Project PVC - “Brush Piles”

Transcription

Project PVC - “Brush Piles”
TEXAS OUTDOORS
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“Texas’ Most Comprehensive Outdoors Publication”
January 2014 / $3.99
Journal
Do-It-Yourself Duck Hunts | Fishing Upper Coast Shell
Inshore Angling Through the Year | Unkillable Bucks?
Get ‘Em Guys Goose Hunt | Become A Better Bass Angler
texasoutdoorsjournal.com
COASTAL & LAKE FORECASTS | TIDE & SOLUNAR TABLES
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L A R G E S T
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R U R A L
L E N D E R
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TEXAS OUTDOORS
“Texas’ Most Comprehensive Outdoors Publication”
For Hunters . . .
12 Wings & Clays —Ralph Winingham
Improved Odds for Waterfowl
Hunters
14 Do-It-Yourself Late
Season Ducks
Whether hunting public land on the
coast or area lakes, here are some
expert tips to help fill your
waterfowl straps. —Robert Sloan
Journal
Freshwater
January 2014
For Anglers . . .
Saltwater
54 Becoming a Better Bass Angler
Here are 15 tips gleaned from
over 40 years of experience that if
followed with certainly improve
one’s skills and game.
—Matt Williams
36 Inshore Angling - Year at a Glance
As conditions change anglers should
adjust their plan to capitalize on the
best of what each of the four seasons
have to offer.
— Danno Wise
58 Just Fishing
—Matt Williams
Project PVC
40 Just Fishing
—Nate Skinner
Fishing Upper Coast Shell
18 Just Shooting —Kerry O’Day
Custom Barrels for the New
Hunting Year
20 Get ‘em Guys Goose Hunt
Over dry land cut maize fields in
North Texas hunters are covered up
with thousands of decoying birds
for a comfortable in your lap shoot.
—Nate Skinner
26 Guns ‘N Stuff —Harold Gunn
Get a Grip
28 Are There Unkillable Bucks?
Wild deer are born with an inherent
fear of humans which intensifies by
confrontations between the animal
and man.—Bob Zaiglin
34 Conservation Corner —TOJ Staff
Ducks Unlimited Fight the Battle
for Water
JANUARY 2014
JAN_2014-pgs.indd 3
60 Tackle Tips & Techniques
—Danno Wise
Monthly HOT Freshwater Fish
42 Saltwater Journal
—Mark Sosin
The Total Tackle System
50 Lake Roundups
— Pros Forecasts
62 East – Matt Williams
64 North – Brian Hughes
68 Central – John Jefferson
70 South - Danno Wise
73 West – TOJ Staff
73 High Plains – TOJ Staff
53 Tackle Tips & Techniques
—Danno Wise
Monthly HOT Saltwater Fish
For Everyone . . .
4 Editor’s Insight – Bill L. Olson
6 Art, Books & Collectibles
– Bill L. Olson
10 TOJ Notebook – TOJ Staff
76 Guides, Gear & Getaways
80 Outdoors Calendar
82 Fishing & Hunting Times
83 Subscription Information
44 CoastWatch – Danno Wise
44 Lower Forecast
47 Middle Forecast
50 Upper Forecast
52 Louisiana Forecast
On the Cover . . .
“Sunset Silhouette”
Courtesy of the artist Scott Storm
and Wild Wings.
Visit www.wildwings.com,
or call (800) 445-4833.
TEXAS OUTDOORS Journal
3
12/3/13 4:15 PM
Editor’s Insight
Bill L. Olson
THE YEAR
Another year has arrived and most are filled with anticipation of what the coming
days, weeks, and months will hold. Many will have made a resolution to make a change
in their life. There is always the promise to loose weight, make more money, or achieve
goals that have been chased for a lifetime. The list is virtually endless. This is going to
be THE YEAR.
Sadly we know that many of the commitments made this time of year will become
fleeting memories in a matter of weeks — months at best. We have all been there and
are “guilty as charged.”
Could it be that the things we say we will do center around ourselves. It is that “I”
am going to do, or “I” will loose, or “I” will change. There is nothing wrong with doing
for oneself, but many times we are the easiest one to let down. We can ignore our own
critique much easier than we can of others.
What happens when a persistent youngster comes up and asks, “Is this THE YEAR
you will take me fishing, hunting, camping or to the lake, coast, mountains, or forest?
“Sure, we’ll see,” is often the promise with no spine. Add a little chuckle when the
request is turned down, and it is easier to walk away – uncommitted.
No time. No money. Too tired and the list goes on.
However, what happens when confronted with a committed kid? One that takes
your word as sincere. Every time you see the youngster they ask, “When.”
Maybe the individual is a little older, or even equally as wise. Does the request
become a wedge that pushes you apart, or is it the catalyst to bring you closer together?
The point of these questions is to simply ask is this THE YEAR you share what you
know, or don’t know, about the outdoors? None of us know everything so it’s ok to learn
together. One can lead, and along the way both will learn.
At outdoor shows I have asked countless times if a guy’s wife or girlfriend hunts or
fishes. Do you take the family or kids?
Too many times a most selfish response is given — “Are you kidding. That is my
time to get away and unwind, etc, etc.”
The conversation comes to a quick conclusion. Disbelief fills head and heart. “Man,
you don’t get it,” is the silent thought.
One has to wonder will reality ever rear its head. Will those that prefer not to share,
teach, and encourage ever realize how much they missed during a lifetime of not doing.
Sometimes there may be a life changing event that bring a dose of reality. For others
it just takes time to mature. The point is if you don’t do it now, when? When will it be
THE YEAR that giving becomes a part of your life.
For those that have had those memory making experiences — sharing with those
closest — will recall times together when they are alone. It may be when a child has
left the house as a young adult, or when a spouse departs this life too early.
Then there comes a longing to do more and share more. It could be with a friend
far away, or during times less frequent, but it is still sharing. It could be in anticipation
of an opportunity with a new generation hoping they grow up quickly enough so a few
imprints can be made upon impressionable minds.
Whatever the reason, let this be THE YEAR your outdoor passion is shared. It will
be one of the best promises you’ve ever made to yourself.
Until next month: Pursue All of Your Outdoor Activities in a Safe and Ethical Manner.
CAUTION: All technical data in this publication, especially for handloading, reflect the limited experience of individuals using specific
tools, products, equipment and components under specific conditions and circumstances not necessarily reported in the article and
over which Texas Outdoors Journal has no control. The data have not otherwise been tested or verified by Texas Outdoors Journal. Texas
Outdoors Journal, its agents, officers and employees accept no responsibility for the results obtained by persons using such data and
disclaim all liability for any consequential injuries or damages.
4
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TEXAS
OUTDOORS
JOURNAL
“Texas’ Most Comprehensive
Outdoors Publication”
Publisher/Editor
Bill L. Olson
Administrative Assistant
Adala Ruhge
Contributing Outdoors Editors
Harold Gunn
Brian Hughes
John Jefferson
Kerry O’Day
Billy Olson
Nate Skinner
Robert Sloan
Mark Sosin
Matt Williams
Ralph Winingham
Danno Wise
Whitetail Deer Editor
Bob Zaiglin
Art/Production Editor
Jean Canestrini
Advertising Sales
713/957-3997, 713/957-3996(fax)
Subscription Information
Call 1-800-222-4TOJ (4865); In Houston,
713/957-3997 to charge your subscription by
phone. Subscription prices: one year $18.95,
two years $29.95, three years $39.95. Mail
inquiries/changes of address to:
1706 West Sam Houston Parkway North
Houston, Texas 77043
TEXAS OUTDOORS Journal (ISSN 1082-5940) is a publication of Texas Outdoors Journal, Inc. Editorial and
advertising offices are located at 1706 West Sam Houston
Parkway North, Houston TX 77043. Phone (713) 957-3997.
Fax (713) 957-3996.
E-MAIL ADDRESS: toj@airmail.net
TOJ On-Line: www.texasoutdoorsjournal.com
TEXAS OUTDOORS Journal is published monthly. Photographs and manuscripts for publication consideration are
welcomed, but the publisher assumes no responsibility
for such material while in transit or in the office of the
publication.
Copyright 2013 with all rights reserved. Reproduction or
use of editorial or graphic content in any manner without
permission is prohibited. Views expressed by TEXAS OUTDOORS Journal contributors do not necessarily express
the views of Texas Outdoors Journal, Inc. Publication of
advertising in TEXAS OUTDOORS Journal does not constitute endorsement of products or services advertised.
Volume 23, Number 1
JANUARY 2014
12/4/13 12:53 PM
S:7”
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*When properly equipped. **Available feature. Driving while distracted can result in loss of vehicle control. Only use mobile phones and other devices, even with voice
commands, when it is safe to do so. Not all features are compatible with all phones.
JAN_2014-pgs.indd 5
12/3/13 4:15 PM
ART, BOOKS, & COLLECTIBLES | Bill L. Olson
Inspired Emerging Star
Cowan, John Dearman, Herb Booth with
additional inspiration from David Maass.
In fact as a kid he said he got a book of
David Maass’ paintings and believes he
copied every one of them.
Any place he could see other artists’
wildlife art he was collecting. Over the
years he even collected copies of Texas
Outdoors Journal with its unique cover art
long before any of his work ever appear on
the monthly magazine’s front page.
Carter and Kissman formed a friendship and the art dealer became aware that
Carter wanted to go to college to study art,
but didn’t have the financial resources to
do so. Kissman called Jerry Newman, the
late professor of art at Lamar University,
Texas artist Calvin Carter has always had a passionate love for hunting, fishing, and painting.
What happens when God given talent
is combined with spiritual inspiration,
passion for the outdoors, and a few helping hands along the way? The result is a
new rising star in the wildlife and sporting
art arena.
As a youngster growing up in Hempstead Texas, Calvin Carter was always
captivated by hunting and fishing. Not
only was he a youthful participant, but he
also drew images of what he saw.
In the fall of 1993, as a senior in high
school, an underwater painting of a
speckled trout of Carter’s was observed
by Gib DeLisle, a friend and client of
Houston art dealer Butch Kissman, owner
of H.A.K.C.O. DeLisle suggested Kissman
look at some of the young painter’s work.
Carter admits at that time he was
copying the art of the late John P. “Jack”
Calvin Carter’s mallard drake and hen placed
fourth out of 202 entries in the 2013 Federal
Duck Stamp competition. This was the first
time he entered the competition.
Cover Art
Scott Storm’s painting entitled “Sunset Silhouette” is a
perfect image for a January cover of TEXAS OUTDOORS
JOURNAL. It captures both the opportunity to hunt
waterfowl, as well as inviting water to fish.
The painting’s title refers to a setting sun, that could
well represent a year that has just passed. If it were
untitled it could well be interpreted as a rising sun representing all of the outdoor opportunities that lie ahead
in the months to come in the New Year.
Storm’s painting is a great image to start a New Year,
or even reflect on memories past. It is available as an
open edition giclee on canvas with an image size of 18”
tall x 36” wide.
For more information on “Sunset Silhouette” and
other works of art by Scott Storm visit Wild Wings at
www.wildwings.com, or call (800) 445-4833.
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Sunset Silhouette
by Scott Storm
JANUARY 2014
12/3/13 4:15 PM
and Charlie Turco the dean of students.
Carter’s work and background was reviewed, and that resulted in him receiving
a full four year scholarship to Lamar. In
fact the art professor, known for his wildlife art, was so impressed with his new
student that he postponed his retirement
until Carter had finished his studies.
Upon graduation from college Carter said he struggled for a few years not
knowing what to do with his degree,
or his talent. “I started painting some
religious pieces after I lost four family
members in a six month time period,” he
said. “It was a low point in my life. Then
Mr Newman also died. I lost touch with
what had been important to me. I didn’t
even hunt or fish.
“I had to find out who I was and these
religious paintings helped me do that,” he
continued. “It is a very personal thing,
and I am thankful for the support of so
many including my wife Ashley and our
young son Austin.”
As the aspiring artist resumed his
painting, he was once again inspired by
wildlife. “It’s hard for some to understand,
but there is a connection between the religious paintings and wildlife paintings,” he
said. “Both are giving glory to God, but
in different ways.”
Kissman was again consulted in 2010
and said he had seen growth in Carter’s
work and started mentoring him. “I gave
him my artist spiel and told him that when
you approach a piece of canvas or paper
Calvin Carter also paints religious scenes like this one of Jesus entitled,
“The Agony in the Garden.”
you have to approach it as if it is going to
be the best piece of art you’ve ever done.
It may not be, but that approach is the
way you are going to grow and progress
as an artist.
“I also told him it is one thing to be a
wildlife artist. However, if he was going to
Carter’s 2012 Texas Freshwater Stamp Print — Crappie
JANUARY 2014
JAN_2014-pgs.indd 7
be a sporting artist he was going to have to
spent lots of time in the field taking photos
of everything, from every angle possible.”
Kissman stated.
The late Jack Cowan also became an
acquaintance of Carter’s and told him,
“You need to be able to paint the anatomy
of all living things whether it is a bird, fish,
tree, or a person. It is an understanding
of how the mechanics of things work, and
how those things work together.” Carter
says to this day he still looks at Cowan’s
paints trying to see those things in the
revered artist’s paintings.
Kissman said, “Someone takes a look
at a Cowan painting and their response
is ‘Wow he was really there.’ Some artists
are just ‘punch and paste’ scenes that are
put together.”
In 2012 Carter’s career started to
gather momentum and recognition. He
painted the 2012 CCA Stamp and print.
A year later his painting of a crappie was
selected as the 2013 Texas Freshwater
Stamp Print. The June 2012 issue of TOJ
was his first cover.
Most recently, the now 38 year old
artist took fourth place out of 202 entries
with his first entry in the 2013 U.S. Fish
& Wildlife Service Federal Migratory
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12/3/13 4:15 PM
Carters scene of two speckled trout was his
first cover on the June 2012 issue of TEXAS
OUTDOORS JOURNAL
Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp
competition. The winning entry would
be used as the 2014-2015 “Duck Stamp.”
Carter said it was an amazing experience
and a competition he will continue to
enter and try to win.
“The artwork is judged in rounds by a
panel of judges,” he said. “Based on the
scoring I ended up going through to the
fourth round and finished in fourth place.
The Top 20 pieces of art go on tour, on
display around the country.”
As the young artist continues to grow,
it is hard to forecast how his career will
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JAN_2014-pgs.indd 8
unfold. Art publisher, M.F. “Bubba” Wood
of the Dallas based Collector’s Covey says,
“Calvin has done the Texas Freshwater
Stamp and if that crappie is any indication
he has all of the potential in the world. He
is young and has the interest to promote
himself. He is starting to build his image
as an artist and gain some recognition.
“Time will tell how he will continue
to grow and mature,” Woods concluded.
“This is a lifetime process and an artist
continues to evolve over time.”
Carter admits that he can sense his
growth almost on a daily basis. “I have
spent a lot of time at the fish hatchery in
Lake Jackson observing speckled trout,
redfish and flounder — looking at them
from every angle possible. I am spending
more time in the field taking photographs
of people walking, shooting, hunting, or
the same thing as they fish. It is like the
science of what I am painting.”
Kissman continues to be a supporter
and says, “His wildlife art is very realistic
and he has a lot of creativity. When it
comes to sporting art if you look at the
things that are happening, the way things
flow, you can see what is happening. It is
a feel that has to be developed.”
When one visits with the young artist
his passion, and commitment can be felt
and heard. Plus he has some goals he has
his sights set on.
From my perspective Calvin Carter is
the name of a Texas artist that has a bright
future.
Carter shoots lots of photographs of people
and wildlife that helps him better understand
the “science” of his paintings.
JANUARY 2014
12/3/13 4:15 PM
Visit our website at www.biggame.org
Returns to Dallas | January 9 –12, 2014
Dallas Convention Center
JAN_2014-pgs.indd 9
12/3/13 4:15 PM
TOJ Notebook
TPWD Trout Stocking Underway
fishing license to fish at the Neighborhood
Fishin’ locations, and anglers can use no
more than two poles while fishing. The
bag limit for trout and channel catfish
is five fish per day with no minimum
length limit.
Below are the names and locations of
lakes in the Neighborhood Fishin’ program with the most recent stocking and
remaining dates they are scheduled to
be stocked with trout. Weather or other
problems could cause the dates to vary
slightly. However, such frequent stocking
means the fishing should be good any
time you go.
•Medical Center South, Amarillo:
12/27, 1/10, 1/24, 2/7, 2/21, 3/7
COURTESY LARRY D. HODGE, © TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT
Rainbow trout are fun to catch on fly rod or light regular tackle and are very good to eat.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s popular rainbow trout stocking
program kicked off on November 27 with
additional deliveries having been made
through December. The first deliveries
of fish were to lakes in the Neighborhood
Fishin’ program. Stockings will continue
until March with some lakes being stocked
every two weeks and others on a monthly
basis.
Channel catfish are stocked from April
through October, and rainbow trout are
stocked in winter months.
“The reason for stocking some lakes
on a monthly basis is to reduce losses of
fish to resident cormorants,” said Dave
Terre, TPWD’s chief of management and
research. “We hope the less-frequent
stockings will keep the birds from patterning our stocking activities and make more
fish available for anglers. We will stock the
same total number of fish, just less often.”
A second change to the program is the
addition of Missouri City Community
Park Lake in the Houston area. This lake
replaces Tom Bass I, which was not being
used by many anglers based on recent
TPWD surveys. “We are always looking
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JAN_2014-pgs.indd 10
for ways to maximize participation, user
satisfaction and cost efficiencies in this
program that involves public and private
funding. We are very excited to bring a new
lake and new city partner into the Neighborhood Fishin’ program,” Terre said.
A 2012 survey indicated that more
than 80,000 people take part in the Neighborhood Fishin’ program. Fish for the
program are purchased partly with funds
from the Texas Bass Classic Foundation
(which is supported by the Toyota Texas
Bass Classic) and from local partners.
A new local partner this year is Valero,
which is sponsoring Miller’s Pond in San
Antonio.
“Regular stocking is a key component
of the Neighborhood Fishin’ program,
which helps increase fish-catching opportunities in small city park lakes close to
where people live,” Terre said. “Providing
this opportunity is especially important to
our youth and families, who may be new
to fishing or just want to have some fun
together outdoors. Our surveys show that
nearly 50 percent of participants are kids
or adults who are new to fishing.”
Anyone 17 years or older needs a
•Oakes Street, San Angelo: 12/27,
1/24, 2/21
•Southside Lions Park, San Antonio:
12/27, 1/24, 2/21
•Miller’s Pond, San Antonio: 12/27,
1/24, 2/21
•Buena Vista Park, Waco: 12/27, 1/10,
1/24, 2/7, 2/21, 3/7
•Bullfrog Pond, Austin: 12/27, 1/10,
1/24, 2/7, 2/21, 3/7
•Greenbriar Park, Fort Worth: 12/27,
1/10, 1/24, 2/7, 2/21, 3/7
•Hurst Chisholm Park, Hurst: 12/27,
1/24, 2/21
•Lakeside Park, Duncanville: 12/27,
1/10, 1/24, 2/7, 2/21, 3/7
•Mesquite City Lake, Mesquite: 12/27,
1/24, 2/21
•South Lakes Park Pond, Denton:
12/27, 1/10, 1/24, 2/7, 2/21, 3/7
•South Weeks, Wichita Falls: 12/27,
1/10, 1/24, 2/7, 2/21, 3/7
•Central Park Pond #1, College Station:
12/27, 1/10, 1/24, 2/7, 2/21, 3/7
•Mary Jo Peckham Park, Katy: 12/27,
1/24, 2/21
•Missouri City C.P.L., Missouri City:
12/27, 1/10, 1/24, 2/7, 2/21, 3/7
JANUARY 2014
12/3/13 4:15 PM
Texas Game Wardens Receive National Maritime Accreditation
Texas Parks and Wildlife’s game warden force has become only the fourth state
conservation law enforcement agency to
be accredited by the National Association
of State Boating Law Administrators
(NASBLA) Boat Operations and Training
(BOAT) Program.
“As the Texas Navy, our game wardens and the vessels they operate have an
important role in maintaining the state’s
maritime security, in addition to their dayto-day work in enforcing our conservation
laws,” said TPWD Executive Director
Carter Smith. “The training the wardens
will receive by way of this accreditation
will make these men and women and our
coastwide fleet even more effective.”
Though the Republic of Texas had a battle-hardened navy in the 1830s and 1840s,
it was former Gov. George W. Bush who
first referred to TPWD’s modern fleet as the
“Texas Navy.” Since then, the department’s
fleet has grown to include 564 vessels, including two 65-foot Gulf of Mexico patrol
vessels, 26 Safeboats (a high-speed boat
with an enclosed cabin that can be used
in bays or the open Gulf) and a myriad of
specialized vessels including 5 gun boats
equipped with .30 caliber machine guns.
In addition to the game wardens who
operate patrol vessels on the state’s public
waters, TPWD’s Maritime Tactical Operations Group is a specialized unit made
up of specially trained and equipped
game wardens who can respond to critical waterborne incidents or other unique
maritime operations.
“Now that our tactical maritime team
has this prestigious accreditation, we will
be working even more closely with the
U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies with
a maritime focus to protect the Texas coast
for any contingency,” Smith said.
In preparation for their accreditation,
the Law Enforcement Division developed
strict training and policies to facilitate
training in a wide range of maritime functions, including boat crew member training,
boat operator search and rescue, boating
accident investigation, boating under
the influence enforcement, officer water
survival, tactical boat operations, pursuit
and stop techniques and small vessel radiation-nuclear device detection operations.
“Effective partnering at multiple levels
of government is the key to Homeland
Security,” said Rear Admiral Kevin Cook,
JANUARY 2014
Commander, 8th Coast Guard District.
“Our relationship with Texas Parks and
Wildlife is based on mutual concern for
the safety and security of port operators
and the maritime public. This accreditation further assures common standards of
training and seamless integration between
our organizations, which increases both organizations’ overall readiness to respond.”
The NASBLA accreditation is based
on U.S. Coast Guard-recognized national
standards for the training, qualification,
credentialing and typing of maritime
law enforcement and emergency first
responders. The only other state law enforcement agencies with NASBLA accreditation are the Louisiana Department of
Wildlife and Fisheries, the Massachusetts
Environmental Police, and Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
Annie get yer cash. Oakley Parker fetches $293K
A 16-gauge Parker Brothers hammer shotgun belonging to 19th century
sharpshooter, trick-shot artist and member of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show,
Annie Oakley, was sold by Heritage
Auctions. The shotgun had an opening
requested bid at $100,000 and sold for
$293,000 at auction on Nov. 24 in Dallas.
The 130-year-old firearm has remained
in the Oakley family until now and was
consigned to the auction company by
Oakley’s great grandniece.
The successful bidder was not iden-
tified however the new owner also procured several documents affirming the
firearm’s authenticity, as well as its scabbard. A gold charm owned and worn by
the star of Buffalo Bill’’s Wild West Show
sold for $250,000 to another bidder.
PHOTO COURTESY HERITAGE AUCTIONS.
Annie Oakley’s 16 gauge Parker shotgun
was recently sold in Dallas at auction for
$293,000.
11
12/3/13 4:15 PM
WINGS & CLAYS | Ralph Winingham
Improved Odds for Waterfowl Hunters
The snow goose decoys and white rags
scattered around us in the pre-dawn hours
across a field near Eagle Lake worked as
planned when the first rays of sunshine
lit up the sky.
Four snows could be seen flying
toward us straight as an arrow, getting
closer and closer to the two guides and
two hunters flat on their backs watching
the sky and trying not to spook the approaching geese.
As the birds steadily flew toward us
yard by yard, I remember thinking that
maybe the guides had not seen them. We
had been told not to shoot until the guides
gave the word.
Forty yards out, there was no sound
from the guides. The same silence at 30
yards, then 20 yards, 10 yards and finally
when the birds were directly above us,
a shout of “Take ’em” was followed by a
volley of shots. The sound of steel shot
rattling through the birds’ feathers was
clearly discernible, indicating at least some
of the four shooters were on target.
Two of the four birds folded and
dropped to the ground, but the other two
wounded geese just kept flapping their
wings and could be seen sailing off into
the distance without a chance of being
recovered.
The thought immediately crossed
my mind that shooting nearly straight up
into the sky was a pretty strange way for
wingshooters to try to knock down birds,
so I decided to alter the game plan.
Moments later
when a lone snow
goose was headed
directly toward our
spread along the
exact same path,
t h e i n s t a nt t h e
bird came within
30 yards I sat up,
fired one shot and
it folded from an
instantly fatal head
shot.
“No, no, no,’’
was the shouted
response from the The unique shape of Winchester’s Blind Side non-toxic shotgun shells
guide. “We need to allow for an increased number of pellets and more trauma to waterfowl.
Note how the pellets can rest on the receiver of this Browning BPS
wait until the geese
shotgun without rolling off.
are directly over us
in 1991, my opinion of the patterning
so we put a lot of shot in the air and have a
and killing performance of steel shot was
better chance of bringing down the birds.”
not favorable.
“I understand that may be your plan
Fast forward to today’s waterfowl
with some shooters, but I have killed thouammunition selection and the story is
sands of incoming doves and I guarantee I
quite a bit more promising. New ammuwill drop any goose that comes in just like
nition technology and a change in hunter
that,” I told him.
tactics have resulted in some very effective
Left alone to shoot when I was
shotgun shell options.
confident the birds were within easy
“The new non-toxic shells are better.
killing range for the rest of the morning,
When we first started using steel shot, you
I managed quite a few one-shot kills. Uncould hear the pellets rattle off the breast
fortunately, the other shooters using the
feathers of the birds and we had lots of
gang-blast method wounded numerous
lost cripples,” said veteran Baffin Bay area
birds that landed well beyond the range
Guide Joey Farah, who operates a castof our retrievers.
and-blast service during the waterfowl
My introduction to using steel shot
season putting his clients on redfish and
on waterfowl back on that hunt in the early
speckled trout in the mornings and on
1990’s was
ducks and geese during afternoon hunts.
b ot h e n “Most of my shots are after my
lightening
hunters have fired, so I need something
and disapto hit the cripples hard as they are swimpointing.
ming away. That means I generally use
Like many
something bigger than the No. 2 shot
hunters
I recommend for ducks. Sometimes I
forced to
will even put in BBB’s for those finishing
rely on
shots,” he added.
non-toxic
Farah likes to have his hunters wait
loads after
until ducks and the occasional goose that
t h e U. S .
drift into his spreads are no more than 30
Fish &
yards away before they fire, and he stresses
Wi l d l i fe
they make the first shot count.
S
e
r
v
i
c
e
Waterfowl hunting with today’s non-toxic shot is a great improvement over the
“That first shot is the important one.
early days of steel shot after lead was banned, but still requires hunters to be able b a n o n
If I get hunters with a semiautomatic firing
lead shot
to put a pattern in the right place at the right time.
12
JANUARY 2014
12/3/13 4:15 PM
three shots without touching a feather,
I just hand them one shell at a time to
make sure they put that first shot where it
counts. That seems to make them concentrate more on centering the bird,’’ he said.
Concerning the new non-toxic waterfowl loads available in today’s market
– all of them an appreciated improvement
over the standard steel loads – one of the
newest is the Winchester Blind Side shells
featuring six-sided, multiple-edged shot
and a Diamond Cut Wad designed to
maximize the pattern performance.
The Blind Side ammunition is advertised as providing hunters with 15 percent
more shot pellets per shell over the typical
round pellet loads, with an increased kill
zone pattern of up to 25 percent and fast
kills with up to 250 percent more trauma.
On a hunt with Farah late last year,
the Winchester ammunition lived up to its
advertising with several one-shot, stonedead kills on a variety of ducks.
“These new non-toxic loads are pretty
expensive (about $30 per box including
tax), but you have to use something that
works,” Farah said.
During the hunt, the recoil from the
Winchester loads, which are billed as trav-
JANUARY 2014
elling an impressive 1,400
feet per second
(typical field
or clay target
l o a ds r ange
from 1,150 to
1,300 feet per
second) was
not excessive.
If the ducks or
geese coming
into a decoy
spread were Bringing their Benelli shotguns into play on a flight of redhead ducks called
taken within
into a decoy set , the Richter brothers, Ryan, front, and Chris, put some
Winchester Blind Side non-toxic loads to good use.
30 yards, no
lead adjust(the first “B”); smoothly pull the barrel
ment was necessary for hunters transitowards you passing through the bird’s
tioning from lead loads on clay targets to
body towards its beak (the second “B”);
the non-toxic shot on waterfowl.
and as you pass through the beak, pull
As a final word to the wise from a
the trigger and send your shot downrange
seasoned shotgun shooting instructor – an
(the final “B”).
incoming bird can be one of the easiest
This technique should result in a very
targets to handle if you follow the three
effective head shot, causing the bird to fold
“B” rule.
its wings and drop to the ground where it
When the bird is within the effective
can be easily added to the game bag.
killing range of your shotgun, typically
The key is to be slow and smooth,
about 30 yards, start with the barrel of
“Make sure that first shot counts.”
your shotgun pointing at the bird’s butt
13
12/3/13 4:15 PM
Do-It-Yourself
Late Season
Ducks
Whether hunting public land on
the coast or area lakes, here are
some expert tips to help fill your
waterfowl straps.
Story and photography by
Robert Sloan
14
JANUARY 2014
12/3/13 4:15 PM
S
uccessful duck hunting is all
I’ve got a buddy in Beaumont that’s
good hunting experiences on public lakes
about being in the right place,
been duck hunting on public land for
if you don’t do a considerable amount of
at the right time, with the right
decades with his sons. They are very
scouting. That means spending a lot of
gear. Get those three things aligned and
successful and consistently score good
spare time in the boat and on the water
the chances of having a memorable hunt
numbers of ducks. If you’ve ever hunted
looking for ducks. Once you find the birds
increase dramatically.
on public areas you know that it’s not
it’s not always guaranteed that you’ll be the
The easiest way to chalk up a good
always an easy task. With these guys it all
only one to hunt them.
duck hunt is to hire a guide. But for the
starts with a phone to the public hunting
The biggest problem with hunting the
most overall satisfaction duck hunting
area the day prior to their hunt. The key
lakes is competition among lots of huntboils down to a do-it-yourself adventure.
is to be the first to call and reserve the
ers. For example, on one of my most recent
If you’ve never hired a duck guide you are
best area. Public duck hunting areas are
hunts we left the ramp pumped up over a
missing out on a laid back experience. Badivided up into specific units and areas.
big buildup of birds on the upper end of a
sically you show up, do what the guide says,
The first hunters to call get the best spots.
lake. We left the ramp in plenty of time to
sit back in the blind and shoot when told to
Their hunt begins with a 3:30 a.m.
get set up, only to find that another group
do so. On a good hunt you have a passel of
wake up. From there they travel about an
of hunters were already on THE SPOT.
birds to take home. Conversely, a bad hunt
The best duck hunts don’t necessarhour to the National Wildlife Refuge. The
will send you to the
ily involve the use
house disappointed
of a blind. In fact,
and sorry you blew
the group that I’ve
a few hundred bucks
been hunting with
on nothing.
the past few decades
I’ve had some
never hunt from a
good and bad expeblind, and we almost
riences with guided
always hunt on pubhunts. The best was
lic lakes. The trick
a Louisiana foray
is to be versatile. A
into the coastal
boat blind is good,
marsh. The guide
but using available
drove his boat up to
brush, or standing
a spacious and well
timber is always the
camouflaged blind.
best thing to do.
We stepped off the
When hunting
boat, sat down on
without a blind
a padded bench
your best shoots
and sipped coffee
will always be on
while the boat was
clear sunny days.
stashed. At shootThat way you can
ing time the ducks
take advantage of
Aside from a good retriever, decoys are a duck hunter’s best friend.
covered us up. We
staying in the shade
shot limits of gray
of trees and brush.
ducks, pintails and a few greenheads.
On cloudy days you’ll stand out more
gate opens at about 4 a.m. If everything is
On the flip side is the worst hunt I’ve
without shade.
in order they sign in, and move out.
ever had. It took place in Mexico out of
Some of my best hunts have been
Once on the scene of the hunt they
a place called Los Patos, meaning those
while using a log or stump as cover on
offload the boat, crank up the Go-Devil
ducks. After a long drive from the lodge,
lakes and rivers. You can use sheets of thin
motor, head to the blind, put out the
we plodded about 300 yards through a
camouflage to drape over limbs for more
decoys and wait for shooting time. They
flooded and muddy field. To make a long
concealment.
are usually back at the house by 2 that
story short, we shot one duck in three
I grew up hunting out of small alumiafternoon. That’s a typical public hunt. It
hours of standing in thigh deep water. We
num boats. It was a very affective tactic for
ain’t no cake walk, but it’s cheap and can
were back at the truck putting our gear up
hunting on the big lakes. In that situation
provide a quality waterfowling experience.
when a military helicopter showed up out
you want to be able to sit on the floor
Without a doubt the very best hunts
of nowhere and proceeded to hover over us
and drape lots of camouflage around the
I’ve ever had anywhere on earth have been
at about 100 feet. We didn’t know whether
gunwales. We always used ponchos made
on the many reservoirs that are scattered
to run or put our hands up and surrender.
of burlap to drape over our torsos. When
across Texas. Lakes like Richland-Chamdone right it’s a low profile blind that can
After over four decades of duck huntbers, Sam Rayburn, Toledo Bend and
be used just about anywhere on lakes,
ing I’ve come to the conclusion that the
Choke Canyon have consistently been
rivers and even along the coast.
best bang for your buck is to do it yourself.
among the top go-to duck hunting lakes
Duck hunting on the bays along the
It’s a laborious task, but in the end you’ve
for thousands of hunters. But one thing
Texas coast is big time popular. You can
got some fantastic memories.
is certain – you will likely never have a
JANUARY 2014
15
12/3/13 4:15 PM
Some of the very best duck hunting can be found on one of the many reservoirs
scattered across Texas.
hunt just about anywhere there is a tidal
flow. And on most bays you can put up
blinds just about anywhere you please. But
there is a catch. A blind on public water is
open for all to hunt. It’s a first come first
serve deal. But there is also a gentleman’s
agreement that you don’t use another person’s blind. Using a blind that somebody
took the time and effort to build lowers
you to scum status, and that’s a fact.
There are two very good options for
hunting the coastal bays. One is to use a
duck stool. The other is to build a blind.
From Port O’Connor to the Laguna Madre
you can use duck stools to hunt from the
mangroves along the flats. That’s a deadly
tactic for two reasons. One is that you
don’t have a bulky blind. Second you can
hunt anywhere you see birds working.
A duck stool is simple. It’s a two foot
wide bench seat on a three foot pole.
About half way up the pole is a tee bar
that keeps you from sinking too far into
the mud. I’ve got two that were made by a
welder friend out of aluminum. They are
lightweight and perfect for a quick set up
on working birds.
I like low profile duck blinds that are
made of natural brush. Many of the blinds
along the coast and on private leases
are all brown and made from palm tree
fronds. When built on dark water and
surrounding green vegetation they stick
out like a sore thumb. One simple way to
solve that problem is to spray paint the
outside of the blind with green paint. Or
you can occasionally brush up your blind
with green fronds. It’s always a good idea
to carry greenery to brush up a blind on
just about every hunt. The more natural
your blind looks equals more ducks on
the strap.
Decoys are a duck hunter’s best friend,
aside from a good retriever. But there are a
few important things to remember about
decoys. One is to use decoys that look like
the ducks you’ll be hunting. For example,
most of the spreads along the coast will be
made up of redheads and pintails. When it
comes to numbers of decoys you can’t have
too many along the coast. Conversely, two
to three dozen will often get the job done
on lakes, rivers and small ponds.
Here are two excellent tips you might
try out with decoys. It’s always a good
idea to place three or four magnum-sized
decoys at the front of your spread. They
are easier for ducks to spot.
Second, use a jerk string, a.k.a. decoy
gang rig. This can save the day when
you’ve got zero wind and lifeless decoys. I
use one that’s 56 feet long with 12 swivels.
Decoys are attached to the swivels. As
ducks approach you can jerk on the string
and the decoys will come to life. Also, to
jack up your spread it never hurts to set
up something like a Mojo decoy.
Calling is a huge part of the duck
hunting experience. A good caller can save
the day when you’re dealing with hunter
wary ducks. Or, someone blowing on a call
that sounds like a tricked out Halloween
whistle can totally ruin a hunt. Practice
makes perfect, and that is definitely true
when using a duck call. The best advice I
can offer is to listen to a duck calling CD.
Or let an expert teach you how it’s done.
The last tip I can offer is to use good
camo that includes a facemask and gloves.
Concealment is everything and that includes covering your face and hands.
PHOTO BY BILLY OLSON
Hunting on the bays along the Texas coast is very popular and you can hunt just about anywhere there is tidal flow.
16
JANUARY 2014
12/3/13 4:15 PM
©20
©2013 Anheuser-Busch, Busch® Beer, St. Louis, MO
Brand: Busch
Item #:PBB20135909
Closing Date: 9/6/13
QC: CS
Trim: 8.125" x 10.875"
Bleed: 9" x 11.25"
12/3/13 4:15 PM
JUST SHOOTING | Kerry O’Day
Custom Barrels for the New Hunting Year
Most shooters dream about having a
custom barrel installed on their bolt action rifle or AR-15. However, are custom
barrels all that they are cracked up to be?
For many the first consideration is the
cost. A good barrel will cost between $500
and $1200 installed. Most rifles will have
to be re-bedded to fit the stock to the new
contour of the custom barrel, or have the
handguard changed to except a bigger gas
block or to free float the barrel. A finish
of some type will have to be put on the
new barrel, be it bluing, Teflon, ceramic
coating, or just matte stainless. In most
cases, you might as well have the entire
gun refinished.
While you are having the new barrel
installed, you should have the action trued
up and squared, the bolt lugs lapped to
the action and have the bolt face squared.
All these things will make the rifle shoot
better. And last, you need to decide what
caliber and type of bullets you are going
to shoot, so the right rate of twist can be
made.
You can’t expect a 30 caliber barrel
to shoot everything from little 100 grain
bullets to heavy 200 grain bullets. If you
are going to shoot small bullets, the twist
might be a 1 in 12 inch twist or if you
are shooting long heavy bullets, the twist
will have to be faster and may end up a 1
in 9 twist.
You can also change calibers at this
time. You can get a custom upper built
to fit your AR15 lower and change the
caliber. You might want to hunt deer
with your AR so why not make it a 6.5
Grendel or a 6.8 SPC both are great big
game calibers.
Just because you have a 30-06 rifle
doesn’t mean you have to keep it a 30-06.
You can change the caliber to a 25-06, a
270, a 280, a 35 Whelen or how about a
wildcat like a 6.5-06 Ackley Improved.
The range in what you want to do is only
hampered by how creative you and the
gunsmith can be and how much money
you want to spend.
Picking the right barrel steel and taper
depends on what you want to end up with
when you are done. If you are trying to
build a light-weight mountain rifle then
18
don’t let your gunsmith talk you into a
heavy #4 or #5 taper barrel.
Many gunsmiths say a light taper barrel just won’t shoot tight groups. I know
you can get great shooting rifles with light
barrels; I have been building them for 30
years. It does take a little more work on
the gunsmith’s part, but it can be done.
You will want a light #1 or #2 taper; the
rifle will be considerably lighter and easier
to carry. Remember you carry a hunting
rifle 99% of the time and shoot it 1%.
The barrel length is important to what
you are doing. The barrel has to be long
enough to burn the powder and get the
velocity, but not too long that it will hang
up in the alders in Alaska or be out of
balance when you take an off-hand shot.
If you are hunting Elephant or Buffalo in
the thick stuff, it might be a good idea to
have a short barrel so you can swing the
rifle better in case of a charge and not have
it hang up on branches or vines. Trying
to get an extra 50 feet per second with a
long barrel on a 375 H&H doesn’t make
any sense if you can’t swing the rifle when
you need it.
If you want a long range cartridge like
a 300 Ultra or a 30-378, you will need a
long barrel to make it perform to its full
potential. But, if having a long barrel
will affect the way you carry the rifle or
if it will get hung up on everything while
you are using it, then you might want to
re-think your caliber of choice. A 300
Winchester with a 22 inch barrel might
be a better choice for the type of hunting
you are going to do.
The same holds true for the type of
steel to use. A stainless steel barrel will
usually shoot better and is more user
friendly as far as not rusting and being
easier to clean. But, if you are trying to
build a classic rifle with a fancy wood
stock and engraved grip cap, then you will
want a carbon steel barrel that you will be
able to polish up and blue to a high luster.
A group of rifle barrels, with several different
tapers await to be installed on actions.
The same holds true for a Varmint rifle
or a Target rifle. Pick the right taper for
the barrel for what you are doing and don’t
go so big that it won’t fit in the stock. If
you want a Bench rifle with a huge barrel
then you might as well plan on buying a
new stock to go with it.
Consider fluting the barrel on a Varmint rifle, it will save a little weight, add
more surface area which helps with cooling and looks neat. You can pick straight
flutes or spiral flutes or even double
spiral flutes. It will just depend on what
you like, can afford, and how good your
gunsmith is.
There are many things that make a
custom rifle barrel shoot better. First is
the polish inside the barrel. Most custom
This barrel has been fluted, the best reason for fluting a barrel is because it looks good.
JANUARY 2014
12/3/13 4:16 PM
barrels are lapped to the point that they
shine which also makes cleaning easier.
Having a well polished bore also makes
it a straighter barrel. I have seen several
gunsmith videos showing how out of
round a factory barrel is on the outside.
I don’t care about the outside; it’s what is
on the inside that counts.
The taper on the inside of the barrel
has to stay the same or better yet, get
slightly smaller or tighter as the bullet
approaches the muzzle. If the barrel ever
gets larger at the muzzle, then the rifle
will never shoot. The rate of twist has
to stay the same all the way through the
barrel or better yet, it needs to have the
twist increase as the bullet travels to the
muzzle. If the rate of twist ever slows up
then the rifle will never shoot.
Last is the work of the gunsmith. A
good gunsmith can make a bad barrel
shoot well, but a bad gunsmith can make
the best barrel shoot like junk. If you
don’t feel good about the person working
on your gun then find someone else. Just
because a gunsmith is out of state or advertises more than your local gunsmith,
that doesn’t make him better. Many small
shops turn out some incredible work and
it might end up costing much less.
Make sure your gunsmith can work
off centers and make sure he has the right
tooling for blue printing your action.
Many of the tools for this type of work
AR-15 barrels can come in many different calibers, sizes and lengths.
are hand-made, so don’t let this scare
you off and remember just because his
machines are old and not state of the art
CNC equipment doesn’t mean you won’t
get a good job. You might get a better job
because he will have to do more hands
on work.
Deciding to have a custom barrel installed on your rifle is a lot to think about
and can end up costing several thousands
of dollars by the time you are done. What
you get for this is a rifle that will shoot
better than a factory rifle, cleans up easier
and looks different.
It is like building a custom car, you do
it for the fun and not because you have
to. A hot rod motor won’t make going to
work every morning any easier, or better.
Like a custom barrel won’t make that 400
class Elk walk out in front of you. But it is
a great feeling just knowing that your car
is faster than the one next to you, or that
your rifle will out shoot the other rifles in
the hunting camp.
You can make a difference by
reporting illegal hunting and fishing activity!
Up to $1,000 may be paid for information leading
to arrest and conviction of poachers
Reward Hotline 800-792-GAME
Support anti-poaching efforts by becoming a
member of the Operation Game Thief Program
(call 512-389-4381 for membership information) or by
sending your tax deductible contribution to Operation
Game Thief, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744
JANUARY 2014
19
12/3/13 4:16 PM
Over dry land cut maize fields in North Texas hunters
are covered up with thousands of decoying birds for
a comfortable in your lap shoot.
Nate Skinner
20
JANUARY 2014
12/3/13 4:16 PM
t
n
u
H
e
s
o
o
G
Hunter Dru Bishop displays his limit of lesser Canadas along
with one speckled belly.
G
“
et ‘em guys!” The order rendered immediate responses
from quick drawing hunters,
as the guides simultaneously sounded the
assault. Rising from beneath camouflage
blankets littered with shredded maize
stubble, the Canada geese seemed to have
landed on the end of our shotguns. It was
as if the meeting between steel shot and
waterfowl had been orchestrated earlier
that morning over a predawn cup of coffee.
The term “in your lap” became reality
as multiple birds fell with each volley. Gun
barrels glowed red in the amber morning
light as wave after wave of geese poured
into the spread.
JANUARY 2014
“Load up as fast as you can, stubble up
and cover up,” came the instructions from
behind. No sooner had our backs hit the
ground and it was time to shoot again.
Within an hour’s time straps were
filled and the phenomenal hunt spectacle
ended as rapidly as it began — but no one
moved. Cyclones of geese continued to
funnel down, landing amongst the fakes,
and the sight was absolutely breathtaking.
As I unloaded my gun I noticed something I’d never seen before while waterfowl
hunting. It was covered with dust. Not
mud, moisture, or specs of rust, but a
powdery film of dry, firm ground — dust.
North Texas and the Panhandle offer
some of the best waterfowl hunting on the
continent. Thousands of geese and ducks
migrate and feed along the expansive
agricultural fields in this region. With
the continual decrease in rice production
throughout much of the Texas coastal
prairies, northern areas of our state are
becoming the stopping point for many of
these birds during their annual migration.
Amongst the ducks, wintering goose
populations are a staple of north Texas
including massive concentrations of
speckled bellies, lesser Canada geese,
and snow geese. It is not uncommon to
see upwards of twenty to thirty thousand
geese feeding in a maize, wheat or peanut
21
12/3/13 4:16 PM
Hunters would sit up from concealed padded chair blinds to take their shots at decoying geese.
field north of Abilene, as these birds leave
the roost each day in search of food.
The real kicker is in the set-up to pursue these birds. For the most part, aside
from extremely rainy periods these fields
are without mud and sheet water. In fact,
many are bone dry throughout the season.
No waders—no problem. Simply set out a
spread of full body decoys and silo-socks
and get ready for one of the most com-
fortable shoots of your life.
Recently Texas Outdoors Journal
contributing editor, Billy Olson and I
made the trek north from Houston to find
out first hand what this dry land hunting
was all about. Growing up on the Texas
coast my first thought when heading out
without waders and a boat in tow to go
waterfowl hunting was, “Something’s
not right.” Olson had similar feelings.
DUCK and GOOSE
Hunting at its finest
Garwood, Eagle Lake
and El Campo Prairies
Day Hunts - $175 per person
Regular Waterfowl season ends Jan. 26, 2014
Special Conservation Snow Goose Season
begins Jan. 27, 2014
(no limits, no plugs, electronic callers, amazing hunts)
Scott Clary | (281)433-7782
scott@coastalprairieroutdoors.com
www.coastalprairieoutdoors.com
22
We spent nearly the entire six and half
hour drive swapping stories about all the
places our wading boots had left prints in
the mud along the many bays, marshes,
prairies, and rice fields of the Texas coast.
Our trip was organized through
Krooked River Ranch Texas Best Outfitters, and as we arrived at the Krooked
River North Lodge just south of Haskell,
Texas, a full moon rose against a sinking
sun. Operators Roy and Becky Wilson
greeted us and explained the goose hunting was beginning to heat up with the
onset of winter weather. A strong cold
front had passed through just a day before
our arrival, and the night sky was clear,
glowing with the full moon. These were
perfect conditions to trigger the mass migration of waterfowl. Perhaps we had hit
it just right. Our timing was impeccable,
and the next two days saw the best shoots
for geese we’d ever experienced.
On the first morning, upon arrival
to a field of cut maize just northwest of
Haskell, I couldn’t help but feel inappropriately dressed sporting leather boots and
coveralls — completely void of my typical
waterproof shell.
Bailing out of the truck, the earth
beneath my boots was rock solid as the
stubble crunched with each step. The first
glimpse of our guides showed one hustling
around with ease in a pair of Nike running
shoes and the other in pair of work boots.
It was immediately apparent this “dry land
thing” was legit.
Setting out a mix of eighteen dozen
full body goose decoys and three hundred
or so silo-socks, the game plan was quite
simple. Using padded chairs, layout blinds
JANUARY 2014
12/3/13 4:16 PM
were created covered with a camo ghille
blanket and stubble. The chairs were inclined so the hunter’s upper back and head
were propped up off the ground, making
it easy to sit up and shoot.
The blinds were placed in the middle of
the spread. Hunters laid down in the chairs
and covered their entire body with the ghille
blanket. Each chair had a pile of stubble
beside it that was spread over the blanket to
further add to the individual’s concealment.
The top portion of the blanket was mesh
and could easily be seen through.
When the shot was called, we flipped
the blanket off our faces, rose and shot the
birds. Reloading quickly, we would then
hunker back down and cover up with the
blanket and more stubble because more
birds were on their way. This process was
repeated until limits were filled.
Waterfowl guides Justin Hill and
Derek McDaniels of Ranger Creek Goose,
who coordinated the hunts say this type
of dry field set up is the norm for hunting
geese in north Texas. “These birds roost
on water north of Haskell, near Knox
City,” says Hill, “and they travel south to
these fields to eat. Around mid morning,
they will return back north to freshwater
to drink and rest. Many times they will
travel back out and head south in the afternoons to feed again, but on hot days they
may only move and feed in the morning.”
McDaniels claims that once the birds
Fast action and quick limits were what this group of hunters experienced
while goose hunting near Haskell, Texas.
Guide Justin Hill quickly retrieves downed
geese and orders hunters to load up and
cover up as more birds were on their way.
JANUARY 2014
23
12/3/13 4:16 PM
After the hunt was over, Canada geese continue to pour into the spread.
have eaten and turn to head back north
later in the morning they are far more
unlikely to decoy, making them nearly
impossible to shoot. “When they head
back north after a morning of eating, they
are typically travelling high and fast,” he
says. “If you don’t get them by around ten
o’clock, chances are you’re done, at least
for that morning.”
Both guides agree with Roy and Becky
Wilson that we could not have timed our
trip any better. “The field we hunted had
between twenty and thirty thousand geese
in it, that were not there a week before,”
McDaniels stated. “That full moon really
helped as the birds were flying in front
of the cold front. They literally almost
showed up over night.”
As far as species goes, north Texas sees
several kinds of geese, but the main species
being shot is speckled bellies and lesser
Canadas. Snow geese winter in the area as
well, but they are just not targeted as much.
When it comes to conditions and strategy on the dry fields of north Texas, there
are several things to keep in mind. Above
all, the most important factor is hunting
where the birds are. “If you’re where the
birds want to be a lot could go wrong and
you could still end up with an excellent
hunt,” Hill said. “That’s why scouting is
so important.”
While scouting, McDaniels says they
are looking for the largest concentration of
birds, and where they are in the field as well.
“Once we find them in a field, we determine
In your lap goose hunting over North Texas cut maize fields.
24
NOVEMBER 2013
12/3/13 4:16 PM
where the largest concentration of birds in
that particular field are at, and then we set
up there the next morning,” he explained.
Another thing that Hill and McDaniels
try to do when scouting is to scout at the
right time. “It’s important to scout while
the birds are moving to the fields,” says
Hill. “On hot days I might scout in the
mornings, so I know for sure I can see them
moving in case they do not go out and feed
again in the afternoon.” he continued.
As far as conditions go, windy and
clear days seem to produce the best shoots.
“I like a sunny sky when goose hunting,”
McDaniels offered. “They just seem to
move better with a sunny sky. They will
still move without wind, but they usually
will not decoy too well if it’s calm. Wind
moves the decoys and silo-socks around
a bit, and also gives the birds a reason to
come down to feed and rest. It’s hard to
fly in strong winds.
Other things that can affect the hunt
are calling and decoy spreads. “These
birds respond to calls and often times will
key in on one caller,” he said. “Good calling will bring birds in range, that would
have otherwise not given the spread a
second look.”
As the season wears on, McDaniels
said he will actually increase the size of
his spread. “The more pressure these birds
see, the harder they are to get to come in.”
he says. “There is safety in numbers, and a
large spread looks more realistic in terms
of birds using a field.”
When considering goose hunting
think about the set up and the conditions
being hunted. Sloshing and struggling
through wet marsh mud along the coast
can be productive on the right weather
day, but why not travel to where the majority of geese stop each winter for something
dry and different. Leave the waders at
home and be prepared to hear the thud of
a bird hitting the dry north Texas ground
rather than the smack of coastal muck.
And just think, you could even do it all in
the comfort of your house shoes.
For information on corporate, or
package hunts with lodging for a variety
of game animals with Krooked River
Ranch – Texas Best Outfitters, visit www.
krro.net, or call Roy and Becky Wilson
at (325) 773-2457. For information on
day hunting for North Texas waterfowl
with Ranger Creek Goose visit www.
rangercreekgoose.com or call Justin Hill at
(325) 260-8626.
JANUARY 2014
Thousands of Canada geese would leave their roost each morning to feed in the fields.
25
12/3/13 4:16 PM
GUNS ‘N STUFF | Harold Gunn
Get a Grip
There are practical reasons for changing out the factory grips on handguns.
Those with large hands might go for the
Bill Jordan designed Trooper stocks from
Herrett’s to get a better hold on that .44
Magnum. Bill was 6’6” so to my small
hands these are like grabbing a two-byfour. Those with shorter digits like me
can opt for reduced size revolver grips and
thinned panels for automatics.
Pachmayr rubber handgun grips, introduced in the early 1960’s revolutionized
the handgun market by easing the pain of
recoil and providing a more positive grip
purchase in nasty weather. The excellent
soft rubber grips from Hogue are in the
same vein.
My choice for the most ergonomic grip
shapes ever are the classic Colt single-action designs from 1851 to 1873 and the
almighty Browning Hi Power. However,
even these can be improved upon based
on one’s hand size and handgun use such
as protection, hunting or target shooting.
The availability of aftermarket grips
from factories and custom makers has
never been greater. The aforementioned
Hogue, Inc. has geometrically expanded
their line through the years to include
the wide selection of rubber grips, plus
Nylon Monogrips, and choices of exotic
hardwoods, aluminum, titanium and
G-10. Check those choices and firearms
they fit at www.getgrip.com.
Custom grips are an easy addition to
A pair of Colts with Eagle Grips “Ultra Imitation Ivory.”
doll up a favorite handgun, get a perfect
fit, and exercise freedom of choice.
Eagle Grips has long been at the forefront in providing factory size grips for
single actions, double actions, and semiauto pistols covering a wide range models.
In addition they provide custom fitting
and fill custom orders. As an example,
there are enough minor variables in the
shape of Colt single action handgun grip
frames that one size does not fit all.
The extra charge to send an entire
handgun or the grip frame and trigger
guard for custom fitting is well worth
the price. Some of
the available grip
materials include
rosewood, ebony,
walnut, buf falo
horn, stag, elk and
Mother of Pearl.
Though real ivory
grips are many a
shooters expensive
dream, Eagle’s Ultra Imitation Ivory
is handmade to
create the grain and
texture as close to
the real thing as I
Smith & Wesson’s Mountain Gun (top) with Ahrends “Round Butt Finger have ever seen.
Groove” stocks and .44 Mag. with Spegel “Boot Grip.”
A walk on the
26
wild side is provided by their new “Art
Jewel Collection” made from a proprietary
process creating what they call “Kirinite”
grip panels that come in a myriad of colors
and patterns. Scroll all the photos at www.
eaglegrips.com.
A pair of highly respected custom makers are Craig Spegel and Kim
Ahrends. Spegel’s “Boot Grips” have long
been a favorite for concealed carry since
1978. Made by hand to a perfect fit they
come either smooth or checkered in such
wonderful wood as black walnut, Bolivian
Rosewood and Macassar ebony. The grip
can be had with a 3/8-inch extension for
wider hands and still be compact. Spegel
specializes in Smith $ Wesson revolvers, Browning Hi Power and 1911 type
semi-autos. See www.craigspege.com.
Kim Ahrends began building custom
1911’s in 1980 and starting crafting grips
in 1982. His 1911 experience makes his
shop a great source for thinner grips. As
promoted, “These stocks are cut thin for
smaller hands and or to better conceal.
The stocks are serrated for an improved
purchase. Due to their thin profile custom
grip screws and bushings are included.”
In addition to choices of wood, Ahrends
offers several choices of checkering for his
1911 grips including, diamond, tactical,
combat, and skip checkering. Several
JANUARY 2014
12/3/13 4:16 PM
choices are available for Smith & Wesson revolvers in both his “Tactical” and
“Retro” lines. Make your pick at www.
ahrendsgripsusa.com.
The new girl on the block is Esmeralda O’Sheehan and she has quickly
established a reputation for not only
craftsmanship, but an uncanny ability to
seek out some of the finest wood products
on the planet. The Exotic Grips by Esmeralda website states she pursues “only the
top 2% of exotic woods” and she knows
many special sources.
Her biography reveals, “Esmeralda’s
father is Irish and her mother is Peruvian,
and she credits this background for her
lively and hi-spirited nature, ‘being young
and adventurous, I always wanted to travel
& see places. I ended up trekking through
the rain forests of Central & South America, eventually living for 7 years in Costa
Rica and Nicaragua.”
Her many choices of wood include
such exotics as Andean alder, tulipwood,
Amboyna burl, and leopardwood. Also,
walnut fans are covered. She creates grips
for several types of handguns. Not only
can you special order from Esmeralda,
her up to date website features several
JANUARY 2014
Colt 1911 carries Rio Grande Custom Grips “Don’t Mess with Texas” and the Ruger Bisley has
Exotic Grips by Esmeralda.
creations ready for purchase. Let your
keyboard do the shopping at www.esmeralda.cc.
Sometimes we do things just for the
fun of it and that is where Rio Grande
Custom Grips comes in to play. Their grip
design features full-color, full-coverage
images. Their ever growing selection
of “stock” designs is supplemented by
custom designs created from customer
supplied images. If you want a punisher
skull, coiled rattler, America eagle or
happy face you can have it. If you want to
send them a picture of your business card
or favorite dog to be put on a set you can
even have that too.
Rio Grande Custom Grips are molded
using a high strength, engineered polymer
that provides the toughness and durability. Their patented method provides
an extremely rugged image that is salt,
oil, solvent, water, impact and abrasion
resistant. Your mind can really wander
at www.riograndecustomgrips.com.
27
12/3/13 4:16 PM
Are There Unkillable B
Wild deer are born
with an inherent
fear of humans
which intensifies
by confrontations
between the animal
and man.
Bob Zaiglin
28
JANUARY 2014
12/3/13 4:16 PM
A
e Bucks?
JANUARY 2014
sudden clap of thunder and
the startled buck fawn dashed
towards its dam, only to discover its mother lying still on the verdant
oat patch. Instinctively, it rammed its
head into the doe’s udder until several
men approached, and it bounded off,
pausing only a short distance away to
watch as the hunters carried off its life
support system. Observing this activity
would only magnify the fawn’s inherent
fear of man as it matured.
One year later, it developed its first set
of antlers. Throughout the long, hot South
Texas summer, it bonded with several
older bucks that insulated the youngster
from the dangers in the wild. He was so
attracted to a five-year-old ten-pointer
that his mannerisms mimicked the old
monarch. Following the bachelor group,
the youngster learned how to avoid
humans by simply regulating its time
around human activities. For example, a
rancher customarily refilled a particular
cattle trough every three days with range
cubes which are highly palatable to deer.
The older bucks would slip in following
the rancher’s and cattle’s departure and
consume what remained.
Things changed dramatically in the
winter when the older males became increasingly antagonistic toward each other.
Although accepted in the group, the youngster was constantly subordinated. By mid
December, the yearling realized an urge to
pursue a doe, but the older bucks would not
allow the youngster anywhere near a doe.
One particularly cold, dank morning
in the buck’s second year, it watched as
its mentor locked horns with a challenger
over a particular doe. As the combatants
fought, the sound of an old truck could be
heard in the distance. Unlike exercising its
normal, evasive response, the victorious
buck, now supporting a huge rack, remained stationary in a sparsely vegetated
area as the doe nibbled precariously on
kidneywood right beside him. For the
second time in the young buck’s life, the
thunder-like sound of rifle fire removed
something he did not wish to relinquish.
This time the huge buck slumped to the
dusty, red South Texas soil.
Scenarios like these frequently occur
in the wild, and deer that witness such
events become extremely elusive. The fact
is wild deer are born with an inherent fear
of humans which intensifies by confrontations between the animals and man.
29
12/3/13 4:16 PM
A buck’s ability to evade man is a process developed as a fawn and
magnified by interactions with man.
Deer in the wild are not only subject
to hunters, but automobiles, coyotes, dogs,
feral hogs, even illegal aliens, all of which
impact the way deer behave.
Although I employed hunting in my
30
opening scenario, it could have been predation by coyotes, dogs, or even collisions
with vehicles. The point is deer must
adapt in order to survive. Simply because
a deer witnesses another deer get killed by
an automobile doesn’t mean it will never
cross a road again. But the animal may
very well avoid the area when the whining
sound of an engine is heard.
The same can be said about deer that
frequent a food plot planted by hunters
primarily as an attractant. The harvest
of a deer on a grain field does not mean
that survivors will avoid the palatable food
source. But you can bet that they will alter
their behavior around and on the grain
field, sometimes feeding at the plot only
under the protection of darkness.
Some deer exhibit the uncanny ability
to decipher when and where to make their
appearances. A good example of such
behavior is the mid-day activity exhibited
by mature bucks during the rut. Based on
results of research employing radio-monitored mature bucks, a mid-day activity
period during the full moon period is
quite common. Now, is this coincidental
behavior, or is it a learned practice? Some
postulate that such behavior is a result of
the fact that the fewest number of hunters
are in the field at this time. Who knows
for sure, but I would like to give deer some
credit for this evasive maneuver.
It’s obvious that in order for deer to
survive, they must survive in man’s back
yard, and they are doing that quite well.
But what about deer somewhat, if not
entirely sheltered, from man?
First of all, this does not happen in
South Texas because illegal aliens are
JANUARY 2014
12/3/13 4:16 PM
an ubiquitous part of most out-of-theway places with thousands crossing vast
stretches of ranch land near the Mexican
border weekly. Point is, deer are interrupted by man on a year round basis.
As the manager of a large South Texas
spread back in the 1980s, I teamed up
with my good friend Steve Demarais from
Texas Tech University to study mature
buck behavior. By employing telemetry,
we attempted to find out where mature
bucks preferred to hang out as well as
how long they lived--vital questions to a
deer manager. In conjunction with the
central theme of the study, individual buck
behavior was also monitored.
Now one would think that the occasional observation of the radio-collared
deer would be common, but it was not.
They made few appearances. Matter of
fact, one buck collared at 5.5 years of
age survived to its tenth year, occupying
a rather small area frequented by ranch
hands. Yet, over the five years he was
collared, the huge buck was spotted only
four times. It’s important to note that the
collared bucks were not disturbed except
for the times I attempted to approach
them by utilizing the receiver.
JANUARY 2014
Some deer considered unkillable remain so reclusive they fail to compete for breeding privileges,
only to be seen later in the post-rut.
The most incredible thing I ever witnessed related to deer behavior involved
a yearling buck in another study on the
same ranch. Collared as a fawn, I had to
relocate the yearling buck one year later
in order to recover it for various research
data. Once the animal’s position was
determined employing a receiver from
within a helicopter, we circled at approximately 75 feet above the ground. The
31
12/3/13 4:16 PM
Nocturnal behavior is acquired by excessive pressure by the presence of man.
buck never moved, so we retriangulated
to verify the deer’s position and hovered
for several minutes only a few feet above
the brush, but failed to see the animal.
Convinced the deer was dead, we hovered
over the area with the skids touching the
blackbrush below us in an attempt to visually locate the collar. Failing to observe
the color-coded collar, we prepared to
leave when out from nowhere the yearling
erupted. How could a deer, or any creature that young, refrain from running with
a helicopter hovering over it for several
minutes? The point is, deer personalities
vary, thus each one can respond differently
to a similar situation. Such behavior may
be the reason why deer have adapted so
well and continue to increase.
Some students of the whitetail contend
that there are unkillable deer. Deer that
live there entire lifetime without contact
with predators, man or beast. Whether it
is some inherent trait enabling that animal
to avoid disaster or simply luck remains a
biological secret.
Although it is not proven, there are
some theories that particularly largeracked bucks are so reclusive they don’t
participate in the rut. This is based on
the theory that they remain sedentary
and completely sheltered from interaction
with man or deer. How much of this is
fact I am not certain, but I have observed
large-racked bucks show up late after the
rut without so much as a broken tine. One
that comes to mind was a 29-inch-wide
12-point I filmed over a three-year period.
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Its wide sweeping antlers were so characteristic you couldn’t mistake them. He
would show up at headquarter pens in late
January when native forage was in short
supply to feed on a plant in the Malvaceae
family that occurred in disturbed, heavily
impacted soils. And not once in three
years in an area with a sex ratio favoring
bucks did it ever exhibit a broken tine.
Either he was lucky or good at avoiding
trouble, which was not the case with his
broken-tined brethren in the same area.
Well, if deer are so adept at avoiding
man, how can hunters hope to shoot one
of the wraiths. The fact is, all deer are
unique. Some super bucks at times are extremely vulnerable and more importantly,
predictable. I have witnessed two bucks
supporting racks in excess of 190 inches
that were totally predictable, but again,
this is the exception and not the rule.
As far as being an unkillable deer,
it is possible. Deer that live within city
limits are obviously safe from at least
legal hunting. And what about those
nocturnal deer? Bucks that are either
forced to become nocturnal, or come
about it naturally, they are definitely safe.
But even though these deer occur, it is
JANUARY 2014
Although some deer are considered invincible, all they have to do is make one mistake to
become a statistic.
not in substantial numbers. Remember, a
deer that makes one mistake is no longer
invincible, it is mounted on some lucky
hunter’s wall. Thus with persistence and
a lot of luck, particularly during the rut,
that buck of your dreams may present
himself. If not, enjoy looking forward to
the possibility of a seeing a truly unique
buck because it’s the anticipation as to
what can show up that drives sportsmen
to hunt harder and longer doing what they
enjoy most–pursuing a dream.
33
12/3/13 4:16 PM
CONSERVATION CORNER | TOJ Staff
Ducks Unlimited Fight the Battle for Water
“Whiskey is for drinkin’, and water is for
fightin’.” A quote from the past, presumably
laughed about often around a campfire
of gathered outdoorsmen, the thought
takes on new realm of seriousness in today’s world. With population increases
and recent droughts across the Lone Star
State, water shortages bring on a surplus
of issues. From residential and industrial
to agricultural needs, there’s no denying
water’s innate value. In a world driven by
industrialization and urbanization where
the almighty dollar is the decision-making
catalyst, it seems we might have forgotten
to allocate some precious H2O towards the
creatures we love to pursue.
One of the largest water resources in
Texas is the Highland Lakes, where recent
droughts have significantly affected the
levels of these water bodies. Located in
central Texas, the lakes lie along the Colorado River and provide water to major
cities, including Texas capitol, Austin. The
water flowing downriver from these lakes
is also the main resource for agricultural
practices along the Texas mid-coast,
where the Colorado River finally dumps
into Matagorda Bay. We’re talking over
200 miles from the source to where this
water ends up and you can bet tons of it
is getting used along the way. This has
created an intense political battle as government agencies try to allocate water be-
34
Ducks Unlimited’s conservation efforts give hunters a reason to put out the decoys.
tween urban areas that need it to support
communities and businesses, and coastal
prairies that are in dire need of water to
maintain crops.
Even though the largest effects of the
droughts are being seen and measured
by the lake levels in central Texas, there
have been significant impacts in coastal
prairies along the mid-coast and the
result has been a decrease in agricultural
production.
What does this mean in terms of
waterfowl and wildlife?
According to Ducks Unlimited Conservation Outreach Biologist, Kirby
Brown, the Texas Mid-Coast winters
approximately 2.84% of the continental
population of waterfowl, calculating to
about 1.96 million ducks. Studies show
that this population of ducks spend about
40% of their time eating, with their main
source of food being ricelands. “Ricelands
account for 66% of the dietary demands
and energy supply of wintering waterfowl
on the mid-coast,” Says Brown, “and the
amount of this Riceland is quickly dwindling with the continued drought in central Texas.” Brown claims the Mid-Coast
Rice Prairie Wetlands Complex is the last
intact, rice prairie of its size in Texas. Its
foundation is the Colorado River, which
is an important migration landmark for
JANUARY 2014
12/3/13 4:16 PM
waterfowl and a critical source of water.
“This rice prairie complex supports over
200 species of wildlife,” he says.
What are the impacts?
With the highland lakes only at 33% of
their capacity today, the Lower Colorado
River Authority is struggling to balance
the limited supply of water between various user groups, including Agricultural,
Municipal, Industrial, Recreational, and
Wildlife Management interests. Ricelands
within LCRA irrigation districts provide
almost 50% of the energy from ricelands
required by wintering waterfowl on the
Texas Mid-Coast.
In 2012, and 2013, the LCRA cut off
water for ducks, allocating no water for
second crop rice. “In 2012, the reduction in rice acreage within the LCRA’s
irrigation districts reduced the ability of
the Texas Mid-Coast to support wintering waterfowl by approximately 600,000
birds,” says Brown. “That represents 31%
of the Mid-Coast’s population objective.
Continued reduction in ricelands like this
over time could have dramatic effects in
the migration patterns of the waterfowl
that winter on the Mid-Coast!”
What is DU doing to fight
the water crisis?
Ducks Unlimited is currently seeking
win-win, conservation solutions and lobbying these ideas to the Texas Legislature,
based on scientific data. These include
maximizing the use of surplus “Run-ofRiver” water, strategic off-channel reservoir construction, reasonable compromises
that provide water for rice when not
adversely affecting firm users, promoting
water conservation in upstream urban areas to benefit all interests, and maintaining
current rice acreage and increasing it where
possible. Other solutions involve investigating ag-water conservation measures and
exploring conjunctive uses of surface and
groundwater. Partnerships with the USA
Rice Federation and other conservation
organizations are also aiding DU with their
fight to allocate water for waterfowl.
Looking into 2014
A 2013 peer-reviewed study in Texas
Water Journal (Vol. 4, No. 2) showed that
the urban irrigation of lawns, categorized
as non-essential water use, would average
105,000 acre feet, or a little over three
and half times the average environmental
The Gulf Coast’s importance
to Waterfowl
• Winters 14 million ducks and 1.5
million geese
• This represents 22% of the breeding
population
• Winters significant percentages
of North America’s populations
for specific species including,
95% of Gadwall, 80% of GreenWinged Teal and Redhead, 60%
Lesser Scaup, and 25% Northern
Pintail.
flows released for Matagorda Bay in the
last four years. Currently at the time of
writing this, the current level of the Highlands Lakes is 713,000 acre feet.
Right now, the LCRA has plans for irrigation water to be cut off in 2014 if the level
of the Highland Lakes is below 850,000 acre
feet on March first. There is talk of this
number even being raised to 1.1 million
acre feet, a truly unattainable level unless
we receive ample amounts of much needed
rain in central Texas. Suddenly watering
the lawn begins to seem unimportant.
Other DU Conservation Efforts
• Texas Prairie Wetlands Program
– TPWP has been around for
20 years and accounts for about
65,000 Total acres coast wide. The
program restores and enhances
nearly 3,000 acres per year, and
recent studies show TPWP sites
provide about 15% of the waterfowl habitat on the Texas MidCoast. For 2014, TPWP has 3,400
acres under contract for projects.
• Public Lands Projects – These projects mainly consist of preventing
erosion along beaches, areas of the
Intracoastal Waterway (ICW), and
all other coastal public lands that
connect to marshes and wetlands.
If ignored, the erosion will eat away
and destroy coastal marshes and
wetlands that provide habitat for
waterfowl. In 2013 six projects were
completed to protect and restore
1200 acres of marsh shorelines and
wetlands. For 2014, seven projects
have been proposed, totaling up to
$2.8 million in restoration costs.
JANUARY 2014
35
12/3/13 4:16 PM
Inshore Angling
Year at a Glance
As conditions change anglers should adjust their
plan to capitalize on the best of what each of the
four seasons have to offer.
Danno Wise
36
JANUARY 2014
12/3/13 4:16 PM
J
COURTESY ÇALVIN CARTER
JANUARY 2014
anuary is always a month of so
much optimism. A new year has
dawned. Virtually every one believes (hopes) that the coming 12 months
will be better than the previous ones.
For coastal anglers there is the hope
the ever-evolving world of conservation
and regulation will pay off in a big way.
And, often times it does. Over the decades,
there have been many examples of these
measures resulting in bigger and/or more
fish. Each new year brings with it hope
that such an event will happen once again.
In January, fishermen also have the
hope that the coming year will have cooperative weather. This begins with making
it through yet another winter without a
killer freeze event. Anglers also hope the
year will bring “just enough” rain — no
drought, nor flood conditions. When the
weather cooperates throughout the year,
it can result in a banner year for inshore
anglers.
While anglers cannot control the impact of conservation and certainly cannot
control the weather, they can control at
least a portion of their success by following a solid plan of action as to when and
where to fish and which species to target.
Texans are lucky in that many species are
available throughout the year. However,
tactics and locations change. Plus some
species are just more prevalent at certain
times than at others.
As the seasons change, anglers should
adjust their plan of action to capitalize on
the best of what each of the four seasons
has to offer.
WINTER
Although the New Year gets anglers
thinking of things to come, many of them
aren’t too anxious to put their optimism to
the test during the final months of winter.
In fact, winter is undoubtedly the season
that sees the least angling pressure along
the Texas coast. This is really too bad, as
the winter season offers plenty of angling
opportunities for fishermen willing to
bundle up and brave the colder weather.
During winter it is often easy to catch
limits of school-size trout from deep holes
and channels. There will also be plenty
of black drum in the channels. But, the
big draw for winter bay fishermen are
big trout on the flats. Serious sow speck
seekers don waders and do so on foot,
although plenty of big fish can also be
caught from boats. Whether wading or
fishing from a boat, anglers looking to
hook up with a trophy trout in winter
are best served throwing big topwater or
slow-sinking plugs.
Believe it or not, like summer, winter
also offers some outstanding surf fishing.
Whiting can be caught under virtually
any conditions. However, the “ultimate”
for winter surf fishermen comes during
the lull between fronts, when beachfront
waters turn emerald green. Under these
conditions, pompano are easily taken on
small jigs, spoons or live shrimp.
Although winter weather doesn’t necessarily bring snook to the forefront of
most anglers’ minds, cold weather snook
fishing can be outstanding. Throughout
the areas with a fishable population of
snook, anglers will find fish stacked up in
deep holes and channels. On warm winter
days, topwater snook action is very much
a possibility.
SPRING
As the days begin to warm, more and
more fishermen begin to make their way
to the water for a day of fishing. Each
sunny day seems to add to the enthusiasm
of anglers who have been holed up on dry
land all winter. As these anglers make
their way to the water, there are plenty of
rewards waiting.
Fishermen looking to catch a fresh fish
dinner have a variety of options. Schoolie
specks are almost always active during the
spring. And, just about every jetty in Texas
is covered up with sheepshead during the
spring months. Black drum and flounder
are also running and there will be plenty
of redfish on the flats.
But, hands down, the reason most
Texas inshore anglers hit the bay in spring
is to try and catch a trophy speckled trout.
In the midst of their annual spawn, sow
speckled trout are at their heaviest during
the spring. The warming water encourages
them to be more active. Dedicated anglers
can usually count on getting plenty of
shots at big trout throwing topwater plugs
during the spring months.
About the only thing that can dampen
37
12/3/13 4:16 PM
Any of the jetties along Texas’ coast afford structure, deep water, and a variety of fish that can be
caught throughout the year as conditions change.
anglers’ enthusiasm during the spring is
the relentless wind. But, a little advance
planning usually allows fishermen to find
a leeward shorelines or other protected
water where they are able to catch plenty
of fish without fighting the spring breeze.
SUMMER
Summer is the season that sees the
heaviest traffic on Texas beaches and bays.
Not all of this traffic is angling-related.
In fact, there are far more sun-seekers,
windsurfers, jet skiers and general beach
bums out in summer than fishermen.
But, although they are outnumbered by
non-anglers, there are still more fishermen on the water during summer than
any other season.
Despite the crowded conditions,
plenty of fish are caught on most summer days — at least that is the case for
fishermen not locked into any one species
or venue. This is because there are more
species available over a greater expanse of
water during summer than at any other
time of the year.
In the bay, anglers can still catch good
numbers of specks and reds. Speckled
trout will usually be consistently caught
around deep structure, while reds will be
hanging on the flats and channel edges.
But, although that type of fishing is productive, it is not near as entertaining as
some of summer’s other options.
For fishermen intent on catching
speckled trout during the summer, there
is no better place to be than in the surf
as the sun rises. Spanish mackerel will
also be mixed in along the beachfront.
There will even be some reds in the surf,
especially late in the summer when the big
bull reds begin to arrive. In short, summer
surf fishing is something that should be
enjoyed while it lasts — which isn’t long.
In addition, “nearshore” action will
be heating up as kingfish move in close
and tarpon begin working along the
beachfronts. Along the southern Texas
coast, snook will be in the passes. And, up
and down the Texas coast, bay fishermen
looking for a battle can cast plugs to big,
tackle-busting jacks
FALL
Fall is definitely the most pleasant and
often most productive time to fish along
the Texas coast. The cooler temperatures
encourage inshore species to be much more
active. This is the time of year when anglers
Anchored over deeper shell reefs or drifting
grassy flats and potholes is a way to utilize a
boat while covering lots of water.
38
JANUARY 2014
12/3/13 4:16 PM
can have outstanding topwater action for a
variety of species throughout the day. But,
although the temperatures are falling, it is
still warm enough to fish to be active along
the beachfront as well as in the bays. Essentially, fall is a perfect time to be an inshore
angler in Texas, yet due to so many other
time robbing activities that occur during
fall -- school, football, hunting season, etc.
— far fewer fishermen make it to the coast
during this season than one might expect.
Early on, there will still be some speckled trout hanging out in the surf. However,
as fall gets rolling, those fish will give way
to herds of bull reds along the beachfront.
Fall is also the season to catch giant tarpon
along the Texas coast, with most major
passes having good concentrations of tarpon until the weather cools significantly.
Back in the bay, it is a great time to go
for a “Texas slam.” Redfish, speckled trout
and flounder will all be extremely active.
Specks and reds will both be plentiful on
the flats. In many areas of Texas, speckled
trout will be having a secondary spawn
during the fall, giving anglers yet another
opportunity to catch a trophy trout. Both
specks and reds will be susceptible to
topwater plugs throughout the day dur-
JANUARY 2014
Getting in amongst them and wadefishing remains a popular and productive way to pursue
trout and redfish year round.
ing the fall, adding another element of
excitement to a day on the water. Later
in the fall, the annual flounder run will
begin, giving anglers an opportunity to
land good numbers of large flatfish.
Along the lower coast, a much less
heralded “run” will take place. That is the
mangrove snapper run, when good concentrations of mangrove (grey) snapper
can be found along the jetties lining Gulf
passes. These feisty fish are amongst the
hardest fighting and best tasting species
swimming in Texas waters. Additionally,
lower coast anglers will still have plenty of
snook on the flats during the fall months.
Without a doubt, there are anglers with
a single-minded pursuit of a particular
species or style of fishing. But, inshore
anglers who are looking to maximize
their productivity and enjoyment on the
water are best served taking what the
seasons give.
Along the Texas coast, this can result
in fishermen catching a dozen or more
species a dozen or more different ways
throughout the year — adding a bit of
variety to their angling lives. To maximize
these angling opportunities, it is a simple
matter of being open to what Mother
Nature is presenting.
39
12/4/13 8:06 PM
JUST FISHING | Nate Skinner
Fishing Upper Coast Shell
Winter fishing on Texas Upper Coast
is different from the patterns seen in bays
and estuaries further south. Upper coast
bays are deeper, making for waters that
stay cold longer and heat up slowly in the
heart of winter. The fact that there is more
water, also gives fish more places to hide,
making it necessary for anglers to cover
more areas.
Upper Coast bays are mainly composed of mud, sand, and shell. Three basic
types of structure are found including
man-made formations, depth changes,
and shell. Other than wells, platforms,
piers, pilings and channels; live oyster and
clam shell provide significant structure
from Sabine Lake to East Matagorda Bay.
This shell attracts baitfish and predators
alike. Shell gives anglers a good starting
point when beginning to cover these
deeper, open waters in search of fish in
the wintertime.
East Matagorda Bay is one of the more
shallow Upper Coast estuaries, and its
shorelines do hold grass in certain areas.
More significant than the grass is the
scattered oyster shell and bulky oyster
reefs that litter this bay’s bottom. From
its east end near Sargent, all the way to the
Colorado River, there are notable areas of
heavy shell that can be found on any chart.
Popular mid bay reefs include Cleveland
Reef, Long Reef, Raymond Reefs, 3-Beacon Reef, and Kilbride Reef. These reefs
40
Gene Baldwin caught this five pound trout on
a MirrOlure while fishing over shell near some
pier pilings in upper Galveston Bay.
are located on the western half of East
Matagorda Bay and are best targeted by
drift fishing or anchoring.
Other reefs that can be wadefished,
are Drull’s Lump, Halfmoon Shoal, Oyster
Farm Reefs, and Bird Island Reefs. The far
east end of this bay near Brown Cedar Cut
is composed of mud and sand with scattered
shell and smaller reefs that can be easily
seen during periods of extreme low tides.
During calm winter days Matagorda
Guide, Captain Tommy Countz, prefers
to drift fish the mid bay reefs on East
Matagorda’s west end. “There are a lot
of heavy trout and good reds that can be
caught over this shell in the winter,” he
says. “Mirrolures and large paddle tails
will be my baits of choice, as most of the
shrimp have left, leaving strictly mullet as
the main forage for game fish.”
The Intracoastal Waterway near Freeport offers a few options for anglers looking to get out of the wind in the winter,
with several areas of significant oyster
shell. The mouth of Cowtrap Lake and
the channel leading into it is lined with
nearly solid shell. These reefs are often
exposed when cold fronts blow tides out
of the back lakes. Working a soft plastic
down these shell ledges, while keeping the
boat in the channel, can be deadly during
cold snaps. Trout, reds, and flounder will
stack up in the mouth of Cowtrap, along
with drum, sandtrout, and sheepshead.
The channels leading into the Cedar
Lakes are similar to that of Cowtrap,
and are lined with shell reefs. A similar
approach of working baits off this shell
down the channel ledge can be very productive. Again, this type of fishing works
best when a trolling motor is used to keep
the boat in position in the channel, while
anglers cast towards the edges of shell.
Off the ICW from Freeport, Drum
Bay, Christmas Bay and Bastrop Bay lie
just southwest of the Galveston Bay Complex. These minor bays are also a good
JANUARY 2014
12/3/13 4:17 PM
In the winter, low tides will expose uncharted, small shell reefs.
option during strong winds and contain
tons of scattered shell and small shell
reefs. These bays are excellent for kayak
fishermen and wade-fishermen.
West Galveston Bay is well known for
its cold weather bite over shell. Two of
the largest reefs are Carancahua Reef and
Confederate reef. Both contain oyster
shell with deep guts and channels where
fish stack up during low tides and cold
weather. The north shoreline of West Bay
has some shell spoils just off the ICW as
well. One is Mecom’s Cut where a large
gut leading into the ICW is lined by shallow shell reefs, creating perfect winter
structure.
Galveston Guide Mike Cacciotti says
drift fishing shell in West Bay is an easy
way to catch lots of trout in the winter. “The guts around Confederate and
Carancahua hold warmer water,” he says.
“Working plum and strawberry colored
tails rigged on an eighth ounce jig head
in these guts around the shell will almost
always produce some trout.”
On the east side of the complex, East
Galveston Bay’s reefs are better known
for their great summer and fall fishing.
Although the north and south shorelines
of this bay receive a lot of attention from
wade-fishermen during the winter, the
same mid-bay reefs that produce in the
summer and fall will hold fish in the
winter as well. Oyster reefs like Hannah’s,
Mary’s, and Tom Tom are located in deep
water, not far from the Houston Ship
Channel that attract lots of mullet, with
predators not far behind. Sheepshead,
black drum, sandtrout, croaker, and
whiting can also be found in addition
to trout and reds around this shell. The
best part about fishing East Bay’s reefs in
the wintertime is that they receive hardly
any pressure.
Upper Galveston Bay is lined with
JANUARY 2014
waterfront houses and properties with
private piers extending out into the water.
The pilings supporting these piers are
an attractive place for oysters to fasten
themselves, and many of these structures
have small reefs growing near their ends.
These shell covered pilings hold plenty of
fish in the wintertime where flipping plugs
between the pilings, similar to bass fishing
techniques, can produce large strikes.
Trinity Bay holds tons of oyster and
clam shell. Small clam shell reefs cover
the northern edge of Jack’s Pocket and
the Anahuac Pocket near the mouth of
the Trinity River Channel. Trinity’s east
shoreline is also covered with heavy shell
from Double Bayou to Smith Point. Areas
like Hodges Reef, Little Hodges, and White
Herrin are excellent winter hotspots.
Captain Tim Young prefers to wadefish
near small clamshell reefs in Jacks Pocket
off the Trinity River spoils in the winter.
“Wading these small clam beds can pro-
Wade fishing shell in East Matagorda Bay is
an excellent option this winter.
duce monster trout in the winter,” he says.
“This area is perfect for getting out of a
northeast wind and the fish just tend to
stack up here this time of year.”
Sabine Lake also holds significant
areas of shell adjacent to deep water. The
entire Louisiana shoreline is covered with
clam shell, and there are several shell
humps in the middle of the lake. The
southern end of the lake also contains
heavy oyster shell near the ends of private
fishing piers extending from waterfront
properties on the Texas Shoreline, just
south of the south levee.
Sabine Lake Guide, Captain Randy
Foreman, targets shell during the winter
on a regular basis. “If it’s cold right after a
strong front, I’ll drift over shell humps in
the middle of the lake,” he says. “During
warming periods the clam beds on the
Louisiana shoreline are good, as well as the
oyster shell near the south levee.”
Winter is a great time of year to search
for small, uncharted shell reefs that could
provide future success. As strong fronts
blow water out of the bays shell in shallow
areas become exposed. Shell gives anglers
a target to find fish, and provides an exceptional source of structure during the
coldest parts of the year.
In his book Texas Saltwater Big 3, the
late A.C. Becker claims a plethora of species can be found feeding along shell reefs.
“Reef fishing is almost certain to reward
anglers with species other than speckled
trout,” he said.
Becker said drum, sheepshead, croakers, along with reds and flounder, all find
forage among shell reefs. These “bonus”
species will often bite when conditions are
not conducive for targeting trout with artificial lures. Freshly peeled dead shrimp
fished on the bottom will produce bites
from all of these species and is an easy way
to get a tug on the line this winter.
41
12/3/13 4:17 PM
SALTWATER JOURNAL | Mark Sosin
The Total Tackle System
PHOTO COURTESY OF BILLY OLSON
The key to success centers on how you rig,
which translates into developing a total
tackle system.
It’s easy to lose sight of priorities. For
some obscure reason, anglers tenaciously
focus on their rod and reel, almost ignoring the most important parts of the approach. Presentation involves much more
than where you cast or how you drag a bait
behind a moving boat or simply pulling up
to your favorite spot. The key to success
centers on how you rig, which translates
into developing a total tackle system.
All of us have stumbled on those infrequent frenzies when critters with voracious appetites shoulder each other out of
the way like a school of starving piranha
to engulf anything tossed in the water.
42
On most days, eliciting a response from
any fish demands a carefully calculated
approach that includes the wise choice of
line, leader, swivels, hooks, and sinkers.
Every piece of the puzzle is equally
important in developing a meaningful
approach. Line diameter may not be of
major concern when you are trolling, but
it usually becomes a critical factor in bottom fishing, jigging, casting, chumming,
or drifting a bait. Experience shows that
the finer the diameter of the line, the better
your chances of getting strikes when fish
are not feeding aggressively. The point
to remember dictates that you use a line
with the diameter and breaking strength
commensurate with your skill. I’m not
suggesting you always go ultra light, but
simply consider that finer diameter lines
often result in more fish hooked.
Leaders should be selected with the
same care as line. Choose the finest diameter leader that will handle the assignment
as well as the shortest length. If you only
need a 30-pound test leader, don’t go
heavier “just to be sure.” And, when you
are pretty well convinced the fish are there,
but they are not biting, start switching
to a finer diameter leader and possibly a
shorter one. You may lose some fish in the
process, but at least you’re hooking them.
In the hierarchy of leaders, fluorocarbon will produce more strikes than
monofilament, but mono will out fish
single strand wire. If you need wire, single strand is a much better choice than
braided wire or cable.
Swivels serve as connectors and help to
eliminate line twist. Ball bearing swivels
are far superior to any others. In a number
of situations, serious anglers do away with
swivels and knot the leader directly to the
line. If you do use a swivel or snap-swivel,
make it the smallest size commensurate
with the line you have selected. If the
line breaks at a pull of 20 pounds, you
don’t need a swivel that can withstand 150
pounds of pull.
Neatness counts. The more carefully a
rig is assembled, the better the chance of
fooling a fish. That includes sinkers. The
rule of thumb dictates that you use the
lightest and smallest sinker that will take
the bait to the bottom or whatever depth
you deem appropriate. If two ounces will
do the job, it’s a mistake to assume that
three or four ounces are better. You’ll come
across a few situations where anchoring the
bait to the bottom proves essential. That’s
an exception when you will need more
weight to keep the offering in one place. Serious fishermen usually want their offering
dragging along the bottom so that the bait is
just above where they expect the fish to lie.
Now that you’ve scaled down line,
leader, swivel, and sinker, don’t fall into
the trap of an oversized, heavy wire hook.
Just because a fish has a big mouth doesn’t
JANUARY 2014
12/3/13 4:17 PM
A bait tethered to a light wire hook of
reasonable size tends to swim or drift more
naturally.
mean you need a butcher’s meat hook to
hold the critter. It’s a tough concept to
sell. Average anglers keep thinking that
if they don’t use a heavy hook, the metal
will bend and straighten, causing them to
lose the fish. With experience, you learn
that light wire hooks do not open easily
and they hook more fish. The lighter wire
penetrates a fish’s jaw without much effort.
Smaller hooks offer other advantages.
A bait tethered to a light wire hook of reasonable size tends to swim or drift more
naturally. In addition, the hook can be
concealed for finicky feeders. If you have
the opportunity to fish with top skippers,
you will find that they are very fussy about
JANUARY 2014
hooks and you will seldom find a captain
who doesn’t use relatively small hooks.
Putting a rig together creates options
in the knot tying process. You don’t have
to know dozens of different ties. Instead,
pick a few knots and learn to tie them
consistently well. Remember that knots
don’t break until they start to slip. Moisten
each knot before you draw it down and
then tighten it as much as you possibly
can. If necessary, use pliers on the tag end.
I use almost all circle hooks in practically every type of fishing I do. In my
opinion, securing a circle hook with a
loop knot will increase the hookup ratio.
Of course, you must remember not to
set a circle hook. Instead, when you feel
a strike, point the rod at the spot where
the line enters the water and start reeling.
You’ll know very quickly if the fish is on.
Moving the rod during this process usually results in a missed fish.
Finally, insist on the freshest bait you
can find and make sure, if it is cut bait,
that it is shaped as neatly as possible. You
want to make the offering as tempting as
you can. And, don’t forget to change bait
frequently. Cut bait should be replaced
every 30 minutes so that it constantly
PHOTO COURTESY OF BILLY OLSON
If you do use a swivel or snap-swivel, make it
the smallest size commensurate with the line
you have selected.
gives off smell. With live bait, changing
every 20 minutes makes sense. You can
return an uneaten bait to the livewell to
recover and use it again. What you want
is a frisky bait out there that will send out
distress vibrations.
No matter where you fish or the species
you seek, focus on your terminal tackle.
Choose the combination that works for
you and stick to it, going even lighter when
the fish refuse to cooperate. You want your
offering to look as natural as possible in
the water. The way you rig and the bait
you use are both part of presentation.
Presentation ranks as the primary factor
determining whether or not you will enjoy
your time on the water and have plenty of
stories to tell your friends.
43
12/3/13 4:17 PM
For information on guides mentioned, see Guides, Gear & Getaways on pages 76-79
CoastWatch
January is an interesting month for
inshore anglers. The weather is, more often than not, cold and blustery. The water,
more often than not, is cold and rough.
But, the fishing is quite often very good.
This is particularly true for those searching for sow speckled trout. January is one
of the best times of the year to target giant
specks. Although patience — and warm
clothing — is necessary, those willing to
put in the time stand an excellent chance
of catching a trophy trout during January.
For anglers more interested in quantity than quality, January fishing can be
just as good. If the weather turns out cold
and bitter, fish will be stacked up in deep
holes and channels. During warm spells,
trout and reds will begin easing back up
into the shallows, where sight-casting can
be excellent during January. So, regardless
of the weather, it is possible to box good
catches of reds and specks this month.
Anglers simply need to be willing to put
44
Danno Wise
in the effort and be willing to adjust their
plan of attack based on the prevailing
weather conditions.
LOWER COAST
Port Isabel guide Capt. Gencho “JR”
Buitureira says the weather is always the
key to his game plan during January.
“In January, I’ll decide where I’m fishing based on what the weather is like,” said
Buitureira. “This time of year, the weather
can change a lot from day to day. So, I start
out each day checking the weather, then
making a plan for where I’ll fish.
“Usually in January, we have one of
two things happening with the weather
-- either a lot of wind or no wind at all. If
we have no wind, I’ll be fishing the deep
drops for sheepshead, trout, reds, and
puppy drum. Just about all the channels
will have fish holding along the drops
during the winter months.
“Of course, the biggest channel we
have is the Intracoastal Waterway. When
I’m fishing along the ICW, I’m looking to
catch one good fish in the first five minutes. If I don’t get at least one keeper in five
minutes, I move. This is because during
the winter, the fish will usually gang up
with similar size fish. So, if you catch a
keeper, you should stay because there are
probably a lot more of them there.
“If we have strong wind, whether it is a
north wind or a south wind, I’ll be fishing
for big bull reds on Gas Well Flats. For this
fishing, the windier it is, the more I like
JANUARY 2014
12/3/13 4:17 PM
it. A lot of times when that wind is blowing over 20, people don’t even try going
fishing. I’m the opposite. I love fishing in
high wind. When it is windy, I’ll fish right
up on top of those shallow bars. I’ll get up
as shallow as my boat will float. Almost
always in the winter we’ll catch some big
redfish right on top of those shallow bars
when the wind is blowing.
“Even though I’m fishing really shallow, I’ll still be fishing a popping cork
and shrimp. In fact, I’ll still be using my
31-inch leaders. I use 31-inch leaders even
when I’m in 10 or 12 inches of water. That
way, when I pop the cork, the sound is
ahead of the bait, not right under it.
“Something else I’ll be doing a lot in
January is heading up the Brownsville
Ship Channel. We’ll still have lots of snook
in the Ship Channel, but also mangroves,
trout, reds, drum and sheepshead. You can
always catch fish up there. And, you can
always fish, no matter how hard the wind
is blowing. It’s a good option if you’ve got
a hard north or south wind and don’t want
to be out in the bay when it’s rough.”
Port Mansfield guide Capt. Steve Ellis
of Get-A-Way Adventures Lodge says
patience is a virtue for inshore anglers
JANUARY 2014
PHOTO COURTESY CAPT. GENCHO BUITUREIRA JR.
If an angler wants to catch a Texas snook, the Brownsville Ship Channel
is an excellent place to fish.
during January.
“When the water temperature drops
in the winter months, the fish in the Port
Mansfield area stop worrying about eating
and focus on finding a warm place to ride
out the cold,” said Ellis. “That means the
fish will usually be found deeper water.
Anglers should look in guts, channels and
45
12/3/13 4:17 PM
drop-offs. The deeper water in these areas
has more stable water temperatures than
the surrounding shallow water areas, so
fish will spend most of their time there.
“Again, feeding isn’t the first thing
on a fish’s mind under these conditions.
So, you have to be patient and go slow in
order to make a cold trout or red bite a
bait. Remember that the stuff these fish
eat is going to be cold and lethargic too.
Your lures should imitate the slow movements of baitfish. Use slow-sinking or
suspending lures and work them slowly,
twitch them just enough to make them
move a little.
“You will have to be persistent. It may
take several tries before a cold fish will
pick up a bait. So you should make repeated casts in an area if you think a fish
is holding there. Also, more often than
not it will be a subtle bite — it is more of
a heavy almost stuck in the mud feeling
rather than a hard strike of a hungry fish.
You should also be a little less aggressive
when setting the hook since the fish may
not have a real good hold on the bait right
away. Give them a chance to take the lure
in completely before setting the hook.
“Finally, if the fish are cold there is a
good chance you will be too. Bundle up
in layers that will keep out the wind and
water but can be removed as needed if it
starts to warm up later in the day. Being
comfortable makes it much easier to concentrate on what you’re doing — especially
when you are trying to detect a subtle bite.
“Overall in January, the fishing may
be slower, but the results are well worth
the efforts.”
Corpus Christi guide Capt. Allen
Sifford of Fish On Guide Service says
in January he’ll be looking for mud and
mullet to point the way to angling success.
“We’ll start getting some colder water
temperatures in January,” said Sifford. “So,
we’ll see our fish in a definite winter pattern. That means I’ll be looking for trout
in 4-5 feet of water. I’ll also spend some
time chasing reds up on the flats. Those
reds are a little tougher than trout and will
stay up on the shallow flats a lot longer.
“Once the water temperature drops
into lower 50s or upper 40s, I’ll be fishing
over mud flats. Wherever I can find mullet over mud is where I’ll fish. Those are
the keys — mullet, even if it’s just a few
of them, and muddy bottom. When I’m
fishing under those conditions, a Corky
is my go-to bait. But, I’ll also be throwing
46
NOVEMBER 2013
12/4/13 12:53 PM
MIDDLE COAST
PHOTO COURTESY CAPT. GENCHO BUITUREIRA JR.
The Brownsville Ship Channel is an excellent place to get out of the wind and catch a variety of
fish in the winter.
a lot of Bass Assassins.
“During January I usually only fish
in three bays — Baffin, Upper Laguna
and Nueces. I’ll be doing the same thing
no matter what bay I’m in. It really just
depends on which bay is producing fish
as to where I’ll go.
Most of the time, I’ll be fishing in Nueces. If Nueces is hot, I’ll stay there through
JANUARY 2014
January and into February. There’s a lot of
good mud in Nueces. In the winter, before
a front I can usually catch good trout in
the front of the bay. After a front, I can
usually find fish in the back of the bay.
If the bite in Nueces turns off, I’ll start
looking in the Upper Laguna and Baffin.
But, even in those bays, I’ll be looking for
mullet over muddy bottom.”
Aransas area anglers will have plenty
of good fishing in January. Speckled trout
will be the most consistent, with plenty of
solid specks working over mud and scattered shell. Anglers hoping to catch trophy
trout during the winter months are best
served throwing topwaters, slow-sinking
plugs or lightly-weighted soft-plastics
while wading. Anglers should concentrate
on muddy flats with deeper channels, guts
or holes nearby. During cold spells, expect
the fish to hide in the deeper water. However, they’ll spend their time feeding in the
adjacent shallows during warmer periods.
Bait is another key. As a rule, finding
active bait on a muddy bottom flat near
47
12/3/13 4:17 PM
PHOTO COURTESY FISH-ON GUIDE SERVICE.
Big bull redfish will be caught along the beachfront and around Texas jetties through the winter
months.
deep water is a sure bet to find trout during January.
There will also be plenty of redfish
action this month. During January, redfish
will still be on the flats, except for periods
48
of extreme cold. Grass and mud flats will be
holding good numbers of reds. During the
winter months, a wide variety of soft-plastics will work for reds, as will cut mullet and
live shrimp. Fishermen should concentrate
on the potholes and grass breaks when
blind casting, although winter waters are
often clear enough for good sight casting
opportunities. Anglers looking primarily
for redfish should concentrate on East Flats
and the St. Joe Island shorelines.
Black drum will also be found in
good numbers during January, giving
Aransas-area anglers an additional target.
Look for black drum in the channels and
adjacent flats. Live or fresh dead shrimp
work best for black drum. It is always
a good idea for anglers to carry some
shrimp on board during January in case
they run across schools of black drum
while targeting specks or reds.
Capt. Ray Burdette of Rockport
Guides says January fishing can be good.
Anglers, he says, just need to be in tune
with the weather patterns.
“January fishing can be good,” said
Burdette. “Really, what we do during
January — all of the winter, really — depends on the weather. If we get some real
cold weather, it forces us to fish deep.
Otherwise, we try to catch them between
fronts when it warms up. You really just
need to pay attention to the weather and
try to time your trips around the fronts.
JANUARY 2014
12/3/13 4:17 PM
“Basically, we’ll spend almost all our
time fishing either the deep holes or the
flats adjacent to the deep holes. When it
gets cold, we’ll look in California Hole or
other deep pockets. But, when it warms
up, those fish will come back up onto Estes
Flats, where you can wade or drift while
throwing topwaters and jerkbaits. That
shallow water warms up really fast, so it
doesn’t take long for those fish to move
up on the edges.
“When it gets really cold, I’ll look in
the holes around Traylor Island. When
they are in the deep holes, fishing will be a
little slow but you can catch a pretty good
mess of fish if you’re willing to stick with it.
“There will also be some fish holding
around the deep oyster shell. Areas like
the mid-bay reefs in Aransas Bay will
be holding fish and you can do real well
around them on calm days when you can
fish out there. Some people like to anchor
up to fish the reefs, but you can also wade
on top of shell and cast off to where it
drops onto mud bottoms.
“The other thing to keep in mind is
it is always possible for us to get a warm
spell during the middle of winter. If we
get extended warm period, we’ll look for
big trout on the edges and shorelines in
areas like the backside of San Jose Island.”
Port O’Connor guide Capt. Lynn
Smith of Back Bay Guide Service says in
January he’ll be waiting until a little later
in the morning before starting his day.
“In January, I’ll wait for it to warm up
before we get out there,” said Smith. “Sometimes this time of year we don’t go out until
around 9 a.m. or so. Actually, I like fishing
the middle of the day in winter. That gives
the water a chance to warm up and allows
the fish to move up a little shallower.
“Usually, I’ll try to wade areas that are
close to deeper water. Most often, I will be
looking for areas with mud bottoms. The
flat doesn’t have to be all mud, but it needs
to have some mud mixed in. A combination of mud and grass or mud and sand
is okay. But, mud is the key. Mud tends
to retain heat, so the water over muddy
bottoms is usually a little warmer.
“It’s usually best to fish between the
fronts. The fish will go deep when it gets
cold. But, once it warms up for a few days,
they’ll come up on the flats to feed, but
they will be on the flats closest to that deep
water. If you can find a deep hole with a
flat nearby, it will be consistent all winter
“For the most part, I’ll be throwing
JANUARY 2014
plastics and slow sinking plugs. With plastics, a lot of times I’ll be throwing darker
colors like plum/white tail Bass Assassins
and Hogies and Red Shad Bass Assassins.
“I’ll also throw a lot of Corkies. If
its clear and sunny, I like throwing that
clear/metal flake/chartreuse tail Corky. If
it’s not bright sunshine, I’ll usually throw
pumpkinseed Corky. Those are kind of my
go-to baits in the winter months.
“We’ll be working our baits slower because water temperature is down. For the
most part, we’ll be looking primarily for
trout but will pick up some reds in there
with them. When sun gets up good, the
reds will move out of that deeper water
and up onto the skinny flats. You can get
a real good redfish bite in the shallows
during the middle of the day in January.
“When the weather turns really cold,
you can catch some big redfish by drifting
along the jetties. When the weather is
permissible, you can do real well on big
reds out there. You want to pitch real close
to the rocks and work down. Both sides
of the jetties will produce, but I prefer
working the outside when I can. But, if
it’s too rough, I’ll work the inside.”
49
12/3/13 4:17 PM
UPPER COAST
Matagorda guide Capt. Tommy Countz
50
says January offers a trifecta of angling options for fishermen in his area.
“In Matagorda, we have three choices
in January - East Bay, the Colorado River,
and West Bay,” said Countz.
“When we’re fishing in East Bay in
January we’ll be doing one of two things.
We’ll either be wading the south shorelines throwing Corkys and looking for
big fish or we’ll be drifting over shell on
the west end. More often than not, we’re
drifting shell on the west end.
“If the water gets cool enough, we’re
looking for streaks. By streaks, I means
streaks of muddy water. In the winter, the
water is usually really clear. The colder it
gets, the clearer it will be. When the water
is cold and clear, a lot of times you can find
better action in the mud streaks.
“Most of the time, I’ll be throwing a
3/8 ounce lead head with Norton Bull
Minnow or 52 Series MirrOlures, working
pretty deep and picking up both redfish
and trout. If the tide’s moving you’ll get
a better bite. There are times when we’re
grinding for a few hours, waiting for the
tide to turn. But, when the tide’s moving,
it can be pretty good. And, again, we stay
away from the crystal clear water. We’ll
always try to find some off-color water or
some mud streaks.
“As long as we don’t get too much
fresh water runoff, the river will hold a
lot of trout in January. In the river, we
either drift and throw heavy head jigs or,
if it gets cold enough, we’ll be trenching,
which is when you feed out line behind
the boat and let drag. Just keep letting out
different amounts of line until you find
the depth the fish are holding. When I’m
fishing the river, I use bright colors - pink
or Margarita. I also like using something
with some wiggle. I like the Hogie 3-inch
double tail shrimp or a Creme Lil’ Fishie.
“I’ll probably fish West Bay a little less
than I fish in East Bay and in the river in
January. But, after a northern, when all
the water is gone, I like to go to West Bay
and look for redfish in guts along south
shoreline. You have to go right after the
front, before the wind picks back up out
of east. If you hit it right, it can be phenomenal because all the fish are stacked
up in a few spots.”
Freeport guide Capt. Mike Segall of
Reel Threel Charters will be doing a couple different things during January.
“We’ll still be fishing for bull reds off the
beach in January,” said Segall. “Most people
think those fish are gone by winter, but we’ll
catch them all winter long. When the conditions are right, that’s what I’ll be doing.
“I’ll also be doing some inshore stuff
for specks and reds. I’ll be fishing in East
Matagorda some of the time, but I’ll also
be fishing around Freeport along the ICW
and Brazos River. When the water’s right,
the winter trout fishing can be outstanding
in the Brazos River.
“Every now and then, when we get the
right conditions, we’ll run a little further
out and look for kingfish. If everything
JANUARY 2014
12/3/13 4:17 PM
JANUARY 2014
51
12/3/13 4:17 PM
PHOTO COURTESY OF CAPT. GREG VERM
Anglers will find redfish in the Galveston Bay
complex along muddy flats and shorelines.
lines out right, we can have some good
kingfish action in January, but it’s a pretty
good run to find the fish.”
Galveston guide Capt. Mike Cacciotti
says January presents a variety of options,
but he’ll choose his plan for each day based
on the weather.
“Most of the time, West Galveston Bay
will be my target area in January,” said
Cacciotti. “Green’s Cut and Carancahua
seem like they turn on every year with
trout. January is always good for numbers
of trout in Green’s Cut area. Greens Cut
has lots of oyster shell, which tends to
attract and hold the fish.
“I also like fishing the causeway in
January. The causeway always holds lots
of big trout that time of year. If you want
a big trout, fish the causeway near the
railroad trestle with big swimbait. What
you want to do is fish around the rip-rap
at the base of the railroad trestle. Fish real
slow on an outgoing tide and you have a
good chance at a big trout. There will also
be some big trout on the south shoreline
when we have a few warm days.
“I will spend some time in Galveston
Bay around the San Jacinto River and
around the ship channel. These fish aren’t
as big as the ones around the causeway,
but this area will produce good numbers.
52
So, if you are just looking for a mess of
fish, that’s a good area to fish. It’s also a
good area to fish when it’s too windy to
fish West Bay. When it gets too windy on
West Bay, I will fish up the ship channel
around Burnett Bay and just make long
drifts until I locate some fish.
“If you want to have fun - especially
if you are taking kids fishing - and don’t
want to grind it out, go to north jetty or
Galveston jetty and fish for sheepshead
using live or dead shrimp right up against
the rocks. Or go up Galveston Ship Channel around bulkheads where ships dock.
The water there is about 20-25 feet and
you can catch Gulf trout and maybe a few
flounder almost anytime.”
Sabine Lake guide Capt. Randy Foreman expects 2014 to get off to a good start
fishing-wise.
“In January, we’ll have some good
fishing on the north end of the lake,” said
Foreman. “To start with, we should have
a real good redfish bite on the north end
of the lake, in the river and in the ICW.
When we have northerns come in, I’ll be
making long drifts on the north end of
the lake, throwing dark colored Down
South Southern Shad. Most of the time,
these fish will be on flats in 2 to 4 feet
of water.
“I’ll also be fishing the shell humps
and the mud and mussel flats for trout.
And, I’ll be following mullet. Mullet are
my only key in January. I find mullet and
I stay on ‘em. Those trout will be found
where the mullet are. So, you find mullet,
you’ll find trout.”
“I’ll also be drifting the Louisiana
shoreline, fishing 4-7 feet of water for
trout. Again, I’ll be fishing over mud and
mussels and be looking for mullet. This
is a real subtle bite. You have to use good
equipment — a really sensitive rod — if
you expect to feel the bite. I use G-Loomis
rods, but whatever brand you use, make
sure you spend the money to get a good
quality, sensitive rod. It will make all the
difference in the world when you are
fishing in the winter.
“If it gets really cold, I’ll fish in either
the ICW or Sabine Channel for drum
and redfish. What I do then is anchor in
about four feet of water on the edge of
the channel, then cast across the channel
and work the bait up the face of the ledge.
You’re casting into about 18 to 24 feet of
water and bringing it back up the edge of
the channel.”
LOUISIANA COAST
For Lake Calcasieu anglers January
means it is time to start chasing trophy
trout. Most of the big fish caught on Big
Lake during winter are caught by waders
working the muddy shorelines around
Lake Cal.
Typically, the best big fish over the
shallow mud flats occurs from mid-morning through mid-afternoon. Anglers just
need to be patient and be willing to grind
it out with topwaters or slow sinking
plugs. And, fishermen need to keep in
mind that wading over this mucky bottom is noisy and difficult. So, they should
move exceedingly slow and pause for a
good bit of time between steps to lessen
the amount of noise they are creating.
This also gives time for additional casts,
as thoroughly blanketing each inch of
shoreline is sometimes the only way to
illicit a big fish to strike.
Redfish will also be plentiful in Calcasieu during January. This fish will be on
the reefs and drops early before moving
up into the shallows during the heat of
the day.
In Venice, redfish will be the primary
target for inshore fishermen in January.
Areas like Yankee Pond on the west side
will consistently produce good catches
of spot tails during the first month of
the year.
Although redfish will be the most
consistently available angling action in
January, there will be some decent catches
of trout as well.
For the most part, trout will also be
found on the west side of the river. Areas
like the Burrias Canal are traditional
winter trout hotspots.
On the east side, the deep water
around Taylor’s Point should also have
some fair concentrations of trout this
month. Throughout the winter, these fish
will be holding deep, but can be caught on
live shrimp or jigs.
JANUARY 2014
12/3/13 4:17 PM
TACKLE TIPS & TECHNIQUES | Danno Wise
Monthly HOT Saltwater Fish
JANUARY 2014
53
12/3/13 4:17 PM
Becoming
a Better
Bass Angler
Here are 15 tips
gleaned from over 40
years of experience
that if followed with
certainly improve one’s
skills and game.
Matt Williams
I don’t know about you, but I’ve never
been much on making New Year’s resolutions. I came to the conclusion long ago that
if you want to make changes in your life,
just do it. There isn’t much sense in waiting
for some special day to roll around on the
calendar to turn over a new leaf that could
just as easily be turned over today.
Much the same could be said for bass
fishermen looking to improve their game.
If you are truly serious about becoming
54
a better angler, there is no time like the
present to get started.
I’ve been chasing green fish for the
better part of 40 years now and I’ve shared
the deck with dozens of pros and fishing
guides across America and beyond who
know way more about this sport than me.
Here are 15 fishing tips gleaned from those
experiences.
Follow them and I guarantee you will
become a better bass angler:
1. TIME ON THE WATER: No matter
how much you read or how well you
absorb information about bass fishing,
there is absolutely no substitute for
getting out on the water and practicing it. Fish as often as possible. The
more time you spend on the water,
the more real-time experience you’ll
get at operating your equipment,
practicing techniques and learning to
make adjustments.
JANUARY 2014
12/3/13 4:17 PM
2. THINK LIKE A BASS: Learn to think
like a bass. Study their seasonal habits.
Moreover, learn how their preferred
forage such as shad, crawfish, bluegill
and tilapia react to changes in the
weather, water temperatures, water
levels, etc… If you learn to follow the
movement of bait fish you will naturally become better at locating bass.
3. FISHING GEAR: You don’t need 10
rod and reel combos to fish for bass,
although it is nice to be able to lay one
rig down and pick up another without
having to go to the trouble of retying
whenever you want to switch baits.
When it comes to purchasing gear,
I always advise anglers to buy the
very best they can afford. This holds
especially true with fishing reels. You
typically get what you pay for. Be wary
of those $39.99 blue light specials.
Things to look for in a reel are
stainless ball bearings (more is better), stout gears, low profile, ergonomic shape, lightweight and a high
quality braking system and drag.
It has been my experience that
cheaper rods are much more forgiving than cheaper reels. In other
words, you don’t need to worry about
owning the most expensive rod on
the rack to get one that will get the
job done; just be sure it wears the
stamp of a reputable manufacturer.
4. BE A MATCHMAKER: Always make
sure your equipment matches the
fishing technique you are using or the
situation you are in. To wit: It would
not be a good idea to use a medium-action topwater rod paired with
10-pound test line for flipping a Zoom
Brush Hog into huisache bushes at
Lake Falcon. Big fish lakes and heavy
cover demand much heavier artillery.
5. LEARN TO USE A BAITCASTER: One
word of advice to those who don’t
know how to use a levelwind reel.
Learn. Once perfected, the baitcaster
lends itself to much improved casting accuracy around targets. Plus, it
delivers a significant edge over other
styles of reels when it comes to performing power fishing techniques.
6. BE ELECTRONICS SAVVY: If you
don’t own fishfinder/chartplotter, get
one. Think of these units like your
“eyes beneath the water.” Serious fishermen might feel blind without these
critical tools, because they reveal water depths, potential hotspots and help
The angler who becomes a jack of many trades will be able to catch bass at just about any lake
during the course of the year.
JANUARY 2014
55
12/3/13 4:17 PM
oldie but it’s a goodie. Always try
to match your lure to whatever the
bass’ predominant forage is. This
can vary in accordance with the
time of year, and from lake to lake
in different parts of the country.
During winter and spring — when
Texas bass are feeding heavily on
crawfish — lures that are painted
red, brown and orange tend to
work extremely well. Shad and
perch patterns are the colors of
choice during summer and fall.
Shallow anchors like the MinnKota Talon or Power Pole are excellent for shallow water fishing
with multiple uses to help you put more fish in the boat.
eliminate unproductive water quickly.
The advent of the global positioning
satellite system has been a real boon to
bass fishing, as well. GPS units make
navigating a breeze in nasty weather
or fog. Plus, it enables you to plot
trails, make use of all sorts of cool
mapping software and pop waypoints
on offshore hotspots so you can return
to them without the time-consuming
guesswork of relying on landmarks.
Heavy-hitting electronic companies
like Lowrance and Humminbird
have made some huge technological advancements in fishfinder/
chartplotters in recent times by
manufacturing units that provide
imagery of structure, cover and fish
that is much more detailed than ever
before. Some of the units are even
capable of capturing underwater
images of stuff 360 degrees around
the boat with touch screen operation.
be able to catch bass at just about any
lake during the course of the year.
8. JOIN A BASS CLUB: There are hundreds of bass clubs in Texas, both
large and small. Whether you live in
an metropolitan area or little town in
East Texas, chances are there are one
or more clubs that would roll out the
welcome carpet to a new member.
Joining a bass club brings you in
touch with folks with like interests.
Most clubs hold monthly meetings
and tournaments that offer members the opportunity to fellowship,
share ideas and learn from others.
9. MATCH THE HATCH: This is an
10. BUY A SHALLOW ANCHOR: Shallow
anchors like the MinnKota Talon or
Power Pole are the bomb for shallow
water fishing with multiple uses to
help you put more fish in the boat.
With the push of a button you can
stop the boat on a shallow flat and
pick a productive area apart without
the worry of drifting in on top of the
fish. The anchor also comes in handy
when bed fishing, because it allows
you to maintain the proper boat position without constantly having to
peck on the trolling motor, which can
spook a bedding fish at close range.
11. KEEP AN OPEN MIND: It is never a
good idea to go to the lake with the
preconceived notion that you are
going to force feed the bass a certain
lure or use one specific technique to
catch them. Often it doesn’t work out
the way you planned. Let the bass
tell you what they want. Be willing
While much more expensive than the
traditional models, these units, once
mastered, will improve your fishing
exponentially. Especially in deep water.
7. BE VERSATILE: There is not any one
tactic or lure that will produce 100
percent of the time. Learn how to
perform several fishing techniques
well and develop confidence in different lures to use when that “speciality”
bait isn’t working. The angler who
becomes a jack of many trades will
56
To those who don’t know how to use a levelwind reel. Learn.
JANUARY 2014
12/3/13 4:17 PM
enable you to make the most of your
time on water rather than wasting time
looking for stuff that you cannot find.
13. WIND FACTORS: Whenever possible let the wind work for you and
not against you. Wind creates wave
action. Key on shorelines and points
that are catching the brunt of the
wave action. Windy shorelines will
harbor plankton and zooplankton,
which in turn attracts shad, perch,
minnows and other bass forage.
During winter and spring, when Texas bass
are feeding heavily on crawfish — lures that
are painted red, brown and orange tend to
work extremely well.
to try something different if the
original game plan isn’t panning out.
12. GET ORGANIZED: If you own a boat,
keep your tackle and other gear organized so you can locate what you are
looking for when you want it. This will
Try to avoid bumping, banging
or creating turbulence with the
trolling prop when targeting spawning bass in shallow water. In some
instances, you may need to abort
using the troll motor altogether
and use a push pole to navigate.
It is also a good idea to fish into the
wind rather than with it, provided it
isn’t blowing so hard that it hampers
your ability to cast. This will allow you
to cover a key area thoroughly as opposed to blowing through it too fast.
15. SHAKY HEAD CONFIDENCE: When
bass go off the bite, nothing will catch
them like a shaky head will. It’s built
around a lead or tungsten head that
molds around a thin, wire hook for
easy hook sets. The rig can be used
with assorted soft plastic, but small,
finesse-style worms typically rule in
shaky head arenas. Most shaky head
gurus like to fish it using ultra-light
spinning gear in combination with
braided line and a fluorocarbon leader.
14. TROLL MOTOR SMARTS: A noisy
trolling motor can kill your chances
of catching bass if you aren’t very
careful. This is especially true
during the spring, when lots of
bass are occupying the shallows.
The shaky head is versatile in that it
can be fished in many of the same areas as
a Texas rig, in clear or muddy water, using
a variety of retrieves such hopping, dragging, dead-sticking or shaking to make the
worm quiver as it sits in one place.
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JANUARY 2014
57
12/3/13 4:17 PM
JUST FISHING | Matt Williams
Project PVC
Ask any serious bass or crappie angler
and they will tell you: Give them brush
and the fish will come.
Evidence to support the theory can be
found on the bottoms of popular fishing
lakes all over Texas, but it is particularly
abundant in impoundments across the
eastern half of the state.
Anglers in these parts love their brush
piles. I know several who have spent
countless hours over the years building
and refreshing hundreds of fish hotels
on their home waters, all in the name of
attracting fish to isolated locations that
in many cases are far from shore, often at
water depths of 20 feet or more.
For years the main idea behind
building brush piles was to create private
fishing holes that you could have all to
yourself and not share with others. But
the advent of GPS and side-imaging
technology has changed all that. If there
are any secrets out there, they usually don’t
stay that way for very long.
There are lots of watchful eyes on the
water these days, and plenty of guys who
aren’t bashful about moving in for a closer
look if they locate an underwater honey
hole, even if they didn’t lift a finger in the
construction process.
As good as brush piles are at attracting
and holding fish, Todd Driscoll of Jasper
thinks there might be a better way.
Driscoll is the District 3D supervisor who
oversees several public lakes across the
region for the Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department.
Last summer, the fisheries biologist
and several members of his staff launched
what is arguably the most worthwhile
fisheries habitat research study projects
the state agency has attempted in recent
times.
The project doesn’t have an official
name that I am aware of. So let’s just keep
it simple and call it “Project PVC.”
The study, currently underway at Sam
Rayburn Reservoir, is being conducted to
evaluate sport fish usage of 72 artificial fish
attractors. The structures were deployed
in different configurations in 15-20 feet
of water at the southern reaches of the
114,000-acre impoundment.
58
COURTESY OF TPWD
Last summer, TPWD fisheries biologists launched an intensive study on Sam Rayburn Reservoir to
evaluate fish usage habits of several dozen plastic fish attractors. The attractors were planted at
depths of 15-20 feet at the south end of the lake.
Interestingly, the structures aren’t
made from brush, willow tops, Christmas
trees other natural materials frequently
used by anglers to concentrate fish —
mainly crappie and bass — to specific
spots.
Instead, they are made from plastic
utilizing a variety of materials including 1
1/2 inch PVC pipe, four-inch corrugated
drainage pipe and industrial-grade mesh.
Each structure measures 3 feet tall X
3 feet wide X 6 feet long. The 72 units are
divided among 12 research sites (six per
site) and deployed in two configurations
— straight lines and clusters.
The idea behind using plastic instead
of wood revolves around longevity. Wood
typically rots in a short time. Plastic,
meanwhile, is everlasting. That means
the structures in question should still be
in place years down the road.
“Everyone knows brush piles attract
and hold fish,” explained Driscoll. “But
the problem with brush piles is they tend
to deteriorate so rapidly. Plastic won’t do
that. These structures should remain in
place for years, so long as they don’t get
dragged off or moved by someone’s boat
anchor.”
The Sam Rayburn research project
is a spinoff from a similar habitat
enhancement project that was completed
in 2012 on another lake in Driscoll’s
district, Lake Striker.
There, biologists used Christmas
trees to build multiple reefs of different
sizes in two configurations (straight
line and circular). Scientists relied on
electroshocking equipment to document
the species and sizes of fish that were
attracted to the brush piles during the
four seasons, day and night. The brush
was placed in relatively shallow water
so the activity could be monitored using
electroshocking boats.
TPWD collected 16 species of fish
in the Striker study, mostly largemouth
bass and bluegill. The research showed
bigger bass and bluegills preferred larger
reefs over smaller ones. Interestingly,
largemouth bass showed equal preference
for straight line and circular piles, whereas
the bluegill gravitated more towards the
circular ones.
Because electroshocking is not
effective at water depths beyond eight
feet, biologists are relying on a series
of different survey methods including
Lowrance StructureScan, underwater
cameras and scuba diving to collect their
data at Sam Rayburn.
Driscoll says he and his staff hope
to achieve numerous goals through the
study, but determining whether or not
fish will be attracted to plastic structures
is not among them. They already know
plastic works.
Driscoll says a study conducted several
years ago by the Georgia Department of
Natural Resources illustrated that bass
and other fish are attracted to plastic
structures, particularly when deployed
JANUARY 2014
12/3/13 4:17 PM
on lakes with sparse, underwater habitat.
“We want to expand on those findings
by examining how the different sizes and
configurations of these structures will
affect fish attraction relative to species,
size and season of the year,” Driscoll
said. “We are also going to be looking at
material types. Some of our structures are
made of PVC and corrugated pipe and
some are made from plastic mesh.”
Time also could factor into the
evaluation. The biologist anticipates it
could take 3-4 years for enough algae to
form on the plastic to begin attracting
significant numbers of fish. Algae attracts
bait fish, which turn attract the predators.
“We’re not betting the farm on it,
but that is definitely something we’ll be
looking at,” he said. “We may monitor a
few of the sites for several years, just to see
if anything changes.”
The initial project is dedicated to last
one year. It is being funded using a portion
of nearly $50,000 obtained through
federal grants, TPWD’s Kills and Spills
restitution account and donations from
various special interest groups including
the Seven Coves Bass Club from Lake
Conroe, the Lake Fork Sportsman’s
Association, Texas Black Bass Unlimited
and the Texas Association of Bass Clubs.
Driscoll said TPWD technicians built
about three dozen structures at a cost of
about $120 each. The frames are built
using 1 1/2 inch PVC pipe with about
150 feet of 4-inch corrugated plastic
pipe weaved throughout. Meanwhile,
Industrial Fabric of Baton Rouge, La.,
volunteered to provide 36 mesh structures
for the research project for free.
The biologist says the main reason for
using two structures made from different
materials is to determine if the fish prefer
one over the other.
The department’s long-term plan is
to use the results from the Sam Rayburn
study to expand the artificial reef project
to several more East Texas lakes. Driscoll
said the goal is to eventually plant 100
fish attractors in Toledo Bend, Fork
and Conroe, and 20 attractors in lakes
Nacogdoches and Naconiche.
“The results of the study also will give
anglers the information they need to best
design and deploy their own brush piles
to attract the maximum number of fish,”
he said.
Partnerships Revitalize Fishing at Inks Lake
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
sive; however, they become possible due
be challenging for anglers, giving it an
Inland Fisheries and State Parks divisions
to partnerships with groups committed
undeserved reputation for poor fishing.
have partnered with other private groups
to conservation.” Eagle Scout candidate
“The truth is this lake is a hidden gem
to develop habitat enhancement projects
William Patterson, along with Troop 5
that offers quality fishing opportunities,”
to improve fishing opportunities at Inks
of the Boy Scouts of America, led the
said De Jesus. Recent fisheries surveys
Lake the past three years. Selected sites
joint efforts behind the open-water
have revealed good abundance of large
have been refurbished with brush, gravel
black bass, sunfishes and catfishes. The
brushpile attractors. TPWD and other
and light structures designed to attract
volunteers have committed to each of
best five largemouth bass caught during
fish to areas accessible by boat and bank
these projects, improving fisheries haba recent electrofishing survey weighed 39
anglers.
pounds (an average of 7.8
Four open-water brush
pounds per fish). Temperattractors were installed in
ate bass, such as white bass,
September 2013; three unalso offer excellent seasonal
derwater green lights were infishing opportunities.
stalled at the state park’s south
The enhanced pier sites
pier in August, 2013; and a
give state park visitors and
brush and gravel bed complex
campers the opportunity
was installed at the state park’s
to make bank fishing an
north pier in February 2011.
important component of
Brushpiles attract covertheir trip. Both piers have
seeking species like black bass,
been enhanced to attract all
crappie, sunfish and catfish;
game fish species available
gravel beds attract spawning
at Inks Lake. With the
sunfish; and underwater green
improved light structures,
lights attract pelagic species
pier fishing is available all
PHOTO COURTESY TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE night to overnight guests,
like white bass, striped bass
and hybrid striped bass. These Inks Lake State Park lead ranger, Chris Hall (left), and Marcos De Jesus, Inland and with free fishing at state
structures provide habitat for Fisheries district biologist (right), display two memorable largemouth bass parks, a fishing license is
the entire food chain, topped sampled along the habitat structure at the north pier, Inks Lake State Park. not required.
off by the large predator speGPS coordinates for
cies anglers seek. When combined, these
the structures and directions to Inks
itat at Inks Lake.
attractors can be very productive.
Inks Lake (768 acres) is easy to overLake State Park, which offers the only
TPWD District Fisheries Supervisor
look, lying between area fishing giants
public boat ramp access to the lake, can
Marcos De Jesus said, “These types of
Lake Buchanan and Lake LBJ. Like other
be found online on the TPWD website
projects can be costly and labor-intenrocky Hill Country lakes, this lake can
www.tpwd.state.tx.us.
JANUARY 2014
59
12/3/13 4:17 PM
TACKLE TIPS & TECHNIQUES | Danno Wise
Monthly HOT Freshwater Fish
60
JANUARY 2014
12/3/13 4:17 PM
12/3/13 4:17 PM
For information on guides mentioned, see Guides, Gear & Getaways on pages 76-79
Lake Roundup
EAST TEXAS
By Matt Williams
PALESTINE — If you’re out to catch
a big bass on Lake Palestine, there may
not be a better month of the year to soak
a bait than January is. Or at least that’s
what veteran guide Ricky Vandergriff says.
“There are always some giants caught
this time of year,” he said. “Now is when
the big girls will start staging for the spawn
up north. The water will still be cold, but
they’ll still start gravitating towards their
traditional pre-spawn areas anyway. It
happens every year.”
Key hotspots including Old Folks
Playground, Cade’s Lake and the backs
of Kickapoo and Flat creeks. Vandergriff
suggests working ditches, channel breaks
and adjacent flats using jigs, crawworms,
vibrating jigs and spinnerbaits. To refine
the search he suggests concentrating on
wind-protected east banks with grass and
fields of lily pad stubble.
Vandergriff says crappie fishing can
be hit or miss dependent on the weather.
Time things right and solid limits are very
possible using jigs and shiners around the
Highway 155 bridge pilings, deep brush
piles and submerged cedars in the vicinity
of the dam. Best depths are 25-30 feet.
The guide says there also should be
some white bass schooling activity taking
place over sandy points near the dam in
4-15 feet and around the island in the
mouth of Highsaw Creek.
“Catfish also are a good bet,” he said.
“I’ll do a lot of fishing in 3-4 feet of water
around boat houses, mostly using liver,
but the better fish will come out deeper in
62
13-15 feet along the edges of the Neches
River using night crawlers and cut bait.”
NACOGDOCHES — Lake Nacogdoches caught 1 1/2 feet of water and was
on a slow rise in late November thanks to
some plentiful rainfall just ahead of the
Thanksgiving holiday. The rise put a 1-3
foot layer of water over the tops of hydrilla
beds up and down the lake, setting the
stage for some outstanding wintertime
Rat-L-Trap fishing. The only thing that
might make things better is if Mother
Nature goes ahead and turns the faucet
back on and fills the lake to full capacity.
Main lake grass beds will be holding
plenty of bass this month, but the better
concentrations will be over flats and along
channel breaks at the lake’s upper reaches
and in Yellow Bank cove. The key is to
cover lots of water using a lipless crankbait
heavy enough that it will clip the tops of
submerged grass beds as you retrieve it to
the boat. Baits in the 1/2 and 3/4 ounce
range are ideal. Best colors are crawfish,
chrome blue and bone.
In addition to lipless cranks, bass will
hammer swim baits, Chatterbaits, square
bills and spinnerbaits worked in the same
areas. If you happen to catch a fish try
to get a bait back into the same area as
quickly has possible without disturbing it.
Often times, where there is one bass there
will be several.
In addition to the grass fish, there
should be some groups of deep fish hanging tight to channel swings, drop offs and
other main lake structure that can be
caught on drop shot rigs, deep cranks,
jigs and Carolina rigs. You’ll need to good
electronics and mapping software to locate
the sweetest spots.
Crappie fishing prospects can be
equally good this month around deep
brush piles in 25-35 feet of water near the
dam. Live shiners soaked on light line are
the best bet.
LIVINGSTON — January doesn’t have
a rich history of kick big number of quality
largemouths. You might fish for hours and
catch nothing. But when the bite does
come the culprit will likely be a fat fish.
According to fishing guide Randy
Dearman of Onalaska, bass normally
PHOTO COURTESY OF RICHARD JUE.
Crappie will bunch up around deep structure
on Lake Conroe all month long, with areas
that have been doctored with brush holding
the better concentrations
of fish.
begin showing signs of pre-spawn activity
during the month of January. The fish will
spend a high percentage of their time in a
suspended state, usually along the edges of
well defined travel corridors that provide
them with plenty of cover.
“Secondary creeks and ditches that
stem off main creek channels will definitely be worth checking out,” said Dearman. “I really pay attention to stumps and
lay downs in these areas, especially those
located in a channel bend.”
Dearman stresses the importance of
seeking out the clearest water possible,
especially if it has been a wet, cold winter
and the Trinity River has been rolling.
“The thing that’s worse than fishing for
bass in really cold water is fishing in cold,
muddy water,” he said. “If the water gets
muddy, you’ll be better off fishing south
or hunting around behind islands or in
protected coves that aren’t as likely to be
JANUARY 2014
12/3/13 4:17 PM
influenced by the river.”
Here’s a couple of other tips Dearman
had to offer:
Fish slow with big, bulky baits like 1/2
ounce Strike King jig or spinnerbait. Bass
won’t be very aggressive, especially if the
water is cold and muddy.
The guide will tip the lures with a pork
trailer to promote a slower fall. He prefers
a single Colorado blade on his spinnerbait
in muddy water, because it will move more
water and create some vibration.
Now also is a good time to begin
looking for gangs of white bass that are
moving up the Trinity River for their
annual spawning run. If the run hasn’t
already begun, it won’t be long. Best baits
are Roadrunners, small spinners, crank
baits and Rat-L-Traps.
SAM RAYBURN — The water level at
Big Sam was about 5.59 feet low as of this
writing and things were setting up nicely
for a strong wintertime bite over shallow
grass beds. That’s the word from fishing
guide Stephen Johnston of Hemphill.
“Right now the lake is in the best
shape it has been in in several years,” said
JANUARY 2014
Johnston. “There is lots of grass from Buck
Bay north all the way to the Highway 147
bridge. There isn’t any main lake ridge
grass to speak of, but just about all the
major creeks and flats have it. It’s growing
from the bank out to about eight feet.”
If this January is like most, a lipless
crank bait like a Rat-L-Trap will be the
order of the day. Best colors are red,
chrome and bone.
Johnston says moving baits like a
Chatterbait, square bill crank and swim
bait also can be effective. On days when
the fish seem more reluctant to chase
you can sometime trigger a big bite on a
suspending jerk bait. The jerk bait tends
to produce best when there is some wind
to put some chop on the water.
Crappie fishing can be outstanding
this time of year up the Angelina River
arm of the lake from Kingtown north to
Estes Lake when the conditions are right.
Anglers tend to make the best hauls when
water levels are stable and relatively clear.
Look for the fish to be setting up
around stumps and brush along the channel edge where it meets with underwater
sloughs, drains and ditches. Best results
typically come on jigs and Roadrunners.
Some of the same areas should begin
holding good numbers of white bass this
month, too, as they fin their way upstream
for the annual spawning ritual. A 1/4
ounce Roadrunner is hard to beat when
targeting these brawny sportfish. The fish
will be extremely lethargic during the
early stages of the spawning run, so it is
important to work the bait extremely slow.
TOLEDO BEND — Toledo Bend was
3.40 feet low and in outstanding shape
as November gave way to December.
Like Sam Rayburn, the big lake along the
Texas/Louisiana border always gives up
some solid wintertime bass, but you may
need to use some altogether different
tactics at times.
“It’s a totally different deal than Sam
Rayburn,” said fishing guide Stephen
Johnston. “There will be decent bite on
lipless crank baits around the grass if we
get few days of warm sunshine to warm
the upper layer of water. But other than
that I’ll spend a high percentage of my
time targeting deeper stuff.”
63
12/3/13 4:17 PM
One of Johnston’s favorite winter tactics is bouncing a spoon off bottom along
the edges of deep timberlines at the south
end of the lake. The technique always
produces good numbers of keeper size fish
along with an occasion 5-6 pound bite.
The guide said there should also be
some fish gravitating to main lake ridges
and points in 12-20 feet that can be caught
on crank baits, jigs, Carolina rigs and
Texas rig plastics. Additionally, he pointed
to grass covered ridges in the 1215 area
on the Louisiana side as a good spot to
work a suspending jerk bait, spinnerbait
or Chatterbait.
The crappie fishing also can be good
this month if the conditions are right.
Johnston said the Sabine River in the
Chicken Coop area will be a good bet early
in the month provided the lake is stable
and clear with a light current. Look for
the fish to be suspended around balls of
shad about 20-30 feet down over water as
deep as 80 feet.
The guide said there should be some
fish moving into the major creeks towards
the end of the month. He likes to target
these fish using Roadrunners or jigs in
about 6-10 feet of water. “The water needs
to be right at 60 degrees for a couple of
days for them to turn on,” he said. “It’s
always best on the warmer days.”
CONROE — Bass are going to be
locked into their winter patterns this
month, but that doesn’t always mean the
fish are going to be glued to the bottom in
the deepest water they can find.
Winters are rarely that severe in eastern Texas, so the bass are prone to remain
shallow a high percentage of the time and
they respond well to a few days of warm
sunshine. According to veteran fishing
guide Butch Terpe, shoreline rip rap along
the Highway 1097, 1375 and 105 bridges
as well as the concrete breakwaters in the
vicinity of Walden, Anchorage and Del
Lago Marinas all will be holding fish when
the weather is fair.
Terpe will go after these fish with spinnerbaits, firetiger crankbaits and Texas rig
soft plastics. Dark colors such as black/
blue, grape or plum are the preferred
worm patterns.
Should water temps dip below 50-degrees, Terpe will make the move to deeper
water where he will probe main lake
humps, ridges, the rail road tram and
old pond dams with a jig pork combo or
1/2 ounce jigging spoon. Jigging spoons
typically produce numbers, but a big one
also will bite it if you dangle it in front of
its nose.
Hybrid bass should be active this
month as well. Terpe usually has the best
luck using his graph to locate fish on
deep main lake points and humps before
trolling for them with a deep crank trailed
by a pet spoon. Slabs also are effective,
particularly when the fish are ganged up
near bottom.
Crappie will be bunched up around
deep structure all month long. Terpe said
areas that have been doctored with brush
will be holding the better concentrations.
You’ll also find fish suspended around the
FM 1097 bridge pilings and the powerline
poles.
NORTH TEXAS
By Brian Hughes
January pulls me in many different
directions. On the one hand I’m still
hunting. Deer season is almost over and
it’s the last chance for doe clean-up and
removal, the second split of duck season is
in full swing, hogs have a winter fat layer,
and coyotes are in full fur with their best
pelts of the year.
On the other hand we usually get more
than a few days that are plenty warm and
sunny for a little fishing in the North Texas
area. Stripers, crappie, sand bass and of
course the stocked trout from Texas Parks
and Wildlife are all great options for a little
winter fishing.
The trophy sized blue catfish are also
making noises in the shallow water about
this time each year. How is a fella supposed
to make up his mind? I guess you could
flip for it, “Heads I go fishing, tails I grab
a gun,” or something like that.
64
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JANUARY 2014
12/3/13 4:17 PM
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Of course, other things will also try
to take my attention away from these
pursuits. It’s “Show season” in Texas and
there will be an assortment of trade shows
to choose from, and I’ll have to be at
some of those. Both Houston and Dallas’
respective Safari Clubs have their annual
events they kick off the season.
Dallas Safari Club has their “Generations” show at the Dallas Convention
Center Jan. 9th through the 12th, followed
by the Houston Safari Club 2014 “Capture
Convention”, held at the Woodlands Waterway Marriott the weekend of January
17-19. I don’t often get to the Houston
show but I make the Dallas show each
year. These are the first and biggest shows
of the year but certainly not the only ones.
Boat shows, hunting shows and fishing
shows will be scheduled throughout January in cities across Texas. Many can be
found listed in the pages of this magazine.
In addition to the various shows there
is also that thing called work waiting to
distract me. Bosses rarely seem to care
that the sandies are running, or a big
bunch of greenhead mallards just came
in from Canada and are hanging around
66
PHOTO COURTESY OF JUAN MARTINEZ, © TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT
Stephen Proctor of Pryor, Oklahoma, caught the first Toyota ShareLunker of the year,
# 549 from Lake Fork on November 21. The fish was 25 inches long, 21 inches in girth,
and weighed 13.29 pounds.
your favorite duck pond. Nor does it
matter one whit to them that three days
of perfect weather has created the best
opportunity of the year for some shallow
water catfishing. So now in addition to
deciding what to do I have to pick just
the right excuse for doing it. Of course,
the important thing to remember here is
not to let obligations and work get in the
way of spending time outdoors.
WHITNEY — Lake levels are low
enough to be concerning at the time of
this writing. When I checked with Randy
Routh at Team Redneck Guide Service he
was definitely keeping an eye on the ramps
around the lake. “Whitney can ill afford to
lose any more water.” said Routh, “We’re
at thirteen feet low now and without rain
we could be as low as fifteen feet by January.” Some ramps like Lofers Bend east,
Uncle Gus’ Marina, Lake Whitney Marina
and Steele Creek are ok now. “The north
ramps in the river are closed, as is the state
park ramp,” Randy reports.
Luckily you can still catch fish, “Stripers should be out from the state park
shoreline at old Highway 22, check
your electronics and try strolling with
swimbaits in chartreuse, or deadsticking
assassins in chartreuse or pearl with a
chartreuse tail,” suggested Routh.
Sand bass fishermen might want to
work the Bee Bluff area on the humps
with slabs and spoons. “I tell people to
remember, s-l-o-w and then s-l-o-w-e-r,”
he commented. “It’s a cliché but it really is
true, when you think you’re fishing slow
enough, slow down some more.”
Catfishing fans will find blues on the
JANUARY 2014
12/3/13 4:17 PM
flats. “Cut shad over the channel edges
in the tops of the trees in 60-80 feet will
work,” Randy said. “But you have to fish
in the TOPS of the trees.”
One last option is in the Brazos River
itself, from Steele Creek to the mouth of
Nolan river. “I almost don’t tell people
about this because you have to be careful
in this area, both getting in and out,”
Randy cautioined. “But you’ll find fish in
the deeper water in the bends of the river.
Hybrids can be caught with deadsticked
Assassin baits and sandies will go for the
downsized leadhead/grub combination.”
Randy also mentioned crappie could be
caught on crappie jigs in the bends as well.
CEDAR CREEK — Guide Chuck
Rollins (bigcrappie.com) says Cedar
Creek could be ok for crappie depending
on the water temperature. “When Cedar
Creek gets down below about fifty-one
degrees we move on over to Lake ‘O the
Pines for crappie, because it’s just better
fishing there,” he said. “Until then, however, Cedar Creek can be good for crappie
around the planted brush on points and
deep structure.”
Sandies will also be on main lake
JANUARY 2014
humps, at about 20-30 feet. “Deadsticking
is the way to go,” says Rollins. “Adjust your
depth to target different species. While
Sand bass might be at 25 feet, you’ll find
the hybrids a little deeper, say 35 or forty
feet.”
If you wanted sandies only, you should
downsize your bait a little, and those
that wish to target hybrids only will find
success with a 4” fluke in natural shad
colors like silver, white with silver flake or
chartreuse and silver flake. “Remember,
hybrids are always on the move, while
sandies are a little more predictable,”
suggests Rollins. “When you find sand
bass you can stick with them longer and
duplicate your pattern on other areas of
the lake. Hybrids take a little more work
and usually move away sooner. You’ll
have to use your electronics a lot more
for hybrids.”
LAKE ‘O THE PINES — As mentioned
when L.O.P. water reaches the low fifties
or below, “The fish pull out of brush and
trees and go to creek channels,” Rollins
says. “You can set up a drift across the
channel with jigs or minnows. We like to
use two 1/8 oz. jigs on a line.” They’ll be
fishing twenty to thirty feet deep and the
color preference is chartreuse and/or blue
with green.
“You must remember that as the water warms again the crappie will move
shallow,” he continued. “Last year they
had moved shallow by the end of January.
That’s earlier than I’ve ever seen before.”
While the crappie usually don’t move
that shallow until sometime in February,
the key is the temperature. “Once the
water gets back into the mid-fifties you’ll
see a move to skinny water,” Rollins stated.
“At Lake ‘O the Pines you must keep
first twenty five crappie you catch through
the last day of February, regardless of
size. The 10” minimum length rule is
suspended ‘til then.”
(This is true on other lakes as well—be
sure and consult your TPWD Outdoor
Annual and keep a copy with you as you
hunt and fish across Texas. You can even
down load a copy at tpwd.state.tx.us)
LAKE FORK — January is a really
funny month according to Mark Stevenson, “We’ll usually get 2-3 warm up days,
then a cold snap, and sometimes the whole
month just bounces back and forth.”
67
12/3/13 4:18 PM
PHOTO COURTESY TPWD.
Texas Parks & Wildlife Fisheries technicians will be stocking rainbow trout on the Guadalupe
River, as well as other locations across the state through the winter months.
The plan most days is to fish deep.
“Light line, a Texas rig, shaky-head, or
dropshot with a finesse worm is a good
choice,” Says Stevenson. One secret he
shared with our readers, “A LFFT Crappie
Magic shad in watermelon or shad colors,
nose hooked on a small hook, ‘nuff said.”
It’s no secret that a jig is one of Marks’
Let our team of creative professionals help you
with your marketing and graphic needs.
68
favorite baits. “A ½ or 3/4oz black and
brown jig, or (another secret) black –
brown - green with 4-5 strands of orange.”
Stevenson also has a very specific way
to fish a jig in January, “I guess you’d call it
crawl and shake. You crawl the jig across
the bottom until it hits something, then
shake it over and hang on!”
January on Fork starts the bass thinking about the pre-spawn. The really deep
(30+ feet) fish will move up to 15 feet or
less, using the channels as their highway.
Be there waiting with the above mentioned jigs or even spoons, and you could
catch the fish of your lifetime!
“Of course, I have to mention the
traps and spinnerbaits this time of year,”
said Stevenson. “The grass is always a
good place to look, but in January it is
not crucial. It’s more important to cover
water, looking to intercept the fish as they
feed. It’s also my favorite time to throw
suspending jerkbaits. We use them in the
afternoon on a sunny day.” He’s had some
really fantastic days in the last two or three
hours of daylight with this method. “Last
year produced several fish in the 10 pound
range, both a little under and a little over.”
Use shad colors like Tennessee shad or
look for a purple back, gold sides and a
silvery bottom.
Sand bass populations on Lake Fork
have really taken off over the last 10 years
or so. When they first showed up many
anglers were concerned about the effect
they might have on the largemouth bass.
Now, most anglers have embraced them
as another fish to catch, and something to
fill a cooler with for the fish-fry.
“Sandies will be on the humps and
points for sure but fishermen tend to cross
over these at one location and move on,”
Stevenson said. “They need to go as far
out as 50 to 100 yards from the structure
to really get a picture of what the fish are
doing.” Once you locate fish use a jiggin’
spoon on humps or an Alabama rig, also
keying on humps and points.
Crappie are easy to find just look for
the boat flotilla on the lake near the dam.
Then use jigs unless it is too windy then
minnows will work. Remember, Fork is
also a Crappie2 lake. If you don’t know
what that means you need to reference
the TPWD Outdoor Annual!
LAKE LEWISVILLE — This is one of
those lakes I’ll only fish in the winter.
Summer sees way too many jet-skis and
pleasure craft on the lake, and I just don’t
JANUARY 2014
12/3/13 4:18 PM
want to fight the crowd. However, in January, what a difference.
Me, and a couple of other hard-core
anglers, will have the lake to ourselves.
Capt. Omar Cotter tells me I’ll catch ‘em
on Zoom Super Flukes after finding the
bait balled up in the middle of the lake,
near the dam.
“Fish the timber areas,” he says. “Baitfish will ball up tight and you’ll need your
electronics, but when you find the fish,
you’ll catch the fish.” You’ll want to use a
white ice fluke, with a chartreuse tail dip,
on a ½ to one ounce jighead. Omar says
the deadstick technique is the way to go.
Then he said some crazy stuff, “Thump
the bottom of your boat with a stick. That
breaks up the bait ball, and triggers the
hybrids to feed. Now you just lower your
bait down to three or four feet above the
fish, (fish feed up) and wait.” Be sure you
don’t set the hook until you feel the weight
of the fish or you’ll come up with nothing.
For Lewisville sandies, rig a 4” finesse
worm above the fluke w/braided line
between them.
Big blue cats show up around the old
dam between old Lake Dallas and Lewisville. On the big flats drift cut bait up and
down the entire thing, it’s about a mile
and a half long. You can’t miss it if you
can read a topographic map. If you can’t,
you should learn how soon.
deluge of rain that fell on Halloween, at
the end of the wettest October in recorded
history. That storm created the most devastating flood in Austin since the 1981
Memorial Day flood that took 17 lives
and wrecked massive property damage.
Not far below that story on the page was
an article saying the current drought was
far from over.
But they were both accurate.
Just as cold fronts carrying ice and
snow usually stop just north of Austin near
Temple, most rainfall seems to come from
the east and stops at about I-35, or at least
just east of RR 620 and Hwy. 183. Last fall,
parts of Austin received record rainfall, but
very little fell on the watersheds of lakes
Buchanan and Travis, the latter being
the reservoir from which Austin gets its
drinking water. As this is being penned,
Travis remains at only 36% of capacity.
The Sometimes Islands are now the
Sometimes Peninsula, since the receding
water level has connected the islands to
the bank. Shoreline boulders lie just below
the lake’s surface creating boating hazards.
But has that diminished the fishing?
No. Not in the least. In some respects
it has helped it. Any decline in fishing this
month will be brought on by cold weather,
not by a low lake. The problem is that
launching a boat on a lake with all its public boat ramps closed is a limiting factor.
Launching from the unpaved shoreline at
Pace Bend Park and several other sites is
about the only access.
A friend and highly experienced
Central Texas fisherman who will go unnamed told me he launched there driving
a two-wheeled vehicle and nearly got
stuck. Be forewarned: It’s risky. In fact, I
pulled several vehicles out one year with
my ¾ ton, four wheel-drive Suburban. I
turned down offers of money knowing
that I would someday need help and feel
that God keeps score.
But the low water hasn’t seemed to
hurt the fishing for those who can get on
the lake or know how and where to fish it
from the bank. What is going to affect the
fishing – at least the springtime spawning
run of white bass up the streams — is that
most of those streams are not running.
Without the running water preferred by
spawning white bass, they don’t go upstream — and to my favorite white bass
CENTRAL TEXAS
#logout…
#connect…
#qualitytime…
By John Jefferson
Newcomers to Central Texas were
probably confused by the front page of the
Austin American Statesman on November
8. Area naivetés who seldom venture into
the world outside were also possibly confounded, but there’s nothing new there.
A front page story reported that the
City of Austin would purchase 115 homes
virtually destroyed by the trick not treat
JANUARY 2014
Austin Convention Center
Jan. 16 - 19, 2014
www.austinboatshow.com
69
12/3/13 4:18 PM
PHOTO BY JOHN JEFFERSON
If the streams are not flowing due to the drought, white bass will usually congregate below dams to take advantage of water releases that give
them a spawning environment.
The Alamodome
Jan. 23 - 26, 2014
www.sanantonioboatshow.com
70
hole on Sandy Creek. Other streams and
the Pedernales River are in the same boat,
so to speak.
The Llano River, which enters Lake
LBJ from the west, usually hosts a substantial white bass run, but is also thirsty.
At press time, its flow at Kingsland, where
it enters LBJ, was only 1.3 cubic feet per
second. That’s probably enough to float
a toy sail boat or fill your canteen, but
hardly enough to send a nation of whities
upstream.
The white bass will be near the mouths
of where the streams used to flow into
the lakes. The deep holes just below the
mouths can be quite productive during
periods of spring drought. And given a
few sunshiny days in a row in January,
they often go on a feeding frenzy of sorts
as they try to come upstream.
The San Gabriel River watershed
seems to have gotten a fair amount of rain,
and this is good news for the legends of
fishermen who migrate there each spring,
themselves. Checking with the Corps (and
that’s pronounced “Core,” not the way
some in Washington pronounce it.) of
Engineers, which manages Lake Granger,
there is still incoming flow and a release of
102 cfs from the lake. The incoming flow
JANUARY 2014
12/3/13 4:18 PM
12/3/13 4:18 PM
from both forks of the San Gabriel and the
creeks totals roughly 67 cfs. That’s not a
lot, but probably enough to encourage the
whites to venture up. It doesn’t take much.
There’ll be more about fishing for
white bass next month, but since their
favorite food is shad, either live shad or
any lure that mimics a shad should work.
Small (1/16th or 1/32nd ounce) jigs in
either yellow, white, or chartreuse are also
good bets.
As mentioned a couple of months
ago in the November issue of TOJ, the
Kyle City Council wanted Lake Kyle
declared catch and release only. The lake
was being heavily overfished. A brief,
very un-scientific personal survey of the
lake was conducted in October, and all
the fishermen surveyed that said the lake
was being overfished and they felt the
regulation was needed.
The City went to Texas Parks & Wildlife.
At the November TPW Commission
meeting, a proposed new regulation
was presented making the small water
body east of Kyle catch-and-release only
for bass, sunfish, and catfish. It will be
considered again at the January 22-23
meeting (public comment taken only at
the Thursday meeting, January 23). The
vote on for final adoption will be on March
27. If unable to attend but want to express
an opinion, contact Robert Macdonald:
robert.macdonald@tpwd.texas.gov or call
him at (512) 389-4775.
Also mentioned previously, a proposal
is likewise on the TPW Commission docket
to extend the restricted area where tackle,
trout length, and possession are regulated
differently than the statewide rules on the
Guadalupe River below Canyon Dam.
The proposal is to move the restricted area
upstream to within 800 yards of the dam.
Macdonald is also the contact person if you
wish to comment on the proposal. At each
Commission meeting, Commissioners are
informed of the public comments, pro and
con. And they listen.
The winter trout stockings are in full
swing right now, and thousands go into
the Guadalupe below Canyon Dam each
year. In fact, thousands already have. A
total of 20,821 small trout will be stocked
there this winter, and there have already
been four stockings. Four more are
planned on January 3, 10, 17, and 24.
The Guadalupe River Chapter of Trout
Unlimited has also stocked some 20-inch
72
rainbows in the river this year to go along
with previously stocked large fish that
have survived and no doubt grown a little.
It’s great sport. And one of the most scenic
fishing areas in Texas.
Largemouths have mostly gone back
into deeper water off main lake points.
Fish deep and slowly. Deep diving crankbaits are a good choice this time of year.
Another good bet might be an undersized
plastic bait — like a Lonnie Stanley “ItzaBug” – dragged slowly along the bottom.
It provides a lot of action even when slow
moving. And did I say fish slowly?
The colder weather might be a good
time to fish for smallmouths. I’m planning
on spending time on Stillhouse Hollow,
myself. The pretty lake west of Salado has a
healthy smallie population, and they seem
to be a little more active than largemouths
in cold weather, according to Capt. Bruce
Shuler, who guides on Stillhouse.
In spite of cold weather, Texas winter
fishing is good. And it’ll get better each
week.
SOUTH TEXAS
By Danno Wise
The first month of the year is always
greeted with optimism. It is, after all, a
new start. Everyone hopes the year ahead
will be better than the year which has just
passed — no matter how good that year
may have been.
For bass fishermen, this is an additional reason for optimism — largemouth
bass are beginning to spawn on most
South Texas lakes as the new year gets
underway. January and February are the
two months which consistently produce
more truly big bass than any other time of
the year. So, while the weather may be at
its worst, trophy bass fishing is often at its
best. This is more than enough reason for
most hardcore bass fishermen to bundle
up, brave the elements and spend some
chilly days on the water during the first
month of the year.
COLETO CREEK — Victoria bass pro
Dennis Lala says bass on Coleto Creek
Reservoir will be ready to spawn in January. This means anglers can expect some
decent shallow water action, despite the
winter weather, as spawning fish will be
located in one to four feet of water. Lala
says anglers seeking spawning bass are
best off concentrating on the clear areas
between the grass and shoreline. Probing
these areas with spinnerbaits, soft-plastic
jerkbaits and other shallow-water baits
will produce plenty of solid bass this
month, says Lala.
“Our fish should be ready to spawn in
January,” said Lala. “When they get ready
to spawn, they’ll be in anywhere from a
foot to four feet of water – usually right
up against the shoreline. In this situation,
I’ll typically pitch a spinnerbait up to the
bank and draw it off real slow. If I run it
all the way to the grass without getting a
bite, I drag it over the grass and stop it just
as it comes off the outside edge. I’ll let it
fall for about two beats, then start a real
slow retrieve again.
“I’ll also use a real light Carolina rig.
Sometimes, I’ll just use a split shot ahead
of a watermelon Power Jerkshad. That’s a
great rig to throw up around the cattails.
What you really want to do is look for
the indentions and irregular spots in the
cattails. Pitch the bait as far as you can
into these indentions, then work it out
real slow. You can pick up a lot of bass this
way in January.
While spawning bass draw most of
the attention on Coleto in the first month
of 2014, Lala says the lake’s hot water
discharge provides fishermen a variety of
other angling options.
“There will be a lot of activity around
the hot water discharge as well,” said Lala.
“There will be some black bass caught
around there, but most of the time guys
fishing around the discharge will be fishing for catfish and stripers. For stripers the
best rig is a Pet Spoon under a popping
cork. You just need to cast the rig close
to the gates and let it swirl in the currents
created by the discharge and those stripers
will nail it. You can also use big live minnows under a cork. Minnows will catch
both stripers and yellow cats. Some of the
yellow cats caught around the discharge
will be pretty big, too. You’ll see some 40
JANUARY 2014
12/3/13 4:18 PM
PHOTO COURTESY OF DENNIS LALA.
January and February are the two months which consistently produce more truly big bass on
South Texas lakes than any other time of the year.
or 50 pound yellow cats caught up there.”
MEDINA — Traditionally, Medina’s
bass population is among the last to move
onto shallow spawning grounds. Jim
Gallagher of Jim’s Rebait Tackle says he
doesn’t expect this winter to be any different. In fact, he says fishermen heading
to Medina should be ready to utilize their
deep water tactics this month.
“A lot of fishermen don’t like this time
of year because the fish are deep and they
aren’t very aggressive,” said Gallagher.
“But, the good thing about our fish is they
are very predictable this time of year —
you know they are going to be on deep
structure, so you can eliminate a lot of
water right off the bat.
“This can be a tough lake in the winter
and you’ve kind of got to know what you’re
doing to catch fish. But, guys who know
how to find fish on deep structure and
know how to use some finesse deep water
tactics can do pretty good in January.
“Overall, vertical fishing is the best
bet in January. Jigging spoons produce
the most fish. But, drop shotting and
other vertical fishing techniques can catch
fish for people who know how and are
willing to do it. It’s not the most exciting
way in the world to fish, but when the fish
are hunkered down deep, it takes a slow
presentation to get them to bite. These verJANUARY 2014
tical fishing techniques allow fishermen
to keep their baits in front of fish longer.
That’s what leads to catching more fish.
“Of course, this is South Texas and
our weather can change, even in winter,”
he continued. “If we get a few days with
temperatures in the high 70s and nights
in the mid-50s, fish will move up a little.
If that happens, concentrate on the main
and secondary lake points and shorelines.
When the fish are on the points in winter,
you can usually catch them on some deep
diving crankbaits.
“The whites and hybrids won’t be
running quite yet, but they’ll be getting
ready,” the long time tackle retailer said.
“Everybody always gets over anxious and
starts looking for them up the river in
January, but our white bass usually don’t
run until March — February at the earliest. But, you can still catch white bass in
January. They can be found schooled up
on the surface around the lake. There’s no
predicting where they’ll be from day to
day, but if you run across them, you can
have some good action. Anytime you run
across them, a KT Spoon in chrome or
white is the absolute best thing to throw.”
CHOKE CANYON — As the new year
gets going, most of Choke Canyon’s bass
action — both largemouth and white bass
— will be taking place up the Frio River.
The white bass run will be happening
on Choke Canyon in January from the
Highway 99 bridge up on the Frio River.
Rattle-traps or small, flashy jigs will take
plenty of whites during January. Usually,
anglers can locate schools of white bass
near where the river enters the lake early
in January then follow them up river as
they move day by day.
Black bass will be preparing to spawn,
which means they will also be moving up
the rivers, creeks and arroyos in January.
Although there will be some fish hanging
on the edges of grass beds in about 12 feet
of water in the main lake, January is the
time to head up river in search of prespawn fish. Anglers should concentrate
on brush in shallow water in places such
as Sam McGill Creek or Coodie Creek.
Soft-plastic jerkbaits and spinnerbaits
will produce plenty of bass around the
shallow brush, as will football jigs and
Texas-rigged lizards. Throughout January, finding brush in shallow water with
muddy bottoms will be the key to finding
bass on Choke Canyon.
FALCON — Bass on Falcon Lake will
also be in pre-spawn mode as January gets
underway. This means fish will be moving
shallower and will be found not only on
the points, but also in the coves and up
the tributaries. Traditionally, the spawn on
Falcon begins on the upper portion of the
lake and works its way down in roughly
two-week increments. So, fishermen can
expect to see the first bass on beds in the
upper portions of Falcon by the beginning
of January. By mid-February, fish all over
the lake will be spawning.
Once the fish move up shallower,
they can be targeted with crankbaits and
spinnerbaits. There will still be some fish
caught on jigs and oversized soft-plastics,
but crankbaits and spinnerbaits allow
fishermen to cover much more water as
the fish work their way to the back of the
coves and into the creeks. Covering water
efficiently is often the key to catching bass
as they make their way into the shallows.
Although there should be some good
fish caught along shorelines throughout
the lake, most of the bigger fish will still
be found in the coves and creeks along
the lower half of the lake. Again, these
fish will be the last to make their way into
the shallows, but once they move in, they
represent the best opportunity to land a
true trophy largemouth.
Anglers working the lower portion of
73
12/3/13 4:18 PM
Falcon will also be able to target schools
of hybrid stripers near the dam. These
fish will generally be found at depth in
January. Once a school is located anglers
can enjoy fast action with deep diving
crankbaits and slab spoons.
WEST TEXAS
By TOJ Staff
AMISTAD — “Big Friendly” started
2013 over 37 feet low. This deficit peaked
at over 61 feet low the end of May and
early June. Then, as topical moisture fell
across its watershed this popular border
impound recovered what it had lost, plus
a little, and was about 36 feet low as the
old year came to a close.
The good news as 2014 begins, there is
a lot of brush that has been inundated by
the additional 25 feet of “new” water. This
opens up a lot of flats adjacent to deeper
river and creek channels. This will afford
black bass a place to winter, with plenty of
opportunities for bait to also hold nearby.
Anglers should look to these newly
flooded flats as a good place to cover lots
of water with Rat-L-Traps, spinnerbaits, or
crankbaits to find the depth the bass are
holding. Once found they should then
thoroughly probe the area with a Texas
rig, or a Stanley jig.
Also areas that have rocky or gravel
based slides will hold fish. This is particularly true around main lake points. Square
billed crankbaits worked at depth through
these areas should find fish.
Those seeking stripers should keep
their eyes peeled for bird activity, surface
commotion, or watch their electronics for
balls of fish in the 30-60 foot depth. These
big fish will be up all of the major rivers
this month.
O.H. IVIE — The New Year could be an
interesting one for this big bass producer.
At the end of 2013 the lake was over 42 feet
74
low compared to over 34 feet low as 2013
began. However, the lake was almost 38
feet low at the start of 2013. This compares
to just 27 feet low to start 2012.
Why all of the numbers? The reason
is for almost two years Ivie has seen a rise
or fall of about eight feet. While the lake
is low, there is some stability and anglers
as well as fish have adjusted to the water
that is available.
Most are keying during the winter
months on channel drops and ledges. The
days of deep water flats are pretty much a
memory so instead of dredging Carolina
rigs, anglers are covering water searching
for fish. When depth is determined they
will use their electronics looking for any
available structure, then thoroughly fish
those areas.
BROWNWOOD — At the end of 2013
this popular lake was a little over nine feet
low, compared to a little over 10 feet low
to start last year. The low water mark last
year occurred in mid-July at just over 13
feet low.
While four feet is not a lot, it does
put some structure back into play. Like
most lakes, the colder temperatures will
result in a slower bite, but slow rolled
spinnerbaits, and lipless crankbaits should
find fish.
Crappie anglers should look around
brush piles in water 12-20 feet deep. Small
jigs or live minnows are best.
spinnerbaits will help anglers find fish.
Once found switch to a Texas rig, or a jign-pig and thoroughly fish an area.
For something entirely different, anglers up in the High Plains may want to
go even higher, and head further west. It
is wintertime and anyone planning a trip
to one of the ski areas on New Mexico’s
Enchanted Circle, might want to take
along their ultra-light tackle and try fishing Eagle Nest Reservoir. It is something
different to ice fish, but it is fun to catch
native rainbow and cutthroat trout.
This lake is on the eastern edge of the
Enchanted Circle and is usually frozen
solid by the start of the New Year. There
are plenty of places to either rent ice augers, or even hire a local to help get you
started. Besides the two trout species
this reservoir also has salmon and pike
— species that are foreign to most Texans.
Another suggestion, is to make sure
you take your binoculars as well as cameras. The Moreno Valley in which Eagle
Nest sits is the wintering grounds for a
variety of wildlife including mule deer,
lots of elk, and coyotes.
If you’ve not ever venture to what was
once a part of the “old Republic of Texas,”
it is worth the drive.
HIGH PLAINS
February 2014
Pick up your
Issue of
TEXAS OUTDOORS
Journal
By TOJ Staff
HIGH PLAINS — On Lake Alan
Henry this popular fishery has seen a
three foot drop through 2013 and a six
foot drop over the past 24 months. Anglers looking for black bass should look
around deeper main lake points and any
available structure.
Rat-L-Traps, lipless crankbaits, and
On sale at
newsstands
January 28th.
JANUARY 2014
12/4/13 12:54 PM
12/3/13 4:18 PM
Guides, Gear & Getaways
SALTWATER
UPPER COAST | SABINE
UPPER COAST | MATAGORDA
OFFSHORE | FREEPORT
MIDDLE COAST | PORT O’CONNOR
OFFSHORE | FREEPORT
MIDDLE COAST | ROCKPORT
UPPER COAST | GALVESTON
MIDDLE COAST | CORPUS CHRISTI
YOUR AD SHOULD
BE HERE!
CALL 713-957-3997
for GUIDES, GEARS & GETAWAY ADS
76
JANUARY 2014
12/3/13 4:18 PM
MIDDLE COAST | PORT ARANSAS
MIDDLE COAST | PORT ARANSAS
Comfortably fish aboard
the stable and dry 29’ ProKat
Catamaran, powered by
twin Yamaha 250 hp outboards.
Nearshore & Offshore Fishing
& Sightseeing Excursions
Capt. Billy Olson, U.S.C.G. Master Captain #136670
(713) 201-0628, or email billy-toj@airmail.net
LOWER COAST | BAFFIN BAY
LOWER COAST | PORT ISABEL & SOUTH PADRE ISLAND
LOWER COAST | PORT MANSFIELD
FISHING EQUIPMENT
JANUARY 2014
77
12/5/13 10:23 AM
LOWER COAST | PORT MANSFIELD
CENTRAL TEXAS LAKES | LIMESTONE
LOUISIANA | LAKE CALCASIEU
EAST TEXAS LAKES | RICHLAND CHAMBERS
YOUR AD SHOULD
BE HERE!
CALL 713-957-3997
for GUIDES, GEARS & GETAWAY ADS
SOUTH TEXAS LAKES | MEDINA
TEXAS FRESH WATER
CENTRAL TEXAS LAKES | BELTON
STOP
Poaching!
78
Be sure to check out
texasoutdoorsjournal.com
before your next
hunting or fishing trip
CALL
1-800-792-GAME
to report game violators.
JANUARY 2014
12/3/13 4:18 PM
HUNTING
KANSAS
TEXAS
WATERFOWL HUNTING
HUNTING EQUIPMENT
GAME PROCESSING
JANUARY 2014
OTHER SERVICES
79
12/3/13 4:18 PM
Deadline for the February calendar is January 24, 2014
Outdoor Calendar
THROUGH JANUARY 5,
Dove, Late Season, North Zone,
105 counties. For more information
consult the TPWD Outdoor Annual,
website, or call (800) 792-1112.
THROUGH JANUARY 20,
Dove, Late Season, South Zone,
THROUGH JANUARY JAN. 26,
Sandhill Crane season, Zone C.
THROUGH JANUARY 5,
Dove, Late Season, Central Zone,
THROUGH JANUARY 20,
Dove, Late Season, Special Whitewinged Dove Area, 27 counties. For more
information consult the TPWD Outdoor
Annual, website, or call (800) 792-1112.
THROUGH JANUARY 26,
Ducks season, High Plains Mallard
Management Unit, 92 counties. For more
THROUGH JANUARY 5,
Pheasant season, Panhandle 37
counties. For more information
THROUGH JANUARY 26,
Duck regular season, second split,
North Zone. 139 counties. For more
THROUGH JANUARY 31,
Woodcock, Statewide, 254
THROUGH JANUARY 5,
Whitetail Deer general season,
North Texas, 212 counties. For more
THROUGH JANUARY 26,
Duck regular season, second split,
South Zone. 54 counties. For more
THROUGH FEBRUARY 2,
Squirrel Season, 51 East Texas
THROUGH JANUARY 5,
Rio Grande Turkey fall season,
North Texas, 123 counties. For more
THROUGH JANUARY 26,
“Dusky Duck season, second split.
South Zone. 54 counties. For more
THROUGH FEBRUARY 2,
Sandhill Crane season, Zone A.
THROUGH JANUARY 12,
White-Fronted Geese season, East
Zone, 123 counties. For more information
THROUGH JANUARY 26,
“Dusky Duck season, second split.
North Zone. 139 counties. For more
THROUGH FEBRUARY 2,
Sandhill Crane season, Zone B.
THROUGH JANUARY 19,
Whitetail Deer general season,
South Texas, 30 counties. For more
THROUGH JANUARY 26,
“Dusky” Duck season, High Plains
Mallard Management Unit. 92
THROUGH FEBRUARY 2,
Light and Dark Geese season, West
Zone, 151 counties. For more information
THROUGH JANUARY 19,
South Texas, 26 counties. For more
THROUGH JANUARY 19,
Brooks, Kenedy, Kleberg, Willacy
80
THROUGH JANUARY 26,
Canada Geese season, East Zone,
THROUGH JANUARY 26,
Light Geese season, East Zone,
THROUGH FEBRUARY 2,
Sandhill Crane season, Zone A.
THROUGH FEBRUARY 2,
Sandhill Crane season, Zone B.
JANUARY 2014
12/3/13 4:18 PM
THROUGH FEBRUARY 16,
Wilson’s Snipe (Common snipe or
Jacksnipe) season, Statewide. For more
Javelina season, Statewide. For more
Quail season, Statewide. For more
Chacalaca season, four Rio Grande
Valley counties. For more information
JANUARY 1,
Pictograph, Bouldering & Hiking
Tours, Hueco Tanks State Park & Historic
Site, El Paso. Bouldering and hiking tours
accommodate 10 people and pictograph
tours can accommodate up to 25. Tours
last a minimum of two hours, but most
are out all day. Participants should bring
their own climbing equipment such as
climbing shoes, crash pads, and chalk,
as well as food and water. Dress for
the desert environment: There will be
no climbing instruction or equipment
provided. Bouldering tours are not
accessible for the mobility, visually, or
hearing impaired. Call (915) 849-6684
for reservations and information.
JANUARY 3 – 12,
Houston International Boat, Sport, &
Travel Show, Reliant Center, Houston.
For information call (713) 526-6361.
JANUARY 4, 11,
Trails to Trout Kid’s Fishing Event,
Tyler Nature Center, Tyler, Approximately
2,000 rainbow trout will be stocked into
a 1 ½-acre pond to catch. Bring your own
fishing equipment or borrow rod-andreels, bait, and tackle from a TPWD staff
member. Safe fishing piers and restrooms
available. Fish cleaning and cooking
demonstrations will be provided. No
fishing license is required for kids or adult
mentors. Free to all participants and no
pre-registration is required. 08:30 a.m. JANUARY 2014
04:00 p.m. Call (903) 566-1615 x 202.
JANUARY 4, 11, 18, 25,
Beginner’s Fly Fishing Class, Open to
adults 18 years and older. No fly-fishing
experience is required and equipment
provided. $50 fee includes entrance,
lunch and an annual pass to the facility.
Advance reservations required and the
class is limited to 20 persons. 09:00
a.m. - 01:00 p.m. Call (903) 670-2222
JANUARY 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26
Texas Hunters Education TwoDay Course, Martin Dies Jr. State
Park, Jasper. Provides instruction
in Texas hunting regulations, wildlife
management and identification,
conservation, ethics, firearm and
hunting safety and responsibility, and
outdoor skills. Course is particularly
suited for novice or young hunters. All
materials provided. Cost is $15.00 per
person. To register call (409) 384-5231.
JANUARY 9 – 12,
Dallas Safari Club Annual Convention
& Expo – Generations, Dallas
Convention Center, Dallas. For more
information call (972) 980-9800.
JANUARY 11,
Gillespie County Chapter Mule Deer
Foundation fundraiser, Fredericksburg.
For more information call (850) 889-5819
JANUARY 16 – 19,
Austin Boat Show, Austin
Convention Center, Austin. For more
event, launching at 8 a.m. from the
Walnut boat ramp and docking at noon,
back at the Walnut boat ramp. Cost is
$30.00 per canoe and the trip is limited to
ten canoes. Reserve your spot by calling
the park headquarters at (409) 384-5231.
JANUARY 22 - 23,
Texas Parks & Wildlife Commission
Meeting, Austin, 09:00 a.m. - 05:00 p.m.
For more information call (800) 792-1112.
JANUARY 23 – 26,
San Antonio Boat Show,
Alamodome, San Antonio. For more
JANUARY 24-24,
East Texas Outdoor Expo, Maude
Cobb Convention Center, Longview. For
more information call (903) 237-4000.
JANUARY 27-MARCH 23,
Light Goose Conservation Season,
East Zone (123 counties). For more
information consult the Texas Outdoors
Annual, or call (800) 792-1112.
JANUARY 31,
Cooke County Limbhangers
Chapter National Wild Turkey
Federation fundraiser, Gainsville. For
JANUARY 31 – FEBRUARY 9,
Dallas Fort Worth Boat Expo,
Market Hall, Dallas. For more
JANUARY 17-19,
Houston Safari Club’s Annual
Convention & Sporting Expo –
CAPTURE the experience, Woodlands
Waterway Marriott, The Woodlands. For
more information call (713) 623-8844.
JANUARY 18,
Texas State Chapter National
Wild Turkey Federation
fundraiser, Fredericksburg. For more
information call (281) 639-9185,
JANUARY 18,
Guided Canoe Trip, Martin Dies Jr.
State Park, Jasper. Join interpreter, Amy
Kocurek, for an exploration of the Neches
paddling trails. This is about a four hour
HAVE YOUR OUTDOOR EVENT
INCLUDED IN TOJ’s OUTDOOR
CALENDAR.
Mail your outdoor calendar items to:
1706 W. Sam Houston Pkwy North,
Houston TX 77043
or fax to: 713.957.3996 or email to:
toj@airmail.net
81
12/3/13 4:18 PM
Tide Tables
Fishing & Hunting Times
JANUARY 2014
SUN
MON
TUE
WED
H1:28A
L9:34A
H5:39P
L10:02P
L2:30A
H7:51A
L1:56P
H8:53P
0.3
0.7
0.0
0.9
L3:49A
H9:49A
L3:06P
H9:27P
0.1
0.6
0.3
0.8
0.5
0.8
-0.2
0.9
L7:59A
H4:21P
L9:28P
-0.6 H12:11A 0.8 H12:48A 0.9 H1:27A
1.0 L8:32A -0.6 L9:03A -0.6 L9:32A
0.9 H5:32P
0.9 H5:11P
0.7 H4:49P
0.8 L9:42P
L9:39P
0.8 L9:35P
12
H4:13A
L11:27A
H7:12P
6
13
0.7 L12:26A
-0.3 H5:15A
0.8 L11:59A
H7:36P
19
0.4
0.6
-0.1
0.8
20
27
0.3
0.5
0.0
0.7
21
1.1
-0.9
1.1
0.8
2
8
14
L1:21A
H6:45A
L12:32P
H7:57P
L5:57A -0.6 L6:50A -0.8 L7:43A
1.0 H3:54P
H2:32P
0.9 H3:15P
0.8 L8:08P
L6:21P
0.8 L7:22P
H10:07P 0.9 H11:21P 0.9
26
7
H2:27A
L10:24A
H6:21P
L10:53P
FRI
SAT
1.1 H4:42A
-0.7 L12:05P
1.1 H7:40P
0.7
H3:30A
L11:14A
H7:01P
L11:55P
3
0.9
-0.5
1.0
PACIFIC
MOUNTAIN
CENTRAL
EASTERN
< (+) (-) >
< (+) (-) >
< (+) (-) >
< (+) (-) >
4
L4:55A -0.1 L5:51A -0.3 L6:39A -0.5 L7:21A -0.6
1.0
0.9 H3:44P
0.8 H2:54P
H11:54A 0.7 H1:41P
0.7
0.7 L8:55P
0.7 L7:59P
L4:48P
0.5 L6:38P
H9:59P
0.8 H10:31P 0.8 H11:03P 0.8 H11:36P 0.8
L1:08A
H6:07A
L12:59P
H8:17P
5
1.1
-0.9
1.2
0.9
1
US TIME ZONES
THU
L2:17A
H8:38A
L1:10P
H8:12P
9
0.9
-0.6
0.9
0.7
H2:05A
L10:00A
H5:55P
L10:09P
0.1
0.5
0.2
0.7
L3:13A
H10:37A
L1:56P
H8:23P
15
22
-0.9 H12:33A 1.0 H1:42A
1.0 L8:35A -0.9 L9:26A
1.0 H5:06P
0.8 H4:31P
L8:53P
0.7 L9:41P
28
29
10
11
H2:44A
L10:28A
H6:20P
L10:49P
0.0
0.5
0.4
0.7
L4:08A -0.2 L5:03A
H12:22P 0.6 H1:38P
L3:02P
0.5 L4:41P
H8:36P
0.8 H9:06P
1.0
-0.9
1.0
0.6
H2:51A
L10:17A
H5:39P
L10:34P
16
23
30
0.8
-0.5
0.8
0.6
H3:25A
L10:57A
H6:46P
L11:35P
0.8
-0.6
0.9
0.7
17
24
0.7
-0.4
0.8
0.5
18
-0.4
0.8
0.7
0.8
25
1.0
-0.7
0.9
0.5
120°
31
115°
MON
TUE
WED
THU
FRI
0.9 L12:33A
-0.3 H6:38A
0.8 L12:47P
H7:15P
2
0.1
0.8
0.0
0.8
3
L1:39A
H8:10A
L1:42P
H7:46P
0.0
0.7
0.3
0.8
4
L2:48A
H9:56A
L2:52P
H8:17P
-0.2
0.7
0.5
0.8
5
100°
95°
90°
85°
80°
75°
SAT
H4:01A
L11:06A
H6:12P
L11:31P
H5:16A
L11:56A
H6:44P
105°
JANUARY 2014
FEBRUARY 2014
SUN
110°
L3:58A -0.3 L5:03A
H11:53A 0.8 H1:42P
L4:55P
0.7 L6:57P
H8:48P
0.8 H9:24P
6
-0.4
0.8
0.7
0.8
7
1.0
-0.5
0.9
0.3
1
L6:01A -0.4
H2:50P
0.9
L8:09P
0.7
H10:10P 0.8
8
Times are for Galveston, Galveston Channel
TIME DIFFERENCES
Calcasieu Pass, Louisiana
Sabine Pass Lighthouse
Sabine Pass Jetty
Sabine Pass
Mesquite Point, Sabine Pass
Galveston Bay ent. south jetty
Port Bolivar
Galveston Bay
Texas City, Turning Basin
Eagle Point (1)
Clear Lake(1)
Morgan Point (1)
Round Pt.,Trinity Bay (1)
Point Barrow, Trinity Bay
Gilchrist, East Bay
Jamaica Beach, West Bay
Alligator Point, West Bay
Christmas Point, Christmas Bay
Galveston Pleasure Pier
San Luis Pass
Freeport Harbor
Pass Cavallo
Aransas Pass
Padre Island (South End)
Port Isabel
High
-2:14
-1:46
-1:26
-1:00
-0:04
-0:39
+0:14
Low
-1:24
-1:31
-1:31
-1:15
-0:25
-1:05
-0:06
+0:33
+3:54
+6:05
+10:21
+10:39
+5:48
+3:16
+2:38
+2:39
+2:32
-1:06
-0:09
-0:44
0:00
-0:03
-0:24
+1:02
+0:41
+4:15
+6:40
+5:19
+5:15
+4:43
+4:18
+3:31
+2:33
+2:31
-1:06
-0:09
-1:02
-1:20
-1:31
-1:45
-0:42
Tidal adjustments are not predictable for Port O’Connor, Matagorda Bay; Port
Lavaca, Matagorda Bay; and Riviera Beach, Baffin Bay since they are driven by wind
and weather. — NOAA
82
FEBRUARY 2014
Fish, game and all wildlife move in search of food in cycles relative to the moon’s location to the
earth. The time spans listed above are the prime times to start each day at and along each time
zone meridian of longitude 75 degrees (Eastern) 90 degrees (Central) 105 degrees (Mountain)
and 120 degrees (Pacific) during Standard time and Daylight Saving during the time it is in effect.
To determine the feeding cycle time for best fishing and hunting in the area you plan to fish or
hunt advance the sum of 4 minutes for each degree west and back up 4 minutes for each degree
east. The next prime feeding cycle (not listed on the calendar) will be approximately twelve and
one-half hours later. There are minor periods that occur between the prime or major periods.
The minor periods are typically fair periods and last only about half as long as the prime periods.
Feeding Times by Dan Barnett have been proven by analysis of 124 – 3 day bass tournaments
between 1967 through 1983 to be reliable and accurate in predicting wildlife feeding activity.
The Feeding Times are not a cure-all. Weather and other environmental conditions affect wildlife
feeding activity. Annual vest pocket books, which show all the major and minor periods, can be
ordered by sending a check or money order for $15.00 per book. For S&H, please add $4.00 to
an order of 1 to 4 books. Make check or money order payable to: Feeding Times. Send to: Feeding
Times, P.O. Box 2240, Covington, GA 30015. After Oct. 1, please indicate book year. For questions
or comments, you can call 404-373-7151.
Over 60 Years in Print
Feeding Times by Dan Barnett
17 Years Test Proven
JANUARY 2014
12/3/13 4:18 PM
12/3/13 4:18 PM
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For reservations call
361-749-6201
www.sandcastlecondo.com
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361-749-4191
seagull@portaransas-texas.com
Spectacular Gulf Sunrises
361-749-6030
lamirage@portaransas-texas.com
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361-749-5118
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361-749-6257
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361-749-6942
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361-749-4122
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361-749-6206
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361-749-6212
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CONDOMINIUM CONSULTING
MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
Managing Comfort in Port Aransas since 1984
www.PortAransas-Texas.com
12/3/13 4:18 PM

Project PVC - “Brush Piles”

Transcription

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