REAL ESTATE ANNUAL INSIDE Texas’ Largest Hunting and Fishing Newspaper Since 2004
May 14, 2021
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Volume 17, Issue 18
East Texas bass on post-spawn feed By Nate Skinner
For Lone Star Outdoor News Post-spawn patterns for bass are taking shape across lakes situated in the eastern portion of the state. Anglers are starting to see the fish pull offshore and out of the shallows, where they are staging around deeper structure to feed. A variety of tactics are producing strikes, depending on which lake is being targeted.
New Caney resident and avid bass angler, Dillon Harrell, recently landed an 8-pound bass on a swim jig while fishing on Lake Palestine. “I’ve had most of my success on Palestine focusing on the edges of surface vegetation early in the mornings, chunking frogs, spinner baits and swim jigs,” Harrell explained. “The shad spawn is in full swing right now, so the bass are pretty easy to catch early in the morning.”
Harrell said the fish are entering into a post-spawn phase, and that they are not staying shallow for long. “Later in the day, they are pulling off of the banks and hanging in deeper, shaded areas,” he said. Harrell has also been spending some time on Lake Somerville, where he said bites are a little tougher to come by. “Somerville has been real hit-ormiss lately,” he said. “There are some fish staging up shallow early, but they Please turn to page 17
Dillon Harrell landed this 8-pound bass on a swim jig on Lake Palestine. Photo from Dillon Harrell.
Big jacks attack By Robert Sloan
For Lone Star Outdoor News
Jack crevalle provide a great fight and are abundant and willing to strike lures. Photo by Robert Sloan, for Lone Star Outdoor News.
When the water temperature along the Texas coast starts climbing into the upper 70s and lower 80s, it’s a sure bet that jack crevalle are running the surf, feeding along the jetties and schooling up on pods of baitfish in the bays. And if you like catching 20to 40-pound fish that will violently attack jigs, spoons, top-water lures and an assortment of live baits — target a jack. These fish are strong and wide and can deliver a battle royal on any given day during late spring and throughout the summer months. “It’s one of the hardest fighting fish you’ll ever hook,” said angler Victor Randazzo. “We’ve been chasing them for years on the bays between Rockport and Port O’Connor. During the warm water months, they will move into the bays from the surf and feed heavily on baitfish like mullet and pogies.” “I love catching these big fish,” he said after bringing in a 25-pounder from the
Galveston beachfront. “They will hit silver spoons all day long. They will also blow up on top-water plugs and jigs tipped with fresh dead mullet. The only thing they don’t do is jump. If they did, that would put them right up there with tarpon.” Jones fished in Galveston down to Port Aransas and said he caught several jacks up to about 32 pounds. “The best baits are big spoons that you can cast a long way,” he said. “Jacks can’t resist that silver flash. A 1-ounce spoon is best.” The mouth of the Port O’Connor jetties has been good, according to veteran guide Curtis Cash. “We started seeing schools of jacks coming in the jetties about three weeks ago,” he said. “My customers were having a blast. We were mostly fishing with big top-waters and chuggers. “We were catching so many I was taking all but the back hooks off, because we were hooking up with two at a time. That’s some Please turn to page 11
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID PLANO, TX PERMIT 210
Trend in turkey hunting Using .410 to bag birds By Craig Nyhus
There’s a new craze in the turkey hunting world that has hunters leaving their 12-gauge at home, and heading out with a .410 instead. Mike Innis, having grown up with a Mossberg bolt-action .410, decided to give it a try after hearing about the trend. “I’m an FFL dealer,“ he said. “I
dense. It was about the size of a dinner plate.” Innis also loads his own shells, including No. 6 shot for turkey. “I killed one with each, both at 28 yards,” he said. “Both turkeys were just as dead.” Lone Star Outdoor News’ David J. Sams has been testing both shotguns and loads this season. He picked up a Browning BPS .410 pump from TDM Enterprises and tested it at 15 and 30 yards with Boss shells. “After talking to a Browning
Gunmakers, ammunition companies and hunters are caught in the frenzy of making and using .410 shotguns for turkey hunting, with new shotshell loads being effective. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.
Please turn to page 6 Freshwater Fishing Report . Page 10 Saltwater Fishing Report . . Page 11 Game Warden Blotter . . . . Page 12 Heroes . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Sun, Moon & Tides . . . . . Page 15 Products . . . . . . . . . . Page 18 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . Page 19
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Lone Star Outdoor News
saw Savage’s new single-shot and ordered one. It doesn’t kick, it’s versatile and does great with varmint and vermin control. And my wife enjoys shooting it. The loads wreak havoc on the ‘coons and possums and skunks that develop a taste for my chickens.” Innis hunted near his Mason home with his new shotgun and added a red-dot scope. “I got the TSS shells,” he said. “At $6 a pop, I took one shot to pattern it at 30 yards. It was perfect. The Savage patterns real
HUNTING
FISHING
New HQ, director (P. 4)
Midcoast catches vary (P. 8)
Kubecka to take over at RPQRR.
Fish concentrated and scattered.
Campfire cooking, shooting (P. 4) Orvis founder dies (P. 8) Book gives tips, stories, recipes.
Perkins was 93.
