Lone Star Outdoor News 122625

December 26, 2025

Texas’ Hunting and Fishing Newspaper Since 2004

Volume 22, Issue 9

Gorging on bait Largemouth bass bite mixed

By Nate Skinner

For Lone Star Outdoor News

Anglers across Texas are finding a mixed bag when it comes to bass.

Some lakes are hot, while others are tough right now. Photo by Nate Skinner, for Lone Star Outdoor News.

Wintertime patterns for largemouth bass are gaining momentum, and the fish are starting to gorge on schools of baitfish. Anglers and fish-

ing guides are finding decent numbers of bass along banks, as well as out in open water around various depths and forms of structure. Most of the open water fish have been suspended, while the bass in shallower water have been tight to the bank.

According to bass fishing guide and tournament angler Austin Pemberton, the bite on O.H. Ivie recently has been poor lately.

“Targeting roaming fish in open water using forward facing sonar is about the only way I’ve been able to catch bass on Ivie recently,” Pemberton said. “The action has been slow, and I’ve been getting a handful of bites each day. Most of those fish have been on the small side, weighing about 2 pounds or so.”

Pemberton said the bite on Lake Fork has been much more consisPlease turn to page 16

Rite of passage

Photos by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.

Sharing the moment when your son or daughter takes their first deer is something all hunting parents look forward to. It’s a core memory for any hunter, young or old.

While hunting north of Abilene several weeks ago, this young hunter got through a case of buck fever, finally calming down enough to make an accurate shot and cleanly take a mature buck. The rite of passage had been completed.

Many hunters across Texas can relive a similar scene involving their parent or hunting mentor, maybe very

recently like the above. Bucks across North and West Texas are finished with the main peak rut phase, but the secondary rut has been reported, and bucks are still being seen chasing and harassing does, searching for the last ones to come back into estrus.

As hunters travel farther south, the action heats up quickly. Reports of bucks in full rut and locking does down has come from San Antonio down to Laredo. December is the magical month for bucks south of Interstate 10.

—Conor Harrison

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID DALLAS, TX PERMIT 3814

Short and sweet

By Nate Skinner

The short, 16-day general mule deer season in the Trans-Pecos and Panhandle regions is over, and some hunters took mature deer.

The rut is just now in full swing in much of the Trans-Pecos region. Outfitters and hunters with access to lands under the TPWD Manage Lands Deer Program are out taking advantage of the opportunity during this

special time of year, with hopes of getting within shooting range of a mature mule deer buck.

According to Elephant Mountain WMA biologist, Cody McEntire, range conditions in the area were good early on in 2025; however, he said he has not seen this reflected in the quality of antlers on the majority of mule deer bucks he has observed this season.

“We have seen an overall decrease in the population of mule deer,” McEntire said. “Numbers

are at least 10 percent lower than they were last year. With that being said, fawn crops this year were great, so I’m expecting an increase in the population for 2026.”

McEntire said drought conditions back in 2019 and 2020 resulted in extremely poor fawn crops, which means the population at Elephant Mountain WMA has very few mule deer in the 5-6 year old age class.

“The only buck that has been harvested and brought in by Please turn to page 9

Freshwater Fishing Report . . Page 8 Grip & Grin . . . . . . . . . . . Page 10 Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Sun, Moon & Tides . . . . . . Page 18 Saltwater Fishing Report . . . Page 20 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . Page 22

HUNTING

INSIDE

CONTENTS

Time Sensitive Material • Deliver ASAP

For Lone Star Outdoor News

Where are the ducks? (P. 4)

Tom Clarke harvested this 165-inch mule deer in Brewster County while hunting with guide Calan Ahrens of Ahrens Ranch & Wildlife, LLC. Photo by Calan Ahrens.

FISHING

A clarification on drones (P. 6)

Second split not going great.

TPWD can’t enforce federal law.

Winter dove on fire (P. 4)

Blacks and reds (P. 6)

Lots of dove in Texas.

Solid drum bite on the coast.

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December 26, 2025

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December 26, 2025

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HUNTING

Are they coming?

Second split for ducks slowly building

By Cory Byrnes

For Lone Star Outdoor News

Ducks have not pushed into Texas in large numbers yet this season. Photo

by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.

The cold weather hasn’t really settled into Texas. Several cool fronts have pushed some ducks into Texas, especially during the break between the first and second splits. But the reality for many Texas duck hunters is the birds just might not be making it

down from more northern latitudes like they used to a decade ago or more.

Warming winters overall and an abundance of food and water still available in Oklahoma and Kansas means birds don’t have to travel as far south as they used to in December and early January. And many Texas duck hunters are feeling the shift.

“Hopefully, this next cold front will push a bunch from Arkansas,” Brandon Sargent with Texas Lead Slingers said. “Right now, it is kind of slow.”

He and his clients have been primarily hunting Eagle Mountain, Lake Tawakoni, and private lakes and ponds in the North Zone.

“Big flocks come in but are still a little skittish on landing. The pond on private property has been producing a lot of woodies lately,” Sargent said.

Hunters can expect to run into the normal culprits like pintails, canvasbacks, teal, and some mallards.

In the South Zone near Uvalde, Luke Bledsoe with Speck Ops WaterPlease turn to page 11

Rooster roundup

By David J. Sams Lone Star Outdoor News

The rooster didn’t flush out front like expected. Instead, it exploded from the grass barely a foot from a hunter’s boot, close enough to see the iridescent sheen on its feathers before it clawed into the cold West Texas air. One shot ended it.

Two dogs stayed locked up. Another bird flushed. Then another.

That sequence summed up two days of recent pheasant hunting in the Texas Panhandle — close flushes, changing conditions, steady dog work and birds that flew like they’d learned the prairie the hard way.

Pheasant hunters in the Texas Panhandle are finding better-than-expected action this season, not because bird numbers have fully rebounded, but because habitat conditions have improved in key areas.

Hunters working CRP fields, native grass and irrigated farmland reported solid flushes, strong-flying roosters and productive dog work during early December hunts. Success has been tied closely to water availability, grain nearby and undisturbed cover — not overall population density.

A mild winter allowed good carryover of adult birds, followed by timely spring and summer rains that supported nesting and brood-rearing across much of the High Plains.

“Coming into spring in the Panhandle, we couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity with the rainfall and weather conditions,” said Patrick Schutz, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s upland game bird program leader.

Those reports are coming from both Please turn to page 21

Shredded fields have produced plenty of action and kept gun dogs busy so far during the second split of dove season. Photo by Nate Skinner, for Lone Star Outdoor News.

Winter dove season underway Timing of flight patterns dictates hunter success

By Nate Skinner

For Lone Star Outdoor News

geese right now,” Lanier said.

“There are a few smaller bunches of specklebellies around, but for the most part, the largest concentrations of birds are white geese.”

Lanier said the geese just started feeding in cut rice fields over the past couple of weeks. Prior to that, they had been hitting plowed corn fields.

“All of a sudden, they moved from the plowed fields to harvested rice fields, for whatever reason,” Lanier said. “There are some outfits in the El Campo area that are still having good success hunting

Dove hunters that hit the field at legal shooting time on the opening day of the second split in the southern portion of the state were greeted with unseasonably warm and muggy conditions. Those that were set up and ready at the right time when the birds decided to fly, found plenty of mourning dove and enjoyed excellent shoots.

More birds arrived down south, as a cold front pushed through a couple of days later.

Those who braved the elements had plenty of challenging shot opportunities, despite the cold and breezy conditions.

Hunters in the Dilley area reported dense fog on opening morning. The birds didn’t fly until the fog lifted, well after sunrise.

According to Clayton Roth at Dilley Dove, bird numbers to start the second split were as good as they’ve ever been. However, he said the foggy weather changed their flight patterns.

“With the foggy conditions, the birds didn’t hit the fields until about 10am,” Roth said. “And then, they pretty much just sat in the fields and didn’t fly much.”

Roth said clear weather days since opening weekend have been producing great shoots over croton and sesame fields.

Dog trainer, hunting guide, and owner of HD Gundogs, Drew Horne, said limits of mourning dove have been coming fairly easily since the opener for his hunters over cro-

Please turn to page 9

Please turn to page 11

Everett Johnson, of Seadrift, 73, relaxes after a day shooting pheasants with friends. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.

Goose numbers building

By Nate Skinner

For Lone Star Outdoor News

Spreads of full body goose decoys have been fooling concentrations of geese feeding in grain fields across Texas. Photo by Nate Skinner, for Lone Star Outdoor News.

Waterfowl hunters are beginning to find concentrations of geese in a variety of places across Texas. When ideal conditions have occurred, the birds have been gliding into decoy spreads over grain fields, producing exciting shoots.

Owner and operator of Red Bluff Prairie Hunting Club, Mike Lanier, said he’s been seeing more geese on the Garwood Prairie than he has in a few years.

“We are seeing mostly snow

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Filling a need New company transports finished taxidermy around the state

December 26, 2025

Page 5

Hunting hard Drawn after five years, a hunter makes it happen at Teniente NWR

By Tony Vindell

For Lone Star Outdoor News

By Conor Harrison Lone Star Outdoor News

One of the keys to a successful new business is finding and filling a niche that others may have missed. For San Antonio hunter and guide Reis Ladd, he began to notice a pattern when he went to drop off animals taken with him during a hunt at a number of taxidermist shops around Texas.

“I started running meat and animals to different places and started asking the taxidermists what issues they were encountering,” Ladd said. “We all travel to Owner Reis Ladd stands inside his refurbished trailer, ready to hunt, from DFW to haul completed taxidermy to homes around the state. Photo from Houston to San Anto- Reis Ladd. nio. And we usually all find a way to get our animals to the taxidermist at the end of a hunt. But picking it up becomes problematic. The taxidermists were always sitting on a lot of finished animals that a hunter had no way to get home. It’s an issue for the hunter and a big issue for the taxidermists, who want those trophies moved out of their shop.”

Ladd decided to pursue a new business opportunity, and Check In Transport was born. If the past is any indication, Ladd probably won’t fail.

Raised in San Antonio by parents who still live in his childhood home, Ladd grew up playing sports only in the spring so he could hunt all fall.

“Growing up, I just thought everyone sat in a blind to deer hunt or shot dove in Sep-

Hunting at any national wildlife refuge in South Texas really is all about the hunting.

That might sound redundant, but it is the truth.

Ask how the hunt is going, and the answers are as varied as the people doing the hunting.

Some of them said they hadn’t seen a thing in four days. Others assert they saw glimpses of either a deer, a nilgae antelope or a feral hog. Another group said they saw plenty of game, but they missed or ended the hunt with some meat for the freezer.

But for Hunter Thompson, it was the kind of hunt a true hunter dreams of. Thompson was one of the lucky hunters after he killed a 10-point buck during the fourth archery hunt held at the El Teniente NWR in eastern Willacy County.

The Hockley resident ended the four-day public hunt taking the buck on the last day.

In fact, Thompson did better than many of the hunters spoken to along the three county roads inside the approximately 4,000-acre refuge that does not allow feeding to entice game animals.

He said he hunted the same spot alone for two-and-half days, sitting on the ground or on the seat in a vest he uses for turkey hunting.

“I just went to the hotel one time to take a break,” he said as he was getting ready to go home on Sunday, Dec. 14. “I am glad this is over.”

Indeed. But his patience and tenacity

Please turn to page 20

Whiteta & Exotic Hunting

Hunter Thompson took this nice buck at El Teniente NWR recently on a public land draw hunt. Photo by Tony Vindell, for Lone Star Outdoor News.

paid off.

The 10-pointer had an 18-inch spread and is the biggest buck Thompson has taken with a bow and arrow, which he picked up about seven years ago.

He was drawn to hunt at El Teniente after applying five years in a row.

Thompson said he saw the buck during the scouting period that is allowed a day before the hunt. He saw it again on the second day of the actual hunt but the buck did not give him a chance to shoot. On the third day, he shot at a doe that jumped the string, allowing the arrow to sail high for a clean miss.

Please turn to page 20

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FISHING

Just clarifying

Day to day

TPWD states no drone law changes, just reminding anglers of Federal law

By Conor Harrison Lone Star Outdoor News

An angler holds up a nice eater-sized catfish. Photo

by Kent Terrill, 3T Guide Service.

Catfish bite up and down depending on the weather

By Cory Byrnes

For Lone Star Outdoor News The weather has been doing the Texas two-step in the month of December, swinging between nearly freezing and days in the 80s, and the catfish are as confused as the anglers. Solid winter tactics are putting fish in the boat for many anglers.

On Lake Ray Hubbard, the fishing has been very good for catfish.

Brandon Sargent with Texas Lead Slingers reported, “catfishing has been amazing, and white bass has been picking up.

Everything else is slowing down for me.

We have been doing a lot of splat fishing.”

Splat fishing, according to Sargent, is when he and his clients look for cormorants in the trees and targeting the water underneath them.

“Toss it underneath the tree and count to ten, and before you get to ten, you should have a bite,” Sargent said.

He has been using chicken skins for the eating-sized fish.

“I like chicken skin; it stays on better,” Sargent said.

For the trophy blue cats, he has been targeting the levy in about 30- to 35-feet of water. Drifting cut bait with a Santee rig has been the ticket.

“Right now, it’s cut bait and gizzard shad,” Sergeant said. “As it gets colder, they will start moving shallower. By the end of January, the trophy blues will be in full swing in their normal haunts.”

On Lake Conroe, as the water has cooled, the fishing for cats has really picked up.

“Quite a few trophy-class fish are mixing in. We caught a 47 (pounder) a couple of days ago,” said Bradley Doyle with Bradley’s Guide Service. “I wouldn’t say it hasn’t peaked yet. We keep having these warmups and these fronts moving through. It’s kind of moving the fish around.”

He and his clients have had to switch up, depending on the weather for the day, from traditional fall patterns to winter all in the same day.

“As the water warms up, they will get shallow and go after bait,” Doyle said.

He has his clients focusing on structure in 10 to 25 feet.

“If the water temperature is dropping, I focus more on that soft bottom, and if it is warming up later in the day, I will move up to ridges and points,” Doyle added.

Punch baits and cut baits have been productive. He said winter catfishing is more predictable and he’s waiting for it to get there.

On Eagle Mountain, Chad Fergusson with North Texas Catfish Guide Service has been chasing catfish all over the lake.

“There hasn’t been any rhyme or reason to it. You kind of have to go find them evPlease turn to page 15

On second thought, we really didn’t mean to cause a stir, it was a clarification.

That was the sentiment from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department officials after surf anglers cried foul after a press release sent out this month stating TPWD had reviewed the language and found the practice of using drones to fly bait out past the surf to be illegal.

On December 9, TPWD sent out a clarifying announcement that stated, “The Federal Airborne Hunting Act falls under the administration of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) at the federal level. There has not been a new regulation enacted, or any changes made at the state level. Our intent with publicizing this information and updating the Texas Outdoor Annual was to inform the public of the federal statute (AHA/50 CFR § 19.11). If someone chooses to use an Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), also known as drones, to deploy bait while bank or surf fishing, it is a federal, not state level violation, and no state charges would be incurred.

However, we do not condone or authorize violating federal law.”

The above came out less than 24 hours after the original announcement had many coastal surf anglers up in arms about the “updated” rul-

According to TPWD, Federal law prohibits using drones to fly baits out past the surf. Photo by Dean Meyer, for Lone Star Outdoor News.

Please turn to page 15

Color doesn’t matter Black drum, redfish are where you find them this time of year

By Cory Byrnes

For Lone Star Outdoor News The black drum bite has been strong along the coast the past few weeks.

Jay Lee, an avid angler, has been stalking them in Galveston Bay. “It’s been good as long as you know where to find them,” Lee said.

He has been watching the weather daily to know exactly where to target in his area.

“This time of year, I like to fish the channels and dropoffs where the fish like to find warm shelter,” Lee said.

“Find the bait, and you will find the fish.”

Lee has had the most success in the transition zones in as deep as 20 feet of water.

Anglers should fish down the drop-offs until they find the redfish. He has been fishing strictly with artificial baits.

“If it ain’t artificial, it ain’t official, is what I like to say,” Lee joked. “I have been fishing jig heads from 1/16 to 1/8 to keep a natural presentation. Presentation is everything.”

The go-to colors have been pearl white and hot pink

this time of year. Lee said as the water temperature gets closer to 50 degrees, anglers will see the drum begin to stack up in deep water.

In the Sabine area, Rudy Gutierrez Sr. has been successful chasing redfish under birds and along the shoreline. When he is fishing the shoreline, he has been targeting the reds with shrimp under a popping cork.

“There, you are basically throwing a popping cork and letting the current take it along the shoreline,” Gutierrez said. “You just kind of move because those redfish are not in just one location.

You will catch one here and one there.”

Guitierrez said the majority of his success, however, comes from fishing under the birds.

“Color doesn’t matter,” he said. “I used a chartreuse tail with more of a shrimp color, and my friend used a darker color; it didn’t matter.”

Anglers should cast into the birds and let it sink before popping their plastic.

Gutierrez said the fishing will remain consistent until the latter part of January, when colder weather begins sticking around. When that happens, anglers should transition to a minimum of 10 feet of water, targeting channels and jetties.

In Port Aransas, the bite Please turn to page 19

Kolt Harrison with a great 23-inch slot redfish caught out of Port Aransas. Photo by Randy Laurell, Red Tag Guide Service.

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Aging crappie New technique helping biologists Fisheries biologists use small calcium carbonate structures, known as otoliths, to age many fish species. Otoliths are located inside the head of the fish and help the fish balance and sense vibration.

Otoliths grow in size as the fish grows. Each year as fish growth slows due to environmental factors, the otolith adds a ring, called an annulus. Similar to aging a tree by counting the rings in a cross section, biologists count the rings on an otolith to determine how old a fish is.

There are many ways fish aging data is applied in fisheries management. One common method is to retain a dozen or more fish of approximately the same length, age each fish, and calculate an average age for the sample.

For example, biologists may retain a dozen white crappie between 9 and 11 inches (around the legal length of 10 inches) from a reservoir, age each fish, and calculate the average age for a legal white crappie in that reservoir. Knowing how long it takes a fish to reach a specific size, along with other information, gives fisheries managers an indication of the health of the population. Fast fish growth indicates the fish have what they need in terms of forage, cover, and Photo by TPWD Inland Fisheries. other resources.

Otoliths are aged using dissecting microscopes and fiber optic lights.

Last week, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists surveyed the white crappie population at Winters-Elm Creek Reservoir.

The population experienced higher-than-average recruitment this year; TPWD sampled more than 450 three-inch fish. The reservoir filled to capacity in early July 2025, likely providing ample cover and forage for the young of the year white crappie that were spawned this spring. This increase in recruitment will help sustain the population over the next few years, according to biologists.

As for larger fish, TPWD sampled white crappie up to 13 inches long. Fish condition was good for larger size classes. The reservoir had an abundance of small (less than 5 inches) gizzard shad this fall, also likely the result of the water level rise.

Biologists retained 18 individuals around the legal minimum length, fish are reaching 10 inches in just over 2 years, much faster than a previous survey done in 2023.

Once again, this is likely the result of the increase in water level and the forage and cover it provides for all species in the food chain.

—TPWD

December 26, 2025

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Fly Fishing Pressured Waters: Tactics, Techniques, and Strategies for Popular Western Rivers and Beyond Fishing pressure on popular western waters is at an all-time high and to be able to have a successful day on the water, anglers have had to adjust their strategies, tactics, and equipment.

In this new book, Dallas authors Nick Conklin and Collins Illich share their vast experience fishing the West (and bring in techniques from their experience fishing other areas around the country) and teach readers more advanced level techniques and approaches to become more proficient on highly trafficked waters chasing PhD level fish.

Conklin, a former intern with Lone Star Outdoor News who has worked for Temple Fork Outfitters for almost two decades, said the idea came out of the two anglers watching Texans rush to fish popular waters in Colorado and Montana during the pandemic.

“We kept hearing everyone bitch about how many people were fishing out west,” Conklin said. “We figured, we can join in the bitching, or we can improve as anglers and take advantage of those same waters.”

While the emphasis is western U.S. waters, the techniques can be applied to any angler’s local water. The key here is addressing the rise in angling pressure and how to overcome common ideas and obstacles to become a more effective angler.

This is a great book on a timely subject for those of us who travel to fish,” said Conor Harrison, LSON’s Executive Editor. “Nick was fun to work with 15 years ago here at the newspaper, and we are all proud of both he and Collins for putting this book together. It will be a great addition to any anglers library.”

—Staff report

Info@BrokenBottleArcade.com call today: (903) 571-6536

Page 8

December 26, 2025

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TEXAS FRESHWATER FISHING REPORT ALAN HENRY: 56 degrees; 4.69’ low. Crappie are good on minnows.

AMISTAD: Water stained; 60 degrees; 60.85’ low. Crappie are good on jigs. Catfish are good on cut bait.

AQUILLA: Water stained; 62 degrees; 1.01’ low. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Largemouth bass are good on spinnerbaits.

Sand bass are fair on jigging spoons. Catfish are good on prepared baits.

ARLINGTON: Water slightly stained; 66 degrees; 0.08’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics and crankbaits. Sand bass are fair on slabs. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs.

ARROWHEAD: Water stained; 51 degrees; 2.46’ low. Catfish are good on fresh cut shad.

ATHENS: Water stained; 54 degrees; 0.50’ high.

Largemouth bass are fair on umbrella rigs, soft plastics, and jigs. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows.

AUSTIN: Water clarity good; 60 degrees; 0.56’ low.

Largemouth bass are fair on jerkbaits and weightless Senkos.

BASTROP: Water stained; 64 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas rigs, and square-billed crankbaits.

BELTON: Water stained; 63 degrees; 0.39’ high. White bass and hybrids are fair on slabs. Catfish are good on fresh cut shad and punch bait.

BENBROOK: Water stained; 56 degrees; 1.78’ low. Hybrids are fair on minnows and jigs. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are good on cut bait and stink bait.

BOB SANDLIN: Water stained; 65 degrees; 1.23’ low. Crappie are good on minnows.

BOIS D’ARC: Water stained; 50 degrees; 2.05’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on chatterbaits, spinnerbaits, and swim jigs. Crappie are slow.

BRADY: Water stained; 55 degrees; 0.04’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. White bass are slow. Crappie are slow.

BRAUNIG: Water stained; 68 degrees; Redfish are slow.

Largemouth bass are slow.

BRIDGEPORT: Water clear; 55 degrees; 4.41’ low.

Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits and swimbaits.

Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. White bass and hybrids are fair on slabs and trolling deep crankbaits. Catfish are good on cut bait and chicken liver.

BROWNWOOD: Water stained; 57 degrees; 2.56’ low. Largemouth bass are good on bladed jigs, crankbaits, and jigs. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs.

White bass are slow. Catfish are fair on cut shad.

BRYAN: Water stained; 63 degrees. Largemouth bass are slow.

BUCHANAN: Water stained; 61 degrees; 0.92’ low. Stripers are good on slab spoons. White bass are good on jigging spoons and live shad.

CADDO: Water stained; 50 degrees; Largemouth bass are good on rattle traps, crankbaits, chatterbaits, spin-

nerbaits, jerkbaits, flukes, and ploppers. White bass are good on rooster tails.

CALAVERAS: Water stained; 72 degrees; Redfish are good on soft plastics, spoons, and dead shrimp.

Catfish are good on punch bait.

CANYON LAKE: Water stained; 64 degrees; 19.89’ low. Largemouth bass are good on soft plastics. Stripers are good on umbrella rigs, 3/4-ounce spoons, and big top-water baits. Crappie are slow.

CEDAR CREEK: Water slightly stained; 55 degrees; 3.09’ low. Hybrid striped bass and white bass are fair on spinnerbaits and slabs.

Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on fresh gizzard shad and cut rough fish.

CISCO: Water stained; 56 degrees; 16.17’ high.

Largemouth bass are fair on spinnerbaits and squarebilled crankbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are good on cut shad and punch bait.

COLEMAN: Water stained; 55 degrees; 2.96’ low.

Largemouth bass are fair on finesse worms. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows.

COLETO CREEK: Water stained; 76 degrees; 3.00’ high. Largemouth bass are slow.

COMANCHE CREEK: 75 degrees; 0.37’ high. Largemouth bass are good on soft plastics. Catfish are good on cut bait and punch bait.

CONROE: Water stained; 61 degrees; 0.95’ high.

Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits and creature baits. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on liver, worms, punch bait, and cut bait.

COOPER: Water stained; 53 degrees; 3.67’ low. Crappie are slow.

CYPRESS SPRINGS: Water stained; 53 degrees; 0.78’ low.

Crappie are good on minnows.

DUNLAP: Water stained; 60 degrees. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are slow.

EAGLE MOUNTAIN: Water stained; 56 degrees; 1.86’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on spinnerbaits and jerkbaits.

Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. White bass are fair on slabs. Catfish are good on cut shad and live perch.

FALCON: Water stained; 54 degrees; 47.19’ low.

Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on fresh cut bait, shrimp, and stink bait.

FAYETTE: Water stained; 65 degrees; full pool.

Largemouth bass are fair on rattletraps, spinnerbaits, and Carolina rigs.

FORK: Water stained; 50 degrees; 2.61’ low.

Largemouth bass are fair on chatterbaits, lipless crankbaits, jerkbaits, and Carolina rigs. Sand bass are fair on slabs. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows.

FT. PHANTOM HILL: Water stained; 5.12’ low; 55 degrees. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. Hybrids are

fair on slabs. Catfish are fair on cut bait.

GEORGETOWN: normal stain; 65 degrees; 9.18’ high.

Largemouth bass are fair on shad imitation baits, topwaters and spinnerbaits.

GRAHAM: Water stained; 66 degrees; 3.74’ low. Crappie are slow. Sand bass and hybrids are fair on crankbaits trolling. Catfish are fair on cut shad.

GRANBURY: Normal stain; 55 degrees; 0.14’ low.

Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits and soft plastics.

Sand bass are fair on slabs and spinnerbaits. Stripers are good on swimbaits and live shad. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on cut shad.

GRANGER: Water stained; 60 degrees; 0.47’ high.

Largemouth bass are slow.

Crappie are slow. White bass are fair on spinners and jigs.

Catfish are good on cut shad and live bait.

GRAPEVINE: Water stained; 57 degrees; 0.31’ low. White bass are fair on slabs and small swimbaits.

Crappie are fair on jigs. Catfish are fair on cut bait.

GREENBELT: Water stained; 55 degrees; 51.06’ low. Sand bass are good on minnows. Crappie are slow.

HAWKINS: Water slightly stained; 57 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on small poppers.

HOUSTON: Water clear; 69 degrees; 0.10’ high.

Largemouth bass are fair on spinnerbaits, top-waters, crankbaits, twitch baits, grubs, and Texas-rigged plastics. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. White bass are fair on pet spoons and live shad. Catfish are good on stinkbait and fresh shad.

HOUSTON COUNTY: Water stained; 52 degrees; 0.12’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on reaction baits.

HUBBARD CREEK: Water Stained; 55 degrees; 14.00’ low.

Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs.

INKS: Water stained; 57 degrees; 0.91’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas-rigged Senkos and finesse jigs.

JACKSONVILLE: Water stained; 50 degrees; 0.10’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on jigs, square bill crankbaits, soft plastics, and jigs.

JOE POOL: Water stained; 60 degrees; 0.28’ low.

Largemouth bass and sand bass are fair on crankbaits.

Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. Catfish are are fair on cut bait.

LAKE O’ THE PINES: Water stained; 65 degrees; 0.21’ high. Largemouth bass are good on jigs and Alabama rigs. Crappie are good on jigs.

LAVON: Water stained; 60 degrees; 2.08’ low.

Largemouth bass are good on square-billed crankbaits and soft plastics. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. White bass are fair on swimbaits. Catfish are fair on cut shad.

LBJ: Water stained; 55 degrees; 0.28’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Alabama rigs,

underspins, and minnows.

Crappie are fair on minnows.

Catfish are good on punch bait and cut shad.

LEWISVILLE: Water stained; 55 degrees; 0.03’ low. Hybrid striper and white bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are fair on cut shad.

LIMESTONE: Water clear; 57 degrees; 1.72’ low.

Largemouth bass are fair on chatterbaits, rattle traps, and soft plastics. White bass are good on spoons. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish fair on shad.

LIVINGSTON: Water stained; 56 degrees; 0.18’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on topwater baits, crankbaits, and soft plastics.

Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on spoons. Catfish are fair on cut bait and punch bait.

MARBLE FALLS: Water stained; 60 degrees; 0.73’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on shad imitation baits and topwater lures.

MARTIN CREEK: Water slightly stained; 59 degrees; 1.80’ low.

Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged worms, Senkos, lipless crankbaits, and chatter baits. Crappie are fair on minnows. Sand bass are good on slab spoons and tail spinners. Catfish are fair on cut bait.

MEREDITH: Water stained; 44 degrees; 43.63’ low.

Largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and sand bass are good on top-waters, chatterbaits, and spinnerbaits.

Crappie are slow. Bluegill and perch are good on worms and corn. Walleye are good on jigs. Catfish are fair on livers, frozen shad, and stink bait.

MILLERS CREEK: Water stained; 52 degrees; 3.53’ low. Largemouth bass are good on spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and buzzbaits. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs.

MURVAUL: Water stained; 52 degrees; 0.70’ low.

Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits and square-billed crankbaits. Crappie are fair on jigs. Catfish are good on cut bait and live minnows.

NACOGDOCHES: Water stained; 54 degrees; 1.87’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Carolina rigs and crankbaits. Crappie are fair on jigs. Catfish are fair on live minnows.

NACONICHE: Water stained; 54 degrees; full pool.

Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits, jerkbaits, glide baits, and topwaters. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are slow.

NASWORTHY: Water slightly stained; 55 degrees; 0.89’ low. Largemouth bass are fair flipping soft plastics.

Crappie are fair on jigs. Catfish are fair on cut bait and stink bait.

NAVARRO MILLS: 60 degrees; full pool. White bass are good on spoons. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are good on perch.

O.H. IVIE: Water stained; 54 degrees; 18.92’ low.

Largemouth bass are fair on

soft plastics. White bass are good on slabs and jigging spoons. Catfish are fair on cut bait and stink bait.

OAK CREEK: Water lightly stained; 57 degrees; 22.31’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics. Crappie are slow.

PALESTINE: Water stained; 50 degrees; 0.06’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits and swim jigs.

Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. Hybrids are fair on slabs. Catfish are good on cut bait.

PALO PINTO: Water stained; 60 degrees; 0.25’ low. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are fair on cut bait and fresh shad.

PINKSTON: Water lightly stained; 52 degrees. Largemouth bass are good on flukes and Carolina rigs.

Crappie are good on jigs.

Catfish are slow.

POSSUM KINGDOM: Water stained; 58 degrees; 2.27’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics. Sand bass are good on slabs.

Stripers are fair on live bait.

Catfish are good on cut bait and fresh shad.

PROCTOR: Water stained; 54 degrees; 2.32’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Hybrids are fair on slabs. Catfish are fair on cut bait.

RAY HUBBARD: Water stained; 54 degrees; 1.16’ low. White bass are fair on slabs. Crappie are slow. Catfish are good on punch bait and cut bait.

RAY ROBERTS: Water slightly stained; 55 degrees; 0.94’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on swim jigs. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. Sand bass are fair on live bait and slabs. Catfish are good on cut bait.

RICHLAND CHAMBERS: Water slightly stained; 59 degrees; 2.00’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on jigs, square-billed crankbaits, and chatterbaits. Hybrids are good on Alabama rigs. White bass are good on slabs and spinnerbaits. Catfish are on punch bait and cut bait.

SAM RAYBURN: Water muddy; 58 degrees; 9.02’ low. Largemouth bass are good on spinnerbaits, rattletraps, crankbaits, and swim jigs.

SOMERVILLE: Water stained; 54 degrees; 2.80’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on craw jigs and soft plastic baits. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. White bass are slow. Hybrids are slow.

Catfish are good on cut shad and punch bait.

SPENCE: Water stained; 55 degrees; 50.97’ low.

Catfish are good on fresh cut shad and punch baits.

STAMFORD: Water stained; 55 degrees; 1.28’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Catfish are fair on cut bait. Crappie are good on jigs.

STILLHOUSE: Water stained; 63 degrees; 0.92’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics and Alabama rigs. White bass and

n Saltwater reports Page 20

hybrid striped bass are good on slabs.

TAWAKONI: Water lightly stained; 57 degrees; 1.55’ low. Largemouth bass are good on square-billed crankbaits. Hybrid stripers and white bass are good on swimbaits and slabs. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows.

Catfish are good on punch bait and cut bait.

TEXOMA: Water stained; 57 degrees; 0.32’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on swim baits. Stripers are good on live bait and swim baits. Catfish are good on whole gizzard shad and rough fish.

TOLEDO BEND: 59 degrees; 4.14’ low. Largemouth bass are good on swim jigs, rattletraps, wacky worms, Texas rigs, and crankbaits.

TRAVIS: Water stained; 65 degrees; 12.81’ low.

Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged craws and drop shot-rigged soft plastics.

TWIN BUTTES: Water stained; 55 degrees; 35.20’ low. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on fresh cut shad and punch bait.

TYLER: Water stained; 60 degrees; 1.28’ low.

Largemouth bass are fair on spinnerbaits, trick worms, and crankbaits. Crappie are slow. Catfish are slow.

WACO: Water stained; 55 degrees; 0.37’ high. Crappie are fair on minnows.

WALTER E. LONG: Water stained; 65 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits, spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, soft plastics, and swimbaits.

WEATHERFORD: Water stained; 52 degrees; 5.41’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on stinkbait, cut bait, and shad.

WELSH: Water stained. 61 degrees. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs.

WHITE RIVER: Water stained; 55 degrees; 18.66’ low. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are fair on live bait and cut shad.

WHITNEY: Water stained; 62 degrees; 1.33’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics. Striped bass are fair on live bait. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. White bass are slow. Catfish are good on punch bait.

WORTH: Water normal; 58 degrees; 1.78’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Sand bass are good on jigs and slabs. Catfish are good on shad.

WRIGHT PATMAN: Water stained; 55 degrees; 3.48’ high. Crappie are good on jigs.

—TPWD

LSONews.com

LoneOStar Outdoor News

December 26, 2025

Page 9

Mule deer recap Continued from page 1

a public drawn hunter this season was 5.5 years old and scored in the low 130s,” McEntire said. “The buck was harvested during the drawn gun hunt that took place December 8th-11th.”

McEntire said a 4.5-year-old buck that scored in the 135-140 inch range was harvested by a hunter during the guided mule deer management gun hunt that he ran earlier this season.

“The rut is just now getting going, and we are starting to see some more mature and larger bucks,” McEntire said. “I’ve got one more guided hunt to run in January, so their may be a possibility for that hunter to harvest a mature mule deer.”

Evan Botsford with Crooked Wing Outfitters said mule deer numbers in the Lubbock area on the farmland they hunt looked great this season.

“We had three good years in a row with timely rains and successful fawn crops,” Botsford said. “There are a ton of young deer across the landscape right now. We have fewer middle age class and mature deer, due to poor range conditions in 2020 and 2021.”

Botsford said they did see some mature bucks this season, but they encountered far more younger age class deer, overall.

“We had incredible rut activity this season,” Botsford said. “Bucks were chasing hot does during most of our hunts and covering a lot of ground. It was the most rut action that I’ve seen in recent years.”

Botsford said it was a successful season, and his hunters passed several bucks that should be impressive next year.

Owner of Ahrens Ranch & Wildlife, Calan Ahrens, said the mule deer hunts they ran in the Panhandle earlier this month in Hutchinson County were full of rut activity.

“We had great fawn recruitment due to excellent range conditions in the Panhandle,” Ahrens said. “The antler quality has been excellent in the Panhandle this season as well, with quite a few bucks in the 160” class.”

Ahrens said the mule deer on the properties they hunt in Presidio, Brewster, and Jeff Davis counties in the Trans-Pecos region of the state, are starting to exhibit some serious rut activity.

“Every group of does I’ve seen recently has had at least one buck with them,” Ahrens said. “We are in full blown rut mode, and things are getting pretty exciting.”

Ahrens said fawn crops on the properties they are hunting in the Trans-Pecos region were also extremely successful this year, due to timely rains and optimal range conditions during the fawning season. He’s also been seeing some impressive bucks in the area as well.

“I recently had a hunter harvest a 6.5-year-old mule deer buck that scored 165 inches,” Ahrens said. “We’ve seen a lot of bucks in the 150 to 170 range.”

Goose hunting Continued from page 4

Goose hunters are slinging steel at decoying birds over harvested grain fields in a variety of regions across the state, now that cooler weather has set in. Photo by Nate Skinner, for Lone Star Outdoor News.

them over plowed ground.”

Lanier said they had a group of 10 hunters harvest 42 geese on a recent goose hunt in a cut rice field. The birds decoyed well over a moderate sized spread of full body goose decoys. Most of the birds harvested were snow geese, but there was a handful of specks in the mix.

“Most of the geese that are willing to decoy have been juveniles,” Lanier said.

“The best hunts have been taking place on cloudy days with a steady breeze.”

According to Lanier, the best concentrations of geese in the area right now consist of about 3,000-5,000 birds.

“Years ago, we wouldn’t even consider hunting a feed of that size,” he said. “We would just wait for it to build and at least double in size. Nowadays, we just don’t get near as many geese on the Garwood Prairie, so when you’ve got a few thousand hitting a field, you have to take advantage of it.”

Guide Luke Bledsoe said specklebelly geese have been feeding in harvested corn fields in Medina County over the past few weeks. He said the largest concentrations of birds just recently arrived to the area.

“We still don’t have the amount of specks that we are used to seeing at this point in the season,” Bledsoe said. “The largest feed we’ve seen so far has consisted of about 1,500 geese, and we are usually seeing concentrations of 3,000-4,000 birds by now.”

Bledsoe said the farming practices in the region have changed in recent years, and he attributes that to the lack of geese that they are seeing this season.

“We have had some excellent goose hunts recently,” Bledsoe said. “For whatever reason, the bigger wads of birds have been working over the decoys better than smaller groups of specks.”

Bledsoe said small spreads of full body decoys have been working the best.

“There have been quite a few sandhill cranes mixed in over the same harvested corn fields with the geese, and the specks have been decoying well over spreads with both crane and specklebelly decoys.”

Kevin Poirier of Fowl Plains Outfitters said their goose hunts in the Lubbock area have rendered steady limits of lesser Canada geese, with some specks and a handful of greater Canadas mixed in.

“The geese are pretty ganged up in certain areas due to the lack of playa water across the landscape right now,” Poirier said. “The last couple of cold fronts did push some white geese down, but the biggest concentrations of geese have been lesser Canadas.”

Poirier said he hasn’t been finding the geese in winter wheat fields as much as he typically does at this time of year. There have been more birds hitting harvested grain fields.

“Harvested milo and corn fields have been producing the best hunts,” Poirier said. “On cloudy, cold, and windy days, the birds have been trickling into the fields and over the decoy spread in smaller groups. When it has been sunny and clear, the geese have been coming to the fields in larger wads.”

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Page 10

December 26, 2025

LoneOStar Outdoor News

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GRIP & GRIN

Gavin Jara caught this nice redfish in October at Surfside on his first saltwater fishing trip.

Garratt Galm caught his longnose gar from a kayak at Calaveras Lake near San Antonio on Nov.2.

Clay Butler caught this 12.55-pound largemouth bass on Nov. 29 and submitted the catch for a waterbody record at Champion Creek Reservoir.

SHARE AN ADVENTURE

n Want to share hunting and fishing photos with other Lone Star Outdoor News readers?

Email them with contact and caption information to editor@lonestaroutdoornews.com. High-resolution original jpegs only. Mail prints to Grip & Grin, Lone Star Outdoor News, P.O. Box 551695, Dallas, TX 75355.

Larry Hill, 83, and his grandson, Brant, spent a day shooting pheasants in North Dakota over pointers.

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LoneOStar Outdoor News

December 26, 2025

Page 11

Winter dove Continued from page 4

ton fields in the Brenham area.

He said the key has been patterning the flight path the birds have been taking to and from their roosts and the fields where they have been feeding.

“We shredded a bunch of croton fields about 5 weeks before opening day, in preparation to move some cattle onto them,” Horne said. “I noticed the birds had been roosting in some thick woods and tree lines, and then hitting those shredded fields every morning. Their pattern has been holding steady for a while now.”

Horne said the mourning dove have been readily coming into Mojo decoys and trying to land near them consistently.

“It’s some of the best decoying action I’ve seen for dove in a while,” he said. “The decoys seem to be way more effective than they were during the first split of dove season, back in September.”

Afternoon flights have been pretty steady as well, according to Horne.

“If you know where the birds are roosting and where they are feeding, you should be able to Some south Texas dove hunters had to wait for the birds to fly put together a good hunt,” Horne during muggy conditions on the second split opener. Those that said. “You can plan to catch them were persistent, were rewarded with excellent shoots. Photo by coming to fields to feed in the Nate Skinner, for Lone Star Outdoor News. mornings, and then in the evenings, you can set up to catch them on their way back to where they are roosting from the fields they are feeding in.”

Owner of Katzfey Ranches, Mark Katzfey, said his hunters enjoyed one of the best second split dove season openers that he can remember in recent years in the George West, Mathis, and Tynan areas over croton, sunflower, and sesame fields.

“Pretty much everyone was able to harvest limits or near limits, and for sure everyone had opportunities to harvest their limit of dove,” Katzfey said. “Morning hunts produced more consistent action than afternoon hunts. The birds were hitting the fields during the first couple of hours of daylight, and then most of them left the fields during the early to mid afternoon hours. There were a handful of white wings harvested, but the majority of the birds flying were mourning dove.”

Katzfey said hunters planning to enjoy an afternoon hunt needed to be set up and ready by no later then 2 p.m.. Most of the birds started heading to roost around 3-4 p.m.

“Cold fronts that we have had blow through since opening day, have only seemed to push more birds down,” Katzfey said. “We are confident the rest of the winter season should hold fairly steady wing shooting opportunities for dove hunters.”

Steve Kotara said he has been seeing good numbers of mourning dove around cattle tanks and shredded croton fields on his farm near Kosciusko. He said the birds have been flying consistently during the early morning hours.

“After about mid-morning, they seem to be spending the rest of the day feeding in the fields,” he said. “I haven’t seen many flying during the afternoon hours.”

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Celebrating 27 Years Pearsall, Texas Craig@wilsonwhitetails.com www.wilsonwhitetails.com 210.602.4531

Slow season Continued from page 4

fowl reports that duck hunting has been good.

“The duck numbers are picking up a little bit, but I think we need one more push to get us sitting right,” Bledsoe said. “Once they get here, they tend to stay here.”

Bledsoe and his clients are going from pond to pond, ranch to ranch to hunt the ducks that are here. In Bledsoe’s neck of the woods, hunters can target all sorts of ducks, sandhill cranes, and geese.

Bledsoe reports while the hunting had been good in the past, it is now poor due to the low water lever.

“The water level is so low that every boat ramp is closed,” Bledsoe said. “Hunters will have to crowd in to get a shot at a few ducks.”

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Page 12

December 26, 2025

LoneOStar Outdoor News

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December 26, 2025

Page 13

Page 14

December 26, 2025

LoneOStar Outdoor News

LONE STAR OUTDOOR PUZZLER Solution on Page 22

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INDUSTRY Domain Outdoor acquired

Federal shipping new ammo

Allen Company announced the acquisition of Domain Outdoor, a rapidly growing disruptor of wildlife food plot seed, feed and attractants, and nutritional supplements designed to support year-round wildlife management.

Federal Ammunition has officially begun shipping a new load in its award-winning Gold Medal Berger lineup: 6mm ARC, 108-grain Berger BT Target.

Silent Steel USA seeking Silent Steel USA, a leading innovator in premium suppressor technology, announced its nationwide search for professional sales representative groups to support the company’s rapid expansion. Reach out to: sales@ silentsteelusa.com.

Bass Pro Shops Abilene Bass Pro Shops announced plans today for a new destination retail location for Abilene, with its convenient location ready to serve the greater West Texas region. The 72,000-foot store is slated to open in early 2027.

TenPoint releases new crossbow

POMA has new ED The Professional Outdoor Media Association has announced the appointment of Stephanie Spika Hickey as its new Executive Director. In her new role, Spika Hickey will lead POMA’s strategic vision to champion excellence in outdoor storytelling, strengthen relationships between media professionals and industry partners.

First female president for B&C The Boone and Crockett Club announced that Mary L. Webster was elected as the Club’s 38th president during the organization’s 137th annual meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, last week.

She is the first woman to serve in this position since the Club’s inception in 1887.

TenPoint Crossbow Technologies unveiled the new TX Ultra 26.5, their shortest forward draw crossbow ever equipped with their new Vision HD Digital Rangefinding Scope.

ACROSS 1. Game will move more at midday on this 6. Biggest North American deer species 9. North African desert exotic 10. Float for fishing 12. Can’t use one to fly surf fishing baits 13. Texas chili town 14. Favorite desert food 16. Common cactus 18. Fundraisers for non-profits 20. Hunters target with huge decoy spreads 25. Simple form of fishing pole 28. Common coastal catch 29. TPWD survey technique 32. Now accepting applications for 69th class 34. City of the Spurs 36. Will Ferrel Christmas character 37. Used in offshore bottom fishing 38. Common bass bait 39. Famous bowman

DOWN 2. Western deer species 3. East Texas waterfowl staple 4. Dwindling numbers in Texas 5. South Texas plant 7. Visits on Dec. 25 8. Common gamebird in Texas 11. West TX WMA 15. Texans hate these in chili 17. TPWD stocking these across the state 19. Often caught near shoreline structure 21. Alaskan river and lake resident 22. Recently accepted as B&C game animal 23. Most popular TX gamefish 24. Bow hunters friend 26. Famous bow making company 27. Often used as a gun rest 30. Used to bring fish into the boat 31. Coastal bay in Texas 33. Short length of line tied to leader 35. TPWD headquarters 37. Catch them on bread

Puzzle by Conor Harrison, Lone Star Outdoor News

FOR THE TABLE *email LSON your favorite recipe to editor@lonestaroutdoornews.com.

Stuffed goose Stuffing: 10 slices French bread, cut into cubes 4 apples - peeled, cored and sliced 1 cup dried currants 4 Tbsps. butter, melted 1 Tbsp. dried thyme salt and ground black pepper to taste Goose: 1 goose (10 pounds) 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil 1 onion, chopped 1 carrot, chopped 1 stalk celery, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced 1 bay leaf 3 whole cloves 1 sprig fresh thyme 1 sprig fresh marjoram Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Make the stuffing: Combine bread, apples, currants, butter, thyme, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.

Prepare the goose: Wash inside and out. Pat dry. Stuff with stuffing mix, truss, and tie goose.

Prick bird all over with fork.

Heat oil in a roasting pan on top of the stove. Brown goose lightly

Garlic honey salmon on all sides, then drain off pan drippings. Set goose breast side up in the roasting pan. Add a little water, cover, and roast in the preheated oven for 1 hour.

Discard fat from the roasting pan. Combine onion, carrot, celery, garlic, bay leaf, cloves, fresh thyme, and marjoram in a mixing bowl and sprinkle around the goose. Continue roasting uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes per pound, draining off fat at intervals. Add more water as required.

1/3 cup honey 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce 2 Tbsps. fresh lemon juice 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes 3 Tbsps. extra-virgin olive oil, divided 4 (6-oz.) salmon fillets, patted dry with paper towels Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper garlic cloves, minced 1 lemon, thinly sliced into rounds

In a medium bowl, whisk honey, soy sauce, lemon juice and red pepper flakes. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 Tbsp. oil. When oil is hot but not smoking, add salmon skin side up; season with salt and black pepper.

Cook until flesh is heated through and seared, about 2 minutes.

Flip salmon skin side down and add remaining oil. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add honey mixture and lemons and cook, basting salmon occasionally, until sauce is reduced by about one-third, about 3 minutes more.

LSONews.com

LoneOStar Outdoor News

December 26, 2025

Page 15

Catching catfish Continued from page 6

ery day and see what they want,” Fergusson said.

He reports that the fish are spread out, and his clients have been successful using punch bait and cut baits.

“Sometimes we will throw out punch bait and some cut bait, but for the most part, typically fishing punch bait,” Fergusson said.

“Stay mobile and use sonar to locate pockets of fish on structure like trees. You just have to get on the water to find them.”

For trophy fish, he is using the same tactics but keying in on the bigger marks on the graph.

“In January when we get some cold weather that sticks, we will start to see them move to their winter patterns,” he added.

On Lake Amistad, Kent Terrill has been finding the fish in deep waters on timber.

“It took us a while to Lake Amistad produced this sizable blue catfish for one lucky angler. Photo find where the bigger by Kent Terrill, 3T Guide Service. fish were. We have had better years,” Terrill admitted.

He attributes the slight decline to the water level and the lack of hydrilla for the catfish to stack up in.

“The zebra mussels came in and we have gotten on to a whole lot of really nice blues once we figured out that’s what they are eating,” he said. I have been fishing in 80-plus feet of water if I can find it on the lake. They started falling off pretty quick in October. I guess because there wasn’t much cover.”

He and his clients have been spot fishing with punch baits. Terrill said the fish will continue to be deep on the edges of the canyons, but anglers will have to move around to find them.

Drones

BUSINESS FOR SALE

Continued from page 6

ing, which reiterated the Federal regulation making drones to fly baits offshore illegal.

The original release on Dec. 8 read, “Due to technological advancements with Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), also known as drones, now widely available, TPWD has noticed an increase in questions connected to their use in relation to fishing and wildlife. Some of the most frequent questions have been about the legality of using drones for deploying bait by surf or bank fisherman.

To address this, TPWD staff reviewed Title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) § 19.11, also known as the Federal Airborne Hunting Act (AHA), which was first enacted in 1956. Staff also sought guidance from the Office of Law Enforcement within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The result of that analysis and discussion is the determination that 50 CFR § 19.11 (b)(2) prohibits the use of aircraft, which includes UAS or drones, to take or attempt to take wildlife, or aid in the act of fishing.”

When contacted by Lone Star Outdoor News on Dec. 9, TPWD stated, “Our intent with publicizing this and updating the Texas Outdoor Annual was to inform the public of the federal statute [AHA] and clear up any confusion regarding the subject. Questions regarding the AHA and what is considered legal or a violation should be directed to the USFWS.” Many anglers and hunters took notice of the language in the original release, and many questioned if the law applied to other hunting activities such as aerial hog or exotic hunting?

“Yes, TPWD issues aerial wildlife management (AWM) permits under the authority delegated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the Federal Airborne Hunting Act (AHA),” said TPWD spokeswoman Maggie Berger. “AWM permits may be issued only if necessary to protect or assist in the management or protection of land, water, wildlife, livestock, domesticated animals,

human life, or crops (Parks and Wildlife Code § 43.104).”

Currently under Texas law, activities such as using a drone to recover game such as white-tailed deer are illegal.

“Current Texas and federal laws prohibit TPWD from issuing permits to conduct aerial activity related to sport hunting,” Berger said. “Except as otherwise authorized by the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 as amended, no person shall: 1. While airborne in any aircraft shoot or attempt to shoot for the purpose of capturing or killing any wildlife; 2. Use an aircraft to harass any wildlife; or 3. Knowingly participate in using an aircraft whether in the aircraft or on the ground for any purpose referred to in paragraph (a) (1) or (2) of this section.”

Texas surf anglers should be reminded that it is a federal violation to fly out baits with a drone and was already illegal and enforced in federally owned properties such as Padre Island National Seashore.

Anglers pushed back hard on the “clarification,” with many taking to social media to air out their grievences and outright challenge TPWD on its interpretation.

“As a Trust Certificate and Part 107 holder, deploying baits via drone is absolutely legal, and you are misinterpreting the federal laws,” said Pflugerville resident John Sullivan on Facebook. “You cannot use the drone for actively fishing or retrieving fish, but dropping baits is absolutely permissible under federal laws. Give me a ticket for doing so and I’ll see you in court, where you will lose, because the law doesn’t prohibit dropping baits. Additionally, there are many people who are disabled who use drones to deploy baits. Restricting them from being able to do so is a violation of the ADA. So, you could be in violation of federal ADA laws by trying to incorrectly enforce your misinterpretation of federal laws.”

Contact LSONews for details: editor@lonestaroutdoornews.com

Page 16

December 26, 2025

LoneOStar Outdoor News

LSONews.com

Bass

G2 Ranch again sponsors TTHA

Continued from page 1

Texas Trophy Hunters Association has announced the continued sponsorship of G2 Ranch for the 2026 Outdoors Extravaganza, marking the sixth consecutive year of partnership between the two organizations.

“We’re incredibly excited to continue our partnership with G2 Ranch.

What started as a shared vision has grown into something much deeper – an extended family. Having partners who believe in what we do and walk alongside us year after year is truly special.” – Christina Pittman, President & CEO of Texas Trophy Hunters Association “We’re looking forward to another great Outdoors Extravaganza,” said the G2 Ranch Management team. “If you’re in the Dallas area, we encourage you to come by and experience the incredible lineup of vendors and exhibitors. We always enjoy our time at the Outdoors Extravaganza—it’s consistently a memorable event filled with great guests, quality conversations, and a community that truly shares our passion for hunting and the outdoors.”

—TTHA

New public park coming The Moody Foundation has announced plans to gift its ownership interest—direct and indirect interests totaling 87.5 percent — in the approximately 54,000-acre Silver Lake Ranch to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department for the benefit of the public.

This major land donation, located in Kinney and Edwards Counties about 125 miles west of San Antonio, paves the way for what could become one of Texas’ largest state parks and a landmark addition to the state’s public lands.

While the proposed transfer is not finalized and remains conditioned on and subject to standard due diligence, including without limitation, final survey and title work, as well as negotiation of mutually agreeable documentation between the Moody Foundation and the TPWD, the parties are hopeful that the transaction can be completed in the coming months. The remaining minority portion of the property is owned by a non-Moody entity.

Silver Lake Ranch features a spring-fed lake, river access, steep canyons, and rolling Hill Country terrain teeming with rare wildlife.

“Silver Lake Ranch has been a special place for generations of our family, and we’re proud to see it become a public space where Texans can connect with nature and help preserve our state’s remarkable landscapes,” said Ross R. Moody, Trustee of the Moody Foundation. “Partnering with Texas Parks and Wildlife to conserve Silver Lake Ranch ensures that this land will endure—protected, appreciated, and enjoyed by generations of Texans to come.”

—Moody Foundation

tent. He’s been chunking Alabama rigs, jerk baits, and minnow imitation soft plastics rigged on a jig head, and chasing bass in 10- to 20-feet of water using forward facing sonar.

“Stumps and trees have been holding quite a few fish in the 5- to 9-pound range,” Pemberton said. “The fish are chasing gizzard shad, and the key has been finding where swarms of these baitfish are concentrating at.”

Pemberton said the bass have been suspended throughout the middle of the water column.

“There really hasn’t been any rhyme or reason to their pattern,” Pemberton said.

“Find the gizzard shad, and Justin Prisock shows off a double-digit bass he caught on Lake Waco while fishing along a bank with structure on a warm afternoon. Photo from Justin Prisock. you’ll find the bass.”

Central Texas fishing guide Justin Prisock has been targeting bass on Lake Belton, where he said the fish have been striking jigs along steep banks in 10 feet of water or less.

“There’s also quite a few fish roaming in open main lake waters along trees and channel bends that are holding schools of baitfish,” Prisock said. “The best way to target these bass is to use forward facing sonar to locate them, and then shaking a minnow and slow rolling an umbrella rig in front of them. Most of these bass out in the open water are suspended in the upper half of the water column.”

Prisock said most of the bass he’s been finding on Belton, both shallow and deep, have been in the 1- to 3.5-pound range.

“I’ve also been targeting bass on Lake Waco, where the bass have been staging along steep banks with rocks and other vertical structure,” Prisock said. “Spinnerbaits fished in 6 feet of water or less produced the most bites.”

Prisock said the fish on Lake Waco have been in the 2- to 4-pound range, with some larger fish pushing double digits randomly mixed in.

Josh Sikes of Bent Rods Guide Service reported the action on Toledo Bend Reservoir has been nonstop recently.

“We’ve been catching 40 to 100 bass each day, with a lot of solid 4- to 6-pound fish in the mix,” Sikes said. “The bass have been chasing baitfish in creek swings and main lake drains in 20- to 50feet of water. Alabama rigs, jigging spoons, and minnow imitation soft plastics rigged on a jig head have been hard to beat.”

THANK YOU!

WILD GAME NIGHT SPONSORED BY

RAFFLE DONORS

LK CULINARY T O DONATE O R FOR MOR E I N FOR MA TI ON VI SI T US ON L I N E A T W W W .LS ONF OU N DA TI ON .OR G OR EMA IL MI MI .L SON F@GMA IL .C OM T HE LON E STA R O UTDO O R N E W S F O UN DA TI O N I S A 5 01 (C) 3 CH A R I TA B L E O R GA N I ZA TI O N

LSONews.com

LoneOStar Outdoor News

December 26, 2025

Page 17

Page 18

December 26, 2025

LoneOStar Outdoor News

LSONews.com

TEXAS SUN, MOON AND TIDES Moon Phases Houston

First

Full

Last

New

Dec 27

Jan 3

Jan 10

Jan 18

Solunar Sun times Moon times Dallas

2025 Dec/Jan

A.M. Minor Major

P.M. Minor Major

SUN Rises Sets

MOON Rises Sets

2025 Dec/Jan

A.M. P.M. SUN MOON Minor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets

26 Fri 27 Sat 28 Sun 29 Mon 30 Tue 31 Wed 01 Thu 02 Fri 03 Sat 04 Sun 05 Mon 06 Tue 07 Wed 08 Thu 09 Fri

10:13 4:02 11:00 4:49 11:46 5:34 12:08 6:21 12:55 7:09 1:46 8:02 2:43 8:59 3:43 10:00 4:47 11:03 5:51 ----6:53 12:40 7:52 1:39 8:45 2:34 9:34 3:24 10:20 4:09

10:35 4:24 11:23 5:11 ----5:58 12:34 6:47 1:24 7:38 2:17 8:33 3:15 9:31 4:16 10:33 5:19 11:35 6:21 12:06 7:20 1:07 8:16 2:04 9:08 2:57 9:56 3:45 10:40 4:30

07:14 05:28 07:14 05:28 07:15 05:29 07:15 05:29 07:15 05:30 07:16 05:31 07:16 05:31 07:16 05:32 07:16 05:33 07:16 05:33 07:17 05:34 07:17 05:35 07:17 05:36 07:17 05:36 07:17 05:37

11:35a 11:52p 12:05p NoMoon 12:36p 12:54a 1:12p 2:00a 1:53p 3:10a 2:42p 4:23a 3:41p 5:36a 4:47p 6:44a 5:58p 7:44a 7:10p 8:35a 8:19p 9:17a 9:24p 9:53a 10:23p 10:24a 11:20p 10:53a NoMoon 11:20a

26 Fri 27 Sat 28 Sun 29 Mon 30 Tue 31 Wed 01 Thu 02 Fri 03 Sat 04 Sun 05 Mon 06 Tue 07 Wed 08 Thu 09 Fri

10:19 4:08 11:06 4:54 11:52 5:40 12:13 6:26 1:01 7:15 1:52 8:08 2:48 9:05 3:49 10:06 4:53 11:09 5:57 ----6:59 12:46 7:57 1:45 8:51 2:40 9:40 3:30 10:26 4:15

10:41 4:30 11:29 5:17 ----6:04 12:39 6:53 1:29 7:44 2:23 8:39 3:21 9:37 4:22 10:39 5:25 11:41 6:27 12:12 7:26 1:13 8:22 2:10 9:14 3:02 10:01 3:51 10:46 4:36

07:27 05:26 07:27 05:27 07:28 05:27 07:28 05:28 07:28 05:29 07:29 05:29 07:29 05:30 07:29 05:31 07:29 05:31 07:29 05:32 07:29 05:33 07:29 05:34 07:29 05:35 07:29 05:35 07:29 05:36

11:42a NoMoon 12:09p NoMoon 12:39p 1:02a 1:13p 2:10a 1:52p 3:22a 2:40p 4:38a 3:37p 5:51a 4:44p 7:00a 5:56p 7:59a 7:10p 8:48a 8:20p 9:29a 9:27p 10:03a 10:28p 10:32a 11:27p 10:59a NoMoon 11:24a

San Antonio

Amarillo

2025 Dec/Jan

A.M. Minor Major

P.M. SUN MOON Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets

2025 Dec/Jan

A.M. Minor Major

P.M. Minor Major

SUN Rises Sets

MOON Rises Sets

26 Fri 27 Sat 28 Sun 29 Mon 30 Tue 31 Wed 01 Thu 02 Fri 03 Sat 04 Sun 05 Mon 06 Tue 07 Wed 08 Thu 09 Fri

10:26 4:14 11:12 5:01 11:59 5:47 12:20 6:33 1:07 7:22 1:59 8:14 2:55 9:11 3:56 10:12 5:00 11:16 6:04 ----7:06 12:52 8:04 1:52 8:58 2:46 9:47 3:36 10:32 4:22

10:48 4:37 11:35 5:24 ----- 6:11 12:46 6:59 1:36 7:50 2:30 8:45 3:28 9:44 4:29 10:45 5:31 11:47 6:33 12:19 7:33 1:19 8:29 2:16 9:20 3:09 10:08 3:58 10:53 4:43

26 Fri 27 Sat 28 Sun 29 Mon 30 Tue 31 Wed 01 Thu 02 Fri 03 Sat 04 Sun 05 Mon 06 Tue 07 Wed 08 Thu 09 Fri

10:39 4:28 11:26 5:15 ----- 6:00 12:33 6:47 1:21 7:35 2:12 8:28 3:09 9:25 4:09 10:26 5:13 11:29 6:17 12:02 7:19 1:06 8:18 2:05 9:11 3:00 10:00 3:50 10:46 4:35

11:01 4:50 11:49 5:37 12:12 6:24 1:00 7:13 1:50 8:04 2:43 8:59 3:41 9:57 4:42 10:59 5:45 11:59 6:47 12:32 7:46 1:33 8:42 2:30 9:34 3:22 10:22 4:11 11:06 4:56

07:53 05:40 07:54 05:40 07:54 05:41 07:54 05:42 07:55 05:42 07:55 05:43 07:55 05:44 07:55 05:45 07:55 05:45 07:55 05:46 07:56 05:47 07:56 05:48 07:56 05:49 07:56 05:50 07:56 05:50

12:03p NoMoon 12:29p 12:20a 12:57p 1:26a 1:29p 2:35a 2:07p 3:49a 2:53p 5:06a 3:50p 6:21a 4:56p 7:29a 6:10p 8:28a 7:25p 9:16a 8:37p 9:55a 9:45p 10:27a 10:48p 10:54a 11:49p 11:19a NoMoon 11:43a

07:25 05:41 07:26 05:42 07:26 05:42 07:26 05:43 07:27 05:43 07:27 05:44 07:27 05:45 07:28 05:45 07:28 05:46 07:28 05:47 07:28 05:48 07:28 05:48 07:28 05:49 07:28 05:50 07:28 05:51

11:48a NoMoon 12:18p 12:05a 12:50p 1:07a 1:25p 2:12a 2:07p 3:22a 2:57p 4:35a 3:55p 5:48a 5:02p 6:56a 6:13p 7:56a 7:24p 8:47a 8:33p 9:29a 9:37p 10:05a 10:36p 10:37a 11:33p 11:05a NoMoon 11:33a

Legend: Major=2 hours. Minor=1 hour. Times centered on the major-minor window. For other locations, subtract 1 minute per 12 miles east of a location, and add 1 minute per 12 miles west of a location.

Sabine Pass, north Date Dec 26 Dec 27 Dec 28 Dec 29 Dec 30 Dec 31 Jan 1 Jan 2 Jan 3 Jan 4 Jan 5 Jan 6 Jan 7 Jan 8 Jan 9

Time 2:12 AM 3:06 AM 3:53 AM 4:39 AM 5:25 AM 6:11 AM 07:14 AM 08:05 AM 12:41 AM 01:38 AM 02:36 AM 03:40 AM 12:23 AM 01:36 AM 02:43 AM

Height 0.65L 0.31L -0.09L -0.50L -0.90L -1.23L -1.22L -1.30L 1.35H 1.33H 1.25H 1.10H 0.68L 0.47L 0.23L

Time 5:26 AM 8:47 AM 11:08 AM 12:30 PM 1:35 PM 2:31 PM 3:30 PM 4:19 PM 8:55 AM 9:45 AM 10:35 AM 11:23 AM 4:59 AM 6:49 AM 9:02 AM

Time 12:53 PM 1:56 PM 3:26 PM 5:27 PM 6:48 PM 7:48 PM 8:07 PM 8:46 PM 5:07 PM 5:52 PM 6:35 PM 7:14 PM 12:12 PM 1:01 PM 1:58 PM

Height 0.03L 0.36L 0.69L 0.91L 1.04L 1.13L 1.16L 1.15L 1.43H 1.33H 1.23H 1.13H -0.32L 0.03L 0.35L

Time 8:23 PM 8:39 PM 8:53 PM 9:08 PM 9:36 PM 10:25 PM 11:44 PM

Height 1.16H 1.09H 1.06H 1.07H 1.12H 1.19H 1.31H

9:27 PM 10:16 PM 11:14 PM

1.09L 1.00L 0.86L

7:49 PM 8:20 PM 8:46 PM

1.04H 0.97H 0.91H

Time

Height

Time

Height

2:07 PM 3:28 PM 6:34 PM

0.49L 0.82L 1.06L

9:12 PM 9:20 PM 9:27 PM

1.16H 1.14H 1.16H

11:17 PM 6:15 PM 6:57 PM 11:31 AM 12:16 PM 1:04 PM 2:04 PM

1.31L 1.52H 1.35H -0.56L -0.23L 0.12L 0.44L

11:32 PM

1.19L

7:34 PM 8:05 PM 8:29 PM 8:45 PM

1.21H 1.08H 0.99H 0.93H

Time

Height

Time

Height

2:09 PM 3:53 PM

0.34L 0.67L

8:41 PM 8:48 PM

0.90H 0.83H

Galveston Bay entrance, north jetty Date Dec 26 Dec 27 Dec 28 Dec 29 Dec 30 Dec 31 Jan 1 Jan 2 Jan 3 Jan 4 Jan 5 Jan 6 Jan 7 Jan 8 Jan 9

Time 1:08 PM 4:09 AM 4:29 AM 5:04 AM 5:45 AM 6:29 AM 7:14 AM 8:05 AM 9:00 AM 1:33 AM 2:43 AM 12:00 AM 12:49 AM 1:53 AM 2:51 AM

Height 0.17L 0.54L 0.18L -0.20L -0.58L -0.90L -1.10L -1.20L -1.18L 1.37H 1.32H 1.02L 0.81L 0.58L 0.33L

Time 9:04 PM 9:00 AM 11:27 AM 1:09 PM 2:20 PM 3:19 PM 4:08 PM 4:52 PM 5:33 PM 9:54 AM 10:44 AM 3:51 AM 4:59 AM 6:41 AM 8:56 AM

Height 1.23H 0.82H 0.98H 1.27H 1.54H 1.73H 1.81H 1.78H 1.67H -1.06L -0.85L 1.20H 1.04H 0.85H 0.79H

Height 0.02L 0.30L -0.02L -0.37L -0.71L -1.00L -1.21L -1.32L -1.32L -1.22L -1.01L -0.72L 0.62L 0.38L 0.13L

Time 8:32 PM 8:56 AM 11:26 AM 12:57 PM 2:06 PM 3:11 PM 4:05 PM 4:51 PM 5:34 PM 6:14 PM 6:51 PM 7:21 PM 4:36 AM 6:01 AM 8:29 AM

Height 1.02H 0.59H 0.84H 1.16H 1.45H 1.66H 1.77H 1.77H 1.67H 1.50H 1.30H 1.10H 0.73H 0.60H 0.56H

Time 12:58 PM 3:28 AM 3:40 AM 4:12 AM 4:58 AM 5:50 AM 6:40 AM 7:31 AM 8:24 AM 9:19 AM 10:11 AM 11:00 AM 1:50 AM 2:18 AM 2:47 AM

Height 0.23H -0.07L -0.23L -0.42L -0.57L -0.69L -0.78L -0.83L -0.85L 0.50H 0.44H 0.33H 0.18H 0.05H -0.17L

Time 2:58 PM 9:53 PM 9:00 PM 8:25 PM 8:24 PM 9:04 PM 10:03 PM 11:17 PM

Height -0.23L 0.13H 0.20H 0.31H 0.42H 0.49H 0.53H 0.53H

12:28 PM 1:13 PM 1:51 PM 2:22 PM 2:40 PM 9:28 AM

-0.83L -0.77L -0.65L -0.49L -0.32L -0.15H

Height 0.15H 0.11H 0.12H 0.18H -0.47L -0.54L 0.43H 0.46H 0.46H 0.42H 0.35H 0.24H 0.09H -0.03H -0.08H

Time 6:31 PM 8:42 AM 9:17 AM 9:58 AM 11:34 PM

Height -0.20L -0.10L -0.24L -0.37L 0.36H

12:24 PM 1:23 PM 2:25 PM 3:23 PM 4:15 PM 5:01 PM 5:41 PM 6:33 AM 7:35 AM

-0.59L -0.61L -0.63L -0.62L -0.59L -0.52L -0.41L -0.09L -0.27L

11:46 AM 12:34 PM 1:34 PM

-0.38L -0.02L 0.32L

7:40 PM 7:49 PM 7:47 PM

0.92H 0.77H 0.68H

Time 11:15 PM

Height 0.14H

Time

Height

10:41 PM 1:30 PM

-0.02H -0.17L

9:04 PM

-0.00H

Time

Height

Time

Height

2:23 PM

-0.00H

6:47 PM

-0.04L

11:47 PM

0.27H

10:28 AM 1:54 PM

-0.04H -0.11H

6:13 PM 6:20 PM

-0.28L -0.16L

Port O’Connor Date Dec 26 Dec 27 Dec 28 Dec 29 Dec 30 Dec 31 Jan 1 Jan 2 Jan 3 Jan 4 Jan 5 Jan 6 Jan 7 Jan 8 Jan 9

Time 12:23 AM 1:14 PM 6:23 AM 6:53 AM 7:38 AM 8:33 AM 9:36 AM 10:39 AM 11:37 AM 12:43 AM 1:53 AM 2:43 AM 3:09 AM 12:04 AM 5:46 AM

Time 2:48 AM 2:04 AM 1:10 AM 12:26 AM 10:42 AM 11:30 AM 12:10 AM 1:06 AM 2:01 AM 2:55 AM 3:50 AM 4:57 AM 7:49 AM 2:14 AM 12:55 AM

Time 1:16 AM 12:47 AM 12:39 AM 12:35 AM 9:45 AM 10:31 AM 11:26 AM 12:27 PM 12:13 AM 1:08 AM 1:56 AM 2:19 AM 12:42 AM 12:14 AM 12:11 AM

San Luis Pass Date Dec 26 Dec 27 Dec 28 Dec 29 Dec 30 Dec 31 Jan 1 Jan 2 Jan 3 Jan 4 Jan 5 Jan 6 Jan 7 Jan 8 Jan 9

Time 1:33 PM 4:31 AM 4:40 AM 5:09 AM 5:48 AM 6:32 AM 7:19 AM 8:10 AM 9:02 AM 9:54 AM 10:46 AM 1:18 AM 1:54 AM 2:36 AM 3:19 AM

Height 0.71H 0.64H 0.61H 0.61H -0.73L -0.89L -0.99L -1.06L 1.03H 0.99H 0.91H 0.78H 0.63H 0.56H 0.51H

Time 8:05 AM 8:14 AM 8:36 AM 9:07 AM 9:13 PM 10:06 PM 11:12 PM

Height 0.28L 0.02L -0.26L -0.51L 0.87H 0.97H 1.02H

1:25 PM 2:18 PM 3:05 PM 3:53 PM 4:42 PM 7:12 AM 7:33 AM

-1.08L -1.04L -0.92L -0.72L -0.46L 0.16L -0.10L

Height -0.13L 0.07L -0.22L -0.52L -0.80L -1.03L -1.18L -1.25L -1.23L -1.14L -0.97L 0.47L 0.28L 0.07L -0.15L

Time 9:18 PM 10:00 AM 12:55 PM 2:26 PM 3:29 PM 4:23 PM 5:13 PM 6:04 PM 6:54 PM 7:38 PM 8:07 PM 3:22 AM 4:40 AM 6:13 AM 9:02 AM

Height 0.54H 0.22H 0.42H 0.65H 0.85H 0.98H 1.01H 0.98H 0.89H 0.76H 0.61H 0.50H 0.35H 0.20H 0.12H

Height -0.24L -0.22L -0.31L -0.40L -0.46L -0.51L -0.52L -0.54L 0.09H 0.07H 0.03H -0.04H -0.14H -0.34L -0.37L

Time 10:19 PM 9:47 PM 9:34 PM 9:23 PM 8:56 PM 9:13 PM 10:10 PM

Height -0.09H -0.06H -0.02H 0.02H 0.06H 0.09H 0.10H

11:09 AM 12:05 PM 12:56 PM 1:42 PM 2:26 PM 9:19 PM 8:42 PM

-0.54L -0.53L -0.51L -0.46L -0.40L -0.25H -0.25H

Height 0.00L 0.21L -0.04L -0.30L -0.56L -0.77L -0.90L -0.95L -0.93L -0.83L -0.69L 0.58L 0.41L 0.22L 0.03L

Time 8:26 PM 8:00 AM 8:20 PM 3:42 PM 4:16 PM 5:05 PM 6:08 PM 7:31 PM 8:53 PM 9:49 PM 10:18 PM 2:38 AM 3:52 AM 5:20 AM 8:12 AM

Height 0.49H 0.30H 0.51H 0.63H 0.79H 0.89H 0.91H 0.89H 0.82H 0.73H 0.59H 0.61H 0.47H 0.31H 0.22H

Height 0.30L 0.61L 0.28L -0.08L -0.44L -0.75L -0.96L -1.07L -1.05 -0.92L -0.70L -0.41L -0.08L 0.67L 0.43L

Time 8:30 PM 8:25 AM 11:54 AM 2:12 PM 3:21 PM 4:21 PM 5:20 PM 6:18 PM 7:15 PM 8:02 PM 8:31 PM 8:35 PM 7:58 PM 5:34 AM 8:02 AM

Height 1.11H 0.77H 0.95H 1.22H 1.44H 1.58H 1.63H 1.61H 1.53H 1.40H 1.25H 1.08H 0.94H 0.78H 0.73H

Time 10:31 AM 1:19 PM 4:10 PM 8:52 PM

Height 0.32H 0.32H 0.49H 0.70H

Time 5:58 PM 6:29 PM 6:43 PM

Height -0.08L 0.19L 0.45L

10:26 AM 1:06 PM

0.26H 0.23H

5:27 PM 5:58 PM

-0.17L 0.11L

Time

Height

Time

Height

2:36 PM 4:58 PM

0.12L 0.36L

9:12 PM 9:12 PM

0.49H 0.49H

11:36 AM 12:23 PM 1:06 PM 1:43 PM

-0.76L -0.51L -0.25L 0.00L

8:20 PM 8:23 PM 8:21 PM 8:12 PM

0.48H 0.37H 0.30H 0.27H

Date Dec 26 Dec 27 Dec 28 Dec 29 Dec 30 Dec 31 Jan 1 Jan 2 Jan 3 Jan 4 Jan 5 Jan 6 Jan 7 Jan 8 Jan 9

Time 3:45 PM 5:39 AM 6:05 AM 6:39 AM 7:20 AM 8:07 AM 9:04 AM 10:08 AM 12:17 AM 1:46 AM 2:40 AM 3:22 AM 12:51 AM 3:06 PM 5:31 AM

Time

Height

Time

Height

11:44 PM

-0.21H

Time

Height

Time

Height

1:16 PM

0.21L

8:20 PM

0.48H

11:14 AM 12:02 PM 12:42 PM 1:05 PM

-0.51L -0.30L -0.08L 0.12L

10:15 PM 8:02 PM 7:15 PM 7:14 PM

0.44H 0.32H 0.30H 0.32H

Time

Height

Time

Height

1:52 PM 3:27 PM

0.61L 0.91L

8:20 PM 7:53 PM

1.04H 1.02H

12:27 PM 1:09 PM

0.25L 0.56L

7:26 PM 7:11 PM

0.88H 0.87H

Port Aransas

Nueces Bay Date Dec 26 Dec 27 Dec 28 Dec 29 Dec 30 Dec 31 Jan 1 Jan 2 Jan 3 Jan 4 Jan 5 Jan 6 Jan 7 Jan 8 Jan 9

Date Dec 26 Dec 27 Dec 28 Dec 29 Dec 30 Dec 31 Jan 1 Jan 2 Jan 3 Jan 4 Jan 5 Jan 6 Jan 7 Jan 8 Jan 9

East Matagorda

Freeport Harbor Date Dec 26 Dec 27 Dec 28 Dec 29 Dec 30 Dec 31 Jan 1 Jan 2 Jan 3 Jan 4 Jan 5 Jan 6 Jan 7 Jan 8 Jan 9

High Island

Date Dec 26 Dec 27 Dec 28 Dec 29 Dec 30 Dec 31 Jan 1 Jan 2 Jan 3 Jan 4 Jan 5 Jan 6 Jan 7 Jan 8 Jan 9

Time 12:53 PM 3:17 AM 3:52 AM 4:34 AM 5:18 AM 6:04 AM 6:51 AM 7:40 AM 8:32 AM 9:26 AM 10:21 AM 12:19 AM 12:57 AM 1:42 AM 2:31 AM

South Padre Island Date Dec 26 Dec 27 Dec 28 Dec 29 Dec 30 Dec 31 Jan 1 Jan 2 Jan 3 Jan 4 Jan 5 Jan 6 Jan 7 Jan 8 Jan 9

Time 12:53 PM 3:05 AM 3:26 AM 4:01 AM 4:46 AM 5:35 AM 6:26 AM 7:20 AM 8:15 AM 9:09 AM 10:03 AM 10:54 AM 11:42 AM 1:43 AM 2:10 AM

Texas Coast Tides

Height 0.72H 0.71H 0.93H 1.23H 1.50H 1.70H 1.53H 1.50H -1.28L -1.15L -0.94L -0.65L 0.91H 0.75H 0.69H

LSONews.com

LoneOStar Outdoor News

NATIONAL WASHINGTON DC

New York just had its fourth record breaking fish of 2025.

On November 23, 2025, Yongfeng Tian of Brooklyn reeled in a 3 lb. 4 oz. white perch from Cross River Reservoir in Westchester County. The fish measured over 15 inches and was caught while jigging in 25 feet of water. This latest state record is especially exciting as the last time the white perch record was broken was back in 1991. Mr. Tian’s catch edged out the previous record caught from Lake Oscaletta by 3 ounces.

—Fishing Wire

Last week, the U.S. Senate took the final step on legislation requiring federal agencies that manage fresh waters to digitize and pool their regulatory data into a consistent mapping format, allowing the American public to confidently access and enjoy our nation’s public waters. H.R. 187, the Modernizing Access to Public Waters Act (MAPWaters Act), led in the House by Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC) Members Representatives Blake Moore, Jimmy Panetta, and Debbie Dingell, along with Representative Russ Fulcher, and in the Senate by CSC Member Senator John Barasso and CSC Co-Chair Senator Angus King, passed the Senate and now heads to the President’s desk to become law.

—CSC

OHIO

ODNR collects 3,350 pounds of venison The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife helped collect 3,350 pounds of processed venison during the weeklong deer gun season to support local food pantries. Deer donation days were held at select locations across the state and more drop off days are planned to allow hunters to donate deer from the additional gun weekend and muzzleloader season.

“It’s thanks to Ohio’s hunters from across our great state that families will have the option to pick up venison at a local food pantry,” said ODNR Director Mary Mertz. “It’s truly amazing what we can accomplish when we come together with a common goal.”

—ODNR

COLORADO

MDF, BLM collaborate The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Mule Deer Foundation (MDF) are celebrating a decade of successful partnership in Colorado by announcing a 10-year renewal of a landmark statewide stewardship agreement. Over the past decade, the original agreement restored critical mule deer and sagebrush habitat, reduced wildfire risk, and improved rangelands on 10,050 acres along the Western Slope and Northwest Colorado.

The new agreement will run from 2025-2035 with an initial BLM investment of $244,000, allowing MDF and the BLM to expand habitat and fuels reduction work to more areas across the state.

“BLM Colorado’s partnership with MDF helps achieve our multiple use mission by restoring mule deer habitat on public lands, reducing wildfire risks, and improving rangelands,” said Doug Vilsack, BLM Colorado State Director. “Together, we are creating resilient landscapes that benefit local communities, wildlife, and all public land users.”

—MDF

Page 19

ARE YOU FED UP WITH

NEW YORK

New state record white perch

December 26, 2025

CSC priority heads to Pres desk

DEERLESS DEER HUNTS? DON’T HAVE ANOTHER DISAPPOINTING HUNTING SEASON!

MICHIGAN

MI angler wins When 19-year-old Colten Dickerson left his hometown of Zeeland, Michigan, for South Africa earlier this month, he carried the hopes of Michigan’s fishing community with him.

Now, he’s returned a champion.

Dickerson, the only Michigander on the 13-member U.S. Youth Bass Team, helped lead the United States to gold in the prestigious Tri Nations Bass Fishing Tournament at Loskop Dam. The team clinched the top spot in both catch counts and total points, edging out squads from Zimbabwe and host country South Africa. Over the three-day event, Dickerson landed nine fish, setting two personal bests, including one largemouth bass weighing 8.5 pounds.

—FOX 17

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WYOMING

Youth angler sets IGFA record It’s fitting that someone with the last name “Bass” would make angling history. Tucker Bass, 12, of Shoshoni, has officially set a new world record recognized by the International Game Fish Association.

On Aug. 9, 2025, Bass landed a 2-pound, 4-ounce largemouth bass from Lake Cameahwait — also known locally as Bass Lake — near Shoshoni. The catch earned him the Junior 4-pound Line Class world record, approved by the IGFA in November 2025.

Bass is currently the only largemouth bass world-record holder from Wyoming.

He was fishing with his dad, John, in a two-person kayak when he made the recordsetting catch. Bass hooked the fish on a rod and reel gifted by his grandfather, using a Northland tungsten jig typically designed for ice fishing.

In addition to his world record, Bass achieved Trophy Angler status in August through the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s Master Angler program. He has also completed four of six challenges in the department’s Youth Fishing Challenge.

—Outdoor Wire

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Continued from page 6

has been steady if not spectacular.

Randy Laurell with Red Tag Guide Service reports he and his clients have been having success on live and dead shrimp.

“Some of my clients like to throw soft plastics, and the bite has been pretty good on that.

We have been catching a lot of trout on soft plastics as well,” Laurell said.

The guide has been targeting 2- to 4-feet of water for reds. For black drum, he goes a bit deeper with dead shrimp. As the water temperature continues to cool off, anglers will be able to target both reds and black drum in the same areas, often times in the same hole. Focus on the channels and transitions to deep water at that point.

Photo by LSON.

RICK DOAK 979-551-0025 RICK.DOAK@COMPASS.COM

Page 20

December 26, 2025

LoneOStar Outdoor News

El Teniente Continued from page 5

But on Sunday morning at about 8 a.m., the buck appeared less than 20 yards from where Thomspon was sitting. He got ready, slowly drew his bow and released an arrow, hitting the buck. The hunter was not sure exactly where he had hit the deer, and the area looked bleak.

“There was no blood on the ground, but I followed the trail where it went and finally found (the buck),” Thompson, an ecologist who works on wetland restoration projects, said. “It ran for about 50 yards.”

Thompson was thrilled to take a buck, and also thrilled the hunt was ending after a long four days of hard hunting.

“It was exhausting,” he continued, “but I am happy and relieved to finish my hunt like this.”

New business Continued from page 5

tember and that was it,” he said. “When I got to college at Texas A&M, I just fell in love with the west and that spot and stalk type of hunting. I met my wife my freshman year and her family were big waterfowl hunters.”

Ladd was involved in many outdoor groups while at school, including being president of the Texas A&M Chapter of Texas Trophy Hunters Association and vice president of the local Ducks Unlimited chapter. Upon graduating, he became a general contractor for several years, but it never felt right. He needed a job in the outdoor industry, so he began guiding for Texas Hunting Resources, focusing on big axis and aoudad in West Texas.

“I made it five years in the construction industry,” he said. “But I really wanted to be a good elk hunter. I was going to Colorado every year and finally killed a bull in 2020. I met a friend from Colorado who introduced me to THR and I started guiding there full time in August, 2021.”

Ladd said guiding up to 40 hunters annually has been the most fun he’s had, and you never know the experience level

of the hunters when they arrive.

“Half of the guys know exactly what they want, and half don’t know how to use binocs,” he said. “And that’s great. I enjoy teaching new hunters.”

But when the hunt ends, many of those hunters have an issue getting their animals home from the taxidermist.

“When I asked taxidermists how many of their clients could use direct delivery shipping, they said, ‘lots.’” Ladd said.

“That’s the idea. Help Texas hunters solve a logistical problem.”

Ladd modified a 16-foot trailer to accommodate taxidermy, which he pulls behind his half-ton pickup truck.

“The trailer is fully enclosed, and we can get between a dozen to two dozen mounts depending on size,” he said. “We try and fill it for runs to minimize costs.

I’m trying to stay small and not get ahead of myself. Demand will dictate how fast we can grow. Our mission is to deliver the culmination of your hunting experience to your door. Promoting respect and appreciation for wildlife, conservation and our hunting heritage.”

LSONews.com

TEXAS SALTWATER FISHING REPORT REDFISH BAY: 64 degrees. Redfish and black drum are fair on dead shrimp. Speckled trout are fair on soft plastics and corkies.

SAN ANTONIO BAY: 60 degrees. Redfish and black drum are fair on dead shrimp.

Speckled trout are fair on soft plastics.

SABINE LAKE: 60 degrees. Speckled trout are good on soft plastics and spoons. Redfish, sheepshead and black drum are good on live shrimp on a Carolina rig or under a popping cork.

BOLIVAR: 60 degrees. Redfish and speckled trout are fair on soft plastics, finger mullet, and mud minnows.

TRINITY BAY: 60 degrees. Speckled trout are good on soft plastics, twitch baits, and live shrimp. Redfish are fair on top-waters, soft plastics, and live shrimp. Black drum and sheepshead are good on live shrimp.

EAST GALVESTON BAY: 58 degrees. Redfish are good on soft plastics, shrimp imitation baits, finger mullet and live shrimp. Speckled trout and sand trout are fair on soft plastics and live shrimp.

GALVESTON BAY: 60 degrees. Bull redfish are fair on mullet and cut bait. Sheepshead, black drum, and slot redfish are fair on live shrimp. Speckled trout are fair on live shrimp and soft plastics.

WEST GALVESTON BAY: 60 degrees. Redfish are fair on live shrimp and soft plastics.

Speckled trout are fair on soft plastics, twitch baits, and live shrimp.

TEXAS CITY: 60 degrees. Speckled trout and redfish are fair on live shrimp and finger mullet.

FREEPORT: 58 degrees. Speckled trout are good on soft plastics, live mullet, and live shrimp. Redfish, sheepshead, black drum, and are fair on mullet and live shrimp.

EAST MATAGORDA BAY: 63 degrees.

Speckled trout are fair on soft plastics and

corkies. Redfish and black drum are good on live and dead shrimp.

WEST MATAGORDA BAY: 63 degrees.

Speckled trout are fair on soft plastics and corkies. Redfish and black drum are good on live and dead shrimp.

PORT O’CONNOR: 60 degrees. Bull redfish are fair on large shrimp or Spanish sardines.

Slot redfish are fair on live shrimp and finger mullet. Sheepshead are fair on live shrimp.

Black drum are fair on dead shrimp. Speckled trout are slow.

ROCKPORT: 64 degrees. Speckled trout are good on live shrimp, piggy perch, and soft plastics. Redfish are good on shrimp, mullet, and perch. Black drum are good on live and dead shrimp.

PORT ARANSAS: 64 degrees. Redfish are good on live shrimp, cut mullet, and silver spoons. Oversized redfish are good on cut crab and cut mullet. Speckled trout and pompano are fair on free lined shrimp.

CORPUS CHRISTI: 62 degrees. Redfish and black drum are fair on dead shrimp.

Speckled trout are fair on soft plastics.

BAFFIN BAY: 64 degrees. Speckled trout are good on soft plastics and mullet imitation twitch baits. Redfish are fair on soft plastics.

PORT MANSFIELD: 60 degrees. Speckled trout are good on topwaters, soft plastics, and slow sinking twitch baits. Redfish are fair on topwaters and soft plastics.

SOUTH PADRE: 60 degrees. Speckled trout are fair on soft plastics and top-waters.

Redfish are fair on soft plastics, spoons, topwaters, and live shrimp.

PORT ISABEL: 60 degrees. Speckled trout are fair on soft plastics and top-waters.

Redfish are fair on soft plastics, spoons, topwaters, and live shrimp.

—TPWD

Bird flu back Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) urges caution as highly pathogenic avian influenza is circulating among wild birds across the state as waterbirds and waterfowl migrate and congregate on their wintering grounds.

Avian Influenza, caused by influenza type A viruses, is a contagious viral disease that poses a major threat to the poultry industry and animal health. Migratory waterfowl and other waterbirds are a natural reservoir for this disease.

Currently, the transmission risk of avian influenza from infected birds to people remains low, but the public should take basic protective measures if contact with wild animals cannot be avoided.

Game bird hunters should consider precautions such as: • Disposing of carcasses properly • Wearing gloves when processing • Avoiding consumption or processing of any sick bird • Cleaning and disinfecting tools between carcasses • Cooking meat to proper temperatures —TPWD

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LarryBrittHolt@gmail.com

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LSONews.com

LoneOStar Outdoor News

December 26, 2025

Page 21

Pheasant season Continued from page 4

Good dogs working over some wild and some released birds in the Texas Panhandle last week brought more than smiles to the hunters; they also brought a limit of pheasants to hand. Photos by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.

guided and non-guided hunts.

In Hale County, hunters working private land reported multiple opportunities on large, healthy roosters.

“I expected a lot fewer birds based on the last few years,” said Rebecca Jones, who hunted wild birds with friends and their dogs.

“The habitat looked really good, and we had multiple chances. Big birds, long tails, strong flyers.”

Guides across the region echoed that assessment.

Dane Swinburn, owner of Tule Creek Outfitters, said recent hunts have produced consistent action where water, grain and cover overlap. Swinburn reported a group of five hunters taking 10 wild birds in three hours near Panhandle, Texas.

“You’ve got to have water, grains and cover,” Swinburn said. “If one of those is missing, the birds won’t make it.”

No one claimed a boom year. But in a region where pheasant hunting has been spotty for decades, hunters agreed on one thing: where the cover is right, the birds are there — and still willing to make it interesting.

Hunting conditions have varied through the morning hours. As temperatures rise, birds tend to run more, creating difficult scenting conditions and longer flushes. Light winds — uncommon for West Texas — have also affected dog work, particularly late in the day.

Pam and Everett Johnson drove up from the coast with their two black labs. Pam’s dog, Raven, quickly made her first point and retrieve on a pheasant.

The next day, Everett shot his 3-bird limit during the first quarter mile walking away from the truck, making a 73-yard shot that matched his age.

“There are birds out there,” Swinburn said.

“You just have to hunt the right ground.”

The Texas pheasant season runs through Jan. 4, 2026.

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Page 22

December 26, 2025

LoneOStar Outdoor News

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For home or office delivery, go to LSONews.com, or call (214) 361-2276, or send a check or money order to the address below. Lone Star Outdoor News, ISSN 2162-8300, a publication of Lone Star Outdoor News, LLC, publishes twice a month. A mailed subscription is $35 for 24 issues. Newsstand copies are $3, in certain markets copies are free, one per person. Copyright 2025 with all rights reserved. Reproduction and/ or use of any photographic or written material without written permission by the publisher is prohibited. Subscribers may send address changes to: Lone Star Outdoor News, P.O. Box 551695, Dallas, TX 75355 or email them to editor@lonestaroutdoornews.com.

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For home delivery subscriptions www.LSONews.com(214) 361-2276 Advertising: Call (214) 361-2276 or email editor@lonestaroutdoornews.com to request a media kit.

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Puzzle solution from Page 14

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LoneOStar Outdoor News

December 26, 2025

Page 23

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Page 24

December 26, 2025

LoneOStar Outdoor News

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