas lakes.

But others have also been fi shing the deep-water structures that most fi sh hold in during cold weather.

Both techniques are yielding strong catches from Lewisville Lake in North

Texas to Toledo Bend Reservoir on the border with Louisiana.

On Lewisville Lake, guide Bobby Kubin, said that even as the water temperatures start to warm up, blues can still be found cruising from 30 to 60 feet below the surface.

Kubin was guiding a trip on Friday Feb. 18, teaching anglers the fi ner points of catching deep-water cats.

“We’re catching some trophy-size fi sh, about 30 pounds, with a

few smaller fi sh in the 2- to 6-pound range,” Kubin said.

For deep-water blues, Kubin said that he likes to fi sh Carolina or Santee rigs with shad. The rigs with 2- or 3-ounce weights work well get-ting the bait down to the deep struc-ture on Lewisville.

But, with water temperatures in the low 50s, most fi sh will begin to move

See BLUE 'CATS', Page 15

By Aaron ReedFOR LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

Texas boating fatalities in 2010 fell to the lowest number in at least 15 years, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

A bill introduced in the Texas House of Representatives Feb. 16 aims to continue that trend.

A total of just 171 reported boating accidents resulted in 138 serious injuries and 27 fatalities in 2010, said Jeffery Parrish,

See GUADALUPE BASS, Page 20

By Bill MillerLONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

For a fi sh that usually weighs about a pound, the Guadalupe bass gives the angler a good fi ght, but it’s also built for speed.

Unlike the largemouth, which inhabits slow waters, this bantam bass lives in the swift rivers of the Texas Hill Country.

But the Guadalupe bass is largely unknown to guests at the South Llano River Lodge southwest of Junction, even though it’s the state fi sh of Texas.

“Most people who come out here to fi sh have no idea about the Guadalupe bass until they tie into one,” said Walter Curry, lodge proprietor. “But they fi nd, to their delight, that it fi ghts.

“It digs to the bottom.”A fi sh like that can be great for return business.That’s why Curry and others support efforts by Texas

Parks and Wildlife Department to restore genetically pure Guadalupe bass to rivers draining the Edwards Plateau region.

Next stop: the South Llano River.About $1 million already has been raised, including

a $300,000 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, which wants to help several species of black bass, including the Guadalupe.

The little bass has declined for several reasons.Rivers were dammed, causing slower streams. Cattle

ranges were overgrazed, which put more silt into the rivers.But while habitat took a hit, something else happened.

See BOATING FATALITIES, Page 19

REBOUND: The feisty Guadalupe bass, once a mainstay on rivers in the Hill Country, has hybridized with smallmouths, which has reduced its population. State wildlife offi cials and landowners hope to reverse that trend. Photo by David J. Sams, LSON.

HIGH-CENTERED: Although fatalities from boating accidents are down, accidents still can happen, as evidenced by this boat wreck at Freeport several weeks ago. Photo by Scott Sommerlatte, for LSON.

Year Registered Accidents Injuries Fatalities Boats19971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010

606,178613,378614,211617,616630,688620,740624,186620,720619,150597,830593,446594,698587,547605,332

258252262257242251265212211258260271206171

222187186173191147175146100165181173138138

6953515541613836364752613827

Page 9: February 25, 2011 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

LSONews.com Lone✯Star Outdoor News February 25, 2011 Page 9

By Lance MurrayFOR LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

Melissa Spencer, eight months pregnant with her fi rst child, hasn’t gone fi shing with her hus-band, Gabe, in a long time.

But on Saturday, Feb. 12, she decided to brave the 21-degree weather to accompany him to Lake Palestine near Tyler for some crappie fi sh-ing under the bridge for Texas Highway 155.

It was a decision that likely saved the life of North Carolina resident Ephran Harmon, and will give the Bullard couple a hair-raising story to tell their daughter, Kameron, once she's born and is old enough to understand.

“It was the fi rst time she’s been fi shing with me in a year and half,” Gabe Spencer said. “But, she wanted to go fi shing that day and had taken a bunch of blankets with her.”

While Melissa tried to stay warm under her blankets, Gabe fi shed from their bass boat.

Gabe, 33, owner of Black Angel Jig Co. in Tyler, said he was checking out the other fi sher-men when something about 200 yards away in the water caught his eye.

“I happened to look up and I thought it was a dog, but it wasn’t,” he said.

He realized it was a man struggling in 41-degree water to swim back to his boat that was being pushed away by a brisk wind. The Spencers knew they needed to get to the man quickly because he could become hypothermic.

The man was Harmon, who was in East Texas visiting a relative. He had fallen into the water when another boat's wake rocked him from his 12-foot fl at-bottom boat.

“He stood up and was trying to untangle some fi shing line when another boat came along,” Spencer said.

Harmon told his version of the story to televi-sion station KLTV.

“Every time I’d get up to it and reach for it, it would just be out of arm’s reach,” he said of his boat. “So, I said the heck with this, I will just tread water and wait for someone to come by and get me.”

The Spencers reached him just in time and worked as a team in the rescue.

“When my husband went to pull him out, I was standing back to see if he was going to fi ght or come out easily,” Melissa, 28, said. She was afraid she could be knocked into the water, too.

But she hooked her arm under Harmon's arm, got a hold on his belt and helped her hus-band pull him aboard. Harmon's coveralls were soaked, making him extra heavy.

“It was scary when we pulled him out of the water because his arms were completely rigid and he wasn't shivering anymore,” she said. “He was coughing up foamy water so I knew he had cold water in his lungs.”

The couple secured Harmon, removed his coveralls and wrapped him in Melissa’s blan-kets. They called 911 and headed out for the fi ve-minute drive back to the dock. As Gabe drove, Melissa cared for Harmon.

“She was there holding him. He had his head in her lap,” Gabe said.

Melissa prayed.“This man could die in my lap,” she said. “I

prayed and knew it was in God's hands.”Melissa said as the blankets warmed him,

Harmon's condition improved.By the time they reached shore, Harmon was

able to walk with an assist. He was taken by ambulance to a hospital in Tyler where he was treated and released.

The Spencers haven’t talked with Harmon since, but they heard he went fi shing that Monday and then returned to North Carolina.

The experience will have a lasting effect on the couple.

“I’m really glad that God gave us the oppor-tunity to do something like that,” Melissa said. “Not everybody gets that chance.”

Melissa is an eighth-grade science teacher in Troup, and Gabe said her students saw the tele-vision report about their heroics.

A student asked her what happened, Gabe said, “so she was able to give them a lesson in hypothermia.”

And, Melissa said, she and Gabe were happy that Kameron was along for the ride.

“She’s not even here yet and she got to be in a very important event ... that's kind of neat,” Melissa said.

Woman, 8 months pregnant, helps husband rescue angler

Page 10: February 25, 2011 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

Page 10 February 25, 2011 Lone✯Star Outdoor News LSONews.com

ALAN HENRY: Water lightly stained; 44–49 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on shad pattern spinnerbaits and crankbaits along creek channels, and on jerkbaits, black/blue jigs and live baits suspended in trees. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfi sh are good on live baits.

AMISTAD: Water clear; 48–54 degrees; 0.18’ high. Largemouth bass are good on spinnerbaits, crankbaits, jigs, and soft plastics. Striped bass are good on deep-running crankbaits and jigging spoons. White bass are good on deep-running crankbaits and jigging spoons. Catfi sh are good on cheesebait over baited holes in 90–120 feet. Yellow cat-fi sh are good on trotlines and throwlines baited with live perch.

ARROWHEAD: Water semi–turbid; 41–43 degrees; 3.46’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are fair on live minnows. Blue catfi sh are good on cut or live shad.

ATHENS: Water lightly stained, 46–51 degrees; 0.8’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on spinnerbaits, fl ukes and Rat–L–Traps. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs fi shed over brush piles. Bream are fair to good on live worms. Catfi sh are good on live worms and prepared bait.

BASTROP: Water clear. Largemouth bass are good on chartreuse crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and jigs. Crappie are good on minnows over brush piles. Channel and blue catfi sh are fair on stinkbait and shrimp.

BELTON: Water clear; 52–58 degrees; 3.07’ low. Largemouth bass are good on light-colored spinnerbaits in coves. Hybrid striper are slow. White bass are good on light blue jigs. Crappie are good on minnows under lights at night. Chan-nel and blue catfi sh are good on hot dogs and stinkbait. Yellow catfi sh are fair on trotlines baited with live perch.

BOB SANDLIN: Water off-color; 46–52 degrees; 3.06’ low Largemouth bass are fair to good on wacky rigs, spinnerbaits and Senkos. White bass are good on slabs. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfi sh are fair to good on trotlines.

BRAUNIG: Water clear; 53 degrees. Largemouth bass are good on crankbaits and dark soft plastic worms in the reeds. Striped bass are good on liver and shad near the pier, and down-rigging silver and gold spoons and marble spinners near the dam. Redfi sh are slow. Chan-nel catfi sh are good on liver, shrimp, cheesebait, and cut bait near the spill-way. Blue catfi sh are good on cut bait.

BRIDGEPORT: Water fairly clear; 46–51 de-grees; 3.9’ low; Largemouth bass are fair on shad pattern crankbaits, Rat–L–Traps and 4” Yum Dingers. White bass and hybrid striper are fair on slabs and live bait. Catfi sh are fair to good on cut bait.

BROWNWOOD: Water clear; 48 degrees; 9.69’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on chartreuse spinnerbaits, crawfi sh-colored soft plastics, and black/blue Rat–L–Traps in 2–7 feet. Hybrid striper are slow. White bass are good on Li’l Fishies and crankbaits. Crappie are fair on Li’l Fishies and minnows over brush piles in 10–20 feet.

BUCHANAN: Water clear; 47 degrees; 10.84’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on watermelon Whacky Sticks on jigheads, Rattlin’ Rogues, and Carolina-rigged chartreuse lizards along ledges in 15–25 feet. Striped bass are fair trolling chartreuse Curbs striper jigs and Rattlin’ Rogues, and drifting live bait in 25 feet. White bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows over brush piles in 14–18 feet.

CADDO: Water murky; 47–52 degrees; 0.52’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on Senkos, fl ukes, spinnerbaits and Texas rigs. Crappie are fair to good on min-nows and jigs. Catfi sh are fair to good on nightcrawlers and cut shad.

CALAVERAS: Water clear; 53 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on green pumpkin and chartreuse soft plastic worms, spinnerbaits, and crankbaits around reeds. Striped bass are good on spoons and jigs near the crappie wall. Channel and blue catfi sh are good on shrimp and cheesebait in 181 Cove.

CANYON LAKE: Water clear; 50 degrees; 1.47’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on blue fl ake worms on jigheads, Carolina-rigged watermelon lizards, and chartreuse worms on shaky jigs along break lines. Striped bass are fair trolling silver striper jigs and vertically jigging Pirk Minnows. White bass are fair on Pirk Minnows and small crankbaits in 30–40 feet. Smallmouth bass are fair on tomato red curl tail grubs and JDC smoke/red fl ake tubes in 15–25 feet. Crappie are fair on minnows and crappie jigs upriver.

CEDAR CREEK: Water stained; 45–51 degrees; 2.56’ low. Largemouth bass are

fair on medium-running shad pattern crankbaits, Texas rigs and drop-shot rigs. White bass are good on slabs. Hybrid striper are fair on live shad and large slabs jigged vertically. Crappie are fair to good on minnows. Catfi sh are fair drifting cut shad.

CHOKE CANYON: Water clear; 54 degrees; 5.97’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on watermelon soft plastics, and fl ipping jigs in the grass. White bass are good on small spinnerbaits and Rat–L–Traps off the bank near the dam. Crappie are slow. Drum are slow. Channel and blue catfi sh are good on stinkbait and nightcrawlers. Yellow catfi sh are fair on live perch.

COLEMAN: Water clear; 52 degrees; 10.86’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on green pumpkin soft plastics, spinnerbaits, and crankbaits. Hybrid striper are fair on minnows and silver striper jigs. Crappie are fair on minnows and green tube jigs. Channel catfi sh are good on prepared bait and liver. Yellow catfi sh are slow.

COLETO CREEK: Water fairly clear; 55 degrees (76 degrees at discharge); 0.18’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on chartreuse soft plastics, spinnerbaits, and Rat–L–Traps. Channel and blue catfi sh are good on shrimp, stinkbait, and nightcrawlers. Yellow catfi sh are good on trotlines baited with perch.

CONROE: Water fairly clear; 1.47’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on pump-kinseed soft plastics and crankbaits in 15–25 feet. Striped bass are fair on chartreuse striper jigs. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfi sh are good on stinkbait, liver, and shrimp.

COOPER: Water stained; 46–52 degrees; 7.47’ low; Largemouth bass are fair on Texas-rigged blue fl eck worms, drop-shot rigs and slow–rolled spinnerbaits. Crappie are fair to good on jigs and min-nows over brush piles. White bass are good on slabs. Hybrid striper are fair to good on slabs and live shad. Catfi sh are fair on nightcrawlers and prepared bait.

FALCON: Water fairly clear; 54–56 de-grees. Largemouth bass are fair on soft

plastics and slow-rolling spinnerbaits in shallow areas. Crappie are fair on minnows and chartreuse jigs. Channel and blue catfi sh are excellent on frozen shrimp, frozen shad, and prepared bait.

FAYETTE: Water clear; 55 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on pump-kinseed crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and Rat–L–Traps in shallows.

FORK: Water fairly clear; 46–52 degrees; 3.28’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on soft plastics and spinnerbaits. Crappie are fair to good on minnows

and jigs. Catfi sh are good on prepared baits under roosting cormorants.

GRANBURY: Water clear; 49 degrees; 0.51’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on green pumpkin and chartreuse soft plastics and Rat–L–Traps. Striped bass are slow. White bass are slow. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfi sh are fair on frozen shrimp and stinkbait.

GRAPEVINE: Water stained; 45–50 de-grees; 1.17’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on jigs, Texas rigs, crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on slabs. Catfi sh are fair to good on cut bait and nightcrawlers.

JOE POOL: Water off-color; 45–51 degrees; 0.2’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas rigs, spinnerbaits and wacky rigs. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs over brush piles. White bass are good on slabs. Catfi sh are fair to good on nightcrawlers and prepared baits.

LAKE O’ THE PINES: Water stained; 46–52 degrees; 0.26’ high. Largemouth bass are slow to fair on Texas rigs, weightless fl ukes or 5” Yum Dingers and Rat–L–Traps. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs. Catfi sh are good on nightcrawlers and cut shad. Bream are fair on red wigglers.

LAVON: Water stained; 46–51 degrees; 4.82’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas rigs, spinnerbaits and shallow slow–running crankbaits. White bass are good on slabs. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs around bridge columns. Catfi sh are fair to good on cut shad and nightcrawlers.

LBJ: Water fairly clear; 53 degrees; 0.18’ low. Largemouth bass are good on green pumpkin tubes and watermelon drop-shot worms along docks and seawalls. Striped bass are slow. White bass are fair on Spoiler Shads and silver Pirk Minnows near the power plant. Crappie are fair on minnows over brush piles and under heated docks. Channel catfi sh are fair on minnows and nightcrawlers.

LIVINGSTON: Water fairly clear; 50 degrees;

0.22’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits and soft plastics. Striped bass are slow. White bass are slow. Crappie are good on minnows. Blue catfi sh are fair on shad.

MONTICELLO: Water fairly clear; 59–81 degrees; 0.84’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Rat–L–Traps, weightless fl ukes, Texas rigs and chatterbaits

O.H. IVIE: Water stained; 44–50 de-grees; 27.16’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Rat–L–Traps, jigs, shallow-run-ning shad pattern crankbaits and Texas rigs. Crappie are fair on live minnows. Catfi sh are fair on prepared bait.

PALESTINE: Water lightly stained; 44–51 degrees; 1.48’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas rigs, jigs and crankbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfi sh are fair on prepared bait. Bream are fair on worms. Hybrid striper and white bass are good on slabs and Sassy Shad worked near the bottom.

POSSUM KINGDOM: Water stained; 43–46 degrees; 1.51’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are fair on live minnows. White bass are fair on slabs. Striped bass are fair on live shad.

RAY HUBBARD: Water fairly clear; 46–51 degrees; 2.83’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on spinnerbaits, crankbaits and Texas or Carolina rigs. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on small Bass As-sassins. Hybrid striper are good on 4” Bass Assassins. Catfi sh are fair to good on cut shad and nightcrawlers.

RAY ROBERTS: Water clear; 45–50 de-grees; 1.25’ low. Largemouth bass are slow on Rat–L–Traps and crankbaits around rocky points. Crappie are slow. White bass are fair on main lake humps and ridges in 30–35 feet on chartreuse/white 1 oz. slabs.

RICHLAND CHAMBERS: Water off-color; 46–50 degrees; 1.94’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on medium-running shad pattern crankbaits, Texas rigs and spinnerbaits. White bass and hybrid striper are good on slabs, Bass Assas-sins and live shad. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfi sh are good on nightcrawlers and cut shad.

SAM RAYBURN: Water lightly stained; 51 degrees; 7.78’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on watermelon crankbaits and Rat–L–Traps in 15–25 feet. White bass are fair on minnows and Li’l Fishies. Crappie are fair on minnows. Bream are fair on worms. Catfi sh are good on nightcrawlers and stinkbait.

TAWAKONI: Water fairly clear; 45–49 degrees; 3’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on red Rat–L–Traps, spinnerbaits, jigs and Texas rigs. Crappie are fair on minnows. White bass are good — follow the birds. Striped bass and hybrid striper are excellent on 4” Bass Assas-sins dead–sticked with a 1 oz. jighead. Catfi sh are fair on prepared bait.

TEXOMA: Water off-color; 46–49 degrees; 0.85’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on chatterbaits, spinnerbaits, crankbaits and Texas rigs. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs. Striped bass are good on live shad and large Road Run-ners over humps. Catfi sh are fair to good on cut and live shad.

TOLEDO BEND: Water stained; 45–49 degrees; 7.36’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon red cut tail worms on drop shots in 25–35 feet early, and later on red crawfi sh crankbaits in 8 feet. Crappie are good on shiners and water-melon and chartreuse tube jigs. Channel and blue catfi sh are good on liver and bloodbait over baited holes.

TRAVIS: Water stained; 55 degrees; 14.63’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon soft plastics, chrome jigging spoons, and crankbaits in 15–25 feet. Striped bass are fair on shad crankbaits and spinnerbaits in 25–40 feet. White bass are fair on minnows and Li’l Fishies in 30–40 feet.

WHITNEY: Water stained; 9.70’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and Rat–L–Traps. Striped bass are fair on minnows. Catfi sh are good on shrimp and nightcrawlers.

NORTH SABINE: Trout and redfi sh are fair while drifting mud and shell. Sheepshead are fair to good around the rocks.

SOUTH SABINE: Redfi sh are fair on the edge of the channel on mullet. Sheepshead and black drum are good at the jetty on live shrimp.

BOLIVAR: Trout are fair on the south shoreline on slow–sinking plugs. Black drum and redfi sh are fair to good at Rollover Pass.

TRINITY BAY: Trout are good for drifters working pods of shad and mullet on Bass Assassins, Trout Killers and Sand Eels. Redfi sh are good at the spillway on crabs and mullet.

EAST GALVESTON BAY: Trout are fair to good on the south shoreline on Corkies and MirrOl-ures. Whiting and sand trout are good on the edge of the Intracoastal on fresh shrimp.

WEST GALVESTON BAY: Sheepshead, redfi sh and black drum are good at the jetty on shrimp and crabs. Trout are fair over deep shell.

TEXAS CITY: Sheepshead are fair around rock groins on live shrimp. Mangrove snap-per and whiting are fair from the piers.

FREEPORT: Sand trout and sheepshead are good on live shrimp on the reefs. Redfi sh are fair to good at San Luis pass on cracked blue crabs.

EAST MATAGORDA BAY: Trout are fair for drift-ers on live shrimp over humps and scattered shell. Redfi sh are fair to good on the edge of the Intracoastal on crabs and mullet.

WEST MATAGORDA BAY: Redfi sh are fair to good on the south shore-line in the guts and bayous. Trout are fair on shell on soft plastics.

PORT O’CONNOR: Trout and redfi sh are fair on Corkies over soft mud in waist–deep water in San Antonio Bay. Redfi sh are fair to good at the mouths of drains on soft plastics and slow–sinking plugs.

ROCKPORT: Trout are fair on the edge of the ICW on glow DOA Shrimp. Redfi sh are fair to good on the Estes Flats and in California Hole on mullet and shrimp.

PORT ARANSAS: Redfi sh are fair to good around Pelican Island and mullet. Sand trout are good on shrimp in the channel.

CORPUS CHRISTI: Redfi sh are good in the Humble Channel on crabs and table shrimp. Trout are fair to good in Oso Bay and soft plastics.

BAFFIN BAY: Trout are fair to good in mud and grass on Corkies and Catch 2000s. Trout are fair to good in the guts along the King Ranch shoreline on Corkies.

PORT MANSFIELD: Redfi sh are fair to good on DOA Shrimp and under a popping cork around grass holes. Trout are fair to good on mud along the edge of the ICW on Corkies and MirrOlures.

SOUTH PADRE: Trout and redfi sh are fair to good on the edge of the Intracoastal on DOA Shrimp. Redfi sh, black drum and mangrove snapper are fair to good in the channel on shrimp.

PORT ISABEL: Redfi sh are fair to good around Cullen’s and Laguna Vista on TTF Flats Minnows and Hackberry Hustlers. Trout are fair on the edge of the fl ats on DOA Shrimp.

TEXAS FISHING REPORT

HOT BITES SALTWATERSCENE

rout and redfish are fair

dd

LARGEMOUTH BASS

AMISTAD: Good on spinnerbaits, crankbaits, jigs, and soft plastics.

LBJ: Good on green pumpkin tubes and watermelon drop-shot worms along docks and seawalls.

MONTICELLO: Good on Rat–L–Traps, weightless fl ukes, Texas rigs and chatterbaits

TRAVIS: Good on watermelon soft plastics, chrome jigging spoons, and crankbaits in 15–25 feet.

WHITNEY: Good on watermelon spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and Rat–L–Traps.

CRAPPIE

BELTON: Good on minnows under lights at night.

BOB SANDLIN: Good on minnows and jigs.

LAVON: Good on minnows and jigs around bridge columns.

LIVINGSTON: Good on minnows.

Sponsored by

CATFISH

COLETO CREEK: Channel and blue cat-fi sh are good on shrimp, stinkbait, and nightcrawlers. Yellow catfi sh are good on trotlines baited with perch.

FALCON: Channel and blue catfi sh are excellent on frozen shrimp, frozen shad, and prepared bait.

LEWISVILLE: Excellent on cut shad and prepared baits.

WHITE, HYBRID, STRIPER

BELTON: White bass are good on light blue jigs.

BRAUNIG: Striped bass are good on liver and shad near the pier, and down-rigging silver and gold spoons and marble spinners near the dam.

CHOKE CANYON: White bass are good on small spinnerbaits and Rat–L–Traps off the bank near the dam.

HOT SPOT

Lewisville LakeReports from guides and anglers this week from Lewisville, just north

of the DFW/Metroplex, said the white bass are beginning to congregate in the creeks and in the shallower areas of the lake as water tempera-tures continue to rise. According to guide Steve Schiele, largemouth bass fi shing was picking up and the blue and channel catfi sh bite has

been excellent. To contact Schiele, call (214) 629-1628.

Page 11: February 25, 2011 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

LSONews.com Lone✯Star Outdoor News February 25, 2011 Page 11

Man indicted in 2002 boat wreck that killed football player

A Bertram man is accused of causing the 2002 boating wreck that killed a Lampasas High School athlete.

Travis Aaron Marburger, 37, was indicted Feb. 8 by a Burnet County grand jury.

The charges include one count of manslaugh-ter and one count of tampering with evidence, state wildlife offi cials said.

Game wardens believe Marburger was pilot-ing a boat that collided with another vessel, killing one of its occupants, 18-year-old Justin Wayne Roberts.

The teenager had been on the lake with two friends fi shing for white bass when the collision

happened in the early morning hours of May 3, 2002, according to information from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Roberts, who played football for Lampasas High School, would have graduated a few days later.

Game wardens also believe Marburger left the scene without offering assistance or calling for help.

There were no breaks in the case until last Nov. 22 when a tip made to Operation Game Thief directed wardens to Marburger’s land north of Bertram.

There, the wardens on Dec. 8 dug up a 1977 fi berglass Checkmate boat. The 16-foot boat matched the description of the vessel believed to have struck the boat occupied by Roberts.

Marburger was arrested, but he has been released on $100,000 bond to await trial.

—Staff report

Boat dealership closes; DA unit investigatingAnchor Marine, a longtime boat dealership on the northeast side of San Antonio, is out of

business following several customer complaints, including one that is being investigated by a white-collar crime unit.

At least three people complained that the consignment sales of their boats were mishandled by the company, located at 5560 N. Loop 1604 East.

Some of the people got their money, but not James Bryant of San Antonio, who won a Skeeter SX 190 with a Yamaha 150 in a 2008 Bass Champs tournament on Choke Canyon Reservoir.

Adriana Biggs, chief of the White Collar Crimes Division of the Bexar County District Attorney’s Offi ce, explained that Bryant already owned a boat, so he asked Anchor Marine to sell his tourna-ment prize on consignment.

Months passed. Then, last August, Bryant learned from a friend that his boat had been sold. Anchor Marine handed him a check for $23,000.

“They paid him with a hot check,” Biggs told Lone Star Outdoor News. And, she added, because Bryant had not yet been paid by early February “we are pursuing.”Also, records kept by State Comptroller’s Offi ce show that Anchor Marine “is not in good stand-

ing as it has not satisfi ed all franchise tax requirements.”Anchor Marine has had other owners, but was most recently operated by Tony Alvarez Jr. who

was reached by phone on Feb. 18., but he said that his lawyer advised him not to discuss the case publicly.

“It’s a legal matter,” he said. “It shouldn’t be discussed by anyone.”James Newbold of San Antonio told LSON that he was one of the disgruntled consignment cus-

tomers. He said that the company gave him a “runaround” over the sale of his boat, but he was fi nally paid in early December.

About a week later, he said, the inventory began shrinking at Anchor Marine. “All the manufacturers came and got them,” he said of the boats. “It hasn’t been open since.”Bryant, a San Antonio chiropractor, said he doesn’t want to see anyone go to jail; he just wants

to be paid.“But,” he added, “if a D.A. has to get involved, then I guess that’s what has to happen.”

—Staff report

Page 12: February 25, 2011 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

Page 12 February 25, 2011 Lone✯Star Outdoor News LSONews.com

STORE JERKED FOR SELLING DEER JERKY Brooks County Game Warden Royce

Ilse received information that a local retail store was advertising "Fresh Deer Jerky" for sale. Royce made con-tact with the store owner, and wearing plain clothes, purchased the deer jerky and asked where he got the meat. The subject claimed that a friend provided him with deer. Ilse educated the sub-ject and a case is pending.

HOG TRAPDOOR CAUSES PISTOL TO DISCHARGE

Uvalde County Game Warden Henry Lutz was called to Uvalde Memorial Hospital for a report of a person with a hunting-related gunshot wound. The victim was reportedly closing up hog traps on the ranch when he came upon a trap that had a raccoon in it. He retrieved a .22-caliber revolver sin-gle-action pistol to shoot the raccoon. The raccoon escaped, and the victim laid the loaded pistol on top of the hog trap. When the trapdoor slammed shut, the pistol discharged, causing non life-threatening injuries.

BURGLARIZING BEAVER

Shortly before midnight, Freestone County Game Warden John Thorne received a call from the Fairfi eld police department requesting assis-tance with an attempted break-in at a local grocery store. A large beaver was trying to get into the store by standing up on his hind legs and shaking both front and back doors with his front legs. The beaver was removed from the property without incident.

LOW WATER LEADS TO RECOVERY OF STOLEN TRUCK

A pickup truck was observed by a fi sherman underwater at E.V. Spence Lake. Coke County Warden Jim Allen assisted the Coke County sheriff in the recovery of the stolen pickup. The pickup was stolen in March of 2010 and had less than 4,000 miles.

DUCK SEASON ENDS WITH CITATIONSOn Lake Wichita, Wichita County

Game Warden Steven Cantu received information regarding duck hunters. Cantu went to the location and heard duck calls. At the boat ramp, Cantu found the hunters’ truck and boat trailer. Forty-fi ve minutes after sunset, the shots started up again. Two hours later, two men arrived at the boat ramp with their lights off and loaded their boat. The men claimed that they thought that everything was legal to hunt until 30 minutes after sunset and that it was too hard to turn on all the lights to their boat. On Brushy Creek near Onalaska, two men were shooting after legal shooting hours in an unregistered boat without life jackets and displaying no lights. One was in possession of lead shot. Multiple cases pending.

HOMEMADE TOOL GIVES AWAY SHOOTERS FROM ROAD

Waller County Game Warden Kevin Glass received a call about possible road hunting and traveled across the county to stop two men. Glass found a loaded .22-caliber rifl e and a spotlight warm to the touch, along with an inter-esting homemade tool. When asked about the tool, one man answered that it was used to pull the shot ani-mals from the thick brush growing on

the fence rows along the road. It must have worked because they had rac-coons, opossums, and armadillos in the bed of the truck. Cases pending.

COMMERCIAL REDFISH FARM VIOLATES BIRD CONTROL PERMIT

A commercial fi sh farm’s bird con-trol permit allowed the facility to kill up to 50 depredating cormorants and gulls per year. Matagorda County Game Wardens David Janssen and Aaron Koenig, and Galveston County Game Warden Vu Nguyen assisted USFWS agents with service of a war-rant on a commercial redfi sh farm. Statements from fi sh farm employees led to the collection of more than 180 carcasses, including a large number of pelicans and other non-permitted bird species.

SUCCESSFUL DAY OF FISHING CUT SHORTAlong the shoreline of the Rio Grande

River below Falcon Lake Dam and it's power plant discharge waters, Starr County Game Warden Drew Spencer observed a man fi shing under the deck of the power plant. Spencer called a U.S. Border Patrol agent for assis-tance and they took extra precaution in approaching the man, fearing that he would jump into the turbulent dis-charge waters. The subject had no fi shing license and was taken into cus-

tody and handed over to Border Patrol for detention. Spencer seized the man’s makeshift stringer, including sev-eral largemouth bass (one of which was about 10 pounds) and several catfi sh (one of which was about 30 pounds).

RIFLE DISCHARGES WHILE MAN EXITING 4-WHEELER

A hog hunter, while getting off of his 4-wheeler, reached for his rifl e slung on his shoulder. As he moved the rifl e to his side, it discharged and injured him. Hockley County Game Warden Jay Oyler investigated. The man was transported to the hospital by his son.

TIP LEADS TO STOLEN ATVAn anonymous tipster to the Tyler

TPWD offi ce said three men on a deer lease had killed white-tailed deer with a rifl e during archery season and there were two stolen ATVs at the hunt-ing camp. Anderson County Game Wardens Oscar Jaimez and Karen Gray investigated and discovered one four-wheeler with the serial numbers removed. The ATV was seized and a suspect arrested. Case is ongoing.

HUSBAND AND WIFE SPOTLIGHTERS DON’T HAVE STORY STRAIGHT

Hill County Game Warden Mark Hammonds received a report of shoot-ing from the roadway near the Brazos

River below Lake Whitney. At daylight, Hammonds and a Hill County sheriff's deputy observed a man and woman walking in a pasture near a corn feeder. Hammonds summoned the couple to the fence line at the roadway. The cou-ple denied shooting but did admit to hearing the shots. When asked which direction the shots came from, the man and woman both pointed, but in sepa-rate directions. The offi cers entered the property and inspected the area, fi nding a rifl e in the grass and two spent shell casings. The man admitted to shooting at an 8-point buck while his wife held the spotlight. Cases pending.

FACEBOOK POST BUSTS DUCK POACHERSAn individual’s post on Facebook

included 19 pictures, one showing seven adults, two juveniles and 83 wood ducks. Bowie County Game Warden Shawn Hervey and Cass County Game Warden Dan Hill inves-tigated. The group stated they did not kill that many but were given extra ducks from other individuals who could not be identifi ed. The main suspect stated they were not over the limit because the possession limit had taken effect, so the wardens explained the daily bag limit. Cases are being fi led and more are possible.

NATURE LOVING TRESPASSERS DIDN’T LOVE HOGS

Thanks to a tip from Chambers County Game Warden Jason Francis, Harris County Game Warden Timothy Holland apprehended two individuals poaching on a chemical plant’s prop-erty on the Harris/Chambers county line. Two subjects had deer blinds, trail cameras and automatic feeders on both sides of the county line. They did not have valid hunting licenses or written consent. The subjects claimed to be nature lovers just watching the wildlife on the trail cameras until 10 minutes later when a .223-caliber rifl e and a dead hog were discovered in the brush. Charges pending.

GAME WARDEN BLOTTER

A Kansas game warden called Fort Bend County Game Warden Barry Eversole for assistance in locat-ing a Texas resident he had seen on Facebook posing with a trophy deer he had hunted and killed in Kansas. Records through Kansas Fish and Wildlife showed that the Texas resident did not purchase a non-resident white-tailed deer tag. Eversole contacted the Houston Communication Center to pull up various records in order to locate this subject, and several possible addresses in the Beaumont area were located. Eversole notifi ed Captain Rod Ousley from the Beaumont District Offi ce and later, Jefferson County Game

Warden Colt Crawford advised Ousley that he had a possible address located with a vehicle belonging to the subject in question. Hardin County Game Warden Mike Boone responded to the address and was able to obtain a statement about the entire hunt. The state-ment included the name of an outfi tter in Kansas along with a taxidermist. Boone recovered a nontransferable Kansas resident white-tailed deer tag that belonged to a 10-year-old female resident of Kansas at the process-ing facility. The large trophy deer was seized along with the archery equipment used to harvest it and will be turned over to Kansas Fish and Wildlife.

TOO MANY FACEBOOK FRIENDS FOR POACHER OF OUT-OF-STATE DEER

Page 13: February 25, 2011 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

LSONews.com Lone✯Star Outdoor News February 25, 2011 Page 13

Page 14: February 25, 2011 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

Page 14 February 25, 2011 Lone✯Star Outdoor News LSONews.com

Young has the trophies mounted on her wall to prove her expertise. She even taught her husband to fi sh, although an ill-ness has kept him off the water the past few years.

When she’s not caring for him, she likes to fi sh.

Her biggest fi sh came last fall while fi shing with her son, Mike, on Lake Fork. She landed a bass that was at least 28-inches long and well over 13 pounds, according to Mike.

“It was around 2 a.m. and we were fi shing in a cove on Lake Fork where my parents used to have property,” Mike Young said. “I was on the front with the trolling motor and mom was in the back of the boat.

“She’ll yell when she

hangs up on something and that cast she threw out there and said she thought she was hung. Then it pulled back and she said ‘I’ve got a fi sh.’”

Mike said he wasn’t sure what his mom had caught until he heard the splash that “sounded like a can-nonball” when the big fi sh jumped.

“I said ‘I’ve either caught a whale or a limb,’” Dorothy said. “Then she jumped and Mike yelled, ‘Don’t let her get away.’”

Dorothy pulled the fi sh to the boat and Mike net-ted the big bass.

Mother and son didn’t want to keep the fi sh out of the water long, so they measured it with a pole in the boat.

“It was the biggest fi sh I ever saw,” Mike said. “Mom was real anxious to let it go. We had a small pole we knew was 26-inches long, and the bass hung off the

end of that.”Mike said he believes the

fi sh easily weighed more than 13 pounds.

They released the fi sh after snapping several pictures.

“Mike is my go-to guy when I go fi shing,” Dorothy said. “He was hol-lering and carrying on after that fi sh hit. It’s fun when you catch a fi sh like that and you are with someone you like to fi sh with.”

Dorothy said she fi shes mostly with plastic worms and caught the bass on a black Zoom brush hog.

“I’ve fi shed nearly every lake in this state and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it,” she said. “We had a place on Lake Fork and we might have been the fi rst boat to fi sh it. There used to be only one place to launch and half the lake was too shallow. But it’s an awesome lake.”

Mike said the majority of family vacations with his par-

ents and two brothers were spent fishing at Texas lakes.

“My grandparents used to go all of the time,” he said. “Crappie, catfi sh, bass — it didn’t matter; we were fi shing. We used to go

spend a week in a tent on Lake O’ The Pines.

“We’d get a guide the fi rst day and then fi sh those spots the rest of the week. We always had a good time.”

Lady's lunkerContinued From Page 1

Private land leased for public hunting would fall from 979,000 acres to 860,000 acres under the current budget proposal, Wolf said.

TPWD would strive to keep the most popular hunting sites, he said.

“We’d look at which land gets the most use,” Wolf said. “The tracts which get less use would be let go of. Basically, it would come down to a cost-benefi t analysis.”

The reduction in hunting acre-age would only be for the fi rst year of the biennium.

“The problem is, would land-owners re-lease with us after hav-ing laid out a year?” Wolf said.

The Public Hunting Program cuts are part of the fallout as Republican leadership in the Texas Legislature vows to slash state gov-ernment rather than raise taxes to deal with a budget shortfall that could reach almost $30 billion.

Ironically, hunters and anglers already have paid taxes that could bail out many TPWD programs.

Federal excise taxes from the sale of hunting and fi shing equipment as well as revenue from the sale of hunting and fi shing licenses and stamps go into what is known as Fund 9. The dedicated fund can be used by TPWD for hunting pro-grams, as well as fi sh and wildlife research and law enforcement.

TPWD offi cials told LSON that Fund 9’s balance is $25 million. At the end of the upcoming bien-nium, however, it could reach $65 million — as legislative budget plans don’t call for letting TPWD tap the fund.

“We’re talking about cutting fi sh and wildlife biologists, cutting game wardens and (hunting) pro-grams funded through Fund 9,” said Gene McCarty, TPWD’s dep-uty executive director for adminis-tration. “You hate to leave money on the table when you’re having to cut services.”

Park said the outdoorsmen he talks to fi nd the issue frustrating.

“Hunters and fi shermen say that it’s their money and it’s col-lected for one purpose: supporting hunting and fi shing activities, and it’s not going for that,” he said. “Legislators don’t really have a pal-atable excuse — except they have to balance the budget.”

Members of the legislature could not be reached for comment.

However, a legislative staffer called the practice of letting funds accrue in dedicated accounts an “accounting mechanism” that’s been going on for years. Agencies such as the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the Texas General Land Offi ce also are subject to it.

“Taxpayers have the expecta-tion that every dollar they pay to gain admittance to a state park should go back to programs for state parks instead of being used to help balance the budget,” said the staffer, who asked not to be named. “Legislators, though, face a predicament. They have other needs for which they don’t have adequate tax revenue. Overages are used to fi ll holes elsewhere.”

Balances accruing at agencies are “swept” into a fund consoli-dation bill at the end of the leg-islative session to build up the plus side of the state budget — although the funds can’t be spent for anything other than their ded-icated purpose.

“In effect, they’re brought into the general revenue fund to help the comptroller certify the budget,” the staffer said. “People may ask, ‘How come I pay $3 in taxes and I’m only getting a dollar back in services?’ It’s a legitimate question.”

Public huntsContinued From Page 1

NIGHT BITE: Dorothy Young poses with the big bass she caught last fall while fi shing on Lake Fork with her son, Mike. They estimated the fi sh’s weight at more than 13 pounds. Photo by Mike Young.

Page 15: February 25, 2011 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

LSONews.com Lone✯Star Outdoor News February 25, 2011 Page 15

shallow as they follow the shad.Fish on Lake Tawakoni, east of Dallas,

have already begun their migration to shal-low waters.

According to reports, cats were being caught from 15 to 30 feet. Water tempera-tures are reaching the upper 40s and low 50s, which has caused baitfi sh to move closer to shore.

Tommy Blanscett of Trophy Catfi sh Adventures, said that the fi sh on Tawakoni have begun to move out of the deep water (40-50 feet) because of the warming water temperatures.

“Right now they’re beginning to hold the points,” Blanscett said. “They’re really start-ing to pattern on those wind blown points.”

Landing a fair number of 30-pound blues, Blanscett reported a total of about 780 pounds during one full-day trip in mid-February. The largest one weighed 53 pounds.

Most of the fi sh on that trip and later trips

were caught on large gizzard shad, measuring between 10 and 14 inches.

“Those fi sh are few to come by when you start talking 50- to 60-pound range, but they (large fi sh) are becoming more active with this warming trend,” Blanscett said.

On Toledo Bend, anglers reported good numbers of cats being taken on liver and bloodbait while working structure and holes.

Blue ‘cats’Continued From Page 8

BIG BLUES: Anglers are catching big blues across the state as the fi sh move from deep to shallow water in search of baitfi sh. Photo by Lone Star Outdoor News.

Page 16: February 25, 2011 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

Page 16 February 25, 2011 Lone✯Star Outdoor News LSONews.com

PRODUCTS

797 FTO ELITE ANGLED TACKLE SYSTEM:Plano pairs function and convenience in this tack-le organizer. This box incorporates the company’s 15-degree angled storage platform, which secure-ly holds six waterproof StowAway utility boxes in its main compartment. The box also has ample storage space under the lid, and two top access storage ar-eas. It also is equipped with an integrated, expand-able rear compartment for additional storage. En-gineered for extreme anglers, this system includes seven utility boxes of various sizes plus a “Guide Series” waterproof case to accommodate just about

anything anglers will need. Non-skid rubber feet keep the 23-inch by 12-inch-by-12.125-inch box above wet surfaces. It sells for about $90.

(800) 226-9868www.planomolding.com

Lone Star Outdoor News, a publication of Lone Star Outdoor News, LLC, publishes twice a month. A mailed subscrip-tion is $30 for 24 issues. Newsstand copies are free, one per person. Copyright 2011 with all rights reserved. Repro-duction and/or use of any photographic or written material without written permission by the publisher is prohibited. Subscribers may send address changes to: Lone Star Out-door News, P.O. Box 551695, Dallas, TX 75355 or e-mail them to [email protected].

Advertising Call (214) 361-2276 or e-mail editor@lone staroutdoornews.com to request a media kit.

For home delivery subscriptions www.LSONews.com(214) 361-2276

Executive EditorEditor

Associate EditorAssociate EditorGraphics Editor

Business/Products EditorOperations Manager

AccountingWeb site

InternFounder & CEO

Craig NyhusBill MillerConor HarrisonMark EnglandAmy MooreMary Helen AguirreMike HughsGinger HoolanBruce SoileauMike Nelson

Blazing Paths Media

Nicholas ConklinDavid J. Sams

National Advertising Accounts Manager

Classifi ed/Outfi ttersAdvertising

Contributors Kyle CarterAlan ClemonsDavid DraperWilbur LundeenAaron ReedErich SchlegelDavid SikesScott SommerlatteChuck UzzleRalph Winingham

giseSe

NIGHT COUGAR XT:American Technologies Network’s newest binoculars are comfortable to wear and easy to use, thanks to a lightweight dual eye/tube goggles sys-tem. Powered by two fi rst-generation image intensifi er tubes, the preci-sion optics offer bright imagery plus a built-in infrared illuminator that enables users to see in total darkness. The binoculars’ easy-to-adjust headgear also allows for hands-free use. The ATN Night Cougar XT binos cost about $570.

(800) 910-2862www.atncorp.com

BOONE AND CROCKETT CLUB’S 27TH BIG GAME AWARDS, 2007-2009: Described as a cata-log of conservation successes, the 704-page paperback is part of a series that spans more than half a century. Readers will fi nd listings for more than 4,900 trophies in 32 categories of North American big game taken between 2007 and 2009, with details such as gross score, fi nal score, location, date of kill, over-all rank and more. Illustrated by 60 color and hundreds and black-and-white fi eld photos and portraits, the book also contains written accounts for some of those record-making hunts. The book is listed at $29.95.

(888) 840-4868www.boone-crockett.org

NIGHT HAWK: Stealth 4x4’s newest offering is its Night Hawk long-range electric vehicle. Featur-ing a 72-volt, 30-horsepower electric mo-tor — and 130 pounds of peak torque

— the Night Hawk with four-wheel-drive promises agility, strength and

speed. The off-road electric vehicle is powered by high capacity,

12-volt deep-cycle batter-ies that offer a 30-plus

mile range on a full charge. Additionally, the vehicle features a forward and reverse switching system; on-board 13-amp char-ger/maintainer; a 12-volt power outlet and

more. The base price is $12,900.

For dealers, visit:www.stealth4x4.com

>>

SIMMS RIVERTEK BOA BOOT:This wading boot features a closure system that achieves a micro-adjustable, glove-like fi t via three components: knob, spool, and lace. Turn the knob to activate the internal spool

that then pulls the Boa lace to snugly — and securely — conform to the demands of the feet and terrain. Con-

structed from aircraft grade stainless steel, the dura-ble lace easily sheds water, mud, ice, or any kind

of river muck. The boot also offers a rubber toecap for protection against rocks

and debris; a dual-density, com-pression molded EVA midsole with lower density heel core for extra cushioning; and a “StreamTread” traction sole for added stability in mucky terrain. The MSRP is $169.95.

(866) 585-3570www.simmsfi shing.com

>>>>

>>

A good blade should be rigid, but the device that sharpens it doesn’t have to be.

DAREx of Ashland, Ore., says the fl exible abrasive belts on its Work Sharp Tool & Knife Sharpener (about $70) can quickly restore an edge to any dull fi llet knife or hunting blade.

So when Lone Star Outdoor News received a test model, the staff decided to put it through the paces at the Port Bay Hunting & Fishing Club near Rockport.

This Gulf Coast club was founded in 1909, and thousands of fi sh and waterfowl are cleaned there each year.

We unpacked the elec-tric-powered sharpener late one Saturday night in early November for some of the younger guides who were cleaning ducks.

They were impressed with how the sharpener’s

fl exible belts and precision guides con-formed to the shapes of their blades, pro-ducing quick results.

“It was amazing,” said Travis Wilcox, one of the teens cleaning ducks. “I ran my knife through it just twice. It got so super sharp, you could split hairs with it.”

The sharpener also impressed the club’s senior staff mem-ber, once he got the younger crew to part with it.

“All duck season we used it,” said Capt. Jeremy Griffi s, chief guide. “I don’t use any other sharp-eners on my knives now.

“I used it on my fi -ancé’s kitchen knives and she loves it.”

Griffi s noted that a small tensioner knob on the sharpener occasion-ally becomes loose and needs tightening.

But, he added, none of the belts have ever "come off on me.”

DAREx made its name by selling industrial drill sharpeners.

But Griffi s said the company was on the mark when it developed a sharpener with fl exible belts, not hard surfaces like wet stones.

He said the belts and precision guides take the guesswork out of select-

ing the right stone and what angle to apply the dull blade.

“It’s easy to use,” he said. “Someone without a lot of know-how on sharp-ening knives can pick this up and get good with it quickly.

“It explains itself.”The sharpener is car-

ried by Ace Hardware, Sears, Northern Tool + Equipment, Amazon.com and others. A kit contain-

ing several replacement sells for about $10.

For information, visit www.worksharptools.com.

—Bill Miller

DAREx sharpener eliminates guesswork

>>

Page 17: February 25, 2011 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

LSONews.com Lone✯Star Outdoor News February 25, 2011 Page 17

15 fi sh totaling 69 pounds, 11 ounces — trounced the previous Classic weight record of 56 pounds, 2 ounces set by Luke Clausen in 2006.

It was reported VanDam caught the record weight using a Strike King crankbait in black back chartruese.

“I don't take these for granted because I know how hard it is just to get to the Classic, much less try to win one. The last couple of years have been magical.”

On the event’s fi nal day, VanDam overtook Aaron Martens of Leeds, Ala., by 10 pounds, 11 ounces.

VanDam fi shed Lake Cataouatche, 15 miles west of New Orleans, the entire tourna-ment, opting against the four-hour round-trip to Venice La.

The debate to make the run south of Venice was one that many anglers struggled with, especially after fog delayed the fi rst two days of the event.

But fog couldn’t keep Texans off the board as three of the fi ve of them compet-ing this past weekend made it through to the fi nal day.

Todd Faircloth of Jasper, and Gary Klein of Weatherford, topped fellow Texans by fi n-ishing the weekend in the No. 8 and No. 10 spots respectively.

Keith Combs of Del Rio completed the event in the No. 22 spot.

Faircloth decided to fi sh the Venice area, but he said his biggest concern was get-ting there and back safely.

“We ran into some big fog

when we got down to Venice,” he said. “We don’t want to have any accidents out there.

“If we catch a big bag of fi sh, that’s a plus, but to get back safely is the most important thing.”

Faircloth started strong, posting a total weight of 15 pounds, 2 ounces after Day 1 for eighth place.

The nearly two-hour delay on Saturday only slightly affected his catch totals; he ended the day with a fi ve-fi sh limit of 13 pounds, 14 ounces.

Unable to advance past the No. 8 spot, Faircloth fi nished Sunday with a bag of 18 pounds, 3 ounces for a three-day total of 47 pounds, 3 ounces.

Faircloth said he caught the majority of his fi sh on a Yamamoto Flappin’ Hog and an All-Terrain Tackle jig.

Klein had to work his way up the leader board after end-ing Friday at No. 24 with 12 pounds, 7 ounces.

He jumped 17 spots on Day 2 to the No. 7 spot with a total weight of 17 pounds.

His Sunday performance of 15 pounds, 15 ounces brought his 10th place total

to 45 pounds, 6 ounces. It was his 29th Classic appearance.

With that many years on the tour, Klein said things like delayed start times don’t worry him.

But, he added, large bass still excite him.

“What does rattle my cage is when you catch a big fi sh, like my biggest,

and your line hops,” he said. “That gets me excited.”

He fi nished the tour-nament with a total of 36 pounds, 12 ounces.

Also competing was Kelly Jordon of Mineola, who ended Friday tied at No. 12 with a total weight of 14 pounds, 3 ounces.

But, Jordon could not hold the spot and slipped to No. 37 Saturday after catch-ing only two fi sh weighing 2 pounds, 15 ounces. That kept him from making the cut Sunday; he completed the tournament with a total of 17 pounds, 2 ounces.

Jordon decided to run down to Venice on Day 2, even though boats couldn’t launch until 10:45 a.m.

He said the gamble worked for some anglers, but not him.

“It was just the wrong plan for me,” he said.

A fi fth Texan, Clark Reehm of Lufkin, caught four fi sh Saturday. But he was late arriv-ing to the weigh-in, so deduc-tions reduced his catch to 11 ounces. That, coupled with not catching fi sh Friday, kept him from continuing on Sunday

TOP TEXAN: Todd Faircloth of Jasper pulls up a bass Sunday during the fi nal day of the Bassmaster Classic on the Louisiana Delta. His eighth-place fi nish was the highest of all Texans in the competition. Gary Klein of Weatherford was 10th. Photo by BASS.

BassmasterContinued From Page 1

Page 18: February 25, 2011 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

Page 18 February 25, 2011 Lone✯Star Outdoor News LSONews.com

JOIN US TODAY

Texas’ Premier Outdoor Newspaper

24 issues for $30Mail to Lone Star Outdoor News, PO Box 551695, Dallas, TX 75355. For fastest service, call (214) 361-2276 or visit LSONews.com.

Name ____________________________________________Address_____________________________________________City/State/Zip____________________________________E-mail____________________________________________Phone_____________________________________________❑ Master Card ❑ VISA ❑ American Express ❑ Discover Credit Card No.____________________________________Expiration Date______________________________________Signature__________________________________________

Solunar | Sun times | Moon timesMoon Phases

FOR THE TABLEOUTDOOR PUZZLER | By Wilbur “Wib” Lundeen Solution on Page 22

ACROSS1. A large game of the plains

5. Newborn elk 7. A good boat for lake

fi shing 8. Trapped for the fur 9. A large member of the

pike family12. Common name for the

brook trout13. Of the strength of a

fi shline16. This grouping is called a

covey17. Best of the fi rewoods19. Species of trout20. Also called a dogfi sh21. Game or wildfowl having

young22. A predator of small game25. Perch are classed as this28. Deer domain marks on a

tree29. A type of gunsight31. Shotgun model, over

and _____32. The home of the kelp33. Boat gear34. The trapper's interest37. To pull back the bowstring42. A game runway43. A deer species

44. Said to be most elk-populated State

DOWN 1. Inside of a gun barrel 2. Camo slip-ons for a

bow 3. Crappie, perch are

____ fi sh 4. A very good walleye

bait 5. Should have one in

hunting kit 6. A good bait for brown

trout 7. Camper's resting place10. A group of decoys11. A deer lure, scent

____12. Used for bait at times14. A model of shotgun15. A young bear16. The carrier for arrows18. Describes a trigger19. A fl y lure21. A beginner at hunt-

ing or fi shing23. A deer food source24. The bowman's ammo26. ____fi sh is a small panfi sh27. Trap baits should have a

strong one

30. Brings in the catch34. A sound made by wild

turkey35. To ready gun for fi ring36. Bow made from single

piece of wood

37. The clay pigeon38. Imaginary line through

the bore39. A shell that fails to fi re40. A recoil buffer41. The fi sh pole

Legend: Major=2 hours. Minor=1 hour. Times centered on the major-minor window. F=Full Moon, N=New Moon, Q=Quarter > = Peak Activity. For other locations, subtract 1 minute per 12 miles east of a location, and add 1 min-ute per 12 miles west of a location.

Sun Moon Tides| |

Venison, cubed4 cups soy sauce1 cup apple cider vinegar1/2 cup tarragon vinegar2 cups vegetable oil12 cloves garlic, chopped2 tbsps. lemon pepper (lite)2 tsps. gingerOnion, chopped

No saltBlend all the ingredients;

add the meat and refrigerate for 12-24 hours.

Remove meat, skewer and grill until tender.

Discard remaining marinade.— Texas Parks and Wildlife

Department

Venison Kabobs

6-8 hand sized bluegill Stuffi ng:1 box stove top stuffi ng — onion and mushroom or use your favor-ite stuffi ng recipe. This recipe is also terrifi c with wild rice stuffi ng. 1 small onion Celery to taste Sliced mushrooms Fish breading1 cup of corn meal, cornfl akes or 1 package Shake 'N Bake mix 1 tsp. garlic powder 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional) 1 egg 2 tbsps. milk 1 tsp. lemon juice (optional)

Prepare stuffi ng according to package directions, or use your

own prepared stuffi ng or dressing recipe. Mix corn meal, cornfl akes or 1 pkg of Shake 'N Bake mix, garlic powder, cayenne pepper in a bowl. In another bowl, mix egg, milk and lemon juice. Stuff each fi sh with stuffi ng mix and coat with milk and egg mixture, then dip in corn meal mixture. Secure fi sh with a toothpick so that your stuffi ng mix doesn’t fall out. Place on baking sheet or wrap in foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until fi sh fl akes. Outside of fi sh will be a golden brown. This recipe also works on the grill or over campfi res.

— Colorado Division of Wildlife

Baked Stuffed Bluegill

NewMarch 4Last

Feb. 25First

March 11

FullMarch 18

Texas Coast TidesSabine Pass, jettyDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time HeightFeb 25 2:44 a.m. -0.9 L 12:14 p.m. 2.0 H Feb 26 3:58 a.m. -0.9 L 1:19 p.m. 2.1 H Feb 27 5:06 a.m. -0.7 L 2:01 p.m. 2.0 H 7:11 p.m. 1.6 L 9:33 p.m. 1.8 H Feb 28 6:04 a.m. -0.7 L 2:27 p.m. 2.0 H 7:23 p.m. 1.6 L 10:51 p.m. 1.8 H Mar 01 6:53 a.m. -0.5 L 2:42 p.m. 1.8 H 7:35 p.m. 1.4 L 11:56 p.m. 1.8 H Mar 02 7:32 a.m. -0.4 L 2:50 p.m. 1.6 H 7:49 p.m. 1.3 L Mar 03 12:54 a.m. 1.8 H 8:03 a.m. 0.0 L 2:58 p.m. 1.6 H 8:07 p.m. 1.1 L Mar 04 1:48 a.m. 1.8 H 8:30 a.m. 0.2 L 3:07 p.m. 1.6 H 8:32 p.m. 0.7 L Mar 05 2:43 a.m. 1.8 H 8:55 a.m. 0.4 L 3:19 p.m. 1.6 H 9:02 p.m. 0.5 L Mar 06 3:38 a.m. 1.8 H 9:21 a.m. 0.7 L 3:31 p.m. 1.6 H 9:34 p.m. 0.4 L Mar 07 4:36 a.m. 1.8 H 9:49 a.m. 0.9 L 3:41 p.m. 1.6 H 10:09 p.m. 0.2 L Mar 08 5:38 a.m. 1.8 H 10:19 a.m. 1.3 L 3:46 p.m. 1.6 H 10:47 p.m. 0.0 L Mar 09 6:46 a.m. 1.8 H 10:51 a.m. 1.4 L 3:37 p.m. 1.8 H 11:29 p.m. 0.0 L Mar 10 8:06 a.m. 1.8 H 11:23 a.m. 1.6 L 3:15 p.m. 1.8 H Mar 11 12:19 a.m. -0.2 L 9:41 a.m. 2.0 H 11:51 a.m. 1.8 L 3:06 p.m. 2.0 H

Galveston Bay entrance, south jettyDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time HeightFeb 25 3:10 a.m. -0.7 L 1:01 p.m. 1.6 H Feb 26 4:24 a.m. -0.7 L 2:06 p.m. 1.7 H Feb 27 5:32 a.m. -0.6 L 2:48 p.m. 1.6 H 7:37 p.m. 1.3 L 10:20 p.m. 1.4 H Feb 28 6:30 a.m. -0.6 L 3:14 p.m. 1.6 H 7:49 p.m. 1.3 L 11:38 p.m. 1.4 H Mar 01 7:19 a.m. -0.4 L 3:29 p.m. 1.4 H 8:01 p.m. 1.1 L Mar 02 12:43 a.m. 1.4 H 7:58 a.m. -0.3 L 3:37 p.m. 1.3 H 8:15 p.m. 1.0 L Mar 03 1:41 a.m. 1.4 H 8:29 a.m. 0.0 L 3:45 p.m. 1.3 H 8:33 p.m. 0.9 L Mar 04 2:35 a.m. 1.4 H 8:56 a.m. 0.1 L 3:54 p.m. 1.3 H 8:58 p.m. 0.6 L Mar 05 3:30 a.m. 1.4 H 9:21 a.m. 0.3 L 4:06 p.m. 1.3 H 9:28 p.m. 0.4 L Mar 06 4:25 a.m. 1.4 H 9:47 a.m. 0.6 L 4:18 p.m. 1.3 H 10:00 p.m. 0.3 L Mar 07 5:23 a.m. 1.4 H 10:15 a.m. 0.7 L 4:28 p.m. 1.3 H 10:35 p.m. 0.1 L Mar 08 6:25 a.m. 1.4 H 10:45 a.m. 1.0 L 4:33 p.m. 1.3 H 11:13 p.m. 0.0 L Mar 09 7:33 a.m. 1.4 H 11:17 a.m. 1.1 L 4:24 p.m. 1.4 H 11:55 p.m. 0.0 L Mar 10 8:53 a.m. 1.4 H 11:49 a.m. 1.3 L 4:02 p.m. 1.4 H Mar 11 12:45 a.m. -0.1 L 10:28 a.m. 1.6 H 12:17 p.m. 1.4 L 3:53 p.m. 1.6 H

San Luis PassDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time Height Feb 25 4:06 a.m. -0.4 L 1:31 p.m. 0.9 H Feb 26 5:20 a.m. -0.4 L 2:36 p.m. 1.0 H Feb 27 6:28 a.m. -0.3 L 3:18 p.m. 0.9 H 8:33 p.m. 0.8 L 10:50 p.m. 0.9 H Feb 28 7:26 a.m. -0.3 L 3:44 p.m. 0.9 H 8:45 p.m. 0.8 L Mar 01 12:08 a.m. 0.9 H 8:15 a.m. -0.3 L 3:59 p.m. 0.9 H 8:57 p.m. 0.7 L Mar 02 1:13 a.m. 0.9 H 8:54 a.m. -0.2 L 4:07 p.m. 0.8 H 9:11 p.m. 0.6 L Mar 03 2:11 a.m. 0.9 H 9:25 a.m. 0.0 L 4:15 p.m. 0.8 H 9:29 p.m. 0.5 L Mar 04 3:05 a.m. 0.9 H 9:52 a.m. 0.1 L 4:24 p.m. 0.8 H 9:54 p.m. 0.3 L Mar 05 4:00 a.m. 0.9 H 10:17 a.m. 0.2 L 4:36 p.m. 0.8 H 10:24 p.m. 0.3 L Mar 06 4:55 a.m. 0.9 H 10:43 a.m. 0.3 L 4:48 p.m. 0.8 H 10:56 p.m. 0.2 L Mar 07 5:53 a.m. 0.9 H 11:11 a.m. 0.4 L 4:58 p.m. 0.8 H 11:31 p.m. 0.1 L Mar 08 6:55 a.m. 0.9 H 11:41 a.m. 0.6 L 5:03 p.m. 0.8 H Mar 09 12:09 a.m. 0.0 L 8:03 a.m. 0.9 H 12:13 p.m. 0.7 L 4:54 p.m. 0.9 H Mar 10 12:51 a.m. 0.0 L 9:23 a.m. 0.9 H 12:45 p.m. 0.8 L 4:32 p.m. 0.9 H Mar 11 1:41 a.m. -0.1 L 10:58 a.m. 0.9 H 1:13 p.m. 0.9 L 4:23 p.m. 0.9 H

Freeport HarborDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time HeightFeb 25 3:07 a.m. -0.5 L 12:23 p.m. 1.4 H Feb 26 4:21 a.m. -0.5 L 1:28 p.m. 1.5 H Feb 27 5:29 a.m. -0.4 L 2:10 p.m. 1.4 H 7:34 p.m. 0.8 L 9:42 p.m. 1.2 H Feb 28 6:27 a.m. -0.4 L 2:36 p.m. 1.4 H 7:46 p.m. 0.8 L 11:00 p.m. 1.2 H Mar 01 7:16 a.m. -0.3 L 2:51 p.m. 1.2 H 7:58 p.m. 0.7 L Mar 02 12:05 a.m. 1.2 H 7:55 a.m. -0.2 L 2:59 p.m. 1.1 H 8:12 p.m. 0.6 L Mar 03 1:03 a.m. 1.2 H 8:26 a.m. 0.0 L 3:07 p.m. 1.1 H 8:30 p.m. 0.5 L Mar 04 1:57 a.m. 1.2 H 8:53 a.m. 0.1 L 3:16 p.m. 1.1 H 8:55 p.m. 0.4 L Mar 05 2:52 a.m. 1.2 H 9:18 a.m. 0.2 L 3:28 p.m. 1.1 H 9:25 p.m. 0.3 L Mar 06 3:47 a.m. 1.2 H 9:44 a.m. 0.4 L 3:40 p.m. 1.1 H 9:57 p.m. 0.2 L Mar 07 4:45 a.m. 1.2 H 10:12 a.m. 0.5 L 3:50 p.m. 1.1 H 10:32 p.m. 0.1 L Mar 08 5:47 a.m. 1.2 H 10:42 a.m. 0.6 L 3:55 p.m. 1.1 H 11:10 p.m. 0.0 L Mar 09 6:55 a.m. 1.2 H 11:14 a.m. 0.7 L 3:46 p.m. 1.2 H 11:52 p.m. 0.0 L Mar 10 8:15 a.m. 1.2 H 11:46 a.m. 0.8 L 3:24 p.m. 1.2 H Mar 11 12:42 a.m. -0.1 L 9:50 a.m. 1.4 H 12:14 p.m. 0.9 L 3:15 p.m. 1.4 H

South Padre IslandDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time HeightFeb 25 2:30 a.m. -0.7 L 1:27 p.m. 1.3 H Feb 26 3:42 a.m. -0.6 L 2:17 p.m. 1.4 H Feb 27 4:51 a.m. -0.5 L 2:52 p.m. 1.4 H Feb 28 5:54 a.m. -0.4 L 3:16 p.m. 1.3 H Mar 01 6:49 a.m. -0.2 L 3:32 p.m. 1.3 H 7:51 p.m. 1.1 L 11:11 p.m. 1.2 H Mar 02 7:38 a.m. 0.1 L 3:41 p.m. 1.2 H 8:06 p.m. 1.0 L Mar 03 12:36 a.m. 1.2 H 8:21 a.m. 0.1 L 3:44 p.m. 1.1 H 8:28 p.m. 0.8 L Mar 04 1:46 a.m. 1.2 H 9:01 a.m. 0.3 L 3:41 p.m. 1.0 H 8:52 p.m. 0.7 L Mar 05 2:50 a.m. 1.1 H 9:37 a.m. 0.4 L 3:33 p.m. 0.9 H 9:17 p.m. 0.5 L Mar 06 3:51 a.m. 1.1 H 10:12 a.m. 0.6 L 3:19 p.m. 0.9 H 9:43 p.m. 0.3 L Mar 07 4:53 a.m. 1.1 H 10:46 a.m. 0.7 L 3:01 p.m. 0.9 H 10:12 p.m. 0.2 L Mar 08 6:02 a.m. 1.1 H 11:24 a.m. 0.8 L 2:40 p.m. 0.9 H 10:46 p.m. 0.0 L Mar 09 7:26 a.m. 1.1 H 11:28 p.m. -0.1 L Mar 10 9:20 a.m. 1.1 H Mar 11 12:19 a.m. -0.1 L 11:30 a.m. 1.3 H

Port O’ConnorDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time HeightFeb 25 5:42 a.m. -0.4 L 7:18 p.m. 0.7 H Feb 26 7:04 a.m. -0.4 L 7:56 p.m. 0.7 H Feb 27 8:21 a.m. -0.4 L 8:31 p.m. 0.6 H Feb 28 9:28 a.m. -0.4 L 8:57 p.m. 0.6 H Mar 01 10:25 a.m. -0.3 L 9:01 p.m. 0.5 H Mar 02 11:15 a.m. -0.3 L 8:44 p.m. 0.4 H 11:11 p.m. 0.3 L Mar 03 3:02 a.m. 0.5 H 11:59 a.m. -0.2 L 8:27 p.m. 0.4 H 11:23 p.m. 0.3 L Mar 04 4:35 a.m. 0.4 H 12:41 p.m. -0.1 L 8:05 p.m. 0.3 H 11:43 p.m. 0.2 L Mar 05 5:51 a.m. 0.4 H 1:22 p.m. 0.1 L 7:28 p.m. 0.3 H Mar 06 2:06 a.m. 0.2 L 7:05 a.m. 0.4 H 2:03 p.m. 0.1 L 6:30 p.m. 0.2 H Mar 07 12:33 a.m. 0.1 L 8:25 a.m. 0.4 H 2:53 p.m. 0.2 L 4:53 p.m. 0.3 H Mar 08 1:04 a.m. 0.0 L 10:21 a.m. 0.5 H Mar 09 1:42 a.m. 0.0 L 3:42 p.m. 0.5 H Mar 10 2:29 a.m. -0.1 L 4:30 p.m. 0.6 H Mar 11 3:27 a.m. -0.1 L 5:16 p.m. 0.7 H

RockportDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time HeightFeb 25 6:42 a.m. -0.34 L 9:26 p.m. 0.03 HFeb 26 7:48 a.m. -0.33 L 10:33 p.m. 0.04 HFeb 27 8:52 a.m. -0.31 L 11:39 p.m. 0.05 HFeb 28 9:51 a.m. -0.28 LMar 01 12:40 a.m. 0.04 H 10:41 a.m. -0.26 LMar 02 1:39 a.m. 0.04 H 11:20 a.m. -0.23 LMar 03 2:39 a.m. 0.02 H 11:51 a.m. -0.19 LMar 04 3:49 a.m. 0.00 H 12:14 p.m. -0.15 L 6:41 p.m. -0.10 H 9:25 p.m. -0.10 LMar 05 5:17 a.m. -0.02 H 12:30 p.m. -0.10 L 5:50 p.m. -0.07 H 11:41 p.m. -0.11 LMar 06 7:10 a.m. -0.03 H 12:37 p.m. -0.06 L 5:37 p.m. -0.04 HMar 07 1:06 a.m. -0.13 L 9:35 a.m. -0.02 H 12:24 p.m. -0.03 L 5:41 p.m. 0.00 HMar 08 2:11 a.m. -0.15 L 5:57 p.m. 0.03 HMar 09 3:08 a.m. -0.16 L 6:26 p.m. 0.05 HMar 10 4:04 a.m. -0.16 L 7:09 p.m. 0.08 HMar 11 5:03 a.m. -0.16 L 8:02 p.m. 0.11 H

Houston2011 A.M. P.M. SUN MOONFeb-Mar Minor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets25 Fri Q 11:46 5:32 ----- 6:00 06:51 06:17 1:36a 12:01p 26 Sat 12:11 6:25 12:38 6:52 06:50 06:17 2:32a 12:57p 27 Sun 1:01 7:14 1:27 7:40 06:49 06:18 3:22a 1:54p 28 Mon 1:47 8:00 2:12 8:24 06:48 06:19 4:06a 2:52p01 Tue 2:31 8:42 2:54 9:05 06:47 06:19 4:44a 3:48p02 Wed 3:12 9:23 3:33 9:44 06:46 06:20 5:19a 4:43p 03 Thu > 3:52 10:02 4:12 10:23 06:45 06:21 5:51a 5:36p 04 Fri N 4:31 10:42 4:52 11:02 06:44 06:21 6:20a 6:28p 05 Sat > 5:12 10:58 5:32 ----- 06:42 06:22 6:49a 7:20p 06 Sun > 5:55 11:41 6:15 12:05 06:41 06:23 7:18a 8:13p 07 Mon > 6:40 12:30 7:01 12:51 06:40 06:23 7:49a 9:06p 08 Tue 7:28 1:17 7:50 1:39 06:39 06:24 8:21a 10:01p 09 Wed 8:18 2:06 8:41 2:29 06:38 06:25 8:57a 10:56p 10 Thu 9:10 2:58 9:34 3:22 06:37 06:25 9:37a 11:52p 11 Fri 10:04 3:51 10:29 4:16 06:36 06:26 10:23a NoMoon 12 Sat Q 10:58 4:45 11:25 5:12 06:34 06:27 11:14a 12:47a 13 Sun 12:25 6:39 12:53 7:06 07:33 07:27 1:11p 2:41a 14 Mon 1:18 7:32 1:46 8:00 07:32 07:28 2:13p 3:32a 15 Tue 2:09 8:23 2:37 8:51 07:31 07:28 3:18p 4:20a16 Wed 2:59 9:12 3:26 9:40 07:30 07:29 4:26p 5:04a

Port Aransas, H. Caldwell PierDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time HeightFeb 25 2:49 a.m. -0.4 L 12:54 p.m. 1.3 H Feb 26 4:03 a.m. -0.4 L 1:59 p.m. 1.4 H Feb 27 5:11 a.m. -0.3 L 2:41 p.m. 1.3 H 7:16 p.m. 0.7 L 10:13 p.m. 1.1 H Feb 28 6:09 a.m. -0.3 L 3:07 p.m. 1.3 H 7:28 p.m. 0.7 L 11:31 p.m. 1.1 H Mar 01 6:58 a.m. -0.2 L 3:22 p.m. 1.1 H 7:40 p.m. 0.6 L Mar 02 2:36 a.m. 1.1 H 7:37 a.m. -0.2 L 3:30 p.m. 1.0 H 7:54 p.m. 0.5 L Mar 03 1:34 a.m. 1.1 H 8:08 a.m. 0.0 L 3:38 p.m. 1.0 H 8:12 p.m. 0.5 L Mar 04 2:28 a.m. 1.1 H 8:35 a.m. 0.1 L 3:47 p.m. .0 H 8:37 p.m. 0.3 L Mar 05 3:23 a.m. 1.1 H 9:00 a.m. 0.2 L 3:59 p.m. 1.0 H 9:07 p.m. 0.2 L Mar 06 4:18 a.m. 1.1 H 9:26 a.m. 0.3 L 4:11 p.m. .0 H 9:39 p.m. 0.2 L Mar 07 5:16 a.m. 1.1 H 9:54 a.m. 0.4 L 4:21 p.m. 1.0 H 10:14 p.m. 0.1 L Mar 08 6:18 a.m. 1.1 H 10:24 a.m. 0.5 L 4:26 p.m. 1.0 H 10:52 p.m. 0.0 L Mar 09 7:26 a.m. 1.1 H 10:56 a.m. 0.6 L 4:17 p.m. 1.1 H 11:34 p.m. 0.0 L Mar 10 8:46 a.m. .1 H 11:28 a.m. 0.7 L 3:55 p.m. 1.1 H Mar 11 12:24 a.m. -0.1 L 10:21 a.m. 1.3 H 11:56 a.m. 0.8 L 3:46 p.m. 1.3 H

San Antonio2011 A.M. P.M. SUN MOONFeb-Mar Minor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets25 Fri Q 11:58 5:44 ----- 6:12 07:03 06:29 1:48a 12:15p 26 Sat 12:24 6:37 12:51 7:05 07:02 06:30 2:44a 1:11p 27 Sun 1:14 7:27 1:40 7:53 07:01 06:31 3:34a 2:08p 28 Mon 2:00 8:12 2:24 8:37 07:00 06:31 4:18a 3:05p 01 Tue 2:43 8:55 3:06 9:18 06:59 06:32 4:57a 4:01p02 Wed 3:24 9:35 3:46 9:57 06:58 06:33 5:31a 4:56p 03 Thu > 4:04 10:15 4:25 10:35 06:57 06:34 6:03a 5:49p 04 Fri N 4:44 10:54 5:04 11:14 06:56 06:34 6:33a 6:41p 05 Sat > 5:25 11:11 5:45 ----- 06:55 06:35 7:02a 7:33p 06 Sun > 6:08 11:53 6:28 12:18 06:54 06:35 7:31a 8:25p 07 Mon > 6:53 12:42 7:14 1:03 06:53 06:36 8:02a 9:19p 08 Tue 7:40 1:29 8:02 1:51 06:51 06:37 8:35a 10:13p 09 Wed 8:30 2:19 8:53 2:42 06:50 06:37 9:11a 11:08p 10 Thu 9:22 3:10 9:47 3:35 06:49 06:38 9:51a NoMoon 11 Fri 10:16 4:03 10:42 4:29 06:48 06:39 10:37a 12:04a 12 Sat Q 11:11 4:57 11:38 5:24 06:47 06:39 11:28a 12:59a 13 Sun 12:37 6:51 1:05 7:19 07:46 07:40 1:25p 2:53a 14 Mon 1:30 7:44 1:58 8:12 07:45 07:40 2:27p 3:44a 15 Tue 2:22 8:36 2:49 9:03 07:43 07:41 3:32p 4:32a16 Wed 3:11 9:25 3:39 9:52 07:42 07:42 4:39p 5:16a

Amarillo2011 A.M. P.M. SUN MOONFeb-Mar Minor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets25 Fri Q ----- 5:58 12:12 6:26 07:22 06:37 2:17a 12:13p 26 Sat 12:37 6:51 1:04 7:18 07:21 06:38 3:13a 1:10p 27 Sun 1:27 7:40 1:53 8:06 07:19 06:39 4:02a 2:08p 28 Mon 2:13 8:26 2:38 8:50 07:18 06:40 4:44a 3:07p 01 Tue 2:57 9:08 3:20 9:31 07:17 06:41 5:21a 4:06p02 Wed 3:38 9:48 3:59 10:10 07:16 06:42 5:53a 5:04p 03 Thu > 4:17 10:28 4:38 10:49 07:14 06:43 6:22a 6:00p 04 Fri N 4:57 11:08 5:18 11:28 07:13 06:44 6:49a 6:55p 05 Sat > 5:38 11:24 5:58 ----- 07:12 06:45 7:15a 7:49p 06 Sun > 6:21 12:11 6:41 12:31 07:10 06:46 7:41a 8:44p 07 Mon > 7:06 12:55 7:27 1:16 07:09 06:46 8:09a 9:40p 08 Tue 7:54 1:43 8:16 2:05 07:08 06:47 8:39a 10:37p 09 Wed 8:44 2:32 9:07 2:55 07:06 06:48 9:13a 11:35p 10 Thu 9:36 3:24 10:00 3:48 07:05 06:49 9:51a NoMoon 11 Fri 10:30 4:17 10:55 4:42 07:04 06:50 10:36a 12:32a 12 Sat Q 11:24 5:11 11:51 5:38 07:02 06:51 11:27a 1:28a 13 Sun 12:51 7:05 1:18 7:32 08:01 07:51 1:24p 3:22a 14 Mon 1:44 7:58 2:12 8:26 07:59 07:52 2:27p 4:12a 15 Tue 2:35 8:49 3:03 9:17 07:58 07:53 3:35p 4:58a16 Wed 3:25 9:38 3:52 10:06 07:57 07:54 4:46p 5:39a

Dallas2011 A.M. P.M. SUN MOONFeb-Mar Minor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets25 Fri Q 11:51 5:37 ----- 6:05 06:59 06:19 1:50a 11:59a 26 Sat 12:17 6:30 12:44 6:58 06:58 06:20 2:46a 12:55p 27 Sun 1:07 7:20 1:33 7:46 06:57 06:21 3:35a 1:53p 28 Mon 1:53 8:05 2:17 8:30 06:56 06:22 4:18a 2:51p01 Tue 2:36 8:48 2:59 9:11 06:55 06:23 4:56a 3:49p02 Wed 3:17 9:28 3:39 9:50 06:53 06:23 5:29a 4:45p 03 Thu > 3:57 10:08 4:18 10:28 06:52 06:24 5:59a 5:40p 04 Fri N 4:37 10:47 4:57 11:07 06:51 06:25 6:27a 6:34p 05 Sat > 5:18 11:04 5:38 ----- 06:50 06:26 6:55a 7:27p 06 Sun > 6:01 11:46 6:21 12:11 06:49 06:27 7:22a 8:21p 07 Mon > 6:46 12:35 7:07 12:56 06:47 06:27 7:51a 9:16p 08 Tue 7:33 1:22 7:55 1:44 06:46 06:28 8:22a 10:12p 09 Wed 8:23 2:12 8:46 2:35 06:45 06:29 8:57a 11:08p 10 Thu 9:15 3:03 9:40 3:28 06:44 06:30 9:36a NoMoon 11 Fri 10:09 3:56 10:35 4:22 06:42 06:30 10:21a 12:05a 12 Sat Q 11:04 4:50 11:31 5:17 06:41 06:31 11:12a 1:01a 13 Sun 12:30 6:44 12:58 7:12 07:40 07:32 1:09p 2:55a 14 Mon 1:23 7:37 1:51 8:05 07:38 07:33 2:12p 3:45a 15 Tue 2:15 8:29 2:42 8:56 07:37 07:33 3:18p 4:32a 16 Wed 3:04 9:18 3:32 9:45 07:36 07:34 4:28p 5:14a

Page 19: February 25, 2011 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

LSONews.com Lone✯Star Outdoor News February 25, 2011 Page 19

RECORD SWORDFISH: Friendswood angler David Dion caught the new state record swordfi sh Jan. 27 off of Port Mansfi eld. The fi sh weighed 341 pounds, eclipsing the former record by one pound. The big fi sh was 124.5 inches long and had a 52-inch girth. Photo by Port Mansfi eld Chamber of Commerce.

HEAVIEST RAINBOW: Edgar Cardenas (right) caught this rainbow trout, which is the new fl y-fi shing catch-and-release water body record for weight on the Guadalupe River. The 7.21-pound fi sh, caught Feb. 5, was 26 inches long with a 15-inch girth. It topped the previous fl y-rod record of 6 pounds in 2008. It was the fi rst fl y-fi shing trip for Carde-nas. His guide was Greg Smith (left). Photo by Edgar Cardenas.

LONGEST RAINBOW: Stephen Watts of San Antonio used a fl y rod to break the state record catch-and-release rainbow trout water body record for length on Feb. 1. It was 27.5 inches long, which broke the previous record by 3 inches. Photo by TPWD.

Texas big bites

IVIE, AGAIN: Susan Dixon of Hawley caught this 13.3-pound bass Feb. 13 at O.H. Ivie Reservoir. It was 26.25 inches long and 20 inches in girth. It was the 511th entry in the state’s ShareLunker program, and the 21st to come from Ivie. It’s also the fi fth 13-pound-plus largemouth to come from the lake in 2011. Photo by Larry D. Hodge, TPWD.

a Texas game warden and the assistant chief for marine enforcement.

That’s down from 61 fatalities — a 10-year high — in 2008.

“In 2008, we had low lake levels due to the drought, so we had a lot of people using less water with more exposed hazards,” Parrish said.

But, he asserted, increased law enforcement also helped reduce boating fatalities in 2010.

Over the last fi ve years, Parrish said, Texas game wardens increased water safety contacts, safety inspections and boardings by more than 20 per-cent.

He noted that game wardens made 316 arrests for boating while intoxicated — one of the 10 causes of boating accidents from 2000 through 2009.

Others were excessive speed, no proper lookout, weather conditions, operator inattention, inexpe-rience and reckless behavior.

Many of these issues could be addressed through boater education, experts say.

According to TPWD, about 80 percent of boat-ing accidents involve operators with no formal training.

On Feb. 16, Rep. Tan Parker, R-Flower Mound, fi led House Bill 1395 which, if passed, will require boater education for operators born after Sept. 1, 1993.

The support of boat dealers may be critical to getting the bill passed. Previous efforts have stalled on opposition from the industry’s Boating Trades Association of Texas.

But Rod Malone, secretary/treasurer of the group, said its members “look forward to support-ing” the bill.

Malone, owner of Sail & Ski, Inc., in Austin, was appointed by Gov. Rick Perry to an advisory panel on this issue.

He said the industry group is happy that com-promises have been added to the bill, including a grandfather clause for existing boaters and a slow phase-in approach to the bill.

“We thought it was an adequate solution to solve the problem and create a safer environment over time,” Malone said.

Parker said he is optimistic the bill will pass.“I don’t want to overly extend the blanket of

government,” he said. “(But) I think it’s appropri-ate that you educate people going forward.

“The reality is that you want to protect people’s freedoms on the lake.”

Boating fatalitiesContinued From Page 8

Page 20: February 25, 2011 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

Page 20 February 25, 2011 Lone✯Star Outdoor News LSONews.com

DATEBOOKFebruary 25-26Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central OpenLewisville Lakewww.visitlewisville.com

February 25Ducks UnlimitedBrazos Valley BanquetThe Brazos Center, Bryan(979) 255-8507www.ducks.org

February 26North Texas Chapter SCI MeetingEmbassy Suites Outdoor World(940) 612-1928www.scinorthtexas.com

Ducks Unlimited, Arlington ChapterAnnual Casino Night(817) 832-8078

March 2-6Houston Fishing ShowGeorge R. Brown Convention CenterHouston(281) 350-2741www.houstonfi shingshow.com

March 3National Wild Turkey FederationAlamo Chapter BanquetThe Alzafar CenterSan Antonio(210) 213-5339www.alamochapternwtf.org

Coastal Conservation AssociationFt. Worth general meeting and fi sh fry(817) 291-1302

Capital Bass ClubMeeting, VFW PostAustin www.capitalbassclub.com

March 4-5Texas Deer AssociationSpring Gala BanquetEmbassy Suites Outdoor WorldGrapevine(940) 390-9723www.texasdeerassociation.com

March 5Kid’s Outdoor ZoneOutdoor Adventure Ministry BanquetBuda (512) 292-1113

March 10Park Cities QuailAnnual Dinner and AuctionFrontiers of Flight Museum, Dallas(214) 801-6802www.parkcitiesquail.org

March 11-13Texas State Rifl e AssociationAnnual meetingMesquite(512) 615-4200www.tsra.com

March 12Dallas Woods and Waters ClubDinner and Benefi t Auction(214) 570-8700www.dwwcc.org

March 19-20Texas Gun and Knife Association ShowAmarillo Civic Center(830) 285-0575www.texasgunandknifeshows.com

March 24Whitetails UnlimitedNorth Texas Deer CampThe Cotton Mill, McKinney800-274-5471www.whitetailsunlimitedevent.com

at lakes Travis and Buchanan.

“I thought I got a huge fi sh, but it didn’t feel like a red,” Michael said. “It was dragging.

“It took out a ton of drag and I couldn’t get it in for about four to fi ve minutes — it was fun.

“Then, sure enough, when we pulled it up, we saw the speckles on it.”

The 28-inch fi sh was named both the record junior catch-and-release and the record water-body catch-and-release spotted seatrout for Aransas Bay.

And it was proof that big healthy trout survived the fi rst round of back-to-back freezes in early February along the coast.

The Marquis family’s out-ing followed the fi rst freeze. Temperatures warmed slightly over the next week, but a sec-ond, less severe cold snap came after that.

By Feb. 17, TPWD’s coastal fi sh-eries staff estimated that 250,000 to 300,000 fi sh had died.

But 85 percent of them appeared to be “non-recre-ational” species: mullet, silver perch and hardhead catfi sh.

That left a 15-percent fatality rate for recreational species and black drum appeared to take the hardest hit, TPWD reported.

Some red drum, sheepshead, snook and Atlantic croaker also died.

But spotted seatrout, overall, may have handled the cold rela-tively well.

Only about 2,000 of them —1 percent of the freeze kill — were counted among the dead fi sh by the third week of February.

Many of the dead trout were found in Matagorda Bay and off of nearby Port O’Connor, said Rebecca Hensley, TPWD coastal fi sheries regional director.

She said the 2011 freeze kill is about the same size as a sim-ilar one in 1997, but in that onslaught, recreational species, including trout, comprised 75

percent of the deaths.History shows that it could

have been much worse: Sudden freeze events in the 1980s com-bined to kill an estimated 30 million fi sh.

But unlike the 1980s, the weather leading up to the 2011 freezes got cold gradu-ally. It might have been an early warning for fi sh to retreat into the warmer depths of the Intracoastal Waterway.

“It could be that most of the fi sh had time to escape to deeper water before the freeze hit,” Hensley said.

TPWD biologists said they wouldn’t know the full impact of the freezes until annual sam-pling surveys this spring.

Meanwhile, fi shing guides are in a wait-and-see mode, but they seem confi dent about fi ne trout fi shing this summer.

“No one is going to know until we get out there and really start fi shing,” said Daniel Kubecka of Matagorda-based Run-N-Gun Adventures. “Right now, the smaller (freeze-killed) fi sh are being eaten by pelicans; some are so swollen they can’t even fl y.”

Kubecka grew up on Matagorda Bay, but because he was born in 1985, he’s not old enough to remember the cata-strophic freezes of the 1980s.

“I’ve been talking to my uncles, and I’m taking from their experiences,” he said. “Our big trout population prob-ably took a little hit.

“(But) these older guys are not worried at all. One guy said, ‘I can’t wait for summertime when it warms up.’”

On the riseContinued From Page 1

CATCH AND RELEASE: Michael Marquis, 11, of Austin lets go of the 28-inch speckled trout that is the junior catch-and-release record for Aransas Bay. “I kind of wanted to keep it as a trophy, but I thought, ‘No, she’s too big; let her go and let some other guy catch her.’” Photo by Robert Marquis.

Guadalupe bassContinued From Page 8

“To provide more fi shing opportunities in 1960s and early 70s, smallmouth bass were stocked throughout the Hill Country,” said Tim Birdsong, a TPWD fi sheries biologist.

“And,” he added, “without having knowledge of the impact that this could be, we’ve found that (Guadalupe bass) hybridized with smallmouth bass.”

But TPWD offi cials believe they can reverse that trend, said Birdsong, who oversees ecosystems and habitat for the agency.

For example, these hybridization results reached about 70 percent in Guadalupe River headwaters.

But habitat improvements and the aggressive restocking of purebred bass have driven that rate down to less than 10 percent, Birdsong said.

“Now we’re trying to take that success to native streams of historic Guadalupe bass habitat, including the Llano River,” he said.

But restocking the fi sh will do no good if the habitat isn’t suitable for them to fl ourish.

“We have to fi ght bank erosion and sedimentation,” Birdsong said. “They use structure logs, boulders and roots. If you don’t have limbs and logs falling into the river, you use that structure for Guadalupe bass.”

Curry is on the board of the South Llano Water Alliance, which supports the initiative. But individuals also can help.

TPWD is providing incentives to landowners “to protect their own pieces of the watershed,” Birdsong said.

People who live on the North and South Llano rivers may qualify for grant money that will reimburse them for some of their costs to fi ght erosion and improve habitat.

Deadline to apply is April 15. For information, call Arlene Kalmbach at (512) 581-8732.

Fans of smallmouth shouldn’t worry about efforts that favor the Guadalupe bass in the Hill Country, Birdsong said.

The Devils River in Val Verde County is being eyed for small-mouth improvements, he said.

That effort, he added, could enhance TPWD’s purchase late last year of 18,000 acres on the Devils River.

Page 21: February 25, 2011 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

LSONews.com Lone✯Star Outdoor News February 25, 2011 Page 21

HEROES

Congratulations, Caroline! You can claim

your Nikon 10x42 Trailblazer ATB binoculars at the

Nikon Sport Optics dealer nearest you:

Dury's Gun Shop Inc819 Hot Wells Boulevard

San Antonio, TX 78223-2201(210) 533-5431

CAROLINE BURKETT, 10, of Floresville, got her fi rst buck while hunting on her

family's lease near Dilley. The 135-class 12-pointer, with 19-inch spread and

drop tines, was downed with a Remington Model 700 chambered in 7mm-08.

BLAKE HORTENSTINE took this 174 7/8 (gross score) buck during archery season on a low-fence ranch in Shackelford County.

The Future of Duck & Duck Hunting

For more information go to

Deltawaterfowl.org Check out

Delta Waterfowl’s

Photo Contest

Heroes Sponsored by

Share an adventureWant to share hunting and fi shing

photos with other Lone Star Outdoor News readers? Send pictures with contact

and caption information to:

[email protected]

Heroes, Lone Star Outdoor News, PO Box 551695, Dallas, TX, 75355

& Membership Opportunities

Deltawaterfowl.org

BREYDEN BEARD of Spring caught this speckled trout in January under night lights off of a pier at Port Mansfi eld. It

measured 26 15/16 inches.

MARK WENGLER of San Antonio landed this 5 1/2-pound rainbow trout on the Guadalupe River. He said this was the second 5-pounder that he caught within a single week of January.

JACOB MINKS, 10, of East Bernard, took this seven-pointer opening weekend on his grandparents’ farm in Lavaca County. He downed the buck with his Ruger .243-caliber rifl e.

NATHAN DAUN of Sachse hunted a lease near Pales-tine and harvested this 180-pound, 6-year-old buck.

Page 22: February 25, 2011 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

Page 22 February 25, 2011 Lone✯Star Outdoor News LSONews.com

LONE STAR MARKET

To advertise in this section, call Mike Hughs at (214) 361-2276 or e-mail him at [email protected].

Puzzle solution from Page 18

Page 23: February 25, 2011 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

LSONews.com Lone✯Star Outdoor News February 25, 2011 Page 23

Page 24: February 25, 2011 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

Page 24 February 25, 2011 Lone✯Star Outdoor News LSONews.com