By Craig Nyhus one Star outdoor newS
A major study of waterfowl genetics is underway at what might be thought of as an unusual loca-
tion — The University of Texas at El Paso.
Dr. Philip Lavretsky is leading the study after partnering and raising funding with Ducks Unlimited. Lavretsky is an associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the university, and has been studying water-
By David J Sams Lone Star outdoor newS
As the sun is peeking over the horizon on many mornings this spring, you’ll find a young man having breakfast from a floral paper plate and downing a Red Bull at the Elm Creek Marina on O.H. Ivie Reservoir.
At age 22, Tristan Marsh is decked out in his hoodie and baggy clothes, sitting among other guides, most of them wearing a straight-bill 6th Sense cap. These young guns are ready to hit the water and help their clients catch the largest bass of their life.
Marsh has perfected fishing for giant bass using forward-facing sonar. This relatively new technology takes hours and hours of practice to figure out how to identify the most active fish — and the guide has defi nitely put in his time.
Oblivious to fighter jets practicing in the strato sphere above, Marsh focuses on his screen, hunting for that lone, giant bass.
fowl genetics for 15 years, much of that time in Ohio.
“I came to UTEP in 2016 and had been building up the studies to the point I realized I had samples for all of the North American waterfowl species,” he said.
“I approached DU and they saw the potential and interest of duck hunters to understand ancestry of their harvests, while building one of the largest genetic repositories of any organism.”
Marsh grew up in East Texas, fishing Caddo Lake and Lake O’ the Pines with his father. After finishing high school, he decided college was not for him and went right into becoming a hunting and fishing guide.
Now, the Midland resident fishes mostly West Texas lakes, and O.H. Ivie happens to be his favorite for giant spawning bass, although he also loves fishing J.B. Thomas.
His favorite food is stir fry, he watches YouTube instead of TV, he likes hip-hop and country music, and he might be addicted to video games and social media.
By Nate Skinner For Lone Star outdoor newS
The study, called duckDNA, launched in 2023, involves citizen science, with 300 hunters throughout the lower 48 states invited to participate the first year,
With springtime conditions setting in and water temperatures on the rise, a variety of species are providing action for anglers across Texas’ upper bay systems. Live shrimp and a variety of artificial lures have been working well for trout and redfish. Sheepshead,
black drum and flounder have been biting on natural offerings.
Capt. Jake Brown has been targeting drop-offs along the Brazos River, near Freeport, to catch a variety of species including sheepshead, black drum, speckled trout, redfish and flounder. Free-lined live shrimp has been producing the most bites.
“Some of the most productive
areas along the Brazos have been those that have underwater trees situated right off of the edge of the drop-offs,” Brown said. “Most of the trees are in about 15-20 feet of water or deeper.”
The redfish have been all sizes, from lower slot reds to oversized. Keeper-sized black drum and sheepshead have been thick in the river as well, along with trout
WHATEVER YOUR ADVENTURE IS, WE'VE GOT YOU COVERED.
By Nate Skinner
For Lone Star outdoor newS
Springtime gobblers can be fickle. The birds can provide some exciting moments in the field when they are talkative and aggressive, but downright tough to hunt, seemingly vanishing when they exhibit elusive, tight-lipped behavior.
Averie Link has been hunting turkeys for two seasons, but the 17-yearold has experienced both the highs and lows during her short tenure as a spring turkey hunter. Last season, she grinded hard, to no avail, and went home empty-handed.
This year, Lady Luck was on her side. She was able to harvest her first gobbler before the sun crested the tops of the oak trees where the birds were roosting during a morning hunt with her dad on a family friend’s property in Bexar County.
“Last season, a cold front came through on the weekend I was able to go hunting with my dad,” Link said. “We gave it our best shot, but the weather completely shut the birds down. We heard a few random gobbles, but I never even saw a turkey throughout the trip.”
The weather was more favorable recently when she was able to get back out in the turkey woods in hopes of tagging her first tom. Winds were light, temperatures were mild during the morning hours and the birds were more willing to play the game.
“Afternoon temperatures were going to be pretty warm, so we decided to focus most of our efforts during the morning,” Link said. “We did hunt for a few hours during the evening on the first afternoon. The birds started talking about a half-hour before sunset, but wouldn’t leave the hens they were following on their way back to their roost.”
Link said hearing the birds gobble on their way to roost had her optimistic that the next morning could be exciting.
The morning brought an early start, with Link and her dad sneaking into a field before daylight and setting up near the edge of a bottom where there were several birds roosted within 100-150 yards.
“We set out two hen decoys and one jake strutter decoy and waited for the sun to rise,” she said. “The birds were not super talkative, but we heard a few gobbles not far from us
By Craig Nyhus
The avid duck hunter walked back from the mailbox with a group of giant envelopes, wondering what they were. For others, it might be the second or third time they have been asked to provide wings from all of the ducks they shoot over the season. On the envelope states, Waterfowl Parts Collection Survey, with some basic instructions. Some are happy to participate, while others put the envelopes aside.
What happens after the wings are sent back to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service?
According to Paul Padding, an Atlantic Flyway biologist, 6,000-8,000 hunters nationwide are asked to send in their wings. Nationwide, they receive about 90,000 duck wings and 20,000 goose tails and wing tips. During the season, as the wings come in, specific persons in each flyway identify the species and then store the wings in a freezer for an end-of-season party, of sorts.
The get-together is called the Wingbee, the name is a take-off on the quilting bees your grand-
mother may have participated in. In late January or February of each year, 40 to 50 people, including biologists and technicians from the Service and from state agencies, spend a week processing all of the wings. What do they learn?
The Service said the information helps set harvest estimates and helps evaluate hunting seasons, but how?
The answer isn’t really that complicated. The first focus is on age and sex information, where biologists learn whether most of the ducks taken were young of the year or adult birds.
Franklin Mountains desert bighorns doing well
Lone Star outdoor newS
In the recently completed Franklin Mountains desert
assessment flights, the herd received a positive outlook, according to Froylan Hernandez, Desert Bighorn Sheep Program leader at Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
The goal of the flights was to assess animal health and obtain a lamb count. Since all of the animals are collared, they are monitored via satellite/laptop.
By Tony Vindell
For Lone Star outdoor newS
One, two, three. That’s how Sergio Salinas finished the afternoon of March 26 when he went turkey hunting with his bow.
After setting up a decoy of a bedded hen and a jake about 10 yards away, he went to his blind and began calling the birds in the Hebbronville ranchland.
“I saw several hens feeding at about 40 yards,” Salinas said. “A gobbler showed up. I got ready and shot it.”
Seconds later, another showed up. And then another. Several minutes later, Salinas couldn’t believe his eyes as not one, but three gobblers were by his side.
“I have been telling the story over and over and keep hearing the same question,” he said. “‘Why did you shoot three?”
Salinas said he tells himself he did it because that would never happen again.
“I have been hunting since I was 13,” the 31-year-old Mission man said. “I have harvested quite a few animals but no turkeys with a bow and arrow.”
Salinas, who works in the oil fields, said he decided to go hunting that afternoon rather than staying home. He had a work meeting the next morning in Zapata, and went to the ranch with the idea of staying overnight before the meeting the next day.
“I told one of my buddies you are not going to get anything sitting on the couch,” he said. “I usually don’t do well in the evenings but this time was different.”
Salinas said he thought he missed the first bird but the second one showed up and acted as if it was picking a fight with the dying one. Another shot and two toms were down.
Then, the unthinkable. The third gobbler appeared.
Salinas made jerky out of one bird, while the other two remain in the freezer to later try some new recipes.
The first Hunting & Fishing Extravaganza in Midland brought together outdoor enthusiasts from across the West Texas region for a weekend filled with great vendors, attractions and a strong sense of community.
Hosted at the Midland County Horseshoe Pavilion, the event featured a variety of hunting outfitters, apparel, fishing gear and more.
Vendors were pleased with the layout and facility, but the number of people coming through the doors was lower than they hoped. They did enjoy the food trucks, especially when the operators came through the halls taking orders.
Others felt the time of year wasn’t ideal, and a later time during the heat of summer would be preferred.
A standout moment of the weekend was Saturday night’s intimate concert with country music legend Mark Chesnutt. The performance gave fans a chance to enjoy Chesnutt’s iconic hits, and his classic Texas sound was the perfect way to wrap up the day’s festivities. “We’re thankful to everyone who came out, from exhibitors and sponsors to attendees who made the weekend special,” TTHA stated in a release. “We’re already looking ahead to 2026 and are excited about the future of the Hunting & Fishing Extravaganza. With fresh ideas and strong community support, we’re committed to making next year even better.”
Gov. Greg Abbott appointed Tim Timmerman and reappointed Bobby Patton to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission for terms set to expire Feb. 1, 2031. The appointment will be in effect at the next Commission meeting May 21 and 22.
Timmerman, of Austin, is the owner of Timmerman Capital LLC. He is the president of the Colorado River Land Trust, board member for Central Texas Community Foundation, Austin Area Research Organization, YMCA of Central Texas and Texas Business Leadership Council. He’s also a member of the Texas A&M University Chancellor’s Century Council and the Texas A&M Legacy Society.
Patton, of Fort Worth, is president of Texas Capitalization Resource Group, Inc. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the UT Development Board, UT Marine Science Institute, the UT Liberal Arts Advisory Council and a director of the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo.
These appointments are subject to Senate confirmation.
Continued from page 1
though more than 4,000 applied. The project operates similarly to familial genealogical sites like 23andMe and ancestry.com. Participants receive a kit that includes several sample containers, alcohol wipes, prepaid postage and other helpful items. They then collect tissue samples from harvested ducks that they mail to Lavretsky’s lab, where his team performs genetic analyses of the samples.
Hunters receive the genetic makeup information through their duckDNA account, certifying the purity or parentage of the ducks they sampled, and Lavretsky and his lab utilize the data collected for future research and conservation projects.
The 2024-2025 season was duckDNA’s second year.
“We’re still getting samples,” Lavretsky said. Tracking duck biodiversity in the U.S. is the primary goal of the study, which then can help identify issues that may pose a threat to conservation.
Once they receive the samples, Lavretsky and his team conduct association studies in which they look for genetic variants in a wide sample set to help them determine if certain factors found in these birds are flukes or traits of the species.
Hybrid-domestic duck species, the result of wild and domestic ducks mating and reproducing, are an item of concern. Lavretsky’s team is mapping hotspots of hybridization to help identify and determine what can be done to mitigate it.
Game-farm mallards are the primary domestic culprit.
“Despite being a derivative of a wild mallard several hundred years ago, game-farm mallards are easily discernable genetically from wild mallards due to their history of domestication,” Lavretsky said.
Ongoing studies suggest wild x game-farm mallard hybrids may be poorly adapted to natural habitats.
Across the 721 samples from the 2023-2024 season, 19 different hybrid combinations were documented. One item learned was in all mallard x gadwall hybrids, also called Brewer’s ducks, were the result of breeding between
male gadwall and female mallards. It was previously assumed that male mallards were the most likely source of mallard genes in these hybrids.
From this year’s samples, Lavretsky said one three-species hybrid (when a hybrid species breeds with species different from either parent species) was a shoveler x cinnamon teal x blue-winged teal — the first known combination these species.
“And we continue to look at whether female hybrids can breed,” Lavretsky said.
From this past season, 700 hunters were selected to provide samples from three ducks each, for a potential total of 2,100 samples.
“It would be impossible to do this without the hunters’ help,” Lavretsky said.
Lavretsky is an avid duck hunter, following in the footsteps of his father, who hunted for ducks in Russia, where Lavretsky and his family originated. They immigrated to California when Lavretsky was three, but his father continued his hunting tradition with Lavretsky.
2023-2024 RESULTS
Samples by flyway Atlantic 84 Mississippi 369 Central 108 Pacific 64
Unknown - 96 (submitted without harvest location)
Hybrid examples
Wild mallard x game-farm mallard
Wild mallard x American black duck
Wild mallard x gadwall
Wild mallard x wood duck
Three-species hybrids
Wild mallard x American black duck x gamefarm mallard
Mexican duck x game-farm mallard x wild mallard
Game-farm mallard x wild mallard x mottled duck
In the flights, 60 out of the 74 currently collared animals were observed. A total of 77 desert bighorn sheep were released into the mountains. Nine rams and five ewes were not observed during the flights.
The sheep are reproducing. A total of 17 lambs were observed of varying age, with some being just a few days old.
Since the releases in late 2024, there have been three mortalities, two of which were ewes. There are 38 ewes remaining in the mountains.
“Therefore, the 17 lambs observed result in a 45 percent lamb crop,” Hernandez said.
All of the animals observed appeared in good health. Hernandez said one group of animals was less than 50 meters from one of the water guzzlers, and suspect they were either on their way to get a drink, or had already gotten one. Both guzzlers in the area have captured rainwater and wildlife are utilizing them.
Observations
Rams 27 Ewes 33
Lambs 17
Total 77
The relocation and survey were a result of a partnership between the Texas Bighorn Society, TPWD, and the Wild Sheep Foundation.
By Nate Skinner
For Lone Star outdoor newS
During a recent optimal weather window, Carson Deer put together a group of buddies to head offshore to target blue marlin and yellowfin tuna. Deer captained the Catillac, a 46' Invincible Cat owned by his dad, Marc. The crew ran about 160 miles out of Tiki Island in a southerly direction into the Gulf.
While bump-trolling for marlin, they ended up unintentionally hooking up with a massive bluefin tuna.
After a 5-hour battle with the impressive fish, the crew was finally able to land it. They knew they had accomplished something special, but it wasn’t until they got back to the dock that they realized how large the fish was. The beast weighed 884 pounds.
Bluefin tuna are protected in Texas waters by NOAA Fisheries; however, anglers with the proper permit can catch a bluefin tuna 73 inches or longer if it was caught unintentionally and reported within 24 hours. Deer and crew possessed the necessary permit and followed all reporting re-
By Nate Skinner
Lone
Most catfish are in a pre-spawn pattern, and while some trophy catfish are still being caught, many anglers and fishing guides have been turning their attention to eating-sized blue and channel catfish. Fresh shad, various types of cut bait, and punch baits have been producing plenty of bites.
On Lake Conroe, guide Todd Rhodes said good numbers of blues and channel cats are up in the shallows in about 5 feet of water along the bulkheads during the morning hours. Later in the day, the fish have been pulling out
to the edges of creek channels in about 12-15 feet of water.
“While fishing shallow along the bulkheads, I’ve been using worms, fresh shad and punch bait rigged under a cork,” Rhodes said. “The blue cats have been concen trating in areas with shadows and docks that provide shade.”
When targeting the edges of creek channels in 12-15 feet of wa ter, Rhodes has been fishing with fresh shad along the bottom.
“There are quite a few channel catfish concentrated over baited holes in 20 to 25 feet of water near just about any type of structure,” Rhodes said. “Blues and channel cats have been feeding
quirements for the fish.
David Esslinger is the angler who hooked up with the fish and fought it throughout the grueling battle. The rest of the crew, aside from Deer at the helm and Esslinger on the rod and reel, included Brad Hildebrandt, TC Swetman, Jeff Young, and Colby Denbow.
Esslinger said catching a fish of this size is definitely a team effort.
“First off, for those that have never landed a fish that’s the size of a car, let me just say that this is a full-meal deal,” Esslinger said. “No man or
Please turn to page 12
Winners were selected at the 2025 Texas Fish Art Contest from a total of 485 entries from students across the state. Established by Wildlife Forever, the contest encourages K-12 students to submit original artwork of any fish and a creative writing piece (grades 4-12) about the participant’s fish entry, its habitat or efforts to conserve it. The Texas contest is housed and administered by the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens.
Grades 10-12
Joshua Washington, of Pasadena
Dalia Morales, of Houston
Brett Baker, of Hallettsville
Grades 7-9
Rachel Shen, of Austin
Ziheng Wang, of Austin
Paxton Grigsby, of McKinney
Grades 4-6
Kennth Ge, of Lubbock
Regina Du, of Flower Mound
Alice Xie, of Austin
Grades K-3
Jessica Ding, of Austin
Candice Chen, of Austin
Jeremiah Lee, of Coppell
Additionally, the contest added a Special Species Award category this year to showcases a focused species or set of species. The 2025 award features the Guadalupe bass in honor or Shirley Watson and her third-grade class at Decatur Elementary School, which, in 1989, realized Texas had no official state fish. They traveled to Austin and testified in
turning a new leaf
By Cory Byrners
For Lone Star outdoor newS
Lake Livingston used to be one of the top striped bass lakes in the state. Now, the stripers are gone, and anglers are hoping hybrid stripers can help pick up the slack.
The 83,000acre lake’s pri mary purpose is to provide Houston with municipal and agricultural water. For fish ing, it’s now known for catfish and white bass — but not stripers.
programs around the state. However, according to the 2020 fishing management survey report, the striper numbers have significantly decreased. In 2019, TPWD did not collect any brood stock from the lake.
In 1977, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department began stocking Lake Livingston with striped bass annually. TPWD also used the population of stripers they caught near the dam as brood stock for other stocking
Michael Richardson with Lake Livingston Adventures theorized that the decline of the stripers in Lake Livingston started
“It was the Memorial Day flood that started it,” he said. “It made the lake super muddy. It changed creeks, it changed a lot of stuff, and it’s just been cycling, this flooding, bringing silt into the lake and making the lake muddy.”
Stripers need fresh, clean, and cool water to survive. The population of stripers took a steep decline, as proven by TPWD’s survey.
In 2020, Jeff Friederich, with Fishin’
Spring has returned and that means it’s time for catfish angling at Neighborhood Fishin’ lakes across the state. The program provides friends and families with the opportunity to reel in catfish close to home and participate in the Texas tradition of outdoor recreation.
On April 11, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department resumed stocking thousands of catfish at 18 Neighborhood Fishin’ lakes, including five in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, four in the Houston area, two each in Austin and San Antonio and one each in Amarillo, College Station, San Angelo, Waco and Wichita Falls.
“Neighborhood Fishin’ lakes are conveniently located in urban and suburban areas to provide a great fishing experience where most Texas residents live,” said Marcos DeJesus, Inland Fisheries Division director. “Catfish are fun and easy to catch for anglers of all ages and experience levels.”
Each lake will receive channel catfish every two weeks through the end of October — with a brief pause during the heat of August.
Anglers can keep up to five fish of any kind (all species combined) per day with one black bass 14 inches or greater in length. Youth under 17 do not need a fishing license, but adults who fish do.
Neighborhood lakes stocked:
Amarillo, Medical Center South
Austin
Bullfrog Pond
Kingfisher Lake College Station, Central Park Pond 1 Dallas/Fort Worth South Lakes Park Pond, Denton Chisholm Park, Hurst Greenbriar Park, Fort Worth Lakeside Park, Duncanville City Lake Park, Mesquite
Houston Herman Little Park, Spring
Mary Jo Peckham Park, Katy Community Park Lake, Missouri City
Burke Crenshaw Park, Pasadena San Angelo, Oakes Street Lake San Antonio Millers Pond
Southside Lions Park Waco, Lake Buena Vista Wichita Falls, South Weeks Park
—TPWD
ALAN HENRY: Water clear; 65 degrees; 1.79’ low. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows.
AMISTAD: Water stained; 70 degrees; 66.29’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics.
ARLINGTON: Water stained; 65 degrees; 0.18’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on creature baits, chatter baits, spinner baits and topwaters.
ARROWHEAD: Water lightly stained; 63 degrees; 5.80’ low. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on fresh cut shad.
ATHENS: Water stained; 70 degrees; 0.44’ high. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged worms, wackyrigged senkos and chatter baits. Crappie are slow.
AUSTIN: Water stained; 65 degrees; 0.65’ low. Largemouth bass are good on wacky worms, drop shots, small swimbaits and Texasrigged worms.
BASTROP: Water stained; 72 degrees. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged soft plastics.
BELTON: Water stained; 61 degrees; 2.97’ low. White bass are good on slabs. Hybrids are fair on shad. Catfish are fair on live perch, live shad and punch bait.
BENBROOK: Water stained; 65 degrees; 0.56’ low. Catfish are good on fresh shad.
BOB SANDLIN: Water stained; 60 degrees; 0.71’ high. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged soft plastics, hollow-body frogs, soft jerkbaits and spinner baits. Crappie are good on jigs and flies. Catfish are fair on cut bait.
BOIS D’ARC: Water stained; 60 degrees; 1.45’ low. Largemouth bass are good on chatter baits, spinner baits and Texas rigs. Crappie are fair on jigs.
BRAUNIG: Water stained; 67 degrees. Largemouth bass are good on soft plastics. Redfish are fair on crawfish, shrimp and soft plastics. Catfish are fair on cheese bait.
BROWNWOOD: Water lightly stained; 67 degrees; 0.43’ low. Largemouth bass are good on jigs, soft plastics and top-waters. Crappie are good on jigs. White bass are good on crankbaits. Catfish are slow.
BUCHANAN: Water lightly stained; 67 degrees; 19.74’ low. Striped bass are good on live shad. Hybrids are good on live bait. White bass are good on jigging spoons and trolling crankbaits. Crappie are good on jigs. Catfish are fair on cut bait.
CADDO: Water stained; 67 degrees; 2.32’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on swimbaits, chatter baits,
buzzbaits and frogs.
CALAVERAS: Water lightly stained; 66 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics. Redfish are fair trolling soft plastics. Catfish are good on shrimp, cut bait and cheese bait.
CANYON: Water lightly stained; 63 degrees; 30.57’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas rigs, swimbaits, crankbaits and chatter baits. White bass and stripers are good on jigging spoons and swimbaits.
CEDAR CREEK: Water stained; 61 degrees; 0.30’ high. Hybrids and white bass are fair on slabs and spinner baits. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on fresh cut shad.
COLETO CREEK: Water stained; 68 degrees; 1.54’ low. Largemouth bass are good on soft plastic lizards and craw worms.
CONROE: Water stained; 67 degrees; 0.02’ high. Largemouth bass are good on soft plastics. Crappie are fair on jigs. Hybrids are good on slabs, jigs and live bait. Catfish are good on punch bait.
COOPER: Water stained; 60 degrees: 2.00’ low. Crappie are slow. Catfish are fair on shad.
CORPUS CHRISTI: Water stained; 70 degrees; 13.47’ low. Catfish are fair on fresh cut bait.
CYPRESS SPRINGS: Water stained; 60 degrees; 1.34’ high. Largemouth bass are fair to good on Texas-rigged soft plastics, frogs, soft jerkbaits and spinner baits. Crappie are good on jigs.
EAGLE MOUNTAIN: Water stained; 64 degrees; 4.50’ low. White bass are fair on swimbaits and inline spinners. Crappie are good on jigs. Catfish are good on punch bait and shad.
FALCON: Water stained; 79 degrees; 44.52’ low. Largemouth bass are good on crankbaits and Texas-rigged power worms. Crappie are slow. Catfish are good on fresh cut bait and live bait.
FAYETTE: Water lightly stained; 75 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on underspins, lipless crankbaits and spinner baits.
minnows and jigs.
GRANBURY: Water stained; 70 degrees; 0.18’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on lipless crankbaits and soft plastics. White bass are good on slabs. Striped bass are good on umbrella rigs, top-waters and live shad. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on cut shad.
GRANGER: Water lightly stained; 60 degrees; 0.18’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on spinner baits and chatter baits. Crappie are good on minnows. White bass are fair on spoons and lipless crankbaits. Catfish are good on shad, live perch and goldfish.
GRAPEVINE: Water stained; 65 degrees; 0.55’ high. White bass are good on slabs and jigs.
GREENBELT: Water stained; 60 degrees; 49.39’ low. Largemouth bass and crappie are fair on minnows.
HOUSTON COUNTY: Water stained; 65 degrees; 0.19’ high. Largemouth bass are good on soft plastics and creature baits. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows.
HUBBARD CREEK: Water stained; 70 degrees; 14.03’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on spinner baits and chatter baits. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs.
INKS: Water stained; 63 degrees; 0.64’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on worms, creature baits, crankbaits and frogs.
JACKSONVILLE: Water stained; 73 degrees; 0.16’ high. Largemouth bass are good on soft plastics.
JOE POOL: Water stained; 63 degrees; 0.36’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on cut bait.
LAKE O’ THE PINES: Water stained; 65 degrees; 6.52’ high. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged creature baits and wacky rigs.
FORK: Water stained; 63 degrees; 0.20’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on chatter baits, top-waters and Texas rigs. Crappie are fair on jigs. Catfish are fair on prepared baits and punch bait.
FT PHANTOM HILL: Water stained; 70 degrees; 7.72’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on creature baits and soft plastics. Crappie are good on
LAVON: Water lightly stained; 60 degrees; 0.85’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on spinner baits and Texas-rigged soft plastics. Hybrid stripers are fair on jigs and spinners. Crappie are good on jigs. White bass are good on spinners, jigs and live minnows. Catfish are fair on cut shad, carp and drum.
LBJ: Water stained; 71 degrees; 0.31’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on worms, creature baits, crankbaits and frogs. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on punch bait. White bass are fair on jigging
spoons.
LEWISVILLE: Water stained; 65 degrees; 1.66’ low. White bass are fair on jigs, slabs and live bait. Hybrid stripers are fair on jigs and slabs. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on cut shad.
LIMESTONE: Water stained; 70 degrees; 1.08’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas rigs and chatter baits. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on rooster tails and beetle spins. Catfish are fair on cut bait and minnows.
LIVINGSTON: Water stained; 71 degrees; 0.57’ high. White bass are fair on slabs. Catfish are fair on cut bait.
MARTIN CREEK: Water lightly stained; 74 degrees; 0.05’ low. Largemouth bass are good on swimbaits, chatter baits and Texas-rigged worms. Crappie are good minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on live bait.
MEREDITH: Water stained; 57 degrees; 47.54’ low. White bass are good on silver spoons and artificial grubs. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. Walleye are good on minnows and bottom bouncers with worms. Catfish are good on chicken liver, minnows and worms.
stained; 74 degrees; 0.64’ high. Largemouth bass are good on spinner baits and soft plastics. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on chicken liver and cut shad.
PINKSTON: Water lightly stained; 69 degrees. Largemouth bass are good on drop shots and Carolina rigs with straight tail worms and ribbon tails. Crappie are slow. Catfish are fair on cut bait.
POSSUM KINGDOM:
Water stained; 68 degrees; 0.37’ low. Striped bass are slow. White bass are fair on live shad and slabs. Catfish are good on cut shad.
PROCTOR: Water stained; 65 degrees; 0.23’ low. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. White bass are fair on spinners and swimbaits.
RAVEN: Water lightly stained; 60 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on worms, chatter baits, drop shots and wacky rigs. Crappie are slow. Catfish are slow.
RAY HUBBARD: Water stained; 68 degrees; 0.07’ low. White bass are fair on roadrunners and small jigs. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are good on stink bait.
NACOGDOCHES: Water stained; 70 degrees; 0.02’ low. Largemouth bass are good on bladed jigs. Crappie are fair minnows and jigs. Catfish are slow.
NACONICHE: Water stained; 75 degrees; 0.50’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on flukes. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. Catfish are fair on cut bait and live minnows.
NASWORTHY: Water lightly stained; 72 degrees. 0.54’ low. Largemouth bass are good on soft plastics. Crappie are fair on jigs. Catfish are fair on cut bait and stink bait.
NAVARRO MILLS: Water lightly stained; 65 degrees; 0.26’ high. Crappie are fair on minnows.
O H IVIE: Water lightly stained; 65 degrees; 23.54’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on shad-imitation soft plastics and spinner baits. Crappie are slow. White bass are good on lipless crankbaits. Catfish are good on stink bait and cut bait.
OAK CREEK: Water lightly stained; 65 degrees; 19.31’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on bladed jigs and shallowrunning crankbaits. Catfish are fair on cut bait and stink bait.
PALESTINE: Water lightly
RAY ROBERTS: Water lightly stained; 65 degrees; 0.50’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on swimbaits and chatter baits. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. White bass are good on roadrunners and curly-tail worms. Catfish are fair on cut bait.
RICHLAND CHAMBERS: Water stained; 69 degrees; 0.01’ high. White bass are fair on slabs and jigs. Hybrid stripers are good on live bait. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are fair on cut bait and shad.
SAM RAYBURN: Water stained; 74 degrees; 1.05’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas rigs and Carolina rigs. Crappie and are fair on minnows under a cork. Catfish are fair on cut bait.
SOMERVILLE: Water stained; 69 degrees; 2.28’ low. Largemouth bass are good on crankbaits and spinner baits. White bass are good on spoons. Hybrids are fair on cut bait. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on cut shad and punch bait.
SPENCE: Water stained; 60 degrees. 47.34’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics. White bass are fair on spinner baits and spoons. Catfish are fair on cut bait.
STILLHOUSE: Water stained; 67 degrees; 4.06’ low. White bass are good on slabs and live shad. Hybrids
n Saltwater reports Page 19
are fair on slabs.
TAWAKONI: Water lightly stained; 62 degrees; 0.89’ high. Largemouth bass are good on senkos and wackyrigged flukes. Hybrid stripers and white bass are good on slabs and swimbaits. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on cut shad, carp and buffalo.
TEXANA: Water stained; 67 degrees; 3.89’ low. Crappie are slow. Catfish are good on cut bait.
TEXOMA: Water stained; 62 degrees; 1.34’ low. Striped bass are fair on live bait. Crappie are fair on jigs. Catfish are fair on punch bait, prepared baits and shad.
TOLEDO BEND: Water stained; 62 degrees; 0.78’ low. Largemouth bass are good on wacky worms, swimbaits and chatter baits. Crappie are fair on minnows and roadrunners.
TRAVIS: Water stained; 72 degrees; 45.28’ low. Largemouth bass are good on soft plastics, crankbaits and jerkbaits.
TWIN BUTTES: Water stained; 72 degrees; 41.82’ low. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. White bass are slow. Catfish are slow.
WACO: Water stained; 72 degrees; 2.13’ low. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. White bass are good on rooster tails and live minnows.
WALTER E LONG: Water stained; 77 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on lipless crankbaits, spinner baits, jerkbaits and Alabama rigs.
WHITNEY: Water stained; 65 degrees; 0.46’ high. Largemouth bass are good on soft plastics. Striped bass are good on live bait. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. White bass are good on slabs. Catfish are good on cut bait.
WORTH: Water stained; 67 degrees; 2.76’ low. White bass are fair on paddletail swimbaits,and inline spinners. Crappie are fair on jigs. Catfish are good on punch bait and shad.
WRIGHT PATMAN: Water stained; 67 degrees; 14.31’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows.
Continued from page 1
But Marsh said playing video games helped him understand and figure out the complicated sonar technology that’s often like underwater thermal imaging.
Anglers reading about all of the 10-plus pounders coming out of O.H. Ivie have flocked to the lake, only to discover that finding a fish of that caliber ready to bite is no easy task.
The specialized type of fishing is not for everyone, and it isn’t without controversy.
On a two-day trip this week, Lone Star Outdoor News’ David J. Sams and Mike Hughs fished with Marsh. Over two days, Marsh located one bed with two females on it. He fished it seven or eight times and finally decided that the fish had spawned and they were fighting off carp that were eating the eggs. They definitely were not interested in lures.
A few other fish were located and targeted, and two fish were landed — not exactly busy days of catching numbers of fish. But one of those fish topped 11 pounds.
When you fish with Marsh, you’ll need to listen closely. He is soft-spoken and he doesn’t get very excited — or at least he hides his excitement well. When he finds a good fish on the bed and in proper position, he will get the fish ready to bite, then it’s your turn.
His instructions bring back memories of the old Bop-It handheld game.
“Reel. Drop the line. Let it sink. Now shake it. Pop it,” are some of the commands, followed by “Is she on there?”
That’s when you need to set the hook.
Marsh uses a prototype 8-foot U-Call rod, made in Australia, and he marked dashes on the rod with a Sharpie for each 10-plus pounder caught.
Sams’ fish made dash number 10.
A lot of Marsh’s customers come from Louisiana, and he’s had one couple from Japan fish with him who didn’t speak English. He said they caught a 10-plus pounder and loved it.
Marsh’s largest bass he’s caught is a 12.5-pounder, and his customer’s largest was 14 pounds.
If you’re a big bass fisherman, you owe it yourself to try this.
During the fall, you won’t see Marsh out on the water much. He’s usually scouting for sandhill crane in the Lamesa area, where he operates his hunting service, Square Mile Outfitters.
His fishing and his hunting pursuits definitely have their similarities, both involving more hunting, scanning and looking.
Continued from page 1
from 15-25 inches.
“There have been plenty of solid flounder in the Brazos, and they have been staging along the bank and down the ledge of the drop-offs out to about 6 feet of water,” Brown said. “The trick is to bounce a live shrimp slowly down the ledge, and the flounder will strike as the bait falls.”
Brown said there are also plenty of speckled trout feeding along the flats near Bird Island and the San Luis Pass in lower West Galveston Bay.
“Anywhere you can find rafts of mullet, you can bet that there are good numbers of trout nearby,” he said.
Capt. Ryan Battistoni said oyster shell reefs along satellite bays and lakes near lower West Galveston Bay are producing.
“Deeper, mid-bay oyster reefs along the channel of Chocolate Bay have been loaded with speckled trout,” he said. “Live shrimp rigged under a popping cork, as well as soft plastics and top-waters have all been producing fish.”
Most of the trout have been from 15-20 inches with some fish up to 24 inches mixed in. He’s also been finding good numbers of redfish and black drum along shallower oyster reefs near the shorelines of Chocolate Bay, and those fish have been striking live shrimp rigged under a popping cork.
Capt. Max Conner has been spending his time in
Continued from page 8
upper West Galveston Bay from Greens Cut to the causeway and down to the south shoreline. Keeper-sized speckled trout, along with some bigger fish have been feeding over shell in 3-6 feet of water.
“Most of the fish have been eating live shrimp rigged under a popping cork, but soft plastics have been working well, too,” Conner said. “There’s a lot of really solid trout out there right now.”
Riley Freese has been wade-fishing in East Matagorda Bay, where he said there are good numbers of trout in the 2-4-pound range feeding over stretches of sand and oyster shell in thigh- to waistdeep water. He’s been catching the specks along both the north and south shorelines in stretches of water that are teeming with mullet. Soft plastics and top-waters have been his go-to bait presentations.
Sabine anglers are reporting good numbers of redfish, sheepshead, and black drum along stretches of the ship channel with oyster shell or rocks and rip-rap. Free-lined or Carolina-rigged live shrimp have produced the most action.
Additionally, some speckled trout are starting to show up at the Sabine jetties, and the specks have been scattered across areas with oyster shell in the Sabine Pass channel, as well as along the south end of Sabine Lake.
front of lawmakers about why a fish found “only in Texas” was the right fish for the job. This year’s winner is Alyssa Trevino, of Pharr.
The new Mighty Minnow Award went to kindergartner Rishan Patri, of Beaumont.
First place winners in each of the four age groups advanced to the national level and will compete against winners from other states. Scholarships for the first, second and third place Texas winners are awarded as follows: grades 10–12 division scholarships are $1,000 for first place, $750 for second place and $500 for third place; awards in the 4–6 and 7–9 grade levels are $200 for first, $150 for second, $100 for third; in the K-3 division awards are $100 for first, $75 for second, $50 for third.
A Cooke County game warden responded to a 911 call after 10 University of North Texas students were blown off course on Lake Ray Roberts during dangerous wind conditions.
The group had launched two canoes and five paddle boards but lost control in the strong winds, drifting toward the center of the lake. Clinging to the boards, they called 911. The warden launched his boat with paramedics, located the students and rescued them from the water. All were safely brought to shore — one was transported to a local hospital for hypothermia.
MILE OF GILL NETS ON FALCON Texas game wardens in South Texas have pulled more than 20 sections of illegal gill nets — each 330 feet long and totaling more than 1 mile — off the Texas side of Falcon Lake. The gill nets are highly effective —catching everything that swims through them. They are legal on the Mexico side of the lake, but not in Texas waters. Fish and other animals found alive in the nets are cut out and released back into the lake and the remaining fish are donated to members of the local community.
MEN CAUGHT POACHING IN OHIO
Two Mississippi men pleaded guilty to multiple wildlife violations after poaching white-tailed deer in southeast Ohio and were ordered to pay a combined $15,054 in restitution, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife. The charges included hunting with the aid of a motor vehicle, hunting deer with a firearm during the archery season, hunting outside of legal shooting hours, possessing untagged deer parts, hunting without a nonresident hunting license, hunting without a nonresident deer permit, and spotlighting. Two of the antler sets were analyzed for trophy restitution and scored 166 2/8 and 154 5/8. Five firearms, a spotlight, venison, and four antlered deer skulls were forfeited to the Division of Wildlife. Both men forfeited hunting privileges in Ohio for three years. Both men were entered into the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact, and will lose hunting rights in 47 other states.
PORT-A-POTTY
A man was discovered illegally hunting on private property. The man was hunting out of a converted port-a-potty, spray-painted to camouflage the unique blind. He was charged with trespassing.
Continued from page 8
woman will ever do this without a team.”
Deer said their trip started off slow. Once they arrived to the area they planned to fish, they had trouble finding consistent action.
“We pressed on further and finally found a rig right at sunset that seemed to have a lot of life around it,” Deer said. “We spent the night fishing for yellowfin tuna and ended up only landing one.”
After hours of very little action and fishing all night without much to show for their efforts, Deer and his crew spent the next morning catching bait. They ended up catching some small blackfin tuna to use for bait, and started bump-trolling.
At about 9 a.m., the right rigger went off and Esslinger set the hook.
“The fish ran about 10 seconds, and then spit the hook and bait,” Esslinger said. “My heart sank. I came up on the drag and gave the reel about 10 cranks. As soon as I engaged the clicker again, the giant fish piled on hard for a second time. That’s when the first 3/4 spool run at 35 pounds of drag on the 130 wide reel started.”
Deer positioned the boat, and the long battle began. For the next five hours, Esslinger took a minute-by-minute approach to the fight, as the rest of the crew kept him hydrated and encouraged him. At one point, they pushed the drag on the reel to 52 pounds in order to slow the fish down.
“My body was shaking, and by the time the fish was boatside, my hands were nearly inoperable from fatigue,” Esslinger admitted. “Everyone played a major role in us successfully landing the fish. Deer kept the boat positioned correctly throughout the entire battle. Swetman manned the leader while Young and Hildebrandt gaffed the fish. Denbow secured the tail rope and I was finally able to make my way to the side of the boat and take a look at her.”
They iced the fish on all sides, covered it with towels and bean bags, and headed in.
“The shear size of the fish was mind blowing,” Deer said. “It was literally like putting a car on the boat. We knew we had a big bluefin onboard, but none of us really thought we had a potential record-breaking fish.”
The fish was officially weighed at Pelican Rest Marina in Galveston, where numerous folks were eager to give Deer and his crew a hand with the giant tuna. When the scale finally settled at 884 pounds, none of them could believe it.
The fish became the pending new Texas state-record bluefin tuna. The previous record was 876 pounds caught on April 13, 2021 by Troy Lancaster.
The Warren Ranch is an example of exemplary stewardship, pride of ownership and functional structural improvements, all complimenting the tremendous recreation aspects of this wonderful property. The ranch offers an exceptional combination of open and rolling meadows, dense canopies and thickets for wildlife, and fertile creek bottoms. The Warren Ranch has been blessed with an abundance of live water. A number of creeks flow through the ranch, all ultimately draining into Jim Ned Creek, which flows in total approximately five miles through the center of the property. This is one-of-a-kind turn-key ranch, that provides true four-season recreation. 5,770.6±
outstanding hunting ranch with a variety of native wildlife and a brand-new lodge. The 4-bedroom, 3-bath lodge offers an open floor plan with a one-of-a-kind kitchen, a huge fireplace, covered porches, and an attached garage. Very well watered with 8 earthen tanks, 5 concrete troughs, and a water well. The ranch is considered one of the best whitetail deer hunting ranches in the area. The ranch offers excellent opportunities for hunting dove, quail, and turkey, as well as an abundance of ducks, geese, and sandhill cranes. $4,306 per acre.
This property offers an ideal setting for a gentleman’s ranch, featuring a stunning home site with views of your own fertile valley. It’s perfect for livestock, crops, and hunting. The area has abundant groundwater, with several reliable wells nearby. Hunting is excellent, with whitetail deer, turkey, and hogs on the property, as well as a herd of Axis deer. Aoudad sheep have also been spotted. The creek provides a water source for both livestock and wildlife, with pools that typically retain water year-round, except during droughts. $17,500 per acre.
The Miller Ranch is a well-improved, extremely productive northern Oklahoma property. The topography and landscape vary throughout the ranch, but is generally described as gently rolling and sometimes hummocky sand hills, descending to productive bottom lands, with some sub-irrigated creek bottoms. The majority of the ranch remains in native pasture with scattered plum thickets being common. Many areas of the property have an open appearance, offering productive grazing for livestock, but there is ample tree cover providing excellent habitat for wildlife. Turkey are common in the more dense tree-covered areas and whitetail deer flourish.
cattle ranch that has been in the same family for over a century. The terrain is varied, featuring multiple draws and drainages that gently slope toward the south. Vegetation is equally diverse, with mesquite, cedar, and expansive motts of shinnery providing ample cover. With a reliable water supply from a combination of solar wells and windmills, the ranch is considered exceptionally well-watered, supporting both livestock and wildlife. Deer numbers are good and the area produces quality bucks. Turkey flourish in the low-lying areas with quail and dove prevalent. $1,650 per acre.
property offers a prime location with excellent opportunities for outdoor recreation and livestock grazing. The ranch features abundant water resources, including four stock tanks. Around 90 acres of farmland have been converted back to rangeland while remaining 179 acres consist of native rangeland, characterized by mesquite trees and native grasses. A wet-weather creek runs along the eastern edge of the native rangeland. The property supports a healthy population of whitetail deer and turkeys. $3,000 per
WHATEVER YOUR ADVENTURE IS, WE'VE GOT YOU COVERED.
When it comes down to it, we’re in the dreams-come-true business. Especially when it’s helping people get a loan for land for their farm or ranch, for recreation or for a future homesite. You see, no one knows rural Texas better than us. We’ve been at it for more than 100 years, and we have the lending power to see it through. Go ahead and pinch yourself, this part isn’t a dream.
Location, topography, entertainment and wildlife – the chance at the perfect ranch and retreat may only come along every decade or two, and the time is now. The 282-acre Bosque Mountain Ranch is for sale, and it’s a true Hill Country Mountain Escape.
The private family retreat, located in the Hill Country of Bosque County, is just 1.5 hours from Dallas/Fort Worth and 2 hours from Austin. Located near Clifton, the city’s municipal airport is just down the road.
The modern ranch has been privately utilized in the past for celebrity and corporate guests. It also is perfect for a multi-family ownership and boosts incredible amenities, spaces and features.
The ranch offers a 6,900 square-foot main house featuring incredible entertaining, dining, den and kitchen areas, and two master bedroom suites, as well as two additional large bedrooms. The 4,200 square-foot pool house offers a game room, dance floor, full bar and additional accommodation for family and guests with two large bunkrooms incorporating 16 double-sized bunkbeds. A fully self-contained luxurious guest house/casita features an additional private master and bathroom suite.
That’s not all. There is a 3,550 square foot living and entertaining second floor area above the equestrian dream horse barn which also contains a separate kitchen, bar, fireplace and three more large bedrooms. Add a barbecue, outdoor pool pavilion, meticulous hobby shop and equipment barns, a sports shack providing a lake-over skeet shoot and fishing cabin, and you could accommodate and host large groups, and sleep as many as 30 adults.
The architectural design and attention to detail is second-to-none. From reclaimed beams to limestone exterior finishes, the ranch’s homes feel warm and welcoming, yet modern and luxurious.
The ranch operates on a private water well, incorporates underground electrical lines and security systems and is backed up by two independent diesel generators.
Wildlife is abundant and ranges from white-tailed deer, turkey, hogs, fox, bobcats and the occasional axis deer.
Bosque Mountain Ranch offers trail rides, fishing, Jeep rides and a hike to the top of the mountain to capture the endless sunsets over the valley.
Bosque Mountain Ranch is a rare opportunity and encompasses everything a family would want.
Bosque Mountain Ranch details:
• 282± Acres with 80 acres of income-producing coastal pasture
• Elevation change: nearly 1,000-foot peak
• Miles of maintained trails
• Main house
• Guest house
• Pool house
• Pavilion
• Six-stall barn with wash rack, tack room and living space upstairs
• Outbuildings
The ranch sellers included a lengthy letter with the listing, sort of saying goodbye to the place they love. From their daughters riding and caring for horses to later holding parties at the ranch through their college years, the ranch is designed for big groups and fun, including skeet shooting, fishing, hunting, hiking and relaxing.
“We have decided to sell the ranch only because our girls are all graduated from college and busy working, and it seems it is very difficult to coordinate everyone’s hectic calendars to enjoy the ranch as we once did,” the sellers write. “We hope we can find a family or two that can utilize it the way we did for many years to come.”
THE JL BAR RANCH, RESORT & SPA & THE JL BAR PRIVATE FBO AIRPORT
SUTTON COUNTY | SONORA, TEXAS
1.5 HRS - DEL RIO & FREDERICKSBURG
2 HRS SAN ANTONIO
ONE-OF-A-KIND DESTINATION RANCH RESORT AND SPA LOCATED IN SOUTHWEST TEXAS
A RANGE OF PREMIER ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS FOR OVER 100 OVERNIGHT GUESTS
FULL-SERVICE PRIVATE FBO AIRPORT ON-SITE
EXTENSIVE VARIETY OF AMENITIES & ACTIVITIES 5-STAR SPA | FULL HUNTING OPERATION | EQUESTRIAN CHIPPING GREEN | PRIVATE DINING EXPERIENCES
CUSTOM SERVICE FOR CORPORATE RETREATS GROUP EVENTS, SPECIAL OCCASIONS, & MORE
AN EXCEPTIONAL, SEAMLESS, FULL-SERVICE DESTINATION
AN UNRIVALED RANCH & RESORT EXPERIENCE
4,610± ACRES WITHIN OVERALL 13,000± ACRE HOLDING
& INTERNATIONALLY CONNECTED
MAN-O-WAR CAY ABACO, THE BAHAMAS 14-ACRE
PRIVATE ISLAND ESCAPE
ONE-OF-A-KIND PROTECTED SAFE HARBOUR WITHIN A MARINA CUT OUT OF SOLID CORAL
DEDICATED 8’ DRAFT | BOAT HOUSE
6,500 SQ/FT MAIN HOUSE 2,200 SQ/FT GUEST HOUSE
INCREDIBLE FISHING | BOATING SNORKELING | DIVING
IMPECCABLE LANDSCAPE OVER 4,000 TREES PLANTED 1,000+ COCONUT PALMS
PRIVATE SANDY BEACHES
HUNTING RANCH WITH LODGE FOR SALE
1270 ± ACRES OF SPORTSMAN’S PARADISE WITH ONE MILE FRONTAGE ON THE RED RIVER! RED RIVER COUNTY, TEXAS ~ $8,900,000
The fully equipped hunting lodge sleeps up to 20 people and comes completely furnished. The lodge offers six bedrooms, nine full bathrooms, and two half baths. Bedrooms have fourteen bunk beds, and three king size beds. Lodge has state of the art kitchen equipment and a large backup generator. There is also a second kitchen, two large dens with fireplaces, meeting room, and an elevator that accesses the second floor.
This Red River Hunting Ranch is a hunter’s paradise with Trophy whitetail deer, wild hogs, and small game. Phenomenal duck and goose hunting on the numerous sloughs and river. Fishing is outstanding in the Red River and the oxbow sloughs. There are numerous sloughs, food plots, feeders, and blinds.
Check out our website for more information and photos.
Texas ranchers face ongoing challenges with land management, including fencing upkeep, predator threats, soil erosion, invasive species and water conservation. There are practical solutions, like rotational grazing, secure boundary control, and sustainable pasture management to preserve land and livestock.
These problems can be solved with expert installation of durable fencing, custom gates and property-specific solutions tailored to Texas terrain. From predator-proof barriers to water-source protection and boundary enforcement, our team delivers long-lasting infrastructure that supports both productivity and conservation.
Whether improving livestock containment or preventing trespassing, Fred Nuncio Fencing, based in Brady, provides the experience and craftsmanship needed to safeguard your investment and maintain your ranch’s long-term value. Let us help you build a better, more secure ranch.
FRED NUNCIO FENCING & CONSTRUCTION ☎ (325) 240-9499
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By Craig Nyhus
Lone Star outdoor newS
You’re finally at that point, and thinking about realizing your dream and buying that Texas hunting ranch. You have a few questions, though.
Will interest rates come down?
Have I looked at what it will cost from all angles?
How much should I put down and how much should I finance?
Jack Cornell at ICON Global said the realty company has relationships with several finance companies and banks, all depending on regions.
“But the main two are Capital Farm Credit and Ag Trust Farm Credit,” he said.
Lenders in the Farm Credit system have the benefit of sharing earnings with their members. Since Congress created the Farm Credit System in 1916, it gave the System a mission to be a competitive, reliable source of capital for borrowers in agriculture and rural communities.
Farm Credit lenders return earnings to our customer-stockholders in the form of patronage dividends. It effectively lowers the interest rate or the cost of borrowing.
Gerrit Schouten, AgTrust’s Credit Office President for the Stephenville and Cleburne offices, said the returns have been running about 1.2 percent per year, a significant savings.
And there’s another way to save.
“People seem to be getting more used to the higher rate environment,” Schouten said. “But they want affordable options when rates come down. When interest rates
drop, we do interest rate conversions without an expensive refinance and all the closing costs that come with it.”
Schouten said there are several other areas of consideration when you’re in the market for a ranch, especially if you haven’t owned one before.
“For some, the down payment requirement is a hurdle,” he said. “The down payments range from 15 to 20 percent.”
However, Schouten said a complete cash flow analysis is the most crucial step — one that sometimes trips people up.
“You need to run the numbers, with the payments and associated expenses and see how it fits into your cash flow,” he said. “It’s important to make sure you can cover it.”
Capital Farm Credit offers an additional incentive to combat interest rates, called “allocated equity,” that pays an additional amount, around 1 percent, after 7-9 years.
“It brings the total sharing amount up to about 2 percent overall,” said Braden Bowers of CFC’s Bowie office.
The biggest surprise if not analyzed and planned for, though, might be the expenses associated with owning a piece of property.
“If you’ve never owned a piece of property, you don’t know what you’re getting into,” Schouten said. “There’s brush clearing, spraying and plenty of other work to be done, in addition to equipment costs. Then there’s insurance, and I would recommend getting general liability and an umbrella policy in the event something happens and someone is injured.”
Once you’ve taken all of these items into consideration, they no longer become pitfalls you weren’t ready for. Then you’ll be
ready for other considerations, like a place to stay on the ranch.
“The barndominium used to be more cost effective to build, but maybe not as much now,” Schouten said. “We do the financing either way, whether it’s a regular house or a barndo.”
Schouten said the buying market has been on the uptick, although there has been some nervousness recently.
“The first quarter of this year was light’s out,” he said. “It has slowed down a little since then, I don’t know if it’s tariff fallout or just the uncertainty of it.”
Bowers said bigger ranches are still selling well, but smaller and mid-range land sales, less than $500,000, have slowed down.
“We do have options for those under 35 years of age to reduce the down payment,” he said. “There is flexibility to structure a deal to meet people’s needs.”
There’s a lot going on under the surface of a lake or pond, and when the body of water is the centerpiece of your rural retreat, unseen changes can catch you off-guard.
Some think once a lake or pond has been built, it will naturally take care of itself. But that is simply not the case if you want a thriving fishery or a landscape water feature that will maximize the aesthetics and recreational possibilities for a property.
“Pond and lake management is best not left to chance,” said John Jones, president of Lochow Ranch Pond & Lake Management. “A properly maintained pond or lake will grace your ranch or farm with natural beauty and endless recreation options for generations to come.”
Lochow Ranch’s certified team of biologists and water maintenance experts provides the full range of lake and pond management techniques, including water quality and clarity testing and improvement, vegetation control and removal of pond weeds, liming and fertilizing, algae control, erosion and sediment control, identification and control of predators and much more.
If a fishery is your goal, Lochow Ranch’s experts bring state-of-the-art techniques and expertise to maximizing your environment for game fish to thrive. The team is known across the South for its electrofishing surveys that yield the most accurate inventory of a lake’s fish population. The company also provides fish stocking, including a full range of game and forage fish, as well as supplemental fish feeders that help spur growth.
“We’re growing some really big fish,” Jones said.
New technologies and management techniques are at the forefront.
“We’re using drones to help analyze lakes and fisheries, and we’re constantly working toward solutions on otter deterrence and trapping — they can wipe out a lot of your best and biggest fish,” Jones said.
Everything starts with the property owners’ goals for the lake, whether swimming, boating or a fishing hotspot for family and friends.
“Many property owners like some combination of all three,” Jones said.
Lochow Ranch provides turnkey pond and lake management and maintenance services to landowners across Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma. The company also works in partnership with its affiliated company, Shoreline Consulting, to design and build new lakes and expand or renovate existing ones.
These professional techniques take the guesswork out of maintaining your body of water and ensure you can make faster progress toward your goals.
“We can establish fundamental management practices,” Jones said. “Having that solid foundation can help your lake thrive despite seasonal disturbances and broader environmental conditions.”
Lochow Ranch’s biologists and fleet of trucks are based in Bryan, Texas. They manage more than 20,000 bodies of water across the region — and they are offering their services into the southeastern states.
“Our aim is to help you reach your goals so you can sit back, relax and enjoy your beautiful body of water,” Jones said.
LOCHOW RANCH & LAKE MANAGEMENT
(866) 422-9022
CONTACT@LOCHOWRANCH.COM LOCHOWRANCH.COM
Continued from page 8
along the edge of the dam in about 4 feet of water as well.”
Most of the channel cat fish have been from 1.5-4 pounds, with a few fish pushing the 6-pound mark. Rhodes has seen some blue catfish in the 10-15-pound range caught alongside the channel cats.
On Lake Tawakoni, guide
David Hanson said the blue catfish are in a pre-spawn pattern and staging in vari ous areas in 20 feet of water or less. Just about any type of cut bait has been produc ing the most action.
“I’ve seen more blue cats in the 10- to 20-pound range caught recently than I have in a long time,” Han son said. “On an average day, my anglers are catch ing a ton of eating-sized blues from 2 to 10 pounds, with fish in that 10- to 20-pound range mixed in. We are also seeing a hand ful of larger fish in the mix as well, with some pushing 35 pounds or more.”
Hanson said his anglers are catching blue cats of all sizes in the same areas, mixed in together. Varying the size of the chunk of cut bait has been effective. Smaller-sized baits have been catching smaller fish, while larger chunks have been getting the attention of heavier catfish.
John Varner said eating-sized catfish are stacked up along the north end of Lake Ray Hubbard over long points and around timber in 15-24 feet of water. Prepared stink baits and punch baits are working the best.
“Any areas with water flowing into the lake from the mouths of feeder creeks are loaded with catfish,” Varner said. “Chumming is also working well to bring schools of cats into areas.”
Solution on Page 20
ACROSS
1) One of the labs
3) Amarillo’s county
6) Border lake
8) Texarkana’s county
10) A duck favorite 12) Sulphur Springs’ county
Montgomery County’s seat
Laredo’s county 17) Hill Country lake 18) The young male bass 20) Crappie anglers’ org.
21) A Great Lake 22) Duck call brand
24) Check for these after the turkey hunt 27) Ammo brand
29) Group of newly hatched turkeys
31) The male mallard
32) Fort Bend County’s seat
33) Good white bass river
35) The turkey hunter’s has lots of pockets
38) The two-pointer 41) Sinker type, ____ shot
42) One of the falcons 43) Elk hunters’ org. 44) The big crappie 45) Shotgun brand
2) Hunting boot brand 4) Soft plastic lure, Mister ____ 5) The “cold” river
A turkey sound 9) Winters’ team name 11) Centerville’s county 13) Organ eaten by deer hunters 14) La Salle County’s seat 16) Brazos County’s seat 18) Safari destination 19) Fishing knot 22) Young County’s seat 23) One of the divers 25) Part of the deer hide 26) Sugar Land’s baseball team, Lightning ____ 28) A deer favorite 30) The mouth call 31) Texas’ cleanest river
34) One of the setters 36) Odessa’s county 37) Rifle brand
39) An African antelope
A hawk, ___ shouldered 5
Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit named Dean Burnett to the position of vice president, marine business, including oversight of the WaterCraft Business Group, G3 Boats and Skeeter Boats.
SDS Arms, based in Knoxville, Tennessee, is seeking a product manager with experience in developing and launching firearms, specifically shotguns and rifles.
Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. announced the appointment of Ben Quinn as vice president of strategy and business development.
Moultrie retained the Murray Road Agency as its public relations and affiliate marketing agency.
AMMO, Inc. completed the sale of its ammunition manufacturing assets to Olin Winchester, LLC, a subsidiary of Olin Corporation.
Rod building supplier acquired
Foundation Outdoor Group has acquired Flex Coat Company, the Driftwood, Texas-based rod building supply manufacturer.
Derya, a firearms manufacturer based in Jacksonville, Florida, has joined SAAMI, The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute, as a Supporting Member.
MOJO Outdoors is looking to add experienced waterfowl videographers to its filming crew.
virgin olive oil (for frying)
Wash fish with lime juice. Marinate fish in seasoned coconut milk with salt, pepper and Scotch bonnet pepper. Place fish in egg wash, coat with coconut and Panko breadcrumbs. Pan fry fish in olive oil in hot skillet until golden brown on each side.
—Mississippi
tsp. Worchestershire sauce
and pepper
1/4 lb. butter
1 cup green onions, chopped
1 baguette, sliced and toasted
Heat canola oil in 8-quart stock pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onions, green peppers and celery. Cook for 6-8 minutes, until onions are translucent and vegetables are tender. Add white wine, chicken stock, tomatoes, thyme, organo, bay leaf, cayenne, Tabasco and Worcestershire. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add alligator cubes to stew, cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Add butter and green onions and stir until butter melts. Remove bay leaf and serve with toasted baguette. —Louisiana Wildife & Fisheries
SABINE LAKE: 67 degrees. Speckled trout are good on live shrimp under a popping cork. Redfish are good on Carolina-rigged live shrimp. Black drum are good on live and dead shrimp.
BOLIVAR: 70 degrees. Redfish and speckled trout are fair on live shrimp and soft plastics. Black drum and sheepshead are good on dead shrimp and live shrimp.
TRINITY BAY: 68 degrees. Speckled trout are fair on live shrimp and soft plastics. Black drum are good on live shrimp. Redfish are fair on soft plastics. Flounder are fair on live shrimp.
EAST GALVESTON BAY: 72 degrees. Speckled trout are fair on live croaker, live shrimp and soft plastics. Redfish are fair on live shrimp, soft plastics and top-waters. Black drum and sheepshead are good on live shrimp.
GALVESTON BAY: 70 degrees. Speckled trout are fair on live shrimp, live croaker and soft plastics. Black drum are good on live shrimp.
WEST GALVESTON BAY: 70 degrees. Speckled trout are fair on live shrimp, live croaker and soft plastics. Redfish are fair on live shrimp, soft plastics and top-waters. Black drum are good on live shrimp.
TEXAS CITY: 66 degrees. Speckled trout are fair on live shrimp, live croaker and soft plastics. Black drum and sheepshead are good on live shrimp.
FREEPORT: 70 degrees. Redfish and trout are good on soft plastics. Sheepshead and black drum are good on live shrimp under a popping cork.
EAST MATAGORDA BAY: 70 degrees.
A boat crash during the Major League Fishing tournament on Lewis Smith Lake April 16 claimed the lives of three persons.
The two-boat collision occurred around 7 a.m. when a bass boat hit a center console vessel, according to law enforcement.
Three men aboard the center console vessel were killed. Authorities identified them as Joey Broom, 58, of Altoona, John Clark, 44, of Cullman, and Jeffrey Little, 62, of Brandon, Mississippi.
Angler Flint Davis, of Leesburg, Georgia, was involved in the collision on Day 2 of the Tackle Warehouse Invitational, but police did not explicitly identify him as being aboard the bass boat that struck the center console boat at the time of this update. The tournament was canceled and law enforcement is continuing to investigate the cause of the crash.
“This is a heartbreaking moment for our entire organization,” MLF Executive Vice President Kathy Fennel said in a news release. “Our deepest condolences go out to the families and friends of those affected by this tragedy.”
The crash occurred on the same morning that two boats collided during a National Professional Fishing League tournament event on Lake Norman in North Carolina. At least one person was injured in that crash, which involved angler Jessie Ayers, of Antlers, Oklahoma. Ayers was charged with careless and reckless operation of a motorboat, according to officials.
—Staff report
An officer from the Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement was contacted by Maui Police dispatch about an anonymous complaint of someone fishing using an unmanned drone.
The responding officer observed Christopher Glavor, 37, in possession of marijuana and drug
paraphernalia in open view and Glavor was arrested.
The officer also spotted a drone lying in the sand. Glavor admitted to using the drone to cast his fishing line. He was cited for Possession or Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle On, In, or Near Marine Waters.
—Hawaii DLNR
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is looking for landowners to continue offering high-quality waterfowl habitat and public access to rice fields in Arkansas for the 2025-26 winter migratory season. Qualified landowners may receive as much as $150 per acre through the Waterfowl Rice Incentive Conservation Enhancement Program.
To participate in the program, landowners must forgo tilling their rice fields in fall and flood the fields to make post-harvest waste grain available to migrating waterfowl. The final requirement is that landowners allow the AGFC to conduct managed draw hunts on the property during each weekend of Arkansas’ duck season. The application deadline for this program is May 15.
—AGFC
NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement, in cooperation with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, seized more than 12 tons of illegal red snapper in Newark, New Jersey. The shipment of illegal red snapper was returned to Brazil and seized upon arrival last month by the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources. They also seized more than 40 tons of illegal red snapper destined for the United States at Brazilian ports.
When illegally fished Brazilian red snapper enters U.S. markets, it unfairly competes with U.S. fishermen and their legally caught product.
Addiction Guide Services, Mike Bischoff, president of the Lake Livingston Fishing Club, aka The Happy Hookers, and Richardson began lobbying their local biologist and TPWD to stock hybrid striped bass in the lake.
“The lake is a more suitable habitat for hybrid bass than the straight strain striper,” Friederich said.
“It’s the white bass gene in the hybrid,” Richardson said. “White bass live in sandy, dirty water. The dirty water doesn’t hurt the white bass. That’s why the hybrid.”
It wasn’t until 2024 that the three men, in partnership with Friends of Lake Livingston, were able to get approved for a private stocking permit by the state to add hybrids to the lake.
“We felt that when you’ve been begging for it for that long, put your money where your mouth is,” Friederich said.
Friederich and Richardson did just that and privately donated to Friends of Lake Livingston $5,000 for 1 million hybrid fry. Bischoff, at the same time, reached out to the Trinity River Authority, and they committed to stock 1 million fry of their own. TPWD also contributed 340,270 fingerlings for a total initial stocking of 2,340,270 hybrid bass. The TRA has since committed to stocking 1 million fry a year through 2026, and the TPWD will continue its stocking efforts as well.
Despite conditions being less than optimal for stocking, it seems that the hybrid bass has thrived.
“We had 60 inches of rain last year,” Richardson said. “They got put in some of the worst conditions. Now, in one year, I caught 40 to 50 hybrids, all 15 inches long, in one evening. Friederich caught 40 to 60 of them schooling under birds. We have never caught stripers like that, even before the floods.”
Richardson has high hopes for a hybrid success story.
“I am telling you, give us 5 years on this lake, we are going to be right up there with Richland-Chambers and Tawakoni, and
we’re going to be one of the best hybrid lakes in the state,” he said.
In 2025, Lake Livingston will receive another 1 million from the TRA, and TPWD will stock 270,000 or more fry.
“The whole goal or the approach of TPWD is not to make the hybrid bass the primary fish of the lake but a trophy component of the lake,” Bischoff said. “Hopefully by year five the fishing survey will show that there are 5 to 10 hybrid striped bass per acre in the lake.”
It takes 2-3 years on average for a hybrid to get to keeping size, and anglers will have to get used to distinguishing small hybrids from white bass.
“It is commonly believed due to the lake being bait-rich that the hybrid’s growth will be accelerated,” Friederich said. “I think we will see keeper-size hybrid in the spring of next year.”
down in the bottom, and we also heard several hens yelping. Then everything went quiet, and I began to wonder if the birds were going to elude us once again.”
A few minutes went by, and then daughter and father heard the sound of a tom drumming to their left. To their surprise, the bird was headed straight to one of their hen decoys.
“I was set up to shoot towards the strutter decoy, because we thought if a tom showed up he would be motivated to battle with the fake impostor,” Link explained. “However, this gobbler seemed to be very hesi-
tant toward the jake, and focused on strutting for the hen decoy that was out to our left at about 15 yards.”
Link had to reposition herself in order to shoot to her left. She finally got steady without spooking the bird, and squeezed the trigger on her 20-gauge shotgun. The bird folded immediately, and her adrenaline and excitement took over.
“That moment with my dad on a beautiful morning was well worth the wait and hours we had spent in the woods to make it happen,” she said. “It was so neat to finally experience it all come together.”
Continued from page 4
“It gives an index of productivity on the breeding grounds,” Padding said.
For example, in a year when waterfowl production is high, there will be more young birds than adults in hunters’ bags. In a year when production is low, hunters shoot more adult birds.
Calculating the approximate harvest from each species is another piece to the puzzle. Data from the surveys are important for modeling populations and helping wildlife managers set and evaluate hunting seasons, the Service said.
“Data from the Wingbees help us estimate the number of birds of different species, sex, and age in the year’s harvest,” Padding said. “They also inform us about how the harvest is changing over time and among different locations.
Combined with harvest estimates from
the Waterfowl Hunter Survey, the number of wings from each species are used to calculate the approximate harvest from each species.
For example, if the estimated harvest for the Pacific Flyway was 2 million ducks and 10 percent of the wing sample was pintails, then the Pacific Flyway’s estimated pintail harvest would be 200,000. Padding said the information reliability is the result of decades (more than 40 year) of study.
“More recently, we input age ratios into Adaptive Harvest Management models to help set and evaluate hunting seasons,” Padding said.
The next time those big envelopes show up at your door, it might be worth it to send in those wings.
APRIL 26-27
TEXAS GUN & KNIFE SHOWS
Kerrville Happy State Bank Expo Hall (830) 285-0575
texasgunandknifeshows.com
APRIL 26
ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK FOUNDATION
Bell County Banquet
Cadence Bank Center, Belton (254) 707-0081 rmef.org
MAY 1
COASTAL CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION
San Antonio Banquet
Freeman Coliseum Expo Hall (210) 289-8821
ccatexas.org
DELTA WATERFOWL
Big Thicket Banquet
The Refinery, Lumberton (936) 240-5222 deltawaterfowl.org
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Seguin Banquet
Geronimo Community Center (830) 660-5602 ducks.org
MAY 3
ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK FOUNDATION
Permian Basin Banquet
Bush Convention Center, Midland (432) 770-2217 rmef.org
QUAIL COALITION
Sooner State Dinner & Auction Oklahoma History Center Museum Oklahoma City quailcoalition.org
DALLAS SAFARI CLUB
Big Bore Shoot
Fossil Pointe Shooting Grounds Decatur (972) 980-9800 biggame.org
MAY 7
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Dallas Gun Raffle Tailwaters Fly Fishing Co. dallasdu.com
MAY 8
NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION
Lone Star Longbeards Banquet Brazos Center, Bryan (979) 219-0286 nwtf.org
DUCKS UNLIMITED Comal County Banquet
New Braunfels Civic Center (210) 215-5573 ducks.org
COASTAL CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION
Austin Banquet Palmer Events Center cherylccaaustin@gmail.com ccatexas.org
MAY 9-10
SHALLOW SPORT
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Our companies sell structural pipe in several sizes, from small pipe for gates, to standard sizes for fencing, on up to the larger sizes for H-braces, barn legs and even culverts. We stock pipe sizes from 1” to 20”, we even have heavy weight and thick wall pipe in several sizes for heavy duty projects. We also sell an assortment of other equipment, currently we have some surplus tanks (8400gal, steel, 12’w x 7’h), some tinhorn/culvert material (from 4’dia x 6’-10’L to 16’dia x 10’-20’L), 18’ & 20’ gooseneck tandem single trailers, and some cattle guards. Contact Josh Brown at (505) 366-3428, or Cody Hudson at (575) 441-1186.
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MAY 13
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MAY 15
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MAY 16
ROLLING PLAINS QUAIL RESEARCH FOUNDATION RPQRR Annual Field Day Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch Roby (806) 346-7409 quailresearch.org
DUCKS UNLIMITED Guns & Bugs Clay Shoot Providence Plantation, Rosharon (713) 471-8854 ducks.org
SOUTH AFRICAN PLAINS GAME HUNTS
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Come see us at the DSC Summer Expo July 17-19 Grapevine, Texas Graham Williams BUFFALO577.COM BUFFALO577@HOTMAIL.COM
MAY 17
DELTA WATERFOWL
Cen-Tex Dinner Riesel Lion’s Club (254) 412-9742 deltawaterfowl.org
MAY 23
MULE DEER FOUNDATION Central Texas Banquet Georgetown Community Center (325) 277-6770 muledeer.org
DELTA WATERFOWL North Houston Chapter Banquet Hochzeit Hall, Spring deltawaterfowl.org
MAY 24
WILLACY COUNTY YOUNG FARMERS “Bullet” Bob Austin Memorial Fishing Tournament Port Mansfield wcyf.org
JUNE 6 OPERATION GAME THIEF Austin Clay Stoppers Shootout Hog Heaven Sporting Club Dripping Springs ogttx.org
JUNE 7
TEXAS DOVE HUNTERS ASSOCIATION
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