Download pdf - November 26, 2010 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

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November 26, 2010 Texas’ Premier Outdoor Newspaper Volume 7, Issue 7

Upland slamDallasite takes all 28 gamebirds in N. America

Page 4

BETTER DAYS AHEAD: Many quail hunters across Texas say they’re waiting on colder weather to knock down vegetation, which ought to make it easier for their dogs to locate birds. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.

Inside

❘❚ LSONews.com

❘❚ CONTENTSClassifi eds . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 28Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 23Fishing Report . . . . . . . . . . . Page 10For the Table . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 23 Game Warden Blotter . . . . . . . . Page 12Heroes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 18Outdoor Datebook. . . . . . . . . . Page 21Outfi tters and Businesses . . . . . Page 29Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 30Sun, Moon and Tide data . . . . . . Page 23

Low tides and cold fronts making the difference.

Page 11

Redfi sh hot on coast❘❚ FISHING

Historic West Texas ranch honored for balancing livestock, wildlife.

Page 15

Matador

World Fishing Network expands horizons.Page 11

All fi shing in HD

Aircraft downed while searching for poachers.Page 4

Wardens survive plane crash

❘❚ HUNTING

To feed or not to feed?By Conor HarrisonLONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

With the rut fast approaching throughout North and Central Texas, and whitetail bucks just starting to become interested in does south of

Interstate 10, a hectic time for white-tailed bucks is about to begin across the state.

Big bucks almost completely ignore food throughout the rut, and studies

Flushing Coveys

Biologists weigh in on supplemental feeding to help bucks survive the post rut

See FLUSHING COVEYS, Page 24

See TO FEED, Page 22

Lonnie Stanley and John Hale have been fi shing together and against each other for the better part of three decades.

Stanley, the owner of Stanley Lures in Huntington, and Hale, who has held almost every job at the company since the early 1980s, have a partnership forged on lakes across Texas and in the company’s meeting rooms discussing new products.

“John started as sales manager,” Stanley said. “I’d come up with ideas and three days later we’d be fi shing with it. He’s great at build-ing the molds. We work really good together

— a great team.”The pair’s fi shing styles differ, though. Stanley

likes to fi sh fast and cover more water, while Hale prefers to fi sh his baits slower.

But the teamwork has led to many innovations in the lure world that are still being used today.

“We know we do a good job because so many people copy us,” Hale said. “We invented fi ber weed guards, rubber skirts, 60-degree-angle jig hooks and we brought needle-point hooks to the U.S.

See FISHING BUDDIES, Page 24

By Conor HarrisonLONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

Texas quail hunters haven’t enjoyed the best opening weeks this year.

But, unlike recent years when drought throughout the state damp-ened expectations, this season has a silver lining.

Due to abundant rains beginning last winter and continuing through-out the summer, bobwhite quail hunt-ers expect the season to improve as it progresses and abundant ground cover

diminishes.In the

P a n h a n d l e , quail hunter Mark Brewer, said a recent wet snowstorm helped knock

down some of the cover, and late sea-son should be better as the weather turns colder.

Fishing buddiesOld friends continue producing world-class lures

INSIDE■ Quail Coalition hits stride: Page 4

DYNAMIC DUO: John Hale and Lonnie Stanley have been working together since the early 1980s developing world-class fi shing lures for Stanley Lures. The company, founded by Stanley, is based in Huntington. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.

Quail season expected to improve

as colder weather hits Texas

SURVIVING: Good nutrition helps a buck restore his

health following the rut. That can be

achieved by supple-mental feeding,

but biologists say a well-managed range

is critical. Photo by David J. Sams.

Page 2 November 26, 2010 Lone✯Star Outdoor News LSONews.com

LSONews.com Lone✯Star Outdoor News November 26, 2010 Page 3


HUNTING


Growing up in central Wyoming, Dallas resident Jack Minter learned the joy of hunting pheasants and prairie chickens at an early age.

It was that beginning that led him to a lifetime of pursuing upland game birds.

And, as far as he knows, he is the fi rst person to successfully take all 28 species of North American upland game birds. The three-year quest ranged from Mexico to Alaska.

“I started hunting quail, and I thought it would be really fun to shoot all of the North American quail,” Minter said. “I got on the Internet, and found about 30 sub-species of quail. After digging, though, I ended up with six recog-nized species.”

Minter shot the bobwhite and scaled quail in Texas before travel-ing to Arizona to shoot Gambel’s

and Mearn’s quail. A trip to California completed the “quail slam” when Minter shot California and mountain quail.

He planned for a three-day hunt for the mountain quail, in California.

“They’re on mountains and get down in brushy canyons, real nasty stuff,” he said. “They walk downhill in the mornings to drink, and then they walk back up the mountain roads to dust. You sneak around the roads and try to catch them in the open.”

Minter said he was lucky and shot his on the fi rst day.

After shooting all of the quail, Minter began to think about shoot-ing all of the upland game birds, and prairie chickens were next on the list.

“It just kept expanding as I looked at galliformes,” Minter said.

Upland Slam

Three game wardens survive plane crash Three Texas game wardens survived a plane crash Nov. 10

in the Franklin Mountains north of El Paso.The pilot, Lt. A.J. Smith, along with two rookie wardens,

Hallie Dacy and Kenneth Zuber, received minor injuries in the crash. All three had been released from University Medical Center in El Paso by Nov. 12.

The wardens were on a routine surveillance mission, look-ing for poachers, when the twin-engine Partenavia P68 Observer crashed.

Dacy was trapped for several hours in the wreckage before rescuers freed her with special equipment.

Col. Pete Flores, Law Enforcement Division director for

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, was fl own to El Paso in the same aircraft just hours before the crash.

“It was a miracle they survived,” Flores said. “But, I think good training played a role in it, too.”

The cause of the crash was undetermined a week later. Since there were no fatalities, the Federal Aviation

Administration has told TPWD offi cials that it was OK for them to investigate the crash, said Mike Cox, TPWD spokesman.

Internal Affairs Capt. Joe Carter, who happened to be in West Texas on another case the day of the crash, immediately went to the scene and was leading the internal investigation, Cox said.

The six-seat airplane had been owned by the TPWD since 1984, and it had 361 hours in the air last year, according to Chief Pilot Lee Finch.

“We are sorry to lose a plane that’s played such an impor-tant part in our law enforcement efforts over the years, but it could have been much worse,” Flores said. “In a way, Thanksgiving came early for us this year.”

On the day of the crash, Smith fl ew Flores and Maj. Steve Whiteaker of San Angelo to El Paso.

RARE BIRDS: Jack Minter holds a mount of his Himalayan snowcock. Shot above 11,000 feet in the mountains above Elko, Nev., the Himalayan snow-cock was one of the most challenging birds Minter hunted during his 3-year quest to bag all 28 species of upland game birds of North America. Right: His six species of North American quail are on display at the Dallas Beretta Gallery. Photos by Conor Harrison, LSON.

Dallas hunter shoots all 28 upland game bird species of North America

See UPLAND SLAM, Page 6

See PLANE CRASH, Page 6


After splitting from Quail Unlimited to keep more dollars in Texas to protect quail and other state upland game birds, Quail Coalition is beginning to hit its stride after a diffi cuilt fi rst year.

The coalition’s 12 chapters have had to seek 501C-3 (tax-exempt) designations, which was a challenging process for some of them.

However, their banquets and other fund-raisers were well-received.

“We’ve gone through the process (of get-ting 501C-3 recognition) on a chapter-by-chapter basis instead of one parent organi-zation,” said Tim Connolly of Wichita Falls, chairman of Quail Coalition.

But, he noted, “We’ve had a number of successful banquets, and the net result is 100 percent of the proceeds from the banquets goes to the chapters to dispense out to proj-ects for local areas or cities.”

Connolly said money has gone to sup-port research at the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, the Texas Brigades and the Rolling Plains Research Ranch.

“It all stays in Texas,” he said. “We’re try-ing to go to an all-electronic membership (to reduce costs on things such as printing news-letters), which currently numbers around 3,000. That’s evolving as we have more ban-quets and get more e-mail addresses.”

Connolly said Quail Coalition fi nally is getting some “synergy” and the future looks bright.

“Ideally in the second year, every chapter will have a banquet or fund-raiser to fund projects on their areas,” he said.

The switch from Quail Unlimited has especially helped the Kingsville-South Texas Chapter headed by Bill Rauch, who also sits on the board of QC.

“As a new QC chapter, we had our most successful banquet to date,” Rauch said. “Overall, the attitude and support is there, and being a Texas organization helped draw some people there.”

Rauch said he supports Quail Unlimited and believes it has a place for improving quail habitat in the southeast.

He added, however, that there is a huge advantage to ensuring money raised by QC stays in Texas.

“This was a better deal for us,” he said. “Quail decline isn’t a Texas issue or a south-east issue; it is a country-wide issue. We need to keep quail in the forefront, but we are happy with the switch.”

“Our fi nal numbers were better than expected and better than any of the QU chap-ter banquets we had,” Rauch said. “We aver-aged about $100,000 for QU and we raised about $170,000 for our fi rst QC banquet.

“Overall, we had some hiccups, which is expected for a brand new organization, but I don’t expect those moving forward.”

The Kingsville-South Texas Chapter had a

12 chapters keeping all proceeds in-state for quail research Quail Coalition looks forward to successful second year

See QUAIL COALITION, Page 6


By Bill MillerLONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

The net Boone and Crockett score of “Mini” may not have cracked 300, but it's hard to fi nd a bigger deer in Texas — this year or in recent memory.

The Webb County buck was gross scored at 307 1/8 when San Antonio businessman Mark Barrett took it on Oct. 2.

That was during the early Managed Lands Permit season, so the big deer’s antlers still were in velvet.

Once the covering was stripped, his net score was 292 1/8.

But, a month and a half later, no bigger deer had yet surfaced in Texas; he still topped the high-fence division for the 25th Annual Los Cazadores Deer Contest.

“There are deer that are killed that are genet-ically enhanced by breeding,” said Barrett’s son, Marko, who manages the family’s Las Raices Ranch, where the buck was shot.

“This deer,” he added, “is a Texas deer, so he doesn’t have any northern infl uences. He’s just a pasture, native deer.”

But with so much antler mass, one might ques-tion how this trophy got the nickname “Mini.”

The story goes back to 2007 when Marko

made headlines by taking a deer that had 36 points and a drop tine. It scored 268 6/8 in the Los Cazadores contest.

At the same time, a younger buck was catch-ing the Barretts’ attention.

It was estimated to be about 4.5 years old, with 24 points and a possible gross of about 225.

The Barretts compared the two deer, Mark Barrett said.

“We had called Marko’s deer the ‘Multi-Pointed’ deer, so we named this deer ‘Mini-Multi,’” he said. “We realized that ‘Mini’ was about 10 percent big-ger than Multi at the same age.

“This knowledge put us on notice.”The Barretts spent the next three years tak-

ing multiple photos of Mini. A video titled “The Age Progression of Mini” is on Lone Star Outdoor News Web site www.lsonews.com.

“We were concerned for several years that he may have peaked early,” Mark said, “but this year, due in large part to timely rains, he amazed us by ‘blowing up’ nearly 100 inches.”

Mark said the family decided to fi nally take Mini this year as he reached age 7.

They feared he would be “gored in the rut, get pulled down by coyotes, or suffer some other natural mor-tality due to injury or illness,” Mark said.

Hunting the big deer, however, was chal-lenging, even though the 4,200-acre ranch is high fenced.

“When he came out, there were 30 deer with 60 eyes and ears waiting for us to make a mis-take,” Mark said. “He fi ddled around for 20 or 30 minutes and, with the anticipation build-ing, (he) fi nally came into the lane where I took my shot.

“Fortunately it all worked out and I was able to make a clean kill on a magnifi cent animal.”

The ranch wasn’t always high fenced, Mark said.“Not until 1998 did our neighbor to the north

build a high fence of 4.5 miles that closed the circuit of high fence around the property and completely enclosed us,” he said. “Before that time the ranch had already produced fi ve B &C bucks under two different owners.

“The deer still have the same opportunity to evade that they did pre-fence. These are wild deer in a wild setting, not pen deer.”

‘Mini’ still unmatched as native deer

STILL TOPS: No bigger deer has yet surfaced in Texas since Mark Barrett harvested “Mini” Oct. 2 on his Webb County ranch. The deer’s net score was292 1/8. Photo by Marko Barrett.

See Mini video■ LSONews.com


Landowners reminded to display hunt lease licenses

“I made the list and just started going to places.”

Minter shot greater prairie chicken in Nebraska and lesser prairie chicken in Kansas.

“For the prairie chicken, I got cam-moed up and laid down in a ditch in a fi eld,” Minter said. “I managed to shoot one and it was a hen, so I got back down in the ditch and eventu-ally shot a cock. I got lucky.”

Four of the species Minter shot were non-native: the Chinese pheas-ant, Hungarian partridge, chukar and Himalayan snowcock, which Minter killed high in the mountains above Elko, Nev.

Minter said to hunt the snowcock, he woke up at 3 a.m. and walked up a mountain, surrounded by big mule deer, bighorn sheep and goats. The birds only live above 11,000 feet, and Minter shot his at it fl ew from a rocky cliff above the spot where he was seated.

The birds at either extremes of con-tinent provided Minter with some of his most unique hunting.

Three species of ptarmigan, the willow, rock and white-tailed ptar-migan, all lived in Alaska, and Minter shot all three on one trip. He hunted from snowmobiles and walking on snowshoes.

“The ptarmigan are cool because they change color, and I wanted all white,” he said. “The white-tailed ptarmigan near Valdez, Alaska, was a tough hunt.”

Minter said his guide had seen birds on previous hunts for other game, and the pair had to walk on snowshoes to

get to the area the guide previously had seen birds.

“I got lucky and the bird popped out of a bush and I hit it,” he said. “It was all white and blended into the snow. We chased it for a long time and it ended up about 800 feet (in elevation) above where we started. It was hard to see and stayed way up high on the mountain. That hunt was challenging and a lot of fun. I ended up getting a couple more of them and got all three ptarmigan in three days.”

Far from Alaska, Minter hunted in the forests around Campeche, Mexico for the chachalaca and ocellated turkey.

While there, Minter also shot a crested gaun, tinamou and cracidae.

In-between trips to Alaska and Mexico, Minter managed to shoot all of the species of grouse in the western U.S.

“Some of the grouse aren’t real fun to shoot,” he said. “The spruce grouse just don’t fl y, and they taste terrible — like spruce. I fl ew to Washington for a one-day hunt for a sooty grouse. That was one of the last ones.”

The fi nal birds Minter had to collect were the turkeys; Osceola, Eastern, Rio Grande, Merriam’s and Gould’s.

He accomplished that in one spring. All told, it took Minter nearly three years to complete his “grand slam” of upland game birds. Besides the tur-keys, Minter shot all of his birds with a .410 shotgun, which makes his feat even more impressive.

“It gives the birds a chance,” he said when asked why he used the .410. “Plus, I wanted to mount them and didn’t want to blow them up with a 12-gauge.”

Quail coalitionContinued From Page 4

Next, the pilot took the two newly commissioned wardens up to look for poachers on Franklin Mountains State Park, Cox said.

Dacy and Zuber both are assigned to El Paso County.

“This time of the year,” Flores explained, “it’s not uncommon for people to slip onto the park through federal Bureau of Land Management land on the New Mexico side and ille-gally hunt mule deer or aoudad sheep.

“We wanted our new wardens to become familiar with this area from

above as well as to look for any intrud-ers that morning.”

The plane went down over the Franklin Mountains, about 16 miles northwest of El Paso, just inside the New Mexico line.

Flores and Whitaker rushed from El Paso to the crash scene.

The colonel praised fi rst respond-ers from Texas and New Mexico who helped rescue the downed wardens.

“It was family helping family,” Flores said.

— Staff report

Plane crashContinued From Page 4

By Bill MillerLONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

Law-abiding Texans should know they must carry state-issued licenses while hunting, but what about ranch owners?

Each September, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department issues a press release reminding landowners that they must get a “hunting lease license” if they are charging people to hunt on their property.

These licenses can be bought anywhere hunting and fi shing licenses are sold. They also resem-ble the sporting licenses because they are printed in the same for-mat, and on the same print stock, said Scott Vaca, assistant chief of wildlife enforcement.

The licenses must be renewed each year, and most landowners understand that.

But there may be some confu-sion over the rule stating that the lease license must be displayed on the property.

“To be frank, the license shall be displayed on the hunt lease,” Vaca

said. “But there are no guidelines.“I’ve had quite a few calls from

landowners and I explain it to them.”A lot of landowners put the

licenses in ziplock bags that are put in mailboxes at the gate or taped to a cleaning rack, Vaca said.

Some may keep the license in an envelope inside the ranch house, but that’s not preferred, Vaca said.

“If a game warden comes up and asks if you have a hunt lease license and you say ‘Sure do, stand by,’ and you run inside and you produce it, I guess that’s OK,” Vaca said.

But, he added, that issue won’t be clearly settled if the license is stashed at the property, but the land owners aren’t there and the hunters don’t know where to fi nd it.

“The letter of law says it shall be displayed,” Vaca said, “so wouldn’t it be better to stick it on a peg board in the kitchen?”

Doing so, he said, “just elimi-nates that as an issue.”

“We’ve been asked if it’s OK to keep the original safe and to put a copy of it up, and we say ‘yes,’” Vaca said.

There are three types of lease

licenses: hunting lease; hunting cooperative; and wildlife man-agement association.

Fees vary for the licenses, depending on acreage. For example, a rancher with more than 1,000 acres pays $252 for a hunting lease license, while a rancher with fewer than 500 acres pays $79.

Violations for not having a lease license, and properly dis-playing it, are a Class C misde-meanor, which can carry a fi ne ranging from $25 to $500.

A lot of these violations result in a simple warning, Vaca said.

“Typically it’s handled as an educational item, so there is not a high number of citations,” he explained. “But, after that’s done, and the landowner contin-ues to ignore it ... well, each time a paid customer comes onto the land to hunt, it’s a violation.”

And, at a maximum $500 fi ne for each violation, when the most expensive license is $252 for 1,000 acres, “it makes no eco-nomic sense,” Vaca said.

BETTER TO POST IT: The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Code states that hunting lease licenses must be displayed on the property. A landowner may get by with putting it in a drawer inside the ranch house, but wardens prefer to see it posted prominently, like on a peg board in the kitchen. Photo by Bill Miller, Lone Star Outdoor News.

Upland slamContinued From Page 4

very successful banquet, and its membership totals more than 350 members, Rauch said.

In East Texas, Lewis Thomas of the Marshall-Cypress Bayou Chapter said the group secured its nonprofi t designation and was planning its fi rst banquet in March.

“We’re organizing again,” he said. “We kind of fell apart after Quail Unlimited, but we are fi x-ing to have our fi rst banquet.”

Thomas said the chapter cur-rently has 150 members and the switch to QC has helped garner more local interest.

“Anytime you can keep the money local, people don’t mind as much coming to an event and

spending money,” he said. Thomas said money raised

would go to habitat improve-ment in the area and a shoot-ing range where local 4-H school kids can come and shoot, something he said his area lacks.

The Amarillo-Panhandle Chapter also is gaining momentum.

“We move at a little differ-ent pace up here,” said Mark Brewer. “We do have more people that are real interested because of the switch, but we haven’t had a lot of input or direction yet.”

Brewer said the organiza-tion will hold its fi rst event, a

trap shoot, in April. He expects a good turnout.

“We had 125 members at the last Quail Unlimited banquet,” he said. “We should have more than that in the future, even if it’s guys just shar-ing stuff about quail hunting in the area.”

As the organiza-tion moves into its second year, QC will try to work with politicians to keep quail and other upland game birds relevant.

Connolly said the group would lobby the Texas Legislature to release $14 million that have yet to be allocated.

The money is primarily from hunters purchasing upland game bird stamps, and Connolly believes the money should be spent on habitat improvement and other wildlife issues.

“We’re very interested in having Texas sportsmen under-stand that these funds haven’t been allocated,” Connolly said. “It’s diffi cult to get the Legislature’s attention to focus on the needs of wildlife over issues like schools and illegal immigration.”

Bow hunters traveling through Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam on their way to desti-nations in Africa and other parts of Europe are being warned that Netherlands police are actively searching bow cases and luggage for broadheads and folding knives.

Travelers who bring such equipment through that airport risk fi nes and jail time for possessing “contraband,” according to the online edition of “The Hunting Report” newsletter (www.huntin-greport.com).

Police recently told three hunters that broad-heads were considered illegal contraband, according to the report.

Consequently, $2,500 worth of custom broad-heads were confi scated from one of the hunter’s luggage, the report stated.

The hunters said police told them it did not matter that they weren’t clearing customs and only transitioning through the country.

Currently, there is no way to acquire a transit permit, unlike permits that are available for guns and ammo, according to the report.

The European Bowhunting Federation issued a warning stating it, “cannot recommend any hunter using bow and arrow to arrange a fl ight with a stopover in Holland at this point until this policy has been changed.”

The report recommended immediately changing any fl ight plans that stopped in the Netherlands, as authorities are taking a hard-nosed approach to the issue.

—Staff report

Hunting BriefAmsterdam airport offi cials confi scating broadheads

HARVEST: Hunters say they don’t expect this will be a banner season for quail, but it ought to be better than recent years which were hampered by drought. Photo by David J. Sams, LSON.



FISHING

Cool weather spurs catfi sh craze at CalaverasBy Ralph WininghamFOR LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

The morning chill evaporated in the blink of an eye as soon as Dan Moseley set the hook on a chunky channel catfi sh that thought it had found an easy meal at the bottom of Calaveras Lake.

“There was a little chill in the air, but it is gone now,’’ Moseley said as he reeled in a healthy 4.5-pound channel cat.

“This reminds me of when I was a kid,’’ he added.

Although the air temperature was about 50 degrees, the water temperature of the CPS Energy power plant cooling reservoir hov-ered at a relatively toasty 74 degrees — just right for fi ring up cool weather catfi sh into a feeding frenzy.

“This is the time of year when the catfi sh really turn on,’’ said veteran fi shing guide Manny Martinez, of Cibolo, who specializes in putting anglers on limits of cats when he is not cruising the lake in search of big redfi sh and stripers.

“It is not unusual to limit out on chan-nels weighing from 2-4 pounds in a couple of hours. You just have to be able to fi nd them,’’ Martinez said.

The guide’s technique for hauling in lim-its of 25 catfi sh per person per day is sim-ple. After dunking a No. 6 treble hook into a very pungent tub of Danny King’s Catfi sh Punch Bait with a pair of needle-nosed pliers, Martinez molds a ball of bait about the size of a peach pit around the hook.

Fishing at depths of 15-25 feet near chan-nels and drop-offs, the baited hook is low-ered to the bottom. Hungry channel cats often grab the baits in non-stop action.

“I can’t think of a better way to spend a

day,’’ said the 62-year-old Moseley, who took home a bag full of tasty catfi sh fi llets after spending about four hours on the water with Martinez.

One of the veteran guide’s tricks is to scatter a couple pounds of horse and mule feed at cer-tain spots known to attract cats and then visit those spots after the fi sh have been given the chance to sample a free meal.

“Sometimes you have to wait for about 30 min-utes for the bite to start, but when it does you can catch them one after another,’’ he said.

As evidence of the popularity of catching cat-fi sh at Calaveras, a creel survey conducted last year showed that 53,625 catfi sh were taken out of the lake from June 1, 2009, through May 31, 2010. Only 3 percent of those fi sh were blue cats.

“That’s a whole bunch of catfi sh,’’ said Randy Myers, biologist with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

“Most of the anglers (at Calaveras) target cat-fi sh and anytime the water temperature is in the 70-80 degree range is prime time. The lake does such a good job of providing a highly fer-tile environment with all kinds of bait that the catfi sh do very well,’’ he said.

The success rate at the lake is about .84 catfi sh caught every hour, with an average of about 17 fi sh harvested per acre at the 3,624-acre reservoir.

“That is a very good rate of success,’’ Myers said.

Anglers looking to land a few cool weather cats at Calavares also should note that the lake record of a 6.2 pound, 25-inch long channel catfi sh was caught on Dec. 21, 2007, by Chuck Dewey of San Antonio.

Like Martinez, the record holder used Danny King’s Catfi sh Punch Bait to entice his chunky cool cat.

“Catching catfi sh like this when it is cool is just 100 percent more fun,” Martinez said.

By Aaron ReedFOR LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

The little river defi es both logic and expectations. The Arroyo Colorado’s headwaters, near Mission in Hidalgo County, stream from a municipal wastewa-ter treatment plant. The last 22 miles fl ow through a dredged barge canal into the Laguna Madre about midway between Port Mansfi eld and Port Isabel.

Along the way, this ancient channel of the Rio Grande carries irrigation returns from cotton, sugar cane, corn and citrus fi elds, natural drainage from more than 700 square miles of the Nueces-Rio Grande Coastal Basin and more wastewater.

Many fi rst-time visitors are surprised that the 90-mile-long stream even exists. It’s not, after all, the Guadalupe or the Brazos or even the San Jacinto — Texas rivers that loom large in terms of recreational or economic importance.

They may be even more surprised to discover that a stream listed as “impaired” by the Environmental Protection Agency is a haven for rare birds and other wildlife, including tarpon and snook.

“It’s probably the closest thing we have to a tropi-cal-looking, riverine snook and tarpon area, where you have heavily vegetated shorelines with a mix of woody plants and the water drops off pretty quickly,” said Capt. Eric Glass, a South Padre Island fi shing guide and owner of the South Texas Fly Fishing Co. “There have been a bunch of little tarpon up there for the last several years. We’ve had days where we’ve hooked 18 tarpon in a morning.”

Those fi sh, silver princes at best, go from a pound-and-a-half to 20 pounds, with the average between 3 and 10 pounds, Glass said. And though they’re not likely to set any records, some anglers say they’re a

See ARROYO COLORADO, Page 27

Arroyo Colorado: The little river that couldHidden river in deep South Texas hosts tropical fi shery

By Alan ClemonsFOR LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

Thieves don’t discrimi-nate among anglers when it comes to stealing rods, lures, electronics or other gear from boats or vehicles at ramps and hotels.

From the Joe Lunchbucket angler who gets pilfered at a ramp while fi shing a few hours in the evening to tour-

ing professionals at major events, robberies can occur anywhere.

Veteran anglers Skeet Reese and Takahiro Omori were robbed this year while practicing for tournaments in Alabama and Florida.

Reese lost all his rods and reels in Florence, Ala., at Pickwick Lake last spring when someone rolled back his boat cover, undid the

storage boxes and cleaned him out. Omori was prac-ticing at Okeechobee when a burglar broke into his RV and took his laptop and tackle worth more than $10,000.

Bobby Reed of Mineola experienced that same gut- churning anger in mid-

New security devices help deter boat burglary frenzy

SECRET SPOT: Three fi shermen cast to the south shore of the Arroyo Colorado River near Arroyo City recently. The river is a haven for rare birds, young tarpon and snook. Photo by Aaron Reed.

COOL WEATHER, HOT FISHING: A channel cat tipping the scales at 4.5 pounds is a good catch for Dan Mose-ley of San Antonio who recently took advantage of cool weather catfi sh action at Calaveras Lake near San Antonio. Photo by Ralph Winingham.

THIEF TARGET: Texas has seen a rash of burglaries from boats. New security technologies may help deter or even nab the thieves. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News. See BOAT BURGLARIES, Page 29


By Art ChapmanFOR LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

They hide in the shallow grasses of the Laguna Madre, among the structure and along the channels. When they attack their prey, they do it with the ferocity of big-shoul-dered redfi sh.

When hooked, they run side-to-side, dance on the water and fi ght with all their enor-mous strength.

Their most ardent supporters say they are arguably, pound-for-pound, the most excit-ing game fi sh in Texas bays.

They are snook, a well-known fi sh in south-west Florida and a commercial mainstay along the Mexican Gulf coast.

But here in Texas, they are hardly recognized.It hasn’t always been that way; there was

once a large commercial fi shery for snook in Texas. But more than 20 years ago the com-mercial fi shing was stopped, banned by the state because there just wasn’t enough fi sh left. The snook were gone.

Now they are making a comeback and no one is quite certain why.

What is known is that a snook revival could mean millions of dollars for cities and towns along the Coastal Bend from Port O’Connor to Port Isabel.

The Texas Snook Alliance, a non-profi t organization established to promote and develop snook fi shing in the state, estimates that snook bring $1 billion in revenue to the state of Florida through guide fees, hotels, res-taurants and all the associated activities.

In Mexico, the country’s National Commission on Aquaculture and Fishing fi g-ures that fi shermen in Mexico earned more than $25 million for landing about 8,000 met-ric tons of snook in 2008, making it the coun-try’s eighth most important aquatic product in terms of value.

Snook, it turns out, is one of Mexico’s most popular restaurant menu items.

Scientists in Mexico are trying to fi nd ways of increasing the snook population in their waters. Because of the economic importance, a number of U.S. researchers have joined in the studies, which are partially funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development through its AquaFish Collaborative Research Support Program, headquartered at Oregon State University.

Reynaldo Patiño, the leader of the Texas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at Texas Tech University, was one of the researchers involved in the project.

He worked with the program at the Autonomous Juarez University of Tabasco in Mexico where they were attempting to use wild fi sh as broodstock for a farm-raised population that could take some of the pressure off the original fi shing grounds. The number of snook in those areas appears to be on the decline.

Patiño said that Tech’s funding has run out on the project, but there is still an interest in what’s going on with the snook population.

“I worked on that project for about three years,” he said, “and we still don’t have enough information to understand exactly what is happening.”

He wonders if the decline in the Mexican population and the increase in the Texas pop-ulation simply means there has been a migra-tion, but not necessarily a growth in numbers.

Snook, he said, are very temperature sensi-tive. He wondered if the shift could be because of warmer water along the Texas coast.

Or, he added, could the number of snook actually be on the increase?

“Our sampling indicates that the popula-tion is increasing, and has been over the last 10 to 15 years,” said Mark Lingo, a fi sheries biologist and the Lower Laguna Madre eco-system leader for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

“Patiño is correct,” he said. “There just is not enough research yet, but the indications here are that they are not just coming in, and then going back to warmer waters to spawn.

“We are seeing them in all stages of life and it indicates they are spawning here.”

The numbers have increased to the point that there are now many sport fi shermen who target the snook. They are popular among fl y-fi shermen, and there are now several guides who offer trips that are snook specifi c.

“They have a certain allure,” Lingo said of the snook. “They used to be a rarity and they are exciting to catch because you didn’t see them very often.

“They do fi ght well, sometimes jumping and zipping from side to side. They run hard and fast, kind of like a souped-up ladyfi sh, only bigger.”

And all of this interest, he said, is for a fi sh that has very stringent bag limits.

Anglers are limited to only one snook, and it has to be between 24 and 28 inches.

Rick Kline, a doctoral candidate at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas, has been working for years on ways to raise snook in captivity. He also believes the snook population is growing in Texas waters and that scientist and conserva-tionists need to fi nd ways to stabilize that new population and capitalize on the enormous economic potential.

The snook nurseries are important, he said, because you need to be able to restock when you have unseasonably cold weather like they had earlier this year in Florida where thou-sands of snook died.

Building up the snook fi shery in Texas is a huge project, everyone agrees. And the end isn’t yet in sight.

But the payoff, as one member of the Texas Snook Alliance put it, is “a gold mine waiting to be discovered.”

Groups working to bring snook back to Texas

SNOOK: Fans of snook fi shing say the game fi sh is increasing on the Texas coast, but scientists don’t yet under-stand why. Aaron Reed caught this snook in mid October at the far end of the Brownsville Ship Channel, using aglow-in-the-dark plastic worm. Photo by Erich Schlegel.


ALAN HENRY: Water lightly stained; 58–63 degrees; 0.92’ low. Black bass are fair on chartreuse/white spinnerbaits, crankbaits and watermelon seed jigs. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfi sh are fair on live baits.

AMISTAD: Water clear; 73 degrees; 0.12’ high. Black bass are good on topwaters, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and soft plas-tics. Striped bass are good on slabs and crankbaits. White bass are good on slabs and crankbaits. Catfi sh are good on nightcrawlers, shrimp, and cheesebait in 10–30 feet. Yellow catfi sh are good on trotlines and droplines baited with live perch.

ATHENS: Water fairly clear, 61–65 degrees; 1.74’ low. Black bass are fair on spinnerbaits, Rat–L–Traps and Texas rigs. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs fi shed over brush piles. Catfi sh are fair to good on cut shad.

BASTROP: Water clear. Black bass are fair on crankbaits and soft plastics. Crap-pie are good on minnows and green tube jigs. Channel and blue catfi sh are good on shrimp and stinkbait.

BELTON: Water clear; 73 degrees; 2.86’ low. Black bass are good on dark soft plastic worms. Hybrid striper are good on live shad early. White bass are good on minnows and white Riversides. Crappie are good on minnows under lights at night. Channel and blue catfi sh are excellent on stinkbait, hot dogs, and Vienna sausages. Yellow catfi sh are good on trotlines baited with live perch and snails.

BOB SANDLIN: Water off color; 60–66 degrees; 3.17’ low. Black bass are good on buzzbaits early, layer switching to Rat–L–Traps, Texas rigs and jigs (jigs have been very productive around stumps). White bass are fair to good on slabs. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs under the bridges. Catfi sh are fair to good on nightcrawlers and cut bait.

BRAUNIG: Water clear; 75 degrees. Black bass are fair on crankbaits and dark soft plastic worms near the dam. Striped bass are good on shad and silver spoons near the dam. Redfi sh are good on shad, shrimp, and tilapia. Channel catfi sh are good on shrimp and cheesebait near the dam. Blue catfi sh are fair on cut bait.

BRIDGEPORT: Water fairly clear; 60–65 degrees; 1.48’ low. Black bass are fair on small crankbaits, Rat–L–Traps and Texas rigs. White bass are fair on Road Runners. Catfi sh are fair to good on cut bait.

BROWNWOOD: Water clear; 72 degrees; 8.90’ low. Black bass are fair on topwaters, soft plastics, and deep run-ning crankbaits. Hybrid striper are fair on chartreuse striper jigs. White bass are fair on pet spoons and hellbenders. Crappie are slow. Channel catfi sh are fair on shrimp and liver. Yellow catfi sh are slow.

BUCHANAN: Water clear; 71 degrees; 10.31’ low. Black bass are good on watermelon red buzzbaits and spinnerbaits, and on chartreuse soft plastics in creeks in 10–20 feet. Striped bass are good on silver spoons, dark soft plastics, and live bait near drop-offs in 20–30 feet. White bass are fair on green/black Senkos. Crappie are fair on chartreuse tube jigs and live minnows. Channel catfi sh are good on shrimp and stinkbait. Yellow and blue catfi sh are fair on live perch.

CADDO: Water murky; 59–66 degrees; 0.67’ low. Black bass are fair on topwaters, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and Texas rigs. Crappie are fair on minnows. White bass are fair to good on minnows and Little Georges. Catfi sh are fair to good on nightcrawlers and cut bait.

CALAVERAS: Water clear; 75 degrees. Black bass are fair on dark spinnerbaits and crankbaits near the dam. Striped bass are fair on live bait and Rat–L–Traps. Redfi sh are good on live bait near the dam in 15–25 feet. Crappie are fair on minnows. Channel and blue catfi sh are good on liver, shrimp, and shad in 181 Cove. Yellow catfi sh are slow.

CANYON LAKE: Water clear; 70 degrees; 0.56’ low. Black bass are good on chartreuse spinnerbaits and Texas-rigged green pumpkin fl ukes over brush in 10–20 feet. Striped bass are fair on shad colored Rat–L–Traps and live minnows on main lake points. White bass are fair on Pirk Minnows and hellbenders. Smallmouth bass are good on water-melon and watermelon red soft plastic worms and lizards. Crappie are good on minnows and blue/black tube jigs. Channel catfi sh are fair on shrimp and cut bait. Yellow and blue catfi sh are good on trotlines and juglines baited with live perch and goldfi sh.

CEDAR CREEK: Water stained; 61–65 degrees; 2.39’ low. Black bass are fair on buzzbaits and spinnerbaits early, later switching to Texas rigs, jigs and Rat–L–Traps. White bass are fair to good on Rooster Tails and slabs. Hybrid striper are fair on slabs. Crappie are fair over brush piles. Catfi sh are fair to good on nightcrawlers.

CHOKE CANYON: Water clear; 73 degrees; 5.04’ low. Black bass are fair on watermelon soft plastic worms and liz-ards. White bass are fair on spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows and pink/white tube jigs. Drum are fair on live worms. Channel and blue catfi sh are good on shrimp, stinkbait, and minnows. Yellow catfi sh are slow.

COLEMAN: Water fairly clear; 71 degrees; 10.10’ low. Black bass are good on char-treuse spinnerbaits and Rat–L–Traps. Hybrid striper are fair on chartreuse striper jigs. Crappie are fair on minnows and green tube jigs. Channel catfi sh are fair on stinkbait, liver, and shrimp. Yellow catfi sh are slow.

COLETO CREEK: Water fairly clear; 74 degrees (89 degrees at discharge); 0.61’ low. Black bass are fair on chartreuse/blue soft plastics and Senkos. Striped bass are fair on live bait. White bass are fair on pet spoons and hellbenders. Crappie are fair on minnows. Channel and blue catfi sh are fair on stinkbait, hot dogs, and shrimp. Yellow catfi sh are slow.

CONROE: Water fairly clear; 1.43’ low. Black bass are fair on tequila sunrise soft plastics and Rat–L–Traps. Striped bass are fair on live minnows and green striper jigs. Crappie are good on min-nows and blue tube jigs. Catfi sh are fair on punchbait and liver.

FALCON: Water clear; 75 degrees. Black bass are good on watermelon 10”–12” Texas-rigged worms, spinnerbaits and deep diving crankbaits. Crappie are good on minnows. Channel and blue catfi sh are good on cut bait and shrimp. Yellow catfi sh are slow.

FAYETTE: Water fairly clear; 74 degrees. Black bass are good on dark soft plastic worms and watermelon deep-running crankbaits. Red ear perch are fair on worms Channel and blue catfi sh are fair on shrimp and stinkbait.

FORK: Water fairly clear; 60–65 degrees; 2.68’ low. Black bass are fair to good on jigs, spinnerbaits, spoons, Texas rigs and shallow- to medium-running crankbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfi sh are fair to good on nightcrawlers and cut shad.

GRAPEVINE: Water stained; 60–66 degrees; 0.29’ low. Black bass are fair to good on buzzbaits early, later switching to Texas rigs, medium- to shallow-running crankbaits and wacky rigs. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on slabs. Catfi sh are fair to good on cut bait and nightcrawlers.

HOUSTON COUNTY: Water clear; 65 degrees; 0.94’ low. Black bass to 5 pounds are good on silver fl ake min-nows in 10–15 feet. Crappie are good on live minnows in creek channels. Bream are good on live worms. Channel and blue catfi sh are fair on trotlines

baited with cut shad.

JOE POOL: Water off-color; 61–66 degrees; 0.06’ low. Black bass are fair to good on Texas rigs, Rat–L–Traps and shaky head jigs with a fi nesse soft plas-tic. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on slabs. Catfi sh are fair to good on prepared baits and cut shad.

LAKE O’ THE PINES: Water lightly stained; 59–65 degrees; 0.11’ low. Black bass are fair on chatterbaits, Texas rigs, fl ukes and wacky rigs. Crappie are good on minnows over brush piles. Catfi sh are good on nightcrawlers and cut shad. Bream are fair to good on red wigglers.

LAVON: Water stained; 60–65 degrees; 5.43’ low. Black bass are fair on spinnerbaits, crankbaits, Rat–L–Traps and Texas rigs. White bass are good on slabs and Rooster Tails. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs over brush piles. Catfi sh are fair to good on cut shad and nightcrawlers.

LBJ: Water stained; 71 degrees; 0.43’ low. Black bass are good on tequila sunrise and gold Rat–L–Traps and soft plastics around structure, and on chartreuse buzzbaits and spinnerbaits in creeks. Striped bass are good on Spoiler Shads and white grubs at night. White bass are good on minnows and shad col-ored swim baits. Crappie are good on live minnows and green tube jigs over brush piles. Channel catfi sh are good on live bait and cut bait. Yellow and blue catfi sh are good on trotlines and juglines baited with live perch.

LEWISVILLE: Water stained; 59–65 degrees; 0.5’ low. Black bass are fair on weightless fl ukes, Texas rigs, chatterbaits and wacky rigs. White bass and hybrid striper are fair to good on slabs, live shad and Little Georges. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs. Catfi sh are good drifting cut shad.

LIVINGSTON: Water fairly clear; 73 degrees; 0.35’ high. Black bass are good on spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and soft plastics. Striped bass are slow. White bass are slow. Crappie are fair on min-nows. Blue catfi sh are good on trotlines baited with cut bait and shad. Yellow catfi sh are slow.

MACKENZIE: Water lightly stained; 55–61 degrees; 77.3’ low. Black bass are fair on Rat–L–Traps, spinnerbaits and Texas rigs worked around stickups and rocky points. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass are fair on minnows and Rooster Tails. Smallmouth bass are fair on shad pattern crankbaits. Walleye are fair on minnows and Suspending Rogues. Catfi sh are fair on live baits.

MEREDITH: Water lightly stained; 54–61 degrees; 88.75’ low. Black bass are fair on shad pattern crankbaits and spinnerbaits along secondary points and grass lines. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. White bass are fair on slabs and live bait. Smallmouth bass are good on live bait and black/chartreuse jigs around rocky points. Walleye are fair on live baits and shallow running crankbaits. Channel catfi sh are good on minnows and cut baits.

O.H. IVIE: Water lightly stained; 57–61 degrees; 25.93’ low. Black bass are fair on shad pattern shallow-running crankbaits and spinnerbaits, jigs and Texas rigs worked along timber and points. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass are fair on live bait and Road Runners. Channel catfi sh are fair to good on live bait.

PALESTINE: Water lightly stained; 61–65 degrees; 2.07’ low. Black bass are fair to good on Texas rigs, jigs, chatterbaits and chrome/black Rat–L–Traps. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs over brush piles. Hybrid striper and white bass are fair to good on slabs and Little Georges. Catfi sh are fair to good on cut shad and nightcrawlers.

POSSUM KINGDOM: Water stained; 58–63 degrees; 1.15’ low. Black bass

are fair to good on spinnerbaits, Texas rigs and chrome crankbaits. Crappie are fair on jigs over brush piles. White bass are good on slabs and Little Georges. Striped bass are good on live shad below the dam. Catfi sh are good on live shad and cut bait along the river channel on the North End.

RAY HUBBARD: Water fairly clear; 60–65 degrees; 3.01’ low. Black bass are fair on crankbaits, chatterbaits, Rat–L–Traps and Texas rigs. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs over brush piles. White bass are good on Rooster Tails in the shallows. Hybrid striper are fair on 4” swim baits in the shallows. Catfi sh are fair to good drifting cut shad in 20–25 feet.

RAY ROBERTS: Water clear; 60–64 degrees; 0.74’ low. Black bass are fair on shallow-running square bill crankbaits and Gene Larew Biffl e Bugs in the backs of creeks. Crappie are good on jigs over Corps of Engineers brush piles and around standing timber in 18–20 feet. White bass are excellent on main lake humps and ridges in 25–35 feet on chartreuse/white 1 oz. slabs. No reports on catfi sh.

RICHLAND CHAMBERS: Water off color; 59–64 degrees; 1.38’ low. Black bass are fair on medium-running crankbaits, Rat–L–Traps and jigs. White bass and hybrid striper are fair to good on Rooster Tails and slabs. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs over deep brush piles. Catfi sh are good on cut bait, prepared bait and nightcrawlers.

SAM RAYBURN: Water lightly stained; 75 degrees; 8.51’ low. Black bass are good on watermelon and watermelon red soft plastics, buzzbaits, and crankbaits. White bass are good on chartreuse topwaters and Rat–L–Traps. Crappie are fair on live minnows and blue tube jigs. Bream are fair on worms. Catfi sh are good on liver and punchbait.

SOMERVILLE: Water murky; 73 degrees; 1.69’ low. Black bass are fair on Rat–L–Traps and small spinnerbaits. Hybrid striper are fair on minnows and green striper jigs. White bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfi sh are good on shrimp, liver, and nightcrawlers. Yellow catfi sh are slow.

TAWAKONI: Water fairly clear; 60–65 degrees; 2.75’ low. Black bass are fair on Texas rigs, jigs and shaky head-rigged worms. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. White bass are fair to good on slabs. Striped bass and hybrid striper are fair on live shad and slabs. Catfi sh are good on cut and prepared bait.

TEXOMA: Water off-color; 58–64 degrees; 1.65’ low. Black bass are fair to good on crankbaits, Texas rigs, Rat–L–Traps and Carolina rigs. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs. Striped bass are good on live shad and slabs. Catfi sh are good on nightcrawlers, prepared bait and cut shad.

TOLEDO BEND: Water stained; 74 degrees; 7.86’ low. Black bass are good on watermelon red soft plastic worms, topwaters, and buzzbaits. Striped bass are fair on live bait and green striper jigs. White bass are good on chartreuse spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows and white tube jigs. Bream are good on nightcrawlers. Chan-nel and blue catfi sh are good on cut bait and shrimp. Yellow catfi sh are slow.

TRAVIS: Water fairly clear; 70 degrees; 12.24’ low. Black bass to 3 pounds are good on silver/white Rat–L–Traps and soft plastics. Striped bass are fair on live bait. White bass are fair on chrome jigging spoons and white spinnerbaits in 20–40 feet. Crappie are fair on minnows and chartreuse tube jigs in 10–20 feet. Channel and blue catfi sh are fair on cut bait and live bait. Yellow catfi sh are slow.

WHITNEY: Water murky; 7.27’ low. Black bass are good on chartreuse spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and topwaters. Striped bass are fair on minnows and silver slabs. White bass are good on pet spoons and Charlie slabs. Crappie are good on min-nows and green tube jigs. Catfi sh are fair on shrimp and stinkbait.

NORTH SABINE: Trout are good under birds and pods of shad on soft plastics. Redfi sh and fl ounder are good in the marsh on shrimp.

SOUTH SABINE: Trout are good under birds and pods of shad. Redfi sh are good at the jetty on live bait and cracked crabs. Flounder are fair at the mouths of the bayous on a falling tide.

BOLIVAR: Trout, black drum, sand trout and redfi sh are good at Rollover Pass. Trout are fair to good while drifting shell on plastics. Trout are good under the birds around the pass.

TRINITY BAY: Trout are good for drifters working pods of shad and mullet on Bass Assassins, Trout Killers and Sand Eels. Trout are good under birds on the upper end of the bay and around the spillway.

EAST GALVESTON BAY: Trout are good under the birds. Trout and are good for drifters work-ing deep shell on plastics and fresh shrimp. Redfi sh and fl ounder are fair to good in the marsh around drains on shrimp.

WEST GALVESTON BAY: Bull redfi sh and fl oun-der are good at San Luis Pass on shrimp and shad. Sheepshead, redfi sh and black drum are good at the jetty on shrimp and crabs.

TEXAS CITY: Redfi sh are fair to good in Moses Lake on crabs and shrimp. Gulf trout are good in the channel on fresh shrimp. Croaker are good on fresh shrimp.

FREEPORT: Bull redfi sh are good around Surfside and at the Quintana jetty on crabs, shrimp and mullet. Trout are good in Christ-mas Bay on live shrimp over the reefs.

EAST MATAGORDA BAY: Trout are fair for drift-ers on live shrimp over humps and scattered shell. Trout and redfi sh are good under the birds on soft plastics.

WEST MATAGORDA BAY: Trout are fair on sand and grass humps on soft plastics and topwaters. Redfi sh are good on live shrimp at Shell Island, Mad Island and Oyster Lake.

PORT O’CONNOR: Redfi sh are best in the back lakes on shrimp and mullet. Bull redfi sh are good at the jetty on crabs, mullet and shad. Trout are fair to good on the reefs in San Antonio Bay on live shrimp.

ROCKPORT: Trout are good on reefs on live bait. Redfi sh are good in Redfi sh Bay on mullet and crabs. Bull redfi sh are good in the channel on shrimp and crabs.

PORT ARANSAS: Redfi sh are fair at Shamrock Cove and Pelican Island on topwaters and Gulps. Bull redfi sh are good at the jetty and on the beachfront on natural baits. Offshore is good for tuna and red snapper.

CORPUS CHRISTI: Bull redfi sh are good in the surf on mullet and shrimp. Trout are fair for waders working mud and grass on small topwaters and Corkies. Redfi sh and black drum are good in the Humble Channel on live bait.

BAFFIN BAY: Trout are good over deep rocks on plum Bass Assassins, Trout Killers and Sand Eels. Redfi sh are fair to good in the Land Cut on shrimp and crabs. Trout are good in the Land Cut at night under lights.

PORT MANSFIELD: Redfi sh are fair to good while drifting pot holes on topwaters and soft plastics under a popping cork. Redfi sh are good around East Cut on Gulps and crabs. Trout are fair to good on the edge of the Intracoastal on plastics.

SOUTH PADRE: Trout are good on plastics under a popping cork over mud and grass. Redfi sh are fair to good on the Gas Well Flats on DOA Shrimp and TTF Flats Minnows. Snook are fair to good on shrimp and DOA Shrimp in the Brownsville Ship Channel.

PORT ISABEL: Trout are good while drifting grass on plastics under popping corks. Redfi sh are fair at Airport Cove on shrimp and DOA Shrimp under popping corks.

TEXAS FISHING REPORT

HOT BITES SALTWATERSCENE LARGEMOUTH

BASS

BELTON: Good on dark soft plastic worms.

BOB SANDLIN: Good on buzzbaits early, layer switching to Rat–L–Traps, Texas rigs and jigs.

LBJ: Good on tequila sunrise and gold Rat–L–Traps and soft plastics around structure.

LIVINGSTON: Good on spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and soft plastics.

SAM RAYBURN: Good on watermelon and watermelon red soft plastics, buzzbaits, and crankbaits.

TOLEDO BEND: Good on watermelon red soft plastic worms, topwaters, and buzzbaits.

WHITE, HYBRID, STRIPER

AMISTAD: Striped bass are good on slabs and crankbaits. White bass are good on slabs and crankbaits.

BELTON: Hybrid striper are good on live shad early. White bass are good on minnows and white Riversides.

TOLEDO BEND: Striped bass are fair on live bait and green striper jigs. White bass are good on chartreuse spinnerbaits and crankbaits.

CRAPPIE

WHITNEY: Good on minnows and green tube jigs.

Sponsored by

CATFISH

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

CALAVERAS: Channel and blue catfi sh are good on liver, shrimp, and shad in 181 Cove.

MEREDITH: Channel catfi sh are good on minnows and cut baits.

SOMERVILLE: Channel and blue catfi sh are good on shrimp, liver, and nightcrawlers.

TAWAKONI: Good on cut and prepared bait.


By Kyle CarterFOR LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

Typical late-fall bass fi sh-ing patterns were becoming effective as the fi rst wave of cold weather crept into Texas, although at least one popular lake has been disappointing.

Moving baits — Rat-L-Traps, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, buzzbaits — were working in mid-November in and around the grass on most lakes as bass moved up with the cooler water temperatures.

Lake Ray RobertsDannie Golden, with Get

Bit Guide Service on Ray Roberts, said a recent run of cold weather in North Texas has turned the fi sh on.

“We’re catching more numbers than size, but we’re catching a lot,” Golden said.

As is typical for Ray Roberts this time of year, Golden said anglers were having the most success with moving baits in the backs of creeks and on a few rock piles.

“You defi nitely want to

see some bait activity,” he said. “There are some creeks that aren’t holding fi sh, but they look like they should be. Then you’ll pull into the next pocket that looks the same and catch seven or eight. It’s all about being around the baitfi sh.”

With water temperatures already in the 60s, Golden said it was time to get out on the lake. The bite won’t be that good again until things warm up in the spring.

“Our lake has never been a really good winter lake, so things will be wrapping up here in the next couple weeks,” he said. “When it gets too cold, you won’t catch many, but the ones you do catch are big, so it’s a trade-off.”

O.H. Ivie ReservoirThe state’s latest trophy

hot spot has not been living up to its reputation since July, according to Jerry Hunter, who manages the marina at Elm Creek Village.

Faster moving baits bringing fall

bass success

World Fishing Network covers all things anglingBy Craig NyhusLONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

With some networks cutting back on outdoor program-ming, at least for fans of fi shing shows, one is growing.

The World Fishing Network began operations in 2005, and is expanding with increasing availability to viewers across the country.

The network sports fi shing shows 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“You don’t have to hunt around for one-half hour of fi shing programming,” said Mark Rubinstein, president and CEO. “It’s always on — we live, breathe and sleep fi shing.”

The all-HD programming currently airs on the DISH Network (Channel 394), AT&T and Verizon cable net-works — usually as part of a sports and lifestyle package of channels.

And for Texas Time Warner customers, they hope to be coming soon.

“We hope to launch with Time Warner by the end of March, 2011,” Rubinstein said.

But the deal isn’t done — yet.“We’re asking Time Warner

customers to call their local provider and request WFN,” Rubinstein said. “Based on the numbers of e-mails we received from Texas fi shermen who get WFN and those that want to

get it, we’re sure if people will check it out, they’ll like it.”Theme nights concentrate shows relating to specifi c

interests for two prime-time hours, like Big Bass Monday. Popular shows include the destination-related “Hookin’

Up” with Mariko Izumi and bass-fi shing shows like “Lost Lake,” that features an angler who is taken to an unknown lake to fi sh for a day without any preparation, said Corey Russell, VP of programming and production.

“‘Classic Patterns’ and ‘The Scott Martin Challenge’ also fi lm a signifi cant portion of their shows in Texas,” Russell said.

The Bass Champs Series also airs on WFN, following the popular Texas tournament trail.

WFN staffers are equally excited about the network’s online presence in the fi shing community, sporting 300,000 visitors per month.

“It’s a separate experience from the TV content,” Rubinstein said. “We’re re-launching the site in a few weeks, and it will have more video content focusing on gear, instruction and travel, plus it will be searchable by geographical area or fi sh species.”

The site will produce regional content across the U.S. and Canada with video, blogs, reports and tips.

“And you can get it Texas-specifi c,” Rubinstein said.The fi nal twist is also coming in December — with

mobile device apps designed to help the anglers while fi shing.

“Not only will you be able to get the Web site on your device,” Rubinstein said, “but also specifi c content designed for the PDA.”

Tools like maps, tide charts and fi shing logs are planned.“We want fi shermen to be able to use their phone as a

tool to help them have a better experience on the water — all in one place.”

Rubinstein and Russell hope the multi-faceted approach will not only increase awareness of WFN, but also help anglers.

“We’re one-stop shopping for all things angling,” Rubinstein said. “From content and video to news and information — we put all the tools in one place.”

All fi shing, all the time — and in HD

INFO■ WFN Theme Nights: Big Bass MondayFly Fishing TuesdayOffshore WednesdayInshore ThursdayFreshwater FridayWorld Fishing Saturday■ Web site: worldfi shingnetwork.com

By Nicholas ConklinFOR LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

Cold fronts and low tides have been crucial lately while angling for redfi sh along the Texas coast.

The ability to spot shallow pools and guts created by the outgoing tides has been the key to fi nding reds from Galveston Bay down to South Padre.

Capt. Charles Newton in Rockport has seen recent high numbers of redfi sh the past two weeks follow-ing a cold front that blew into the area. According to Newton, the key is waiting on the tides and picking a good spot.

“When we get a low tide when a front comes through, they have got to come off that skinny water,” said Newton. “When the water falls they have to follow that water out, and they drop off into little channels or into a hole.”

Newton has been catching limits of reds while using live mullet, cracked crabs and pin perch. Newton said that almost all of his fi shing is on live bait, as he rarely uses artifi cial lures during the cold weather months.

On one trip last week, Newton and two clients were able to catch their limits within 40 minutes. Newton said that involved searching several different locations for fi sh.

“If you’re in the right spot at the

right time it works,” Newton said. “You might hit 10 spots or more and then, suddenly, it’s that tide.”

The redfi sh action also has been

Redfi sh hot along Texas coast

See REDFISH HOT, Page 27

See BASS SUCCESS, Page 21

DIFFERENT STROKES: Capt. Scott Sommerlatte has been catching good numbers of red drum on a fl y rod this month. Many days his clients are catching 30 plus fi sh on fl ies. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.

HEATING UP: Anglers are catching good numbers of medium-sized bass, like the one pictured above, on Lake Ray Roberts as colder weather moves into the area. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.


MAY NOT WIN FATHER OF THE YEAR AWARD

Harris County Game Warden Tim Holland received a tip that a father/son team were trespassing and hunt-ing on Port of Houston Authority property. Holland and fellow warden Jennifer Inkster encountered the pair on an ATV returning from checking their feeders. The men admitted to killing a doe with a .22-caliber rifl e. Neither had hunting licenses, permis-sion to hunt and it was out of season. Cases pending.

NO, HE DID ITThe Bandera County Sheriff’s

Department advised Game Warden Mark McQuery of a freshly killed whitetail doe in the back of a truck after responding to a disturbance call. There were two subjects at the scene, both with blood on them, and both claiming the other shot the deer with a .22 under a security light in the front yard of another residence about a mile away. Multiple cases were fi led on the subjects.

DUCK IDENTIFICATION CLASS WOULD BE HELPFUL

On the last day of teal season, Wood County Game Warden Derek Spitzer checked a group of duck hunters on Lake Fork when three black-bellied tree ducks fl ew over and disappeared into the fog. Moments later, a shot rang out and two of the tree ducks fl ew back over. After a 30-minute hike, Spitzer located the two hunters and the missing duck. Cases pending for hunting ducks in a closed season.

BUZZARD SHOOTING RESULTSIN ACCIDENT

Comal County Game Warden Brent Satsky investigated a bizarre accident involving two men. The men had been illegally shooting at buzzards from a steep cliff when one fell 5 to 10 feet down the cliff and dropped his shot-gun and landed on a large cactus plant. The man’s shotgun, which was

loaded and ready to fi re, landed just above wedged in a pile of brush. When the man’s friend went retrieve the shot-gun, he grabbed it by the muzzle and pulled it toward him, and the shotgun discharged, striking him. The cactus- riddled subject assisted his friend to their vehicle and drove to the front gate of the property to wait on EMS.

VIOLATIONS LEAD TO CITATION, LOST LEASE

A landowner advised Anderson County Game Warden Oscar Jaimez about a lease member shooting a doe, taking only the backstrap, and disposing of the carcass in a creek. The subject was confronted and con-fessed to shooting the doe in the front leg and removing the backstrap and the majority of the hind quarters. It was determined that the hunter did make all efforts to take all edible meat with him but he failed to tag the doe with an MLD tag and report the har-vest to the camp. Additionally, three days after the incident, the hunter failed to place an MLD tag on the meat after taking the meat out of the deer lease. The subject was issued a cita-tion for untagged deer and was advised to remove his equipment from the deer lease by the landowner. Case pending.

HAND ON TREE LOOKED LIKE SQUIRRELUpshur County Game Warden

David Pellizzari was notifi ed of a hunt-ing accident. Pellizzari met the victim and shooter at the hospital where they were transported by ambulance. The

victim stated that he had stopped to rest and was leaning up against a tree when his friend shot him. The shooter was only able to see the victim’s hand on the tree and thought it was a squirrel. The injuries were non-life threatening, and it was determined that no charges would be fi led.

NOT KEEPING UP WITH THE RULESAnderson County Game Wardens

Karen Gray and Oscar Jaimez con-ducted inspections on fi shermen in Anderson County. One individual had a total of 15 undersized game fi sh. He was issued a citation and all fi sh were released back into the creek. He told the wardens that much had changed since he fi shed as a kid.

SILENCE MIGHT HAVE BEEN GOLDENTravis County Game Warden Jeff

Hill observed an angler place a fi sh in a cooler. Upon contact, the fi sherman emphatically denied possessing any fi sh. When asked about the cooler with the fi sh, he admitted he caught a fresh-water drum. His female companion exclaimed, “Don’t forget the largemouth bass under the ice.” Case pending.

PIRANHA-LOOKING FISH LANDEDJackson County Game Warden Kevin

Stancik was contacted by a local fi sh-erman who had caught a strange fi sh in the Lavaca River that looked like a piranha. Stancik took pictures of it and sent them to Harris County Game Warden John Rao. Rao advised that the fi sh was a red-bellied pacu, a cousin of the piranha and a popular aquarium

fi sh. The fi sh was probably released by someone who had it in an aquarium. The pacu was about 12 inches long and weighed about 2 pounds.

ANOTHER FATHER OF THE YEAR AWARDShots were heard near a catfi sh

farm by Jackson County Game Warden Kevin Stancik. Stancik observed and watched a vehicle shining a spotlight in the ponds and someone shoot a large bird. Stancik stopped the vehi-cle and contacted the driver and the shooter in the back of the truck, who were father and son. The father and son advised they were shooting depre-dating birds on a federal permit issued to the farm. After checking the federal permit, Stancik determined the permit had expired, did not list either of the two men as permitted to take depre-dating birds, and the species of bird killed, a black-crowned heron, was not listed as a species to be taken. Charges for taking protected nongame birds and restitution on the heron are pending.

RESTROOM BREAK A LITTLE TOO LONGWhile checking fi shing guides on

Lake Texoma, Grayson County Game Warden Dale Moses followed a guide to his dock. The guide told Moses that he needed to use the restroom and would be back in a minute. Moses checked the customers and noticed the guide didn’t come back to the dock. Moses had another man call and learned the guide had gone home. The guide returned and was cited for no fi shing guide license and expired registration. Cases pending.

NOT VERY NEIGHBORLYA landowner's hog trap was found

tripped with no hog inside, blood around the trap, drag marks and blood near the fence line. The land-owner called and Webb County Game Wardens Colt Gaulden and Mark Nelson responded. The wardens took pictures, collected blood on both sides of the fence and recovered a newly fi red .22-caliber casing. The land-owner had seen an ATV close to the fence line on his neighbor’s property. The wardens found the tracks and fol-lowed them along with the blood trail to a ranch hand’s house on the prop-erty, where the ATV was located with blood on it. Two individuals admitted crossing the fence line and killing two hogs. A .22-caliber rifl e and two hogs were seized. Charges pending.

DOVE SEASON TOO SHORT FOR SOMERunnels County Game Warden Lane

Pinckney caught three suspects extend-ing the Central Zone dove season. When Pinckney asked if they knew the dove season was closed, they stated they did not. When asked why they threw the birds in the brush when they saw the game warden coming, one of them replied, “We’ve heard about you.”

LOST YOUNGSTERS MORE CONCERNED WITH GETTING IN TROUBLE

Game Warden Mark McQueary responded to a request for assistance from the sheriff’s offi ce in a search-and -rescue operation for two 14-year-olds in the rugged canyons of Bandera County. GPS coordinates were utilized in direct-ing a DPS helicopter to a remote cabin where the boys were headed. The heli-copter fi nally located the 14-year-olds around 2 a.m. by thermal imaging of a campfi re they had built. When the helicopter returned to the location, the campfi re had been put out and the 14-year-olds were hiding because they thought they were in trouble for having a fi re. The deputy followed the smoke trail and eventually located the youths.

GAME WARDEN BLOTTER

Kimble County Game Warden Lee Morrison received a call regarding a deer that had been killed illegally. With the help of Menard County Game

Warden Clint Graham, they traveled to the ranch and learned the rancher had live-feed cameras hidden on the ranch and caught the violators kill-

ing the white-tailed deer. The three violators were working for the rancher building a new house. The video revealed that the deer was illegally taken

with a 2x4 board and a pocketknife. None of the three violators could produce a valid hunting license. Citations were issued and deer seized.

BOARD, POCKETKNIFE USED TO ILLEGALLY TAKE DEER



CONSERVATION

As the rut revs up in Texas, hunt-ers should be careful not to take deer with their trucks before ever reach-ing their leases.

There are an estimated 1.5 million collisions between vehicles and deer each year in the U.S., according to a Texas AgriLife Extension Service.

That amounts to nearly $1 billion in damages to vehicles.

But chances for collisions increase during the rut, said Dr. Billy Higginbotham, wildlife specialist for the extension service.

“November and December mark the breeding season for (white-tailed) deer for most of the state of

Texas,” he said. “It can run through Christmas in deep South Texas.

“This is the time of year when driv-ers need to be particularly vigilant as they drive in rural areas or any area that has high deer populations.”

Higginbotham said that during the rut bucks “throw caution to the wind” in their quests for female encounters.

That’s why drivers may see a doe cross the road safely ahead of them, but then they collide with the buck following her in blind pursuit.

The peak of the breeding period varies from one region of Texas to another.

Higginbotham said there’s one sure way to know when it’s happen-ing in a particular area.

“Check with the local auto-body shops,” he said. “That’s when the number of deer accidents usually top out.”

Deer aren’t the only large mammals apt to cross against traffi c.

Feral hog collisions are more likely in late summer or late winter as they cross rural roads in search of food, Higginbotham said.

Research has shown hog-vehicle collisions may occur at an average

COSTLY COLLISION: For every 1 million hogs in the U.S., there are about 10,000 hog-vehicle collisions each year. Photo by Robert Burns, Texas AgriLife Extension Service.

Deer and hog collisions now cost more than $1 billion annually

Second-generation Texas warden recognized for special opsBy Lance MurrayFOR LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

It’s not hard to see why a regional associa-tion for game wardens recently honored Bradley Chappell.

This second-generation Texas game warden has conservation law enforce-ment in his genes.

Chappell, a 23-year veteran, is a sergeant investigator assigned to the Special Operations Unit for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. He has participated in some of its most challenging cases, including some involving the black-market deer trade in Texas.

His dedication has earned him the 2010 Texas Midwest Offi cer of the Year award from

the Association of Midwest Fish and Game Law Enforcement Offi cers.

Doggedness is what makes Chappell deserving of the honor, said his super-visor, Capt. Greg Williford.

“He’s the most tenacious investiga-tor I’ve ever seen,” Williford said. “If you were going to make a game war-den robot, and that’s one of the qual-ities you wanted to put in there, you could take a piece of Brad’s DNA.

“If he gets on your trail, you might as well just admit you’re guilty.”

Chappell was presented the honor Nov. 4 at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission meeting in Austin.

His parents, Wayne and Frankie Chappell, were there.

Perhaps Chappell’s tenacity comes from his father, who was wounded by buckshot while

pursuing deer poachers shortly after becom-ing a game warden in 1964.

He recovered, returned to duty and eventu-ally retired as a captain in 1992.

Chappell’s and Williford’s fathers worked together as wardens.

Williford said Chappell is the fi rst Texas warden to win “offi cer of the year” awards from both the Association of Midwest Fish and Game Law Enforcement Offi cers and the Shikar Safari Club International.

Chappell received the Shikar award in 1999, and his father won it in 1987.

The Association of Midwest Fish and Game Law Enforcement Offi cers has 28 member agen-cies across North America and is involved in wildlife law enforcement training and research.

The Shikar Safari Club International is a con-servation organization that each year honors an outstanding wildlife law enforcement offi cer in

all 50 states and the 10 Canadian provinces.Chappell, his wife, Charmaine, and son,

J.W., live on a Panola County farm in far East Texas. He said wildlife law enforcement was always his goal.

“By the time I became a freshman at Mineral Wells High School, all of my friends had a good idea that I would become a Texas game warden,” Chappell said.

As a member of the Special Operations Unit, Chappell investigates violations of the Lacey Act, which outlaws, among other things, the selling of fi sh, wildlife and plants that are ille-gally harvested or transported.

Chappell declined to discuss his cases, because some are still under investigation and others are headed for trial.

“He’s all business — really a fi ne fellow,” Williford explained about his sergeant. “He’s a lot like his father.”

Bradley Chappell

See DEER AND HOG, Page 29


The Matador Ranch on the Rolling Plains of West Texas has been hon-ored for its efforts to balance wildlife and livestock operations.

The Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association held a convention recently in Odessa, during which the ranch received the group’s highest honor for conservation.

The Outstanding Rangeland Stewardship award entitles the ranch to compete for the regional stewardship award sponsored by the National Cattleman’s Beef Association and Dow AgriSciences, LLC and the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.

“Matador Ranch is clearly a leader in many areas,” said Jeff Goodwin, rangeland management

specialist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. “The ranch team has developed a sustainable approach to rangeland manage-ment that mutually benefi ts the land, the water, the wildlife and the livestock operation.”

The ranch’s history dates back to the late 1870s with a small herd managed from a vacated buffalo hunter’s dugout in Motley County.

Today it’s a 130,000-acre work-ing cattle ranch that covers parts of Motley, Cottle, Dickens, Floyd and Crosby counties in the Rolling Plains of Texas.

It has also been under an active game management program since 2000 involving a deer-breeding program, supplemental protein

feeding and food plots. In 2008, Matador Ranch

expanded its commercial hunting operation and added a controlled area used for improving the deer genetics on the ranch.

It now offers hunts for white-tailed deer, mule deer, turkey and quail.

Bob Kilmer, the Matador’s man-ager, said the award was an honor for the ranch and its employees.

“Our ranch has a strong tradi-tion and history, yet we are focused on marrying that with the innova-tions of the 21st century,” Kilmer said. “Our branding patterns may be rooted in 1900, but our man-agement systems employ the best information and technologies available.”

—Staff report

Kim Brimer, a for-mer state senator, has joined the Texas Deer Association’s team of lobbyists.

Brimer, 65, repre-sented southeast Tarrant County for 14 years in the Texas House of Representatives, and for six years in the Senate.

He was not re-elected in 2008, and he has spent the past four years managing a family ranch in Palo Pinto County.

TDA, founded in 1999, works for healthy deer herds and deer hunting in Texas. It also pro-motes game management tech-niques for both high- and low-fence ranches.

“We’re quite fortunate to have him,” said Gilbert Adams III, a Beaumont lawyer who chairs the TDA’s legislative committee.

Adams said Brimer “is an avid outdoorsman” who “has a mutual interest in TDA and what we’re doing for the state of Texas and deer enthusiasts.”

Brimer said he worked with TDA while he was in the Legislature.

“It’s a great organization,” he said. “As a ranch owner, I prac-ticed their principles.

“I have a low-fence operation, but I have seen some defi nite improvements in the health of the deer, so I know their princi-ples are on point.”

Brimer said he started a sup-plemental feeding program and completed some earthwork to improve habitat on the ranch.

“I’ve seen genetics really pick up,” he said. “We’ve got two to three beautiful 10-pointers that

we’ve been seeing on the game camera.”

Brimer said deer like that are huge eco-nomic draws in Texas.

“My background in the Legislature has always been in economic develop-ment,” he said, “and deer (hunting) is one

of the main economic drivers in little towns like Hico.

“In all these small towns, the folks will hang banners over the main street welcoming hunters opening weekend of the season.

“That’s what Texas needs, and Texas leads the nation in quality white-tailed deer.”

TDA is preparing its agenda for the next session of the Legislature, which begins in January.

“The membership is being polled at this time to decide what issues are important to them,” Brimer said. “It’s a very wide-open process.”

Adams said the TDA has pro-moted causes that improve hunt-ing access in Texas, and that will continue.

“We want to enhance oppor-tunities for sportsmen to con-tinue enjoying Texas as the haven that it is for white-tailed deer,” Adams said.

He also noted that the TDA would promote issues concern-ing mule deer hunting, which is gaining popularity in Texas.

“We’d like Texas to be consid-ered for mule deer along with Colorado and some other states,” Adams said.

—Staff report

Former state senator joins TDA’s legislative team

Kim Brimer

Historic Matador Ranch honored for balancing livestock, game operations

MATADOR: Mule deer bucks and a few does clear a fence on the Matador Ranch, which was recently honored for balancing live-stock and wildlife operations. The ranch spans portions of fi ve counties on the Rolling Plains of West Texas. Photo by Reed Andrus.


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Garrett Kleypas, 7, shot his fi rst deer with his grandfather’s Model 70 Pre-64 .243.

The six point with no brow tines was killed on a Kerr County ranch.

DAVID DEVENY of Addison took this bull elk with a bow on the eastern slope of Colorado, near Victor and Cripple Creek. This bull was taken at 60 yards.

PAT BULLARD, of Dallas, shot this buck which scored 217.

CONNIE BOOTH, Junction, worked for 45 minutes to get her 55-pound black drum into range to be gaffed by her husband,

Bryan. That was not easily done, considering she caught the fi sh at midnight on the Copano Bay Causeway at Fulton.

SAMUEL CASTILLOS, 8, harvested his fi rst deer at the Elizondo Ranch near Red Gate in Hidalgo County with his Savage 340 in .222 Remington.

TRAVIS MOORE of Tailwaters Fly Fishing Company in Dallas landed this monster brown trout on the White River while fi shing with guide Forrest Smith.


GPS system on rhino horns may deter poaching

Five rhinos in South Africa have been fi tted with global positioning systems to help pro-tect them from poachers, according to a recent report from BBC News.

The devices are being tested in the Mafi keng Game Reserve in South Africa’s North West province.

These GPS chips were fi tted into the rhinos’ horns by drilling a small hole in the dead part of the horn.

Also, alarm systems alert game wardens of unusual movements or if a rhino is outside of the park.

“It’s basically a satellite system which con-nects with the cell phone system and we can monitor the animals on whatever time delay we want,” said Rusty Hustler, head of security for North West Parks Board.

“There are,” he added, “a number of alarms that can be programmed: one for excessive movement, so if the rhino starts running, and another that goes off if the rhino sleeps for lon-ger than six hours, which is abnormal.”

According to reports, more than 200 rhi-nos had been slaughtered in South Africa in 2010 and “there is a high demand for rhino horn, a prized ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine.”

Hustler said the GPS devices in the future might also be used to help track rhino horns that were taken by poachers.

— Staff report

Garb, gear for women new focus at expos

A new “Garb & Gear” section of women’s hunting apparel and related gear, including guns and archery equipment, will highlight 2011 deer and turkey hunting expos produced in the Midwest by Target Communications.

“Female hunters are the only growing seg-ment of the hunting community,” according to a news release from Target Communications that appeared recently on The Outdoor Wire.

“We have emphasized family participation for years,” said Glenn Helgeland, president of

Target Communications. “Now we’re stepping up our efforts with this new focused area to bet-ter serve the female segment of our audience.”

The expos will be held next year in Michigan, Illinois, Ohio and Wisconsin.

“Nearly 25 percent of our expo attendees, year after year, are female, and they are outdoor participants,” Helgeland said. “They need hunt-ing boots that are warm, light and strong. They want gloves designed for the female hand.

“Women don’t see any particular need to suf-fer while they are deer hunting, unlike men.

“Men tend to think you need an icicle hang-ing from your nose to know you’re enjoying your hunt.”

For information on the mid-west expos, go www.deerinfo.com.

— Staff report

Largemouth bass virus reappears in Virginia

Recent fi sh kills at Virginia’s Kerr Reservoir and Briery Lake have been linked to largemouth bass virus, which hasn’t been known to be deadly for nearly a decade, state wildlife offi cials said.

The virus’ reappearance was announced recently by biologists with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

Researchers from Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland have identifi ed the virus in routine testing of bass populations in the past 10 years, although no kills had been reported before the die-off in Virginia.

The virus poses no risks to humans, the biolo-gists said.

Pennsylvania biologists also have found the virus in young smallmouth bass in the Susquehanna River, according to reports.

LMBV spreads by fi sh-to-fi sh contact, through the water, and by bass-eating infected prey.

Biologists blamed the virus on largemouth bass losses in the late 1990s in southern and mid-western states.

Those fi sheries took three to four years to recover for major episodes of the virus, biolo-gists said.

Anglers can take a few steps to stop the spread of LMBV, biologists said.

For example:• Never transfer live fi sh from one body of

water to another.• Never discard fi sh parts into the water.• Drain water from the live wells on boats

before leaving the launch area.• Disinfect live wells, especially when moving

between bodies of water.-— Staff report

Pennsylvania game warden killed in the line of duty

David L. Grove, a Pennsylvania game warden, was fatally shot by a poacher on Nov. 11 in a rural area near the Eisenhower National Historic Site outside Gettysburg.

According to reports, Grove, 31, witnessed a suspect hunting illegally with a spotlight before stopping the man around 10:30 p.m. Grove called in the license plate before attempting to handcuff the man.

While placing the suspect, 27-year-old Christopher Lynn Johnson, in handcuffs, a “ferocious exchange of gunfi re” erupted, kill-ing Grove and wounding Johnson, according to reports.

Johnson and a passenger fl ed the scene, and Johnson was apprehended 11 hours later at a hunting camp. He had a bullet wound in his hip, offi cials said.

Grove was shot four times, with the fatal round entering his neck.

Johnson abandoned his truck and fl agged down a motorist, who drove him to the hunting camp, where police were waiting. On the way to the hospital, Johnson reportedly told police he shot Grove with a .45-caliber handgun.

“He advised that he was a convicted felon in possession of a fi rearm and did not want to go back to prison,” the investigating troopers wrote.

Adams County District Attorney Shawn Johnson said he likely would seek the death penalty against Johnson.

The passenger in the truck, 19-year-old Ryan Laummann, has been cooperating with police. Laummann told police he left the scene with Johnson before repeatedly asking to be let out of the truck.

Grove is the fi rst Pennsylvania game warden to be killed in the line of duty in nearly a cen-tury. The last was Carbon County Warden Joseph McHugh on Nov. 7, 1915.

-— Staff report

NATIONAL

WATCHING RHINOS: GPS chips fi tted in rhino horns are designed to curb poaching in South Africa. Photo by LSON.


DOVE North Zone and Central Zone Sept. 1-Oct. 24 and Dec. 25-Jan. 9South Zone Sept. 17-Oct. 31 and Dec. 25-Jan. 18

Bag limit: 15 birds and not more than two white-tipped doves.Special White-winged Dove Area Sept. 4-5, 11-12, Sept. 17-Oct. 31, Dec. 25-Jan. 14

The daily bag limit in the SWWDA during the fi rst two weekends is 15 doves in the aggregate, to include no more than 4 mourning doves and 2 white-tipped doves. Once the general season opens, the aggregate bag limit will be 15.

EARLY TEAL-ONLY Sept. 11-26

ALLIGATOR 22 counties & special properties Sept. 10-30 (by permit only)Remainder of the state Apr. 1-June 30

PRONGHORN ANTELOPE (By permit only) Oct. 2-10

WHITE-TAILED DEERArchery-Only Season Oct. 2-Nov. 5Special Youth Season* Oct. 30-31, Jan. 3-16General Season North Texas (208 counties) Nov. 6-Jan. 2 South Texas (30 counties) Nov. 6-Jan. 16Late Antlerless and Spike North Texas (106 counties) Jan. 17-30 South Texas (30 counties) Jan. 18-31Muzzleloader (55 counties) Jan. 3-16

MULE DEER Archery-Only Season Oct. 2-Nov. 5General Season Panhandle (39 counties) Nov. 20-Dec. 5 SW Panhandle (11 counties) Nov. 20-28 Trans Pecos (19 counties) Nov. 26-Dec. 12

JAVELINANorthern (43 counties) Oct. 1-Feb. 27Southern (50 counties) Sept. 1-Aug. 31

PHEASANTPanhandle (37 counties) Dec. 4-Jan. 2Chambers, Jefferson & Liberty counties Oct. 30-Feb. 27

SQUIRREL Special Youth Season** Sept. 25-26East Texas (51 counties) Oct. 1-Feb. 6, May 1-31Other Open counties Sept. 1-Aug. 31

LESSER PRAIRIE CHICKENNo open season for lesser prairie chicken.

QUAILStatewide (all counties) Oct. 30-Feb. 27

RIO GRANDE TURKEYArchery-Only Season Oct. 2-Nov. 5Fall Season Special Youth Season* Oct. 30-31, Jan. 15-16 North Zone (122 counties) Nov. 6-Jan. 2 South Zone (26 counties) Nov. 6-Jan. 16 Brooks, Kenedy, Kleberg, & Willacy counties Nov. 6-Feb. 27Spring Season North Zone (101 counties) Apr. 2-May 15 Special Youth Season* Mar. 26-27, May 21-22 South Zone (54 counties) Mar. 19-May 1 Special Youth Season* Mar. 12-13, May 7-8 1-Turkey Bag Limit (11 counties) Apr. 1-30

EASTERN TURKEY+Spring-Only Season East Texas (43 counties) Apr. 1-30

CHACHALACACameron, Hidalgo, Starr and Willacy counties Oct. 30-Feb. 27

RABBITS and HARES No closed season.

2010-11 Season Dates2010-11 Season Dates

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. 6 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.

<— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —— — — — Clip for your camp ✄ — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — >


DATEBOOKNovember 30Sam Houston State Ducks UnlimitedFundraiserWalker County Fairgrounds(832) 790-7203

December 2Fort Worth Delta WaterfowlFundraiserElk’s Lodge(817) 475-9796

Sealy Ducks UnlimitedFundraiserFridick Catholic Community Center(281) 259-9638

Park Cities QuailChristmas PartyBerretta GalleryHighland Park [email protected]

December 3Rita Blanca Quail CoalitionFundraiserDalhart Coliseum(806) 268-1397

December 4Mt. Pleasant Ducks UnlimitedFundraiserPriefert Sales Hanger(903) 285-3179

Crockett County DeerfestHunter appreciation/community benefi tFairpark Convention CenterOzona(325) 392-4766

December 8Austin Coastal Conservation AssociationAngler’s Night OutAbel’s on the Lake(512) 542-3211

December 9Dallas Safari ClubHoliday partyDallas Petroleum Club(972) 980-9800

Dallas Woods and Waters ClubHoliday PartyOrvis Dallas(214) 570-8700

Galveston Ducks UnlimitedSponsor fundraiserM&M Restaurant(409) 682-2521

January 6-9Dallas Safari Club ConventionDallas Convention Centerwww.biggame.org

January 14-16Houston Safari ClubThe Woodlandswww.houstonsafariclub.org

January 20-23Austin Boat Sport and Outdoor ShowAustin Convention Center(512) 494-1128www.austinboatshow.com

January 27-30San Antonio Boat and RV ShowThe Alamodome(512) 481-1777www.sanantonioboatshow.com

January 28-30Coastal Bend Marine Dealers Boat Show The American Bank Convention CenterCorpus Christi(361) 991-0369www.ccboatshow.com

Hunter said fi shing has been dif-fi cult, partly because of pressure brought on by the lake’s success, but also because it’s at a near-his-toric low of 26 feet. The record low is 30 feet.

“It’s usually really good this time of year, and you could go out there and have fun,” Hunter said. “Right now it’s a struggle just to catch a few.”

Those who are catching bass are pulling them out of the grass and hydrilla near the banks with Rat-L-Traps and crankbaits. Hunter said it’s still not good, but it does seem to be getting better. The cooler temperatures are having the usual effect on the lake, just not to the extent to which anglers are accustomed.

“We feel like since the water has started cooling down it’s starting to turn the corner, but it’s still not doing what we feel it should be doing,” he said. “I think we’re still a couple weeks away from that.”

Choke Canyon ReservoirAfter a tough early fall, Choke

Canyon in South Texas is fi shing better than it has all year, accord-ing to Charles Whited, of Barefoot Fishing Guide Service.

“It’s been on for about two weeks,” Whited said. “The fi rst cou-ple hours, we’re catching them shal-low on spinnerbaits and Rat-L-Traps on the edge of the grass. We back off and fi sh a little deeper during the day for a couple hours, then come back shallow in the afternoon.

“You can really catch them how-ever you want right now.”

A few cold fronts have blown through the area, but the water temperatures still are in the low 70s, which activates many fi sh.

Whited said they’ve been catch-ing size and numbers, which is a nice reprieve from catching neither in September and October.

“Last month it was hard to get a fi sh over 4 pounds, but it’s really been picking up,” he said. “My last trip we caught 55 bass and had two 7 pounders and a 5.”

While the late-fall pattern will last a little longer on Choke Canyon, because it’s so far south, Whited said the cold shuts the big bass down.

“Your typical December, you can still go out and catch them,” he said. “You just have to play the wind and it’s cold. The time to fi sh Choke Canyon is right now.”

Bass successContinued From Page 11


show they can lose nearly 30 percent of their body weight roaming the woods searching for does, fi ghting other bucks and trailing hot does when they fi nd them.

For hunters, it unquestionably is the most exciting time to be in the woods.

But once the rut is over, bucks have to recu-perate or risk death by disease or predation.

Many landowners manage their herd to only shoot mature bucks that have reached their trophy potential. For many, this means shooting bucks 6.5 years or older.

But what can a landowner do to ensure bucks, especially older ones, make it through the post-rut period in good shape?

Dr. Mickey Hellickson, author of an arti-cle titled “Death in the Brush Country,” cur-rently making the rounds across the Internet the past few weeks, has some ideas that land-owners can incorporate to improve bucks chances for post-rut survival.

In his article, originally written in the mid-1990s but recently updated, Hellickson, cit-ing studies conducted by himself and Dr. Charles DeYoung, wrote that 10-30 percent of all bucks in South Texas die each year due to natural causes.

That translates to nearly 75 percent of all bucks dying of natural causes before they reach the age of 6.5 years — a shockingly high and disturbing number for hunters and land-owners managing for older bucks.

Hellickson’s original study was conducted on ranches without supplemental feeding.

In a more recent study conducted by Stephen Webb on the Callaghan Ranch in Webb County that did supplemental feeding, the mortality rate dropped to 12 percent. Along with a drop in mortality rate, 52 percent of yearling bucks in the study made it to 6.5 years of age.

That is a huge difference.In an interview with LSON, Hellickson

described practices that help ensure bucks’ survival.

“In regards to supplemental feeding in the late fall and winter, people might object, but I think the best supplemental feed is corn,” Hellickson said. “Corn is really high in car-bohydrates, and that is what bucks that are really run down, due to the stresses of the rut, are in need of. ”

Hellickson said from late winter through the summer, manufactured protein pellets are a great way to help bucks through the spring and summer.

“Doing that ensures bucks are in better con-dition,” he said.

For landowners or hunters who aren’t around to continually fi ll feeders, or can’t afford to feed year-round, a few simple farm-ing techniques can help habitat become more nutritious and palatable for deer.

“Light disking in late winter/early spring will allow native forbs to grow,” Hellickson said. “Disking 2 to 4 percent of the property adjacent to existing roads is the easiest. That soil disturbance will set back whatever plant growth is there and stimulate forbs growth.”

Hellickson said many native plants are high in protein content, and new growth is easier for deer to digest.

“Also, aerating or roller chopping for land-owners who have the ability in late winter before spring green-up helps knock existing brush down and puts plant growth within reach of deer,” he said. “It also breaks up hard packed soils so more water can be absorbed into the soil.”

Hellickson said it was hard to make regional comparisons on buck mortality rates after the rut, because deer management is more inten-

sive in Texas than most areas of the country.He did say that preliminary studies have

shown a higher percentage of bucks survive year-to-year in the Midwest, where deer have access to major agriculture throughout the winter, and a lower percentage survive in the northern extremes such as Canada, where winters are harsher.

Predator control also is important, especially to let fawns grow up to become mature deer.

But Hellickson said he conducted his mas-ter’s research project on buck survival with and without major predator control.

“We put radio collars on a couple hundred bucks and monitored survival,” he said. “We then compared ranches where we did preda-tor control to ones we didn’t.

“There were fewer deaths on the ranch with predator control, but the difference wasn’t signifi cant. But common sense says reducing coyote densities during the rut and continu-ing into the spring increases buck survival.”

Studies have conclusively shown that preda-tor control does work to increase fawn survival.

Bob Zaiglin, wildlife biologist and lead instructor of the Wildlife Management pro-gram at Southwest Texas Junior College, said supplemental feeding has both positives and negatives.

“If you’re just supplying supplemental feed during the post rut when bucks need it most, it’s too late,” Zaiglin said. “It’s important to get the feed out early if landowners are con-sidering it.”

Zaiglin said if the deer population is at or below the carrying capacity of the land, sup-plemental feeding probably isn’t necessary, and it could have a negative impact by bunch-ing bucks together while testosterone levels are still high.

“In the post rut, bucks still are powered up (from testosterone) regardless of how they feel,” he said. “They do not subordinate. Bunching the bucks together could increase the amount of combat and retard energy rates, thus adding to mortality.”

Although Hellickson’s studies focused mainly on South Texas, biologists in other parts of the state agreed supplemental feed-ing could give run-down bucks a bump to help them get through the post-rut, but it has its limitations.

Billy Tarrant, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department district leader for the Trans-Pecos region, said limited supplemental feeding is helpful in West Texas, although he does not recommend it year-round.

“If done timely and effectively, but not year-round in drier climates, it can have a positive effect on post-rut bucks,” Tarrant said. “I don’t recommend it year-round unless someone gets really serious about population control.”

Tarrant said high-protein pellets would be his recommendation to help stressed bucks recover.

“That little shot in the arm does help,” he said.Across Texas, TPWD Piney Woods district

biologist Gray Calkins said he’d describe sup-plemental feeding in his area as a “fad.”

“Our habitat is so different,” he said, “that even in winter with good rains, the deer have a lot to eat if the habitat is good. Our worst time (for deer) is late summer. We’ve always had an active food plot following because, if we get the moisture, it’s pretty easy to get a food plot going.”

Calkins said he has seen a shift during the past fi ve years as more landowners begin to see the benefi ts of habitat management.

“With this shift heading down the road of improving habitat, food plots and supple-mental feeding isn’t as critical,” he said.

To feedContinued From Page 1

FEEDING TIME: Post-rut bucks can benefi t from supplemental feeding to give them a boost. However, bucks in close proximity to each other, even in the pre- and post-rut, can result in more combat, thereby reducing the benefi t of supplemental feeding. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.


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OUTDOOR PUZZLER | By Wilbur “Wib” Lundeen Solution on Page 29ACROSS 1. Hunter’s name for the predator 4. Newborn elk (plural) 7. Another name for the largemouth 8. To take by bow 10. The male gobbler11. Act of fi sh hitting a bait12. A type of arrow13. A species of large bass14. A method of scouting for deer16. Great for a deer blind in winter19. A large lake trout22. Forward end of a gun barrel23. A male elk24. A very large game of the plains28. To relocate seasonally30. A sight on a gun31. Term for a leader on a fl yrod32. A species of deer DOWN 1. Skin-like covering on antlers 2. A large antlered animal 3. Platform for still hunting 4. Controls spread of shot pellets 5. To care for bow and gun parts 6. A popular panfi sh 9. Term for a bass11. Fish classed as a predator14. Canada, snow or blue15. The hunting area17. Protects skin from snap on arrow release18. To construct a fl y lure20. A game’s favorite area21. A wild sheep25. Part of the fi shing gear26. Brand of bowhunter’s optic27. The fur seeker’s gear29. A deer resting place

Sabine Pass, jettyDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time HeightNov 26 1:32 a.m. 2.7 H 11:20 a.m. -0.2 L 08:20 p.m. 2.5 H Nov 27 12:16 p.m. 0.2 L 8:50 p.m. 2.3 H Nov 28 1:20 p.m. 0.5 L 9:12 p.m. 2.3 H Nov 29 3:47 a.m. 1.3 L 9:03 a.m. 1.8 H 2:38 p.m. 1.1 L 9:31 p.m. 2.1 H Nov 30 4:23 a.m. 0.7 L 11:08 a.m. 2.1 H 4:15 p.m. 1.6 L 9:49 p.m. 2.1 H Dec 1 5:02 a.m. 0.2 L 12:39 p.m. 2.3 H 5:52 p.m. 2.0 L 10:07 p.m. 2.1 H Dec 2 5:43 a.m. -0.4 L 1:48 p.m. 2.7 H 7:13 p.m. 2.1 L 10:26 p.m. 2.3 H Dec 3 6:25 a.m. -0.9 L 2:44 p.m. 2.9 H 8:17 p.m. 2.1 L 10:49 p.m. 2.3 H Dec 4 7:07 a.m. -1.1 L 3:35 p.m. 3.0 H 9:06 p.m. 2.3 L 11:16 p.m. 2.5 H Dec 5 7:50 a.m. -1.1 L 4:24 p.m. 2.9 H 9:40 p.m. 2.3 L 11:48 p.m. 2.5 H Dec 6 08:33 a.m. -1.1 L 5:12 p.m. 2.7 H 10:03 p.m. 2.3 L Dec 7 12:19 a.m. 2.5 H 9:16 a.m. -0.9 L 6:01 p.m. 2.5 H 10:24 p.m. 2.1 L Dec 8 12:44 a.m. 2.3 H 9:58 a.m. -0.7 L 6:49 p.m. 2.3 H Dec 9 10:39 a.m. -0.5 L 7:32 p.m. 2.1 H Dec 10 11:19 a.m. -0.2 L 08:05 p.m. 2.1 H

Galveston Bay entrance, south jettyDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time HeightNov 26 2:19 a.m. 2.1 H 11:46 a.m. -0.1 L 09:07 p.m. 2.0 H Nov 27 12:42 p.m. 0.1 L 9:37 p.m. 1.9 H Nov 28 1:46 p.m. 0.4 L 9:59 p.m. 1.9 H Nov 29 4:13 a.m. 1.0 L 9:50 a.m. 1.4 H 3:04 p.m. 0.9 L 10:18 p.m. 1.7 H Nov 30 4:49 a.m. 0.6 L 11:55 a.m. 1.7 H 4:41 p.m. 1.3 L 10:36 p.m. 1.7 H Dec 1 5:28 a.m. 0.1 L 1:26 p.m. 1.9 H 6:18 p.m. 1.6 L 10:54 p.m. 1.7 H Dec 2 6:09 a.m. -0.3 L 2:35 p.m. 2.1 H 7:39 p.m. 1.7 L 11:13 p.m. 1.9 H Dec 3 6:51 a.m. -0.7 L 3:31 p.m. 2.3 H 8:43 p.m. 1.7 L 11:36 p.m. 1.9 H Dec 4 7:33 a.m. -0.9 L 4:22 p.m. 2.4 H 9:32 p.m. 1.9 L Dec 5 12:03 a.m. 2.0 H 8:16 a.m. -0.9 L 5:11 p.m. 2.3 H 10:06 p.m. 1.9 L Dec 6 12:35 a.m. 2.0 H 8:59 a.m. -0.9 L 5:59 p.m. 2.1 H 10:29 p.m. 1.9 L Dec 7 1:06 a.m. 2.0 H 9:42 a.m. -0.7 L 6:48 p.m. 2.0 H 10:50 p.m. 1.7 L Dec 8 1:31 a.m. 1.9 H 10:24 a.m. -0.6 L 7:36 p.m. 1.9 H Dec 9 11:05 a.m. -0.4 L 08:19 p.m. 1.7 H Dec 10 11:45 a.m. -0.1 L 08:52 p.m. 1.7 H

San Luis PassDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time Height Nov 26 12:08 a.m. 1.2 L 2:49 a.m. 1.3 H 12:42 p.m. -0.1 L 09:37 p.m. 1.2 H Nov 27 1:38 p.m. 0.1 L 10:07 p.m. 1.1 H Nov 28 2:42 p.m. 0.3 L 10:29 p.m. 1.1 H Nov 29 5:09 a.m. 0.6 L 10:20 a.m. 0.9 H 4:00 p.m. 0.5 L 10:48 p.m. 1.0 H Nov 30 5:45 a.m. 0.3 L 12:25 p.m. 1.0 H 5:37 p.m. 0.8 L 11:06 p.m. 1.0 H Dec 1 6:24 a.m. 0.1 L 1:56 p.m. 1.1 H 7:14 p.m. 0.9 L 11:24 p.m. 1.0 H Dec 2 7:05 a.m. -0.2 L 3:05 p.m. 1.3 H 8:35 p.m. 1.0 L 11:43 p.m. 1.1 H Dec 3 7:47 a.m. -0.4 L 4:01 p.m. 1.4 H 9:39 p.m. 1.0 L Dec 4 12:06 a.m. 1.1 H 8:29 a.m. -0.5 L 4:52 p.m. 1.5 H 10:28 p.m. 1.1 L Dec 5 12:33 a.m. 1.2 H 9:12 a.m. -0.5 L 5:41 p.m. 1.4 H 11:02 p.m. 1.1 L Dec 6 1:05 a.m. 1.2 H 9:55 a.m. -0.5 L 6:29 p.m. 1.3 H 11:25 p.m. 1.1 L Dec 7 1:36 a.m. 1.2 H 10:38 a.m. -0.4 L 7:18 p.m. 1.2 H 11:46 p.m. 1.0 L Dec 8 2:01 a.m. 1.1 H 11:20 a.m. -0.3 L 08:06 p.m. 1.1 H Dec 9 12:01 p.m. -0.3 L 08:49 p.m. 1.0 H Dec 10 12:41 p.m. -0.1 L 09:22 p.m. 1.0 H

Freeport HarborDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time HeightNov 26 1:41 a.m. 1.8 H 11:43 a.m. -0.1 L 08:29 p.m. 1.7 H Nov 27 12:39 p.m. 0.1 L 8:59 p.m. 1.6 H Nov 28 1:43 p.m. 0.3 L 9:21 p.m. 1.6 H Nov 29 4:10 a.m. 0.6 L 9:12 a.m. 1.2 H 3:01 p.m. 0.5 L 9:40 p.m. 1.5 H Nov 30 4:46 a.m. 0.4 L 11:17 a.m. 1.5 H 4:38 p.m. 0.8 L 9:58 p.m. 1.5 HDec 1 5:25 a.m. 0.1 L 12:48 p.m. 1.6 H 6:15 p.m. 1.0 L 10:16 p.m. 1.5 H Dec 2 6:06 a.m. -0.2 L 1:57 p.m. 1.8 H 7:36 p.m. 1.1 L 10:35 p.m. 1.6 H Dec 3 6:48 a.m. -0.5 L 2:53 p.m. 2.0 H 8:40 p.m. 1.1 L 10:58 p.m. 1.6 H Dec 4 7:30 a.m. -0.5 L 3:44 p.m. 2.1 H 9:29 p.m. 1.2 L 11:25 p.m. 1.7 H Dec 5 08:13 a.m. -0.5 L 4:33 p.m. 2.0 H 10:03 p.m. 1.2 L 11:57 p.m. 1.7 H Dec 6 08:56 a.m. -0.5 L 5:21 p.m. 1.8 H 10:26 p.m. 1.2 L Dec 7 12:28 a.m. 1.7 H 9:39 a.m. -0.5 L 6:10 p.m. 1.7 H 10:47 p.m. 1.1 L Dec 8 12:53 a.m. 1.6 H 10:21 a.m. -0.4 L 6:58 p.m. 1.6 H Dec 9 11:02 a.m. -0.3 L 7:41 p.m. 1.5 H Dec 10 11:42 a.m. -0.1 L 08:14 p.m. 1.5 H

South Padre IslandDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time HeightNov 26 11:28 a.m. 0.0 L 9:03 p.m. 2.0 H Nov 27 12:22 p.m. 0.3 L 9:15 p.m. 1.9 H Nov 28 1:21 p.m. 0.6 L 9:15 p.m. 1.7 H Nov 29 4:06 a.m. 1.1 L 8:55 a.m. 1.3 H 2:32 p.m. 1.0 L 9:06 p.m. 1.5 H Nov 30 4:22 a.m. 0.6 L 11:48 a.m. 1.4 H 4:10 p.m. 1.3 L 8:45 p.m. 1.5 H Dec 1 4:55 a.m. 0.2 L 1:40 p.m. 1.7 H Dec 2 5:35 a.m. -0.2 L 2:57 p.m. 1.9 H Dec 3 6:19 a.m. -0.5 L 4:00 p.m. 2.0 H Dec 4 7:05 a.m. -0.7 L 4:57 p.m. 2.0 H Dec 5 7:53 a.m. -0.7 L 5:51 p.m. 2.0 H Dec 6 08:40 a.m. -0.7 L 6:43 p.m. 2.0 H Dec 7 09:26 a.m. -0.6 L 7:29 p.m. 1.9 H Dec 8 10:11 a.m. -0.3 L 08:07 p.m. 1.8 H Dec 9 10:54 a.m. -0.1 L 08:32 p.m. 1.8 H Dec 10 11:34 a.m. 0.2 L 8:45 p.m. 1.7 H

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| | Port O’ConnorDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time HeightNov 26 3:07 a.m. 1.2 H 2:40 p.m. 0.1 L Nov 27 3:50 a.m. 1.1 H 3:18 p.m. 0.2 L Nov 28 4:05 a.m. 0.9 H 3:45 p.m. 0.4 L Nov 29 1:31 a.m. 0.8 H 3:26 p.m. 0.5 L 11:22 p.m. 0.7 H Nov 30 7:58 a.m. 0.5 L 10:02 p.m. 0.8 H Dec 1 08:18 a.m. 0.2 L 9:17 p.m. 1.0 H Dec 2 08:57 a.m. 0.0 L 9:21 p.m. 1.1 H Dec 3 09:42 a.m. -0.2 L 09:53 p.m. 1.2 H Dec 4 10:28 a.m. -0.3 L 10:37 p.m. 1.2 H Dec 5 11:15 a.m. -0.3 L 11:29 p.m. 1.2 H Dec 6 12:02 p.m. -0.3 L Dec 7 12:25 a.m. 1.1 H 12:48 p.m. -0.3 L Dec 8 1:18 a.m. 1.1 H 1:32 p.m. -0.2 L Dec 9 2:03 a.m. 1.0 H 2:15 p.m. -0.1 L Dec 10 2:35 a.m. 0.9 H 2:54 p.m. 0.0 L

RockportDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time HeightNov 26 4:54 a.m. 0.53 H 4:07 p.m. 0.13 LNov 27 5:31 a.m. 0.48 H 4:39 p.m. 0.16 LNov 28 5:26 a.m. 0.41 H 4:56 p.m. 0.20 LNov 29 1:30 a.m. 0.36 H 4:37 p.m. 0.25 LNov 30 12:12 a.m. 0.36 H 8:38 a.m. 0.23 L 11:33 p.m. 0.39 HDec 1 9:07 a.m. 0.14 L 11:25 p.m. 0.43 HDec 2 9:46 a.m. 0.07 L 11:41 p.m. 0.46 HDec 3 10:30 a.m. 0.02 LDec 4 12:15 a.m. 0.47 H 11:17 a.m. -0.02 LDec 5 1:01 a.m. 0.47 H 12:08 p.m. -0.04 LDec 6 1:55 a.m. 0.45 H 1:01 p.m. -0.04 LDec 7 2:54 a.m. 0.43 H 1:54 p.m. -0.04 LDec 8 3:51 a.m. 0.40 H 2:43 p.m. -0.03 LDec 9 4:44 a.m. 0.36 H 3:24 p.m. -0.02 LDec 10 5:32 a.m. 0.32 H 3:55 p.m. -0.00 L

Houston2010 A.M. P.M. SUN MOONNov-Dec Minor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets26 Fri 9:06 2:53 9:33 3:20 06:54 05:22 10:23p 11:09a 27 Sat 10:04 3:51 10:29 4:17 06:55 05:21 11:27p 11:48a 28 Sun Q 10:57 4:44 11:22 5:09 06:56 05:21 NoMoon 12:25p 29 Mon 11:46 5:34 ----- 5:58 06:56 05:21 12:31a 1:00p 30 Tue 12:08 6:20 12:33 6:45 06:57 05:21 1:35a 1:35p01 Wed 12:52 7:05 1:18 7:31 06:58 05:21 2:39a 2:13p 02 Thu 1:38 7:51 2:05 8:18 06:59 05:21 3:45a 2:53p 03 Fri 2:26 8:40 2:54 9:08 07:00 05:21 4:52a 3:38p 04 Sat > 3:18 9:32 3:46 10:01 07:00 05:21 5:57a 4:29p05 Sun > 4:13 10:28 4:42 10:56 07:01 05:21 7:00a 5:24p 06 Mon N 5:11 10:53 5:39 ----- 07:02 05:21 7:57a 6:22p 07 Tue > 6:10 11:52 6:37 12:24 07:03 05:21 8:49a 7:21p 08 Wed > 7:08 12:55 7:33 1:21 07:03 05:21 9:34a 8:20p 09 Thu 8:03 1:51 8:27 2:15 07:04 05:21 10:13a 9:18p 10 Fri 8:55 2:44 9:17 3:06 07:05 05:21 10:48a 10:13p 11 Sat 9:43 3:32 10:03 3:53 07:06 05:22 11:19a 11:06p 12 Sun 10:27 4:17 10:47 4:37 07:06 05:22 11:48a NoMoon 13 Mon Q 11:08 4:58 11:28 5:18 07:07 05:22 12:16p NoMoon 14 Tue 11:47 5:37 ----- 5:58 07:07 05:22 12:45p 12:50a 15 Wed 12:05 6:16 12:26 6:37 07:08 05:23 1:16p 1:43a

Port Aransas, H. Caldwell PierDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time HeightNov 26 2:12 a.m. 1.7 H 11:25 a.m. -0.1 L 09:00 p.m. 1.6 H Nov 27 12:21 p.m. 0.1 L 9:30 p.m. 1.5 H Nov 28 1:25 p.m. 0.2 L 9:52 p.m. 1.5 H Nov 29 3:52 a.m. 0.5 L 9:43 a.m. 1.1 H 2:43 p.m. 0.5 L 10:11 p.m. 1.4 H Nov 30 4:28 a.m. 0.3 L 11:48 a.m. 1.4 H 4:20 p.m. 0.7 L 10:29 p.m. 1.4 H Dec 1 5:07 a.m. 0.1 L 1:19 p.m. 1.5 H 5:57 p.m. 0.8 L 10:47 p.m. 1.4 H Dec 2 5:48 a.m. -0.2 L 2:28 p.m. 1.7 H 7:18 p.m. 0.9 L 11:06 p.m. 1.5 H Dec 3 6:30 a.m. -0.4 L 3:24 p.m. 1.8 H 8:22 p.m. 0.9 L 11:29 p.m. 1.5 H Dec 4 7:12 a.m. -0.5 L 4:15 p.m. 2.0 H 9:11 p.m. 1.0 L 11:56 p.m. 1.6 H Dec 5 7:55 a.m. -0.5 L 5:04 p.m. 1.8 H 9:45 p.m. 1.0 L Dec 6 12:28 a.m. 1.6 H 8:38 a.m. -0.5 L 5:52 p.m. 1.7 H 10:08 p.m. 1.0 L Dec 7 12:59 a.m. 1.6 H 9:21 a.m. -0.4 L 6:41 p.m. 1.6 H 10:29 p.m. 0.9 L Dec 8 1:24 a.m. 1.5 H 10:03 a.m. -0.3 L 7:29 p.m. 1.5 H Dec 9 10:44 a.m. -0.2 L 08:12 p.m. 1.4 H Dec 10 11:24 a.m. -0.1 L 08:45 p.m. 1.4 H

San Antonio2010 A.M. P.M. SUN MOONNov-Dec Minor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets26 Fri 9:19 3:05 9:46 3:32 07:06 05:35 10:36p 11:21a 27 Sat 10:16 4:03 10:42 4:29 07:07 05:35 11:41p 12:01p 28 Sun Q 11:09 4:57 11:34 5:22 07:07 05:34 NoMoon 12:37p 29 Mon 11:59 5:46 ----- 6:11 07:08 05:34 12:44a 1:13p 30 Tue 12:20 6:33 12:45 6:58 07:09 05:34 1:48a 1:48p01 Wed 1:05 7:18 1:31 7:44 07:10 05:34 2:52a 2:26p 02 Thu 1:50 8:04 2:17 8:31 07:11 05:34 3:58a 3:07p 03 Fri 2:38 8:52 3:06 9:20 07:11 05:34 5:04a 3:52p 04 Sat > 3:30 9:45 3:59 10:13 07:12 05:34 6:10a 4:42p 05 Sun > 4:26 10:40 4:54 11:09 07:13 05:34 7:12a 5:37p 06 Mon N 5:24 11:06 5:52 ----- 07:14 05:34 8:10a 6:36p 07 Tue > 6:23 12:09 6:50 12:36 07:14 05:34 9:01a 7:35p 08 Wed > 7:20 1:08 7:46 1:33 07:15 05:34 9:46a 8:34p 09 Thu 8:16 2:04 8:39 2:28 07:16 05:35 10:25a 9:31p 10 Fri 9:07 2:56 9:29 3:18 07:17 05:35 11:00a 10:26p 11 Sat 9:55 3:45 10:16 4:06 07:17 05:35 11:31a 11:19p 12 Sun 10:39 4:29 10:59 4:49 07:18 05:35 12:01p NoMoon 13 Mon Q 11:20 5:10 11:40 5:30 07:19 05:35 12:29p 12:11a 14 Tue ----- 5:50 12:00 6:10 07:19 05:36 12:58p 1:03a15 Wed 12:18 6:28 12:39 6:49 07:20 05:36 1:29p 1:56a

Amarillo2010 A.M. P.M. SUN MOONNov-Dec Minor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets26 Fri 9:32 3:19 9:59 3:46 07:32 05:35 10:42p 11:45a 27 Sat 10:30 4:17 10:55 4:42 07:33 05:35 11:50p 12:21p 28 Sun Q 11:23 5:10 11:48 5:35 07:34 05:35 NoMoon 12:54p 29 Mon ----- 6:00 12:12 6:24 07:35 05:35 12:57a 1:26p 30 Tue 12:34 6:46 12:59 7:11 07:36 05:34 2:04a 1:58p01 Wed 1:18 7:31 1:44 7:57 07:37 05:34 3:12a 2:32p 02 Thu 2:04 8:17 2:31 8:44 07:37 05:34 4:21a 3:10p 03 Fri 2:52 9:06 3:20 9:34 07:38 05:34 5:30a 3:53p 04 Sat > 3:44 9:58 4:12 10:27 07:39 05:34 6:38a 4:41p 05 Sun > 4:39 10:53 5:08 11:22 07:40 05:34 7:42a 5:35p 06 Mon N 5:37 11:19 6:05 ----- 07:41 05:34 8:39a 6:34p 07 Tue > 6:36 12:22 7:03 12:49 07:42 05:34 9:29a 7:35p 08 Wed > 7:34 1:21 7:59 1:47 07:42 05:34 10:12a 8:36p 09 Thu 8:29 2:17 8:53 2:41 07:43 05:34 10:49a 9:36p 10 Fri 9:21 3:10 9:43 3:32 07:44 05:34 11:21a 10:34p 11 Sat 10:08 3:58 10:29 4:19 07:45 05:34 11:49a 11:30p 12 Sun 10:53 4:42 11:13 5:03 07:46 05:34 12:16p NoMoon 13 Mon Q 11:34 5:24 11:54 5:44 07:46 05:34 12:42p 12:25a 14 Tue ----- 6:03 12:13 6:23 07:47 05:35 1:08p 1:19a15 Wed 12:31 6:42 12:52 7:03 07:48 05:35 1:36p 2:15a

Dallas2010 A.M. P.M. SUN MOONNov-Dec Minor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets26 Fri 9:12 2:58 9:39 3:25 07:06 05:20 10:24p 11:20a 27 Sat 10:09 3:56 10:35 4:22 07:07 05:20 11:30p 11:57a 28 Sun Q 11:02 4:50 11:27 5:15 07:08 05:20 NoMoon 12:32p29 Mon 11:52 5:39 ----- 6:04 07:09 05:20 12:36a 1:05p 30 Tue 12:13 6:26 12:38 6:51 07:10 05:19 1:42a 1:39p01 Wed 12:58 7:11 1:24 7:37 07:11 05:19 2:48a 2:14p 02 Thu 1:43 7:57 2:10 8:24 07:12 05:19 3:56a 2:53p03 Fri 2:31 8:45 2:59 9:13 07:12 05:19 5:04a 3:37p 04 Sat > 3:23 9:38 3:52 10:06 07:13 05:19 6:11a 4:26p 05 Sun > 4:19 10:33 4:47 11:02 07:14 05:19 7:14a 5:21p 06 Mon N 5:17 10:59 5:45 ----- 07:15 05:19 8:11a 6:19p 07 Tue > 6:16 12:02 6:43 12:29 07:16 05:19 9:02a 7:20p 08 Wed > 7:13 1:01 7:39 1:26 07:16 05:19 9:46a 8:20p 09 Thu 8:09 1:57 8:32 2:21 07:17 05:19 10:24a 9:19p 10 Fri 9:00 2:49 9:22 3:11 07:18 05:19 10:57a 10:16p 11 Sat 9:48 3:38 10:09 3:59 07:19 05:20 11:27a 11:10p12 Sun 10:32 4:22 10:52 4:42 07:19 05:20 11:54a NoMoon 13 Mon Q 11:13 5:03 11:33 5:23 07:20 05:20 12:21p 12:04a 14 Tue 11:53 5:43 ----- 6:03 07:21 05:20 12:49p 12:57a15 Wed 12:11 6:21 12:32 6:42 07:21 05:21 1:18p 1:52a

2 tablespoons olive oil2 cups chopped onion2 cloves garlic, mincedOne 28-ounce can of tomatoes3 tablespoons tomato paste1 bay leaf4 cups water1 cup of dry white wineOne 8-ounce bottle clam juice1/2 pound shelled medium shrimp2 catfi sh fi llets cut into 1-inch cubes1/2 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon pepperCoriander (or parsley)Lemon slices

In large soup pan, heat oil. Sauté onion and garlic until onions are transparent. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, and bay leaf. Cover the pan and simmer for 25 minutes. Add water, wine, and clam juice. Simmer uncov-ered for 45 minutes. Add shrimp, catfi sh, salt, and pepper. Cook 10 minutes or until catfi sh fl akes easily. Remove bay leaf. Garnish each serving with chopped cori-ander and lemon wedges.

—National Marine Fisheries Institute

Catfi sh and Shrimp Soup

6 whole quail (with skin on or skinless)Marinade: 1 1/4 cup white wine1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 cup of honey 1 tablespoon tarragon1/4 cup melted butter 2 cloves fresh garlic minced1 tablespoon olive oil6 green onions and their tops, chopped2 teaspoons sugar

Split quail in half lengthwise. Place halves in marinating pan and pour marinade over birds

being sure that both sides are coated. Refrigerate overnight. Remove quail from marinating pan and grill birds over medium hot coals. Heat remaining mari-nade enough to melt butter and mix thoroughly. While quail are cooking, baste birds with mari-nade. Cook evenly on both sides to medium well doneness. Quail should be cooked completely but still juicy and not overdone.

—Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

Grilled Quail with Honey & Tarragon Marinade

NewDec. 3 First

Dec. 10

FullDec 17


Fishing buddiesContinued From Page 1

“We just have the ability to look at a situation and come up with something to fi t the need. The stuff we build works.”

Stanley said the pair’s unique personalities have never been a problem while fi shing together.

“He’s about as hard-headed as I am on the water,” Stanley said. “But our different styles work fi ne when we are testing lures together. Because of our different styles, when a lure hits the stores, we know it will work.”

The pair’s bond, and the ability of their lures to catch fi sh, was on display during a recent fi sh-ing trip with Lone Star Outdoor News CEO David Sams on a private lake near Athens.

On a day when the wind hit gusts of more

than 35 mph, the trio caught more than 150 bass. The fi shing started out slow, but as the water temperature warmed up a few degrees, the bass began biting.

Sams said watching the two old friends inter-act was a highlight of the trip.

“You can tell the two have fi shed together a long time,” Sams said. “They are almost to the point where they can read each others' thoughts and fi nish the other one’s sentences.”

Hale said he now works around the com-pany doing whatever needs to be done, but still enjoys sitting down at his mold-making machine with a piece of lead and a hook and seeing what emerges.

“I enjoy bringing an idea to fruition,” he said. “I take it from a hook and piece of lead and come up with something that works and fi shermen can use.

“Lonnie has just been great to work with all of these years.”

Stanley gives a lot of the credit for the com-pany’s success to Hale, and all of the employees who work at Stanley Lures.

“The whole team here is really good,” Stanley said. “The business-end folks do a great job, which takes a lot of pressure off of me and allows me to get out and test fi shing lures.

“It’s a teamwork deal, and I give John a lot of credit for being a big part of that.”

—Staff report

“We haven’t found a lot of birds yet,” Brewer said, “but we had such good rains and we have good ground cover. The birds have plenty of areas to eat and dust. It’s real early, but I think we have the birds.”

In East Texas, even though it is the heart of deer season, hunters have reported see-ing more quail than in recent years.

“I’ve been out deer hunt-ing, but I saw a nice covey the other day,” said Lewis Thomas from the Marshall area. “That’s an excellent sign for deep East Texas. The last 10 years we’ve seen numbers decline drastically.

“I ran up on the covey and they scared me. But it is a good kind of scared.”

In South Texas, a combi-nation of warm weather and impossibly thick ground cover has made it treacherous to work dogs and created poor scenting conditions during the fi rst month of the season.

“We had 40 inches of rain and we normally have 20,” said Bill Rauch, a South Texas quail hunter. “I think we made a lot of birds this sum-mer but the cover is as high as I’ve ever seen it. The dogs don’t want to run through it and the quail don’t have to move much.”

Rauch said he knows he has birds, but until the weather is better for hunting, he can’t prove it.

HELPING HAND: Stanley Lures owner Lonnie Stanley, right, helps John Hale land a nice bass on a recent outing to test lures on a lake near Athens. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.

Flushing coveys Continued From Page 1



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ton of fun on an 8-weight long rod or conventional light tackle.

Greg and Maddie Bow, the only resident real estate agents in sleepy Arroyo City, also know about the river’s potential for tropical game fi sh.

In 2007, Maddie landed a 31-inch common snook from the dock behind her house. Greg fol-lowed that up the same week with a 35-inch linesider. Early this summer, Maddie’s father, visiting from Colorado, caught a snook and a trout at once on a two-hook speck rig.

“It’s pretty neat that we have this right here in our back yards, and not too many people seem to know about it,” Maddie said. “You just never know what’s going to come out of that river.”

Massive fl ooding of the Rio Grande this summer, spawned by the rains of Hurricane Alex over Mexico, led to a rise of nearly 14 feet on some portions of the Arroyo, which is used as a diver-sion for fl oodwaters, and it has run muddy and murkier than usual through the fall.

Plecostomus — armored catfi sh common in the aquarium trade — are showing up in crab traps in Arroyo City, and alligators, gar and carp are turning up in the usually salty, tidal portion of the river.

“It’s kind of exciting to see what will come out of it, with all this fl ooding,” said Jaime J. Flores, coordinator for the Arroyo Colorado Watershed Protection Partnership. He cites the wealth of native biota — seeds and spores and nutrients — washed downstream in the massive releases from the Rio Grande’s Falcon Dam this year.

The EPA has found legacy pesticide contamination in measur-able quantities of chlordane, the toxaphene and DDE, among other compounds, on the non-tidal, upper reaches of the stream, where consumption advisories for smallmouth buffalo and gar are in effect.

The lower, tidal portion of the Arroyo Colorado also is listed as impaired, primarily due to nutri-ent enrichment and periodic low dissolved oxygen, but the water is still considered safe for contact water sports and no consumption advisories for saltwater fi sh species are in effect.

Flores, an avid angler, says the primary motivation in his work with the partnership is protecting a way of life he loves. He said there is reason for hope when it comes to the health of the little river.

The voluntary partnership he manages encompasses state and federal agencies, cities and towns, farmers and birders and academics.

It has focused on upgrading anti-quated wastewater treatment plants, introducing integrated pest man-agement and modern soil conser-vation practices in agriculture, and improving storm water runoff fi lter-ing from the area’s booming cities.

“We’re not seeing a continued degradation in water quality,” Flores said. “We’re not seeing these bacterial levels continue to rise as we have been. So we do see prog-ress being made. And we’re look-ing at different, alternative meth-ods to treat the water in place.

“We have a project right now to put some solar-powered circulators up in the Port of Harlingen.”

In Flores’ eyes — and many sci-entists agree — the health of the Lower Laguna Madre is intimately linked to the health of its singular

source of freshwater infl ows.“If the Arroyo is impaired, that means the bay is impaired,” he

said. “It will be the Arroyo sick fi rst, and then the bay will be sick. If we cannot clean the Arroyo Colorado, the Laguna Madre could turn into Galveston Bay.

“If we can do something here, we can do the same thing all up and down the Gulf Coast. If some of these things work, we can try them in the Trinity and on Oso Creek and other places.

“Everyone’s being impacted the same way for the same reasons.”

hot around the Port Aransas area, according to guide Ed Woodhouse. He said the infl ux of cooler weather and fewer anglers will keep the fi shing productive for the coming weeks.

“In my opinion it’s the best time of the year,” Woodhouse said. “And the reason is that there is less pressure on the fi sh.”

But, he noted, quality bait will help. Most of his redfi sh have been landed on live shrimp and cut mullet in very shallow pock-ets of water.

In Galveston, the key to fi nding fall redfi sh, according to guide Paul Maracaccio, is to search out fl ocks of seagulls above churned up water.

“With all the shrimp being pulled out of the marshes, seagulls make it easy and all you have to do is fi nd a fl ock of birds and get up underneath them,” Maracaccio said.

He added that recent rains have caused the bayous and marshes to fl ood, forcing redfi sh to stage outside of those inlets. Most of those reds have been caught in 2 to 3 feet of water.

The topwater bite within the bay also has been successful for Maracaccio, with reports of high numbers of fi sh being taken on arti-fi cial baits in black, plum, glow and pearl col-ors. However, Maracaccio reported slot fi sh being taken along with the larger fi sh.

“The redfi sh slots are in abundance, but, there’s a lot of smaller fi sh in the 16- to 18-inch range,” Maracaccio said.

Cooler weather, however, has begun to slow some of the fi shing around South Padre Island.

Guide Mark Guillot said because of schools moving through the Laguna Madre in the summer, the action in the fall and winter slows down considerably.

“There are schools that run through here in the summertime, so when you fi nd a school you can catch anywhere from nine to 12 redfi sh on an outing,” Guillot said. “But in the wintertime you’re catching individual fi sh.”

Guillot said that with recent fair weather conditions, the key to catching fi sh is drift-ing, typically with live shrimp.

Arroyo ColoradoContinued From Page 8

Redfish hotContinued From Page 11

SLEEPY VILLAGE: The small community Arroyo City attracts vacationers andanglers on the south bank of the Arroyo Colorado, a 15-minute boat ride from the Laguna Madre. Photo by Aaron Reed.



November when his boat was robbed. He has a 1996 Skeeter and was at least the fourth tourna-ment angler hit in the small town near Lake Fork in recent weeks.

“They hit me sometime between midnight and morning, and I guess a crowbar does a good job on the rod box locks,” he said. “They got at least 11 Revo reels and St. Croix rods, a couple of other boxes of items and a tournament bag. It just made my stomach turn.”

The National Insurance Crime Bureau lists Texas among the top fi ve states for thefts and recoveries of watercraft (boats, PWCs, etc.).

It ranked third behind Florida and California in both categories from Jan. 1, 2006 through March 31, 2009. The group surveyed all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

Lee Sisson of Florida wondered if he could take a car alarm system and build a better mousetrap. The veteran lure designer and tournament angler, who qualifi ed this year for the 2011 Bassmaster Elite Series, tried to modify a car alarm but fi nally gave up and began working with a company on a boat-specifi c warning system.

Because thieves don’t just grab anything they see or yank a sonar unit left on the console, Sisson wanted something that would be loud when the boat was bumped or there were vibrations. That turned into his “Two Way Alarms” system, which

comes with a remote control key fob that also acts as an alarm.

If the system gives two warning blasts, the second one is louder, different and sustained — meaning someone probably is doing something to the boat.

“I had a guy in Texas who ordered one and called me two weeks later,” Sisson said. “He said the alarm went off twice within a minute and was going crazy. He went into his driveway and a truck was backing out of his driveway real fast. They didn’t get anything.

“In Texas, those guys really have been hit hard all over the state. One of the fi rst questions I often get is, 'Can the system be set so the remote goes off but not the boat alarm?' They want to catch these guys. I just wanted something for my boat loud enough to scare them away.”

Sisson’s alarm system isn’t the only device available to anglers.

One of the most popular is the Loc-R-Bar, which spans the front deck’s lids to help prevent access. An additional adapter bar provides more protection, as does a dual-alarm “Loc Alarm” padlock system that can be attached to the bar.

Another option is the DuraSafe locking sys-tems for trolling motors, electronics and trailer hitches. One outstanding feature is the locks arrive without having been set, so the owner can use one key, such as a truck key, for every lock and not have to keep up with another key.

Reed said he didn’t have an alarm system on his boat although he did wake up when his dog was barking. But that didn’t convince him any-thing was amiss. He noticed a deck lid not com-pletely shut the next morning while walking to

his truck for work; he lifted the lid and discov-ered the theft.

“If they’d have shut the door completely, I might not have noticed for at least another week,” he said. “I’d planned to fi sh the FLW Texas division and had been buying new equip-ment. Thought I had everything ready — now have to start over.

“I’m a workingman, just like everyone else, and buy things here and there. It made me sick to my stomach.

“I think if I’d have had an alarm system, it would have been a deterrent. If an alarm goes off, they’re not going to hang around.”

Sisson said his alarm system has thwarted three attempted burglaries of his boat. Someone tried to lift a deck lid once, and the straps on his boat cover were popped twice.

Each time, he said, the alarm spooked the would-be burglars.

“I’ve seen some guys with the alarm system and the bar, but if the alarm goes off they’re probably not going to get past the bar before someone notices and they take off,” Sisson said. “Usually, when the alarm goes off they run. But I like the security of just knowing that some-thing’s going off.

“I can sleep at night.”

Web links■ Two Way Alarms: www.twowayalarms.com■ DuraSafe Locking System: www.durasafelocks.com■ Loc-R-Bar: www.loc-r-bar.com

rate of about 1 percent of the hog popula-tion or more yearly, Higginbotham said.

But the risk is not tied to a specifi c breeding season because hogs repro-duce all year round.

Texas’ feral hog population conserva-tively is estimated at more than 2 mil-lion, although Higginbotham said no one really knows how many there are.

“If anyone quotes you a number, then they’re lying, because it’s all conjecture,” he said.

Still, feral hog sows will have at least one litter a year, and the litter size aver-ages fi ve.

Although they can have litters of their own earlier, the female piglets will usually birth their fi rst offspring when they are about 13 months old, Higginbotham said.

“Feral hogs are the most prolifi c large mammal on the face of the Earth,” he said. “There’s no question about that.”

And there’s no question that hog-car encounters are always a danger, and the incidences are increasing yearly, he said.

“I think we’ve steadily trended upward in terms of hog and vehicle collisions over the last 10 years,” Higginbotham said. “There’s a much higher incidence now than there was fi ve years ago.

“And fi ve years ago, it was greatly increased over the fi ve years before.”

—Staff report

Boat burglariesContinued From Page 8

Deer and hogContinued From Page 14

Puzzle solution from Page 23

Lone Star Outdoor News, a publication of Lone Star Outdoor News, LLC, publishes twice a month. A mailed subscription is $30 for 24 issues. Newsstand copies are free, one per person. Copyright 2010 with all rights reserved. Reproduction and/or use of any photographic or written material with-out written permission by the publisher is prohibited. Subscribers may send address changes to: Lone Star Outdoor News, P.O. Box 551695, Dallas, TX 75355 or e-mail them to [email protected].

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CHEST ORGANIZER:This organizer system from EZ ACCESS GEAR allows outdoorsmen to keep all their small items — such as calls or keys — within easy reach. The organizer comes with a pouch

and two pockets as well as three quick-detach buckles. Two drop calls with attaching clips, a neck strap with two key rings plus attaching clips, and two cord assemblies for attaching accessories are also included. Items can be detached and changed out as needed. The organizer, which sells for about $22, can be worn with the accompa-nying strap or it can be hooked up to a belt or binocular strap.

(920) 609-7995 www.ezaccessgear.com

VMAX SHO OUTBOARD ENGINE:YAMAHA says its latest engine offers “game-changed super high output four-stroke outboard technology.” The VMAX SHO, available in a 200, 225 and 250 horsepower, features impressive hole shot, acceleration and top speed. This light-weight outboard engine was designed and built as the ideal power for bass boats and in-shore bay and fl ats boats. The engine achieves its 4.2-liter big-bore V6 displacement by utilizing plasma-fused sleeveless cylinders to increase displacement without enlarging the outer diameter of the cylinder. Other features include instant throttle response, an intake system that delivers greater fuel effi ciency, smooth and quiet operation, and ease of maintenance. The MSRP for the VMAX SHO 250 is $21,870.

To fi nd a dealer, visit:www.yamaha-motor.com

PERFORMANCE SOCK:

They are just socks, but they are good socks. SOLE socks

provide a lasting, com-fortable fi t that stays in place, coupled with high-performance wicking properties to keep feet cool

and dry. The socks are made from a blend of fabrics that offer comfort and breathability. The company’s lightweight sport and dual-layer socks are available in ankle or crew length. The lightweight sport socks feature a durable blend of lightweight and breathable fabrics, instep vents for breathability, and a hand-linked seamless toe and an arch band that keeps the sock in place. The dual-layer socks fea-ture an inner layer that hugs the foot and slides against the outer layer, insulating skin against friction to reduce the risk of blisters. The socks sell for about $9.50 to $12.50 per pair.

(866) 235-7653 www.yourSOLE.com

SMALLMOUTH BASS LINE:The newest line from RIO PRODUCTS features a taper design that allows a rod to load at close range. The medium-length front taper is ideal for casting smallmouth fl ies while the long back taper allows for a smooth-casting loop that keeps the line stable on long casts. A unique handling section behind the head makes it easy to control the fl y at long range when fi shing for smallmouth bass in rivers. This line features Rio’s dual coloring, which will help anglers fi nd the perfect loading point of the line. The Smallmouth Bass line has a bronze colored head with a beige running line and is avail-able in a WF6F, WF7F and WF8F for about $75.

(800) 553-0838www.rioproducts.com

SUPER SLAM HUNTING SERIES:A partnership between MASTIFF LLC and

REMINGTON ARMS COMPANY has resulted in Remington’s newest game series, "Remington Super Slam Hunting," which can be played on Nintendo’s Wii system or PC. The games — there

are three in the series — allow gamers to experience hunting in North America, Africa and Alaska as they track big game with likenesses of weapons, hunt-ing gear and accessories from top manufacturers like Remington. In the African version, players will stalk such big game as leopards, rhinos, elephants, buffaloes and lions. Players can choose to team up with a fellow hunter to track and hunt on safari, earning medals or awards based on their progress. The games will sell for about $20 each.

(925) 551-8080 www.mastiff-games.com >>

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Fairfi eld Lake receives infl ux of largemouths

Fairfi eld Lake recently was stocked with 500, 16-inch largemouth bass to help the lake recover from a series of devastating fi sh kills over the past three years.

The lake, south of Dallas, expe-rienced its last major fi sh kill in August, due to low oxygen lev-els, but Texas Parks and Wildlife Department offi cials stocked it on Nov. 16.

“The kills are the result of low oxygen levels that occur following several days of cloudy weather,” said TPWD fi sheries biologist Dr. Richard Ott. “Fairfi eld Lake is very rich in nutrients, which causes phytoplankton to grow rapidly and produce oxygen during the day.”

—Staff report

Abu annouces sweepstake

Abu Garcia has announced a December Sweepstakes campaign “Experience The REVOlution” to promote the new Revo® Premier Spinning Reel.

The sweepstakes promotion offers Revo fans the chance to experience the only spinning reel so advanced it is considered a revolution to fi sh-ing. It is the only spinning reel that deserves to carry the Revo name.

Through Dec. 21, consumers can register to win a Revo PremierTM spinning reel. A winner will be awarded every week on Dec. 7, 14, 21 and 28 during the promotion period.

Consumers may register for the promotion through www.facebook.com/abugarcia and visiting the sweepstakes tab, or by visiting www.abugarcia.com and clicking on the sweepstakes widget.

—Abu Garcia report

TPWD Freshwater Fish Center Closed

The Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center Visitor Center in Athens will be closed Dec. 13-20 for renova-tions to the heating and cooling system.

The center’s casting pond also will be closed and no fi shing will be allowed in any of the streams and ponds until the center reopens 9 a.m., Dec. 21.

The facility’s Hart-Morris Conservation Center will remain open for privately scheduled events during the renovations.

— Staff report

The Boone and Crockett Club records program is the only North American harvest data system that collects information on all species of free-ranging native North American species collected in fair chase.

Placing these trophies in the Boone and Crockett record book can honor them, club offi cials said.

Getting listed in the record book, once the animal has been har-vested, is easy, offi cials said. The process involves having the trophy offi cially measured, paperwork and a $40 processing fee, all detailed at www.boone-crockett.org.

The club urges hunters to enter their trophies for these reasons:

• Archiving Conservation HistoryUnder the leadership of Theodore

Roosevelt, the club’s system of scor-ing big-game trophies originated in 1906 (although offi cial records

date back to 1830) to record details on species thought to be disappear-ing due to rampant habitat loss and unregulated hunting. Science-based conservation efforts, led and funded by license-buying hunters, brought those species from vanish-ing to fl ourishing.

• Improving Future ManagementBecause they represent fully

mature specimens, Boone and Crockett records are important indi-cators of the age structure and breed-ing fi tness of a herd, as well as an indicator of habitat quality. For biol-ogists and professional wildlife man-agers, the presence and production of trophy animals suggests optimum overall herd health; their absence may suggest that refi ned manage-ment strategies are warranted.

• Honoring the Animal Outstanding trophies produced

naturally deserve to be recorded and respected in the most presti-gious annals of big game hunting. “Any true hunter’s sense of pride and satisfaction will be even more fulfi lling and longer lasting if his or her quarry and the place where it lived are appropriately recognized, too,” club offi cials said.

• Discrediting Hunting’s CriticsBoone and Crockett Club tro-

phy entries have increased 400 per-cent over the past 30 years, which means trophy-class animals actu-ally are more plentiful now than ever before. This single statistic is an ongoing tribute to the professionals who manage wildlife and the hunt-ers who participate in that man-agement, offi cials said. Even more important, by being the only pub-lished reference of trophies taken in fair chase, such data counters

other rhetoric being spun by anti-hunters to an uninformed public that sportsmen have become just a lawless bunch of wildlife killers.

• Establishing Offi cial Bragging Rights

Less than 1 percent of all sports-men will take a Boone and Crockett-qualifying trophy in their lifetimes. “An accepted entry absolutely sig-nifi es the highest accomplishment in big game hunting: the legal, ethi-cal, fair-chase harvest of a free rang-ing specimen that stands as an ulti-mate representation of its species', offi cials said. “World-class trophy mounts are celebrated and passed down from one generation to the next. However, always remember that, over time, the more endur-ing story will be less about how you harvested your trophy, and more about how that remarkable ani-

mal got there in the fi rst place — through the efforts of sportsmen.”

— Staff and B&C report

Boone and Crockett Club urges hunters to report trophies

TROPHIES: This desert bighorn ram, killed by Thomas D. Friedkin, was on display at the 26th Boone and Crockett Awards held in Fort Worth in 2007
