0704 CLM - Country Line Magazine

4 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E
IN THIS ISSUE
F E AT U R E S
brad paisley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
cd review
Anchored in Love: A Tribute to June Carter Cash . . . . . . . . . . . .12
the write people . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
DEPARTMENTS
Nashville Music News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Texas Music News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
’Round About Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
by Sandra Greaney
Homespun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Movie Reviews
Recipe & Grandma’s Hints
Cowboy Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Spring Farming
Calling All Cowboys!
On Pit Row . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
by Chuck Licata
The Texas Outdoor Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
by Larry LeBlanc
Fishing Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
by Don Gordon
w w w. c o u n t r y l i n e m a g a z i n e . c o m
5 1 2 - 2 9 2 - 1113
MAILING ADDRESS
9508 CHISHOLM TRAIL • AUSTIN, TEX. 78748
LETTERS & COMMENTS
TJ@COUNTRYLINEMAGAZINE.COM
OR MAIL TO ADDRESS ABOVE
PUBLISHER & EDITOR |
T. J. Greaney
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Shirley Baker, Marc Bradberry, Sheryl Bucsanyi,
Don Gordon, Sandra Greaney,
Larry LeBlanc, Chuck Licata,
Pauline Reese, Patty Ruland
T
F There is a small bird, I am not sure
what kind, that sings each morning
outside my bedroom window. He, or she,
starts their song just as the sun begins to
rise. I love that. When you head for the
coast there is a point where you can
smell the musty thick fragrance of the
bays and estuaries; I love that also. They
say it is the small things in life that we
overlook. I am convinced it is the small
things in life that make life special.
Kenny Chesney sings a great song
about the simple things in life, like the
kids at home and a loving wife, that he
misses the most after losing them to
drinking. I am blessed that with all the
drinking and getting in trouble, God
willing, on April 17 I will celebrate 21
years clean and sober. Now I don’t say
this to brag, although I am proud of it; I
say it to remind myself that I have done
something good, important, and to this
day I have remained committed to it.
But it is truly the simple things that
matter to me the most today.
Recently I lost a friend to cancer,
and if you read these editorials you may
know that it was Lee. Through that
whole ordeal I had to stand tall and be
the one who did not waver. I held my
emotions at arm’s length as best I could.
Now, a month and a half later, I am
beginning to grieve. I think the first sign
showed up on a recent hunting trip.
I am an avid outdoorsman and any
opportunity to sling an arrow is an
important one for me. The recent outing
had been planned for months and it was
with a group of other outdoor writers at
one of my favorite ranches. I got there
Sunday and had until Thursday to hunt
and hang out in the woods — perfect.
The problem was that on Tuesday
morning I became convicted that I
needed to be home. Why? Because both
my kids had ballgames that night. I have
missed plenty of ballgames I assure you,
and home Bible studies and Sunday
mornings, but this feeling, this time, it
was different.
While I was at the ranch I struck up
a conversation with a fellow who had
spent the last 25 years on the road as a
salesman. I told him I thought I would
leave the next day because I didn’t want
to wake up and regret that I went
hunting when I should have been at my
kids’ ballgames.
He told me, “You will always have
regrets. Life is full of regrets.”
He said he raised girls and boys who
all love him dearly, and his wife is an
angel. I pondered that for quite some
time and I think he is right. I will always
regret not reading more books, not
writing more, not hunting either here or
there, not doing something.
However there are things I don’t
want to have on my heart as a regret.
One thing is that I don’t want to forget
to tell someone I was sorry. I want to tell
my kids I love them over and over and
go to every ballgame I can. I want my
wife to know that she was the love of my
life. I want to listen when people talk to
me. I want to be remembered as a guy
whom people liked and who cared for
them.
God gives us glimpses and nudges to
help us find our way. He sometimes
pokes us hard to get our attention. I have
recently received a smack across the
head with God’s favorite baseball bat. I
heard Him. I pray that I can only
continue to listen to the bird outside my
window in awe, to kneel when a
youngster talks to me, to love my family
the way they deserve to be loved. Are
you collecting regrets?
God bless,
T. J. Greaney
Publisher
tj@countrylinemagazine.com
C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 5
BRITNEY SPEARS &
TANYA TUCKER
With
all
the
controversy
surrounding
Britney
Spears’
breakdown and recovery, attention has
been drawn to country music’s leading
lady Tanya Tucker regarding the
similarities in her life and career.
Similarities so much, that even
Britney’s father has reached out to
Tanya. On Saturday, March 24th, FOX
News featured Tanya in a primetime
special titled “Britney Spears: Toxic
Exposure.”
The television special paralleled
Britney and Tanya’s life, from their
early childhood success in music and
television to their fascinating personal
lives. The story included both icons’
descent into drugs and alcohol and
their attempts at recovery. Also
appearing in the television special was
Britney’s mother, Lynn Spears, and
other former child stars including
Debbie Gibson, Christopher Knight,
and Danny Bonaduce.
Also in March Tanya’s life story
was featured on the Biography
Channel. The episode highlighted
Tanya’s life story starting with her early
childhood success and the chaos that
ensued. In the 1990s Tanya had a
resurgence in country music and was
able to pursue other professional
endeavors outside of music. Her
ventures included several book deals
and a television series, focusing solely
on her rowdy life, appropriately titled
“Tuckerville.”
6 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E
music museum — the brainchild of
Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen —
and station PD Becky Brenner gave
credit to Gretchen for helping the
station increase donations on their St.
Jude Radiothon by 20% over last year.
On Tuesday, Gretchen and her
crew bussed down to Portland for a
concert and lunch with 50 KUPL
listeners at the station’s “Meet ’n’ Eat”
event. Gretchen took time between
songs chat with and take questions
from listeners. That night, it was on to
Duke’s, a popular country bar on the
outskirts of Portland. KWJJ PD Mike
Moore said demand for tickets was
“crazy,” and the 600 people who
packed in the small venue literally
never stopped screaming from start to
finish. The event that night raised
over $23,000 for the Dornbecker
Childrens’ Hospital in Portland.
Gretchen returned to Nashville to
appear at the famed Grand Ole Opry,
where she performed her hit single
“Come To Bed” and the title cut to her
third album One of the Boys due out
May 15, 2007. The performance will
be televised on GAC’s “Opry Live.”
GRETCHEN WILSON
CONTINUES HER BACK
TO THE BARS TOUR RODNEY ATKINS’
AND A GRAND OLE
SO-CALLED
OPRY APPEARANCE OVERNIGHT SUCCESS
WAS HARD-WON
Gretchen Wilson just returned
from the West Coast run of her “Back
To The Bars” tour, where she
performed for intimate gatherings and
large, unruly crowds from San Diego to
Seattle.
After performing at the Houston
Livestock Show and Rodeo, she
headed out to San Diego to perform an
intimate concert for 50 KUSS Radio
listeners at the station’s US 95.7 Rest
Stop. That afternoon she went across
town to perform for all of the KSON
listeners who had pledged to be St.
Jude Partners In Hope — at a cost of
$320 per ticket!
The next stop was Tacoma,
Washington, where Gretchen and her
band performed a stripped-down
concert for 50 lucky KKWF Radio
listeners. She signed autographs and
took pictures with everyone in
attendance before heading up to
Seattle for another St. Jude event at
EMP (Experience Music Project.) An
estimated 800 KMPS listeners were in
attendance at the unique interactive
Curb Recording Artist Rodney
Atkins records songs that are
autobiographical and lyrics from the
title track of his platinum album If
You’re Going Through Hell are no
exception. After 10 years, 5 months
and 25 days from the day he signed his
record deal, Atkins has become one of
country music’s hot new male vocalists
and an “overnight success.”
“If You’re Going Through Hell,
Keep on Going, Don’t Slow Down, If
You're Scared Don’t Show it, You
Might Get Out Before the Devil Even
Knows You’re There”
It’s no wonder these words
resonated with the Tennessee native.
Years of pounding the pavement,
performing for fans all over the
country, catching glimpses of stardom
and taking odd jobs to make ends
meet, Rodney Atkins’ perseverance
paid off with two back to back multiple
week number one singles, two ACM
nominations and an RIAA certified
platinum album. Rodney also has
holds the exclusive honor of being the
only nominee in the “Best New Male
Vocalist” category, for his ACM
nomination, who has a platinum
album.
Rodney Atkins is currently
nominated for two Academy of
Country Music Awards for “Best New
Male Vocalist” and “Song of the Year”
for “If You’re Going Through Hell.”
He continues to win new fans with
powerhouse live performances on stage
and TV as he crisscrosses the country
showcasing his strong voice and
infectious lyrics. He will hit the road
with Martina McBride in April and
later this summer, join Brad Paisley on
tour. For a list of tour dates, please visit
rodneyatkins.com.
LEAD SINGER RICHIE
MCDONALD HAS
DECIDED TO LEAVE
LONESTAR
Lonestar announced recently after
14 years together and over 11 million
albums sold, the multi-award winning
band will be making some changes at
the end of this year. With their
commitment to RCA Label Group
fulfilled, the band has the opportunity
to pursue other endeavors. Lead singer
Richie McDonald has decided to leave
the group to embark on a solo career
while Dean Sams, Michael Britt, and
Keech Rainwater are eager to
announce their new lead singer and
record label as they will continue to
tour and produce music as Lonestar.
“Life is about change. Lonestar has
evolved over the 14 years we have
been together. Michael, Keech and
myself are excited about the challenges
that lie ahead. “As the founding
members of Lonestar one thing that
has never changed is the fans that love
great music. It seems like just yesterday
John Rich left the band to pursue an
alternate career path and in that time
of change Lonestar remained and went
on to sell over 10 million records, the
fans remain. I then am reminded about
the time Richie was out due to a back
injury and Josh Gracin filled in and I
realized again it is the music of
Lonestar the fans love, they remain.
Now, another change is coming for the
band and we know the fans will love
the new singer too,” says Dean Sams.
United they stand as 2007 kicksoff with a full national tour in support
of their latest release, Mountains,
including a stop next month in New
York City as they make special
appearances on Fox’s nationally
syndicated show “The Morning Show
with Mike & Juliet,” “Emeril Live!,”
and CBS’s “The Early Show.” All
members of the band are committed to
fulfilling their obligations throughout
the end of the year and are thrilled to
do so.
Lonestar has enjoyed over a decade
of success with hits such as “Amazed,”
“My Front Porch Looking In” (the
most-played country song of 2003),
and “I’m Already There.” With seven
ACM and CMA Awards to their
credit, including their 2007 ACM
Nomination in the “Vocal Group of
the Year” category, the band’s
accomplishments will not be forgotten
as they are look forward to their futures
with enthusiasm.
C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 7
by Pauline Reese
H
F
Houston … Houston means that
I’m one day closer to you. Larry Gatlin
performed at the Texas Heritage
Songwriter Showcase last month at the
legendary Hill’s Cafe along with Billy
Joe Shaver and Aaron Barker. You talk
about some great stories behind the
songs! Larry will be back here in
Austin for the Legends of Country
Music Festival at Nutty Brown Cafe
coming up in May along with Wade
Bowen, Roger Creager, Michael Myers
and Brandon Ryder. Billy Joe Shaver’s
Greatest Hits CD comes out this
month! This CD is not just re-recorded
stuff, there are some songs that were
previously unreleased live and studio
versions of his classics! He’ll be
performing in the area this May at the
Luckenbach Dance Hall. Aaron
Barker’s song “Touch” a song inspired
about an 11th floor patient at
Vanderbuilt Hospital has gotten a lot
of attention. He’s currently working on
an
inspirational
album
with
producer/songwriter Leigh Reynolds.
And his song “Love Without End,
Amen” was named one of the top 25
greatest Country songs ever written by
Country Weekly!
Another reason to talk about
Houston would be my amigo Houston
Marchman
(wonderful
singer/
songwriter) who is currently working
on his tenth album! Yes, you read that
right, his tenth album! Houston now
lives in the Austin area and is working
with Kimmie Rhodes’ son, Gabe
Rhodes (fabulous guitar player), on
A•P•R•I•L
22308 HWY 71 WEST
SPICEWOOD, TEX.
512/264-0318
Voted on of the Top 20 Places to
Visit in Austin . —Austin Chronicle
21 AND OLDER
TUESDAYS
The Troubadillos
Pool Tournament
WEDNESDAYS
Open Pickers Night
w/ Jimmy Lee Jones
5-THU
The Lonesome Heroes
6-FRI
Dixie Beal
7-SAT
Rare Dog CD Release Party
13-FRI
Brandon Jenkins
14-SAT Keith Davis Band
20-FRI
Barnhill
Brooks Allen Brannon opens
21-SAT Tracy Conover
this new project. They hope to release
the album sometime this fall. If your
itching to see him perform live then
you can catch Houston and I along
with the High Country Band at
Poodie’s Roadhouse on May 11th in
Spicewood, Tex. or on June 8th
Houston will be at the legendary
Gruene Hall. If you’ve never seen or
heard Houston, well … where have
you been? Check him and his music
out at houstonmarchman.com
I talked with singer/songwriter
Davin James at our show in Old Town
Spring at Puffabellys last month. He’s
having a good time out there on the
road with lots of shows all over the
state. His new CD Palmer Lake is out
right now! Davin is such a talented
songwriter I guarantee you’ll love his
music. Go to davinjames.com and take
a listen for yourself.
I had the honor of attending the
“Last of the Breed Tour” concert here
in Austin last month. Willie Nelson,
Freddy Powers, Merle Haggard, Ray
Benson and Ray Price are touring the
U.S. together! Willie’s daughter Paula
Nelson kicked off the show with a
bang! It was such a magical moment
when they all got out on stage and sang
together but for me it was when Freddy
Powers whose been diagnosed with
Parkinson’s disease graced everyone
with a song and then sang with Merle
all night! Freddie is setting such a great
example for anyone who has
Parkinson’s Disease — in that you
should live your life to the fullest
everyday! He’s one of the strongest
people I know. Here’s to you Freddy P!
To learn more about Parkinson’s
Disease go to freddypowers.org.
PA U L I N E R E E S E I S A P R O U D T E X A S
MUSICIAN. TO FIND OUT MORE, VISIT
W W W. PA U L I N E R E E S E . C O M
26-THU Green Mountain Grass
27-FRI
bottled right here in
Austin. Don’t buy bottled
28-SAT Rusty Wier
Jeff Strahan opens
city tap water when you
can enjoy natures pure
29-SUN Kip Attaway (America’s
Premier Cowboy Comedian)
refreshing spring water.
KEEPIN’ IT LOCAL!
Check out our menu, music calendar and events at
8 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E
Country songwriting legend and
Texas native Aaron Barker, who has
written for the likes of George Strait,
Lonestar, and Willie Nelson to name a
few, was recently honored by Senator
Tommy Williams of Texas who
sponsored a legislative resolution
declaring him a “Texas Heritage
Songwriter.” Barker was honored along
with fellow recipients Larry Gatlin and
Billy Joe Shaver.
Barker was presented with a
unique award — a handcrafted flag
frame with a Texas Flag. The frame
holds the certificate declaring his title,
and a certificate certifying that the flag
was flown over the state capitol
building. Senator Leticia Van de Putte
from Barker’s hometown of San
Antonio made the presentation.
Barker accepted the award and then
wowed the crowd with versions of his
many #1 hits.
“This is precisely the mission of
the Texas Heritage Songwriters’
Association,” said Deirdre Lannon,
event coordinator and Administrator
of the Center for Texas Music History,
Texas State University — San Marcos.
True Texas spring water
Magnolia Band
CD Release Party
WWW.POODIES.INFO
TEXAS HERITAGE
SONGWRITERS’
ASSOCIATION
Home or Office Delivery
Call Today! 512/280-4037
Official Water of
The Texas Outdoor Zone
Texas Proud!
Still Make Cheyenne” all recorded by
George Strait. Other #1 songs include
“Watch This” and “You’re Beginning
To Get To Me” recorded by Clay
Walker, and “What About Now” by
Lonestar.
UPCOMING TEXAS
MUSIC SHOWS
Dickson Productions has a bunch
of great shows for you Texas music
lovers out there, check them out.
Cross Canadian Ragweed, May 25
Whitewater Amphitheatre, 11860 FM
306, New Braunfels, Tex.
Roger
Creager,
May
26
River Road Icehouse, 1791 Hueco
Springs Loop, New Braunfels, Tex.
“Mr. Barker has chosen to make his art
outside of the spotlight, and today we
shone the spotlight right on him. Now
the audience knows who wrote the
songs that superstars have made so
famous.”
Hearts Bluff Music recently
purchased Barker’s publishing catalog.
It contains over 500 titles including a
string of classic #1 hits such as “Baby
Blue,” “Love Without End, Amen,”
“I’d Like To Have That One Back,”
“Easy Come, Easy Go,” and “I Can
Randy Rogers Band 2nd Annual
‘For the Sake of the Song’ Festival, June 8-10
Whitewater Amphitheatre, 11860 FM
306, New Braunfels, Tex.
Cruising with Ragweed and
Friends, July 1-8 Carnival Conquest,
Western Caribbean
For more info, check out their
website at dicksonproductions.com
C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 9
brad paisley
CLIMBS THE CHARTS WITH NEW ALBUM’S “TICKS”
BRAD PAISLEY IS TUNED UP AND
ready to shift into the summer with the
June 19 release of 5th Gear, the followup to Paisley’s hit-filled DoublePlatinum CMA & ACM Album of the
Year winner, Time Well Wasted.
Time Well Wasted launched three
back-to-back #1 hits, and now “Ticks,”
the first single from 5th Gear, is on
track to do the same. Already a Top 20
smash after only four weeks on the
country airplay charts, “Ticks” delivers
a completely lighthearted and tonguein-cheek look at backwoods love.
Penned by Paisley with Kelley
Lovelace and Tim Owens, “Ticks”
recently sucked praise from Billboard’s
Deborah Evans-Price, who cheered, “If
the roar of laugher coming from
country programmers in attendance
was any indication, here is Paisley’s
next No. 1. … with what may be the
most countrified way ever of expressing
lust … Leave it to Paisley to redefine
romance, while making country
listeners laugh out loud.”
Entertainment Weekly’s Chris
Willman tweezed out, “Brad Paisley
debuted his romantic new single, the
key line of which is: ‘I want to check
you for ticks.’ (We’re gonna make the
call for a Song of the Year Grammy
right here.)”
“Ticks” also latched onto Music
Row’s Robert K. Oermann, who
lauded, “The song is as clever as all get
out. The stuttering, chattering guitar,
twittering steel and deep thumping
drumming make it even cuter.”
Fans saw more on “Ticks” in the
March 30 issue of Entertainment
Weekly.
And while the song is infested with
Paisley’s characteristic humor — and
meant to be taken as such — it’s
important to note that non-musical ticks
present a potential health hazard. For
more information on prevention and
remedies, consult a reputable resource
such as the Centers for Disease Control
at www.cdc.gov/ncidod/ticktips2005/.
Look for Paisley to preview more
music from his upcoming disc when he
kicks off his 2007 concert series,
Hershey’s Presents Bonfires &
Amplifiers Tour, beginning April 26.
W
10 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E
C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 11
CD REVIEW
VARIOUS ARTISTS
Anchored in Love: A Tribute
to June Carter Cash
The life of the late country music
legend June Carter Cash will be
celebrated this June 19 with the
simultaneous release of an all-star tribute
album as well as an intimate
memoir/biography written by her son,
John Carter Cash.
The CD, Anchored in Love: A
Tribute to June Carter Cash, boasts an
impressive talent line-up including
tracks by Elvis Costello, Billy Bob
Thornton, Emmylou Harris, Carlene
Carter and Ronnie Dunn and Sheryl
Crow and Willie Nelson.
John Carter Cash, who produced the
tribute CD, talks about the Crow/Nelson
track, the classic “If I Were A
Carpenter.”
“Sheryl and my parents met in the
1990s through Rick Rubin, when she
worked on my father’s American III
album. When my mother passed away,
Sheryl was there at the funeral, and she
got up and sang some music with
Emmylou. She had sung “If I Were a
Carpenter” with Willie on a tribute show
to my father a few years back, so it was
something they both knew very well. It
was a heartfelt thing, a matter of the
spirit, and also to pay respect to my
mother and father’s great original
recording, when my parents turned the
Tim Hardin song into a duet.”
The complete listing is as follows:
“If I Were a Carpenter” | Sheryl
Crow and Willie Nelson
“Jackson” | Carlene Carter and
Ronnie Dunn
“Wildwood Flower” | Loretta Lynn
“Far Side Banks of Jordan” | Patty
Loveless and Kris Kristofferson
“Keep On the Sunny Side” | Brad
Paisley
“Wings of Angels” | Roseanne Cash
“Ring of Fire” | Elvis Costello
“Road to Kaintuck” | Billy Bob
Thornton and the Peasall Sisters
“Big Yellow Peaches” | Grey De Lisle
“Kneeling Drunkard Plea” | Billy Joe
Shaver
“Will the Circle Be Unbroken” |
Ralph Stanley
“Song to John” | Emmylou Harris
by Sandra Greaney
W
F What a whirlwind month March
was! From SXSW, St. Patrick’s Day
celebrations to the rodeo, now would
be a good time to do some good ole
relaxing. Oh, but wait a minute, here
we go again! There are so many great
events happening this month. There
are a lot of outdoor festivities
scheduled and I’m just hoping that the
weather will be cooperative. Take a
look at what’s coming in and around
Central Texas.
around austin
A P R I L 1 PALM SUNDAY
APRIL 1-15 REVEAL CHARACTER:
ROBB KENDRICK’S TEXAS TINTYPES
at Bob Bullock Texas State History
Museum. Even today, Texas boasts a
number of real-life working cowboys on
modern-day
ranches.
Texas
photographer Robb Kendrick captures
images of those cowboys via the tintype,
a 19th-century method. This exhibition
features more than 60 tintypes of Lone
Star cowboys and cowgirls. 866-3697108, thestoryoftexas.com
APRIL 1-NOV 1 BAT WATCHING
The 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed
bats that live beneath the Congress
Avenue Bridge take flight in a mass
exodus each night at dusk. 512-4165700 x3, batcon.org
A P R I L 3 PASSOVER
APRIL 4-7 CLYDE LITTLEFIELD
T E X A S R E L A Y S This is one of the premiere
track and field events in the country that
features high school, college and
professional athletes. All being held at
the Mike A. Myers Stadium on the UT
Campus. 800-687-8379
APRIL
6-7
URBAN MUSIC
F E S T I V A L on the shores of Town Lake.
This all-day, outdoor, family-oriented
event will feature live music from
renowned blues, soul, hip-hop artists
and more. All the social activities take
place along the banks of Town Lake.
512-477-6060, urbanmusicfest.com
A P R I L 7 S P A M A R A M A Everything
Spam will be present at the 28th
annual festival that honors the potted
pork product. The cook-off, Spam
Olympics, Spam Jam and more will be
at Republic Square, on Fifth and
Guadalupe Streets. 512-834-1827,
spamarama.org
APRIL 7 EASTER EGGSTRAVAGANZA
For children 10 and under. The children
will hunt for eggs stuffed with candy and
prizes and there will also be a carnival.
Event being held at House Park Field
APRIL 8 EASTER SUNDAY
APRIL
15
HOLOCAUST
REMEMBRANCE DAY
APRIL 19-22 OLD SETTLER’S
M U S I C F E S T I V A L at the Salt Lick
Pavilion/Camp Ben McCulloch. There
will be three stages featuring 25
bluegrass, folk and Americana music
acts along with arts, crafts and
camping at this signature musical
event. 512-370-4630
APRIL 21 BOB MARLEY/AUSTIN
R E G G A E F E S T I V A L So get your dancing
shoes on and go enjoy all the music,
food and fun at Auditorium Shores.
This wonderful event benefits (in part)
the Capital Area Food Bank. 512-7735177, austinreggaefest.com
APRIL
25
ADMINISTRATIVE
PROFESSIONALS DAY
MAY 1 LABOR DAY
1915 German farm family would have.
Park interpreters will be making natural
dyed Easter eggs, lamb cake and grass
Easter nests, as the early settlers would
have made them. 830-644-2252
APRIL
22
FOUNDERS DAY
F E S T I V A L in Dripping Springs. 512848-4740
Have a great March!
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SANDRA@COUNTRYLINEMAGAZINE.COM
F O R C O N S I D E R AT I O N . S PA C E L I M I T S
O P P O R T U N I T Y.
out of town
APRIL 5 FARMER FRED’S SPRING
C A R N I V A L in San Marcos. 512-393-8400
A P R I L 6 - 7 E A S T E R F E S T I V A L on
the River in Kerville. 830-792-3535
A P R I L 7 E A S T E R at the SauerBeckmann Farm (in Johnson City), you
can celebrate Easter like a traditional
C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 13
THE WRITE PEOPLE
D
F
During the very first ‘Rocky’
movie, while Burges Meredith was
dying, some medical types were
working on him and one of them said,
“Blood pressure 50 over 100, start
CPR.” Doctors, nurses, EMTs, and
plenty of other people who saw that
show either laughed or cried. It was
one of the most blatantly stupid lines
ever put in a movie.
The first number in a blood
pressure reading (the systolic pressure)
cannot be lower than the diastolic
pressure, and you don’t start CPR
while a patient has any readable blood
pressure at all.
So whoever put that line in the
movie had no idea what they were
talking about. That kind of thing
happens all the time, but it’s usually not
so obvious. It happens more often in
books, when the author doesn’t know
the subject. And in books it happens
most often when the subject is guns.
To a reader, this pretty much ruins
things. Clive Cussler is one of my
favorite writers, but he doesn’t know
anything about guns, and it shows. But
at least Cussler writes about other stuff,
and the guns are superficial. Stephen
Hunter, on the other hand, wrote a
book about a Marine sniper, and he
knows so little about guns that he
referred to a Remington model 1100 as
a pump gun.
It makes a huge difference to a
reader when the writer knows the
subject. That doesn’t happen often
where guns are concerned, but there is
one book published recently in which
the author definitely knows guns. It’s
called ‘the gun that wasn’t there,’ by
Russell Smith.
Russell was the chief of police in
San Angelo when I met him, and he
had been in law enforcement for
twenty years. He is also an outdoor
writer, which is not common among
police officers. But that combination
allowed Russell to write a book few
others could have written as well, the
true story of the ‘Caveman Bandit’ who
shot Pelham Bradford, the Pumpville,
Texas postmaster, and Bill Cooksey, the
Terrell County Sheriff, in 1965.
Russell spent two years gathering
facts, searching through archives, and
interviewing the people involved to
OUTDOOR RADIO
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IN
AUSTIN
The Texas Outdoor Zone Radio Show
B Y
K
amass the information required to
chronicle the nonfiction story, and his
meticulous efforts show in the finished
product. Since Russell grew up in
Uvalde, where some of the events took
place, he was already familiar with the
sort of folks he was dealing with. And
his law enforcement history and
communication abilities enabled him
to give the story a special authenticity.
Russell Smith is a ‘been there,
done that’ kind of guy, and that comes
through in ‘the gun that wasn’t there.’
You won’t find a more fascinating true
Texas story, or one written as clearly
and exhaustively. I only hope Russell
doesn’t stop with one book.
Another fellow who knows what
he’s talking about is Ralph
Winingham. Ralph has been writing
about the outdoors for years, and his
forte is cooking. So when his first wild
game cookbook, ‘Old Boots & Bacon
Grease’ did well, he decided to write
another one. For some reason he called
it ‘Revenge of Old Boots & Bacon
Grease.’
The new cookbook is, like the
first, more than just a cookbook. It
contains plenty of recipes for all kinds
of game, fish, and fowl that can be used
over a campfire or on a range, plus
some great ideas for bread and desserts.
But the whole book is interspersed
with stories of hunts and episodes of
campfire cooking. Ralph’s cookbooks
are the only ones I’ve ever read.
When Ralph gave me a copy of
‘Revenge’ I told him I was going to
actually try some of the recipes, but my
kids have indicated that might not be
such a great idea. They may be right,
but if you enjoy cooking or reading or
the outdoors, you need Ralph’s
cookbooks. He knows what he’s doing,
even if I don’t.
E N D A L
H E M P H I L L
Which brings us to Captain Sally
Moffett, who has forgot more about
kayak fishing than most people will
ever know. Sally’s new book, ‘Saltwater
Kayak Fishing the Texas Way,’ is an A
to Z look at how to catch fish from a
small boat along the Texas coast. Since
kayaks are quickly becoming the craft
of choice for savvy anglers along the
shallow bays and estuaries down south,
Sally’s book should do well.
Having fished with Sally
personally, I can tell you there’s more
to it than dunking worms. But I can’t
tell you like Sally does. Anyone
interested in kayak fishing needs her
book. No guarantees, but even I might
catch a fish now.
In Tom Clancy’s newest book, one
of the chapters began with this line:
“The sun rose promptly at dawn.” If
the ‘50 over 100’ line from Rocky takes
the prize for dumbest movie line,
Clancy’s strange sunrise wins the
bonehead award for literature.
You won’t find that kind of
nonsense in a book from Russell,
Ralph, or Capt. Sally …
KENDAL HEMPHILL IS AN OUTDOOR
HUMOR COLUMNIST AND PUBLIC
S P E A K E R W H O C O O K S, S H O OT S, A N D
FISHES WITH VARYING DEGREES OF
I N E F F I C I E N C Y. W R I T E T O H I M AT P. O .
B OX 1 6 0 0 , M A S O N, T X 7 6 8 5 6 O R
J E E P @ V E R I Z O N. N E T
THE GUN THAT WASN’T THERE CAN BE
PURCHASED AT HASTINGS, CACTUS BOOK
SHOP, AND 4 PAWS IN SAN ANGELO, OR
FROM RUSSELL SMITH –
RUSSELLANDLINDASMITH@SUDDENLINK .NET
R E V E N G E O F O L D B O OT S & B A C O N G R E A S E
I S AVA I L A B L E F R O M R A L P H W I N I N G H A M –
R W I N I N G H A M @ J U N O. C O M O R
210.240.6149.
S A LT WAT E R KAYA K F I S H I N G T H E T E X A S W AY
C A N B E O R D E R E D F R O M S A LT G R A S S
P R E S S , P O B O X 2 9 1 , F U LTO N, T X 7 8 3 8 2
O R W W W. S A LT G R A S S P R E S S . C O M
www.texasoutdoorzone.com
Exclusively on 1300AM The Zone
6 - 8 am
Every Saturday
Morning
14 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E
Visit today and you can …
download our radio shows,
find current weather radar,
enter hunt contests,
find kids’ outdoor activities,
and more!
by Shirley Baker
MOVIE
Lightning: The White Stallion
When a stolen white stallion
escapes his captors, young Stephanie
Ward (Isabel Lorca) gives him a new
home and a new name: Lightning. As
she grooms the horse for show-jumping
competition, the pair forms an
unbreakable bond.
But when
Stephanie finds herself in need of an
expensive operation and Lightning’s
original owner (Mickey Rooney) tracks
him down, Stephanie sets all of her
hopes on first prize at the Nationals –
and on the horse who’s become her
best friend!
MOVIE
Tom Sawyer
The free-spirited Tom is a
mischievous youngster who hangs out
with the wrong crowd, including the
infamous Huckleberry Finn, a funloving orphan who lives by nobody’s
rules but his own. Tom's long-suffering
Aunt Polly (Celeste Holm) does her
best to raise her unruly nephew, though
she's routinely frustrated by the
constant stream of yarns he spins to
cover one bout of mischief after
another -- everything from playing
hooky to conning the neighborhood
kids into doing his chores! But Tom’s
imaginative shenanigans take a back
seat to responsibility when after
witnessing a ghastly crime, he bravely
names the outlaw -- even though it
means that he and Huck must leave
their fishing poles and carefree days far
behind.
MOVIE
Courage Mountain
In the bitter chill of winter, over
snow-covered mountains and against
all odds, one fearless young girl will risk
everything to guide her friends to
safety. Juliette Caton, Charlie Sheen
and the legendary Leslie Caron star in
this exciting, spirited Heidi adventure
filled with breathtaking scenery and a
captivating story about bravery in the
face of danger.
Fifteen-year-old Heidi leaves her
beloved grandfather (Jan Rubes), her
childhood weetheart and her cherished
Swiss mountains to attend an Italian
boarding school run by a kind
headmistress. But when World War I
breaks out, Heidi and her classmates
are
torn
from
their
serene
surroundings. Fearing for their lives,
they escape on foot through the
countryside...and embark on a daring
trek across the treacherous, frozen Alps
towards the safety of Heidi’s girlhood
home.
Most of these videos are now available at
your favorite retailer.
3 cups cooked and deboned chicken, reserve broth.
(Broth can be used for canned broth)
1 large bunch broccoli, cooked
1 can cream celery soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can chicken broth or water
1
/2 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp lemon juice
11/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
2 cups cracker crumbs
2 Tbsp margarine
Layer broccoli in casserole dish. Top with chicken. Next, spread mayonnaise
with lemon juice over chicken.
Mix chicken soup and celery soup with 1 can of chicken broth. Pour into
casserole dish. Cook in 350˚F oven until bubbly, about 30-45 minutes.
Top with cracker crumbs combined with
2 Tbsp margarine and cheese.
Put back into oven for 5 minutes.
?
G R A N D M A’ S H I N T S
To improve pie crust, add milk instead of water.
Shell hard boiled eggs under running water
Remove silks from corn cob with a stiff brush.
Add 1 tablespoon vinegar to cup of milk to make sour milk in recipe.
Dip scissors in water while cutting marshmallows
Rinse measuring cup with water before measuring shortening to prevent
shortening from sticking to cup.
?
MOVIE
Tom Sawyer — Again!
Get ready for a magical, fun-filled
journey of adventure, fantasy and
friendship! Featuring an adorable cast
of tuneful animated characters, Tom
Sawyer is a delightful film for children
of all ages! Tom Sawyer and his best
buddy Huck Finn love going fishing,
daydreaming about pirates and stolen
gold, and thinking about Becky
Thatcher -- the pretty new girl at
school. But when these pals set out on
a quest for buried treasure, they end up
face to face with the town’s most
“grizzly” bear, Injurin’ Joe. Giving Joe
the slip, they find themselves in the
middle of a fantastic adventure that
takes them from the mighty Mississippi
to the mysterious caverns of a secret
hideout where they discover fun,
excitement… and a fortune beyond
their wildest dreams! Featuring the
voices of Don Knotts, Betty White,
and country music superstars Rhett
Akins, Mark Wills, Lee Ann Womack,
Hank Williams Jr. and more,
Tom Sawyer is an enchanting,
music-filled family adventure!
CHICKEN & BROCCOLI
CASSEROLE
?
Each month Country Line has the opportunity to review lots of music. We also
have been blessed to preview many new books and movies over the last few
years and in the next few months there will be a lot of opportunities for you
to relax with one of these great books or films. Here are a few favorites we
picked to review this month. These are hand picked for the whole family.
This recipe has been a crowd pleaser whenever
family or friends gather. Do ahead and easy. I always
keep ingredients on hand for just that special meal.
?
MOVIE REVIEWS
C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 15
S
Spring farming at home is a billiondollar industry in Texas
So you want to grow garden fresh
vegetables to make your favorite
Mexican dishes. Where do you start?
Simply looking at seed packets in
catalogs or local nurseries will not get the
job done. One must garden smartly if
economical production and utilization
are expected.
First, determine where to put the
garden. If you are an “ol’ timer,” you may
need to think in terms of garden
relocation. The major consideration for
garden placement is sunlight. All
vegetables require some sunlight; the
most popular vegetables require full sun.
“Full” sun means at least 8 hours of
intense, direct exposure. If such exposure
is not received by crops such as tomatoes,
peppers and squash (vegetables that
contain seed), the plants grow spindly,
they have weak stems, drop blooms and
are generally nonproductive.
Some gardeners believe shading is
beneficial, but remember that
commercial vegetable producers never
shade crops. Crops such as lettuce,
F
onions and garlic tolerate shady
conditions, but even those produce
better in full sun. Use shade-tolerant
crops for planting between larger
growing vegetables such as tomatoes.
During the early establishment period of
a crop such as tomatoes, leave several
feet of vacant space between transplants
in which short, fast-maturing, shadetolerant vegetables can be produced.
Do not locate the garden within 6
feet of hedges, shrubs or trees. Not only
do these larger, more permanent plants
compete for light, but they also gobble
up nutrients and water necessary for
healthy vegetables.
Another consideration in garden
location is availability of water. Mother
Nature does not always provide rain
when needed. At least 1 inch of rain or
supplemental watering is required per
week.
Planting Time is Crucial Factor
Soil preparation for a spring garden
should occur as soon as feasibly possible
but carefully plan planting.
Lack of frost signals the beginning of
C A L L I N G A L L C O W B OY S !
Looking for real all-American
cowboys, ages 26-36 who know their
way around a ranch to star in our new
show.
Pilgrims Films and Television and
WE TV (Women’s Entertainment)
announced recently a new unscripted
series, CITY GIRLS (Working Title),
that will chronicle a group of single
female friends looking to refresh their
romantic lives and break free from the
grueling pressure and monotony of
their current dating scene. Leaving
behind the commitment-phobic men
of their past, the series will chronicle
each woman’s chance at finding her
prince charming.
They are looking for real allAmerican cowboys, ages 26-36 who
know their way around a ranch to star
in our new show. Please call 818-7525557 or email jims@pilgrimfilms.tv for
more information and to schedule an
audition. Please also see the casting
call below.
Mr. Piligian was the co-executive
producer on “Survivor: Borneo,”
“Survivor: The Australian Outback,”
and Survivor: Africa.” He is a creator
and executive producer of “The
Ultimate Fighter,” “The Cut,”
“American Chopper,” “American Hot
Rod,” “American Casino,” “Ghost
Hunters” and “Dirty Jobs,” among
other productions.
To apply for the show or for more
information, please contact:
Jim Strzalkowski
818-752-5557
jims@pilgrimfilms.tv
Shannon Powers
818-752-5554
spowers@pilgrimfilms.tv
16 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E
a safe period for planting frost susceptible
vegetables. These vegetables are very
sensitive to frosty conditions and must
not be planted until all danger of frost is
past, unless frost protection is provided.
The average length of frost-free
periods is relatively stable in most areas.
The problem arises in determining when
these periods begin and end.
Meteorological information collected for
many years indicates the spring’s
“average first frost-free date” and the
fall’s “average first frost date.” This term
“average” is misleading.
Average means that which as
occurred most often or normal. As most
Texans know, normal weather is the
unexpected rather than the expected
occurrence. Unfortunately, extremes are
also included in these “averages.” For
instance, mid-March is the beginning of
the average frost-free period in the spring
for South Central Texas, and normally
the first frost of the fall occurs in midNovember. Yet many farmers remember
when vegetables have frosted as late as
April and as early as October. These
same farmers also remember years when
the first frost-free day occurred in early
February and the first frost of the fall was
in December. You can now begin to
appreciate the farmers’ situation.
Any time one tries to outwit Mother
Nature, it is a tremendous risk. Yet
successful gardening and farming depend
on just that. For instance, if one waits
until well past the average first frost-free
date to insure success with such tender
crops as tomatoes and beans, a complete
failure may result. The failure will be
caused by a later bloom date because of
later planting. Tomatoes blooming
during hot temperatures have improper
fruit set and reduced yields.
The answer to this dilemma is to
plant frost-susceptible crops according to
the average first frost date, but remember
to protect them if a late cool period
occurs. Home gardeners can cover plants
with cans, blankets, a cage-garbage bag
system or boxes on frosty nights.
As you can see, growing vegetables is
not as easy as one might imagine. Timing
is a major key to success. With proper
timing, adapted varieties and a slight
assist from Mother Nature, anyone can
be a successful gardener.
by Chuck Licata
I
A ‘Turn’ of fortune for Childress and
Roush Racing organizations
It wasn’t too long ago — 2005, to
be exact — when Richard Childress
Racing (RCR) was the laughing stock
of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series.
That was the second year of the
Chase for the Championship —
NASCAR’s version of the playoffs.
Kevin Harvick was the highest-finishing
driver from RCR that season.
Oh yah — Harvick finished 14th
that season; he missed making the Chase
by four spots. And he was the highest of
three RCR cars fielded that year.
At the same time, Roush Racing
(which is now Roush-Fenway Racing)
was riding pretty high. In 2005, not one,
not two, not three, not four, but five —
in fact, all five Roush Racing drivers in
Cup competition — made it to the
Chase. If you’re keeping score at home,
that means that half the Chase field in
’05 was filled with Roush Fords.
And that was after Roush had backto-back Cup champions — Matt
Kenseth in 2003 and Kurt Busch in ’04.
Turn the clock forward. Heading
into the fifth race of the current Cup
F
season, the tables (and standings) have
turned.
Oh sure — Kenseth, still driving for
Roush-Fenway, was fifth place in the
points standings, having collared one
win and three top-5 finishes in four races.
Kenseth’s teammate, Carl Edwards,
grabbed a seventh-place finish at Atlanta
to push him into the top-10 at tenth spot
in the points.
However, the three other RoushFenway entries this year — Greg Biffle,
Jamie McMurray and rookie David
Ragan — sa 27th, 24th and 23rd in the
standings, respectively. Biffle, who was
supposed to have an amazing turnaround year, had yet to register a top-10
finish.
McMurray, the hot-shot rookie who
jumped to Roush from the Ganassi
Racing Team just two years ago, hasn’t
been the same since jumping into the
Roush Fords. Meantime, Ragan takes
over the seat of the famed #6 car — one
that racing legend Mark Martin left last
season.
Ironically, Martin — now driving for
upstart Ginn Racing — made history by
leading the points chase in what is a
“part-time Cup season.” Martin, who
reeled off four straight top-10 finishes to
start the season, stuck to his guns and did
not run in the next two races (his next
Cup appearance comes April 15 at
Texas).
Another former Roush driver heads
up the current contingency from RCR,
which has three drivers in the top nine in
the points chase. Jeff Burton sat third in
the points after the first four races, just
behind former teammate Martin and Jeff
Gordon.
Kevin Harvick, winner of the
season-opening Daytona 500, was in
seventh place while RCR colleague
Clint Bowyer, Jr. — in just his second
year at the Cup level — stood ninth in
the points standings after the first
Atlanta race.
Harvick and Burton made last year’s
Chase for the Championship and there’s
no reason to think they won’t make this
year’s field, which was expanded from 10
to 12 — and that certainly gives Bowyer
a great chance to make NASCAR’s
playoffs.
Well, if you’re Roush-Fenway
Racing, you can be glad of two things.
One, be glad there’s still plenty of
racing until the Chase.
Two, be glad your drivers pilot Fords
and not Toyotas.
My top 10 drivers going into April:
(1) Jimmie Johnson; (2) Tony Stewart
(3) Jeff Gordon; (4) Matt Kenseth; (5)
Mark Martin; (6) Clint Bowyer; (7)
Kevin Harvick; (8) Denny Hamlin; (9)
David Stremme; (10) Carl Edwards.
C H U C K L I C ATA , A N A W A R D -W I N N I N G
W R I T E R , H O S T S T H E M OT O R S P O R T S
Z O N E R A D I O S H O W O N A U S T I N K V E TA M 1 3 0 0 ( S AT U R D AY S 1 0 – 1 1 A M C T ) .
H E I S A L S O C O - O W N E R O F K- M A C
SPORTS PRODUCTIONS, AN ONLINE
C O M PA N Y T H AT B R O A D C A S T S H I G H
S C H O O L AT H L E T I C S A N D S H O R T-T R A C K
A U T O R A C I N G . E-MAIL:
CHUCK@THEMOTORSPORTSZONE.COM
countrylinemagazine.com
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C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 17
by Larry LeBlanc
W
It is time to get the boats out
Well, neighbors, it is getting to be
that time again when our hearts start to
fill with and overwhelming need to hit
the water for some serious aquatic
activities. Also one might notice that
the fishing tournaments are starting to
show up in the fishing report and as of
last weekend the water warmed up to the
60 degree mark resulting in stringers
approaching 30 pounds. They are not
only showing up, but also making 20
pounds or better mandatory to even get
into the money on Lake Conroe.
Most of the serious, competitive
anglers have been braving the elements
and fishing much of the winter, but
many of the rest of us sissies have been
curled up in front of the fireplace with a
good book waiting for the current
warming of the weather. Now that the
urge to get wet is creeping into our being
please do not think that you can run
outside, pull the cover off of your boat or
personal watercraft, hook it on to you
truck and enjoy a great day on the lake,
because according to Murphy’s law
things just don't work out that way. So
the best move is to either take your
Once your boat is in the water is not the time you want to discover
problems.
watercraft to the nearest shop and have
the entire rig, boat, motor, and trailer
checked over or if you are so inclined you
can do it yourself, but either way do it
prior to the designated day of the outing
and allow the shop enough time to
18 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E
properly service your individual rig.
There is not too much a shop owner or
service manager hates to hear then, “I
want my rig checked out and serviced
and I want it by tomorrow.” Chances are
pretty good that you will either be
disappointed because that time frame
cannot be met or you will find yourself
moving the start day for water sports two
or three weeks further down the
calendar.
To give you and idea of just a few of
the items one must tend to if you are a
do-it-yourself type of person is as follows.
Let’s start at the easiest place and
that is the trailer. Check the tires and
make sure they are dry rotted. Then jack
up each wheel and check the bearings
and races to make sure they are sound
and not prone to giving out on you half
way to the boat ramp. If all look good
grease the wheel bearings and reassemble
the wheels. If equipped with buddy
bearings check each wheel for too much
loose play and fill with grease until sleeve
is flush. As the grease is used the sleeve
will retract into the housing so keep an
eye on them every time you take it out.
Next closely inspect the hitch and
make sure rust or corrosion has
weakened any of the bolts or fasteners
and every moving part is well lubricated
and working smoothly. Then move to
the lights. This can be one of the biggest
pain in the neck that one can face on a
trailer and the problems usually are
caused by bad grounds or connections.
Therefore if you have a lighting problem
don't just decide to travel only during
daylight hours, but start checking
connections, bulbs, and grounds and get
everything working properly.
Once your trailer is in tip top shape
move on to the boat, where again one of
the most troublesome area will be
electrical, so make sure you have a good,
strong, marine battery and check out the
lights and if some do not work look for
the same problems as with the trailer,
bad connections and grounds.
So neighbors if you want a trouble
free day out on the water it pays to do
your homework before the fact and
either check it all out or take your boat
to your favorite shop and let the
professionals see to it.
P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y L A R R Y J. L E B L A N C
F
by Don Gordon
S
F Spring
is finally here in all its
splendor with bluebonnets popping up
and trees budding out it’s a wonderful
time of year, but the best part of all —
to fishermen anyway — bass are
moving onto their spawning beds!
Temperatures are rising and it looks
like we might be able to fish a
tournament in shorts and sandals soon
— not soon enough for me. The recent
rains have raised water levels on Lake
Travis a good eight feet this month
putting the two public boat ramps at
Pace Bend Park back in use.
Skeeter Bass Champs’ second
tournament of the year was held on
March 3 at Lake Travis. Unfortunately,
this was before the recent rains so the
lake was about thirty-five feet low. A
cold front was blowing in at take-off
time bringing us lows in the midthirties that morning and highs in the
sixties that afternoon. The wind was a
major factor for boat positioning with
gusts to over forty miles per hour
measured.
Tony Ferdinando and John Cox
started fishing around the U Flote M
and had three keepers in the boat
within fifteen minutes catching a limit
by 8:45 a.m. They were targeting prespawn fish on main lake drop-offs from
twenty to thirty feet deep using a
brown/orange football jig with a green
pumpkin chompers trailer and a four
inch green pumpkin finesse worn on a
shaky-head jig. Although they fished
all the way to Pace Bend, they said
most of their fish were caught in the
lower end of the lake. At thirty
minutes before weigh-in, John landed
their “kicker” fish, a 6.16lbs bass that
gave them a 16.30lbs total for first
place and cash winnings of $20,000.
The second place winners,
Michael Waldrop and his dad, Jack
Waldrop Sr., received a prize of $3,000
dollars. Using jigs, spinner baits, and
crank baits they caught 16.14lbs of
bass.
Charles Whited and Jason
Buchanan came in third place to win
$2,000. Plus by being in a qualified
Skeeter they earned an additional
$2,000 in bonus money. They ran at a
fast pace and covered a lot of water
fishing secondary points in five to ten
feet of water with crank baits to catch
their 14.88lbs limit of fish.
Danny Fisher and Jackie Volek
caught the 8.54lbs Big Bass of the
tournament. It contributed nicely to
their 14.22lbs total weight, which won
them $1,200 plus the Big Bass prize of
$1,000.
5th Corey Castello/Wayne Harm
13.08lbs, $1100
6th Eric Angrick/ Gerald
McClanahan
12.32lbs, $1050
7th Jason Gagliano//Dan Taylor
11.94lbs, $1040
8th Web Fry
11.72 lbs, $1030
9th Leonard Philipp/Robert Jenkins
11.44lbs, $1020
10th Keith Combs/Landan Ware
11.30lbs, $1010
There were a total of 188 teams
and twenty-six places were paid.
March 17 was the date of the
Fishers of Men’s second event of the
year, and it was held on Lake LBJ. A
lot of the rain that helped bring up the
water levels on Lake Travis also ran
through Lake LBJ. Both Sandy Creek
and the Llano River were at flood
stage, and the lake itself was muddy
and full of floating debris.
A lot of people would have shied
away from these conditions, but Jody
Jackson and Jacob White just fished it!
Using three-eighths ounce white
spinner baits and fishing the shallow
docks adjacent to deeper channels they
caught 20.34lbs of bass including Big
Bass of the tournament weighing in at
7.02lbs.
Chris Conner and Louis Borchert
also stayed in the muddy water. The
team keyed in on the docks and fished
with spinner baits, Texas rigs and
sinkos to catch 19.85lbs of bass that
was sufficient to earn them second
place.
Third place goes to Charles
Whited and Bill Pokinghorn who used
black and blue jigs through the debris
to net them 19.74lbs of fish including
Big Bass of the tournament — 7.76lbs!
4th M. Vanbroklen/R. Grounds
17.26lbs
5th S. Wilson/R. Cantu
14.64lbs
6th D. Stephens/B. Kimberly
13.76lbs
7th R. Jacoby/K. Howell
13.69lbs
8th L. Beuershausen/L. Dillard
12.70lbs
9th D. Read/P. Carmen
12.30lbs
10th J. Roberts/K. Wilkins
11.79lbs
11th P. Smith/G. Smith
11.73lbs
A total of fifty-nine teams fished
this tournament with eleven places
paid. Three places out of the money
received gift certificates from
Sportsman’s Warehouse.
CHECK OUT MY NEW WEBSITE AT
CAPITOLVIEWGUIDESERVICE.COM.
BUILT BY DARRIN LEBLANC, 512-736-6552.
FOR CURRENT FISHING REPORTS ON AREA LAKES
AND MORE — LISTEN TO THE TEXAS OUTDOOR
ZONE RADIO SHOW, SATURDAYS 6 – 8 A.M.
ON 1300 AM, THE ZONE OR VISIT
TEXASOUTDOORZONE.COM.
’07 Skeeter Bass Champs Tournaments
Apr 28, Lake Belton
June 9, Lake Choke Canyon
Oct 20, location TBA (Championship)
A D D I T I O N A L I N F O R M AT I O N AT B A S S C H A M P S . C O M
’07 Fishers of Men Tournaments
Apr 14, Lake Austin | May 19, Lake Stillhouse
For more info or guide service,
call Jeff Cook 512-413-4178. www.fomcentex.com
C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 19