Toledo Bend Reservoir
TODAY www.tbrtoday.com FEBRUARY 2018
Complimentary Issue INSIDE
Texas Team Trail...................................................1, 6, 7 Tournament Schedule................................................2 TBLA................................................................................3 Country Roads & Fishing Holes.............................. 4 Texas Parks & Wildlife................................................5 TBLA Lunker Weigh Stations...................................5 Louisiana Wildlife & Fisheries................................ 8 Bassin’ Facts & Trends................................................ 9 Fishing Report....................................................... 10, 15 Great Catches.........................................................11, 12 Lake Records...........................................................12, 13 Blooming on the Bend........................................ 14, 15 Toledo Bend Map................................................. 16, 17
Allen, Loetscher leverage winter conditions for Toledo Bend win in Texas Team Trail 2018 season opener By David A. Brown- Texas Team Trail
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ournament victories require equal parts skill, execution and good fortune; other words, when things fall into place, you gotta know what to do with it all. That’s the fitting description for Harold Allen and Matthew Loetscher who won the season opener of the 2018 Texas Team Trail, presented by Cabela’s, at a Toledo Bend Reservoir. Sacking up a five-bass limit that weighed 28.74 pounds, the winning duo spent their day in the lake’s upper third and focused on sheer drops in the main lake. Plunging from 10 to 20 feet, these spots presented classic winter strongholds that provided fish positional options. “We fished spots that had some wood, not only on the bottom, but also hanging off the drop,” Allen said. “Right now, the fish are either going to be right on top of the drop, or where it eases off. If you can find some cover off the side of the ledge, that’s even better. Some of our fish were right on top of the ledge and some of them halfway down the sides of the drops.” Allen committed his day to a 3/4-ounce black/blue Santone jig with a Junebug craw trailer, while Loetscher used a 3/4-ounce brown Stanley jig with a green pumpkin Cajun Lures craw trailer. Their strategy involved feeling around for hard cover and then surgically picking it apart.
Photo courtesy of Texas Team Trail Harold Allen and Matthew Loetscher won first place in the season opener of the 2018 Texas Team Trail bringing in 28.74 lbs. “We would work our baits fairly fast until we hit some type of structure and then we tried to bump that structure several times,” Allen said. “When you bumped it or pulled your bait over, you’d kill the bait and let it go right down in there. That was the deal — working hard, slow and thor-
ough. “Color didn’t seem to matter; the main thing was size. The wind was so bad, we needed a pretty heavy jig to get into the cover and stay in it.” With the morning take-off bringing temperatures in the 20’s, Loetscher
said they were shaking and bumping their rods to clear their guides of ice accumulations. Frosty conditions lingered most of the day and with lake temperatures in the mid-40s winter’s grip remained apparent. See Texas Team Trail, page 6
2018 Toledo Bend Reservoir
Tournament Schedule DATE
ORGANIZATION
2 3 3 3 10 10-11 11 16-17 17 24 24 24-25
Fishers of Men Team Series Texas East Division Media Bass Army Rec Site Monthly Bass Tournament Sportsman’s Bass Club SCLA High School Bass Trail ABA Ram Trucks American Fishing Tour Texas Bass Couples Bass Champs Tackle Box Open Shoot Out North Desoto High School Tournament La Pigment SETX HS Fishing Association Tournament
2-3 3 3 6-9 8-10 9-10 10 11 15-17 16-17 17 23-24 23-25 24-25 24 31 31
Haynesville Shale Bass Tournament Army Rec Site Monthly Bass Tournament Sportsman’s Bass Club BASS Nation Ross Granger Memorial Tournament Crappie for Cash SCLA High School Bass Trail Texas Bass Couples Texas Oilmen’s Bass Invitational Southeast Regional Texas Bass Nation Tackle Box Open Shoot Out 3rd Annual Dylan Kyle Poche Memorial Ultimate Bass Club Shoot Out Tournament North Central Bass Club ABA Ram Trucks American Fishing Tour V&M Bait Sportsman’s Bass Club
5-8
Louisiana Oilman’s Bass Invitational
February
March
April
SITE Huxley Bay Marina Cypress Bend Army Rec Site Big Bass Marina Big Bass Marina Army Rec Site TBA Cypress Bend Big Bass Marina San Miguel Big Bass Marina Cypress Bend Cypress Bend Army Rec Site Big Bass Marina Cypress Bend San Miguel Cypress Bend Big Bass Marina TBA Cypress Bend San Miguel Big Bass Marina Cypress Bend San Miguel Big Bass Marina Army Rec Site Big Bass Marina Big Bass Marina Cypress Bend
Jewelry Signs Used Furniture Kitchenware Sewing Notions
Army Rec Site Six Mile Marina Cypress Bend Army Rec Site Cypress Bend San Miguel Big Bass Marina Cypress Bend San Miguel
4-6 5 5 5-6 6 8-10 11-12 11-12 12 17-20 26
ALBC SCLA High School Bass Trail Army Rec Site Monthly Bass Tournament Media Bass Texas Bass Couples Wild Life & Fisheries 5th Grade Bass Champs Southwest La. High School Bass Fishing Assoc. ABA Ram Trucks American Fishing Tour Big Bass Splash Sportsman’s Bass Club
Cypress Bend Big Bass Marina Army Rec Site San Miguel TBA Cypress Bend Cypress Bend San Miguel Army Rec Site Cypress Bend Big Bass Marina
1-2 2-3 2 2 2 7-9 14-15 16 23 23-24 30
Lineman’s Fishing Rodeo ABA Ram Trucks American Fishing Tour Sabine SWCD Fish Fest Tackle Box Open Shoot Out Army Rec Site Monthly Bass Tournament Oilman’s Classic Haynesville Shale Event Tackle Box Open Shoot Out Sportsmans Bass Club Media Bass Tackle Box Open Shoot Out
May
June
SITE
San Miguel Army Rec Site Cypress Bend Big Bass Marina Army Rec Site Cypress Bend Cypress Bend Big Bass Marina Big Bass Marina Cypress Bend Big Bass Marina
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Army Rec Site Monthly Bass Tournament Fishers of Men Team Series Texas East Division Media Bass ABA Ram Trucks American Fishing Tour Bass Unlimited FLW Outdoor Series Tackle Box Open Shoot Out Toledo Bend Oilman’s Louisiana Bass Nation State Tournament
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Save the dates for TBLA’s Bass Unlimited poster unveiling, banquet and 52-gun raffle
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he Toledo Bend Lake Association (TBLA) is already hard at work on its Annual Bass Unlimited Banquet & Auction, Poster Unveiling Ceremony, and Grand Prize Raffle. Put Friday, April 20, 2018, on your calendar for the 16th Annual Bass Unlimited Banquet to be held at Cypress Bend Park. That night will also include the drawing for the first two winners of the 52-Gun Grand Prize Raffle. And prior to that night, TBLA will hold its annual Poster Unveiling on April 5, when the public is invited to view the painting and
meet the Artist and Poster Sponsor.
area and the amenities surrounding it by providing financial and volunteer assistance to promote stewardship of the Lake as a world class fishery and recreation resource area. TBLA is a non-profit organization; and the Bass Unlimited Poster, Banquet and Auction are the Association’s only fundraisers.
Tickets for the Banquet festivities as well as the 52-Gun Grand Prize Raffle will be available for sale beginning in January. This year TBLA is making it possible to reserve Banquet tickets and purchase Grand Prize Gun Raffle tickets on their website at www.toledobendlakeassociation.com with your PayPal account. You can also preorder the poster online. TBLA is committed to improving the quality of the Toledo Bend Lake
ZACH NOBLE
Vice President/ Branch Manager/ Loan Officer
EDITORIAL STAFF
Cheryl Gilcrease, Designer; JoAnna Martin, Editor Cindy Eubank, Marketing Representative Sharon Roberts, Marketing Representative Published by Main Street Marketing of East Texas PO Box 1058, Center, TX 75935 • 936-591-7210 www.tbrtoday.com • Email: info@tbrtoday.com Like Us On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TBRTODAY/
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Country Roads & Fishing Holes by Jim Binns
It’s Time to Catch The Bass of a Lifetime
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he arrival of spring means that Big Bass are heading for shallow water. Few things will warm up cold hands and numb toes more than a big ol’ lunker bass tugging on the other end of your fishing line. All those cold miserable hours of fruitless casting are suddenly forgotten. That fish of a lifetime is brought into the boat, you snap a couple of quick photos, and release the lunker to fight again another day. How could it get any better than this! Big Bass are on the move and here are a few tips that should help as you venture out to set that new lake record. This is the time of the year to cover lots of water and zero-in on prime staging areas and spawning locations. Bass will follow river channels, ditches, points and any other “highways” that lead them from deeper water into spawning areas, so concentrate your fishing on areas that have sudden changes in water depth nearby. Creek channels are my number one choice when looking for springtime bass. And don’t get too caught up in fishing just the “outside bends” because there are times when the inside bend or a stretch of water that has lots of trees, brush or grass can hold a boatload of fish. Creek channels also offer good protection from bad weather when wind and waves make fishing the open bays and flats tough. I remember a pro angler stating that you should begin your search for good pre-spawn fishing locations at home with your lake map. Mark areas that identify large spawning flats and then circle deep water areas such as creek channel bends and main lake points near deep water. Then look for areas on the map that are between the spawning flats and deeper water. These will be the key areas where the bass will position before moving up to spawn. And as I mentioned previously, look for those areas that are protect-
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ed from prevailing winds.
great fishing day with the weather that Mother Nature throws at us but just remember that some of those cold, windy and rainy days can often produce some of the best fishing. Most of these conditions are a great deal more unpleasant for the fishermen than for the fish. A front rolling in may produce a good bite but when those “blue bird” skies appear the bite can get pretty tough. On those post-frontal days bass will often pull back from the flats and form tight schools in creek channel bends or off secondary points.
Sight fishing for bass on the nest is loved by one group and frowned on by others. This article is not intended to make a case one way or the other on this subject. But one thing is certain, once the female gets on the nest to spawn they can be tough to catch because feeding is definitely not the prime thing on their mind. The first thing on your “to-do” list should be replacing that ten-year old fishing line you have spooled on your reels. It would be a tragedy to hook the biggest bass of your life and have that old, brittle line break. Some anglers prefer using monofilament while others opt for braded line. Regardless of your choice just be sure to use a quality product. The same thought regarding quality and strength should also apply to your hook selection.
So what is the best time to be fishing at this time of the year? Many anglers will say “come early and stay late.” This is probably good advice since the weather can make fishing patterns change on a daily basis. One day you can be on a good spinnerbait bite and the following day you can’t get a hit. Being on the water a great deal allows you a better chance of hitting one of those windows of opportunity where the fish are actively feeding.
Bass will bite a variety of lures at this time of the year but a few seem to catch more than their fair share of fish. A spinnerbait is definitely a go-to bait for covering lot’s of water. The market is loaded with a variety of colors and sizes but I would recommend a chartreuse/white combo with double-willow leaf blades as a starter. A jig with a plastic or pork trailer is a dynamite bait for fishing an area slowly and the black/blue color has been a favorite of anglers for many years. A Rat-LTrap should definitely be tied on one of your rods because it can produce a lunker bass on any cast. Good colors for this time of the year are Toledo Gold, Orange Crawfish and Rayburn Red Zombie. A weightless Fluke, Crankbait, Texas-rigged lizard or a Carolina-rig with a Brush Hog or 10inch worm can also be very effective. In recent years a swimbait and the Chatterbait have also become a favorite of many anglers.
Dressing properly seems like such a simple statement, however, you would be surprised how many anglers venture out on the water unprepared for sudden weather changes. Our part of the country is usually blessed with rather mild weather … but don’t let your guard down. Every once in awhile that weather forecast of a “slight chance of rain” will result in a cold downpour and that 5 mph wind can actually develop into strong winds and rolling whitecaps. When you head out for that early morning fishing trip always dress for colder temperatures. You can always take off those extra clothes should the weather warm up, but it is tough to put on additional clothing if you left all of them hanging in the closet at home.
of useless equipment stuffed away somewhere in your dry storage compartment. Drowning and hypothermia are still major problems, and that life jacket may be what allows you to swim to safety, or get out of the water should you fall overboard. For safety sake, take a friend with you on these winter trips and tell someone where you are going and approximately what time you will return. I truly believe that big bass areas produce season after season. Something is attracting the big bass to these spots and you really need to work these areas thoroughly - and at different times of the day. Just because they didn’t bite in the morning doesn’t mean they won’t be feeding in the afternoon. But also be open-minded. If you have been chunking a Carolina-rig all morning with no results it may be time to change your approach and used a different technique. My favorite bait doesn’t produce every day and yours probably won’t either. Try something different until you find what the fish want. It’s almost a guarantee that some of the biggest bass caught this year will be taken in the upcoming months. More anglers will be on the water and the bass will be hungry. And keep in mind that even though many bass will be making their way toward shallow water, that doesn’t mean that all of them will be there at the same time. Some bass in our lakes stay in deeper water and will slowly work their way into the shallows as water temperatures and weather permit. Good Fishing – JB Thought for the Day - Letting the cat out of the bag is a whole lot easier than putting it back in.`
Wear that life jacket. It wasn’t made to be a seat cushion or a piece
I know it is difficult to coordinate a
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Authorities asking public for help locating vehicle of interest
TEXAS TOLEDO BEND REALTY Terry Stillwell
Selling or Buying call the Toledo Bend
$10,000 Reward Offered for Information Leading to Arrests in Assault on Texas Game Warden
L
BROKER/OWNER
Laurie Willson AGENT
8605 Rec Rd 255 E Burkeville, TX 75932
SOLD
aw enforcement officials are asking the public for help locating a vehicle of interest and with identifying individuals responsible for injuring a Texas game warden during a traffic stop New Year’s Day. The incident occurred at approximately 5 p.m. in an area due east of Plum Grove Road and the Harris / Liberty County line in Liberty County on private property.
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Authorities say the game warden was run over while attempting to make contact with a white cargo type van. The driver of the vehicle is believed to be a Hispanic male in his 40s-50s, along with two female passengers (one in her 40s-50s and one in her teens-20s). The vehicle of interest is described as a white late model Ford E350 van featuring windows on the right side access doors.
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The injured game warden was transported to an area hospital, treated and released, and is expected to be recovering for several months.
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This incident is being investigated by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Law Enforcement Division, Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office.
548 Hwy. 7 East, Center, Texas 75935 Fax: 936-598-4716
A $10,000.00 reward is being offered for information that leads to the identification and arrest of those responsible for this incident.
Dependability you can count on – See ShareLunker, page 15 year after year.
If you have information relating to this incident, please call Operation Game Thief at 1-800-792-4253 (24 hrs.). Callers may remain anonymous.
TBLA Lunker Bass weigh in stations
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oledo Town and Tackle, LA side, Mid Lake -Hwy 191 and LA 6 (318) 256-5613; Buckeye Landing, LA side, South Lake- 268 Buckeye Lane, Many, La (24-hr. on call #’s) (318) 586-4757 or (318) 508-2971); Fin & Feather Resort, TX side South Lake- 245 Fin & Feather Drive., Hemphill, Tx (409) 579-2056; Fairmount General Store, Tx side South Lake- 2419 Fairdale Rd., Hemphill, Tx (409) 579-9080; Keith’s Toledo Bend Tackle, Tx side, Mid Lake- 6302 State Hwy 21 E, Hemphill, Tx (409) 625-0181; Holly Park Mid-lake TX side, 3000 E Carter’s Ferry Rd, Milam, Tx (409) 625-4424, 24Hr# (936) 596-5343; Huxley Bay Marina, Tx side, North Lake, 13200 FM Rd 2694, Shelbyville, Tx (866) 733-8193.
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Texas Team Trail
from page 1 Nevertheless, Allen said his team’s pre-tournament recon bespoke ideal conditions for their chosen tactics. Delighted with the cold, as well as the low lake level — about 5 feet below normal — the team followed their game plan to the letter. “The lake dropped on us, which was in our favor because it pulls fish out to these drops,” Allen said. “But then, we kept getting cold front after cold front after cold front. I told Matt ‘It’s only going to make our stuff better, so what we have to do is just slow down, concentrate and fish. “What solidified it for us was the water stayed down and it got colder. We were pretty pumped before we even left the dock.”
Photo courtesy of Texas Team Trail
George Jean Jr. and Tater Reynolds took second place with 27.47 lbs.
Allen and Loetscher hit about six different spots, only one of which produced at different times of the day. They secured a limit by 10 a.m., upgraded throughout the day and slammed the door shut with a key afternoon decision to visit a familiar spot.
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and one that was almost 9. “We didn’t just pull up to any spots and catch a bunch of fish; we probably caught 12 fish all day. We just had it in our mindset that we needed to get out on those ledges and fish really, really slow. We threw the bait out there and let it get water-logged.” Working the mid-lake area, Vice and Guy focused on ridges in 12-15 feet. The key ingredients were proximity to the mouths of spawning creeks and nearby deep water — classic prespawn stuff. For third place, Vice and Guy earned $4,060 Millender-Cannon fourth, Farris-Hardin fifth Randy Millender and Rickey Cannon weighed five bass worth 25.67 pounds, taking fourth place and earning $4,240 Behind them was Colt Farris and Taylor Hardin with 24.65
Photo courtesy of Texas Team Trail Vice and Ricky Guy brought in 25.92 lbs. to take the third place spot. “It was a spot I had a lot of confidence in,” Allen said. “We had fished it early and never had a bite, but I told Matt we were crunched down on time and I felt like we might need one more; we didn’t really know what we had at the time. We went back to that spot and Matt caught that good one that really sealed the deal for us.” For their efforts Allen and and Loetscher earned a Ranger 189 TRX with a 150-horsepower Mercury outboard. In addition, they claimed $2,550 of Anglers Advantage cash. Their total payday was $34,045. “It feels really awesome; it’s just one of those surreal deals,” Loetscher said of his teams first TXTT win. “It’s a magical thing that doesn’t happen very often. The stars really have to align and things really have to go your way. To win an event like this with this against the caliber of fishermen who fish on this lake feels incredible.” JEANE JR.-REYNOLDS second They were picky about the type of cover they fished; just not the origin. Such flexibility led George Jean Jr. and Tater Reynolds to a second-place finish with 27.47 Their performance earned them $9,740. “We fished jigs in brush piles because when it gets cold like this, those fish relate to wood and hard cover,”
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pounds. For fifth place, they earned $2,405 Rest of the best Rounding out the top 10 teams at the 2017 Texas Team Trail event on Toledo Bend: 6th: CORY RAMBO AND RUSTY CLARK, 23.56 7th: KELLY OWENS AND BRENT BROUSSARD, 23.33 8th: BENJAMIN GULETT AND DUSTIN RIVERS, 22.67 9th: TOMMY MURRAY AND KEITH IVY, 21.67 10th: THOMAS LOVING AND JAMES WHITE, 21.36 Up next The second event of the 2018 season for the Texas Team Trail presented by Cabela’s is slated for Feb. 10 on Lake Sam Rayburn. See full results at www.tbrtoday.com.
SEND YOUR TOURNAMENT RESULTS AND NEWS TO info@tbrtoday.com!
Reynolds said. “A lot of the brush piles we fished were ones we put out, but if we went over one that was holding fish, we’d stop and work that one too.” Fishing V&M Flat Line football jigs with Zoom Super Chunk trailers, the anglers caught most of their weight at their second stop. Reynolds said they had 27 pounds by 8 a.m. and made one small cull around 2:30
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Describing a helpful tackle change, Reynolds said this: “Fishing brush piles, we needed to get those big fish out, so we moved up to 17-pound fluorocarbon line. Plus, the water was kind of stained where we were fishing, so we could get away with it.”
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VICE-GUY third A key adjustment propelled Bobby Vice and Ricky Guy from doing okay to sacking up the third-place limit that went 25.92 pounds. As Vice explained, they started their day dragging Carolina-rigged Big Bite Baits lizards, but after securing a small limit, Guy tried a different look and it was off to the races.
n w To
o d e c. l n I o , T lty Rea
“Ricky picked up a 6th Sense football jig about 9:45 and caught a better quality fish — a 4-pounder — so we both switched to that and stuck with that pattern the rest of the day,” Vice said. “We upgraded the five we had in the well. We also caught a 5-pounder
12000 Texas Hwy Many, LA 71449 info@toledo-town.com
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Judy Cathey, Associate Broker Tori Cathey, Broker Bus: 318.256.9844; Cell: 318.452.0185 judycatheybroker@yahoo.com
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Registration open for Becoming an Outdoors-Woman Workshop By: Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries
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he Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) will sponsor its 30th Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) workshop on March 23-25, 2018, at Camp Grant Walker in Pollock. It’s an opportunity for women throughout Louisiana and neighboring states to attend an educational hands-on outdoor skills workshop.
founded the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program. She completed a survey in 1991 entitled ‘Barriers to Women Participating in Hunting and Fishing.’ It documented that the most obvious problem was lack of instruction and encouragement. To receive a registration form, download and print from our web page at http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/becoming-outdoors-woman . The forms will not be available until Jan. 26, 2018. They must be returned by mail to the address on the form. Hand delivered forms will not be accepted. Please read the registration process and the course descriptions prior to filling out the form. Registration will be taken until the workshop is full. All forms received after the workshop is full will be placed on a waiting list in case of cancellations.
If you are a woman 18 or older and you enjoy the outdoors, you will love this three-day skill’s workshop. Registration opens Jan. 26, 2018. Anyone interested is urged to register as soon as possible beginning Jan. 26. The $200 fee (check or money order only) includes instruction for four selected classes, program materials, use of demonstration equipment, lodging, meals and a T-shirt.
For more information contact Dana Norsworthy in Monroe at dnorsworthy@ wlf.la.gov, 318-345-3912, Chad Moore in Minden at cmoore@wlf.la.gov, 318-230-4352 or Karen Crabtree at kcrabtree@wlf.la.gov 318-719-4571.
Participants will enroll in four classes from a selection of more than 30 topics. These subjects include bucks and does, shotgun, rifle, handguns, fly-fishing, kayaking, camping, archery, fishing, boating/trailering, compass skills, outdoor photography, camp cooking and more. Expert instructors donate their time and skills in classes taught in and around the nearby streams, lakes, wooded ridges and forest trails of beautiful Louisiana.
Join the fun and be one of those 125 women in the woods. Register for the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman workshop and become skilled in something that you always dreamed about doing. Look us up on Facebook at, BOW Louisiana Style.
Natural resource scientist Christine Thomas of the University of Wisconsin
LDWF to transition to new recreational Hunting/Fishing license sales system
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he Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries is currently transitioning to a new recreational hunting/fishing license sales system.
Retail locations will not sell licenses while installation of new equipment and employee training is implemented.
A few dates to be aware of during our transition:
April 2, 2018 – Vendor license sales will resume.
February 1 – April 1, 2018 – License sales will be available through Internet sales (pc, smart phone, mobile device and laptop) at www.wlf. la.gov and LDWF headquarters, regional offices (Monroe, Opelousas, Lake Charles & Alexandria).
The new system will enhance the purchase process for our customers in several ways. 1. License holders will have the ability to reprint their licenses online throughout the year at no cost.
Agent
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is charged with managing and protecting Louisiana’s abundant natural resources. For more information, visit us at www.wlf.la.gov. To receive recreational or commercial fishing email and text alerts, signup at www.wlf.la.gov/signup.
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3. Auto-renew options will be available in the future for those customers who don’t want to worry about remembering to purchase their licenses each year.
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BASSIN’ FACTS AND TRENDS by Pro Guide, Joe Joslin
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ello anglers and outdoor addicts. Every now and then a fishing product will come out that basically rocks the world of anglers. In summer 2016 a new trolling motor was introduced to the fishing world. It is Minn Kota’s Ultrex and it has changed my world as a guide and has revolutionize the way thousands of anglers fish. The “Spot Lock” is the most labor saving feature for me personally. It also won BEST IN SHOW at 2016 ICAST which is the most prestigious award that can be given a fishing product. ICAST is the world’s largest sport fishing trade show and is the premier showcase for the latest innovations in fishing gear. 2018 ICAST (International Convention of Allied Sport fishing Trades) is scheduled for Orlando, Florida. July 11-13.
during the third week of January. However, before the cold front I was on the lake several days and spent part of that time with my head in my electronics looking for hydrilla. The good news is that I have been finding more and more hydrilla in multiple areas. Hydrilla is a tropicial plant that grows on the bottom of clear See Bassin’, page 13
LAKE CHARLES
JOE JOSLIN OUTDOORS 337-463-3848
30 Years Experience Fishing Toledo Bend SYNDICATED COLUMNIST, PRO ANGLER / GUIDE TPWD LICENSED PROFESSIONAL GUIDE SINCE 1998
HYDRILLA UPDATE: If you are a serious Toledo bass angler you are aware of how much the lack of hydrilla has impacting fishing patterns. The bitter, record breaking cold and super strong north winds kept me off the lake for several days
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mail to: joejoslinoutdoors@yahoo.com
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Toledo Bend Fishing Report North End Greg Crafts-Toledo Bend Guide Service & Lake Cottage – gregcrafts@yahoo.com (936) 368-7151, www.toledobendguide.com
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he lake is in great shape at the time of this report running a little over four feet below high pool. Some of the main lake ramps are un-launchable but Huxely Bay Marina has plenty of deep water. A lot of timber is showing making it easy to find and fish your favorite spots. Winter weather came roaring in over the Holidays and dropped the water temps down, pushing the fish into a typical winter pattern. The Crappie have really turned on bunching up. Future forecasts indicate we might be on a roller coaster with some extreme fronts coming in and them warming back up. With little expected heavy rains in the short term. Looks like a typical southern winter pattern. In February the fishing just gets better and better every day. February is a great month to catch a double-digit fish. If you do, remember the Toledo Bend Lake Association Lunker Program will provide you with a free replica of your fish. There are certain requirements you must follow so make sure you visit their website at toledobendlakeassociation.com and take advantage of this great program if
you are lucky to catch the “Big One”. In February, depending on the water temperature, the Bass and Crappie will start moving from deep water using the creeks and ditches as their highways heading to the shallow spawning flats. Shallow water warms faster and the bass will move into the shallows when the water temp approaches the upper 50s. If the water stays in the low 50s they will be in deeper water. This is what we refer to as “staging” before they move on the beds. The bass will go on a feeding frenzy bulking up for the spawn. If you catch one, slow down, there should be more fish in the same area. If the water temperature drops the bass will drop back into deeper water. All sorts of baits can be productive at this time, jigs, spinner baits, Rat-L-Traps, soft plastics, finesse See Fishing, page 15
Mid-Lake Fishing Report Miles McDaniel,Holly Park Fishing Guide – 409-625-4424 – www.hollyparkmarina.com
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s of 1/15/18 the lake level is at 167.87 and the water temp is around 64 deg. This is one of the coldest winters we have had in years and there is still more to come. They are calling for snow and a few more freezing nights that will probably bring the water temp down more. Bass are scattered out deep and as always there are some bass more shallow toward the back of creeks and points close to deep water. The bite has been slow but most of the bites you get are quality fish. This is the time of year to catch nice size bass that are filled with eggs. This past weekend the Texas Team Trail was on Toledo Bend and there were a few good stringers over 20lbs caught along with the winning stringer of 28lbs caught by Harold Allen and Matt Loetscher. There was also a bass over 10lbs caught in that tournament! Most of your big stringers are being caught deep (20-25’). My best bites have been on Talon Black/Blue 1/2 Billy Mac Jig. Also, a Carolina rig with small creature baits have been doing the trick. With the colder water temps you really need to slow down and fish lighter baits. I like to try to fish as light as the wind will let me. Bass fishing should get very exciting as the cold fronts pass, the water temps start to rise, and the bass start staging in - they will be hungry. As for now, regardless of
what bait you decide to fish or how deep just use a slow retrieve and lighter baits. The lake is at an ideal level and the water temp is where it needs to be for the crappie to be on fire in the chicken coop around the river. There are plenty of crappie being caught in the chicken coop but the bite has ben a little slow. Most of our bites were in about 30-35’ deep but we also caught some smaller crappie in an amazing 48’ deep about 3 reels off bottom. The schools seem to be small and spread out. If you decide to head to the chicken coop to give it a try then the best advice I can give you is move around and follow the stump lines around the river. Don’t waste your time in one spot if the bite is not there. There are a lot of crappie being caught up the patroon creek but with the water low it can be tricky getting up the creek with the shallow humps. It wont be long and the White bass should start making a run in the river.
South Lake Fishing Report
Pro Guide Joe Joslin, 30 Yrs. Experience – joejoslinoutdoors@yahoo.com – 337-463-3848 – 409-565-1288
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ello fellow anglers! February is here meaning the shallow bite is on. There will be some cold fronts where bass will fall back to the nearest deep drop offs where they will remain a few days waiting for the weather to moderate. After the cold weather warms somewhat, they will start to move back to shallower water. Sometimes it is possible to find a drop that falls 10- 25 feet that is loaded with bass ‘staging.’ Staging is a term anglers use to describe a group of quality bass that hold up on a break (depth change) very close to spawning flats. If you catch a quality bass on a drop off near a spawning flat make sure you work that area completely. More than likely, there are other bass in the area as well. As far as tools for February, today’s angler has lots of options. In shallow water (10’ and less) I use both soft plastics and hard baits. On the hard baits I like jerkbaits and my favorite jerkbait is Berkley’s Cutter Series. I like the Cutter 110 and the Skinny Cutter 110 in Fools Gold for low light conditions and Ghost Bluegill and Blue Silver for bright conditions. I fish these on a medium action 7’2” Veritas rod, STX Abu Revo and 10 or 12 lb. test 100% Trilene Fluorocarbon.
I also like to slow roll a ½ oz. Stanley Vibrashaft double willow spinnerbait
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on 17 Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon line. I also rip grass with a Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap in Toledo Gold, Cherry Bomb or Rayburn Red. On shallow soft plastics I like a Texas rigged Havoc Bottom Hopper in Junebug, Shady Watermelon Candy and green pumpkin. I use a fairly light sinker (3/16 oz) 3/0 Fusion Hook and 17 Fluorocarbon. I also like to wacky rig ‘The General’ (five inch cigar worm) and Senkos which is also a 5 inch cigar shaped soft plastic. When there is a severe cold front many of the bass will move out to main creek and main lake points where I like to use a ½ and ¾ oz. Stanley Bug Eye football jig. I also like a Carolina rigged Berkley Power Lizard when fishing post frontal bass on main points. Football jig favorite colors are green pumpkin and blue/black with your favorite trailers. I like a green pumpkin and watermelon red Chigger Craw. I die the tail with a Spike It chartreuse marker pen instead of a bottle to prevent a ruined boat carpet. If it gets really tough I will use a drop shot.
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Great catches from around the lake!
Submitted photo Shown with their nice catch of catfish January 6 out of Bill’s Landing is Andallan, Kloe, and Jessalan they fished all week in the cold but the cold didn’t bother these girls.
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Include name, date of catch, general location, and weight. PICTURED LEFT: Submitted photo Steve Cox with crappie out of Holly Park in December.
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Texas All-Tackle Records for Toledo Bend
Great Catch!
Updated January 5, 2018
Species
Bass, Hybrid Striped Bass, Largemouth Bass, Spotted Bass, Striped Bass, White Bass, White x Yellow Bass, Yellow Bluegill Bowfin Buffalo, Bigmouth Buffalo, Smallmouth Bullhead, Yellow Carp, Common Carp, Gass Catfish, Blue Catfish, Channel Catfish, Flathead Crappie, Black Crappie, White Drum, Freshwater Gar, Alligator Gar, Longnose Gar, Spotted Pickerel, Redfin Shad, Gizzard Sunfish, Longear Sunfish, Other Hybrid Sunfish, Redbreast Sunfish, Redear Warmouth
Species Bass, Largemouth Bass, Spotted Bass, White Bass, White x Yellow Bass, Yellow Bluegill Bowfin Buffalo, Smallmouth Bullhead, Yellow Carp, Common Catfish, Blue Catfish, Channel Catfish, Flathead Crappie, Black Crappie, White Drum, Freshwater Gar, Spotted Sunfish, Longear Sunfish, Other Hybrid Sunfish, Redbreast Sunfish, Redear Warmouth
Weight Length 15.81 15.32 3.40 33.22 4.40 2.01 1.86 1.12 19.00 81.50 84.76 1.25 39.50 53.50 84.00 7.94 97.50 4.00 3.44 31.50 260.00 43.80 8.78 0.66 0.83 0.54 1.12 0.88 0.80 1.09
32.50 28.00 16.25 41.00 20.00 16.00 15.00 10.63 32.50 47.50 47.00 13.00 40.25 49.00 51.25 25.00 48.00 17.00 17.13 30.00 96.00 60.50 36.25 13.00 12.75 8.50 10.88 9.75 10.50 11.00
Date May 25, 1987 July 3, 2000 Feb. 7, 2009 Feb. 8, 1980 June 19, 2010 June 12, 2013 May 19, 2013 June 2, 2015 Jan. 3, 1975 July 4, 2011 Sept. 9, 2006 March 16, 2011 March 31, 2013 Aug. 2, 2006 April 13, 2007 April 25, 2009 May 24, 1991 Dec. 5, 2002 Feb. 21, 2011 March 3, 1995 March 18, 2017 March 13, 2016 March 11, 2012 Feb. 10, 2009 March 30, 2014 May 5, 2012 April 4, 2016 July 4, 2010 Sept. 5, 2008 April 14, 1995
Angler
Method
Johnny Pritchett Eric Weems Larry Upshaw James Kent Jr. Lisle Brook Jody Holden Grant Ketelers Angela H. Eastridge George E. Lord Martin McIntyre Miles McDaniel Mark Balderas Michael Hutto Tontie Pennock Thomas Allcorn Clint Walker Otis L. Pleasant Hazel Bolton Claude Gilcrease Jr. Freddie Keel Hunter Graham Michael Hutto Dylan Lyons Bill Ritzell Richard Fleury Hunter Woodward Dennis Taylor Gage Shepherd Robert Prejean William Tawney
JUNIOR ANGLER RECORDS Weight Length Date Angler 11.48 1.50 2.24 1.48 1.86 1.03 8.75 53.15 1.25 24.40 43.50 3.68 26.60 2.54 2.75 4.48 8.78 0.54 0.89 0.88 0.80 0.68
26.00 13.75 17.25 14.25 15.00 10.50 27.00 38.00 13.00 0.00 43.50 22.00 36.00 15.13 16.50 24.25 36.25 8.50 10.50 9.75 10.00 8.75
March 6, 2007 March 17, 2011 May 12, 2008 Oct. 21, 2011 May 19, 2013 May 18, 2014 March 17, 2011 Oct. 28, 2014 March 16, 2011 March 13, 2012 July 1, 2017 April 8, 2012 July 4, 2017 Feb. 19, 2011 March 18, 2011 May 22, 2011 March 11, 2012 May 5, 2012 May 31, 2015 July 4, 2010 April 12, 2011 May 21, 2010
Rod and Reel Rod and Reel Rod and Reel Rod and Reel Rod and Reel Rod and Reel Rod and Reel Rod & Reel Trotline Bow and Arrow Bow and Arrow Rod and Reel Bow and Arrow Rod and Reel Trotline Rod and Reel Trotline Cane Pole Rod and Reel Rod and Reel Bow and Arrow Bow and Arrow Bow and Arrow Rod and Reel Bow and Arrow Rod and Reel Rod and Reel Rod and Reel Rod and Reel Rod and Reel
Photo by Cheryl Gilcrease Anthony Petit, of Negreet, LA, brought in a great catch to Buckeye Landing weighing 8.61 pounds December 30.
Method
Dylan Lyons Gage Shepherd Dylan Lyons Nicholas Hirsch Grant Ketelers Jayden C. Romero Gage Shepherd Dylan Lyons Mark Balderas Dylan Lyons Gage Shepherd Lexie Murty Gage Shepherd Forrest Gothia Gage Shepherd Mashaelie Blackwell Dylan Lyons Hunter Woodward Gunner R. Norton Gage Shepherd Carson Downey Holly Berry
Rod and Reel Rod and Reel Rod and Reel Rod and Reel Rod and Reel Rod and Reel Rod and Reel Bow and Arrow Rod and Reel Bow and Arrow Handline Jug Line Handline Rod and Reel Rod and Reel Rod and Reel Bow and Arrow Rod and Reel Rod and Reel Rod and Reel Rod and Reel Rod and Reel
Submitted photo Melissa Parker with a 27 lb. blue, caught out of Holly Park Marina January 1.
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Louisiana State Fish Records for Toledo Bend Rod & Reel
Documented and kept by the Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association - Updated August 16, 2017 Rank Species
2 3 7 1 3 4 2 1 2 3 8
Bass, Hybrid Striped Bass, Hybrid Striped Bass, Hybrid Striped Bass, Striped Bass, Striped Bass, Striped Bass, Yellow Bowfin Crappie, Black Drum, Freshwater Drum, Freshwater
Bassin’
Weight 15.21 15.00 11.75 47.50 38.75 38.25 2.56 20.50 3.55 23.18 20.0
Angler Tadd R. Jennings Richard Thompson J.D. Murphy James L. Taylor Larry Simmons Anthony Clemens Dean Higginbotham Brian Fant Jodie E. Crouch, Jr. Dallas Cole Richard L. Doggett
Date May 1992 June 1993 March 1979 August 1991 September 1992 June 1988 January 2011 April 1976 March 2003 February 2002 March 1994
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from page 9
impoundments and provides much needed cover for older lakes like Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn. In addition, in the summer it will matt up on the surface and give bass cover from the hot,summer sun. In addition, it also provides anglers with a great placed to catch shallow, summertime bass. The old saying “You don’t miss the water till the well runs dry” certainly applies to our loss of the hydrilla. Most all of my patterns for 10 months out of every year has been fishing hydrilla. One amazing fact about hydrilla is that in the super clear portions of Rayburn and Toledo it will grow as deep as 20 feet which makes it an awesome place to catch bass.
Most of the new hydrilla I am finding is just a few inches tall (4-6 inches) but it is starting to grow. The largest coverage I am finding is on shallow ridges mostly 6-8 feet in depth. I just hope it keeps growing so I can get back to my proven grass patterns. To have Toledo and Rayburn in our back door is a huge blessing. Good Fishing and God Bless. Joe Joslin is a syndicated writer and is published by numerous websites, newspapers and magazines plus is a pro guide on Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn and a TPWD licensed guide since 1998. Contact at joejoslinoutdoors@yahoo.com, 337-463-3848/409-565-1288 and website www.joejoslinoutdoors.com.
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Planning a Garden Joseph Masabni, Assistant Professor and Extension Horticulturist, and Patrick Lillard, Extension Assistant, The Texas A&M University System
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good plan is the first step in establishing a flourishing home vegetable garden. Planning includes selecting the garden location; deciding on the size of the garden; determining the types and varieties of vegetables to plant; and planning where, when, and how much of each vegetable to plant in the garden. Site selection • Choose a place where the soil is loose, rich, level, and well-drained. • Do not choose low areas where water stands or the soil stays wet. Vegetables will not grow in poorly drained areas. • Do not plant where weeds do not grow; vegetables will not grow well there either. • Vegetables need sunlight to grow well. Do not plant where buildings, trees or shrubs will shade the garden. Most vegetables need at least 6 hours of sunlight daily.
• Do not plant vegetables under the branches of large trees or near shrubs because they rob vegetables of food and water. • Plant the garden near a water supply if possible. In many areas a garden can grow without watering, but it is more likely to be successful if it is irrigated. Water is needed especially during long dry periods or when planting seeds. • Few people have the perfect garden location, so look for the best spot possible. good design Garden size Making the garden too large is one of the most common mistakes of enthusiastic, first-time gardeners. A garden that is too large will be too much work. When determining the size of your garden, consider these factors: • Available room. For apartment dwellers, the garden may be a planter box. In a suburban or rural area, however, there may be plenty of ground space for a garden. • Available time. If the only time you have for gardening is after work or
school, or on weekends, there may not be enough time to care for a large garden.
grown in small gardens by trellising them on a fence some other structure.
• Family size. If gardening is a family activity, a large space can be cared for. A larger family also can use more vegetables.
The smaller the garden, the more important it is to get high production from each row. Small, fast-maturing crops such as radishes, turnips and beets yield quickly and do not require much space. Tomatoes, bush beans, squash and peppers require more space but produce over a long season.
• Reason for gardening. If the garden is purely a recreational activity, a container or flower bed garden may be big enough. If you want to grow vegetables for canning or freezing, a bigger area is needed. • Types of vegetables to be grown. Some vegetables take a lot of room. Most need at least 3 feet of space between rows. If you want to plant ten rows of vegetables, the garden must be 30 feet wide. Deciding what to grow. What to grow in the garden is as big a decision as where to locate it. Consider the following points in selecting vegetables: Space available. Do not plant watermelons in a small garden. They take up too much room. Other vine crops such as cucumbers and cantaloupes can be
Expected production from the crop.
Cost of vegetables if purchased. Plant vegetables that are expensive to buy at the grocery store. Broccoli is usually one of the more expensive vegetables that can be grown in most home gardens. Food value of vegetables. All vegetables are good, but some are more nutritious than others. Grow different kinds of vegetables to put more variety in your diet. Personal preference. This is especially important if the garden is purely for recreation or personal enjoyment. Grow vegetables your family likes to eat. Location of vegetables in the garden.
Gardening can be a fun family activity.
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Fishing
from page 10
baits, cranks and jerk baits. The Crappie will also start moving into the deep creek channels in anticipation to their spawn. Work the bends and points of the channel with jigs and shiners especially areas that have brush or cover. When the Crappie move into the shallows to spawn work the flats with a shiner or jig on a slip cork with an eighteen to twenty-four inch leader around grass lines, stumps and Cypress trees. A Beatle spin or similar lure on an ultra- lite spinning rig can be used to cover a lot of water until you locate the fish. Otherwise, if they haven’t started moving towards the shallow flats, work the deep shelfs and ledges along the river channel and creeks. The White bass will be moving into the river proper while some may still be holding on the north end main lake river channel sand-bars and will be feeding heavy. The key to locating and catching the Whites is the level and current of the river. If the river is high and has a lot of current, work the sloughs and eddies down stream of the sand bars. If the river level is low, work the sand bars, if they are not on the sand-bars, try trolling a suspend bait that runs seven to ten feet in the middle of the river. Rat-L-Traps, Road Runners and shallow diving crank baits work great. With boat traffic increasing on the lake this time of year, please remember to be courteous to your fellow fisherman, don’t block the boat ramp, don’t trash our lake, follow the rules and regulations, and wear your life jacket.
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Garden size is one of the most common mistakes made by first-time gardeners. Arrange vegetables in a way that makes the most efficient use of space and light. Group tall vegetables such as okra, corn and tomatoes together on the north side of the garden where they won’t shade shorter vegetables such as bush beans. Also, group vegetables according to maturity. This makes it easier to replant after removing an early crop such as lettuce or beets. Plant small, fast-maturing vegetables between larger ones. Plant vine crops near a fence or trellis if possible. Make a drawing on paper to show the location and spacing of vegetables
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in the garden
Include name, date of catch, and if possible the location, weight and bait used.
Timing of planting. Vegetables are divided into two general groups—warm season and cool season. Cool-season crops can stand lower temperatures; plant them before the soil warms in the spring. They also can be planted in late summer to harvest after the first frost in the fall.
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Schedule of Events
from Around The Lake February 10 MARDI GRAS – Leesville, LA
February 13 MARDI GRAS – Hemphill, Texas
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Greg Crafts Toledo Bend Guide Service & Lake Cottages
Operating out of Huxley Bay
Located on the fishin’ end of lake Toledo Bend
Over 20 Years Experience Specializing in... Black Bass, White Bass, Crappie & Bream
936-368-7151 gregcrafts@yahoo.com www.toledobendguide.com
Visit one of our local dealers to pick up your tournament winning
Talon Fishing Unlimited, Inc. Milam, Texas, U.S.A. Talon Lures! talonfishing.com VISIT WWW.TBRTODAY.COM
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Toyota ShareLunker Program Debuts Mobile App, Website AUSTIN – With the launch of the new year-round participation season Jan. 1, the Toyota ShareLunker Program is debuting a new website and mobile app to facilitate entries and provide anglers with news and updates.
“Catching an 8 pound or larger bass is no easy feat, so we made it as simple as possible for anglers to be rewarded for their achievement with the Toyota ShareLunker Program,” said Kyle Brookshear, Toyota ShareLunker Program coordinator. “With our new mobile app, anyone can enter their lunker bass from their smartphone or tablet right from their favorite fishing spot.” The Toyota ShareLunker app is now available for free download from the Apple App Store and Google Play. Anglers also have the option of entering their catch at the end of their fishing trip on the new Toyota ShareLunker website, https://texassharelunker.com. The digital entry form allows anglers to quickly submit photos of the fish being properly measured,
weighed and held.
The mobile app and website entry forms include simple instructions for anglers who would like to provide a sample of fish scales from their lunker bass to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) researchers for genetic analysis. “By entering the information and providing scale samples from catches of 8 pound and larger lunker bass, anglers can provide TPWD with important data that our fisheries biologists and hatcheries staff can use to make the bass fishing in Texas even better,” Brookshear said. But the bread and butter of the program is still the selective breeding and stocking the offspring of the state’s biggest fish. Anglers who catch a largemouth bass over 13 pounds Jan. 1 through March 31 can choose to loan it to the program for spawning during the peak season. These special fish are entered by calling the program directly – any time of day – at (903) 681-0550. TPWD hatcheries staff will at-
tempt to spawn all 13-pound lunker bass loaned through March 31. Some of the offspring will be stocked back to the source locations for all ShareLunker entries for the year, and others will be used as brood stock for statewide largemouth bass stockings. Lunker bass entries of every size over 8 pounds or 24 inches will receive an exciting prize package and anglers can enter as many fish as they want during the participation season Jan. 1 through Dec. 31.
Each angler who enters an 8 pound or 24 inches and larger lunker bass on the mobile app or website will receive a Toyota ShareLunker Catch Kit containing branded merchandise and fishing tackle items and an entry into the year-end ShareLunker Prize Drawing for a $5,000 shopping spree and an annual fishing license. Anglers will also receive a vehicle decal to display their recognition category – Lunker Class for bass at least 8 pounds or 24 inches, Lunker Elite Class for bass 10 to 12.99 pounds, and Lunker Legend Class for bass at least 13 pounds.
Lunker Legacy Class anglers who loan a lunker bass over 13 pounds to TPWD during the spawning window will receive the same prizes as the other categories as well as a Lunker Legacy Class vehicle decal, VIP access to awards programming at the Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest, a replica of their fish, and an entry into the Legacy Class Prize Drawing for a $5,000 shopping spree and an annual fishing license at the end of the spawning period March 31. After spawning at the TFFC, the 13 pound and larger lunker bass will be returned to the angler, who will have the option of releasing them back to the lake or donating them to the Toyota ShareLunker program for display at the TFFC. To view the full list of prizes, official rules and entry information, visit https://texassharelunker.com. For program updates, photos and to keep up with Texas lunker catches, join the ShareLunker community online at www.facebook.com/sharelunkerprogram/.
Texas Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame Announces 2018 Inductees
T
he Texas Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame committee announced Shannon Tompkins, a reporter and columnist at the Houston Chronicle; and the Lake Fork Sportsman’s Association (LFSA), an organization that works to protect and promote Lake Fork’s natural resources, will be inducted into the hall of fame in 2018. “This year’s inductees to the Texas Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame have made unique and significant contributions to freshwater fishing across the state,” said Dan Kessler, TFF Hall of Fame Committee Chair. “We are proud to honor them not only for what they’ve done – but for what they continue to do to promote fishing opportunities and protect our natural resources for present and future generations of anglers.” Shannon Tompkins, of Porter, is a reporter and columnist at the Houston Chronicle who focuses on the Texas outdoors – with an emphasis on freshwater fishing and hunting. Tompkins is a past president of the Texas Out-
door Writers Association and his reporting has won national and state awards to include the Sierra Club’s Lone Star Environmental Reporting Award, multiple Excellence in Craft awards from the Texas Outdoor Writers Association and the Outdoor Writers Association of America, and an award from the Texas bureau of The Associated Press. Tompkins has covered a wide range of freshwater fishing topics in his articles including highlighting recreational fishing, state fisheries management and regulations, and aquatic invasive species and their impact on the environment. His writings have reached millions of people all across Texas. “Mr. Thompkins is passionate about conservation and the outdoors – and that passion is reflected in his writing,” Kessler said. “He doesn’t just tell people how to fish, he has the unique ability and talent to help people understand why they should care about freshwater fishing and conser-
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vation in Texas.” According to the writer of his nomination letter, “One day all his articles should be collected and edited into a book. And if that book could somehow capture the heart of the man behind the words, it would be a rare reflection on the past nearly half-century of Texas freshwater angling.” The Lake Fork Sportsman’s Association, nominated into the industry or organization category, has worked to protect and promote Lake Fork’s natural resources since 1999. The LFSA has partnered with state and local agencies, community organizations, and high schools on many projects to include operating a live release boat to decrease tournament stress on the fishery, donating fishing tackle to high school fishing teams, hosting free fishing events to draw kids into the outdoors, placing artificial habitats into the lake to enhance recreational fishing, and planting native aquatic vegetation to improve habitat for fish and wildlife.
The LFSA also established the Jesse Parker Memorial Scholarship, named after a long time Lake Fork fishing guide and businessman, to provide tuition money to high school seniors pursuing a career in outdoor fields like fisheries biology and wildlife management. To date, the LFSA has given more than $20,000 to these students. “The Lake Fork Sportsman’s Association is an exceptional example of what a group of motivated anglers can do to improve their fishery and community,” Kessler said. “Lake Fork’s continued reputation as a top bass fishing destination both in Texas and the nation is in no small part due to the hard work they put in every day to enhance and protect it.” Both inductees will be formally inducted into the Hall of Fame at the 2018 Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest benefiting Texas parks and Wildlife Department in May. For more information, visit the TFF Hall of Fame online.
Email: info@samrayburntoday.com
14
FLMB
from page 7
crease overall bass numbers. The total number of young bass surviving each year is primarily limited by habitat conditions and food availability, resulting in strong year classes of bass some years and weak year classes in others. Typically, natural bass reproduction (i.e., no stocking) will maximize reservoir carrying capacity each year. Therefore, stocking FLMB does not increase total bass numbers, but increases the percentage of FLMB in the population which increases the trophy bass potential. The primary goal of FLMB stock-
ings in Texas is to enhance production of large fish (> 8 pounds). Stocking requests from biologists throughout the state are prioritized based on the trophy potential of each reservoir. Therefore, nearly all of the statewide production of FLMB is stocked into lakes that have a history of producing high numbers of fish > 8 pounds. Both Sam Rayburn and Toledo Bend support high-profile bass fisheries, produce trophy-size fish, and are highly prioritized when compared to other reservoirs in the state. As a result, FLMB stockings have been stocked annually on both Sam Rayburn (since
1994) and Toledo Bend (since 1990, except for 2006 and 2014). Each year, Sam Rayburn and Toledo Bend are initially allocated 500,000 FLMB fingerlings. If our hatchery staff has an above average production year, then a majority of the surplus FLMB are stocked at Sam Rayburn and Toledo Bend. This year, due to the many central and west Texas lakes that caught water and received FLMB stockings, there were no surplus FLMB fingerlings available. We ended up stocking just over a combined 1 million FLMB fingerlings in
Sam Rayburn and Toledo Bend, and the stockings were widespread at both reservoirs. To maximize survival, fish are stocked into areas of flooded or aquatic vegetation. Other area reservoirs that received FLMB stockings this year include Nacogdoches, Naconiche, and Kurth reservoirs. If you have questions concerning our area lakes, stop by the Inland Fisheries office at the East Texas Fish Hatchery below Sam Rayburn Dam, or contact us by phone (409-698-9114) or email (todd.driscoll@tpwd.texas. gov). Good luck and good fishing!
David and Molly Atwell (pictured far right) finished 3rd with 12.92 lbs. Christina Malone took the Ladies Big Bass with a 2.77 lb. bass.
Dustin Socha and Heather Tagert take second place in the Texas Bass Couples LaTEX Division Season Opener held on a cold Sunday Jan. 14th. The team boated 13.53 lbs.
Send your community events/festivals to info@samrayburntoday.com
Got pictures? Send those too! VISIT WWW.SAMRAYBURNTODAY.COM
Robison
from page 3
glers can fish with a two-man team or as individual for the one day tournament. First place winner is guaranteed $4,000.00. Last year the event payed out over $22,000.00 to participating anglers. There were over 200 entries and every angler that entered received an RTIC cooler, goodie bag, t-shirt and a meal. Mingle with pro athletes, enter the tournament, participate in the live
auction, or become a spectator at the 2018 Reel ‘Em In Tournament! Come out and support a worthwhile event for a safer community. For more information on entry, or to be a sponsor or make a donation, go to www.brianrobison96.com, phone 832- 745-3553, or email brianrobison96@aol.com. Also see the flyer on the next page.
Email: info@samrayburntoday.com
12
Single Leader Pruning
Multi-leader Pruning
Pesticide resistant, crop threatening whiteflies found in Texas By Adam Russell, 903-834-6191, adam. russell@ag.tamu.edu; Contact: Erfan Vafaie, 903-834-6191, erfan.vafaie@ag.tamu. edu
A
pesticide-resistant population of common plant-damaging whiteflies has been found in Texas, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service specialist. Whiteflies are sucking, insect pests similar to aphids, and damage ornamental and food plants, said Erfan Vafaie, AgriLife Extension program specialist in integrated pest management, Overton. Adults are winged while young whiteflies lie flat against leaves and can be difficult to see with the naked eye. They reduce plant growth by taking away its nutrients, he said. Whiteflies also secrete honeydew, which can lead to sooty mold. This will not directly hurt the plant, but can reduce its aesthetics and the plant’s ability to absorb the sunlight it needs to acquire energy. “They’re sucking the nitrogen out of the plant to make proteins and with those proteins they can make more ba-
Vafaie said the following active ingredients will control Q-type whiteflies, according to Extension publications from the University of Florida: abamectin, Beauveria bassiana, Isaria fumosorosea, pyridaben, horticultural oil, insecticidal soap, spiromesifen, spirotetramat, pyrifluquinazon, thiamethoxam, dinotefuran, cyantraniliprole and acetamiprid.
He said a population of whiteflies within the species that is resistant to certain pesticides typically used to combat the pest have been reported in Texas. The Med biotype, named for their region of origin in the Mediterranean, or Q biotype, whitefly was first spotted in the U.S. in 2004 in Florida.
cides for management,” he said.
bies,” he said.
Whiteflies attack a wide variety of plant hosts, Vafaie said.
“If you’re seeing whiteflies in your landscape and have been trying to control them, and you’re using the same insecticides over and over without getting good control, there’s a good chance you have that resistant population,” he said. Vafaie is studying subsets within whitefly populations using poinsettias as the host plant for his trials using biological control. He is testing how well releasing beneficial insects can work to manage insecticide-resistant whiteflies. “We know we have this population in Texas and several other U.S. states, Mexico and Canada, so it’s important to consider alternative insecti-
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Avoid these active ingredients when fighting Q-type whiteflies: imidacloprid, pyriproxyfen, pymetrozine, kinoprene and buprofezin. “If populations of an infestation are growing rapidly then homeowners should treat the plants,” Vafaie said. “Use contact insecticides to knock down the current population, then consider a systemic for long-term control.” Vafaie said some of the insecticides with the necessary active ingredients to treat Q-type whiteflies may not be found at typical retail locations. It may be necessary to visit a specialty store or contact landscape professionals for products and/or services.
Photo by Adam Russell, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Erfan Vafaie, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service entomologist, holds a vile filled with whiteflies captured during a trial focused on the use of beneficial insects to control whitefly populations.
Email: info@samrayburntoday.com
11
Soil Culture
by John Talbott
When to plant, how to prune fruit trees
I
often get asked, “When is it time to plant fruit trees?” You may, along with a lot of other folks, have the mistaken idea of “digging” up plants or trees with the idea of “planting” trees or plants. One can plant from a container 365 days of the year, because one is not disturbing or harming the root system. One can only transplant (ground to ground) or dig up plants from the ground after the first two freezes and/ or in the winter because the plant goes dormant.
The sap usually returns to the body and roots of the plant and no longer resides in the leaves. The exception to the rule is in the some Southern States with no appreciable winter. In those states, it is suggested that one severely prune (the tops) back any transplants so as not to have the circulatory system (ie. Xylem and Phloem) over-taxed because of any damage or loss of absorption from the root system. The suggestion that the optimal time to plant fruit trees is in the Fall and Spring is true, but it is all about
WATER!!
Fall and early winter is also the best time to prune fruit trees. Fruit trees can be pruned to have a natural shape or to have a more cultivated look depending on the degree of pruning and the types of pruning cuts made. Natural or unpruned trees have a dense canopy that lacks sunlight. A single leader tree has several side limbs oriented horizontally to capture sunlight. Annual pruning removes some of the branches that shade the rest of the tree. Multiple leader trees have sev-
Natural or unpruned tree
eral limbs that grow upward and outward at an angle which helps to keep the tree short. Pruning decisions depend on whether the pruning is done for maintenance, fruit production, or aesthetic beauty. I could go into the ins and outs of pruning, but it would take up more space than this magazine allows and like my ole Granddaddy used to say: “A picture is worth a thousand words”…so cut and paste this link to the University of Maine’s video on pruning! https://youtu.be/0JvJreVLjvc.
Single leader and multi-leader trees
VISIT WWW.SAMRAYBURNTODAY.COM
Email: info@samrayburntoday.com
10
Taking the 3rd place was the Hardin Fishing Club team of Joseph Hall and Savanna Wakefield. The team sacked 16.22 lbs. Huntington High School anglers Addy Stringer and Abram Boles weighed in 17.61 lbs. in the DETX #4 Qualifier.
Deep East Texas November Q2 Top 25 CLUB NAME 1 2 3 4 5 6
Livingston Fishing Huntington HS
Hardin Fishing Club Beckville
LCM Bass Team
Hardin Fishing Club
ANGLERS
Breckett Long Abram Boles Joesph Hall
Jace Lindsay
Justin James
Jaden Parrish
Kaden Mueck Addy Stringer S. Wakefield N/A
Gavin Cooper
Jade Yates
13 Broaddus HS
Gavan Duke
11 Garrison HS
Tamlyn Duff
Livingston Fishing
9
Pirate Bass Club
7 8
LCM Bass Team
10 LMC
12 Jasper HS
14 Garrison HS
D. Tompkins
Kade Massey Tyler Shearin
Kaleb Hyden Trent Andrus
Gavin Brush
Connor Moore
Wesley Stanley T. Adkinson Sharon Greer Ezra Peyrefitte
18 Garrison HS 19 TWHS Bass Nation
Riley Morgan
16 Broaddus HS
17 Huntington HS
20 Huntington HS
Robert Noel
Dalton Mortan Adam Smith
WEIGHT 18.48 17.61 16.22 14.07
10.98 9.78
Paige Blackmon 9.31 K. Henderson L. Stanaland
K. Splettstoss Jace Morgan
Dawson Dean
Will Lambert
21 West Monroe Rebel 22 Colmesneil HS
9.17 6.74 6.29
6.00 5.96
Pictured are the top three teams from the Deep East Texas #4 Qualifier. The anglers are Addy Stringer and Boles, Huntington HS; Kaden Mueck and Breckett Long, Livingston Fishing Team; and Savanna Wakefield and Joseph Hall, Hardin Fishing Team.
The Closest Thing To Heaven in Texas!
5.69
Mitchell Sowell 5.24 Kaylee Noel
N/A
Jacob Pihl
Jordan James N/A
Stormey Denton Shelby Denton Jerrod McKee
13.01
Connor Cooper 12.28
Kade Peterson Hunter Crews
15 ETx Youth Bass Club
Hunter Grubbs
23 Deweyville Pirates
24 Splendora Bass 25 Bass Wranglers
Drake Hartt
5.09
4.37 3.95 3.61 3.11 2.68
10.48
2.52
2.50
VISIT WWW.SAMRAYBURNTODAY.COM
9
Bed & Breakfast Lakeside Cabins • Incredible Rishing • Quiet Atmosphere • Gourmet Meals 1705 FM 2851 • Broaddus, TX • 936-872-9266 • jacksonhill.us
Email: info@samrayburntoday.com
Livingston’s Long, Mueck Win DETX Fourth Qualifier By Terry Sympson Jackson Hill Marina
W
inter weather greeted student anglers and boat captains for the Deep East Texas High School Fishing Series fourth qualifier on Saturday January 6th. Early morning temperatures in the upper 20’s and a steady arctic wind kept everybody guessing about what the day would bring. The determined Livingston High School team of Breckett Long and Kaden Mueck bested the field of 66 teams with a hard earned 18.48 lbs. including a 5.50 lb. kicker to outpace the second place Huntington High School team of Abram Boles and Addy Stringer who had their own 6.80 lb. beauty that anchored their 17.61 lb. limit. Third place went to Hardin Fishing’s team Joseph Hall and Savanna Wakefield with 16.22 lbs. Once again the ladies showed their toughness and skill as not only two of the top three teams included a lady angler, but the days big fish, a giant 7.55 lb. beauty was
netted by the ladies from Livingston Tamlyn Duff and Paige Blackmon who moved their team into the top twenty YTD out of the 114 registered DETX teams. After the first four qualifiers DETX named their 2018 SWEET SIX teams. The teams will have lodging, dinner and special prize packages on Friday February 23.
will change quickly with the big girls spawning and aggressive males prowling our huge areas of shallow grass flats. All predictions are that we should see some of the best fishing in decades as big Sam Rayburn continues to pro-
duce big numbers of healthy bass. To get more information about Deep East Texas High School Fishing, full tournament results and pictures you can go to www.deepeasthighschoolfitshing.com.
Sweet Six Teams are the points leaders after the first four qualifiers. This year the SWEET SIX includes a sixth grade team and two teams with lady anglers. The 2018 Sweet Six include: Jade Yates and Gavin Brush from Broaddus, Breckett Long and Kaden Mueck from Livingston, Abram Boles and Addy Stringer from Huntington, Cody Mundy and Brayden Askew from Broaddus, Jace Lindsey from Beckville and Kade Massey and Trent Andrus from LCM. Going into the February 24th tournament the weather can and
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Kaden Mueck and Breckett Long of the Livingston Fishing Team mastered the elements to take the top slot in the Deep East Texas #4 Qualifier held Saturday, Jan. 6th. Mueck and Long weighed in 18.48 lbs. including a 5.50 lb. kicker bass. The win also put the team in the “2018 Sweet Six” where they will be provided lodging, dinner and awarded a special prize package on Feb. 23.
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8
Over 1 Million FLMB Stocked at Sam Rayburn,Toledo Bend By Todd Driscoll Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
F
ish stockings have been used for many years to develop populations in new reservoirs and supplement populations in existing reservoirs. Texas has a long history with fish stockings, going back to the 1890s with the U.S. Commission of Fish and Fisheries. In 1941, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), then known as the Texas Game, Fish, and Oyster Commission, began stocking hatchery-raised largemouth bass. Hatchery
production greatly increased during the 1960s, which resulted in more widespread stockings.
Up until the 1970s, only native northern largemouth bass (NLMB) were stocked. During that period, TPWD started to experiment with the Florida largemouth bass (FLMB), which is native to Florida and southern Georgia. Earlier work by California indicated FLMB had superior growth rates and greater potential to reach larger sizes when compared to NLMB. In 1972, TPWD introduced
FLMB into public reservoirs.
The FLMB stocking program has been extremely successful in many of our reservoirs, and TPWD has veri-
fied that FLMB attain a greater maximum size than the native NLMB. For example, the long-standing 1943 state record largemouth bass of 13.5 pounds was broken in 1980 by a FLMB weighing 14.1 pounds. Since then, many fish exceeding the 1980 record have been caught, and the current state record is 18.18 pounds (1992). It now takes a fish over 15.3 pounds to be listed in the top 50 largemouth bass caught in Texas! A common misconception is that FLMB are stocked in reservoirs to inSee FLMB, page 12
Schedule of Events from Around the Lake FEBRUARY - MARCH
DATE/TIME
EVENT
LOCATION
Nacogdoches Hemphill San Augustine Hemphill/HS Cafeteria
Farmers Market Sabine County Farmers & Artisans Market Junk In The Trunk Trade Day Lion’s Club Amateur Talent Show
March, each Saturday, 8 a.m. - 12:00 noon March, each Saturday, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. March 3rd, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. March 17th, 6 p.m.
Hemphill Nacogdoches San Augustine Nacogdoches Hemphill Jasper
Sabine County Farmers & Artisans Market Farmers Market Junk In The Trunk Trade Day Casino Night/CASA of Deep East Texas Mardi Gras Celebration 2nd Annual Mardi Gras Parade, Gumbo Cookoff
February, each Saturday, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. February each Saturday, 8 a.m. - 12:00 noon February 3rd, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. February 3rd, 6:30 p.m. - 11 p.m. February 13th February 18th
SEND YOUR TOURNAMENT
Sam Rayburn Lake Weigh Stations
RESULTS, NEWS & PICTURES
Jasper - TPWD Jasper District (Call Ahead), www.tpwd.texas.gov/fishrecords, 900 CR 218, Brookeland, 409-698-9114, 120 lb.
to info@samrayburntoday.com
Jasper - Brookeland/Lake Sam Rayburn KOA, 505 CR 212, Broookeland, 409-698-3422, 600 lb. Jasper - Piney Point Plaza, 3881 RR 255 West, Sam Rayburn, 409-698-2309, 30 lb.
Mimesis
Costume and Mascot Rentals Great for Birthdays, Halloween, School Plays, Renaissance & Mardi Gras
Jasper - Sam Rayburn Marina and Resort, www.samrayburnmarinaresort.com, 4404 Sam Rayburn Parkway, Brookeland, 409-698-2696, 66 lb.
Check us out on Facebook!
San Augustine - Jackson Hill Park & Marina, www.jacksonhill. us, 1705 FM 2851, Broaddus, 936-872-9266, 30 lb.
254-630-3653
San Augustine - Parkway Pantry & Grocery, 18968 FM 1751, Bronson, 409-584-1594, 150 lb. VISIT WWW.SAMRAYBURNTODAY.COM
13320 US Highway 96N, Brookeland, TX 75931 OPEN: Wed.-Thurs. 8:30-4:00; Fri. 8:30-5:00; Sat. 8:30-2:00 Email: info@samrayburntoday.com
7
SETX
from page 1
this year, the team had won 2 January tournaments in other HS events on Rayburn leading up to the SETX opener. With a second place SETX finish last January and a first place finish on Saturday, it would be safe to say these guys have a pretty good idea what the fish are doing when the water is cold on Big Sam. Having launched at Monterrey Park and making a little run up the lake, the team reported using Football Jigs in 30+ foot of water to accumulate over 16 lbs. of Rayburn bass. “The fish were set up on really steep ledges,” said Capt Long. The pair of 13 year old’s were able to start culling very early (around 7:30 am). When asked of any special “tactics” the two may have deployed, Capt Long replied, “No secrets other than these two kids just want it more than anything else. They put their time in and they learn quick.” The team wished to thank their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ above all, their mother’s for letting them do what they love, our father’s for teaching us this great sport, the LHS fishing team sponsors, LHS fishing team, SETX, and all of those who have anything to do with making this possible. Second Place Team- 15.76 LBS- West Sabine HS- Hunter Muncrief and Landen Mccary- Boat Captain William Muncrief Top 3’s and Top 10’s are not uncommon for this team from West Sabine. Veterans of the SETX HS Series, the team of Muncrief and Mccary proved once again that they will be players in the SETX Anglers of the Year race with a second place finish this past weekend. “We fish tournaments all over Texas and throughout
the South and I just want to say that nothing even comes close to what SETX provides to the young anglers of Southeast Texas,” said Capt. Muncrief. Having pre-fished on Friday and launching at Harvey Creek, the team was able to locate some “old” mid lake spots with some scattered grass in the 6-10 foot range that was holding fish. “The Lews reels paired with Falcon rods really helped the kids make the long casts required with the Alabama Rig we were using. Using SETX sponsored V&M Thunder Shad Jr swimbaits on the A-Rig proved to be a key in extracting those fish,” continued Muncrief. The team wished to thank V&M Baits, Falcon Rods, Anderson’s A/C, Allman Company, Sister’s Boutique, Jerry’s Collision, LP’s 4x4, Jasper Exxon, QCS, Fairmont Family Practice, as well as other West Sabine and SETX Sponsors. Third Place Team- 15.73 LBS- Hamshire Fannett HS- Tanner Deshotel and Garrett Picou- Boat Captain Jay Hagen In most SETX tournaments, just over 15 lbs. would not be enough for a top 3 finish, but in January, it is quite the accomplishment and that is exactly what the team from Hamshire Fannett did as they squeezed their way into to top 3 and just .03 lbs. short of a second place finish. The team reported having found fish the weekend before, but were unable to get to those fish due to the uncertain weather. So like any good team, they improvised and made the best of the situation by settling in on a shallow water mid lake grass pattern. We have all heard the old saying “you can always catch bass shallow,” well this team took that
advice!! Having launched at Sandy Creek, the team utilized an old Rayburn standby and SETX sponsor, RatL-Trap, to accumulate almost 16 lbs. of Rayburn bass in water as shallow as 2 feet. The team reported catching their final fish around 1:20 to finish out their limit. “We never culled any fish. The fish we caught were the ones we brought to the scales,” said Capt Ha-
gen. Now that is efficiency! One thing the team was able to clue in on that helped tremendously was birds chasing bait in the shallow grassy areas. “When we saw the birds, we knew the fish were not far behind,” concluded Capt Hagen. For full tournament results go to www. samrayburntoday.com or www.setxhighschoolfishing.com
SETX - Rest Of Top Ten 4th Place- 14.67 LBS/ Kirbyville HS/ Blake Bailey and Evan Greninger 5th Place- 14.23 LBS/ Nederland HS/ Logan Williams and Jacob Mcdonald 6th Place- 13.94 LBS/ PNG HS/ Tyler Faulk and Kyle Stegall 7th Place- 13.54 LBS/ LCM HS/ Spencer Brister and Justin James 8th Place- 13.48 LBS/ Livingston HS/ Aubrey Barnes and Cory Deblasio 9th Place- 13.36 LBS/ Evadale HS/ Kyler Kirkland and Ashton Granger 10th Place- 12.45 LBS/ Jasper HS/ Bryce Gaston and Logan Gaston
Top 3 Big Bass 1st- 7.84 LBS/ West Sabine HS/ Hunter Muncrief and Landen Mccary 2nd- 7.53 LBS/ Silsbee HS/ Haden Burks and Eli Smart 3rd- 7.31 LBS/ Friendswood HS/ Johnnie Nemecek and Hunter Scott
Fisherman’s Delight • Sam Rayburn 477 CR 4730, Broaddus, Texas 75929 • 1 Bedroom, 1 Bath, Sleeps 4
Located at Harvey Creek just around the corner from the boat ramp.
Janice Williams: 936-201-3304 Evening Phone: 936-872-3729
VISIT WWW.SAMRAYBURNTODAY.COM
6
West Sabine High School Team Hunter Muncrief and Landen McCary landed 2nd place in the SETX HS Season Opener. The pair took 15.76 lbs. to the scale.
Email: info@samrayburntoday.com
O P 21
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VISIT WWW.SAMRAYBURNTODAY.COM
409-381-0138
Snap Dragons
Sam Rayburn Marina and Resort
Onion Sets of All Varieties
Corps Headquarters
na R . Angeli
Bass, Hybrid Striped 2.95 21.00 June 21, 2007 Nicholas Montano • Rod and Reel Bass, Largemouth 11.57 28.25 April 23, 2005 Brandon Adams • Rod and Reel Bass, Spotted 4.10 19.50 Sept. 18, 2010 Tanner Moreno • Rod and Reel Bass, White 2.18 16.75 April 20, 2008 Hunter Muncrief • Rod and Reel Bass, Yellow 0.98 12.13 March 13, 2011 Hunter Boren • Rod and Reel Bluegill 0.71 10.25 June 14, 2007 Tyler Hutchison • Rod and Reel Carp, Common 14.98 32.75 March 13, 2017 Brittan Caraway • Rod and Reel Catfish, Blue 6.92 26.00 Nov. 9, 2013 Emily J. Baker • Rod and Reel Catfish, Channel 3.16 0.00 April 17, 2011 Cord Copley • Rod and Reel Catfish, Flathead 52.00 43.25 March 25, 2011 Blake Terry • Rod and Reel Crappie, Black 2.12 15.50 May 30, 2009 Ross Brusenhan • Rod and Reel Crappie, White 2.38 18.13 June 22, 2015 Daron Johnson • Rod and Reel Drum, Freshwater 2.45 17.25 June 13, 2017 Crew (Bear) Copley • Rod and Reel Gar, Alligator 192.00 93.00 April 21, 2007 Ariel Drewery • Rod and Reel Sunfish, Redbreast 0.45 8.50 June 14, 2008 Hunter Muncrief • Rod and Reel Sunfish, Redear 0.27 7.63 June 9, 2012 Branden Ringham • Rod and Reel Warmouth 0.57 9.00 July 11, 2015 Daron Johnson • Rod and Reel
Talbott
NURSERY & POULTRY
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Park Areas
Primary Highway
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Houston
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Bass, Hybrid Striped 11.58 27.25 April 6, 2005 John Olive • Rod and Reel Bass, Largemouth 16.80 28.75 May 31, 1997 Tommy Shelton • Rod and Reel Bass, Spotted 5.50 27.25 Feb. 14, 1987 Curt E. Smith • Rod and Reel Bass, White 4.75 22.50 July 7, 2010 Marc Shaw • Rod and Reel Bass, Yellow 1.78 14.88 Dec. 13, 2012 Brandon Domangue • Rod and Reel Bluegill 0.75 10.00 April 28, 2008 Robert Biskamp Sr. • Pole & Line Bowfin 13.65 32.00 Dec. 8, 2017 Kenny Foutain • Rod and Reel Buffalo, Bigmouth 76.00 47.00 April 8, 2016 Benny Elliott • Bow and Arrow Buffalo, Smallmouth 84.00 48.00 Aug. 17, 2005 Kevin LaForge • Bow and Arrow Bullhead, Black 1.46 15.13 Feb. 17, 2007 Randall Bradfield • Rod and Reel Bullhead, Yellow 2.51 18.38 May 27, 1997 Willis Francis Jr. • Trotline Carp, Common 27.00 36.50 April 18, 2004 Jim Welborn • Rod and Reel Carp, Gass 85.25 48.25 Nov. 14, 2016 Benny Elliott, Bow and Arrow Catfish, Blue 83.50 54.00 Jan. 15, 2001 Michael Crochet • Trotline Catfish, Channel 12.32 29.25 June 13, 2005 Gary Ritnour • Trotline Catfish, Flathead 84.06 53.00 March 17, 2003 Donald Latham • Trotline Crappie, Black 2.15 17.00 May 1, 2007 Ricky Ethridge • Rod and Reel Crappie, White 2.94 17.00 March 28, 1995 Paul Burleson • Rod and Reel Drum, Freshwater 6.50 23.75 Dec. 31, 2016 Benny Elliott • Bow and Arrow Gar, Alligator 244.50 97.75 Aug. 4, 2005 Keith Riehn • Bow and Arrow Gar, Longnose 49.25 64.00 May 7, 2016 Benny Elliott • Bow and Arrow Gar, Spotted 7.75 33.50 June 7, 2016 Benny Elliott • Bow and Arrow Pickerel, Redfin 0.55 13.75 April 6, 2009 Douglas Wright • Rod and Reel Sucker, Spotted 3.75 16.75 Jan. 1, 2017 Benny Elliott • Bow and Arrow Sunfish, Other Hybrid 0.52 8.25 June 1, 2014 Lucy Ray • Rod and Reel Sunfish, Redbreast 0.57 9.38 April 10, 2005 Randall Bradfield • Rod and Reel Sunfish, Redear 0.60 9.50 March 5, 2006 Randall Bradfield • Rod and Reel Warmouth 0.69 9.00 Dec. 22, 2016 Kenny Fountain • Rod and Reel
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Texas County Lines
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Tyler Co.
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Brian Robison Reel ‘Em In Foundation Benefit Tournament set for March on Sam Rayburn 3rd annual event to benefit K9s4COPs training
G
et ready for some Fishing!
And some fun too at the 3rd annual Brian Robison Reel ‘Em In Foundation Tournament. This year’s tournament will be held March 29-31 on Sam Rayburn at Umphrey Pavilion. Avid angler and NFL defensive end for the Minnesota Vikings, Brian Robison, along with his wife Jayme, created the Reel ‘Em In Foundation in 2015. The non-profit organization was founded on the desire to give back while making an impact in their community. Last year they aligned themselves with K9s4COPs, providing highly trained K9s, that cost between $15,000 to $25,000 to local law enforcement
agencies. K9s4COPs is also a non profit organization with the belief that lack of funds should not be an obstacle for any law enforcement agency working to keep our streets safe. The Reel ‘Em In Foundation also aided in Hurricane Harvey relief efforts. On Thursday, March 29, there will be a live and silent auction to “auction off” professional athletes and professional anglers. Bidders are invited to make a bid for a one-on-one boat experience with a participating professional athlete and/or professional angler. Winner of the auction will fish the following day in an exclusive VIP tournament with the person they won. To fish the open tournament, anSee Robison, page 12
Minnesota Viking Defensive End #96 Brian Robison, along wth his wife Jamye, created the Reel ‘Em In Foundation Tournament that benefits K9s4COPs.
RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL FA R M S • L A N D A HouseSOLD Word! mathewsrealty.com
Robison’s other passion - fishing! His love of fishing and a desire to give back to his community is the inspriation behind the Reel ‘Em In Foundation that benefits law enforcement through K9 training.
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616 Tenaha St. | Center, TX (936) 598-7800 Email: info@samrayburntoday.com
2018 Sam Rayburn TX Bass Couples face Tournament Schedule tough season opener DATE
ORGANIZATION
MONTH
SITE
MAY Anglers Quest Fishers of Men ET Div. American Bass Anglers DETX Championship Outlaw Outdoors Memorial Day Tournament
5-6 5 12-13 12-13 28
MARCH Fishers of Men ET Div. Media Bass American Bass Anglers Sweet Sixteen Sunday Series DETX Qualifer #6 Bass Champs SETX High School Anglers Quest Texas Tournament Zone Sweet Sixteen Sunday Series American Bass Anglers APRIL DETX Qualifer #7 Anglers Quest American Bass Anglers SETX High School Big Bass Splash Dodge Ram Series Outlaw Outdoors Spring Average Joe Texas Bass Couples
7 7-8 8 14 20-22 28 28 29
SEND US YOUR 2018 TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE! FEBRUARY SETX High School Umphrey Pavilion Sweet Sixteen Sunday Series Cassels Boykin Texas Team Trail Umphrey Pavilion Outlaw Outdoors Bass ‘N Bugs Cassels Boykin DETX High School Qualifer #5 Jackson HIll Marina Ram Dodge Series Umphrey Pavilion American Bass Anglers Monterey PR Texas Bass Couples TBA Anglers Quest Lakeview
3 4 10 24 24 24 25 25 17-18 3 4 4 4 10 10 17 17-18 24 25 31
Cassels Boykin Jackson Hill Monterey PR Cassels Boykin Jackson Hill Marina Umphrey Pavilion Umphrey Pavilion Lakeview Umphrey Pavilion Cassels Boykin Monterey PR
Team Bozarth takes 1st palce By Tammy Mong
S
eason Opener for Texas Bass Couples LaTex division was on January 14, on Sam Rayburn, out of Cassell Boykin. We had 17 teams show up to fish in the freezing temperatures! Only 6 teams caught a limit, fishing was TOUGH! Way to go David & Tina Bozarth, 1st Place & Men’s Big Bass! 13.91 with a 7.97lb kicker! Dustin Socha & Heather Tagert came in a close 2nd with 13.53. (Good job & Welcome to Texas Bass Couples!)
David & Molly Atwell finished 3rd with 12.92. Christina Malone caught ladies Big Bass 2.77 We want to thank everyone that came out to fish with us! It’s going to be a great year! See y’all February 11, on Toledo Bend. Registration will be at Keith’s Toledo Bend Tackle. Watch our Facebook Page for more details. (See additional photos on page 12)
Jackson Hill Marina Lakeview Monterey PR Umphrey Pavilion Umphrey Pavilion Umphrey Pavilion Cassels Boykin TBA Lakeciew Cassles Boykin Monterey PR Jackson Hill Marina Cassels Boykin
EDITORIAL STAFF
Cheryl Gilcrease, Designer; JoAnna Martin, Editor Published by Main Street Marketing of East Texas PO Box 1058, Center, TX 75935 • 936-591-7210 www.samrayburntoday.com • Email: info@samrayburntoday.com
The opinions expressed by the writers are theirs and do not necessarily represent the views of Sam Rayburn TODAY.
David and Tina Bozarth take 1st place in the Texas Bass Couples Season Opener. The Bozarth team sacked 13.91 lbs. David also took the top spot for Men’s Big Bass with a bass weighing 7.97 lbs.
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TODAY www.samrayburntoday.com FEBRUARY 2018
Complimentary Issue INSIDE
Livingston HS claims SETX opener ... 1, 6 Texas Bass Couples ...............................2, 12 Bass Tournament Schedule ...................... 2 Reel ‘Em In Tournament ......................3, 12 Sam Rayburn Reservoir Map ............... 4, 5 Sam Rayburn All Tackle Records ...........4 Sam Rayburn Junior Angler Records .... 5 Schedule of Events ...................................... 7 TPWD FLMB stocking .......................... 7, 12 DETX Qualifier ........................................8, 9 Soil Culture ............................................ 10, 11 Crop threatening whiteflies ..................... 11 TPWD debuts mobile app, website ...... 14 TFFHOF announces inductees ............. 14
Livingston Team Claims 2018 SETX Opener
W
hether it is January or February in Southeast Texas, we all know that planning a tournament weekend in either of these months is a crapshoot when it comes to the weather. “Temps could be in the 20’s or the 70’s around here. All we can do is monitor it and make decisions based on what we get” said SETX board member Tom Selman of PNG. SETX President Bryan Thomas of Lumberton said this, “We have been monitoring the weather all week and we know it is going to be cold. The wind is what has us worried and we will monitor it right up until tournament time.” High winds and temps in the 30’s greeted teams on Friday who elected to do any pre fishing, but the evening hours on Friday saw the winds lay and forecasts improving for tournament day. When asked about the conditions for tournament day, tournament director John Salamone had this to say Friday evening. “All of the forecasts we are observing have the winds out of the north at no more than 10 mph for tomorrow. That is very good news for all of us. It’s gonna be cold, but the lighter winds will allow our teams to move about the lake freely and safely.” concluded Salamone. Saturday morning temps plunged to the upper 20’s at start time and winds were exactly as forecasted as over 500 teams from throughout Southeast Texas hit the waters of Big Sam to open up the 2018 season. Most teams were on the water pretty early to avoid the crowds at the ramps and
most elected to fish close to launch sites to avoid the long cold boat rides. Many teams elected to call it a day early as morning temperatures hovered in the low 30’s and fish failed to cooperate. The remaining teams hoped for warmer temps later and with that,
more active fish as well.
TACKLE ADDICT First Place Team16.30 LBS-Livingston HS- Breckett Long and Kaden Mueck- Boat Captain Hec Long January may not be everyone’s
favorite month to fish Sam Rayburn, but this team from Livingston may be wishing all the events were in January. “We have had a pretty good run on this lake in January in our last 4 HS events,” said Capt Hec Long. Both last year and See SETX, page 6
First place winners in the SETX 2018 season opener was the team of Kaden Mueck and Breckett Long. The Livingston Fishing Team sacked 16.30 lbs. Boat Captain was Hec Long.