January 27, 2012 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

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January 27, 2012 Texas’ Premier Outdoor Newspaper Volume 8, Issue 11

New BoatsCheck out some of the season’s

new offerings. Page 11

Inside

❘❚ LSONews.com

Sink trees and brush for crappie habitat.Page 8

Christmas year-round❘❚ FISHING

Young hunter uses great-grandfather's rifl e to get fi rst deer.

Page 7

Finally!

Fishing report from a great lake.Page 8

Sam Rayburn strong

Season length, bag limits could change. Page 4

Bobwhites

❘❚ HUNTING

Commission to consider allowing sound suppressors for wild game

Scimitar-horned oryx, dama gazelle, addax will require new permit

By Conor HarrisonLONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

Ranch owners and hunters were dismayed earlier this month when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ruled scimitar-horned oryx, dama gazelle and addax would lose their exempt permit-ting status on the endangered species list.

The new rules go into effect April 4.Ranchers who own these

“exotics” will now be required to apply for one of two permits from the USFWS to own and har-vest these species.

Without the necessary per-mit, after April 4, it will be illegal to transfer or attempt to transfer one of the species out of state or to take or attempt to take one of the animals.

Previously, these species were exempt from permits issued by the USFWS. Owners continued breeding and other activities, including hunting for herd man-agement without the permits.

Several animal rights groups, however, challenged that exclu-

sion with a federal lawsuit. A federal district court directed

the USFWS to provide opportuni-ties for the public to review and comment on activities related to these species that otherwise would have been prohibited without permits.

USFWS offi cials said they con-sidered ways to do that without requiring ranches or other facili-ties to get permits, but they were unsuccessful.

USFWS subsequently decided to eliminate the exclusion.

Vanessa Kauffman of USFWS said the fi rst permit is for ranch owners who harvest their own animals without offering public hunts.

This document, called the Captive-bred Wildlife Regulation permit, has a $200 processing fee and must be renewed every fi ve years.

Ranchers also need this permit to sell or trade their animals.

“This permit has been around for 20 years and we are already famil-iar with this process,” Kauffman

SILENCER: Sound suppressors are being considered for legal hunting of deer and other game animals in Texas. Approval would have to come from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission. Photo by Bill Miller, LSON.

Exemption nixed

❘❚ CONTENTSClassifi eds . . . . . . . . . Page 20Crossword . . . . . . . . . Page 17Fishing Report . . . . . . . Page 10For the Table. . . . . . . . Page 17Game Warden Blotter . . . . Page 12Heroes. . . . . . . . . . . Page 14Outdoor Datebook . . . . . Page 22Outdoor Business . . . . . Page 16Products . . . . . . . . . . Page 20Sun, Moon and Tide data . . Page 17

By Bill MillerLONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

Many a feral hog and var-mint coyote in Texas have fallen to shots muffl ed by sound sup-pressors, but it’s not legal in this state to use “silencers” on game animals, including deer.

That could change next season if the Texas Parks and

Wildlife Commission agrees to allow these devices for hunt-ing everything except water-fowl and upland game.

No formal action by the full commission would happen at least until the commission’s meeting in March, said Scott Vaca, assistant chief of TPWD’s law enforcement division.

So far, 39 states, including Texas, allow people to own sound suppressors, as long as they have federal permits for them. But Texas is also among 20 states that currently don’t allow using them on game animals, according to the newly formed American Silencer Association.

See SUPPRESSORS, Page 18

Port O’Connor fi shing steady as she goesBy Conor HarrisonLONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

It might not be as fl ashy as other points along the coast, but anglers looking for a good day of bay fi shing with steady limits of trout and redfi sh might be sorry if they overlook the Port O’Connor area this time of year.

Capt. Lynn Smith of Back Bay Guide Service has been working areas south of Port O’Connor and said the fi shing action has been steady to good.

“We’ve been doing pretty good catch-ing trout and reds,” Smith said. “We’ve caught them mostly on soft plastics. We’ve been catching a lot of 17- to 18-inch trout and a lot of slot reds.

LIMIT UP: Guides from the Port O’Connor area are reporting solid days on the water with plenty of 18-inch trout and limits of slot reds. Photo by David J. Sams, LSON. See PORT O'CONNOR, Page 18

BACK ON THE LIST: Three exotic species in Texas have now lost their exempt status on the endangered species list. Owners of these exotics will now have to apply for a permit to hunt them. Photo by Tom Holden, Kerrville Daily Times. See PERMITS, Page 16

Page 2 January 27, 2012 Lone✯Star Outdoor News LSONews.com



HUNTING

Concealment key when hunting cranesBy Conor HarrisonLONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

Larry Robinson has three steps to successfully hunt sandhill cranes in Texas.

The owner of Coastal Wings Guide Service and Lodge along the Texas coastal prairies said location, concealment and a proper decoy spread are key to hav-ing a good crane hunt.

But achieving all three can be challenging.

“We’re getting mixed results on our crane hunts right now,” Robinson said. “We’re either heroes or zeroes. When we do fi nd a good fi eld holding cranes, they are there for days, but we are putting a lot of miles on our trucks fi nding them.

“Around Christmas, we hammered them.”

Robinson said the key to getting cranes to commit to a decoy spread is beating the birds’ tremendous eyesight.

“Ninety percent of the crane hunts we do are with

decoys,” he said. “We use a bigger spread of 100 to 150 decoys because we’ve found it takes that many to really hide the hunters. We use lay-out blinds and will typically spend 30 to 45 minutes get-ting set up each morning.”

Robinson said he likes to set his decoys up with a tightly bunched wad around the hunters and a more loose spread around the edges. This setup is designed to put the cranes at ease, he said.

“Occasionally we will hunt a tree line,” he said.

For calling, Robinson prefers to take a normal specklebelly goose call and shave the reed down to produce the right sound.

“You don’t have to be perfect with your call-ing,” he said. “Every crane sounds a little bit differ-ently and they aren’t too picky about calling. Being perfectly still in the blind and well-concealed are the main things.”

In North Texas, guide Tony Stanfi eld of Stanfi eld Hunting Outfi tters has had a good season decoying cranes.

“We are shooting them at 20 yards and it has been awesome,” Stanfi eld said. “We hunt them on morn-ing hunts, and we use a small decoy spread in the grain fi elds.

“The decoys are very ran-dom and we bunch them up and don’t use a huge spread like we do for geese.”

Stanfi eld agreed that a crane’s best defense is its eyesight.

“They see better and you need to hide a lot better,” he said. “We are using mir-ror blinds a lot, and they are working the best. They are also good to eat.”

Crane season runs through Feb. 5 in West and Central Texas, and Jan. 29 along the coast and South Texas.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s crane pro-gram leader Corey Mason said populations are strong

across the state right now. Crane numbers have risen in population counts from approximately 350,000 in the mid-1980s to more than 700,000 today.

Texas issues approxi-mately 11,000 crane hunt-ing permits annually.

“Cranes are doing well,” Mason said. “Texas is the catching point for cranes from the midcontinent. We have two distinct populations; one in the Panhandle and the other along the coast.”

Mason said hunters who have never shot decoying cranes in Texas are missing out on an exciting hunting opportunity.

“They decoy amazingly well if the hunters are well- concealed,” he said. “It is an incredible experience to have those huge birds com-ing into a decoy spread.”

Guide Larry Robinson, (866) 486-8897Guide Tony Stanfi eld, (940) 658-3172

Geese still good near coast and Plainview area; hit and miss around Knox City


Odessa hunter Ross Smith has hunted waterfowl most of his life.

But that didn’t prepare him for what he saw one day in mid-January while hunting geese near Plainview.

“It was ridiculous,” Smith said. “I’ve never seen as many birds. The Canadas came in like nothing I’ve ever seen. They swarmed the decoys. I had geese trying to land on top of me.

“The longest shot we took was 20 yards.”

Smith said he was hunting with West Texas Outfi tters, which normally operates out of the Knox City area.

“The guide said the geese had moved out of the normal areas he hunts, and he had some land over near Plainview that he went to scout before our hunt,” Smith said. “Well, he found them.”

Smith said his group shot limits of lesser Canadas and also saw some groups of snow geese and a few greater

Canadas.“We saw probably a hundred

thousand birds,” he said. “It was intense.”

Favorable reports have been coming in from West Texas, and other outfi tters in the Knox City area confi rmed the major-ity of geese have headed out.

“Half of our hunts have been slam dunks and the other half have not,” said guide Tony Stanfi eld. “We’re losing birds right now. The peak migration was around Dec. 20 in this area.

“The last couple of years we have peaked later in January, but not this year.”

Along the coastal prairies, favorable reports have emerged from Wharton and Jackson counties. The southern portion of Colorado County was also holding solid numbers of birds.

But hunters from Matagorda and Brazoria Counties reported fewer birds.

Hunters said they have been giving fi elds four or fi ve days to recover after a hunt and the birds needed to be “babied a lit-tle bit” to get them to commit to decoy spreads.

Quail: Changes possible in season length, bag limits


Hunting is not consid-ered a culprit in the con-tinuing decline of bobwhite quail in Texas.

That blame is fi xed on fragmented habitat, pred-ators and drought. Also,

researchers are trying to determine if diseases have played a role.

But pursuers of upland game could see changes next season in how and when they hunt.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission is expected to consider a slate

of recommendations that could alter the season’s length and bag limits.

These measures are intended to help more breeding pairs make it to the end of each season, set-ting the stage for a popu-

For quail farmers, business is good


If Mother Nature has any favorite kids, the bobwhite quail isn’t one of them.

The little bird, the prize of upland game hunt-ers, continues to suffer population declines. Drought gets much of the blame these days in Texas, and so does fragmented habitat.

GOOD SHOOTS: Hunters have reported solid crane hunting action across Texas this season. Hunting these birds requires total concealment and limited movement while they are decoying. Photo by Scott Sommerlatte, for LSON.

WHAT’S GOOD FOR THE GOOSE: Goose hunters along the coast and West Texas have reported good numbers of birds. Hunters in the north-central portion of the state have had a tougher time fi nding birds. Regular goose hunting ends Jan. 29 in East Texas and Feb. 5 in West Texas. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.

See CHANGES, Page 19 See QUAIL FARMERS, Page 19


Mule Deer Foundation to hold fi rst Texas fund-raiser

On March 3, the Mule Deer Foundation will hold its fi rst-ever fund-raiser in Texas. With chapters across the western United States, the organi-zation recently hired Charlie Stocksill as the regional director for Texas.

The event will be held at the Parker County Sheriff's Posse Event Center and will be limited to 400 guests, with live entertainment, auctions and prizes.

For information, contact Stocksill at (817) 565-7121 or [email protected].

— Mule Deer Foundation

DU celebrates 75th anniversary

Seventy-fi ve years ago this month, Ducks Unlimited was founded by four sportsmen on a mission to save North America's waterfowl populations. The year was 1937, and the odds were against them. Their plan: restore waterfowl by restoring water to prai-rie wetlands (despite one of the worst droughts in history), and pay for it with donated dollars (during the Great Depression).

Today, Ducks Unlimited is the larg-est, most effective wetlands and waterfowl conservation group in the world. To honor DU's 75th anniver-sary, Winchester Ammunition presented DU with its “Partners in Conservation Award” at the Shooting Hunting and Outdoor Trades (SHOT) show in Las Vegas, Nev.

Ducks Unlimited's 75th anniversary celebration will continue throughout the year with special events, merchan-dise, projects and promotions. DU recently released its 75th anniversary book, “The Ducks Unlimited Story” by Michael Furtman. This 208-page cof-fee-table book chronicles DU's fi rst 75 years with never-before-seen photos and documents from the DU archives.

— Ducks Unlimited

Retired bricklayer helps fellow veteran

fi ll the freezerBy Bill MillerLONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

The whitetail’s multi-point rack was a mess.

The nontypical Hood County buck may have started the year with 23 points, including three drop tines.

But 13 were broken off by the time opening day arrived, probably from fi ghting.

If the hunter who harvested the deer had waited another year,

the unusual rack may have been restored, suitable for an exquisite piece of taxidermy.

But Dano Blanchette of Granbury was more interested in helping a fel-low veteran put some meat in the freezer.

“Dano’s a great comrade who helps us old vets who can’t do it no more,” said Greg Gaston, who owns the two acres where the deer was shot.

“He tills me a garden and helps me plant it,” Greg added. “I never have to ask him. He just shows up.

“I think the world of him.”Dano and Greg are among the for-

mer service members who belong to Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7835 in Granbury.

Greg, a Navy vet, is disabled. He took a round in the pancreas while attached to the Army’s 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam.

Now, 43 years later, he struggles with diabetes.

“I’ve never let anybody hunt here,” Greg said, “except myself when I could do it. I can’t any more.

“But I love venison. And I told Dano, ‘Would you come shoot a deer for me?’”

Dano, a retired bricklayer and Cleburne native, was an Army infan-tryman who served in Germany dur-ing the mid-1970s.

The last deer he shot was a four-point buck before entering the service.

When he got home there was no

NONTYPICAL: This Hood County white-

tail (left) had multiple points, but his rack became busted up

and tangled with wire. Hunter Dano

Blanchette (above), however, shared the

venison with Greg Gaston, a fellow

veteran. Photos by Sherry Gaston.

See VETERANS, Page 6



Rockwall resident Gerald James’ deer lease near San Saba has a hog problem.

Hoping to remedy that, James headed down to the lease just before Christmas to do some hog control.

“The past three years, the hogs have gotten really thick,” he said. “This year, we’ve been seeing groups of 15 or 20 at a time at the feeders.”

After checking a game cam-era at a feeder, James noticed a group of hogs had been arriving daily between 5 and 5:30 p.m. James got comfort-able and, soon after the feeder went off, a sounder of hogs came to the corn.

“I could hear them fi ghting in the brush before they came out,” he said. “They circled the feeder and 10 black hogs, all about 100 pounds, came in. After a few minutes, a big-ger boar with long blonde hair came in and pushed his way past all of the other hogs. He just stood out.”

James fi red one shot from his .270-caliber rifl e and the hog dropped.

“He fell in some mud, so I decided to drag him back to camp,” he said. “I noticed something wrong with his ear, but it looked like he had just

been in a fi ght and had ripped it. It wasn’t until I was wash-ing him off to clean him that I noticed he had three ears.”

The 140-pound boar had characteristics of Russian boar genetics with the longer hair and different facial features.

“He wasn’t a normal feral hog,” James said. “The next morning I went hunting again and when I got back in, I showed the landowner. He’s 75 years old and said he’d never seen anything like it.

“He actually loaded the hog up and took it into (San Saba) to the newspaper.”

James said the hog had three distinct ear canals to go with

the three outside earfl aps.“He wasn’t a huge pig,” he

added. “He was young and had very little tusk.”

According to former Texas Parks and Wildlife Department wildlife biologist Rick Taylor, the three ears are probably just a birth defect.

“I’ve done a lot of work with hogs, and I’ve never heard of this before,” Taylor said. “I’d call him a freak of nature.”

James said he and the other lease hunters killed more than 30 hogs this year, with plans on doing more hog control this winter.

“We shoot them all,” he said.

Hunter shootsthree-eared hog

I HEAR ’EM: This hog killed by Gerald James near San Saba had three ear canals and didn’t look like a normal feral hog. Photo by Alice Smith, San Saba Star.

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Memorable is how BLAKE TERRY of Odessa can describe 2011, and not just for one

accomplishment. In March, the 13-year-old outdoorsman was practicing for the

2011 Junior Bassmaster Championship on Sam Rayburn Reservoir when he caught a

52-pound fl athead catfi sh — a youth lake record on rod and reel. In early December,

he was mule deer hunting with family near the Panhandle town of Quitaque when he

downed the huge feral hog pictured here. Also in 2011, he qualifi ed to fi sh in the

2012 junior championship this March on Amistad Reservoir.

time, or money to go hunting; he was a single father with three kids to feed.

“Before now,” Dano quipped, “I killed more deer by accident with my pickup than I ever did with a rifl e.”

Kidding aside, Dano eagerly accepted Greg’s invitation.

There was great potential for shoot-ing a fi ne buck; a couple of nice ones had regularly visited a feeder on the property.

Greg’s wife, Sherry, operates Creation Photography in Granbury, and she had several pictures of the bucks, including the nontypical. It fi rst showed up about a month before the season started.

He reappeared opening day with a symmetrical eight-point, which was Dano’s fi rst choice, but there wasn’t a good broadside target.

“So,” Greg said, “he took that non-typical instead.”

They inspected the 13 broken points and noticed that one main beam was cracked and tangled with old wire.

“It looked like it came off an elec-trical fence,” Greg said. “I can imag-ine a deer getting into an electrical fence; he’d tear up a main beam.”

Dano and Greg said they under-stood that the buck could’ve been a better trophy next season, but there were no guarantees that they’d ever see it again.

And there was another issue: they speculated that the deer’s unusual rack — he also had a third testicle — was the result of inbreeding.

“We needed to get it out of the breeding line,” Dano said. “But this was mostly about helping Greg.

“He’s a good buddy and a good friend, and that’s what I want to be to him.”

VeteransContinued From Page 5

Wild game cooking classes set at Central Market stores

Central Market and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department have joined forces to bring wild game cooking specialist chef Lisa Freeman into Central Market Cooking Schools to lead fi ve February classes showcasing wild fi sh and game with award-winning olive oils. The classes will feature TPWD experts on hand to answer questions about game, conservation and the great outdoors.

The classes will run 6:30-9 p.m. in Austin on Wednesday, Feb. 15; Houston on Thursday, Feb. 16; San Antonio on Friday, Feb. 17; Fort Worth on Saturday, Feb. 18; and Dallas on Sunday, Feb. 19.

Designed for ages 18 and up, the classes will lead participants in a guided tasting of new harvest extra virgin olive oils, and show how traditional recipes involving olive oil can be adapted to a variety of wild game dishes.

The class menu includes:• Redfi sh Salad in a Lettuce Cup• Pan-Seared, Jack Daniels Marinated Quail• Wild Boar with Fig and Port Wine Reduction• Peppercorn-encrusted Venison with a Sage and Dijon Cream Sauce.The cost is $50 per person, and registration is through the Central Market

Cooking Class Web site. — TPWD


Mike Cox, longtime Austin journalist and book author, knows about sub-jects and verbs.

As a spokesman for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, he writes a lot of press releases. And he also has more than a dozen books to his credit, most of them on Texas history.

But he is not the fi rst writer in his family.

His late grandfa-ther, L.A. Wilke, was an outdoors journalist so respected by his peers that the Texas Outdoor Writers Association named its life-time achievement award after him.

And through him, Cox, in 1969, received a tool that helped shape countless outdoors experiences — a .308-caliber Remington semiautomatic rifl e.

“When I turned 21,” he recalled, “my grand-father summoned me into his home offi ce after supper one night. I don’t remember his exact words, but he told me I was plenty old enough to own my own high-power rifl e.”

Wilke handed Cox the same Remington he used to bring down a buffalo on the Means Ranch in the Trans-Pecos.

“Later,” Cox said, “he took the biggest buck of his life with that .308 on the King Ranch. Since granddad turned over the gun to me, I also have brought down numerous deer with it.

“Of course, I’ve missed a deer or two with it, too.”And while Cox is not his family’s fi rst

writer, he is not the last hunter.“My daughter Hallie, who turns 18 this

February, has been hunting with me since she was a little girl,” he said. “More recently, she did most of the work fi eld dressing a buck I killed earlier in the just-ended season.”

The grimy chore did not sour the experience.

She told her father, “I wish I could shoot a deer.”

Cox arranged for her to hunt a doe on the Lampasas County lease he shares with outdoor writers Bob Hood and John Gill.

“That’s when it started getting complicated,” Cox said. “On her fi rst outing, despite a little pre-hunt target practice, she missed a cooperative doe with Hood’s loaned .243 not once, not twice, but three times.

“That afternoon, she missed a spike that only gave her one shot.”

The next visit to the lease, Hallie took aim at another doe, but missed again. She admitted to nervousness, but asked for

more practice time. On Dec. 29, father and daughter set up a

makeshift range in a dried stock tank. After placing a round 3 inches from the bull’s-eye, Hallie was ready to try again.

They returned to the blind late that afternoon. An hour passed before two doe appeared at the feeder; Hallie aimed at the larger one, but jitters returned.

“Once again, buck fever had set in,” Cox said. “But when granddad’s .308 went off, that doe crashed faster than the Grecian economy.”

Hallie cleaned most the deer herself, and donated it to Hunters for the Hungry.

On the way home that night, Hallie asked if one day she would inherit her great-grand-father’s Remington.

“Yes, I told her, she’ll get that rifl e,” Cox said. “But I need to get a little more use out of it myself fi rst.”

— Staff report

Austin teen uses ancestor’s rifl e to down fi rst deer

HEIRLOOM: Hallie Cox of Austin used her great-grandfather’s Remington .308 to take her fi rst deer last month in Lampasas County. Photo by Mike Cox.


FISHING

The gift that keeps on giving


If crappie anglers are looking to get a jump on the spring crappie season, they should start soon.

According to Sam Rayburn guide Stephen Johnston, if anglers are going to sink a Christmas tree or two for crap-pie structure, they need to do it within the next few weeks.

“Sink those trees within a month,” he said. “If you wait, those trees will dry out like cork and it takes triple the weight to sink them.”

The Hemphill native would know, having sunk hun-dreds of trees and brush piles over the years to improve fi sh habitat on the lakes where he guides.

While sinking trees, he has learned a few tricks to help simplify the process and make it easier for anglers looking to improve fi sh habitat.

“Sink the tree upside down,” he said. “If you sink it the regular way, it folds in on itself and the fi sh won’t get up inside of it. If the tree is upside down, the water will pull the limbs apart to allow fi sh to get in between them.”

Johnston said he sometimes takes three or four trees, ties them together and puts a 2-liter coke bottle on the tree to hold the trunk off the bottom and stand it in the correct position.

“A lot of people thin the trees but I don’t really do that,” he said. “I actually prefer to sink sweetgums or wil-lows, but you have to be careful about local laws and cut-ting those trees on public land.

“But Christmas trees are good for a lake.”Johnston said he doesn’t spread his trees out very

much, saying the tighter trees will hold more fi sh.“I like to put my trees or brush in a 12-foot area,” he said.

“I have a 24-foot boat that I take clients out on, and I like to get right on top of the trees and have the anglers fi shing over both sides of the boat on the edges of the trees.”

For depth, Johnston recommends putting trees in one of three depths: 19-22 feet for early summer fi shing; 23-27 feet for late summer; and 30-31 feet for winter.

“For most people, I would say 22-27 feet would be about right,” he said.

Once an angler is ready with a tree or trees, weighting them down is a big piece of the equation. Johnston rec-ommends sand bags.

“A lot of people use concrete blocks,” he said. “I use sand bags because you can fi nd sand on the bank and fi ll them right there. I always have a friend or two to help out. You just get a shovel and start fi lling.

“I fi ll each bag up to about 45 pounds.”Johnston said to always wear a life vest when sinking

trees because of the lines and weights involved.“If you get wrapped up in a line with a couple hundred

pounds on the other end, you will go to the bottom,” he said.Texas Parks and Wildlife Department district biologist

Kevin Storey said anglers should check with the control-ling authority of the water body before sinking trees.

“It is a common practice that has been going on for years, and most don’t have any objections unless it becomes a navigational hazard,” Storey said. “But it does help, especially in reservoirs without a lot of structure.”


State wildlife offi cials have altered a plan that would have implemented rules to protect vast areas of shallow seagrass in the Lower Laguna Madre.

The original plan would have created a new 15,500-acre protected area near the John F. Kennedy Memorial Causeway in Nueces County.

It would have been similar to the nearby Redfi sh Bay State Scientifi c Area, about 10 miles away, where it’s illegal

Sinking old Christmas trees makes great crappie structure

Plenty of bass on Sam Rayburn;big ones boated in tournamentsBy Bill MillerLONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

Winter largemouth fi shing on Sam Rayburn Reservoir has anglers dodging cold fronts, but hoping for big catches.

Rayburn, a popular tourna-ment venue, has been stingy in recent years producing double-digit bass, guides said.

But they know there still are big fi sh in the East Texas reservoir — and the tourna-ment action proves it.

On Jan. 21, a 9.11-pound largemouth was boated during a Bass Champs East Region tournament on the lake. It was credited to the team of Robert Byrd Jr. of Dallas and Marvin Ettredge of Shreveport. The big fi sh contributed to their third-place tournament fi nish.

“Most people have never seen an 8-pound bass out here, but it’s still good fi sh-ing,” said longtime guide Will Kirkpatrick.

He said, however, that fi shing these days is kind of nostalgic because condi-tions now are similar to 30 years ago. The lake’s current

level of 154 feet, about 10 feet below normal, has left some grass beds dry.

“Grass didn’t come to Rayburn until the 1980s,” Kirkpatrick said, “so we fi shed a lot of points and stumps.

“We don’t have a lot of hold-ing cover any more, which is putting fi sh on the move.”

But, he added, a lot of good fi sh are being caught on crankbaits, spinner baits and Carolina rigs.

He also likes to throw

football jigheads and soft plastic crawfi sh.

The Carolina rig is also the preferred setup for guide Dewey Day.

He also likes Rat-L-Traps, lip-less crankbaits and soft plastics in watermelon, pumpkinseed red or red with black.

Day said he sometimes fi nds shallow grass; he then switches to a lightweight quar-ter-ounce Carolina rig with a soft plastic lizard or worm.

“Right now with fronts

coming in — we had one last week — it has slowed the bite,” Day said on Jan. 23. “After a front they don’t want to chase anything, but if you can put it in front of them, you can get a reaction strike.”

In that situation, a soft plastic worm can do the trick.

Day said his catches have been averaging around 3.5 to 4 pounds, but he keeps try-ing for one of the big ones.

But there are more fi sh on Sam Rayburn than largemouths.

Guide Bill Fondren said he specializes in white bass and crappie, and both pro-vided a lot of excitement in late January.

He said the warm spells between fronts have spurred white bass to start moving into the creeks and rivers to stage for the spring spawning.

For white bass, he uses a soft plastic minnow on a jighead.

“It’s just a lot of fun,” he said. “By the time you catch 25 fi sh you’re pretty tired.”

Guide Dewey Day, (936) 422-4344Guide Bill Fondren, (409) 698-3491Guide Will Kirkpatrick, (409) 584-3177

GRASS FLATS: People living near the Lower Laguna Madre feared a proposed seagrass protection plan would have discouraged fi shing, and the tourism revenue that comes with it. State offi cials revised the plan. Photo by TPWD.

SANTA WOULD BE PROUD: Volunteers at Purtis Creek State Park near Eustace sink Christmas trees recently to improve habitat for crappie, bass and catfi sh. It won't take long for baitfi sh to begin congregating around the new structure. Photos by Dan Bennett, TPWD.

See GRASS, Page 16

BIG BASS AT BIG SAM: Plenty of largemouth bass were being caught in January on Sam Rayburn Reservoir with Carolina rigs, crankbaits and soft plastics. Photo by LSON.

Grass fl at protection to focus on voluntary

compliance


TRAVIS AARON MARBURGER

Cold case: Man pleads guilty in 2002 boat fatality

A Burnet County man has pleaded guilty to failure to stop and render aid in a 2002 boat wreck that killed a Lampasas teen.

Travis Aaron Marburger, 37, entered his plea Jan. 20 in the 33rd Judicial District Court at Burnet, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Failure to render aid involving a fatal accident is a third-degree felony.

The case resulted from a May 3, 2002 hit-and-run wreck on Lake Buchanan that killed Justin Wayne Roberts, an 18-year-old Lampasas High School football player.

The early-morning crash also injured then-18-year-old Kelly Jean Corbin, Roberts’ girlfriend, and Jim Edward Daniels, a fellow Lampasas football player, who was 17.

Daniels is now a Texas game warden assigned to King and Knox Counties.As a condition of probation, Marburger will serve 100 days in jail and pay a $1,500 fi ne. He

was also ordered to pay $7,488.58 in restitution to the families.Marburger will also relinquish all hunting and fi shing privileges during his decade-long pro-

bation, TPWD reported.The case remained unsolved until late 2010 when an anonymous tip to Operation Game

Thief alerted game wardens to Marburger. Game wardens executed a search warrant on his Burnet County property and unearthed his boat from a pit.

For more on this case, go to http://www.lsonews.com/fi shing-news/1975-man-pleads-guilty-in-fatal-2002-boat-crash.

— Staff report

Abandoned crab trap removal plans setIn an effort to reduce game fi sh killed in crab traps, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is

looking for volunteers willing to help get rid of these derelict traps along the coast.Since 2002, the program has resulted in the collection of more than 29,000 wire mesh

traps, primarily on the mid and upper coast. Last year, volunteers, with the aid of numerous sponsors, removed roughly 1,400 traps.

Starting Feb. 17 and continuing through Feb. 26, all Texas bays will be closed for crabbing. Any traps left in the water will be assumed to be abandoned and considered “litter” under state law, allowing volunteers to legally remove any crab traps they fi nd.

Trap drop-off sites will begin Feb. 18, from 8 a.m. to noon, depending on the weather. At all sites, Dumpsters marked with banners will be available to receive traps for the duration of the closure.

Traps cannot be removed prior to Feb. 17 or after Feb. 26.The Coastal Conservation Association Texas, Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program, and

the Galveston Bay Foundation are supporting to the crab trap removal program.Volunteers may pick up free tarps, gloves, trap hooks and additional information at their

local TPWD Coastal Fisheries Field Stations.For a list of drop-off sites, go to http://www.lsonews.com/fi shing-news/1978-volunteers-

needed-for-crab-trap-removals. — TPWD


ALAN HENRY: Water lightly stained; 45–53 degrees; 7.65’ low. Largemouth bass are good on black/blue jigs, drop-shot rigs, square-bill crankbaits and Texas rigs. Crappie are fair to good on jigs and live minnows.

AMISTAD: Water clear; 52–56 degrees; 9.31’ low. Largemouth bass are good on jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, jigging spoons, crankbaits and soft plastics. Striped bass are good on jigs, spoons, slabs and large jerkbaits. White bass are good on jig-ging spoons, grubs and crankbaits.

ARROWHEAD: Water off-color; 42–51 degrees; 8.33’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas rigs, jigs, spinnerbaits and shaky heads. White bass are good on slabs and minnows. Blue catfi sh are good on live shad.

ATHENS: Water clear, 44–48 degrees; 4.22’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon shaky head worms and black/blue football jigs around brush piles. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. Catfi sh are good on prepared bait.

BASTROP: Water clear; 55–59 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on watermelon soft plastics, spinnerbaits and lipless crankbaits. Channel and blue catfi sh are good on stinkbait, nightcrawlers and shrimp.

BELTON: Water fairly clear; 53–56 degrees; 12.19’ low. Largemouth bass are good on spinnerbaits and soft plastic worms in coves. Hybrid striper are good on live shad. White bass are good trolling lipless crankbaits and jigging chrome slabs in 40 feet. Channel and blue catfi sh are good on doughbait and stinkbait. Yellow catfi sh are good on trotlines and throwlines baited with live perch.

BOB SANDLIN: Water lightly stained; 44–48 degrees; 8.42’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on black/blue jigs, shaky heads with fi nesse worms and shallow-running crankbaits. Crappie are good on live minnows and jigs. White bass are good on Humdingers and top-waters. Catfi sh are fair to good on trotlines or juglines with Redneck’s Catfi sh Bait Soap.

BRAUNIG: Water clear. Largemouth bass are slow. Striped bass are fair on live shad and silver jigging spoons. Channel catfi sh are good on stinkbait and shrimp. Blue catfi sh are good on minnows and shad.

BRIDGEPORT: Water clear; 43–47 degrees; 11.85’ low. Largemouth bass are good on jerkbaits along main lake points and watermelon candy worms around deeper docks (schooling reported in middle to backs of creeks). Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. White bass are good on slabs. Hybrid striper are good on slabs.

BROWNWOOD: Water lightly stained; 52–56 degrees; 15.84’ low. Largemouth bass are good on craw-colored jigs, chartreuse crankbaits and watermelon soft plastics in coves in 10–15 feet. White bass are good on Li’l Fishies and crawdad crankbaits.

BUCHANAN: Water clear; 54–58 degrees; 32.05’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on chartreuse/wa-termelon soft plastic worms and lizards, watermelon Whacky Sticks on jigheads and black/chartreuse hair jigs with blue fl ake trailers in 15–25 feet. Striped bass are fair on perch-colored lipless crankbaits and trolling pumpkinseed striper jigs off points.

CADDO: Water stained; 45–49 degrees; .82’ high. Largemouth bass are good on black/blue jigs around isolated cover. Shad-pattern lipless crankbaits in the same areas are also effective. Yellow bass are good on minnows.

CALAVERAS: Water clear. Largemouth bass are fair on watermelon crankbaits and soft plastics. Striped bass are fair on minnows. Redfi sh are fair on live perch and shad. Channel and blue catfi sh are good on liver, shrimp, and stinkbait.

CANYON LAKE: Water clear; 56–60 degrees; 10.58’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on pumpkinseed hair jigs with blue fl ake trailers, water-melon Carolina-rigged lizards, and Texas-rigged blue/black Scoundrel worms along ledges. Striped bass are good trolling silver striper jigs and vertically jigging Pirk Minnows.

CEDAR CREEK: Water lightly stained; 15–48 degrees; 6.54’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged creature baits, shaky heads and black/blue fi nesse jigs around

docks (green pumpkin soft plastics suggested). White bass are good on slabs. Hybrid striper are good on live shad. Crappie are fair to good on minnows. Catfi sh are fair drifting cut shad.

CHOKE CANYON: Water clear; 58–62 degrees; 12.01’ low. Largemouth bass are good on chrome jigs and watermelon soft plastic lizards in the grass. White bass are fair on min-nows. Channel and blue catfi sh are good on punchbait and liver.

COLEMAN: Water clear; 56–59 de-grees; 15.97’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on spinnerbaits, crankbaits and Rat–L–Traps. Hybrid striper are fair on silver spoons and min-nows. Channel catfi sh are good on stinkbait, liver and frozen shrimp.

CONROE: Water fairly clear; 54–58 degrees; 7.21’ low. Largemouth bass are good on chartreuse soft plastics, crankbaits and lipless crankbaits. Striped bass are fair on minnows. Crappie are good on minnows. Cat-fi sh are fair on stinkbait and shrimp.

COOPER: Water lightly stained; 44–48 degrees; 11.96’ low. Largemouth bass are good on chartreuse shallow crankbaits and Texas-rigged craw worms throughout the day. Green pumpkin soft plastics are best. Crappie are good on minnows. White bass are good on slabs. Hybrid striper are fair to good on Sassy Shad and live shad. Catfi sh are good on prepared bait and cut bait.

FORK: Water fairly clear; 43–48 degrees; 6.77’ low. Largemouth bass are good on black/blue or green pumpkin fl ipping jigs rigged with LFT Flipper — concentrate on the wood cover near creek channel bends. The deep spoon bite is good on main lake points and along creek channels. Crappie are good on min-nows and jigs. Catfi sh are good on cut shad and prepared bait.

GIBBONS CREEK: Water clear. Largemouth bass are good on dark spinnerbaits, crankbaits and lipless crankbaits. Crappie are good on minnows and pink tube jigs. Catfi sh are good on shrimp and stinkbait.

GRANBURY: Water clear; 53–56

degrees; 4.93’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on watermelon soft plastics, spinnerbaits and lipless crankbaits. Catfi sh are good on shrimp, stinkbait, and nightcrawlers.

GRAPEVINE: Water clear; 43–48 degrees; 3.30’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon Texas-rigged worms, watermelon fi nesse jigs, lipless crankbaits and suspending jerkbaits along main lake points. Crappie are good on minnows. White bass are good on slabs. Catfi sh are fair to good on nightcrawlers and cut shad.

HOUSTON COUNTY: Water clear; 54–58 degrees; 2.84’ low. Largemouth bass to 7 pounds are good on white jigs and Brush Hogs near the dam, and on chartreuse/chrome lipless crankbaits near the islands and the pump station. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs near the dam in 20 feet. Channel and blue catfi sh to 8 pounds are good on chicken livers near the islands.

JOE POOL: Water clear; 44–48 degrees; 1.37’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged creature baits, lipless crankbaits and smaller jigs — midday bite has been best. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on slabs. Catfi sh are fair to good on prepared baits.

LAKE O' THE PINES: Water lightly stained; 44–48 degrees; 4.07’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged worms, shallow crankbaits and lipless crankbaits along main lake points. Later in the day fi sh are holding tight to cover with some suc-cess reported on top-waters. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfi sh are good on cut shad.

LAVON: Water lightly stained; 43–47 degrees; 11.52’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged creature baits, black/brown jigs and square-bill crankbaits. White bass are good on slabs. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs around bridge columns. Catfi sh are good on cut shad and nightcrawlers.

LBJ: Water clear; 55–58 degrees; 0.21’ low. Largemouth bass are good on shad-colored jigs, watermelon JDC drop-shot worms and char-treuse/blue fl ake tubes from docks. Striped bass are slow. White bass are good on Li’l Fishies and small spinnerbaits in the channel.

LEWISVILLE: Water clear; 43–47 degrees; 5.55’ low. Largemouth bass are good on medium-running crankbaits and suspending jerkbaits along riprap near the dam. White bass are good on slabs. Catfi sh are good on prepared bait.

LIVINGSTON: Water fairly clear; 55–59 degrees; 0.36’ low. Largemouth

bass are fair on crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Striped bass are good on Zara spooks and lipless crankbaits. Crappie are good on minnows. Blue catfi sh are good on trotlines and juglines baited with shad.

NAVARRO MILLS: Water lightly stained; 53–57 degrees; 3.00’ low. Largemouth bass are good on perch-colored spinnerbaits and lip-less crankbaits. Crappie are good on minnows and blue/white and white/chartreuse tube jigs off docks in 4–5 feet early. Channel and blue catfi sh are good on shrimp and stinkbait.

PALESTINE: Water lightly stained; 44–48 degrees; 4.09’ low. Largemouth bass are good on black and blue jigs, shaky heads and lipless crankbaits. The jig bite is consistent around docks. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Hybrid striper are fair on slabs, Sassy Shad and live shad. White bass are fair to good on slabs and minnows. Catfi sh are good on prepared bait.

RAY HUBBARD: Water fairly clear; 43–47 degrees; 4.79’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged crea-ture baits, square-bill crankbaits, lipless crankbaits — swim jigs are good around riprap also. Crappie are fair on minnows and Road Runners. White bass are excellent on humps in 17–23 feet with hybrids mixed in. Catfi sh are good on prepared baits.

RAY ROBERTS: Water clear; 43–47 degrees; 4.41’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Smithwick Suspending Rogues in Tiger Roan and Clown colors, especially around main lake rocky points. White bass are good on slabs in 35 feet of water — watch for gulls.

RICHLAND CHAMBERS: Water fairly clear; 43–48 degrees; 7.22’ low. Largemouth bass are good on shaky heads and creature baits around docks. Square-bill crankbaits are producing numbers. White bass are fair on slabs and live shad. Hybrid striper are fair on slabs and live shad. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs.

SAM RAYBURN: Water lightly stained; 55–58 degrees; 10.68’ low. Largemouth bass are good on dark green/blue fl ake soft plastics. White bass are fair on minnows and Li’l Fishies. Catfi sh are good on shrimp and nightcrawlers.

TAWAKONI: Water fairly clear; 43–47 degrees; 6.10’ low. Largemouth bass are good on black/blue Firewater 1/2 oz. jigs and square-bill crankbaits in chartreuse patterns. Crappie are fair on 1/16 oz. curl tail grubs and small minnows on docks, bridge pilings and deep timber. White bass are excellent on white SSS Slabs and tailspins — schooling on points early and late. Striped bass and hybrid striper are good on 4” to 6” white or shad-pattern Sassy Shad in the shallows early then suspending deep during the day. Drifting live bait is also producing. Catfi sh are excellent in deep water drifting cut bait and fresh shad.

TRAVIS: Water lightly stained; 55–58 degrees; 54.77’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on small crankbaits and watermelon worms in 10–25 feet. White bass are good on smoke grubs, jigging spoons and minnows in 20–40 feet. Crappie are good on minnows and blue tube jigs in 15–25 feet. Channel and blue cat-fi sh are good on stinkbait and shrimp in 30–45 feet.

WEATHERFORD: Water fairly clear; 42–46 degrees; 7.61’ low. Largemouth bass are good on shal-low crankbaits, shaky heads and Texas-rigged creature baits — target any shallow cover. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs.

WHITNEY: Water stained; 53–57 de-grees; 15.04’ low. Largemouth bass are good on chartreuse crankbaits and lipless crankbaits. Striped bass are good on minnows. White bass are fair on minnows and jigging spoons. Crappie are fair on minnows and pink tube jigs. Catfi sh are good on shrimp and liver.

NORTH SABINE: Redfi sh are good in the marsh on small top-waters and Stanley Ribbits. Trout are fair on the shorelines on Corkys and Catch 2000s.

SOUTH SABINE: Sheepshead and black drum are good at the jetty on live shrimp. Trout are fair around the Reef on live shrimp.

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

TRINITY BAY: Trout are fair 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 hard baits. Whiting and sand trout are good on the edge of the Intracoastal on fresh shrimp.

WEST GALVESTON BAY: Trout are fair in the mud and shell on top-waters and Corkys in the afternoon for waders. Sheepshead, redfi sh and black drum are good at the jetty on shrimp and crabs.

TEXAS CITY: Tides remain below normal. Redfi sh are fair in the holes and guts in Moses Lake on shrimp and mullet.

FREEPORT: Sand trout and sheepshead are good on live shrimp on the reefs. Black drum are good in Cold Pass and San Luis pass on cracked blue crabs.

EAST MATAGORDA BAY: Trout are fair to good for drifters in the afternoon 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 on the edge of Oys-ter Lake on shrimp. Trout are fair on shell and grass on soft plastics. Black drum are fair at the jetty on crabs.

PORT O'CONNOR: Trout and redfi sh are good on top-waters over soft mud in waist–deep water in San Antonio Bay. Trout and redfi sh are fair for drifters work-ing the back lakes with live shrimp.

ROCKPORT: Redfi sh are good in the Lydia Ann Channel on crabs. Trout are fair over grass while drifting with live shrimp.

PORT ARANSAS: Redfi sh and black drum are fair in the Shrimpboat Channel on crabs and fi nger mullet. Redfi sh and sheepshead are fair to good at the jetty on shrimp.

CORPUS CHRISTI: Redfi sh are fair to good around Shamrock Cove on small top-waters and spoons. Trout are fair to good on the edge of the spoils on plastics and live shrimp.

BAFFIN BAY: Trout are fair to good in mud and grass on Corkys and top-waters. Redfi sh are fair along the spoils on gold spoons and plastics.

PORT MANSFIELD: Trout are fair to good on top-waters around sand and grass holes. Redfi sh are fair to good while drifting pot holes.

SOUTH PADRE: Trout and redfi sh are fair to good on the edge of the Intracoastal on DOA Shrimp and soft plastics. Redfi sh are good in South Cullen Bay on plastics and fake minnows.

PORT ISABEL: Snook are fair in the Brownsville Ship Channel on free–lined shrimp. Trout and redfi sh are fair to good in South Bay on live shrimp. Redfi sh are fair to good at Holly Beach on top-waters and soft plastics under rattling corks.

TEXAS FISHING REPORT

HOT BITES SALTWATERSCENE

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the edge of Oys-

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LARGEMOUTH BASS

AMISTAD: Good on jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, jigging spoons, crankbaits and soft plastics.

BELTON: Good on spinnerbaits and soft plastic worms in coves.

CADDO: Good on black/blue jigs around isolated cover. Shad-pattern lipless crankbaits in the same areas are also effective.

HOUSTON COUNTY: Good on white jigs and Brush Hogs near the dam, and on chartreuse/chrome lipless crankbaits near the islands.

PALESTINE: Good on black and blue jigs, shaky heads and lipless crankbaits.

CRAPPIE

GIBBONS CREEK: Good on minnows and pink tube jigs.

LAVON: Good on minnows and jigs around bridge columns.

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ON BAY: Trout are fair in

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CATFISH

CHOKE CANYON: Channel and blue cat-fi sh are good on punchbait and liver.

NAVARRO MILLS: Channel and blue catfi sh are good on shrimp and stinkbait.

SAM RAYBURN: Good on shrimp and nightcrawlers.

TAWAKONI: Excellent in deep water drifting cut bait and fresh shad.

TRAVIS: Channel and blue catfi sh are good on stinkbait and shrimp in 30–45 feet.

n shrimp

WHITE, HYBRID, STRIPER

BROWNWOOD: White bass are good on Li’l Fishies and crawdad crankbaits.

CANYON LAKE: Striped bass are good trolling silver striper jigs and verti-cally jigging spoons.

COOPER: Good on chartreuse shallow crankbaits and Texas-rigged craw worms throughout the day. Green pumpkin soft plastics are best.

RAY HUBBARD: White bass are excel-lent on humps in 17–23 feet with hybrids mixed in.

HOT SPOT

Falcon ReservoirThe best bass fi shing lake in the country (arguably) continues to roll. At a tournament on the lake in mid-January, even a 30-pound stringer didn’t come close to cashing a check. Numerous 10-13 pound bass are being pulled from the lake, and it should continue to get better as the bass move into a spawning pattern in the coming weeks. Photo by Lone Star Outdoor News.


TWIN TROLLER X10FISHERMAN’S DELUXE

Freedom Electric Marine calls it a boat with “fi shability.” To anglers, that trans-

lates into a stable, easy-to-maneuver pontoon boat that will get them right up

to the fi sh. With the ability to operate in as little as 8 inches of water, the Twin Troller

uses in-hull propulsion and foot control systems to operate the boat in virtually

any water condition. Its pontoon hull design and the vacuum effect created by its propulsion system combine to provide outstanding stability

in a boat of this size. Features include a recessed — and protected — electric motor, a Lowrance X-4 depth fi shfi nder, two mountable rod holders, and a portable livewell. It is rated at 2 HP and has a weight

capacity of 565 pounds. The 10-foot-long lightweight pontoon boat can be launched from a trailer or from the back of a truck. It sells for $3,195.

(877) 882-0099 • www.freedomelectricmarine.com

2012 BOATS IN REVIEW

X21 BASS BOAT This aluminum boat is from Xpress Boats’ Xclusive series, which is described as delivering breath-taking speed and handling. Whether heading out for a hard day of tourna-ment fi shing or a more relaxed outing, this boat can handle it. Designed with the company’s “Hyper-Lift” hull, all-welded construction, and unibody-injected foam construction, its standard features include a Humminbird PiranhaMax 160 with swivel mount graph, Minn Kota trolling motor, plus more. It offers two large rear deck storage boxes, a center rod box, and a rod organizer. The 21-foot, 3-inch-long bass boat has a fuel capacity of 30 gallons. It sells for about $30,995, when equipped with a Yamaha VF200LA outboard motor. (501) 262-5300 • www.xpressboats.com

PRO GUIDE V-16At 16 feet long, Tracker Boats’ best-selling Deep V boat is sized to easily tow, launch and store. This multispe-cies boat can nimbly navigate smaller lakes and rivers or cut through more challenging waters. Equipped with a Lowrance fi shfi nder, Minn Kota PowerDrive trolling motor, two 8-foot rod boxes, and a large 23-gallon livewell with bait bucket, it’s ready to rock and roll. With three swiveling fi shing seats (that can move between six base locations) and carpeted fi shing decks, this boat has room for up to fi ve anglers. It has a recommended maximum 90 HP and a 15-gallon fuel capacity. The 2012 Pro Guide V-16 multi-species boat sells for about $16,320. (417) 873-4555 • www.trackerboats.com

CHITTUM SKIFF SS 18 This boat will easily navigate those fi sh-rich, super-shallow waters thanks to a hull with a scant two degrees of deadrise. But it is this boat’s advanced construction ma-terials that result in a lightweight skiff that draws less water and poles much easier for exceptional performance in shallow water. Graced with the same features that made Chittum’s Islamorado 18 series a fi sherman’s favorite, this new skiff offers a hull design with high volume built-in spray rails, a staggered split 56-inch chine below the waterline for silent poling, and radius transom. Its “fl oating” center console, or optional side console, offer fl exibility for the angler, who will appreciate the rod racks under the gunnels (with 14 fl y rod tubes running fore and aft) and the 30-gallon baitwell. Storage includes a large dry storage compartment under the forward deck as well as two large dry storage boxes aft. This lightweight skiff has a recommended 90 HP and 31-gallon fuel capacity. It is priced at just under $50,000.

(386) 589-7224 • www.chittumskiffs.com

ST 310

This coastal vessel from Pursuit has been getting a lot of attention since it debuted a year ago. The ST 310 is 31 feet, 2 inches long with powerful twin 300 Yamaha engines. The surfboard-styled hardtop has installation details for outriggers, radar, lights and antennas. The aggressive 24-degree deadrise, sharp entry, performance-minded chines and strakes provide a comfortable platform for fi shing, diving or just transporting an extra large group to a favorite coastal getaway. But it’s loaded with features for the saltwater angler: under-gunwale rod storage racks; folding rod storage racks with padded reel protectors under the bow seats; forward-facing tackle stor-age locker; stainless steel rod holders in the gunwale; a 20-gallon insulated livewell with lights; and an insulated 29-gallon fi shbox in the fl oor with pump out. The boat, including engines, sells for $234,405.

(800) 947-8778 • www.pursuitboats.com


TRESPASSER TRIES TO HIDE MORE THAN GUN

A hunter called Tarrant County Game Warden Clint Borchardt and advised that while hunting he observed an indi-vidual come onto his food plot with a fi rearm. Borchardt contacted Tarrant County Game Warden David Vannoy to assist in locating the individual. As the wardens arrived, Tarrant County deputies had located and detained the individual who had tried to stash his camo and shotgun in the woods nearby. The shotgun, camo and drug paraphernalia were recovered from the brush. Multiple cases are pending.

CLAIM OF MISSING A HOG THWARTED BY DEER LEFT NEAR CHAIR

Waller County Game Warden Kevin Glass received a call regarding a per-son who had shot a deer without consent. Glass called Harris County Game Warden Cullen Stakes to assist. The wardens found a chair near the fence and a spike buck pulled under some brush along the fence. The shooter had shot from his property onto the neighbor’s and crossed a fence to retrieve the deer. Glass drove back to the hunter’s vehicle, where the man was trying to leave. The man admitted to shooting but said he had missed a hog. Glass informed the hunter that Stakes was at the deer he left in the brush near his chair. The poacher, a convicted felon, then owned up to the truth. Cases pending.

NUMBER OF TAGS ON LICENSE NO EXCUSE

Comal County Game Warden Michael McCall contacted two men who were observed loading a deer. At the location, McCall found two men standing near a pickup containing a freshly killed buck. An inspection of one man's hunting license revealed all of the buck tags had been used and the harvest log had not been completed. The man explained that

this was his third buck taken from this property this season. McCall explained that Comal County has a two-buck bag limit and also how to fi ll in the informa-tion on the harvest log. The man said he believed he could take three bucks because there are three buck tags on the hunting license. The deer was seized, and the hunter was cited for exceeding his bag limit of buck deer in Comal County. Case and restitution now pending.

MAN PHOTOGRAPHED MESSING WITH GAME CAMERA’S TIMER

Callahan County Game Warden James Brown responded to a complaint that a subject was trespassing and had been interfering with the timer on a hunter’s deer feeder. The complainant furnished James with a picture taken from a hidden game camera. Brown recognized the subject in the picture and fi led trespassing charges.

RALLYING DUCKS BY BOAT WATCHED BY WARDEN

Freestone County Game Warden Craig Hernandez observed duck hunters on Richland Chambers Lake hunting on an island. After watching the hunters a few hours, one of the hunters got in the boat and drove around the coves in the area to scare the birds. Cases pending for unlaw-fully rallying game birds.

A NEW EXCUSE FOR TRESPASSERSEl Paso Game Warden Hallie Dacy

received a call concerning a group of

trespassing hunters. A landowner’s leaseholder found a group of tres-passing hunters on the ranch and when he asked them what they were doing, they replied they were helping the landowner keep poachers off the ranch. A call to the landowner con-fi rmed they did not have permission to hunt there. Dacy was contacted and the fi rst man said they had per-mission to be there and denied having fi rearms. However, the leaseholder identifi ed the men and told Dacy he was the complainant who had talked to them, saw their guns and watched their movements. Cases pending.

DOVE IN BEER BOXTAKEN OUT OF SEASON

Presidio County Game Wardens Bryan Newman and Zack Moerbe were checking mule deer camps. While checking a mule deer in the back of a truck, Newman noticed some dove stashed away in an empty beer box. The wardens questioned the hunter, who admitted to shooting dove earlier that day. The hunter was educated on dove hunting season dates and issued a cita-tion. Case and civil restitution pending.

ROAD HUNTER NABBED WITHHELP FROM THE JP

A justice of the peace called Palo Pinto County Game Warden Matt Waggoner and informed him that a friend of his had observed a subject shoot a white-tailed buck from the road and then jump a fence in an attempt to recover the

deer. The JP detained the subject until Waggoner arrived. Waggoner found the subject and the JP sitting in the county road, and an eight-point buck lying in a wheat fi eld across the fence. The sub-ject admitted shooting the deer from the road and jumping the fence to retrieve it. Multiple cases pending.

STRANDED HUNTERS REUNITED WITH THEIR LOST BOAT

Three duck hunters became stranded on an island on Lake Bridgeport after their boat blew across a deep cove while they were hunting. Wise County Game Warden Penny Nixon located the hunters and assisted in the recovery of their boat and equipment.

DEER DECOY BRINGS DOUBLE- TROUBLE FOR SHOOTER

Grimes County Game Warden Jake Cawthon, Walker County Game Warden Anthony Corcoran and Montgomery County Game Warden Brannon Meinkowsky worked a deer decoy opera-tion near Magnolia. At about 2:30 a.m., a truck pulled up and the driver shot the decoy with a .22-caliber rifl e. The driver also was arrested for driving while intox-icated. Multiple cases pending.

THEY’LL NEVER LOOK HEREWalker County Game Warden

Stephen Ingram responded to inves-tigate a deer stand that was placed illegally on a landowner’s property. Ingram noticed what appeared to be fresh blood on a nearby tree and a blood

path leading to the back of a residence. After a long discussion with the property owner, a number of deceptive state-ments, and the overwhelming evidence of blood scattered over coolers, the sus-pect admitted to killing an eight-point deer that was under the antler restric-tions. In an effort to hide the deer, it was placed in the clothes dryer inside the residence. Multiple cases pending.

INFORMANT HELPS WARDENSCATCH DUCK BAITERS

During the waterfowl season split, Trinity County Game Wardens Sam Shanafelt and Randy Watts received a call about hunters baiting ducks on Lake Livingston. The informant watched the hunters bait and hunt the last weekend before the season split. The wardens scouted the area before the opener of the second split. Corn was found and evidence was collected. The next morning, Shanafelt and Watts watched a group of four hunting the baited area. The wardens made con-tact and interviewed the hunters. The hunters admitted to seeing the bait but not placing the bait. Evidence was seized. Civil restitution is pending and citations for hunting over bait and one unplugged shotgun were issued.

DITCH HUNTING IS STILL ROAD HUNTINGIn an area known for road hunt-

ing violations, Jasper County Game Wardens Morgan Inman and Justin Eddins came across a vehicle sitting in the middle of the road. The wardens inquired as to what the occupants of the vehicle were up to, and they said, “hunting.” Inspection of the vehicle revealed a .30-30 and a 12-gauge shotgun loaded with buck shot in the front seat. The occupants assured the wardens they were not going to shoot a deer off the road but rather out of the ditch, the highline clearing or pipeline area. Then they asked, “That is legal, right?” After a lesson in the law, cita-tions were issued. Cases pending.

GAME WARDEN BLOTTER

Llano County Game Warden Kevin Webb responded to a call involving a deer that was shot from the road. While at the ranch gathering information, he heard a vehicle driving on the county road. When the rancher heard the exhaust, he stated that it sounded like the vehicle he heard after the gunshot. Webb proceeded from the ranch back toward the county road. Once on the county road, he came up on a rise and found a truck with its lights out. Two young men were separated and questioned. Finally, a confession was obtained and a rifl e was seized. The driver had shot the deer earlier and had returned for it. Restitution fi led on a 140-plus buck. Road hunting case pending.

LANDOWNER’S GOOD EARS LEAD WARDEN TO POACHER



HEROES

LANDRY WREN, 7, of Harper, shot her fi rst buck recently on her uncle’s ranch near Kerrville. “And she didn’t mind a little blood on her face,” said her dad, Brady Wren.

On a ranch in Goliad County, MADYSON DY-BALA, 8, of Victoria recently harvested her fi rst deer. Her dad, Jeff Dybala, was on hand.

SHARE AN ADVENTURE■ Want to share hunting and fi shing photos with other Lone Star Outdoor News readers? E-mail them with contact and caption information to [email protected]. High-resolution original jpegs only. Mail prints to Heroes, Lone Star Outdoor News, P.O. Box 551695, Dallas, TX 75355.

HANNAH GRAY, 7, of Madison, Miss., (formerly of San Antonio) shot this buck last season

in Kerr County with an 80-yard shot from a .243-caliber rifl e. It scored 156 1/8.

ED and DILLION CARTER of Flower Mound boated a nice smallmouth bass recently while fi shing with Striper Express on Lake Texoma. The smallie hit on a soft plastic in about 4 feet of water.

Here’s a memorable father-son event. JORDAN TREBILCOCK, 17, (right) of Mansfi eld hunted last fall near Trinidad, Colo., where he used 7mm Remington Magnum to down this seven-by-six bull elk. Meanwhile, his dad, VINCE TRE-BILCOCK, (above) shot a nice mule deer with a .300 WSM.

On his fi rst safari to South Africa recently, TOM DET-RICK of Salado took this fi ne kudu.

JASON BRUDNICKI caught this 13.36-pound bass late last month on Falcon International Reservoir, the second ShareLunker of the season.

Highland Village resident ANDREW WATSON was fi sh-ing for crappie late last month on Lake Fork when he hooked this 13.51-pound largemouth on a minnow. It was the fi rst ShareLunker of the season.



OUTDOOR BUSINESS

PermitsContinued From Page 1

said. “A lot of the ranches already have this permit.”

The second document, the Incidental Take permit, is for ranchers who host hunting cli-ents. This annual permit costs $100 and must be submitted by the ranch, not the individual hunters.

“Hunters need to have a let-ter from the ranch owner upon leaving the ranch saying the har-vest was legal under his permit,” Kauffman said. “Most taxider-mists already require this letter for other animals on the endangered species list (such as red lechwe and barasingha deer).”

Kauffman said hunters should not be affected by this ruling, but they should make sure the ranch where they hunt has its permits.

Ranches only need one permit

for the entire herd, she said, not for each individual animal.

“We aren’t permitting the indi-vidual hunters, just the ranches,” Kauffman explained. “Our goal is not to target hunters.”

Ten percent of the revenue from these permits will go to conserva-tion efforts in the animals’ native countries.

Ranch owner and Dallas Safari Club life member Lance Phillips said the move makes it harder for people like himself who have been building herds for decades.

“They make us fi ll out the same paperwork that the San Diego Zoo has to fi ll out,” Phillips said. “Every 11 months, I have to request the permit and give a bunch of per-sonal information online that every anti-hunter can see.

“It opens us up to all of the nuts

out there.”Phillips was concerned USFWS

will have to send biologists to Texas to approve the permits, something Kauffman disputed.

“A biologist might have a fol-low-up question based on some-thing they saw on the permit,” she said. “But we are not send-ing biologists to Texas to look at people’s herds. The permit can be approved without a site inspec-tion from a biologist.”

Kauffman said the USFWS would have permits back to appli-cants within 60 to 90 days.

Hunters looking for deals on scimitar-horned oryx may fi nd them as some ranches decide to eliminate their herds, although that isn’t recommended.

John Jackson of Conservation Force said ranchers should not

eliminate their herds.“I think some small herds might

disappear because it isn’t worth the headache,” Jackson said. “We are advising people against that because that could be a serious offense.”

HERE TODAY: Herds of oryx, like the ones pictured, that have been bred for decades by Texas ranchers, have lost their exempt status with the USFWS. This means herd owners must now apply for permits to own and practice herd control management. Photo by Scott Sommerlatte, for LSON.

to uproot seagrass. These sub-merged grassy areas are prime habitat for multiple species, including game fi sh such as trout and redfi sh.

The plan, however, was met by staunch opposition from local residents who spoke out during a series of scoping meetings in November and December.

They were concerned the rule would discourage fi sh-ing in the area, said Robin Riechers, director of coastal fi sheries for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

“There was quite a bit of oppo-sition,” he said. “Certainly that community has worked very hard to provide opportunities for tourism in a prime fi shing area, and they were concerned this would reduce peoples’ interest to come do that.”

The new no-uprooting rule, which would have ticketed violators, needed approval from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission.

But, with so much opposi-tion, TPWD staff decided to replace it with an education-based program intended to spur voluntary compliance among boaters.

Signage, for example, could remind people to ease boat traffi c during low tides. The signs could be posted on poles near the grass fl ats or on kiosks at boat ramps.

Also, poles would mark water levels and offer a gauge for boat-ers to help them see when their propellers might plow trenches through the fl ats.

“Most people don’t want to uproot seagrass,” Riechers said. “We will certainly put our best foot forward and we hope that our partners down there will as well.

“We’ll see how well that works. If it doesn’t, we could look at the enforcement model again.”

GrassContinued From Page 8

FOR UPDATES■ Offi cials for the USFWS will attend a meeting Jan. 26 in Kerrville to discuss the permit-ting process with ranchers and hunters. Details were unavailable at press time. Check LSONews.com for possible updates on this issue.


Solunar | Sun times | Moon timesMoon Phases

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

1. A game bird 4. Term for color

bands on arrows 6. The archer's

weapon 8. Lab term for fi sh

eggs 9. Term for an arrow

part10. A game bird12. Animal at rest13. A brand of arrow14. Part of some

fi shlines16. Wild packs of

these kill deer18. A device on a reel

to tire a fi sh20. Wild turkeys have

had these shot off23. An art of the fl y

fi sherman25. An animal lair29. Angler term for a

large perch31. A wild turkey sound33. Good item to have

on hunting trips34. A boat that can be

folded and carried36. Device on a fl y

lure, ____ guard38. Shell that fails to

fi re

39. The bowman's ammo

44. A game trail45. Color worn by

hunter for safety46. Appendages on

turkey feet47. Hunter’s mountain

area quarry

DOWN1. A male goose

2. Eiders, mallards, teal

3. To prepare for a shot

4. Reindeer in North America

5. Used to wash out gundog's eyes

6. Prevents easy re-moval of an arrow

7. This has great ef-fect on arrows

11. The wild tusker15. Act of a fi sh hitting

a hook17. A line grommet on

a fi shing rod18. The female deer19. A hunter's quarry

in Florida21. The camp pest22. Deer can do this to

escape danger

24. A very good wall-eye bait

26. A good pheasant gun, _____ musket

27. Good item to have in blinds

28. Brings a catch into

the boat29. Name refers to the

wild turkey30. Scow, dinghy32. Term given to

some old gobblers35. An action on a

repeating gun37. Term for a type

deer drive40. A good trap bait41. A female bear42. To treat a hide43 . A type of fl y lure

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| |

1 lb. hog tenderloin 1/2 tsp. ground thyme 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg 1 tsp. black pepper 1/2 tsp. sugar 1 cup hickory chips 5 lbs. of charcoal Blackberry sauce Parsley sprigs Artichoke hearts Yellow squash slices

Mix thyme, nutmeg, pepper and soy sauce, and marinate hog ten-derloin overnight in the refrigerator. Soak one cup of hickory chips in a

bucket of water overnight. Build a fi re in a covered barbecue grill

using fi ve pounds of charcoal. Scatter the soaked chips over the coals and close the lid for 10 minutes. Place the tenderloin on the grill and baste with the marinade, close lid and cook for fi ve minutes. Turn the tenderloin and baste again. Close lid and cook for another fi ve minutes. The meat should be rare because game has no fat and boar in particular toughens quickly. Serve on a platter with black-berry sauce. Garnish with parsley sprigs, artichoke hearts and yellow squash slices. Serves two to four.

— easywildgamerecipes.org

1 lb. creamer potatoes, or any small, waxy potato 24 oz. fl ounder — rolled, lengthwise, dark side in 2 cups white wine 1 cup water 3 bay leaves 1 tbsp. chopped thyme 1 tbsp. salt 1 tbsp. pepper 2 cups leeks, cut in 1/4-inch rings 2 tbsps. butter 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half 1/2 cup chopped basil 1/2 cup chopped parsley 1 lemon, seeded

Boil potatoes for 10 minutes. Remove from water and set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place rolled fi sh, wine, water, bay leaves, thyme, salt, pepper, potatoes and leek rings in a high-sided baking dish just large enough to hold the fi sh.

Place in oven for 15 minutes. Remove and carefully stir but-ter, tomatoes, basil and parsley into broth. Return to oven for fi ve minutes to melt the butter and cook the toma-toes. Squeeze lemon over the fi sh, divide among four plates and serve immediately.

— easyfi shrecipes.com

Fireplace poached fl ounder

FullFeb 8 Last

Feb 16First

Jan 30

NewFeb 23

Texas Coast TidesSabine Pass, jettyDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time HeightJan 27 5:08 AM 1.0H 10:56 AM 0.1L 5:56 PM 1.3HJan 28 12:20 AM 0.2L 6:39 AM 0.9H 11:23 AM 0.5L 6:13 PM 1.2HJan 29 1:17 AM -0.1L 8:27 AM 1.0H 11:46 AM 0.8L 6:27 PM 1.2HJan 30 2:13 AM -0.3L 6:33 PM 1.3HJan 31 3:07 AM -0.5L 3:46 PM 1.3HFeb 01 3:58 AM -0.7L 2:19 PM 1.5HFeb 02 4:44 AM -0.8L 2:10 PM 1.6HFeb 03 5:27 AM -1.0L 2:25 PM 1.6HFeb 04 6:07 AM -1.1L 2:45 PM 1.6H 6:35 PM 1.5L 10:20 PM 1.6 HFeb 05 6:46 AM -1.1L 3:05 PM 1.6H 6:50 PM 1.4L 11:22 PM 1.6 HFeb 06 7:23 AM -1.1L 3:25 PM 1.6H 7:22 PM 1.3LFeb 07 12:23 AM 1.7H 8:01 AM -1.0L 3:45 PM 1.5H 8:02 PM 1.0LFeb 08 1:27 AM 1.7H 8:39 AM -0.8L 4:04 PM 1.5H 8:48 PM 0.7LFeb 09 2:36 AM 1.6H 9:19 AM -0.5L 4:22 PM 1.4H 9:37 PM 0.4 LFeb 10 3:52 AM 1.5H 10:00 AM -0.1L 4:40 PM 1.4H 10:30 PM 0.0L

Galveston Bay entrance, south jettyDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time HeightJan 27 5:55 AM 0.8H 11:22 AM 0.1L 6:43 PM 1.0HJan 28 12:46 AM 0.2L 7:26 AM 0.8H 11:49 AM 0.4L 7:00 PM 1.0HJan 29 1:43 AM 0.0L 9:14 AM 0.8H 12:12 PM 0.6L 7:14 PM 1.0HJan 30 2:39 AM -0.2L 7:20 PM 1.0HJan 31 3:33 AM -0.4L 4:33 PM 1.1HFeb 01 4:24 AM -0.5L 3:06 PM 1.2HFeb 02 5:10 AM -0.7L 2:57 PM 1.2HFeb 03 5:53 AM -0.8L 3:12 PM 1.3HFeb 04 6:33 AM -0.9L 3:32 PM 1.3H 7:01 PM 1.2L 11:07 PM 1.3HFeb 05 7:12 AM -0.9L 3:52 PM 1.3H 7:16 PM 1.1LFeb 06 12:09 AM 1.3H 7:49 AM -0.9L 4:12 PM 1.3H 7:48 PM 1.0LFeb 07 1:10 AM 1.3H 8:27 AM -0.8L 4:32 PM 1.2H 8:28 PM 0.8LFeb 08 2:14 AM 1.3H 9:05 AM -0.7L 4:51 PM 1.2H 9:14 PM 0.6LFeb 09 3:23 AM 1.3H 9:45 AM -0.4L 5:09 PM 1.1H 10:03 PM 0.3LFeb 10 4:39 AM 1.2H 10:26 AM -0.1L 5:27 PM 1.1H 10:56 PM 0.0L

San Luis PassDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time Height Jan 27 12:47 AM 0.2L 6:25 AM 0.5H 12:18 PM 0.0L 7:13 PM 0.6 HJan 28 1:42 AM 0.1L 7:56 AM 0.5H 12:45 PM 0.2L 7:30 PM 0.6 HJan 29 2:39 AM 0.0L 9:44 AM 0.5H 1:08 PM 0.4L 7:44 PM 0.6 HJan 30 3:35 AM -0.1L 7:50 PM 0.6HJan 31 4:29 AM -0.2L 5:03 PM 0.6HFeb 01 5:20 AM -0.3L 3:36 PM 0.7HFeb 02 6:06 AM -0.4L 3:27 PM 0.7HFeb 03 6:49 AM -0.5L 3:42 PM 0.8HFeb 04 7:29 AM -0.5L 4:02 PM 0.8H 7:57 PM 0.7L 11:37 PM 0.8 HFeb 05 8:08 AM -0.6L 4:22 PM 0.8H 8:12 PM 0.7LFeb 06 12:39 AM 0.8H 8:45 AM -0.5L 4:42 PM 0.8H 8:44 PM 0.6LFeb 07 1:40 AM 0.8H 9:23 AM -0.5L 5:02 PM 0.7H 9:24 PM 0.5LFeb 08 2:44 AM 0.8H 10:01 AM -0.4L 5:21 PM 0.7H 10:10 PM 0.4LFeb 09 3:53 AM 0.8H 10:41 AM -0.2L 5:39 PM 0.7H 10:59 PM 0.2LFeb 10 5:09 AM 0.7H 11:22 AM 0.0L 5:57 PM 0.7H 11:52 PM 0.0L

Freeport HarborDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time HeightJan 27 12:23 AM 0.4L 5:44 AM 0.8H 11:41 AM 0.3L 6:13 PM 1.0HJan 28 12:57 AM 0.3L 7:06 AM 0.8H 12:17 PM 0.5L 6:25 PM 0.9 HJan 29 1:36 AM 0.1L 8:47 AM 0.8H 1:02 PM 0.7L 6:32 PM 0.9 HJan 30 2:23 AM 0.0L 11:08 AM 0.9HJan 31 3:16 AM -0.1L 1:11 PM 1.1HFeb 01 4:11 AM -0.2L 1:52 PM 1.2HFeb 02 5:04 AM -0.3L 2:24 PM 1.3HFeb 03 5:53 AM -0.4L 2:53 PM 1.4HFeb 04 6:37 AM -0.5L 3:19 PM 1.4HFeb 05 7:19 AM -0.6L 3:42 PM 1.4HFeb 06 7:59 AM -0.6L 4:04 PM 1.4H 10:20 PM 0.9LFeb 07 12:59 AM 1.0H 8:39 AM -0.5L 4:25 PM 1.3H 10:17 PM 0.8LFeb 08 2:10 AM 1.0H 9:21 AM -0.4L 4:45 PM 1.2H 10:27 PM 0.6LFeb 09 3:19 AM 1.0H 10:05 AM -0.2L 5:04 PM 1.1H 10:49 PM 0.4LFeb 10 4:32 AM 1.1H 10:53 AM 0.1L 5:22 PM 1.0H 11:22 PM 0.2L

South Padre IslandDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time HeightJan 27 5:02 AM 0.8H 11:20 AM 0.3L 5:52 PM 0.9HJan 28 12:29 AM 0.3L 6:47 AM 0.8H 11:48 AM 0.5L 5:45 PM 0.9 HJan 29 1:16 AM 0.2L 9:16 AM 0.8H 11:56 AM 0.7L 5:31 PM 0.9 HJan 30 2:06 AM 0.0L 5:05 PM 1.0HJan 31 2:59 AM -0.1L 4:10 PM 1.0HFeb 01 3:51 AM -0.2L 3:29 PM 1.1HFeb 02 4:41 AM -0.3L 3:36 PM 1.2HFeb 03 5:28 AM -0.4L 3:51 PM 1.3HFeb 04 6:12 AM -0.5L 4:07 PM 1.3HFeb 05 6:54 AM -0.5L 4:22 PM 1.3HFeb 06 7:36 AM -0.5L 4:35 PM 1.3HFeb 07 8:18 AM -0.5L 4:45 PM 1.2H 9:26 PM 1.0LFeb 08 12:44 AM 1.1H 9:01 AM -0.3L 4:51 PM 1.1H 9:47 PM 0.8LFeb 09 2:16 AM 1.0H 9:46 AM -0.1L 4:54 PM 0.9H 10:19 PM 0.5LFeb 10 3:48 AM 0.9H 10:33 AM 0.1L 4:53 PM 0.8H 10:59 PM 0.2L

Port O’ConnorDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time HeightJan 27 2:39 AM -0.2L 5:10 AM -0.2H 1:27 PM -0.3L 8:28 PM -0.1 HJan 28 3:22 AM -0.3L 7:59 AM -0.2H 1:25 PM -0.3L 8:00 PM -0.1HJan 29 4:02 AM -0.3L 7:25 PM -0.1HJan 30 4:44 AM -0.4L 7:23 PM 0.0HJan 31 5:34 AM -0.5L 7:29 PM 0.0HFeb 01 6:32 AM -0.5L 7:38 PM 0.1HFeb 02 7:35 AM -0.6L 8:06 PM 0.1HFeb 03 8:35 AM -0.6L 8:52 PM 0.2HFeb 04 9:30 AM -0.7L 9:52 PM 0.2HFeb 05 10:18 AM -0.7L 11:10 PM 0.2HFeb 06 11:00 AM -0.7LFeb 07 12:44 AM 0.1H 11:38 AM -0.6LFeb 08 2:15 AM 0.1H 12:11 PM -0.5LFeb 09 3:51 AM 0.0H 12:43 PM -0.4L 8:57 PM -0.1HFeb 10 12:14 AM -0.2L 5:47 AM 0.0H 1:13 PM -0.3L 7:06 PM -0.1H

RockportDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time HeightJan 27 1:30 AM -0.3L 6:59 AM -0.2H 2:12 PM -0.3L 9:02 PM -0.2HJan 28 3:43 AM -0.3L 9:16 AM -0.3H 1:52 PM -0.3L 8:54 PM -0.2HJan 29 5:01 AM -0.3L 9:06 PM -0.2HJan 30 6:01 AM -0.4L 9:31 PM -0.2HJan 31 6:57 AM -0.4L 10:07 PM -0.1HFeb 01 7:52 AM -0.4L 10:50 PM -0.1HFeb 02 8:46 AM -0.4L 11:35 PM -0.1HFeb 03 9:39 AM -0.4LFeb 04 12:20 AM -0.1H 10:29 AM -0.4LFeb 05 1:03 AM -0.1H 11:14 AM -0.4LFeb 06 1:45 AM -0.1H 11:55 AM -0.4LFeb 07 2:29 AM -0.1H 12:32 PM -0.4LFeb 08 3:22 AM -0.1H 1:06 PM -0.4LFeb 09 4:34 AM -0.2H 1:34 PM -0.3L 9:44 PM -0.2HFeb 10 12:11 AM -0.2L 6:26 AM -0.2H 1:49 PM -0.3L 8:13 PM -0.2H

Houston2012 A.M. P.M. SUN MOONJan-Feb Minor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets27 Fri 8:18 2:08 8:40 2:29 07:13 05:52 9:34a 10:18p 28 Sat 9:06 2:55 9:27 3:17 07:13 05:53 10:06a 11:12p 29 Sun 9:53 3:42 10:15 4:04 07:12 05:54 10:39a NoMoon 30 Mon Q 10:39 4:28 11:02 4:50 07:12 05:55 11:14a 12:05a 31 Tue Q 11:25 5:13 11:48 5:37 07:11 05:56 11:53a 12:59a 01 Wed ----- 5:59 12:11 6:23 07:11 05:57 12:35p 1:53a 02 Thu 12:32 6:44 12:57 7:09 07:10 05:58 1:22p 2:46a 03 Fri 1:17 7:30 1:43 7:56 07:09 05:59 2:13p 3:38a 04 Sat 2:04 8:17 2:30 8:43 07:09 06:00 3:09p 4:28a 05 Sun > 2:51 9:04 3:17 9:30 07:08 06:00 4:08p 5:15a 06 Mon > 3:38 9:51 4:04 10:17 07:08 06:01 5:09p 5:59a 07 Tue F 4:28 10:40 4:53 11:06 07:07 06:02 6:11p 6:40a 08 Wed > 5:18 11:31 5:44 ----- 07:06 06:03 7:14p 7:18a 09 Thu > 6:11 12:00 6:36 12:24 07:05 06:04 8:17p 7:56a 10 Fri 7:06 12:54 7:32 1:19 07:05 06:05 9:21p 8:33a 11 Sat 8:04 1:51 8:30 2:17 07:04 06:05 10:26p 9:11a 12 Sun 9:03 2:49 9:30 3:16 07:03 06:06 11:32p 9:52a 13 Mon 10:02 3:48 10:30 4:16 07:02 06:07 NoMoon 10:37a 14 Tue Q 11:02 4:47 11:31 5:16 07:01 06:08 12:38a 11:27a 15 Wed 11:59 5:45 ----- 6:14 07:01 06:09 1:43a 12:21p

Port Aransas, H. Caldwell PierDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time HeightJan 27 5:08 AM 0.5H 11:23 AM -0.1L 5:56 PM 0.6HJan 28 12:25 AM -0.1L 6:53 AM 0.5H 11:58 AM 0.2L 5:48 PM 0.6 HJan 29 1:09 AM -0.2L 9:14 AM 0.6H 12:28 PM 0.5L 5:28 PM 0.7 HJan 30 1:58 AM -0.3L 4:36 PM 0.8HJan 31 2:53 AM -0.4L 2:07 PM 0.9HFeb 01 3:48 AM -0.5L 2:29 PM 1.0HFeb 02 4:41 AM -0.7L 2:55 PM 1.1HFeb 03 5:30 AM -0.8L 3:20 PM 1.1HFeb 04 6:15 AM -0.9L 3:41 PM 1.1HFeb 05 6:57 AM -1.0L 4:01 PM 1.1HFeb 06 7:38 AM -1.0L 4:18 PM 1.0HFeb 07 8:19 AM -0.9L 4:33 PM 0.9H 9:45 PM 0.6LFeb 08 1:07 AM 0.7H 9:00 AM -0.7L 4:45 PM 0.9H 10:05 PM 0.4LFeb 09 2:34 AM 0.7H 9:43 AM -0.5L 4:53 PM 0.8H 10:35 PM 0.2LFeb 10 4:04 AM 0.7H 10:29 AM -0.1L 4:58 PM 0.8H 11:13 PM 0.0L

San Antonio2012 A.M. P.M. SUN MOONJan-Feb Minor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets27 Fri 8:31 2:20 8:52 2:41 07:25 06:06 9:47a 10:31p 28 Sat 9:18 3:08 9:40 3:29 07:25 06:06 10:19a 11:24p 29 Sun 10:05 3:54 10:27 4:16 07:24 06:07 10:52a NoMoon 30 Mon Q 10:52 4:40 11:14 5:03 07:24 06:08 11:28a 12:18a 31 Tue Q 11:38 5:26 ----- 5:49 07:23 06:09 12:06p 1:11a 01 Wed ----- 6:11 12:23 6:36 07:23 06:10 12:49p 2:05a 02 Thu 12:44 6:57 1:09 7:22 07:22 06:11 1:36p 2:58a 03 Fri 1:30 7:43 1:56 8:09 07:21 06:12 2:27p 3:50a 04 Sat 2:16 8:29 2:42 8:55 07:21 06:13 3:23p 4:40a 05 Sun > 3:03 9:16 3:29 9:42 07:20 06:13 4:22p 5:27a 06 Mon > 3:51 10:04 4:17 10:30 07:20 06:14 5:23p 6:11a 07 Tue F 4:40 10:53 5:06 11:18 07:19 06:15 6:25p 6:52a 08 Wed > 5:31 11:44 5:56 ----- 07:18 06:16 7:27p 7:31a 09 Thu > 6:24 12:11 6:49 12:36 07:17 06:17 8:30p 8:08a 10 Fri 7:19 1:06 7:44 1:32 07:17 06:18 9:34p 8:46a 11 Sat 8:16 2:03 8:42 2:29 07:16 06:18 10:39p 9:24a 12 Sun 9:15 3:02 9:42 3:29 07:15 06:19 11:45p 10:06a 13 Mon 10:15 4:01 10:43 4:29 07:14 06:20 NoMoon 10:51a 14 Tue Q 11:14 5:00 11:43 5:29 07:14 06:21 12:51a 11:41a 15 Wed ----- 5:57 12:12 6:26 07:13 06:22 1:55a 12:35p

Amarillo2012 A.M. P.M. SUN MOONJan-Feb Minor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets27 Fri 8:44 2:34 9:06 2:55 07:50 06:08 9:59a 10:49p 28 Sat 9:32 3:21 9:53 3:43 07:49 06:09 10:28a 11:44p 29 Sun 10:19 4:08 10:40 4:30 07:48 06:10 10:59a NoMoon 30 Mon Q 11:05 4:54 11:27 5:16 07:48 06:11 11:32a 12:40a 31 Tue Q 11:51 5:39 ----- 6:03 07:47 06:12 12:08p 1:36a 01 Wed 12:13 6:25 12:37 6:49 07:46 06:13 12:50p 2:31a 02 Thu 12:58 7:10 1:23 7:35 07:45 06:14 1:36p 3:26a 03 Fri 1:43 7:56 2:09 8:22 07:45 06:15 2:27p 4:18a 04 Sat 2:29 8:43 2:56 9:09 07:44 06:16 3:23p 5:07a 05 Sun > 3:16 9:30 3:43 9:56 07:43 06:17 4:24p 5:53a 06 Mon > 4:04 10:17 4:30 10:43 07:42 06:18 5:28p 6:35a 07 Tue F 4:54 11:06 5:19 11:32 07:41 06:19 6:33p 7:13a 08 Wed > 5:44 11:57 6:09 ----- 07:40 06:20 7:38p 7:49a 09 Thu > 6:37 12:25 7:02 12:50 07:39 06:21 8:44p 8:23a 10 Fri 7:32 1:20 7:58 1:45 07:39 06:22 9:51p 8:57a 11 Sat 8:30 2:17 8:56 2:43 07:38 06:24 11:00p 9:33a 12 Sun 9:29 3:15 9:56 3:42 07:37 06:25 NoMoon 10:11a 13 Mon 10:28 4:14 10:56 4:42 07:36 06:26 12:09a 10:54a 14 Tue Q 11:28 5:13 11:57 5:42 07:35 06:27 1:17a 11:42a 15 Wed 12:01 6:11 12:25 6:40 07:34 06:28 2:23a 12:35p

Dallas2012 A.M. P.M. SUN MOONJan-Feb Minor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets27 Fri 8:24 2:13 8:45 2:34 07:25 05:52 9:39a 10:26p 28 Sat 9:11 3:01 9:33 3:22 07:24 05:53 10:09a 11:21p 29 Sun 9:58 3:47 10:20 4:09 07:23 05:54 10:41a NoMoon 30 Mon Q 10:45 4:33 11:07 4:56 07:23 05:55 11:15a 12:16a 31 Tue Q 11:31 5:19 11:54 5:42 07:22 05:56 11:52a 1:10a 01 Wed ----- 6:04 12:16 6:29 07:22 05:57 12:34p 2:05a 02 Thu 12:37 6:50 1:02 7:15 07:21 05:58 1:20p 2:59a 03 Fri 1:23 7:36 1:49 8:02 07:20 05:59 2:12p 3:51a 04 Sat 2:09 8:22 2:35 8:48 07:20 06:00 3:08p 4:41a 05 Sun > 2:56 9:09 3:22 9:35 07:19 06:01 4:08p 5:27a 06 Mon > 3:44 9:57 4:10 10:23 07:18 06:02 5:10p 6:10a 07 Tue F 4:33 10:46 4:59 11:11 07:17 06:03 6:14p 6:50a 08 Wed > 5:24 11:37 5:49 ----- 07:16 06:04 7:18p 7:26a 09 Thu > 6:17 12:04 6:42 12:29 07:16 06:05 8:23p 8:02a 10 Fri 7:12 12:59 7:37 1:25 07:15 06:06 9:29p 8:37a 11 Sat 8:09 1:56 8:35 2:22 07:14 06:07 10:35p 9:14a 12 Sun 9:08 2:55 9:35 3:22 07:13 06:08 11:43p 9:54a 13 Mon 10:08 3:54 10:36 4:22 07:12 06:08 NoMoon 10:37a 14 Tue Q 11:07 4:53 11:36 5:22 07:11 06:09 12:51a 11:26a 15 Wed ----- 5:50 12:05 6:19 07:10 06:10 1:56a 12:19p

Hog tenderloin with blackberry sauce

*E-mail LSON your favorite recipe to [email protected].


Backers of the plan, primarily sound sup-pressor dealers, say silencers offer several advantages.

Chief among them is protecting a shooter’s hearing, according to the ASA. And by cutting the noise, hunters can hear well in the fi eld.

“I’m a deer hunter,” said ASA president Scott Bittner of Amarillo, “but I don’t like wearing hearing protection. That’s the big-gest thing for the deer hunter, and to let him be more aware of his surroundings.”

Bittner is also CEO/president of Silenced America, which sells several brands of sound suppressors.

He said suppressors, frequently called “cans,” also cut recoil.

Hunters thus avoid fl inching, espe-cially with larger calibers. This helps them become better shooters, according to ASA.

The non-profi t group incorporated last

August in Washington D.C., and has since been working on education.

For example, a lot of people are sur-prised to learn that silencers can be legally owned with special permits allowed by the National Firearms Act.

But fi rst, a buyer must complete the fed-eral application process, including back-ground checks from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Purchasers must also buy a $200 federal

tax stamp, which is affi xed to their permits.The process can take four to six months,

but the ASA members would like to see changes to streamline it.

The group is also concerned that some may think poaching could increase with more suppressors, Bittner said.

Vaca noted, however, that TPWD staffers aren’t worried about that. He said he could recall only a couple poachers arrested with legally permitted devices.

“A good deal have been the homemade jobs,” he said of suppressors found with poach-ers. “If you’re really willing to go through the ATF process and get approved, you’re getting a pretty stringent look from feds.

“Someone legally in possession of a silencer wouldn’t be poaching.”

Vaca said he did not believe the devices would prevent wardens from hearing the

gunshots of poachers, especially at night.The word “silencer,” according to ASA, is

not the best term because while a “can” cuts the noise level of a .30-caliber rifl e from a kapow to a crack, there’s still a sound.

“When you shoot standard ammo, you still hear it,” Vaca said. “You still get the sonic crack, but it’s greatly reduced. If you shoot subsonic, it gets real quiet, but with a .308 you can still hear it.”

Vaca said he would deliver a briefi ng on the issue Jan. 25 before the commission’s regulations committee in Austin.

Next, the commission is expected to put the issue in the Texas Register and allow the public to comment.

Vaca said only a half-dozen people com-mented by mid-January.

“But,” he added, “after next week, it will probably get the most public attention.”

SuppressorsContinued From Page 1

“Everything is still pretty deep early in the morning, but when the sun comes up they migrate up to the fl ats.”

Smith said he has targeted trout in the deeper holes early before switching to reds when the water temperature warms up later in the morning.

“There isn’t a certain degree of water tempera-ture I look for,” he said. “But once the sun comes up, they ease up on the fl ats. I do like to see the water temperature around 60 degrees, though.

“There just isn’t any urgency to be out on the water super early.”

Smith said a few fl ounder are still being caught and the water looks good for a

strong winter bite.Capt. John Ashley said he

has been splitting his time between the bays and deer blind, but said the trout fi sh-ing in San Antonio Bay over shell and mud has been “pretty good.”

“We are throwing soft plastics and most everything we have been catching (to keep) has been around 17 inches,” he said. “We have a lot of undersized, 14.5-inch trout right now also.

“By summer we will have a lot of good fi shing.”

Ashley said drifting soft plastics during the late morn-ing in shoal water has pro-duced solid catches of redfi sh.

“Also, cut mullet and fresh shrimp have been working really well,” he said. “We wait until the sun gets up, about 10:30 or 11 o’clock.

That is when the reds get out of the deeper holes and we have been doing good.”

Along with trout and reds, Ashley said large schools of schooling black drum have been congregating along San Antonio Bay’s southern shore to the South Pass.

“Once you fi nd them, you can catch a bunch of them,” he said. “But you have to catch them in dirty water — they won’t bite in clear water.”

According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, redfi sh are fair on Corkys over soft mud and drop–offs near reefs on plas-tics, and at the mouths of drains on soft plastics and gold spoons.

Capt. Lynn Smith, (361) 935-6833Capt. John Ashley, (361) 772-5465

Port O'ConnorContinued From Page 1

In addition to a hunting license, a migratory game bird stamp endorsement ($7) is required to hunt any migratory game bird, including mourning dove (a Federal Sandhill Crane Permit also is required to hunt sandhill crane). An upland game bird stamp endorsement ($7) is required to hunt turkey, quail, pheasant or chachalacas. See County Listings in the Texas Parks and Wildlife Outdoor Annual for specifi c county regulations and more detailed information.*In all counties that have an open season for those species.** In all counties that have an Oct. 1-Feb. 5 and May 1-31 open squirrel season.+ Rio Grande and Eastern Turkey may be hunted in these counties.

DOWNLOADCharts for season dates, sunrise and sunset may be downloaded at LSONews.com.

CCCddaaabbLL

JAVELINANorthern (43 counties) Oct. 1-Feb. 26

PHEASANTChambers, Jefferson & Liberty counties Oct. 29-Feb. 26

SQUIRREL East Texas (51 counties) Oct. 1-Feb. 5, May 1-31

QUAILStatewide (all counties) Oct. 29-Feb. 26

RIO GRANDE TURKEYSpring Season North Zone (101 counties) Mar. 31-May 13 Special Youth Season* Mar. 24-25, May 19-20 South Zone (54 counties) Mar. 17-April 29 Special Youth Season* Mar. 10-11, May 5-6 1-Turkey Bag Limit (11 counties) Apr. 1-30

EASTERN TURKEY+Spring-Only Season East Texas (28 counties) Apr. 15-May 14

CHACHALACACameron, Hidalgo, Starr and Willacy counties Oct. 29-Feb. 26

2011-2012 REMAINING SEASON DATES


lation rebound, if other factors like weather also cooperate.

“What we want to facilitate is a faster turnaround,” said Robert Perez, TPWD’s upland game bird program leader. “Birds will come back fastest where they have the greatest brood numbers.

“Each pair contributes to next year’s population.”

Perez said quail regulations have been largely unchanged since the mid-1980s. The seasons have basically run about four months, with bag limits of 15 birds a day and 45 in possession.

He said several recommendations would be presented to the commis-sion’s regulations committee on Jan. 25.

They could involve fewer birds in the bag and a shorter season, possibly shaving it by a month.

Also, there could be designated regional zones for quail hunting, similar to the ones in place for dove and turkey.

Perez noted, however, that those zones are north and south and the proposed quail areas would be east and west. Also, different quail rules could used from zone to zone.

Interstate 35 could be used as a divid-ing line, Perez said.

That’s because quail populations differ from east to west, with the few-est being in the Piney Woods and Blackland Prairies.

No formal action was planned for the Jan. 25-26 commission meetings.

The earliest any decision could happen would be when the commis-sion convenes again in March. But fi rst, plenty of “scoping” meetings would be held around the state to allow public comment, Perez said.

The commission, he added, could embrace any of the proposals or even send the TPWD staff “back to the drawing board.”

“Not every idea will have every person jumping for joy,” Perez said. “(But) the vast majority of people agree something should be done.”

For example, people may disagree on which month to end quail season.

It has traditionally run from the last weekend of October through the last weekend of February. The current season ends Feb. 26.

Some hunters may be nostalgic for days afi eld during the second month of the year, when days are cool and crisp. November, according to some, can be warm with snakes not yet hibernating.

“I’d hate to lose February,” said Dr. Dale Rollins of the Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch. “It’s a great quail hunting opportunity.”

Perez, however, said birds would pair up better with no hunting pres-sure in February.

“The ones most valuable are the ones that survive winter,” he said.

Charles Hodges of Dallas, co-founder of Quail Tech Alliance at Texas Tech University, suggested a compromise: running the season Nov. 15-Feb. 15.

“That way you don’t hammer them when mating starts in March,” Hodges said.

Without grass, they’ve got nowhere to nest or hide.

So a lot of people hunting quail these days are shooting farm-raised birds. And, for the people who sup-ply them, business is good.

In North Texas, Gerry Stearns, owner of the Santa Anna Hunting Area, said he has been raising quail for about 20 years. When he started, they cost about $2 to $2.50 apiece.

But these days, he charges about $6, which, he said, is higher than most others. The average price in Texas, he added, is $4.50 to $5.50 per bird.

“That’s for full-grown and fl ight ready,” he said. “If they’re charging below $4.50, they’re probably going to lose money.

“I raise about 15,000 — not many. But I know some guys in South Texas who raise 50,000, even 100,000, and they got them sold before they’re hatched.”

The South Texas market, Stearns speculated, could be “close to 1 mil-lion” quail.

That market has been good to Jeff Schmidt of Mason.

He began raising quail to sup-ply hunters on his family’s Schmidt Double T Ranches, which also provide hunts for turkey and trophy whitetails.

But now he has several contracts to supply other ranches.

“I’m at max capacity right now,” he said. “I can’t raise any more. I’m meeting the demand.”

Schmidt said he raises a hardy quail. But, if there is no cover on the ranches where the birds are released, their brief lifespans are shortened dramatically.

“We’re having to put out more than we normally would to make the hunt,” Schmidt said. “You have to have cover for them. If not, the last time you see them is when you put them out.

“Just about everything Mother Nature has out there is a predator to a quail — everything from a fox to a coon to a snake and now even hogs.

“I don’t know how they live in the real world. I give them everything they want and I still lose 10 to 15 per-cent of my birds.”

But with such a ready market, nei-ther Stearns nor Schmidt believes it’s easy money.

They stay busy cleaning, feeding, watering, treating diseases and fend-ing off predators.

Although the open areas are cov-ered with net-like covers, hawks still try to swoop in and pull the fl ushed quail through the holes in the mesh.

“It’s just like running a dairy,” Schmidt said. “I get basically two weeks off.”

Stearns said quail farming is not a good way to retire.

“It’s a lot of work,” he said. “If someone is maybe retiring from oh, say, a dairy, it’s probably a holiday. But if they’re retiring from an offi ce … not so much.”

Stearns said the trouble is worth it, however, to help keep people hunting.

“I supply because it’s a tradition I totally believe in,” he explained. “I just think hunting is such a hoot.

“I like shotguns and taking the dogs out and having them point the birds. You learn such self-control; it gives you confi dence about yourself.

“I think it’s very important for us to keep that culture alive.”

ChangesContinued From Page 4

Quail farmersContinued From Page 4

FARM RAISED: Prices for a farm-raised bobwhite quail range from $4.50 to $6. The market for them is good, considering there are very few wild quail on the landscape these days. Photo by April Davis.


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>>

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LONE STAR MARKET

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

DATEBOOKJanuary 28Rocky Mountain Elk FoundationTexas Hill Country Big Game BanquetGeorgetown(512) 247-1628rmef.org

Lake Corpus Christi State ParkKids Fish Derby(361) 547-2635caller.com

February 1-4Safari Club International40th Annual Hunters' ConventionLas Vegas, Nev.showsci.org

February 2Ducks UnlimitedTomball Dinner, Tomball VFW Hall(713) 724-2639ducks.org

February 3 Ducks UnlimitedHenderson DinnerHenderson Civic Center(903) 657-5790ducks.org

February 4 Ducks UnlimitedMexia DinnerThe Cowboy Club(254) 625-1111ducks.org

February 8 Dallas Safari ClubMonthly meetingRoyal Oaks Country Club(972) 980-9800biggame.org

February 9-26Texas Wildlife ExpoSan Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo(210) 623-0932sarodeo.com

February 9Dallas Woods and Waters ClubMonthly meeting and dinnerHyatt Place Dallas North(214) 570-8700dwwcc.org

Ducks UnlimitedAllen DU Sportsman’s Night OutSwingin’ D Ranch(214) 455-3082ducks.org

Ducks UnlimitedWest Houston Sportsman’sNight OutThornwood Community Center(713) 722-0119ducks.org

February 10Texas Deer AssociationSuperior Genetics Deer AuctionSan Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo(210) 767-8300texasdeerassociation.com

Ducks UnlimitedSan Jacinto DinnerMontgomery County Fairgrounds, Conroe(936) 537-2737ducks.org

February 12Crappie Anglers of Texas2012 CAT ExtravaganzaTexas Motor Cars, Addison(903) 887-0602crappieanglersoftexas.com

February 21-22Abilene Chamber of CommerceTexas Farm and Ranch Wildlife ExpoTaylor County Fairgrounds, Abilene(325) 677-7241abilenechamber.com

March 3Mule Deer Foundation1st Fund-raiserParker County Sherrif’s Posse Event Center, Weatherford(817) 565-7121muledeer.org

orth

Puzzle solution from Page 17


One-Lure Rule imposed for Bassmaster Classic, Elite Series

The recent popularity of the Alabama Rig, including its use by Paul Elias to win an event on Lake Guntersville in October, 2011, and other multi-lure rigs prompted tournament offi cials to examine the rules regarding their use in tournament angling.

B.A.S.S., upon the recom-mendation of its Bassmaster Elite Series Rules Committee, has amended its tournament rules to limit anglers competing in the Bassmaster Classic and Bassmaster Elite Series to the use of a single lure during prac-tice and competition.

The rule change does not apply to Bassmaster Open, B.A.S.S. Federation Nation, College B.A.S.S. or other events.

The clarifi cation maintains the intent of long-standing rules per-mitting only one rod, one reel and one cast at a time. No longer permitted are double soft jerkbait rigs, drop-shot rigs with jigs used as weights, double top-water setups and other multi-lure rigs, such as “umbrella rigs.”

The change becomes effective Feb. 1 and includes the upcoming Bassmaster Classic at Shreveport-Bossier City, La., Feb. 24-26.

— B.A.S.S.

Master fl y-fi sher to teach class at TFFC Expert fl y-fi sher Bob Cappallo of Corsicana will teach fl y-fi shing for beginners Feb. 11 at the

Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens.The class, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., is open to adults 18 and older. No fl y-fi shing experience is required. Equipment will be provided, but students may bring their own gear. The $50 fee for the class includes entrance to TFFC for the day of the class, lunch and a

season pass to TFFC so students can return for more fi shing as often as they like.Instruction will focus on equipment selection, knot tying, casting and fi shing for rainbow

trout in TFFC’s 1.5-acre casting pond. Catch-and-release fi shing is free, but anglers may pay $5 for the opportunity to catch and keep up to fi ve fi sh.

Cappallo is a member of the Brazos Valley Fly Fishers and lives on Richland Chambers Reservoir. He fl y-fi shes for trout in New Mexico and redfi sh and tarpon on the Texas coast. Cappallo also builds handmade fl y rods and ties fl ies.

Reservations are required, and the class is limited to 20 people. Registration deadline is Feb. 10. Checks should be made payable to “Friends of TFFC.”

For more information or to register for the class, call Craig Brooks at (903) 670-2222. — TPWD


Documents

January 27, 2012 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting