Summer continues
Finicky fish frustrating anglers
By Cory Byrnes For Lone Star outdoor newS
Crappie anglers hoping for cooler weather will just have to keep on waiting for now.
Crappie are still in their summertime pattern on Lake Fork.
The tasty fish have “been really finicky and really what we call window shopping,” said Donny Fleenor with Crappie Freaks Guide Service. “They will follow your bait but just turn away instead of committing. It has been kind of tough the last 6 to 8 weeks.”
Fleenor and his clients are having most of their luck using live bait and on jigs tipped with minnows.
“Outside of that, it’s been pretty tough,” Fleenor said.
Back in the swing
Dove season open in the south
By Nate Skinner For Lone Star outdoor newS
Dove hunters in the South Zone were able to knock the rust off their wing shoot ing skills for two weekends of Special White-winged Dove Days, before the zone opened on Sept. 14.
Since the opener, strong reports of both white-wings and mourning dove have come from many areas within the southern portion of the state. Fields with crops and native, seed-bearing weeds have held the highest concentrations of birds. However, there has been some scattered action over pastures with stock tanks, as well.
According to Tanner Crim of 4-C Out doors, the first weekend of the Special White-winged Dove Days produced good hunts for his hunters over croton fields in Devine. He said the birds moved out quick ly after rains hit the area at the end of the weekend, so he moved his hunters for the second weekend of the special season to milo fields in Jourdanton.
“Our hunters harvested about 750 birds during the first weekend of Special Whitewinged Dove Days, and only about 20 were mourning dove,” Crim said. “During the second weekend of the Special Whitewinged Dove Days, our hunters were abso lutely covered up with white-wings. They harvested over 1,000 birds, and some youth hunters were even able to bag their limits with single shot .410 shotguns.”
Crim said the consistent action in
Slowly transitioning
Specks remain consistent; fall patterns emerging
By Nate Skinner For Lone Star outdoor newS
Many hardcore speckled trout fanatics are eagerly waiting for the first significant cool fronts of fall to arrive. While water temperatures haven’t dipped much
yet, anglers are still catching plenty of specks in a variety of areas across Texas bay systems. Both artificial lures and live bait have produced solid catches from the surf to main bay waters.
Erica Garza has been wade fishing along the Lower Laguna Madre from the mouth of the Arroyo to Port Mansfield and further north, where she has been catching speckled trout in kneeto-waist deep water on soft plas-
tics and top-waters over heavy seagrass beds. The trout she has been catching have ranged from right at 15 inches up to 27 inches in length.
Garza was an instructor for the annual Texas Women Anglers fish camp held recently out of Port Mansfield. The event included six lady anglers who were eager to learn, as well as expand their knowledge and gain confidence in their angling skills.
Archery opener (P 4)
Fishing the FADs (P 8) Offshore fish attractors working. Bass report (P 11)
Waylon Skinner, 7, shot his first dove after the South Zone dove season began while hunting near a stock tank before sunset. Photo by Nate Skinner, Lone Star Outdoor News.
An angler with a recent slab of a crappie from Lake Palestine. Photo by Duwayne Benson.
Anglers up and down the coast have been hooking up with speckled trout consistently, as they eagerly await the onset of cooler weather. Photo by Nate Skinner, Lone Star Outdoor News.
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Briley Manufacturing Houston, TX 77043 800-331-5718
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Cole Gunsmithing San Antonio, TX 78253 210-906-0857
Clay Shooters Supply San Antonio, TX 78253 210-610-2999
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Dury’s Gun Shop San Antonio, TX 78223 210-533-5431
Elite Shotguns San Antonio, TX 78253 210-741-9940
Gordy & Sons Outfitters Houston, TX 77007 713-333-3474
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HUNTING
More miss than hit
Early teal season down across much of Texas
By Conor Harrison Lone Star outdoor newS
The shortened Texas early teal season started Saturday, Sept. 20, and the reviews from hunters were mixed,
with more poor hunts than great ones reported throughout much of the state.
Coastal hunters reported tough hunts, especially when compared to last season.
Many hunters thought the first wave of the migration had already moved out, as more birds were scouted the week before from Galveston south to Rockport. However,
Chomp chomp
September is alligator season
By Mike Bodenchuk
For Lone Star outdoor newS
Alligator hunting season is underway in Texas, giving hunters a short window in September to harvest one of the state’s most ancient native species.
The range of the alligator in Texas roughly aligns with temperature zones — alligators are cold blooded and can’t survive where temperatures get too low. Roughly speaking, the Texas alligator range parallels the Texas coast with freshwater marshes being the key habitat.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has designated 22 counties as core alligator counties for regulatory purposes. The recreational hunting season in the core counties runs from September 1030 annually. For landowners outside of the core counties, there is a spring season from April 1 through June 30. In both core and non-core counties, alligator tags are provided to landowners based on acreage and occupancy, with surveys conducted by TPWD. Legal methods include hook and line (think of a popular TV series), alligator gig, specified archery equipment or a handheld snare.
Perhaps the gem for Texas alligator hunters is the public hunting opportunities offered through TPWD Drawn Hunts program. In 2025, there were 185 public hunting tags offered on four different Wildlife Management Areas offered through the Public Draw program. Applications were due in August. An additional 23 youth-only tags were offered on three separate WMAs through the youth draw. Youth tags are offered
most of the birds killed were mature drakes that historically are the first to migrate into Texas.
“It’s been hit or miss,” said Nick Kissamis, owner of Texas Waterfowl Outfitter hunting near El Campo and the Garwood Prairie. “We had a bunch of birds several weeks ago, but they have moved out. I’d say we are waiting
on the second wave, which should show up this week with the cold front Wednesday.”
Kissamis said the Sept. 20 weekend has traditionally been the toughest for his clients, so it wasn’t a total surprise that some hunts did not see as many birds.
“The teal we are seeing are either in huge groups or very
huntersArcheryready
By Nate Skinner utdoor newS
With the archery season for white-tailed deer opening on September 27, bowhunters are ready to enter their stands or blinds in hopes of sealing the deal on a close encounter with a mature buck. They’ve spent the last several weeks and even months, flinging arrows at a target, cutting shooting lanes, prepping their set-ups, and keeping a close eye on game cameras.
Some archery hunters will wait for what they consider the perfect conditions before they make a hunt with stick and string. Others will sit in the woods as often as they can and will be just as excited at the opportunity to release an arrow at a doe as they would be at a buck. This school of thought is even more intensified if hunters are hunting in a county where the regulations for harvesting does are fairly strict outside of archery season.
In northeast Texas, Aaron Welch will be hunting in Lamar County where he said the bucks are not really on their feet much during daylight hours right now.
“There’s just not a ton of activity from mature bucks during legal shooting hours, which isn’t any different from most years at the beginning of bow season,” Welch said.
“I’ll probably focus on taking a doe with my bow to put some meat in the freezer early on in the season. As soon as temperatures start to cool off, my focus will switch to hunting for a buck.”
Welch said even though conditions are warm during the early portion of archery season, he prefers to hunt in the evenings due to the fact there’s usually a more steady breeze at that time of day.
“I like to use the wind in my favor, and hunt in a stand or blind where my scent will be carried away from the direction the deer typically approach from,” Welch said.
“Sometimes that is hard to do when the wind is almost non-existent or swirling. I’ve had a lot of luck early in the season hunting on evenings with a steady breeze.”
East Texas hunter Joe Link is another archer who is extremely mindful of the wind.
He’s been watching a few bucks on game cameras on his property in Marion County show up to one of his stands regularly. Link said he will not make a plan to hunt in that spot until he feels like the wind is blowing from a direction that will prevent his presence from being detected.
“We get a lot of swirling winds on the property I hunt, especially during early season mornings,” Link said. “I will walk a ways into the woods toward the stand that I plan on hunting, and then stop short and check the wind direction, before I actually go get in it. If the wind isn’t right, then I will go to a different stand, no matter what’s been showing up on camera. From
my experience, if the wind is wrong, I’m going to spook any deer in the area.”
In Wilson County, Russell Ernst has been watching a couple of mature bucks on game cameras recently that have gained his attention. He set up pop-up blinds on the stands they have been frequenting.
“I’m going to base where I hunt early in the season on where I am seeing the most activity from mature bucks,” Ernst said. “I’m hoping I can establish a pattern for these bucks using game cameras and then
sneak into the stand they are frequenting the most and get lucky.”
Ernst said he also plans to hunt some does with his bow during the archery season.
“Harvesting anything with a bow is an adrenaline rush, regardless of if it has antlers or not,” he said.
The archery season for white-tailed deer will run from Sept. 27 - Oct. 31.
Please turn to page 6
Early morning teal hunters have found some success, along with some poor hunts. Photo by Nate Skinner for Lone Star Outdoor News.
Many Texas bow hunters are looking forward to a healthy deer herd with plenty of mature bucks across the state this season. Photo by Nate Skinner for Lone Star Outdoor News.
Alligator hunting in the core counties is in full swing in September. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.
All about dove Obituaries
Digital cookbook focuses on cooking the tasty bird
By Nate Skinner
For Lone Star outdoor newS
Wild game chef and owner of Game Girl Gourmet, Holly Hearn, recently released her first cookbook titled, “When Doves Fly: A Celebration of Hunting, History, and Flavors Without Borders.”
Her self-published book is in a digital format, and can be viewed on a computer, smart phone, or just about any other smart device or tablet. It includes 12 wild game recipes featuring dove, as well as written story introductions for each recipe, a field care guide for dove, the history of dove hunting, some of Hearn’s favorite hunting memories, and full-color photography.
“This book isn’t just a collection of recipes,” Hearn said. “It is a look into how hunting and food connect us to the land, to each other, and to something bigger than ourselves.”
Hearn said the recipes in the book trace her journey as a wild game chef and the creation and evolution of her business, Game Girl Gourmet.
“From my very first attempts at elevating dove beyond the popper, to creative, globally inspired dishes, it is a reflection of five years of pouring my heart and soul into creating and writing recipes,” Hearn said. “The book is dedicated with gratitude to the Texas Dove Hunters Association. They believed in me before I ever imagined building a business around wild game cooking and gave me the opportunity to share my very first dove recipes in their publication.”
Hearn’s cookbook does not contain a single popper or taco recipe. It provides readers with a different and unique take on dove.
One of Hearn’s favorite sections of the book focuses on the history of dove hunting.
“It touches on how deep the roots of dove hunting really are from a historical aspect, and highlights periods throughout history in which various peoples from all over the world were hunting dove and preparing them for the dinner table,” Hearn said.
The field care guide included in the digital cookbook can be significantly helpful to dove hunters. Hearn said it provides tips to ensure dove maintain their integrity and quality from the field to the table, and everywhere in between.
“You wouldn’t ever buy a ribeye steak from the store and leave it sitting in the back of your truck all day,” Hearn said. “Yet plenty of hunters do that with dove all the time, tossing them in a pile or leaving them in the sun until it’s time to leave the field. The field care guide explains a few simple habits
Please turn to page 21
Ricardo Longoria
Ricardo Elliott Longoria Wright was born on Dec. 27, 1973, and passed away on Sept. 15, 2025. He was born in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, to Ricardo Elliott Longoria Derby and Cheryl Wright Longoria. A seventh generation Texan, he was raised in Nuevo Laredo, spending much of his childhood at Rancherías, the family’s ranch in Northern Mexico, one of America’s original game preserves. Longoria graduated from Monterrey Tec, received his MBA from UNC Chapel Hill as well as attended the Executive Education Program at Harvard Business School.
Longoria was a lifelong bowhunter and conservationist whose passion for wilderness and wildlife is deeply rooted in family tradition. Influenced by the stories and adventures of his father and grandfather — both avid hunters in East Africa — Longoria developed a deep appreciation for the natural world at an early age. Since his first safari he hunted on six continents, collecting more than 350 species exclusively by bowhunting, making him arguably one of the most renowned and accomplished bow hunters in the world. He holds the highest number of bowhunting entries in the Safari Club International Record Book, including more than 100 world records.
Stephen Hill
Stephen Hill, 62, of Dallas passed away peacefully on Sept. 16, 2025. Hill’s life was filled with passion — for the outdoors, for people, and for creating meaningful connections. He never met a stranger, and nearly everyone he encountered shared a link through a mutual friend. An avid outdoorsman, he devoted his life to hunting, fishing, and time in the mountains.
A skilled trap and clay shooter as well as a rifle marksman, he was instrumental in forming the Park Cities Quail chapter in Dallas. For more than a decade, he played a central role in organizing its annual dinner, serving as dinner chairman in 2011. He later served on the board of directors for Quail Coalition and was a life member of the organization.
Tommy Caruthers
Tommy Lee Caruthers, 85, of Denton, Texas, passed away Monday, Sept. 1, 2025. He was born on Oct. 2, 1939, in Denton to TL and Pauline Caruthers. He attended Denton local schools and North Texas State University, now University of North Texas. Hunting was his passion and conservation his avocation. He was a life member of the Dallas Safari Club where he served as director, convention chairman and co-chairman, and active with conventions for many years. The Dallas Ecological Foundation was a favorite organization of Caruthers’, where he served as president several times, treasurer, secretary, and vice- chairman and chairman. Caruthers was a founding member of the Texas Bighorn Society, which started in 1981. He served various roles within the foundation and sat on the Board of Directors. Caruthers was also a lifetime member of The Foundation of North American Wild Sheep with which he was deeply involved in the direction of conventions in various states. Lastly, at The Boone and Crockett Club, which he had been a member since the founding in 1989, he served as the first president and various other roles during his membership.
Chef and author Holly Hearn shows her new onlineonly dove hunting cookbook. Photo from Holly Hearn.
Teal time
Continued from page 4
small groups,” he said. “Not too much in between”
Conditions are dry throughout much of the El Campo area for the early season.
Reports from the coast near Port Mans field were also not great. Not many birds were flying in the bays and few shots were heard.
“It’s my favorite time of year,” said hunter David Gerhart. “My son and I were down near Matagorda opening morning. We shot easy limits but there were way fewer birds than in years past. The next morning, we hunted over in Louisiana and it was much the same. Either you are there and kill birds or you don’t. Many other groups we talked to had one or two birds.”
Gerhart said day three saw one bird fall in the decoy spread.
“I don’t know if it will heat up this season,” Gerhart said when asked if he thought the main migration was still on its way. “I think it will be a trickle until the first good cold front. We hunt prime properties and do a lot of scouting, but we just don’t have as many birds this year.”
Gerhart said the shortened season should help, but not changing the 6-bird limit is hav ing an impact on teal numbers.
“I’m no biologist, but I’ve paid close attention for 54 years now,” he said. “There’s so much pressure on these birds, and with the ongoing drought in the prairie regions, I’m not sure it will get better.”
Several hunters LSON spoke to on Richland Chambers Reservoir hunted opening mornings and reported very few teal seen and even fewer shots heard.
Also offering over 25 Species of Exotic Game, Quail and Upland Game Birds over pointers and Executive Dove Hunts
Jourdanton over milo fields continued into the South Zone regular season opener.
“The birds were flying great in the afternoons,” Crim said. “By 5 p.m., the white wings were pouring into the fields at about eye level, and the shot opportunities came as fast as you could reload your shotgun.”
Down in the Brownsville area, Bonnie Loop of White Wing Fields, said their hunters enjoyed excellent shoots, and most harvested quick limits during both weekends of the Special White-winged Dove Days over sunflower fields.
“We’ve had good numbers of mourning dove show up recently,” Loop said. “Since the regular South Zone dove season opened, our hunters have been able to harvest a good mix of both white-wings and mourning dove. The white-wings have been flying fairly early in the afternoons from about 3 to 4:30, and the mourning dove have been showing up a little later in the evenings.”
Owner of Getaway Lodge at Port Mansfield Sandra Garza said their hunters have been harvesting limits to near limits consisting of both white-wings and mourning dove over sunflowers in the Harlingen area since the South Zone season commenced.
“We had groups for the second weekend of the Special White-winged days, and they had great hunts,” Garza said. “The birds were flying early in the afternoons, starting at about 3 p.m. Fantastic hunts have continued since the South Zone opener, and now there are a good number of mourning dove in the mix.”
Jarrett Talley hunted with some friends and family near Hobson in Karnes County on opening day of the South Zone dove season over a field with wild sunflowers. He said the flights from mourning dove over the field were pretty consistent during the evening hours.
“I was able to harvest my limit, and the others had near limits,” Talley said. “It was a great way to kick off the season.”
Clayton Roth with Dilley Dove said their hunters have been enjoying consistent wing shooting action since the South Zone opener. He said the white wings were thick over one of their sunflower fields just outside of Dilley when the season began.
“Just about all of our properties in the Dilley area have had great numbers of mourning dove,” Roth said. “The birds have been hitting sesame fields pretty hard. They’ve also been hitting fields with Concho grass. Local farmers have started harvesting peanuts, and there is a lot of Concho grass in the peanut fields. They have been spreading out a lot of Concho grass seed while they are harvesting peanuts, and the birds have been taking advantage of it.”
Photo by Lone Star Outdoor News
South Zone hunters had fast action during the two-weekend special Dove Days. Photo by Aaron Swetish, 4-C Outdoors.
Fishing the FADs
Fish Aggregating Devices attract fish along Texas coast
By Tony Vindell
For Lone Star outdoor newS
Most fads come and go quickly. Beanie Babies, parachute pants and the Macarena mercifully came and went in a hurry.
But the latest fad for those who love fishing offshore is, “Let’s go to fish the FADs.”
The acronym FAD stands for Fish Aggregating Devices, and is a new tool used to attract offshore fish, allowing anglers opportunity as the fish gravitate toward the yellow buoys installed along the Gulf from South Padre Island to the Texas/Louisiana coast. The devices were installed earlier this coast.
The FADs were built by Wet Tech of Louisiana and each FAD costs about $50,000.
The FADs have become so popular that numerous offshore anglers participating in some of the recent fishing tournaments held from Port Mansfield to South Padre Island-Port Isabel said they either went to or “fished the FADs.”
A recent trip more than 50 miles offshore revealed several of the buoys for a group of four anglers and their boat captain on Aug. 28. Their goal was FAD 11.
The device is tied by a chain connected to a heavy weight made of concrete blocks that sit on the bottom of the water several hundred feet deep.
ton McDonald and Marty Mire — said the excursion was one of their best in quite some time. Altogether, the group managed to land seven large dorado.
The bigger one weighed between 30 and 40 pounds and measured 54 inches in length.
Steven Murphy, the boat’s captain, said he had never seen that before.
Mire said he and five others fished two weeks ago, got their limits on red snapper but landed only one dorado.
“This is the best fishing trip I have had in a long time,” he said, referring to his latest trip. “It was awesome.”
McDonald, a San Benito farmer, said he could not believe what a day Thursday
2025 Wahoo Classic a success
By Tony Vindell For Lone Star outdoor newS
Plenty of hoorays were heard at the 2025 Wahoo Classic.
The South Padre Island-based boat tournament netted more of the tasty gamefish than any time in the 10 years it has been taking place.
Many of the 35 vessels that registered to participate in the Sept. 6 tourney arrived with the blueish- and yellowish-colored fish for the two-hour weigh-in period.
Just the winning wahoos paid out $10,000, $5,000 and $3,000 for the top three places, respectively, but those figures went higher if the fish was added to the total weight of the other two species allowed — mahimahi and blackfin tuna.
A boat named Gipseas took the top honor and a second, Poco Mas, grabbed the overall weight with a total of 60.45 pounds. The winning wahoo weighed 44.85 pounds, followed by a 41.75- and a 25.3-pounder.
“I usually fish for gar,” he said. “Nothing like this.”
Ochoa said he has caught dozens of dorado, but never like the 50-plus inch long dorado hooked on the trip.
For bait, he brought several dozen ballyhoo plus a couple of bags filled with hooks and squid-like lures. Some of the ballyhoo had a tiny copper wire wrapped around their mouths. A hook is attached to the wires and it’s then put in the water for trolling action for billfish, dorado, wahoo and tuna.
Ochoa said he brines the baitfish with a mixture of baking soda, salt and water.
A seven- to eight-foot long black-tipped shark was caught while another big shark ate what appeared to be the biggest dorado
McAdoo wins on Lake Fork
Tourney had over 2,456 anglers
By Vivian Leopold For Lone Star outdoor newS
Austin McAdoo, of Benton, Arkansas took top honors in Sealy Outdoors’ Big Bass Splash on Lake Fork September 19-21 with his 10.83 lb. bass. Though he had fished in this tournament on Sam Rayburn and Toledo Bend lakes in the past, this was his first time fishing Lake Fork. McAdoo weighed in the winning fish the first hour of the final day of the tournament. Fishing in shallow water, his
Angler Zeke Ochoa with a 54-inch dorado caught at one of the Fish Aggregating Devices off the Texas coast. Photo from Zeke Ochoa.
Angler Keith Judge shows off the winning wahoo in the 2025 Wahoo Classic. Photo from Keith Judge.
lure of choice was a blue
Austin McAdoo with his winning bass. Photo by Vivian Leopold for Lone Star Outdoor News.
Gary Loomis adds Texas location
By Meghan Jackson
For Lone Star outdoor newS
Anglers near Spring now have a new store to check out. Edge Pro Shops by Gary Loomis has a new location in the city.
Originally hired by Edge Rods as Vice President of Business Development, Jake Brewer is honored to serve as a general manager for the new location.
“I have been with the company for almost three years, and Edge Rods itself has been in business for nearly a decade,” Brewer said. “I’ve had the privilege of contributing to a brand with a solid history while helping expand its presence here in Texas.
Brewer said the idea for the Edge Pro Shop in Spring really grew out of two things: customer demand and their desire to create a true hands-on experience with Gary Loomis rods.
“For years we have had anglers in Texas asking for a place where they could actually feel and cast our rods before buying,” Brewer said. “The Spring/Woodlands area was a natural fit — it’s central to an incredible fishing community, from Lake Conroe to the Gulf Coast, and it is close enough to serve anglers from Houston and beyond.”
This business targets diverse fishing opportunities and they want no limits on their fishing gear. Because of their dedication, the Spring community has responded with immense excitement.
“People appreciate being able to hold and feel an Edge rod before they buy and to talk directly with a team that understands every detail of the build.” Brewer said. “Young kids will buy their dream rod and then a few hours later, I’ll receive texts and photos of their catches.”
Customer Fernando Martinez said Edge Rods Pro Shop’s knowledge is truly unmatched.
“The atmosphere is so welcoming it feels more like a hangout than just a store,” Martinez said. “Their rods are top of the line, built with incredible attention to detail, and as a custom rod builder I can find everything to build the dream rod.”
With six beds/4.5 baths, 22-foot ceilings, and an elevator for ease, this custom home was designed for gathering and comfort. A private office/tackle room with custom fly-rod storage makes space for both work and play, while a chef’s kitchen with dual refrigerators and double ovens is built to host. Five porches invite salt-air living, and a private boathouse with two slips keeps the Gulf always within reach. 12
The new store in Spring has everything the angler would want. Photo by Edge Rods G. Loomis.
TEXAS FRESHWATER FISHING REPORT
ALAN HENRY: 83 degrees; 2.45’ low. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows.
AMISTAD: Water very stained 81 degrees; 59.53’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on top-waters and slow-moving soft plastics.
ARLINGTON: Water slightly stained; 90 degrees; 2.45’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. White bass are good on slabs. Catfish are good on cut bait.
ARROWHEAD: Water stained; 85 degrees; 1.58’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. White bass are good trolling crankbaits. Crappie are slow. Catfish are fair on fresh cut shad.
ATHENS: Water stained; 84 degrees; 0.24’ high. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged worms, wacky rigged Senkos, and crankbaits. Crappie are slow.
AUSTIN: Water clarity good; 82 degrees; 0.52’ low. Largemouth bass are good on creature baits, jigs, and plastic worms.
B A STEINHAGEN: Water stained; 87 degrees; 0.02’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics.
BASTROP: Water stained; 93 degrees. Largemouth bass are good on swimbaits, Carolina-rigged flukes, and shaky head worms.
BELTON: Water stained; 82 degrees; 0.29’ high. White bass are good on slabs and pet spoons. Catfish are good on fresh cut bait, live bait, and punch bait.
BENBROOK: Water stained; 83 degrees; 2.35’ low. Crappie are fair on live minnows and jigs. Hybrids are slow. Catfish are fair on cut bait and punch bait.
BOB SANDLIN: Water stained; 89 degrees; 0.64’ low. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows.
BOIS D’ARC: Water stained; 85 degrees; 1.25’ low. Largemouth bass are good on top-waters, buzzbaits, Texas rigs, Carolina rigs, and crankbaits. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows.
BRAUNIG: Water stained; 89 degrees; Redfish are good on soft plastics, spoons, and rattle traps. Catfish are slow.
BRIDGEPORT: Water clear; 79 degrees; 2.65’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on top-waters, crankbaits, and spoons. Crappie are good on minnows. White bass and hybrids are good on top-waters and slabs. Catfish are good on cut and live bait.
BROWNWOOD: Water clear; 81 degrees; 1.40’ low. Largemouth bass are good on top-water frogs, crankbaits, and jigs. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass are slow. Catfish are slow.
BRYAN: Water stained; 85 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics.
BUCHANAN: Water slightly stained; 85 degrees; 1.39’ low. Striped bass and white bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are fair on punch bait and cut shad.
CADDO: Water stained; 82
degrees; Largemouth bass are slow.
CALAVERAS: Water stained; 89 degrees; Redfish are good on spoons and soft plastics. Catfish are good on stink bait, minnows, shrimp, and cut tilapia.
CANYON LAKE: Water stained; 85 degrees; 17.11’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Stripers are fair on jigging spoons.
CEDAR CREEK: Water slightly stained; 80 degrees; 1.47’ low. Hybrids are good on slabs and spinnerbaits. White bass are good on trolling spoons. Catfish are good on cut bait.
CHOKE CANYON: Water stained; 89 degrees; 37.48’ high. White bass and crappie are good on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on cut bait.
CISCO: Water stained; 87 degrees; 15.13’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics.
COLEMAN: Water stained; 82 degrees; 2.01’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Hybrids are slow. Catfish are slow.
COLETO CREEK: Water stained; 91 degrees; 1.51’ high. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are fair on jigs.
CONROE: Water stained; 86.4 degrees; 0.21’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics and jigs. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Hybrids and white bass are good on slabs, spoons, and shad. Catfish are good on liver, worms, shad, and punch bait.
COOPER: Water stained; 78 degrees; 1.84’ low. Crappie are slow. Catfish are fair on shad.
CORPUS CHRISTI LAKE: Water stained; 84 degrees; 15.88’ low. Largemouth bass are slow.
CYPRESS SPRINGS: Water stained; 85 degrees; 0.40’ low. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows.
EAGLE MOUNTAIN: Water stained; 80 degrees; 1.66’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. White bass are slow. Perch are good on nightcrawlers. Carp are slow. Catfish are fair on manufactured bait or cut bait.
FALCON: Water stained; 85 degrees; 46.98’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas rigs, crankbaits, shaky heads, and football jigs. Gar are good on fresh cut carp and tilapia. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on fresh cut or live bait.
mouth bass are slow. Crappie are slow.
GEORGETOWN: Stained; 82 degrees; 4.45’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics.
GRAHAM: Water stained; upper 80 degrees; 2.35’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass and hybrids are good on spoons and shad. Catfish are good on cut shad.
GRANBURY: stained; 83 degrees; 0.69’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics and lipless crankbaits. Striped bass and white bass are good on shad and slabs. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on cut bait.
GRANGER: Water stained; 82 degrees; 0.09’ high. Largemouth bass are good on worms and crankbaits. Crappie are good on jigs. White bass are fair on slab spoons. Catfish are good on Zote soap, shad, and live perch.
GRAPEVINE: Water clear to slightly stained; 80 degrees; 0.53’ low. White bass are good on slabs.
GREENBELT: Water stained; 85 degrees; 49.52’ low. White bass are good on minnows. Crappie are slow.
HAWKINS: Water slightly stained; 88 degrees. Largemouth bass are good on top-waters. Bream are fair on small poppers.
HOUSTON: Water clear; 90 degrees; 0.02’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on grubs and Texas-rigged worms. White bass are good on pet spoons trolled. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. Catfish are fair on fresh shad.
HOUSTON COUNTY: Water stained; 86 degrees; 0.04’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs.
HUBBARD CREEK: Water stained; 80 degrees; 12.77’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs.
INKS: Water stained; 86-90 degrees; 0.86’ low. Largemouth bass are good on top-waters, drop-shot rigs, Texas-rigged craws, and football jigs.
JACKSONVILLE: Water stained; 87 degrees; 0.07’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics, top-waters, and swimbaits.
FAYETTE: Water slightly stained; 90 degrees; full pool. Largemouth bass are good on underspins, rattle traps, and Carolina rigs. Catfish are slow.
FORK: Water cloudy to clear; 85 degrees; 1.09’ low. Largemouth bass are good on top-waters, chatterbaits, square bill crankbaits, Texas rigs, and shaky heads.
FT PHANTOM HILL: Water stained; 4.43’ low. Large-
LAKE
O’ THE PINES: Water stained; 86 degrees; 1.45’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics.
LAVON: Water stained; 86 degrees; 1.97’ low. Crappie are fair on jigs. Largemouth bass are good on spinnerbaits, square bill crankbaits, and soft plastics. White bass are fair on slabs. Catfish are fair on cut shad, bluegill, and drum.
LBJ: Water stained; 82 degrees; 0.24’ low. Largemouth bass are good on top-waters and soft plastics. Crappie are
good on jigs. Catfish are fair on punch bait.
LEWISVILLE: Water stained; 82 degrees; 1.42’ low. White bass are fair on slabs, spoons, spinners, and live bait. Hybrid stripers are slow. Crappie are slow. Catfish are fair on cut shad and punch bait.
LIMESTONE: Water clear; 82 degrees; 0.87’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas rigs, spinnerbaits, and Carolina rigs. Crappie are good on minnows. White bass are fair on spoons. Catfish are fair on cut bait and minnows.
LIVINGSTON: Stained; 87 degrees; 0.06’ high. Largemouth bass are good on swim jigs and square-billed crankbaits. White bass are fair on slabs. Catfish are good on shad.
MARBLE FALLS: Stained; 85 degrees; 0.62’ low. Largemouth bass are good on crankbaits and paddle tail swimbaits.
MARTIN CREEK: Water slightly stained; 85 degrees; 1.05’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Senkos, vibrating jigs, and swimbaits. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows.
MEREDITH: Water stained; 79 degrees; 43.12’ low. Largemouth bass are good on jigs and crankbaits. Smallmouth bass are fair on minnows. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. Perch and bluegill are good on worms and corn. Walleye are good on minnows, bottom bouncers with floating worm harnesses, and grubs. Trout are slow. Catfish are good on frozen shrimp, punch bait, and cut bait.
PALESTINE: Water stained; 87 degrees; 0.08’ low. White bass, and hybrids are fair on spoons and spinnerbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are fair on cut bait and fresh shad.
PINKSTON: Water slightly stained; 82 degrees. Largemouth bass are good on drop-shot rigs and swimbaits. Crappie are good, on jigs. Catfish are fair on live minnows and cut baits.
POSSUM KINGDOM: Water stained; 80 degrees; 1.05’ low. Largemouth bass are good on top-waters, crankbaits, and shaky heads. Stripers are slow. White bass are fair on slabs. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are fair on shad and punch bait.
PROCTOR: Water stained; 87 degrees; 1.48’ low. White bass and hybrids are fair on top-waters. Catfish are good on worms and cut bait.
RAVEN: Water slightly stained; 90 degrees. Largemouth bass are good on artificial worms. Bluegill are good on hotdogs and worms under a bobber.
RAY HUBBARD: Water stained; 82 degrees; 0.91’ low. White bass are fair on swimbaits, tail spinners, and rattle traps. Crappie are slow. Catfish are fair on punch bait.
RAY ROBERTS: Water slightly stained; 82 degrees; 1.07’ low. Largemouth bass are good on jigs and shad imitation baits. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs.
MILLERS CREEK: Water stained; 85 degrees; 2.48’ low. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows.
NACOGDOCHES: Water heavily stained; 83 degrees; 1.30’ low. Largemouth bass are good on bladed jigs and swim jigs. Crappie are good on jigs. Catfish are good on cut shad and live minnows.
NACONICHE: Water clearing; 83 degrees; full pool. Largemouth bass are fair on frogs and top-water baits. Crappie are good on jigs. Catfish are slow.
NASWORTHY: Water slightly stained; 84 degrees; 1.02’ low. Largemouth bass are fair flipping soft plastics. Crappie are fair on jigs. Catfish are fair on cut bait and stink bait.
NAVARRO MILLS: 85 degrees; full pool. Catfish are good on cut bait and punch bait. White bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows.
O H IVIE: Water stained; 81 degrees; 17.71’ low. Largemouth bass are good on soft plastics and top-waters. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are good on cut shad, cheese baits, and minnows.
OAK CREEK: Water lightly stained; 84 degrees; 21.06’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are slow.
RICHLAND CHAMBERS: Water slightly stained; 85 degrees; 0.63’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits and chatterbaits. White bass and hybrids are slow. Catfish are good on shad and punch bait.
SAM RAYBURN: Water stained; 80 degrees; 7.11’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on top-waters, crankbaits, jigs, and Carolina rigs. Crappie are slow. White bass are fair on slabs. Catfish are fair on cut bait.
SOMERVILLE: Water stained; 82 degrees; 0.55’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits and soft plastics. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. White bass are fair on spoons, shad, and ghost minnows. Hybrids are fair on jigs and cut bait. Catfish are fair on cut shad and punch bait.
SPENCE: Water stained; 80 degrees; 49.51’ low. Catfish are good on punch bait and fresh cut bait.
STAMFORD: Water stained; 84 degrees; 0.35’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on top-waters. Crappie are slow. Catfish are slow.
STILLHOUSE: Water stained; 83 degrees; 0.12’ high. White bass are fair on slabs.
TAWAKONI: Water lightly stained; 80 degrees; 0.62’ low. Largemouth bass are good on frogs, crankbaits and shaky
heads. Crappie are fair on minnows. Hybrid striper, striper, and white bass are good on slab spoons, downriggers, and swimbaits. Catfish are good on punch and dip baits.
TEXANA: Water stained; 78 degrees; 2.63’ low. Catfish are fair on cut bait.
TEXOMA: Water stained; 84 degrees; 0.28’ high. Striped bass are fair on live bait and slabs. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on punch bait.
TOLEDO BEND: 90 degrees; 3.89’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas rigs and crankbaits. Crappie are slow.
TRAVIS: Water stained; 89 degrees; 8.43’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on brush hogs, worms, and dropshots.
TWIN BUTTES: Water stained; 82 degrees; 33.26’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. White bass are slow. Catfish are fair on punch bait.
TYLER: Water stained; 85 degrees; 0.70’ low. Largemouth bass are good on crankbaits, trick worms, and top-waters. Bream are good on red worms. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are fair on liver, nightcrawlers, and cut bait.
WACO: Water stained; 90 degrees; 0.03’ high. Crappie are good on minnows.
WALTER E LONG: Water stained; 87 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, jerkbaits, and chatterbaits.
WEATHERFORD: Water stained; 88 degrees; 4.63’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows and shad. Catfish are fair on cut bait, shrimp, and shad.
WELSH: Water stained. 88 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits and Carolina rigs.
WHITE RIVER: Water stained; 78 degrees; 17.30’ low. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on live bait.
WHITNEY: Water clear; 85 degrees; 0.42’ low. Largemouth bass are good on soft plastics. Striped bass are slow. Crappie are fair on jigs. White bass are slow. Catfish are good on punch bait.
WORTH: Water stained; 86 degrees; 0.97’ low. Carp are fair on bait balls. Catfish are fair on punch bait.
WRIGHT PATMAN: Water stained; 80 degrees; 4.81’ high. Crappie are fair on hair jigs tipped with minnows.
Spread out
By Cory Byrnes
It’s the tail end of summer and the bass are still spread out over most of the lakes in Texas. But the transition to fall patterns is right around the corner, according to North Texas guides and anglers. On Lake Fork, “it’s that time of year for us where the fish are in transition. A lot of the deep schools have kind of broken up and the fish are scattered, and we have fish at every depth range,” said Jason Hoffman
Please turn to page 18
Fishing attractors
Continued from page 8
of the day.
Although fishing was good, including a limit of red snapper on the way back, the most impressive aspect of the trip for the group was to fish and learn how a FAD works.
A number of circular drives were made by the boat and its trawling lines around FAD 11 which has a TIFT sticker attached to it. Texas International Fishing Tournament is one of the sponsors of the 14 FADs installed off the Texas coast. Also impressive were the large schools of dorado swimming and even free-jumping above the water as the boat trolled around the FAD. There was also a giant squid swimming 50 feet from the device. It was clear fish and marine life were congregating around the buoy. After the solid action at FAD 11, the boat moved to another FAD several miles away, but there was little action as the noon sun heated up the water.
For Lone Star outdoor newS
A couple of young fishermen double up with guide Jason Hoffman. Photo by Jason Hoffman.
Crappie tough
Continued from page 1
His clients have had to put it right on their nose.
“Its a lot of stick and move in order to put a stringer together right now,” he added.
Early in the morning, the fish have been caught shallower in 6to 10-feet of water. As it gets later in the day, the fish have been moving deeper.
“You’ll go out in deeper water and catch them 15, 20, 25 feet down,” he said.
The first cold front woke the fish up briefly before the Texas heat rolled back in. Fleenor is looking forward to the cooler weather and cooler water temperatures.
“They’re getting ready to transition. Once they start making that move to deeper water when the water cools off, I think it’s going to change the game,” he said.
On Lake Palestine, the crappie bite has picked up recently.
“Summertime is always a tougher bite,” said Duwayne Benson with Benson Guide Ser vice. “The water temp has come down 7 or 8 degrees. It has been decent for this time of year.”
Benson and his clients have been targeting brush piles and timber in 8- to 16-feet of water.
“The larger fish are closer to the bottom when the thermocline has allowed it,” he said.
Most of the fish they have been boating have come on minnows or jigs tipped with minnows. Live bait has been the key.
Benson agreed with others and is looking forward to more cold fronts coming through to lower the water temperatures. Once that happens, the jig fishing will pick up and live bait won’t be as key as it is this month.
On Lake LBJ the crappie fishing has been fair.
“We haven’t been getting the numbers but we have been getting good-size crappie,” said Jess Rotherham with Texas Crappie Fishing Service. “The first cold front of the year really didn’t affect the fishing positively or negatively. What affected me the most was the full moon that really slowed down the bite. They were feeding at night.”
Recently, the morning bite has been the best bite on LBJ. Rotherham and his clients have been targeting brush piles in 15- to 20-feet of water.
“I have been using a lot of jigs with 2-inch plastic in a natural shad color or chartreuse and white,” he said.
Cooler water temps will push the crappie into deeper water. Once the water temps hit 70 degrees, the bite on deeper brush piles should turn on.
Anglers Sidney and Xiao double up on a pair of slabs from Lake Palestine. Photo by Duwayne Benson.
GRIP & GRIN
hunted
pronghorn.
James Young caught this 23-inch, 6.5-pound largemouth bass on a deep-diving crankbait.
Boerne hunter Shawn Perry with a nice bear taken opening morning of the New Mexico bear season.
Capt Steve Ellis threw a fly to this redfish near Port Mansfield and had a great fight.
Zac Welch caught this big trout from the beach in Port Aransas. The fish was just shy of 8 pounds and 26 inches long.
Specs
“During the event, the best trout action took place during the afternoon hours,” Garza said. “At one point, everyone was catching fish on soft plastics and top-waters in about thigh-deep water. There were a lot of small trout caught, but there were also several measuring over 20 inches caught, as well.”
Garza said most of the specks she has been finding recently have been over thick grass beds, rather than sand.
“Larger grass beds have really been the ticket lately,” Garza said. “I’ve been finding some trout along the edges of larger potholes, but many have been hunkered down in the grass. Shallow flats near the edges of drop-offs and spoils near the Intra Costal Waterway have been producing a lot of fish. Focusing on stretches of grass flats with concentrations of nervous-looking baitfish has been key.”
Brittany Geer attended the annual Texas Women Anglers fish camp event in Port Mansfield and landed a 22-inch trout on a top-water lure.
“The trout were blowing up on top-waters most of the day, but we were only hooking about 50 percent of them,” Geer said. “Right after I caught and released a 22-inch speck on a top-water, I hooked what looked to be a trout about 25 inches or so in length. All of the anglers and instructors were cheering for me as I was trying to land the fish, but it ended up throwing the lure from its mouth before I could bring it to hand.”
Geer said the largest trout were caught in water about knee-to-thigh deep.
Fritz Weiss recently fished the surf out of Port Aransas around mile marker 41 near Cinnamon Shores and caught limits of trout in the 16- to 18-inch range on live shrimp.
“I could not get a bite on any of the lures in my box, and I tried them all,” Weiss said. “They would only strike live shrimp.”
Weiss said he was fishing a stretch of open beach where he noticed good concentrations of baitfish in the surf.
Alex Schmidt recently targeted trout in East Matagorda Bay, where he found decent numbers of specks in the 16- to 19-inch range over mid-bay oyster reefs. He said the best action came on soft plastics rigged on 1/8-ounce and 1/4-ounce jig heads.
“The larger trout seemed to be scattered, but I was able to catch a few pushing 23 inches or so in length while wading shallower stretches in knee-to-thigh deep water along the north and south shorelines of East Matagorda Bay,” Schmidt said. “Top-water baits were drawing more strikes than soft plastics in the shallows.”
Schmidt also reported seeing some random bird activity over schools of specks chasing shrimp along the surface. Most of these fish were undersized.
Farther north, Galveston Bay and Sabine area anglers have been reporting decent numbers of solid specks along the jetties. The fish have been striking soft plastics and free-lined live shrimp, and the best bite has been taking place during an incoming tide.
Wahoo Classic
The four-member crew on the Gipsea fished some 50 miles offshore and caught the fish around 9:30 a.m.
For Wes Hudson and Keith Jud, it was their first time to take the top honor.
“I have been participating in the Wahoo Classic since it began ten years ago,” Hudson said. “It feels pretty good.”
The tournament marked the end of a season when many events are held along the Texas gulf coast from the Port Mansfield to the SPI-Port Isabel area. It’s also the culmination of the busy summer tourist season and at a time when fishing shifts to a lower gear as another outdoor activity takes over.
The Wahoo Classic was created by two avid fishermen, David Hollenbeck and the late Paul Munarriz, who decided to hold the event back in 2015.
“The concept was to keep it simple, get good fish and make some money,” Hollenbeck said.
“We don’t have a grand champion, just winners in each fish category.”
Better yet, all the money made from boat entries and from donations from the scores of sponsors goes right back to the anglers. Unlike other tournaments, the Wahoo Classic has no raffles and no silent or live auctions.
Hollenbeck said every item on display during the award ceremony stays with the anglers as prizes.
According to the tournament rules, if no wahoo is caught, a dorado takes the place as a winner. If no dorado takes the bait, a blackfin tuna is next in line.
He said he is retiring from the tournament as he is moving to a place in New England.
“I have been living here for the last twenty two years but it’s time for me to move on,” Hollenbeck, who is now 82, said. “However, I will be coming back as a winter Texan.”
B.A.S.S. coming to Toledo Bend April 22-24
B.A.S.S. has unveiled the 2026 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation presented by Lowrance schedule, with four qualifying events on some of the country’s most renowned fisheries and a championship location to be announced at a later date. The B.A.S.S. Nation trail offers everyday anglers the opportunity to fish their way from the grass-roots level to the biggest stage in bass fishing – the Bassmaster Classic.
The trail begins April 10-12 on Cherokee Lake in Jefferson City, Tenn., a deep, clear reservoir nestled in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains.
From there, competition shifts to Toledo Bend Reservoir along the Texas border April 22-24. As one of the largest man-made reservoirs in the country, Toledo Bend has long been a bucket-list destination for bass anglers. With thousands of acres of hydrilla and abundant cover, it consistently produces heavy bags and record-class bass.
— Staff report
Erica Garza shows off a hefty trout she caught while wading a grass flat adjacent to a drop-off on the Lower Laguna Madre.
Photo from Erica Garza.
with Jason Hoffman’s Lake Fork Guide Service. “There are fish to be caught but you got to cover a lot of water.”
He and his clients have been focusing on shallow grass and the shallow creeks where the bait has been moving in lately.
“The best bite for me has been shallow grass. There is definitely a lot of bait there in the backs of these creeks and a lot of fish back there with them,” Hoffman said. He has been focused on using moving baits to cover a lot of water.
“Starting early morning with top-water, swim jigs, spinner baits and chatter baits,” Hoffman said.
Hoffman predicts that once the weather and water temperature cools down, you will be able to get a more consistent bite.
On O.H. Ivie, “the fish are wolf packing and moving as fast as you can troll to ‘em,” Kenneth Watts with Watts Up Guide Service said. “They are just eating. If you can drop a bait on them, then more than likely you will catch them.”
Watts and his clients have been catching fish in 20- to 30-feet of water just roaming around.
“They are chasing bait. There are more bait balls than I have seen in years. Every one we have caught has been healthy,” Watts said.
For the cruising fish, Watts and his clients have had success with minnow shaky heads.
“If you see a shad slick be watching for them, because they’ll be out feeding,” Watts said.
He always has a top-water ready to go for those moments. When not chasing the packs, Watts has been dragging Carolina rigs and big baits for the big girls.
“I go big or go home,” Watts said.
O.H. Ivie is unique in that the angler can choose how they want to fish and go to the right spot and be successful to various degrees.
“This lake is very versatile, and any cast can be a trophy fish,” Watts said.
He added he does predict the cooler water temps will make the fishing even more consistent.
“What makes it hard is all the bait right now,” Watts said.
On Toledo Bend Reservoir, the fishing has been pretty good.
“It has been better in the afternoons,” said Mike Nugent with Mike Nugent Fishing. Nugent and his clients have noticed the fish are schooled up pretty good right now.
He and his clients have had most of their success on crankbaits in 20- to 25feet of water.
“We have been focusing more on points; a lot of points,” Nugent said.
To target bigger fish, he recommends staying focused on the deeper brush piles with crankbaits and jigs.
“In the next couple of weeks, they will follow the shad up into the creeks,” Nugent said. “You can see a lot of shad getting ready to move back into the drainages — it won’t be long now.”
On Lake O’ the Pines, the water has started to turn over.
“We’re starting to have those cooler nights. The best bite has been less than 12 feet. Over my last couple of trips, we have been in 4 feet of water,” said guide Brian Vickery with Brian Vickery Fishing.
Vickery and his clients have found most of their success during mornings
“Going into the summer we traditionally see mats of hydrillas, but this year we didn’t get that,” Vickery said. “We have been keying on the same areas that the grass flats would be but they’re more like shale beds and sandy spots.”
“From 9 until 11a.m., we were smashing on them with top-waters and square bills,” Vickery said.
Yellow Magic and Strike Kings’ hybrid square bill have been the best-producing lures for Vickery and his clients during their transition.
He predicts anglers will have to transition to points and humps, along with pockets of vegetation going into the fall.
Lake Fork tourney
Continued from page 8
worm. Lake Fork is a slot limit lake with the slot being 16 to 24 inches. In total, 26 over-the-slot beauties made for an exciting tournament with 928 fish total taken to the live-release boat (including kids’ entries).
In addition to his hourly payout of $2,500, McAdoo took home a Phoenix 721 Pro ZXL boat with 250 hp Mercury PXS TM motor, fully loaded with Minn Kota trolling motor, Humminbird electronics and Power-Pole, $5,000 cash and a Dodge Ram truck to pull it home.
The other top five over-the-slot weights: Monty Sewell, of Taylor, 9.72 pounds ($15,000); Tommy Washington, of Milam, 9.58 pounds ($10,000); Tator Reynolds, of Florien, LA, 9.40 pounds ($5,000); Colton Pusateri, of McKinney, 9.23 pounds ($2,500). Pusateri brought in two over-theslot fish in this tournament.
Though a slot lake makes for more challenging fishing, it also provides payouts for fish under the slot at tournaments. The heaviest bass on Friday under the slot won James Russ of Lubbock, $5,000 for his 2.6-pound fish.
Sealy’s format pays out 15 places for every hour of the tournament day from the 7-8 a.m. hour through 1-2 p.m. for the 15 single heaviest bass weighed in.
A ladies’ division was recently added to the tournament to be more family focused. Melissa Hermes of Lindsay came out on top with her 2.32 pounder and received cash and prizes worth $1,500 total.
The Little Anglers Division encourages 5 –12-year-olds to enter and get involved in the sport of fishing early. They could fish any or all three days in the categories of bass, perch, catfish and crappie. As each child caught a fish, they joined the check-in line right beside the tournament anglers, had the fish weighed and were “interviewed” by Tournament Director Chris Bennett, the late Bob Sealy’s son-in-law.
St. Jude Children’s Hospital was the beneficiary of the Sealy tournament’s donation.
Jason Hoffman a recent catch from Lake Fork.
Photo from Jason Hoffman.
TEXAS SALTWATER FISHING REPORT
REDFISH BAY: 87 degrees. Redfish are good on cut mullet. Speckled trout are good on piggies and croaker. Black drum are good on dead shrimp.
SAN ANTONIO BAY: 87 degrees. Speckled trout and redfish are good on live croaker and live shrimp. Tripletail are fair on live shrimp.
SABINE LAKE: 89 degrees. Speckled trout are good on soft plastics and live shrimp. Tripletail are fair on live shrimp and soft plastics. Sheepshead and black drum are good on live shrimp. Redfish are good on soft plastics.
BOLIVAR: 85 degrees. Redfish and speckled trout are good on live shrimp and soft plastics. Gafftop and black drum are good on live shrimp and cut mullet.
TRINITY BAY: 89 degrees. Black drum and sheepshead are good on live shrimp. Flounder and speckled trout are fair on live shrimp and soft plastics.
EAST GALVESTON BAY: 85 degrees. Speckled trout are good on live shrimp and soft plastics. Black drum and redfish are good on live shrimp.
GALVESTON BAY: 85 degrees. Speckled trout and redfish are good on soft plastics and live shrimp. Black drum are fair on live shrimp.
WEST GALVESTON BAY: 85 degrees. Speckled trout are good on live shrimp and soft plastics. Black drum and redfish are fair on live shrimp.
TEXAS CITY: 85 degrees. Speckled trout and redfish are good on live shrimp, finger mullet, and soft plastics. Black drum are good on live shrimp.
FREEPORT: 88 degrees. Speckled rout and redfish are good on live shrimp and live mullet. Flounder are fair on live shrimp and live mullet. Mangrove snapper are good on live shrimp.
EAST MATAGORDA BAY: 88 degrees.
Speckled trout and redfish are good on soft plastics, live croaker, and live shrimp.
WEST MATAGORDA BAY: 88 degrees.
Speckled trout and redfish are good on soft plastics, live croaker, and live shrimp.
PORT O’CONNOR: 85 degrees. Speckled
trout are fair on live croaker. Tarpon and sharks are fair on live croaker. Redfish are good on Spanish sardines. Black drum are fair on dead shrimp rigged on the bottom.
ROCKPORT: 85 degrees. Speckled trout are good on live shrimp, piggy perch, and croaker. Redfish are good on shrimp, mullet, and piggy perch. Black drum are good on live or dead shrimp.
PORT ARANSAS: 85 degrees. Redfish are good on live shrimp and cut mullet. Oversized redfish are good on cut crab and mullet. Speckled trout are good on croaker and shrimp. Redfish are good on croaker and live shrimp. Kingfish are fair on ribbon fish and trolling lures. Pompano are fair on spoons.
CORPUS CHRISTI: 87 degrees. Redfish are good on cut mullet. Speckled trout are fair on piggies. Black drum are fair on shrimp.
BAFFIN BAY: 88 degrees. Speckled trout are good on top-waters and soft plastics. Redfish and black drum are fair on live shrimp under a popping cork.
PORT MANSFIELD: 91 degrees. Speckled trout and redfish are good on soft plastics and top-water baits.
SOUTH PADRE: 88 degrees. Speckled trout and black drum are fair on live shrimp. Redfish are fair on live shrimp.
PORT ISABEL: 88 degrees. Speckled trout and black drum are fair on live shrimp. Redfish are fair on live shrimp.
—TPWD
TEXAS SUN, MOON AND TIDES
Oct 7 3:54 AM 1.76H 10:10 AM 0.47L 5:23 PM 2.18H 11:26 PM 1.32L
Oct 8 4:05 AM 1.77H 10:52 AM 0.14L 6:30 PM 2.29H
Oct 9 12:28 AM 1.60L 4:16 AM 1.81H 11:36 AM -0.10L 7:48 PM 2.34H
Oct 10 1:57 AM 1.84L 4:19 AM 1.88H 12:23 PM -0.22L 9:14 PM 2.37H
AM 1.68H 10:04 AM 0.32L 6:09 PM 2.46H Oct 9 10:49 AM 0.09L 7:25 PM 2.54H Oct 10 11:39 AM -0.04L 9:08 PM 2.59H
Freeport
Nueces Bay
New store
Brewer said Gary Loomis is a true legend in the fishing and composites industry as he has been designing high-performance rods and blanks for decades. He is widely credited with pioneering many of the techniques and technologies used
“Some of my first rod building customers were from Texas: Allstar, Castaway, the founders of who are still my friends today,” Loomis said. “It’s a special state, with amazing fisheries, and my personal best bass came out of Sam Rayburn” Loomis proudly said you couldn’t keep him out of the Lone Star State if you tried and is happy to have a place to call home when he visits.
“For anyone hesitant to get involved in the outdoors, my biggest advice is just to start small and keep it fun,” Brewer said. “You don’t need a ton of gear or years of experience, just get out there and try it.”
Brewer said when you surround yourself with people who are passionate and willing to share knowledge this will soon create natural experiences. And if you are ever in Spring, Edge Pro Shops by Gary Loomis will provide that.
Mexico confirms case of New World screwworm in Nuevo Leon
Mexico’s National Service of Agro-Alimentary Health, Safety, and Quality confirmed a new case of New World screwworm in Sabinas Hidalgo, located in the state of Nuevo León, less than 70 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border.
This is now the northernmost detection of NWS during this outbreak, and the one most threatening to the American cattle and livestock industry. Sabinas Hidalgo is located near the major highway from Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, to Laredo, Texas, which is one of the most heavily trafficked commercial thoroughfares in the world.
The previous northernmost detection was reported on July 9, 2025, in Veracruz, approximately 370 miles farther south. Preliminary reports from SENASICA indicate that the affected animal, an 8-month-old cow, had recently been moved to a certified feedlot in Nuevo León from a region in southern Mexico with known active NWS cases. The potential link to animal movement underscores the non-negotiable need for Mexico to fully implement and comply with the U.S.–Mexico Joint Action Plan for NWS in Mexico.
Currently, U.S. ports remain closed to imports of cattle, bison, and horses from Mexico.
Dove recipes
Continued from page 5
hunters can practice in the field to keep their dove clean, fresh, and ready for the table.”
Hearn said proper field care isn’t just about food safety.
“It’s about respect,” she said. “Every dove in a cooler represents time, effort, shells, and memories made in the field.”
Hearn said taking proper care of dove harvested in the field honors the hunt and ensures the meat tastes as good as it should.
“Field care is the starting point,” Hearn said. “The recipes in this book are the reward.”
According to Hearn, the atmosphere and camaraderie that go hand in hand with the sport of dove hunting played a large role in inspiring her cookbook.
“I just love the togetherness dove hunting promotes with those you share it with,” she said. “I feel like it’s the exact same feeling and atmosphere experienced when you share a delicious meal with close friends. To me, dove hunting and excellent food go hand in hand.”
Hearn’s digital cookbook can be purchased from the shop on her website at gamegirlgourmet.com. She hopes to be able to offer a printed version of the digital cookbook in the future.
When Precision Matters Most
—USDA
Photo by Edge Rods G. Loomis.
MINNESOTA Hautman wins Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest
The 2025 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest winner was just announced, and it’s a last name that is very familiar to waterfowl art lovers. James Hautman, of Minnesota, won the contest with an acrylic painting of three buffleheads. His artwork will become the 2026–2027 Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp. The artist’s paintings have been featured on the 1990, 1995, 1999, 2011, 2016, and 2022 U.S. Federal Duck stamps.
Since 1934, Federal Duck Stamp sales to hunters, bird watchers, outdoor enthusiasts, and collectors have raised more than $1.2 billion to conserve over 6 million acres of habitat for birds and other wildlife.
—Staff report
ARIZONA
Applications for 2026 spring hunts
The Arizona Game and Fish Department is accepting applications for 2026 hunt permittags issued through the draw process for spring turkey, javelina, bison, and raptor capture.
To apply, visit https://draw.azgfd.com/. The deadline for the department to receive all applications is 11:59 p.m. (Arizona time) Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025.
For an overview of the application service, including license requirements, applying for bonus points and payment information, see Page 6 of the “2026 Spring Turkey, Javelina, Bison, Bear and Raptor Capture Hunt Draw Information” booklet. The booklet is posted online at www.azgfd.com/hunting/regulations/. Printed versions soon will be available at all license dealers statewide (call in advance for availability).
—AZGFD
NEBRASKA Fall turkey opens Oct. 1
It’s almost October. That means one thing in Nebraska: Fall turkey hunting season is near.
Nebraska Game and Parks has reminders for hunters who will take to the field in search of a bird for the season, which runs Oct. 1-Nov. 30:
All harvested turkeys must be reported via Telecheck within 48 hours of harvest. This can be done at OutdoorNebraska.gov/hunt/telecheck/ or by calling the phone number on the permit. Reporting via Telecheck is mandatory. When hunting during the Nov. 15-23 firearm deer season, turkey hunters must wear at least 400 square inches of hunter orange on the head, chest and back.
Each hunter may only have one fall permit, with a bag limit of one turkey of either sex per permit.
Hunters may use either shotgun or archery equipment as methods of take.
Everyone who purchases a turkey hunting permit is encouraged to complete the email survey that is sent a few weeks following the close of the season.
OKLAHOMA
Northwest OK new CWD rules
Oklahoma’s fourth case of a wild deer infected with Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) was confirmed this month in the Oklahoma Panhandle. The white-tailed deer was located in Texas County after a landowner reported the animal behaving abnormally.
As part of the state’s CWD Response Strategy, the confirmation has prompted the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation to expand the existing Selective Surveillance Area for chronic wasting disease in Texas County westward and southward. Hunters who harvest a deer within the SSA boundary must comply with specific regulations for handling and moving deer and other cervid parts outside the area. —ODWC
CRP numbers released
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s announced it has accepted 1.78 million acres into the Conservation Reserve Program in 2025.
The announcement by USDA’s Farm Service Agency, which includes General, Continuous and Grassland enrollments, will help bolster agriculture, wildlife habitat, hunting opportunities and rural communities throughout the upland range and beyond.
“For four decades, CRP has delivered unmatched benefits for wildlife habitat, soil health and water quality,” said Andrew Schmidt, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s director of government affairs. “Thanks to swift action by the Trump administration on a condensed timeline, the program now effectively stands at full enrollment, reflecting its value and standing among the nation’s farmers and ranchers as a critical component of their business operation and the farm safety net.”
According to FSA, about 25.8 million acres are currently enrolled in CRP, the agency’s flagship conservation program through which landowners, farmers and ranchers voluntarily convert marginal or unproductive cropland into vegetative cover that prevents erosion, restores wildlife habitat and—in the case of Grassland CRP—enables participants to conserve grasslands while also continuing most grazing and haying practices. The announcement today represents the maximum number of acres that could be enrolled this year while staying under the statutory cap of 27 million acres.
—Quail Forever
Alligator hunts
at no cost. The posted odds of drawing a tag (from the 2024 draw) ranged from a very reasonable 1 in 14 to a high of 1 in 183, while the odds for drawing a youth tag were roughly 1 in 65.
Hans Sin of California was one of the lucky hunters to draw a tag on the J.D. Murphree WMA, hunting during the first set of dates.
“TPWD offers a unique hunt, but the rules allow only one line per person and only one night to catch an alligator” he observed. “It’s important to understand alligator behavior and biology to make the most of the opportunity.”
Sin, a biologist himself, and his party attended the mandatory orientation at midday on the first day and were assigned a compartment on the WMA to hunt. Because alligators find food in part by smell, they set their lines on the upwind side of the marsh where possible.
“It’s difficult to predict nighttime wind direction, but we picked the best locations
we could find and set our lines as best we could,” Sin said.
The next morning was a bit like Christmas for Sin and his party.
“Checking the lines in the morning is exciting,” he said. “You are full of hope and if a line is down, you don’t know if it’s a reasonable alligator or a monster.”
The hunting party ended up with only one alligator for three lines, but it was Hans’ alligator and he was tickled with the 6-footlong reptile.
“This is such a unique experience — hunting alligators on a public hunt— and I’m glad we didn’t get skunked,” he said.
TPWD offered the hunters information on how to skin alligators, who to contact for contract skinning and even recipes for alligator meat. Sin skinned his alligator at the WMA to process the hide and meat before the heat of the day.
“I’m going to save the hide as a wall hanging, but for me the meat is as important as any trophy,” he said. “This is very cool.”
LONE STAR OUTDOOR PUZZLER
Whitetails Unlimited seeks VP
Whitetails Unlimited is currently seeking a Vice President of Field Operations. This professional, salaried, full-time position will work directly from the national headquarters in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.
Oregon Hunters Association looking for ED
The Oregon Hunters Association has a newly created role for an experienced Executive Director to join their statewide organization. With OHA focused on advancing hunting opportunities, wildlife conservation, and habitat preservation throughout Oregon, this position offers exceptional career advancement opportunities in conservation leadership.
Riton Optics acquisition
Riton Optics is announcing the acquisition of the Blackhound Optics trademarks and inventory as part of its ongoing pursuit of market share in the optics space. Blackhound Optics, a direct-to-consumer optics brand, will continue to be available to consumers through its website.
CSF adds director
The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation announced that Alyssa Gay has joined
the organization as director of marketing and communications. Alyssa is a strategic communications leader with more than eight years of experience advancing mission-driven organizations through innovative marketing, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement.
Amber Smith to Dead Air
Dead Air is excited to welcome Amber Smith as the newest member of their operations team. Amber will lead their demand planning efforts and provide key support in business intelligence and data analytics across the company.
CZ-USA adds director
CZ-USA announced the addition of Chris Sprangers as its director of marketing. Sprangers brings nearly 20 years of experience in marketing and brand strategy within the outdoor industry. Most recently, he served as managing partner and director of outdoor brands at North House Outdoor.
New CEO at Fortified Equity
Fortified Equity has announced its acquisition of AVID, the Florida-based performance lifestyle brand rooted in fishing, hunting, and outdoor adventure. Alongside the acquisition, Pete Angle has been named chief executive officer.
(uncooked)
Tbsp
20. Flatfish 21. Mountain turkey 22. Schooling freshwater fish
Fun to call
British Columbia cliff dweller
Ribeye of the bay
Great fried fish
Common exotic
Waterfowlers companion 33. Holds deer corn
Beans or no beans?
Sauté rice in butter until it browns. Set in the bottom of a casserole dish. Rub dove breasts with lemon juice, salt and pepper, then rosemary. Place dove on the rice and surround with onions and mushrooms. Pour broth and Madeira over the doves, cover and simmer in an oven at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
Whisk soy sauce, olive oil, brown sugar, lemon pepper, and garlic together in a shallow dish; lay salmon fillets skin-side up in the marinade; marinate in the refrigerator 4 to 8 hours or overnight. Preheat the oven’s broiler and set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source. Transfer salmon fillets from marinade onto a baking sheet. Discard any remaining marinade. Cook salmon under the broiler until lightly browned and the flesh flakes easily with a fork, 7 to 10 minutes. Allow salmon to rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving. —ODWF
Puzzle by Conor Harrison, Lone Star Outdoor News
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SEPTEMBER 27
DALLAS SAFARI CLUB
CLASSIFIEDS
RURAL REAL ESTATE FOR SALE
Thomas A.C. Davis
TDavis@TexasRanchSales.com (832) 977.0071
BANDERA TEXAS DAY HUNTS
Whitetail, Axis, Hogs, Dove (830) 353-2311
MOBILE SPORTING CLAYS FOR HIRE!
Fundraisers, Corporate, Parties! Sales/Service all Traps! 40+ Years Experience! (817) 999-1395
DUVAL COUNTY
South Texas Dove Hunting 65 acres, Lodging, RV Power Available Huntershilton.com For more info (361) 244-0544 OR (361) 443-9330
CATTLE MARKET IS HOT Cash out every Tuesday @10 am Atascosa Livestock Exchange Pleasanton Hauling Available Call (210) 289-7698
DATEBOOK
OCTOBER 8
Burgers, Beer and Member Gear 2025 DSC Pavilion, Dallas (972) 980-9800 biggame.org
SEPTEMBER 30
DUCKS UNLIMITED Midland Dinner Bush Convention Center (432) 664-9559 ducks.org
OCTOBER 1
DUCKS UNLIMITED
DU Evening of Conservation Republic Boot Company, Houston ducks.org
OCTOBER 2
COASTAL CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION
Heart of the Hills Annual Banquet Enchanted Springs Ranch, Boerne (210) 669-3732 ccatexas.org
DUCKS UNLIMITED
Killeen/Ft. Hood Dinner Banquet Killeen Civic Center ducks.org
OCTOBER 4
BLANCO COUNTY
Blanco County Wild Game Dinner
Blanco County Fairgrounds (830)833-4138 facebook.com/wildgamedinner
OCTOBER 5
KERR COUNTY 4-H WILD GAME DINNER
Hill Country Youth Event Center (830) 257-6568
kerr4hwildgamedinner.com
LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS FOUNDATION Wild Game Night Beretta Gallery, Dallas (214) 361-2276 lsonews.com
OCTOBER 9
COASTAL CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION
Lee County Annual Banquet The Silos, Giddings (979) 540-6117 ccatexas.org
OCTOBER 11
COASTAL CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION
Galveston Banquet Galveston Railroad Museum (713) 626-4222 ccatexas.org
OCTOBER 17
TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT Upland Game Bird Program Fair Park, Childress (806) 452-9828 Hailey.Hawkins@tpwd.state.gov
OCTOBER 25
ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK FOUNDATION
FOR SALE - 270 AC
HUNTING RANCH
near Red Oak, OK. 3/4 mi. of Brazile Creek, food plots, abundant wildlife. JC Barr, Broker jcbarrauctions.com (405) 245-7585
RIO GRANDE PIPE/ RENO EQUIPMENT
Our companies specialize in High Quality,clean, easily paintable, structural tubulars for fencing and construction from 1” to 36”. We have heavy weight and thick wall pipe in a variety of sizes, pre-cut posts, posts cut-toorder, and rods. Some other items we stock are 8400 gallon steel storage tanks (12’ wide x 7’ tall), pre-built H-braces, fence crossing ladder/ stairs, and culverts. Contact Josh Brown at (505)-366-3428, or Cody Hudson at (575)-441-1186
TEXANS ARCHERY CLUB Network of Archery Ranges For One Membership! TEXASARCHERY.INFO
HUNTING LEASE AVAILABLE
Rocksprings, TX 3 Blinds and Feeders Cabin for 3 people (612) 723-1323
South Texas Region Volunteer Workshop New Braunfels (832) 265-3180 events.rmef.org
OCTOBER 31
BANDERA COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 64th Annual Buckfest Dinner and Dance Mansfield Park Show Barn (830) 796-3280 banderachamber.com
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.
