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www.FishGame.com Published by Texas Fish & Game Publishing Co., LLC. TEXAS FISH & GAME is the largest independent, family-owned outdoor publication in America.

Owned by Ron & Stephanie Ward and Roy & Ardia Neves.

ROY NEVES PUBLISHER

DON ZAIDLE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

CHESTER MOORE EXECUTIVE EDITOR

C O N T R I B U T O R S

JOE DOGGETT DOUG PIKE TED NUGENT BOB HOOD MATT WILLIAMS CALIXTO GONZALES LENNY RUDOW STEVE LAMASCUS LOU MARULLO KENDAL HEMPHILL TOM BEHRENS GREG BERLOCHER PAUL BRADSHAW CAPT. MIKE HOLMES REAVIS WORTHAM JOHN GISEL

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

SENIOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR SENIOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR EDITOR AT LARGE HUNTING EDITOR FRESHWATER EDITOR SALTWATER EDITOR BOATING EDITOR FIREARMS EDITOR BOWHUNTING EDITOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR HUMOR EDITOR WEBSITE CONTENT MANAGER

A D V E R T I S I N G

ARDIA NEVES VICE PRESIDENT/ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

NICOLE BECKA • DENISE BELL •

MARKETING REPRESENTATIVE MARKETING REPRESENTATIVE 1745 GREENS ROAD, HOUSTON, TX 77032 PHONE 281/227-3001 • FAX 281/227-3002

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P R O D U C T I O N

JULIANA SEALE •

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

A D M I N I S T R A T I O N

DENNISE CHAVEZ ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR TEXAS FISH & GAME (ISSN 0887-4174) is published monthly by Texas Fish & Game Publishing Co., LLC., 1745 Greens Road, Houston, Texas 77032. ©Texas Fish & Game Publishing Co., LLC. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without written permission. The publication assumes no responsibility for unsolicited photographs and manuscripts. Subscription rates: 1 year $19.00: 2 years $34.75; 3 years $48.50. Address all subscription inquiries to Texas Fish & Game, 1745 Greens Road, Houston, Texas 77032. Allow 4 to 6 weeks for response. Give old and new address and enclose latest mailing address label when writing about your subscription. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: TEXAS FISH & GAME, 1745 Greens Road, Houston, TX 77032. Address all subscription inquiries to TEXAS FISH & GAME, 1745 Greens Road, Houston, TX 77032. Email change of address to: dhruzek@fishgame.com Email new orders to: dhruzek@fishgame.com Email subscription questions to: dhruzek@fishgame.com.

Periodical postage paid at Houston, TX 77267-9946 and at additional mailing offices.

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FEATURES JULY 2010 • Volume XXVI • NO. 3

22

RIPARIAN RETREAT With more than a dozen major river systems and 3 dozen rivers, Texas has more Riparian Getaway opportunities than almost any other region.

by Matt Williams

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SNOOK ON THE RISE Snook numbers have grown significantly over the past decade, so much so that there are some real beasts out there: harking to earlier times in the last century when Texas actually produced world-class trophies.

CHICKEN OF THE SEA Chicken Dolphin, that is. This smaller version of the colorful dolphin fish (a.k.a. mahi mahi, dorado) is one of the tastiest and most sporting of Gulf Fishes.

by Mike Holmes

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The Animal Planet TV network’s wildly successful series, “River Monsters” draws over a million viewers a week with STORY: tales of big, scary freshwater fish from around the world.

TF&G executive editor Chester Moore recently inteviewed Jeremy Wade, the host of “River Monsters,” about the show, and particularly about the star of one of the series’ episodes: alligator gar from the Trinity River in Texas. Photo Courtesy Jeremy Wade

32

by Calixto Gonzales

42

INLAND/NORTH COVER:

COASTAL COVER:

EXTREME MEASURES East Texas hunters have become entangled in frustration and controversy over new restrictions in the region that limit legal harvested whitetail bucks to only those with antler spreads greater than 13 inches.

by Chester Moore

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BAPTISM BY FIRE Texas Fish & Game’s Editor-at-Large Ted Nugent shares his sure-fire methods for successfully introducing newcomers—especially kids—to the sport of shooting.

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A healthy school of snook—a sight becoming more and more common on the Texas coast. ( See Story, Page 26 ). Photo by Stacey Lynn Brown

www.FishGame.com

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COLUMNS and DEPARTMENTS JULY 2010 • Volume XXVI • NO. 3

COLUMNS 10 Editor’s Notes No Gators at Night

20 TexasWild

The Best Hunting Season Ever

by DON ZAIDLE TF&G Editor-in-Chief

by TED NUGENT TF&G Editor at Large

21 Commentary

DEPARTMENTS 8

LETTERS

12

TF&G REPORT

12

BIG BAGS & CATCHES

38

TRUE GREEN

Regulated Beyond Death

by KENDAL HEMPHILL TF&G Political Commentator

30 Texas Saltwater Rockin’ Summer Flatties

by CALIXTO GONZALES TF&G Saltwater Editor

14 Chester’s Notes Faith’s First Fish

36 Texas Freshwater Electronics Installation

by CHESTER MOORE, JR. TF&G Executive Editor

16 Doggett at Large ...and Old Men Dream Dreams

by MATT WILLIAMS TF&G Freshwater Editor

54 Hunt Texas Of Dogs and Men

by JOE DOGGETT TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

18 Pike On the Edge Oil’s Well That Ends Well

by BOB HOOD TF&G Hunting Editor

56 Open Season The Dangers of Mysticism

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www.facebook.com/pages/Texas-Fish-Game-Magazine/86524948620

by REAVIS WORTHAM TF&G Humor Editor F I S H

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www.twitter.com/FishandGame

www.FishGame.com

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Letters By the way: they make dadgum fine trout bait when diced up.

—Calixto Gonzales

Liking the Ladies I had a blast catching this ladyfish! I cant believe this isn’t a more popular species to go after. Any ways here are some pics.

Wild Things

Justin Lee Jones Via TF&G Forums Had a couple of school admnistrators on my boat one July Saturday. They had never been fishing and wanted to go. About mid morning, I spotted some birds over a school of fish, so we eased up on them. Two casts in, I pulled in a 3-pound ladyfish.

"Reel 'em in, gentlemen," I told my companions.

One of them looked at me and asked why.

I told them they weren't good eating. We'd

go look for trout instead.

They didn't want to leave the school.

They were having a blast. We stuck with those fish for three hours. I figure we caught about fifty of them.

Like I've written: fun is where you find it.

I read your article in my May Fish & Game, “Where the Wild Things Are.” I live in Brazoria County about 5 miles north of Old Ocean. My family and I have had several sightings of what I believe are jaguars.

On the first Monday of April I drove to the back of my place late in the evening to watch the deer and what ever ventured out. I have a place where I park that allows me to see down 3 right of ways and a large cleared area. I had not been there very long when a

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wild pig came out of the woods about 50 yards from me. This pig I would guess weighed about 80 pounds. What I noticed about this pig it was walking at a fast pace and headed straight across the big opening which is about 100 yards across and stops at a big wooded area. When the pig was about across the opening a movement caught my eye and a large black cat came out in the same place the pig came. This jaguar (I assume) seemed to take a path as if it was circling the prey instead of a direct rear approach. As I watched the cat it was moving across this clearing where the grass was better than knee high. What I noticed was its awesome black color and how its shoulders stood out as it walked. This cat was about three and a half feet long with a long tail. It was breath taking. I have hunted all my life and have never seen such a magnificent animal.

We have lived here since 1991. I am recently retired from the Dow Chemical Co. after 35 years. This was my first time to see one of these beautiful animals. My wife and 2 daughters have had several sightings in the past and have been telling me they are here.

I got lucky and I hope to get another chance to see one.

Mark Kelley Via Email

Talking Trash I truly appreciate your article on the problem of trash and folks leaving behind what they brought with them and not bothering to take it back with them.

I am a partial owner of Stewts Island in Lake Sabine, an area that your Mr. Chester Moore is familiar with and has probably fished around.

The Island is mentioned in your magazine as a hot spot nearly every month, which does not help my cause at all. This is and has been private property since around 1930, since my grandfather John J. Stewts and his father John T. Stewts bought the property and has been posted with "No Trespassing" and "Private Property" signs as long as I can remember. This has not stopped people from trespassing and leaving their garbage over there when they leave.

The ones who camp over there use driftwood for their camp fires and when they run out of that they cut down our trees to keep their fires burning. We have routinely walked PHOTO COURTESY JUSTIN LEE JONES

the island with flounder gigs and trash bags to pick up trash and beer cans but the glass from broken bottles are still a hazard to the numerous sand walkers that frequent the island and is hard to police.

I have done about all I can do to keep the Island from being a trash dump and I can't pick up everyone's trash for them. I am to the point of getting Orange County to police the area and make arrests as warranted for trespassing.

Please do not take this as a personal affront. I can relate to your article and I guess that I am venting somewhat. My sons and I read through your magazine from front to back every month and really appreciate all the tips on hunting and fishing.

Charles Franks Pasadena

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Editor’s Notes

by Don Zaidle| TF&G Editor-in-Chief

In our March 2009 issue, we ran a feature story, “Night of the Saurians,” about an outfitter running nighttime alligator bowhunts under what we presumed was a special “nuisance alligator” control operation set up under the auspices of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. We were wrong, the outfitter was wrong, the whole setup was wrong. Everybody thought everybody else was in the loop, but it was a classic case of the left not knowing what the right was doing and both hands in the wrong cookie jar.

I will let the author of the story, Herman Brune, flesh out the details: Y ARTICLE, “NIGHT OF THE SAURIANS,” was published in the March issue of Texas Fish & Game magazine. It tells about an outfitter, Lynn Everts, who takes clients archery alligator hunting at night. It also gives the outfitter’s contact information. Then came the surprise when recently, after a night’s expedition with an out-of-state hunter, TPWD game warden Chris Bird and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) special agent Stacy Campbell stopped the happy group for “investigative purposes.” No charges were filed at the time, but an alligator was confiscated.

According to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Outdoor Annual, lawful alligator hunting hours are from one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. Between sunset and one-half hour before sunrise, no person shall set any baited line capable of taking an alligator, remove an alligator from a line set, or use any means or methods other that line sets.

“You can’t hunt alligators at night, period,” said lead TPWD alligator biologist Amos Cooper. “If you did, you could have

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Should any question remain, it is NOT LEGAL to hunt alligators at night.

“

No Gators at Night

100 percent success rate.” [Editor’s note: A 100 percent success rate would certainly be desirable in a nuisance gator control operation.]

Head game warden Colonel Pete Flores commented that outfitters should, “Always have your local game warden involved.” And that’s where the train leaves the tracks.

Lynn Everts claims the local game warden and TPWD biologists knew and

approved of his business.

Everts said that because he was on private property and the lakes he hunted had been deemed to hold nuisance gators, he had been given a “green light” to archery hunt at night.

Landowner Don Rourk franks Everts.

He had also visited with biologists who wanted to rid his property of alligators, and is disappointed that the practice has stopped.

In many nuisance alligator instances, the state will recommend a contract hunter.

However, this method doesn’t supply a landowner with compensation for the alligators. By letting an outfitter sell hunts, the landowner was able receive pay for the alligators taken from his property. Rourk also gave the outfitters an extra key to the property with specific instructions to pass it along to

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the local game warden. The outfitters did as instructed.

Prior to the season, Everts spoke to the local game warden about more such lakes with nuisance gators and agreeable landowners. The outfitter is certain that all parties understood that he was archery hunting at night, and that if there was a problem, everyone had his contact information.

Everts shared booth space at the Safari Club International show in Reno, Nevada, to sell his hunts and solicited me to write the story for Texas Fish & Game.

The question of legality was never broached.

“It’s a shame,” said Everts.

“The state was making money on nonresident licenses, we were bringing money into the community, and these lakes are infested with alligators.

The most efficient and practical way to hunt and manage gator populations is with a bow at night. I know there are other states using this method.”

According to Flores, the legal terminology is “mistake of fact” if a game warden allows an illegal practice but then busts the parties involved. However, Flores added that the fact that game wardens have intervened demonstrates that no such “permission” to hunt alligators at night was given to the outfitter. The facts surrounding this case are under investigation by TPWD and USFWS. Appropriate charges could be filed in the appropriate jurisdiction upon its completion.

To the extent that my story may have misled readers, I apologize.

— Herman W. Brune

E-mail Don Zaidle at editor@fishgame.com.

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TF&G Report

Moore named “Wildlife Conservationist of the Year” TEXAS FISH & GAME EXECUTIVE EDITOR Chester Moore has been named “Wildlife Conservationist of the Year” by the Texas Soil & Water Conservation District (TSWC) Area IV. The organization said they were “extremely proud” to honor Moore highlight individuals and organizations who work on behalf of Texas’ natural resources.

Moore’s work on behalf of southern

flounder, waterfowl and raising awareness to the presence of black bears in East Texas were noted in the awards ceremony along with his interest in aiding Asia’s disappearing tigers.

“Moore has done an excellent job on a wide variety of conservation initiatives over the years. Congratulations on a job well done,” said Jerry Nichols TSWC board member and banquet emcee.

“I am in awe of Creation and the amazing wildlife we have from our back door to the most remote areas of the world,” Moore said.

“It’s humbling to be honored by such a prestigious organization. I will take this experience as motivation to find more unique ways to help conserve our natural resources.”

Moore was named a “Hero of

Conservation” by Field & Stream magazine in 2008 and recently received honors from the Texas Outdoors Writer’s Association for his “Flounder Revolution” project.

—Staff Report

CHL Application Process Now Online BEGINNING MAY 1, ALL APPLICANTS FOR CONcealed handguns are now able to complete the entire application form, as well as schedule their digital fingerprint appointments online.

“Completing the application form online

PRESENTS

B IG B AGS AND C ATCH

ES

JACK CREVALLE — CHANDELEUR ISLANDS

BLACK DRUM — PORT LAVACA

FERAL HOG — KYLE

Tracy Marak of Houston, caught this jack crevalle while fishing at the Chandeleur Islands. The jack, weighing over 40 pounds, took about 35 minutes to land in 3 feet of water with a topwater lure on 10-pound-test line.

Lee Armola of Dallas, caught this drum in Port Lavaca. The drum was caught using crab for bait and was released.

Melanie Wilhelm, age 15, of Lockhart, shot this 290-pound hog while night hunting with her dad in Kyle. She was using her custom-made .223.

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is convenient for applicants and will allow us to process applications faster,” said RenEarl Bowie, the Assistant Director, Regulatory Licensing, for DPS. “We are excited to offer this online service to concealed handgun applicants and hope they take advantage of the online application process.”

Applicants are also encouraged to have their fingerprints digitally scanned, instead of sending in ink fingerprints. Digital fingerprints have a 98 percent accuracy rate, far higher than traditional fingerprint captures, reducing the number of fingerprint card rejects and the inconvenience of reprints for applicants.

At this time, although supplemental materials (such as citizenship documents and criminal history) are still required to be mailed in, completing the application form online and submitting digital scanned fingerprints will alleviate much of the application processing delays.

Also, starting on May 1, applicants for CHL renewals will no longer have to submit fingerprints, and applicants with a valid Texas ID or

LARGEMOUTH BASS — LAKE CONROE Martin Weir of Richmond caught a lake record for largemouth bass on Lake Conroe. The bass weighed 6.4 pounds, and was caught on a 4weight flyrod, with 5-pound-test tippet and white woolybugger.

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Driver License will no longer have to provide photos for renewal.

For more information about the CHL application process, please see our website at http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/administration/ crime_records/chl/chlsindex.htm.

—Staff Report

Tractor Accident Kills TPWD Biologist TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT wildlife biologist Wesley Brian Littrell, 32, of Athens, died in late May after a tractorrelated accident on the Gus Engeling Wildlife Management Area in northwest Anderson County. He leaves behind an unfinished legacy of habitat conservation.

“Wes was a biologist’s biologist, most content when carrying a drip torch, reseeding an old field with native grasses, disking a fire break, thinning a stand of post oaks, and sharing his passion for the land and the habitat that he loved with all who would listen,” said Carter Smith, TPWD executive director.

“I trust we may all take some measure of solace knowing that Wes died on the WMA while doing the work he loved best.

He will be missed dearly by his colleagues inside the agency.”

Littrell’s mark can be seen in the native grassland fields he had a hand in creating in East Texas.

“Wes was known for his passion about native habitat management,” said Jeff Gunnels, area manager at the Gus Engeling WMA and Littrell’s supervisor. “He was ‘Mr. Habitat.’”

When he came to the WMA in December 2006, Littrell’s focus was creating demonstration sites to share with landowners and make landscape-level impacts in native grassland conservation.

“Wes was a doer who didn’t just come up with ideas, but took the lead in getting the job done,” Gunnels said.

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Like the native warm season grasses he sowed, Littrell’s reputation in the conservation arena was growing and spreading across the state. Other professionals began seeking his advice on native grassland conversion and restoration.

“He enjoyed working with landowners and showing them what they could accomplish in habitat improvement,” said Gunnels. “He also liked working with kids and teaching youth about habitat conservation.”

Littrell joined TPWD as a student intern in 1996, became an agency employee in the State Parks Division at Eisenhower State Park, was hired in 2001 as a wildlife biologist in northeast Texas counties along the Red River, and was the lead biologist at the Gus Engeling WMA since 2007.

Wes Littrell is survived by his wife Lynne who is expecting their first child in November; parents, Mike and Lynne Littrell of Tom Bean, Texas; brother, Brad Littrell and wife Jenny of Hutto, Texas;

PHOTO: TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE DEPT.

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Wesley Brian Littrell niece, Madilyn Littrell; grandfather, Oscar Wetzel of Tom Bean; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Gary and Malinda Bender of Cresco, PA; brother-in-law, Randy Bender and wife Gwen of Mountainhome, PA; and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.

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Chester’s Notes

by Chester Moore | TF&G Executive Editor

Faith’s First Fish EARLY TWO YEARS AGO, I HELD HER IN MY arms for the first time.

In a remote city in the People’s Republic of China, Faith officially entered the lives of Chester and Lisa Moore.

We had traveled across the world to take in this fragile little girl who we were told had cerebral palsy, couldn’t walk, couldn’t talk, and had a host of other issues.

As I embraced this precious child and Lisa looked on, I thought no matter what her abilities, we would love her with all our hearts. And for some reason I envisioned her with a fishing rod, watching a bobber go under and smiling like an angel.

It was probably just a new Dad who loved the outdoors wanting the best for his child but the image was a strong one and gave me a hope on an exciting but also challenging day.

Recently, we took Faith on her first true fishing trip on some stocked ponds owned by my friend Kenneth Pigg.

She has been fishing with us a couple of times already but her attention span wasn’t quite up to task, so we thought we would give it another try on a beautiful spring day.

I brought some live bait to fish under a popping cork and threw out a rig to see if the fish were biting. If not, we might have to do something else, but if they were, maybe Faith would want to join in this time.

Well, as soon as the cork hit the water, Faith ran up to me, grabbed my rod, and started popping the cork. She worked it like an old pro. I mean she really impressed me.

Picture 38-inch tall Faith with my 84inch spinning rod, working it better than

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most adults. We didn’t have time to break out her little rod, she was determined to fish with mine so I obliged. Here was a kid who wasn’t supposed to be able to walk, let alone stand up and hold a fishing rod owning the moment.

I noticed the cork go under for a second, so I grabbed the rod and waited until it completely disappeared and set the hook. The rod doubled over, I handed it back to Faith and she began fighting her first-ever fish, a feisty largemouth bass.

When it broke the surface, Faith’s eyes lit up. Well, her eyes are

always lit up as anyone who knows her can attest but they really lit up upon seeing the pretty, green bass.

“Daddy, a pish! A pish!”

Now she can say “fish” perfectly fine but she chooses to call them a “pish” and I must admit, it is super cute.

Well, this “pish” was flipping, flopping and jumping all over the place and by the time she landed it, Faith was so worked up from laughter she could barely stand.

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She immediately wanted to touch it, so I took out the hook, showed her how to cradle it in her arms and let her release it back into the water to fight another day.

She was overwhelmed with joy watching the bass swim away and then picked up my rod to try and catch another.

For many seeing their child catch a first fish is a milestone, a moment to commemorate in photographs and file away for later reminiscing. For me, however, it was more profound.

I saw a child healed of disabilities, living out her potential and experiencing a pure joy that can only be bestowed by the one who put her in our lives. I saw that hope is not a what, it’s a who, and Faith is not just the name of our little girl but the only thing that ushers in the miraculous.

I watched a child entranced by a bobber disappearing as I had been so many times in my youth.

The difference was my first fish was a tiny croaker while hers was a legal-sized largemouth bass. She beat me by a mile in the cool fish department and I couldn’t be happier.

After all, aren’t our children supposed to do better than us? Sadly, statistics show that for the first time in modern America that may not be true for a majority of young Americans.

I say not on my watch, not on my life and for my daughter, never. Like all children, she should enjoy the best opportunities our great country has to offer and fishing definitely falls under that category. In my opinion, it’s right at the top.

Yeah, I think so, and from the smile I saw on Faith’s face that day, I think she agrees.

Email Chester Moore at cmoore@fishgame.com PHOTO BY CHESTER MOORE

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Doggett At Large

by Joe Doggett | TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

...and Old Men Dream Dreams OU KNOW YOU ARE GETTING OLD WHEN A group photograph of your long-time fishing buddies looks like an audition for an enlarged prostate commercial—or worse, an erectile dysfunction advertisement.

And, most disheartening, an unbiased review of the grizzled lineup suggests that you are among the top candidates for the shoot.

Last month, I directed a column to youngsters facing the joys of the outdoors; this one is aimed at the opposite or sagging end of the spectrum.

No question, fishing is graying and the trend promises only to continue as increasing ranks of “Boomers” face the vagaries of wind and tide—not to mention the uncertainties of Social Security and Medicare.

The fact is, those of us who sat before grainy black-and-white televisions and faithfully watched the summer camp outdoor adventures of “Spin and Marty” on the Mickey Mouse Club Show are slowing down. And we are running out of time. We have only so many active years remaining.

The trail “way down yonder on the Triple R” was traveled a long time ago.

My lifelong passion for surfing is a painful reminder of this inevitable falling apart with the passage of time. Whoever glorified the “golden years” should be prosecuted for fraud. He certainly wasn’t a surfer.

Surfing even at the most basic levels demands agility and conditioning. You cannot cheat with a surfboard, and this is one of the great and stripped-down truths of wave riding. It looks simple and it is, but everything is moving and everything is wet.

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I am creaky and stiff, plagued with a bad lower back, and huff and puff with each paddling stroke. I cannot get to my feet fast enough on a steep wave. A late takeoff in a pitching crest is a national disaster, incredible catastrophe happening before your very eyes, a guaranteed launch with flailing arms and flying board and gagging curses through the rinse cycle.

Fortunately, fishing is more forgiving. You can age with grace and dignity while angling; in fact, the “old salt” can be a revered figure.

The old surfer is pretty much a goner.

Wading rough water or soft bottom is more difficult with bad legs and short breath, and all-day sessions amid summer heat might be unrealistic, but you can pick the right drill and keep on chunking long into senior-citizen status. Worst-case: with a few helping hands, you can fish from a chair.

There is great consolation in the therapeutic values of angling. Being on pleasant water is an age-old balm—just ask Izaak Walton or Henry David Thoreau. Truly, you can grow old in harmony with fishing; you can carry a rod and reel all the way to the door of the dreaded nursing home.

But each Boomer must concede that most of the best days are behind. Unless you have figured a way to remain active beyond 100 years of age, it’s a matter of simple math.

Most likely, 20 or 30 vital years are left before you become too feeble and senile to hit the water with even an errant lob.

To be brutally honest, for the leaders of the pack the count might be less than 10 years, and this is assuming some horrible sickness or accident doesn’t muddy the water.

Therefore, I have a suggestion: Enlist some of those Flomax buddies and start planning a few dream trips. If you keep stalling, putting it off with one excuse or another, it might not happen. And that would be a tragedy. You owe it to yourself— a grand angling adventure in the company of old and proven friends.

If you enjoy cold-water fly-fishing, the choice might be an expedition to Alaska for rainbow trout and silver salmon. Or maybe a

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trip to the Patagonia region of Chile and Argentina. Or how about Atlantic salmon in Russia?

If it’s saltwater fly-fishing, consider the mixed-bag “grand slam” opportunities for bonefish, tarpon, and permit in the Yucatan.

Or perhaps a full-blown bonefish campaign to Christmas Island in the south Pacific; or Andros, or Abaco in the Bahamas.

If you prefer plugging, consider peacock bass or dorado in South America, or maybe light-tackle tarpon or bait-and-switch sailfish in Costa Rica.

The options are many and airline schedules can put you within one-day reach of many excellent venues. Even far-flung rivers and tides usually can be tapped within two days of travel. Fishing the globe never has been easier.

Of course, cost might be an issue. It often is, with or without a 401K or rich and elderly aunt. I don’t have an answer for that one, but many discounted package trips are available due to the sluggish economy. Lodges and outfitters are trying to make it happen.

If Iceland or New Zealand is out of the question, aim for a closer, less-expensive destination. Obtain a few references or fire up the laptop and start searching.

And if you must stretch the budget a bit, well, you’ll get no argument from me. You’ve earned a few big trips.

I’ve traveled a lot with fishing rods and covered many wonderful waters. And it is sad to realize that my horizons are becoming more limited. There are great places in my memory that, in reality, I never will see again. I used to not think that way.

But I’ve still got game (and a wellstamped United States Passport) and places await that I am determined to reach with fly and plug. If fishing is in your blood and you are sufficiently grizzled to remember sitting after school before the grainy black-andwhite television set, I urge you to heed this advice.

E-mail Joe Doggett at doggett@fishgame.com

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Pike on the Edge

by Doug Pike | TF&G Senior Contributing Editor decades down the pike, and a cessation of offshore drilling would leave us desperately beholding to foreign suppliers. As is always the case, the best solution lies around midway between extremists’ views.

And make no mistake that there are extremes when it comes to opinions on offshore production. The trouble with extremism, however, is that it nearly always is based on research hand-picked to support a predetermined position.

Oil’s Well That Ends Well RAGEDY SUFFERED BY THE GULF OF MEXICO this spring and summer with the explosion of Deep Water Horizon will haunt us and our marine resources for years, maybe decades. Still, somehow, someday, some good will come of this.

First, even months now after the fact, it is right to acknowledge the personal losses suffered by families whose loved ones died that day. God rest their souls, one and all.

I have started, stopped, and restarted this column several times in the past three weeks, and my uncertainty with the situation mirrors that of several respected colleagues. There are many sides to this story, most not yet told.

I am a Texan. Oil put food my family’s table when I was a child. I am also a strong advocate for marine resources and their conservation, a man who believes that massive, uncontrolled oil spills should be entirely avoidable nearly 50 years after we sent the first man to the moon.

A part of me is amazed by the engineering feat of extracting crude from wells drilled in thousands of feet of water by computerbalanced, floating production platforms.

Keep it up, that part cheers, with fingers crossed.

And then there are oil-soaked birds and idled fishing boats and captains out of work, and I want to say, “Stop” until we develop safer safeguards and a more pro-active response to blown pipes a mile underwater.

Until then, build windmills or accelerate research into electricity and hydrogen and other alternative fuels. (But not ethanol, because its production sends the price of deer corn through the roof.)

Large-scale shift to alternative fuels is

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do happen. Every attempt at something that has either never been done or never been done big carries risk. Nothing historical ever happened with zero chance of failure.

When disasters of Deep Water Horizonmagnitude take place, consequences are overwhelming, and there have been similar spills in the past. And the chance for another will exist until we have sucked the planet’s hydrocarbon reserves dry. Fortunately, the Earth’s ecosystem is remarkably resilient, but the long-term fading of these oily scars offers little consolation now.

The silver lining beneath this ugly cloud will come sooner than the end of the cleanup and likely be delivered as strict, new measures to protect against future catastrophic failures under the sea. Additionally, if we learned anything here, we will have a swifter, broader response the next time an unsinkable Titanic sinks.

The thing that bothered me most in the wake of Deep Water Horizon’s fiery collapse was how quickly the finger-pointing began.

So long as you are pointing at someone else, the adage goes, nobody is looking at you.

Instead of looking for the doorstep at which to lay blame, I would have preOil-soaked birds and idled ferred that those bright minds concentratfishing boats illustrate the ed on plugging the leak and mopping the risk involved in seeking spill. energy independence.

Before May 2010, I doubt that many Outdoor Impact people realized how much oil is produced from the deep Gulf of Mexico, or that one well could spew so much crude so fast.

Nonetheless, that staggering volume of oil produced here and around the world from thousands of wells on land and at sea, is necIf you have already decided that deep- essary. It is what keeps Western cultures racwater drilling is bad, you can rummage the ing toward the future...white knuckles on the internet and uncover mounds of information wheel and barreling down roads filled with to back what is written in red Sharpie on potholes and blind curves. your tambourine.

It will be a long and bumpy ride, but we Or, if you are in unrestricted favor of will get past Deep Water Horizon, and so domestic drilling to reduce dependency on will the Gulf of Mexico. imported oil, you will find beaucoup allies on the “accidents happen” side of the bleachers E-mail Doug Pike at who chalk up Deep Water Horizon as unforoffshore@fishgame.com tunate but unavoidable.

Granted—pardon the cliché—accidents

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Ted Nugent’s TexasWild

by Ted Nugent | TF&G Editor-at-Large

The Best Hunting Season Ever IXTY GLORIOUS YEARS OF TROMPING THE wild. So far. Well, that first fall in 1949, I wasn’t exactly “tromping,” but I was out there with my mom and dad, and as I approach my sixtieth hunting season, all I can say is kowabunga! And pass the SpiritWild!

I do believe that for as long as I can remember, which means forever, I have exclaimed at the end of each hunting season that it was my best hunting season ever. By normal people’s definition and standards, some years might or might not provided more and bigger bucks, maybe more pheasant or squirrel or other game than previous years, but there is always something spectacular and unique to each season that convinces me that it was indeed my best ever.

I think I am just very happy to be alive and refuse to waste a single precious moment of this amazing gift. What better way than to go hunting as much as possible? I figured that out all by myself.

I haven’t done it all by any stretch of the imagination. Never killed a Rocky Mountain goat or any of the wild sheep of North America. Never bow-killed a grizzly bear or a Roosevelt elk—yet. And though I am truly impressed by big, mature animals of trophy proportions, I have never been and will probably never be a record book kind of hunter. I do cherish every encounter, every step, every moment, and mostly every kill of every hunt, and am dead sure that each of my seasons has indeed gotten better every year.

But even wilder than that assertion is how I am convinced that, once again, in all my maniacal optimism, I am about to embark on the very best hunting season ever of my life—again!

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The reason I am so sure about this coming season being my best ever is because my favorite hunting has been so well defined over all these years.

The little things mean so much more to me than size or numbers of critters bagged.

At the top of the list is hunting close to home so I can be with my wife and as many of my kids and grandkids as I can gather around.

Being home with my family and dogs every day brings me indescribable joy. The fact that my Texas and Michigan properties happen to be game rich, dream hunting-zones sure doesn’t hurt. I am truly a blessed, fortunate man, and am typing this on bended knee. Hallelujah!

The most influential element of my “best season ever” confidence comes from the simple fact that never in my long hunting life have I cared less about trophy quality of the game I seek or bag. We all know the supposed historical guideline of how a hunter develops over time, going from novice lessonlearner, to gangbuster game hog, to disciplined trophy hunter, and supposedly to nonconsumptive spectator. Yeah, right. Not this old backstrapper, I’m here to tell you.

Long, long ago, I figured out my highest of highs came from outguessing game, or at least trying.

Having chosen the extremely limited bow and arrow early-on as my ultimate weapon of choice, the inherent challenge of killing wary big game up close and personal with a sharp stick created its own limiting force, so the game-hogging period was virtually impossible, and remains so for the most part to this day. The Ol’ WhackMaster with his deadly, trusty bow and arrow, for all practical purposes, poses zero threat to any wildlife populations, I assure you.

Always working tirelessly on my pure predator stealth capabilities has forever consumed me. I also admit that I am just not as good a hunter as many of friends are, so I naturally push myself to work harder at it to make up for my reduced smarts. Thankfully, I am no longer a bumbling idiot, but still have to put in much more time to get the job done as compared to the really gifted hunters out there.

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But this is good; for the rewards, when they finally come, are so sweet as to defy description. That’s why you see me get all goofy-giddy on TV when I put it all together and my arrows fly true. It is indeed the highest of highs.

So, I shoot every day, dream every day, and plan every day. There are a lot of deer running wild out there that need killing and grilling, and more and more opportunities to be cultivated and enjoyed. Sheer science demands that I don’t wait for a trophy buck because so many does need to be killed on all of my hunting grounds this year. The squirrels are thick, the rabbit population up, and doves galore. More bears and bear-hunting ops keep coming out of the woodwork, and if elk turn you on, these are surely the good old days.

I’m going to hunt every morning and every afternoon every day of the season, I can promise you that. I am going to practice with my bows, rifles, handguns, and shotguns like a man possessed. I will go slow, pay attention, aim small, and miss small. I hope to whack ‘em, stack ‘em, kill ‘em, and grill ‘em.

I will share the bounty of my good hunting fortune with many homeless shelters and soup kitchens across the land for those Americans less fortunate who cherish the sacred venison flesh of my predator efforts.

I will take many children into the wild and share many spirit campfires with the wounded heroes of the U.S. military to show my deep appreciation for their sacrifices and dedication to freedom.

I will hunt hard because I just know this will be the best hunting season of my life.

That’s what I’m going to do.

E-mail Ted Nugent at tnugent@fishgame.com

On the Web For more Ted Nugent writings, visit www.tednugent.com

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Commentary

by Kendal Hemphill | TF&G Political Commentator

EXAS FISH & GAME SHOOTING EDITOR STEVE LaMascus and I were recently discussing the new Xrail shotgun magazine System from Roth Concepts.

The Xrail System is basically a magazine attachment that allows a shotgun to fire up to 23 rounds without reloading.

Steve mentioned that it would be perfectly legal to hunt upland game birds with an Xrail-equipped shotgun, but not migratory game birds. And then he wondered why not.

We decided the only reason such a shotgun is not a legal hunting tool for migratory birds is because our government does not allow it. The device would not negate the bag limit, and using it would in no way be any more detrimental to birds than any other shotgun. The only reason it is illegal is because it is illegal.

But then, that seems to be the only reason a lot of things are illegal these days.

It is against Texas law, for example, to carry certain knives, but not others. Prohibited blades include double-edged knives, switchblades, daggers, throwing knives, swords, and spears. Lock-blades are illegal under some circumstances, and any knife with a blade longer than 5.5 inches is prohibited. The Bowie knife falls into this category, obviously.

This means that your fillet knife, which probably has a blade longer than 5.5 inches, cannot be carried on your person unless you are on your own property, or unless you are actively engaged in fishing. You can leave it in your vehicle, but you can’t legally carry it in your pocket.

A knife that opens at the push of a button is somewhat more convenient, but hardly

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more deadly, than one that requires two hands to operate. A knife with two edges stabs no deeper than a comparable knife with one edge. Yet these knives are illegal, and the only reason is that our government wants control over its citizens.

Speaking of government control, the federal government has taken a firm stance against Arizona Governor Jan Brewer for signing the state’s new illegal immigration statute. The Arizona law, incidentally, is less aggressive than federal laws on illegal immi-

gration, and virtually identical to California’s statutes.

Despite the fact that Arizona is the unofficial gateway to America for illegal aliens, despite the fact that an Arizona rancher was recently found murdered by someone who wasn’t supposed to be in America, despite the fact that thousands of illegals caught crossing into Arizona from the south are citizens of nations aggressive to the U.S., including countries that sponsor terror, such as Afghanistan, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Pakistan, and Yemen ... despite all this, Arizona governor Jan Brewer is still being vilified as a racist for trying to protect Arizona’s borders. This is supposed to be the federal government’s job, but federal law enforcement officials are spread too thin to make much of a dent in the deluge of unlawful entry into the U.S. Arizona has a history of standing up for its rights. For example, in 1994 Sheriff Richard Mack of Graham County, Arizona, filed suit in Federal District Court in Tucson against enactment of the Brady Bill. His reasoning was that the bill would require him to violate his oath to uphold the United States T E X A S

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Constitution.

After a long, expensive, exhausting battle, Sheriff Mack won. On June 27, 1997, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Mack was right, and that the Brady Bill was unconstitutional. Justice Scalia reminded Congress, “the Constitution protects us from our own best intentions.”

The relevant fact about this story, however, is not that anti-constitutionalists managed to get an illegal law passed by our legislators, or that our Supreme Court decided in favor of our constitution. The relevant fact is that the Brady Bill was not negated. It remained in effect for another seven years after it was proven unconstitutional.

That says something about our leadership, but it says more about us. Ultimately, we, the People, have the responsibility to oversee our elected officials. If we neglect the job, we deserve what we get.

Patrick Henry was one of the strongest advocates for the American Revolution. In a March 1775 speech, he said, “They tell us, sir, that we are weak, unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be next week? Will it be next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed and a guard stationed in every house?

Shall we gain strength by irresolution and inaction? Sir, we are not weak if we make proper use of those means which the God of nature has placed within our power.”

We have the same means our forefathers had. They used their means to forge a great nation. We can use ours to maintain what they built, or we can ignore our responsibilities and allow it to be taken away and replaced with the chains of political correctness and socialism.

Our choices are the same as those offered

by Henry at the end of that speech: Liberty or Death.

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E-mail Kendal Hemphill at commentary@fishgame.com

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With more than a dozen major river systems and 3 dozen rivers, Texas has more Riparian Getaway opportunities than almost any other region

BY MATT WILLIAMS THE ANGELINA RIVER was rolling along at a leisurely clip and the young angler who politely introduced himself as “Tyler” was having a blast.

The tea-colored water was crawling with brawny white bass and he was reeling in thick shouldered 2 1/2 pounders on just about every cast.

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I didn’t dare move too close to the action for fear of spoiling it, but it was easy to see from a distance that the kid’s dad was having just as much fun coaching and doing the dirty work as his son was playing the game.

“Something just doesn’t seem right about this deal,” he joked. “Here I am in the back, paddling and unhooking fish while he sits up there loading the boat.”

Actually, the anglers weren’t in a boat at all. They were gliding around in a 14-foot fiberglass canoe they had hauled down a dirt road to the river’s edge in the bed of a pick-up truck.

Dozens of other paddle boats were on the water that day, but the steady stream of kayaks, canoes and small jon boats really came as no surprise. When it comes to riparian retreats, few places I have visited in the eastern Texas can hold a candle to the Angelina when it comes to natural beauty and high quality fishing for white bass, largemouth bass and catfish.

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PART 7 OF OUR YEAR-LONG SERIES T E X A S

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The snake-like channel winds for miles through rugged, East Texas bottomland that closely resembles something out of the movie, “Deliverance.” It is not a clear-water retreat, by any means, but it does pack a spicy mix of eerie scenery the do-it-yourself paddler won’t find anywhere else in Texas.

The 120-mile long river begins in Rusk County and flows southwest through Cherokee, Nacogdoches and Angelina counties before dumping into 114,000-acre Sam Rayburn Reservoir.

It ends just above B.A Steinhegan Reservoir, where it meets with the Neches River and forms “The Forks.”

Put-in points along the upper Angelina include the SH 7 and SH 21 and U.S. Highway 59 crossings. Best access on the lower Angelina is at the Bevilport Ramp off FM 2799, SH 63 and Martin Dies State Park. The float is most enjoyable during cool weather seasons.

Another popular flatwater destination for East Texas paddlers is Village Creek, a clear-running stream that brushes against sugar white sandbars and heavily wooded shorelines that support all sorts of wildlife that call the Big Thicket National Reserve home. Fishermen should bring light tackle with small spinners, jigs or live bait to catch largemouths, bream and catfish. The Village flows for about 51 miles, but trips can be cut short using access points at U.S. Highway 287/69, FM 620, FM 418, FM 327, U.S. 96 or Village Creek State Park. Eastex Canoe Trails (eastexcanoe.com) offers rentals, shuttles guide trips here as well as the Neches River.

With 14 more major rivers and countless streams and tributaries that feed to fro, the list of high quality riparian retreats available in Texas is way too large to list them all in this space. What follows is a brief rundown of some of the top spots to make a float, listed by region.

If you forget everything else you read here, be sure to avoid planning a trip during flood conditions and always respect private property boundaries. Many riverside landowners frown on trespassing, which could result in a brisk fine, or worse, if you get caught or find yourself in a confrontation.

Central Texas The Brazos River runs for 840 miles and parts it offer enjoyable clear water paddling amid scenic backdrops of towering 24 |

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CANOE OR KAYAK A canoe or kayak is an affordable way to get on the river on just about any budget. www.academy.com

River Watercraft PADDLES Your canoe or kayak won’t go anywhere but downstream without them. www.carlislepaddles.com

River Propulsion TENT Shelter and other overnight gear make float-fishing trips more enjoyable. www.eurekatent.com

River Lodging ULTRALIGHT LURES Assortment of micro-fishing lures, great for river fish (and especially for kids to catch them with). www.basspro.com

River Tackle limestone cliffs, rolling hills and scrub brush flats. Several stretches of water from the Possum Kingdom Dam southeast to Waco offer outstanding fishing for largemouths, stripers, smallmouths, hybrids and catfish.There are numerous public access points along the way for do-ityourselfers. Guided expeditions are available through River Run Guide Service (214418-9786), which offers access to numerous private property put-in points and camping spots up and down the river.

The Guadalupe River is recognized by many as the golden nugget of Texas rivers, but veteran river rats will label the San Marcos as the most reliable spot to dip a paddle year-round because of the constant recharge belched from Aquarena Springs in

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San Marcos. The scenery along the clearwater river is classic Hill Country and the fishing can be good for Guadalupe bass, largemouths, spotted bass, catfish and perch.

It is worth noting that the upper portion of the Guadalupe that is the Canyon Lake tailrace offers year-round access to sizable populations of rainbow trout and an occasional brown. See sidebar for access point info.

South Texas Located at the southern tip of the Texas Hill Country, the Rio Frio ranks as one of most scenic riparian retreats in the state.

Paddlers will find themselves swallowed in a majestic landscape comprised of limestone bluffs and bald cypress trees and, at times, up close and personal with various wildlife such deer, turkey and feral hogs. The river is

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at its best after periods of adequate rainfall but has been known to slow to a trickle during the hot summer months. The most popular stretch lies between Leakey and Concan to the south. There are numerous access points along the way, with Garner State Park situated right in the middle of the most frequented stretch.

North Texas If you want to combine some serious fishing with your next float trip, the 33- mile stretch of Red River below the Lake Texoma deserves a serious look. The clear waters are abundant with blue catfish, channel catfish, largemouth bass, stripers and hybrids that will make fast work of artificial, live and prepared baits. The river flows flat and wide with easy access at three points beginning with the US Army Corp of Engineers Campground on the Oklahoma side and ending at the Texas SH 78 crossing near Bonham.

West Texas Paddlers with a large appetite for adventure will find plenty of allure in the Devil’s

River above Lake Amistad and the Rio Grande River, which serves as the border between Texas and New Mexico and the International boundary between Texas and Mexico. Both rivers are wilderness paddling at their finest, but are recommended only for experienced paddlers who are accustomed to “roughing it” for days at a time. Even skilled paddlers are advised to use a knowledgeable guide who knows the ins and outs of navigating willow jungles and hairy stretches laden with boulder gardens and dangerous rapids.

One of the best on both rivers is Marc McCord, owner of Southwest Paddler in Richardson (southwestpaddler.com or 214998-4922). The fishing opportunities are likely best on the Devil’s, where you can catch largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, catfish and other species from beautiful clear green pools.

The Rio Grande has numerous access points with varied float lengths ranging 11 to 140 miles. There only two access point on the Devil’s, Baker’s Crossing and the Devil’s River State Natural Area (by appointment only).

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On the Web Websites offer wealth of info on Texas riparian retreats If you can float or paddle it in Texas, Marc McCord has probably been there and done it, quite possibly more than once.

McCord is a 62-year-old expert paddler/full-service outfitter from Richardson, who has paddled well over 6,000 miles on riverine waters in nine states since 1997, including more than 1,500 miles in 2009 alone.

Those who share the passion will find a wealth of knowledge about riparian retreats across Texas and beyond on two websites owned and designed by McCord himself:

www.southwestpaddler.com www.canoeman.com

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THE COMEBACK KIDS OF TEXAS SALTWATER

BY CALIXTO GONZALES T E X A S

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IT WAS A BAD DAY to be a mullet in South Bay. A vast school of the finny vegetarians had congregated in this little offshoot bay of Lower Laguna Madre, and every predator in the vicinity

I had joined Captain Gilbert Vela, his wife Terry, and their longtime friend Monique Hensler on a morning foray into South Bay to see if there was any activity worth casting to. Vela pointed his rod tip at the school of harassed mullet.

"Monique, cast over there," he said.

"That's a good fish."

Without hesitation, Monique cast a bone/silver Top Dog just beyond the nervous water and began a fast-cadence walk back through the school. Mullet scattered, there was a loud ker-chug!, and Monique was fast to a broad-shouldered, 35-inch snook. The big robalo jumped twice and rattled its gills. It bulled toward the mangroves, but Monique turned it just short. The fish cartwheeled one more time and the Berkley Big Game 10pound line snapped.

Over the course of the next two hours or so, the Velas and Monique hooked, landed,

liberated plug with a net. "He wants us to come to play some more."

For years, the snook that swam Lower Laguna Madre were fish of near-mythical status. People claimed to know someone who knew someone that had caught one. Some had even hooked one of the line-sided denizens of tangles, snags, and other forms of structure, only to lose the beast at the boat.

An occasional lucky soul would even land one, promptly release it, and thus condemn himself to hours of trying to convince his buddies that he caught a honest-to-goodness snook.

The story of the snook is a classic tale of boon-bust-recovery. According to a Texas Parks & Wildlife department article by Randy Blankenship, former Lower Laguna Madre Ecosystem Leader (now with the National Marine Fisheries Service), the snook was a commercially important species

was plowing into it with abandon. Pods of mullet skipped and flew from unseen attackers in desperate attempts to avoid becoming breakfast. A small group of mullet tried to find shelter among the Snook in Texas have a classic tale of boom-bust-boom.

Commercially viable in the 40s, hard to find in recent decades, they are now making a healthy rebound.

mangrove trees that lined the north end of the bay, only to get strafed by something among the roots.

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along the Western Gulf and released six snook Coast as late as the 1940s. to 25 inches, and a "Commercial snook landnice slot redfish that ings ... reached 230,000 went into the ice Texas Snook Comeback pounds landed in Port Isabel chest. Every so in 1928," Blankenship wrote. often, we heard the big snook jump and shake its head. Just before From that point on, landings decreased in size we pulled up stakes ahead of a storm front, until no commercial harvest of snook were the same bone/silver Top Dog floated by the reported beyond 1961.

Snook weren't just plentiful, they grew to boat.

"See that," Vela said as he scooped up the record sizes. The state record snook weighed

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57 pounds and came from the Boca Chica surf in 1937. (In this case, the common snook, which is not to be confused with the two species of fat snook that inhabit the same waters, but don't grow much beyond 25 inches.) This snook was heavier than the recognized IGFA record as recently as 1991.

Blankenship also wrote that the cause of the decline is unknown, whether it was overfishing, habitat depletion due to reduced flows from a multiple-dammed Rio Grande, killer freezes, disease, or a combination of factors. Whatever the reason, snook numbers bottomed out in the 1960s and remained mostly stagnant through the end of the 1980s.

In the early 1990s, there was a small but notable increase of snook turning up in TPWD gillnets in Lower Laguna Madre.

Boat ramp creel surveys began to show a steady up-tick in snook landings. Though the numbers of snook were still minute compared to speckled trout and redfish (which, at the time, were back at historic levels after the gillnet ban and game fish designation), the biomass of snook was increasing. Reports started filtering in of snook showing up in Port Mansfield, along the Padre Island National

Seashore, and into Corpus Christi and Port Aransas--well north of their traditional home area.

"There's no doubt that the snook population has grown," said Blankenship in an interview prior to his departure to NMFS. "The numbers are a positive indication about the snook's future."

Snook numbers have grown significantly over the past decade, so much so that there are some real beasts out there. Vela's best fish last year was a 38-inch snook that nailed a red/white shad tail on a 1/8-ounce jighead.

Larry Haynes, who holds the Texas fly rod record for snook, hooked into another snookzilla that he figures was "over 49 inches; easily over 30-35 pounds." That fish threw the tarpon fly Haynes was using, but not before rendering a 10-weight fly rod into pieces of useless graphite.

On one particular trip up into the Brownsville Ship Channel, my wife Sandie and I spotted several big snook lurking among the pilings and structure around the docks.

Even if we could coax them into taking a bait, there was no way we could drag them out of there.

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That might be part of the snook mystique: these fish don't play by normal rules. They are relatively plentiful, but tough to catch.

Their range is relatively limited, but they appear where they have no business being.

Regulations allow the harvest of one snook between 24 and 28 inches per day, but most snook hunters prefer to release all they catch.

These fish are more valuable alive than chopped into ceviche.

"These are such wonderful fish that it's hard to keep one," Casey said.

Snook have that affect on people.

On the Web Video of snook stocking efforts by UT’s Port Aransas Marine Science Center: www.FishGame.com/video Keyword: snook

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Texas Saltwater

by Calixto Gonzales | TF&G Saltwater Editor

Rockin’ Summer Flatties HEN SUMMER’S SOUTHEASTERLY breezes push clean, clear Gulf water close to Texas beaches, most fishermen begin to think about big surf-running trout and rampaging schools of Spanish mackerel. Some dream of the big redfish that roam the surf. Others itch to walk the rocks and fling big plugs and flies to persuade a kingfish or big tarpon to come out and play.

Few think about flounder while hitting the rocks. However, a look at the Texas Lake & Bays Atlas shows that one of the most recommended spots for flounder up and down the coast is the local jetty complex. When you think about it, you can’t help but wonder, why not?

Jetties provide the sort of structure and bottoms big flounder love. The surf is always full of fresh and sundry prey for flounder.

The smooth yellow-to-white sand is filled with shells and pebbles that flatties can easily match as camo, and the deeper water on the channel side and tip of the rocks is an ideal area to retreat when conditions are unfriendly.

Randy Blankenship, formerly of TPWD, once told me about the incredible number of big flounder that sit along the drop-offs in deep water where the stones taper off at the end of the jetties. These were some real beasts in the 8- to 10-pound range.

They’d sit out there and feast on small sand trout, croaker, whiting, and pogy.

Redfish, Spanish mackerel, and speckled trout get so much attention among rock hoppers that many fishermen forget about the third-most popular fish on the coast. Most of the flatties caught while fishing jetties are

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considered incidental to seeking the other three species. The irony is that a fisherman can really dial into some spectacular flounder action among the pink granite during July.

All jetties by their very design provide easy access to the different guts that form the beachfront. Much like trout and redfish, flounder will move up into the first and second guts early in the morning, especially on an incoming tide. That Carolina Rig that you’ve been fishing for everything else will also catch them. Like every other suds-runner, surf saddle blankets will hit a live finger mullet or shrimp that is worked slowly along the bottom of a deep gut.

The hole that is formed where the jetty intersects with the shoreline is another spot worth a try. Hydrostatic action scours a deeper hole in that corner that is easily visible while standing on top of the rocks.

“Deeper” is a relative term. At high tide, the area my not be more than 3 feet deep, but it’s plenty deep to hold a flounder or two. I’ve pulled some remarkable fish from such a spot on the South Brazos-Santiago Jetties on Boca Chica Beach. One flounder that I caught this past April tipped the Toledoes at just over 5 pounds. That’s a good flounder when you can get it.

Don’t eschew the channel side of a jetty system either. There are some niches and cuts on along the channel side that catch sand and form beds near the rocks. Flounder gravitate to these pockets, especially if they form a current break or eddy. A boater with a good trolling motor is at a real advantage in fishing these cuts, because he can hold in place and sharp-shoot the area.

A classic, but unused technique for working these shoreline edges is the classic bucktail jig. A 1/4-ounce pink bucktail with a live shrimp to sweeten the deal is one of the most effective combos I’ve ever used for flounder.

Break the horn off the shrimp so that it will ride straight on the hook, then pass the hook through the bug’s head from bottom to top (as usual, avoid the black spot on the shrimp’s head, or you’ll kill it instantly). If you want to add scent, snip the tail fan off.

Cast the rig up into the cut and bounce it

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back to you. When you feel the heavy thump!, set the hook hard. I’ve been experimenting with the hot pink Gulp! curly tail minnow, and I’ve been encouraged with the results.

Don’t overlook flounder when fishing the jetties. They make a welcome addition to the summer get-togethers that you usually invite specks and redfish to. Flatties can rock, you know.

This is the first summer in almost two years that I’m 100 percent healthy. For a brittle diabetic, that is no small thing. I spent the bulk of the past year addressing a series of health issues, both acute and chronic, that could have left me permanently unable to enjoy the outdoors the way I once did. (That would have caused my dear wife no small amount of chagrin; I have enough tackle, rods, reels, and hunting gear to open my own sporting goods store.)

Ironically, the one thing that kept me fighting as hard as I have was that I didn’t want to lose the outside. I treasured the times that I could get out the past couple of years.

I honestly believe the combination of freedom, fresh air, and great company that I enjoyed helped with the healing process. I’m too thick-necked and hammer-headed to lose all that without a fight. I’m sure that more than of you gentle readers can commiserate with that sentiment.

Besides, it isn’t easy finding new, interesting, and exciting material to write about.

Outdoors columns and features don’t get written sitting in a chair watching A&E. I’ve got to be out there.

Don’t forget how special what we have is.

Share it with your children, and fight to protect it. You’d be amazed at how easily two of our greatest treasures--health and freedom-can be lost.

E-mail Calixto Gonzales cgonzales@fishgame.com

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JEREMY WADE, HOST OF ANIMAL PLANET’ S “RIVER MONSTERS” TALKS ABOUT THE FRESHWATER LEVIATHANS HE’ S TANGLED WITH, INCLUDING ALLIGATOR GAR ON THE TRINITY RIVER IN TEXAS

BY CHESTER MOORE

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PHOTOS COURTESY JEREMY WADE, “RIVER MONSTERS”

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LAST YEAR, “RIVER MONSTERS” was unleashed on the public.

A television series dealing exclusively with big, scary and intense freshwater fish from around the world it quickly became a television sensation. Each of the initial seven premiere episodes pulled in an average of one million households, making it the highest rated show in the history of the Animal Planet network.

It was more watched even than Steve Irwin’s legendary “The Crocodile Hunter” series.

One of the initial episodes dealt with alligator garfish and filmed on the Trinity River and according to host Jeremy Wade they proved to be a true challenge.

“I loved fishing for the alligator garfish in Texas. Your state is one of the last places you have a chance to catch those in any kind of numbers,” Wade said.

Unlike many of the giant fish he has pursued, gar proved frustrating in the strike department.

“Most of the really big fish take the bait and run with it. It may be really hard to locate them but once the fish takes the bait they are off with it. The garfish would peck on a bite for a while and sometimes run as far as 100 yards before you can set the hook.

That made it quite challenging,” Wade said.

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gator garfish definitely ranks high in among the “river monsters” out there. They are a true challenge and of course grow to impressive sizes. They also can put up a spectacular fight,” he said.

That is quite an endorsement from someone who has fished everywhere from the Amazon to India.

Wade said he recently learned of Texas’ most to restrict gar harvest and said it was a positive move in the right direction.

“You can’t just kill off all of the big fish in the rivers without consequences. Most of the rivers of the world have very little fish left in them due to unrestricted harvest. I was glad to see Texas work toward gar conservation because it has a unique resource that is worth keeping around.”

And while the gar may have been his most challenging, the Goliath Tiger Fish was the most intimidating. Found in Africa’s hostile Congo region, they can grow up to six feet in length, weigh more than 100 pounds and sport a mouth that make sharks look tame.

“These are very powerful, voracious fish that have been reported to attack humans and they live in one of the most dangerous places in the world,” Wade said.

It is easy to see how someone could label a tiger fish as “monster” but what are the exact qualifications for a true “River Monster”.

“That’s a good question,” Wade said.

“For the most part it means fish that are big and scary looking but sometimes its either or. On season two we catch Nile Perch which are huge but are really not scary looking and on the first season we caught piranha which while are not big look pretty frightening and can cause serious damage when there is a large group of them.”

Wade said his program features not only tiger fish but giant stingrays which can weigh well over 500 pounds and a mysterious fish found in an Alaskan Lake residents call a “monster”.

“It’s sort of Alaska’s version of the Loch Ness Monster but instead of it being supposedly dinosaur looking the people are insistent it is a big fish of some kind. We went there to search it out and made some very interesting observations.”

Wade said viewers are curious about the dangers involved in his pursuit especially in light of the dangerous locations he has to fish.

“I have had a machete accident, hacked

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thumb to the bone, then had to perform surgery with superglue; in water narrowly escaped from a sinking boat in the Amazon; and in the air survived a plane crash in the Amazon and escaped uninjured.”

“I’ve also caught malaria in the Congo, where the locals thought I might die; was rammed in the chest by a six-foot arapaima in the Amazon; had a gun pulled on me in Amazon interior; and also was detained and interrogated as a suspected spy while fishing at the Mekong River in 1984.”

Wade noted that Isaak Walton called fishing the contemplative man’s recreation.

“While much of my fishing is very physical and far from relaxing, it does also fulfill an emotional need. It’s about being still in the landscape, outside time. While logic has its place in planning, fishing is mainly a nonverbal, right-brained activity, hence the difficulty in verbalizing for the camera what is happening inside one’s head,” he said.

“Fishing is also normally solitary for me, so having spectators can be quite intimate.

The emotional connection with fish is perhaps akin to a boxer’s respect for his/her opponent. Fish can be much more intelligent than is generally supposed and can have distinct personalities. Fish can also be quite awe-inspiring in their appearance, power and other abilities.”

Wade said it is important to note that although lakes and rivers comprise less than one percent of the Earth’s water, we probably know less about what lives in fresh water than in oceans. This is because some rivers are very hard to reach and can be too murky and/or hostile to see anything using a conventional filmmaking approach.

“River Monsters is breaking new ground.

Even big-budget film expeditions to rainforests and mountains regularly miss the spectacular underwater inhabitants. Often the only way to discover the findings is to throw in a line; it becomes a genuine sampling tool.”

“So even in the 21st century, there are genuine mysteries to be solved and discoveries to be made in rivers and ultimately shown to the outside world. Even in the 21st century, there are genuine mysteries to be solved and discoveries to be made in rivers and ultimately shown to the outside world," Wade said.

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Texas Freshwater

by Matt Williams| TF&G Freshwater Editor

Electronics Installation ODERN MARINE ELECTRONICS ARE MORE sophisticated than ever before, but none will provide optimum performance unless all the goodies are installed correctly.

Several key components comprise a GPS/fish finder system: The unit itself, the transducer, and the antenna. If either is faulty or improperly installed, it could hamper the unit’s ability to interpret data and provide the accurate readings anglers have

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learned to rely on while fishing and navigating.

While I am certainly no electronics expert, I do feel comfortable in laying out the basics when it comes to head mounting options and discussing the advantages and disadvantages of units with internal/external antennas and skimmer/puck transducers.

Here is a crash course in marine electronics: MOUNTING OPTIONS: There are three ways to mount a head unit: flush, swivel (using RAM or Johnny Ray mounts), and traditional gimbal mounting.

Flush mounting involves cutting a hole in the dash so the unit rides flush with the panel. The biggest advantage to the flush mount is it provides a neat appearance. Plus, it locates the unit out of the way. The main disadvantage is the mount is semi-permanent, which means you cannot remove the head unit

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without getting into the toolbox first.

The swivel mount is built around an adjustable socket arm that clamps to a pair of balls; one mounted to the floor other to the base of the head unit. The socket arm pivots on the balls, which allows the head unit to be repositioned at any viewing angle and simplifies removal when not in use. It is especially handy with large screen models.

The standard gimbal-mounting bracket screws down to a flat surface. It comes standard with every unit and allows for easy removal. The downside is the unit pitch can only be adjusted up and down.

INTERNAL VS EXTERNAL ANTENNA: A unit equipped with global positioning satellite capability relies on an antenna to gather satellite signals emitted from outer space to acquire position. Some units operate off a

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built-in antenna. Others utilize an external antenna, which mounts to a flat surface on the boat. It connects to the head unit using a screw-in connector.

There are distinct advantages and disadvantages to both antenna styles.

INTERNAL PLUSES: 1) Requires no drilling and there are no extra pieces to mount.

2)The unit can be swapped from boat to boat without dragging an antenna along.

INTERNAL MINUSES: 1) On some older models, flush mounting can interfere with the satellite signal; 2) If the antenna fails, the head unit must be removed for service or replacement.

EXTERNAL PLUSES: 1) Provides more flexibility in head unit location; 2) The antenna can be located in close proximity to the transducer to enhance waypoint accuracy. 3) Quick release mount allows for fast replacement.

EXTERNAL MINUSES: 1) A hole must be drilled in the boat for secure mounting. 2) The head unit will not function in another boat unless equipped with a compatible antenna.

TRANSDUCERS: The transducer emits constant sound waves into the water. When a sound wave strikes an object, the echo rebounds to the transducer. The transducer transmits the data to the head unit, which converts it into the valuable data displayed on the screen.

There are two styles of external transducers - skimmers and pucks. Both styles contain the same transducer element, so they are identical when it comes to accuracy.

The main difference in the two styles is the plastic housing around them. The puck is round, has a flat bottom, and is made from one solid piece.

The skimmer is more elongated and measures about three inches. It pivots on a small bolt that runs through two hard plastic ears.

Skimmer transducers are designed primarily for transom mounting applications with the cockpit head unit. It mounts to the outside of the boat and is in direct contact with the water, which eliminates the possibilities of interference problems that can sometimes occur when shooting through a fiberglass hull. The skimmer also comes with a built-in temp sensor to relay accurate readings on water temperature.

Because of its flat bottom, the puck is often preferred for thru-hull mounting applications in combination with the cockpit head

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unit. If you want a precise water temperature reading in the cockpit and opt for thru-hull mounting, be sure to use a puck with a builtin temp probe.

Some trolling motors are equipped with an internal transducer to feed data to a bow mounted head unit. If no internal transducer is available, an external transducer is required.

Many anglers prefer the solid puck transducer to the skimmer for trolling motor mounting, mainly because of durability

issues that can arise if the transducer happens to crash into stumps, rocks or other hard objects.

If you use a skimmer up front, an adapter bracket is required to make it work. Also, it is important to adjust the skimmer so it rides level with the bottom side of the trolling motor housing.

E-mail Matt Williams at freshwater@fishgame.com

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GREEN

NASA Photo

BP Oil Slick: Don’t Mess with Texas THE BRITISH PETROLEUM (BP) DEEPWATER HORIZON OIL RIG DISASTER THAT OCCURRED APRIL 22 HAS TURNED INTO THE LARGEST ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES. AT THE TIME OF THIS WRITING, OIL WAS AFFECTING 150 MILES OF GULF SHORELINE FROM GRAND ISLE, LOUISIANA, TO DAUPHIN ISLAND, ALABAMA. TEXAS RESIDENTS ARE UNDERSTANDABLY CONCERNED THE SPILL WILL EVENTUALLY MAKE IT TO TEXAS, BUT AT THE TIME OF THIS WRITING, IT HAS NOT. “Despite some media reports, Texas is not yet affected by this spill,” said Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson.

“We’re watching and waiting, but it’s just not time to go to general quarters. No news is good news.”

Texas is benefitting from spring-summer prevailing south-southeast winds, which should blow the oil north toward the shorelines. A prolonged switch to the east or northeast could change that dramatically and aim the slick toward Texas waters but there is no sign of that occurring.

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thick sludge. Weeks spent adrift at sea, subject to the sun and waves, will have changed the chemical composition of the oil by evaporating the lighter components.

They said what’s left is what Gulf Coast residents call a tarball.

Patterson said the Oil Spill Prevention and Response Program at the Texas General Land Office is “keeping a close eye on the Texas coast, but so far the few tarballs seen on the beaches appear to be shellencrusted lumps which result from natural seepage of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.”

“Tarballs washed up on Texas beaches long before offshore drilling, they’re just a natural part of living on the Texas coast,” Patterson said. “Generally, they’re really

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not difficult to pick up if they wash up on shore.”

While Texas has not been affected, at least one Louisiana destination popular with Texas anglers has been hit hard.

The Chandeleur Islands, known for its amazing speckled trout and redfish action, is located near the epicenter of the disaster and was the first landmass to be covered with oil.

The area has been temporarily closed to all recreational activity and even media flyovers. A large region of the Gulf from the southern

Jerry Patterson peninsula of Louisiana to the Florida line has been shut down to commercial and recreational fishing in federal waters until the situation subsides.

At press time the oil was still 160 miles from the Texas state line leaving popular Lake Calcasieu near Hackberry, Louisiana, and Sabine Lake, which is right on the Texas/Louisiana border, unscathed.

“We have no oil here in our area now Continued on page 40

PHOTO: TEXAS CHEMICAL COUNCIL

PHOTO: NASA

This image, captured by NASA's Terra spacecraft, shows the Deepwater Horizon oil spill swirling east of the Mississippi Delta, with a long tendril drifting to the southeast.

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GREEN but continue to monitor our coast and pray for everyone that is being affected by the terrible tragedy. The Lake Calcasieu estuary that we primarily fish is located in southwest Louisiana just across the east Texas border,” said Capt. Buddy Oakes with the Hackberry Rod and Gun Club “Our lake is a river driven estuary from the north and has no beach access on the south so the only way in and the only way out of this estuary is through the Cameron jetties on the Gulf Coast. The lake is completely surrounded by futile marshes that feed the entire system. We are very lucky to have this situation and if needed can boom across the mouth of the channel to contain what oil that might come our way.”

Officials with the National Wildlife Federation (NWR) reported that during a little reported hearing Congressmen pressed

PHOTO: BRITISH PETROLEUM

Continued from page 38

BP made live video footage from it’s leaking riser available online in late May. Go to www.bp.com

Streaming Video—Literally BP America President Lamar McKay about the company line that the leak is spilling “5,000 barrels a day”. (That estimate has since been revised upward to 19,000 barrels per day.)

In fact NWR reports that Purdue Uni-

versity Professor Steve Werely has calculated the flow of the spill to be 70,000 barrels per day through scientific analysis of recent video documenting the underwater oil leak.

“Based on this estimate, the spill is already 8 times larger than the Exxon

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PHOTO: USCG PETTY OFFICER 3RD CLASS PATRICK KELLEY

dead or dying on Gulf beaches. They said it is too early to say exactly how severe the impact of the spill and unprecedented amounts of chemical dispersants being used to break up the oil will be on the Gulf ’s delicate ecosystem, but officials are bracing for long-term effects.

Rowan Gould, acting director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said at a news conference. "It will affect fish and wildlife resources ... for years, if not decades."

—by Chester Moore TG

A rehabilitated oiled brown pelican stands in a crate at Joint Naval Reserve Base Belle Chasse prior to being transported for release at Egmont Key National Wildlife Refuge.

already 8 times larger than the Exxon Wildlife Rehab Valdez.

This is enough oil to spread a rainbow sheen over an area the size of California.”

What did BP’s McKay say about these estimates?

"I don't think people that are working with it believe that it's a possibility.”

Everyone from recreational anglers to sport divers have expressed great frustration with the lack of progress and stopping the leak and secrecy in regards to damage estimates.

NWF joined with 10 environmental organizations in sending a letter to President Obama urging a more direct federal role in the spill response.

“The federal government should immediately take over all environmental monitoring, testing, and public safety protection from BP,” said NWF’s Larry Schweiger.

“Too much information is now in the hands of BP’s many lawyers and too little is being disclosed to the public.”

Officials from NOAA and the Fish and Wildlife Service have reported that hundreds of dead sea turtles, dozens of dolphins and shore birds have been found

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PHOTO BY LUNA MARINA

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Chicken Dolphin, that is... one of the tastiest and most sporting of Gulf Fishes

by Mike Holmes

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ON AN AUGUST morning in the not-too-distant past, I had cleared the Freeport jetties with three fishermen aboard my old 24 footer, Seeker, and visions of a mixed bag of red snapper and kings in the fish box at the end of the day.

Seas were calm, water color and clarity greenish but clear, and I was headed to three rigs in a row – since removed – that began just short of 20 miles from the farewell buoy and spaced out to 27 miles offshore.

That summer, these had been my go-to rigs for snapper and big bluefish, with a fare

chance of picking up a few kings trolling on the way out and back. By noon, I was a worried skipper, as snapper fishing just wasn’t happening. And the huge amount of sargassum weed that had been around for several weeks was broken into small clumps that did little to attract or hold fish and made trolling without a deckhand a very tedious business.

With only a couple of decent snapper and two fairly good “schoolie dolphin” on ice, I was trying to formulate an honest excuse for not putting my customers on fish that they might both believe and understand. Like one of my mentors, Capt. Wimp Lowe of the Wango Tango always said, a charter captain is either a hero, or a zero.

Looking up from my musings, I saw a long weed line that had apparently just started to form up in a light breeze. There was a larger boat floating on the other side of it, obviously probing for fish, so I began a drift just downwind, baiting with small pieces of the ice fish we’d been using all day – and almost immediately was rewarded with three fish on. I had one angler leave his small dolphin in the water on the left corner of the transom and rigged another rod for him. For

the next couple of hours I tossed out an occasional handful of chum while chasing down flopping fish with a towel and getting them in the cooler. With three guys working the school, I was chasing a bunch of slippery little fish. Eventually the bite slowed and I thought we should call it a day, but the man paying for the trip wanted to try for a few more, so we returned to a point on the weed near where we’d originally begun. The other boat was still there, not catching much, it seemed. When I tossed out more chum, a shower of dolphin came out of the water and jetted up behind my transom on re-entry and the whole process began again. It wasn’t too long before we were out of bait at this rate, so I rigged my anglers with the small tandem “speck rigs” in various colors I always carry for just this sort of event, and the catch rate never dropped.

When we finally had to stop, because each time I’d open the fish box to put another small dolphin in, three would flop out and have to be chased down all over again, my passengers were pretty happy with themselves. Two had never been offshore before, one had never even fished before, and the

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man paying to entertain his customers kept telling them “This is what offshore fishing is supposed to be like”. Back at the dock, the final tally after each fish had been cleaned and iced, was 107, and everybody had forgotten all about the slow snapper fishing.

While this was an extreme case of everything coming together just right, it demonstrated very well the basics of fishing for small dolphin-fish – which are usually considered a different species, Pompano dolphin, from their larger brethren normally found further offshore. Chicken dolphin are one of the better eating of Gulf fishes, and even though they probably average only a couple of pounds or less they can have even experienced offshore anglers acting like little kids on their first “brim” bed. The sight of large numbers of such beautiful and flashy fish behind and under the boat in clear water can get anyone’s level of excitement up.

After boating each of the dolphin we caught trolling that morning – which ran a little larger than the ones taken off the weed line – there was a school of some size at the transom, but they refused all our offerings, just as the larger boat on the weed had not

seemed to be getting much action. What had happened later was that when I went back to the cockpit to boat that first fish, I neglected to pull the outboard’s throttle completely into neutral. With very little current that day, the fish wanted the boat – and the baits dangled behind it – to be moving, even if only slightly. This technique has paid off well for me many times since on picky dolphin. The other “trick” that got the fish in a feeding mood was offering them free samples in the form of chum. I used pieces of cut bait and small silver shad or menhaden I try to always carry offshore with me, but many savvy skippers keep a batch of dead shrimp in the bait box for dolphin chum, and some fresh squid for dolphin bait. Leaving the first fish hooked in the water to help hold the school is a time-honored technique that isn’t always necessary, but never hurts.

While using natural bait is often required to get the fish “started”, switching to small lures like the speck rigs mentioned makes it much easier to keep up with the often frenzied action. White and yellow have been the best colors for me, and actually having one of each on the rig seems best. Fishermen less

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interested in a high body count than more sport can have a lot of fun with a fly rod or a light spinning rig, throwing small streamers or jigs, respectively.

Dolphin of all sizes will gather around any floating “structure” in offshore waters, so an experienced angler seldom passes a weed line or large patch of detached weed without giving it a try. The same can be said for other objects, like buoys, logs, a sheet of discarded plywood, or even an old tire.

Anchored shrimp boats and oil rigs can also hold dolphin that will rush out to feed on chum, and in some cases they can be chummed up in open water.

Depending on water and weather conditions, small dolphin may be encountered inside of ten miles from shore, as well as much further out. Although nobody wants to be a “fish hog” these days, there are currently no closed seasons, size limits, or bag and possession restrictions on dolphin, so encountering a good school can supply the makings of a fish fry very quickly.

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PHOTO COMPOSITE: TEXAS FISH & GAME

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East Texas Hunters Have Become Entangled in Frustration and Controversy Over New Restrictions in the Region that Limit Legal Harvested Whitetail Bucks to Only Those with Antler Spreads Greater than 13 Inches

BY CHESTER MOORE T E X A S

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STEVE WAS EXCITED WHEN HE saw his black carbon arrow pass through an eight-point buck in Jefferson County last October.

As red sprayed from both sides of its chest, the buck ran off and Steve rejoiced with a gleeful “Yes!” exclaimed at top of his lungs. It would be the biggest buck he had ever taken although the situation was about to get a little out of hand.

Thirty minutes later, celebration turned to frustration as he recovered the buck and upon measuring the antler spread, realized the spread was just over 12-inches.

“I was heartbroken,” Steve said.

Well, his name is not really Steve, but he chose to remain anonymous for obvious reasons, so for these purposes Steve he is.

“I watched that buck really good and the antlers were right past the ears or so it looked. I thought of leaving the buck in the woods to avoid getting a ticket but I would rather face a fine than waste an animal. The way I was raised, you just don’t do that and I am not about to start because the state made a very bad choice,” he said.

Last year, antler restrictions in place for the majority of East Texas were stretched out to the rest of the region including the counties along the Louisiana border and those straddling the Houston area.

For those not familiar with the exact regulation, it defines a legal buck as having a hardened antler protruding through the skin and at least one unbranched antler or an inside spread measurement between main beams of 13 inches or greater; or six points or more on one antler.

Steve said he hunts on a fairly well managed piece of property and although bucks there get heavy racks and tall ones, wide is not part of the local deer’s genetics.

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will see very many more bucks here 13 inches or better. Sure, there will be a few more older deer but the ones in our area just don’t get wide racks.”

Many hunters have spoken of the difficult of examining a buck for antler spread in Southeast Texas’ super thick forests.

“I hunt on public land I hunt for food.

Those of use who hunt on public land already have all kinds of restrictions on doe harvest, now we are going to be restricted with our bucks. It is very difficult on a place with no feeder or food plots to gauge antler width on a buck. They just don’t stand there looking around, they are on the move,” said veteran public hunter David Lange.

Lange said this proposal further restricts lower to middle income hunters who are already being squeezed out of hunting leases in East Texas. Public land he said is their only choice.

“This is going to be extremely difficult on public land hunters who are already having a difficult time. Some hunters, a lot of us, still do this for the meat and this will not help matters at all.”

Van Ellis, a veteran hunter education spoke against the rule change at public hearings for several reasons, including youth participation.

“You’re always wanting to get the youth involved in hunting and now you’re telling them this buck isn’t good enough to shoot. It won’t take many times telling a kid they can’t shoot certain bucks that they just want to give it up altogether.”

Not all hunters are against it as several

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said their experience hunting in counties where the 13-inch rule has been in place for a few years has been positive.

“We see more mature bucks since the regulation change and that is a positive in my book,” said one hunter who wished to remain anonymous due to the controversial nature of the subject.

Gary Hodge who spoke of being president of a lease for many years said it has made it extremely difficult for leaseholders to fill their leases.

“We’re going to have a tough time filling these clubs because a lot of hunters are not going to get on if this becomes law,” he said.

Several other leaseholders have spoken of problems with timber companies increasing lease fees to the point they have to let more and more hunters on just to keep the prices within reason. They all said this regulation will make it difficult it not impossible to fill the leases.

At the public hearing I attended last year in Port Arthur, numerous hunters spoke on this factor and related frustration with the image of trophy hunting promoted on television and elsewhere in the outdoors industry.

One gentlemen shouted out that it’s easy for hunters on TV shows who are on high fenced ranches to talk about passing on bucks for a “trophy” but that wasn’t a reality for the hunters in East Texas.

Of all of the hunters in attendance, one spoke in favor of the 13-inch rule causing many to ask whether it is worth the effort to go to public hearings at all. It passed anyway.

“I think one of the things that frustrated people in East Texas the most it was like their voices weren’t heard. If this were something that had to do with increasing deer populations and restoring low herds most people would be for it. However, this is all about producing bigger bucks and that is only going to frustrate the average hunter and it has the potential to further drive up lease prices,” said David Lange.

“This is doing a lot of harm to the deer hunting tradition here in the Pineywoods.”

(In the next installment see if you would break the law or not in a special shoot or don’t shoot photo essay.)

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Uncle Ted’s Sure-Fire Methods for Introducing Newcomers to Shooting

by Ted Nugent

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IT WAS BETTER THAN CHRISTMAS to me. Those incredible Saturday’s downriver from Detroit when Tribe Nuge would load up into the Ford Country Squire station wagon with a picnic basket and plenty of guns and ammo. We would drive over to Uncle John’s and Aunt Alice’s home where we would get to shoot dad’ s pistols. I cannot describe the excitement I felt as a six and seven year old little boy as we loaded up the little .22 revolvers and .32 semiautos and plinked the afternoon away. It shaped my life.

ple guns under the proper adult guidance are good because there is no loud report or recoil to spook a new shooter, and the more such quiet shooting that can be pursued, the better. Do it.

At a proper, safe range with a proper backstop, I always start off with a single shot, bolt action .22 rifle, shooting quiet, zerorecoil CB caps at close range. Even with this non-intrusive ammo, I still have all shooters and observers use ear and eye protection to get them trained to always do so.

The first shots are dry fires. Getting the youngster comfortable with stance, gun feel and form, and sight and sight picture familiarity without actually firing a round teaches them the basic mechanics of their relaTed takes it slow with tionship with muzzle control, stock, young shooters, startgrip, fore-end, safety, sights, trigger, ing with a .22 rifle and breathing, action, loading and reloadquiet, zero-recoil ammo. sports. After many ing.

I have them perform each of these gazillions of New Shooters pre and post shot functions a good dozen rounds and a sea times before we load the rifle. of excited smiles glowing from these new Placing a good visible target like the shooters, I have developed a surefire system Caldwell Orange Peel targets at about five by which allthings shoot can be maximized yards, yes, five yards, I have them now slowfor recruitment, safety, enjoyment and effecly and carefully load the little bolt gun, close tiveness. the action, shoulder the rifle, acquire their Number One is to take it very slowly. sight picture, disengage the safety, breathe, Some youngsters want to learn to shoot more then squeeze off their shot. than others. Those more enthusiastic will be These new targets instantly show the hit easier to train, but will require a bit more and the shooter will clearly discover guidance due to the gross misrepresentation what hand eye coordination adjustments of certain shootemup video games, movies they need to make. and TV shows.

After my kids get the feel of the rifle, I I outlined the ultimate scenarios for switch to a firearms introduction in my book, “ God, The Nugent Sure-Fire Guns and Rock-N-Roll”, and in it acknowl- .22 revolver, System for shooting where I have edged the importance of pellet gun and BB safety, enjoyment and go gun shooting at a very young age. Such sim- them effectiveness is practhrough all ticed at Ted’s Kamp for Kids.

Shooting Kamp

My father was a drill sergeant in the US Army Cavalry, God bless him, and he approached our family shooting fun with the same hardcore discipline as his military training. And that’s a good thing. Two basics guided us; 1-aim small miss small, and 2-never point the weapon towards anything you are not willing to destroy.

Intelligent, comprehensive gun control for sure.

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Ted taught his son Rocco the fundamentals of archery and shooting at an early age.

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the same b a s i c Inspiration assimilation procedures.

Once they get the hang of these two firearms at close range, we move back to about fifteen yards for increased challenge, and load up with .22 long rifle ammo.

And do not underestimate the increased fun factor of reactive targets like bowling pins, water filled plastic jugs, tin cans, falling steel plates or such assorted targets. Nothing takes the place of knocking something down with a well placed shot to turn a kid on.

And a word of proven advice and caution out there; do not advance to larger calibers unless the youngster is physically able to truly control such a firearm. I restrict kids under twelve to .22s, and am cautious about allowing an inexperienced youngster to shoot .38 specials, 9mm or above. Even adults new to shooting will enjoy .22 fun more than the others. Err on the side of caution, because too much too soon can have negative results. Make the call based on your instincts and each individual’s inclination.

I will never forget when Anthony Bourdain arrived at our SpiritWild Ranch home a while back with his #1 TV show “No Reservations” Travel Channel film crew. Though his very successful program is mostly about the culture of food and cooking around the globe, he knew there would be some big time shooting fun to go with the sacred backstrap grillfest with his Uncle Ted. Surrounded by wounded warrior heroes of the US Military to maximize the atmosphere that day, the firepower element took on a spirit of its own. I introduced Tony slowly but surely with sub caliber long guns and handguns, but he advanced quickly to the point where we belted up a very handsome M60, fully automatic, .308 beltfed machinegun.

I am sure many of you witnessed how I completely fixed this New York liberal and baptized him into the inescapable joys of guns and ammo thrills.

Granted, the M60 “Rambo” gun is not for everybody, but I knew from how Tony handled and enjoyed the other guns that he would be deeply affected by such firepower.

And 30 million TV viewers watched it all.

Done correctly and intelligently, I am convinced, and my extensive experience proves, that there is not a man, woman or child alive that cannot be recruited into a

Second Amendment supporter if done properly. I would highly recommend we all do so at every opportunity.

On the Web For signed copies of “God, Guns and Rock-N-Roll”, visit: www.TedNugent.com

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Hunt Texas

by Bob Hood | TF&G Hunting Editor

Of Dogs and Men HE TELEPHONE RANG ONE DAY MANY YEARS ago while I was cleaning off a spot in the corner of my yard west of Fort Worth, where I planned to build a dog kennel. I didn’t own a bird dog, but I had dreamed of owning one since my teenage days. And now, I hoped the answer to my dream was just a ring away.

I sprinted to answer the telephone, hoping the call was from a former schoolmate whose father owned an English setter that

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recently had had a litter of five puppies. The little dogs were weaned now and my friend’s dad already had four of them sold, but promised me I could have the runt of the litter. I had talked to my friend earlier in the morning and had asked him to remind his dad of his promise.

“Dad said she’s yours. Just come and get her whenever you can,” my friend said when I answered the phone. I was at their house in less than a half-hour. I never will forget the gleam in that little black and white puppy’s eyes when I picked her up and held her high in the air. She seemed as excited as I was and I drew her close to my chest as she licked my hands and chewed on my fingers.

I mulled over several names for her on the way home and decided to name her Jenny. I don’t know why, but she seemed like a

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“Jenny” to me, and she seemed to like it, too.

It didn’t take me long to finish the kennel and build her a doghouse, but in the meantime, I let her stay in the house. After all, that’s where puppies are supposed to stay until they have their own houses and yards, isn’t it?

During the following few months, I tried to teach Jenny everything good I had seen in other bird dogs. First, it was basic obedience, which she seemed to absorb so naturally that it was almost as if I really didn’t have to offer any instructions. Later, I taught her how to hold a point on a quail wing tied to a piece of string at the end of a fishing pole. Then I taught her how to retrieve a quail wing tied around a ball of twine. Most importantly, I taught her how much I loved her.

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About a year later, I learned that Jenny was a teacher, too. She taught me how to be kind, gentle, and patient when training or hunting with her; how much appreciation I could get from watching her point and retrieve quail; the enjoyment she got from me scratching her behind the ears; and how much she loved me back.

Jenny wasn’t just a good companion to me; she could become close to other bird dogs as well as other hunters, too. It was from her that I learned one of life’s most important lessons: the reason a dog has so many friends is because it wags its tail instead of its tongue.

Compared to many other bird dogs I have hunted behind, Jenny did not have the nose that would make her a champion pointing dog, but she was a champion to me. She hunted close; pointed many quail other more high-spirited dogs ran past; retrieved superbly; and would stay, hunt, and find more crippled or dead birds than any dog I have ever hunted.

I built Jenny a larger kennel after buying a small ranch north of Granbury when she was about three years old. She loved her new home. After all, she was in the country.

Later, I bought a male English setter named Jack. He was a stout dog and I hoped the two would mate. It never happened, but they were excellent soul mates. Unlike Jenny, Jack didn’t get along with all other dogs, but was fond of Jenny.

Like Jenny, Jack had his own characteristics and one of them showed abruptly while I hunted him over bobwhites on a ranch near Comanche prior to agreeing to buy him. My hunting companion’s two pointers went on point in front of Jack, but instead of backing them, he swung to the right and circled around the other dogs. He then “backed” in front of the two dogs. When I questioned Jack’s owner about the unusual behavior, I learned that much of Jack’s quail hunting experience had been in West Texas for blue quail, and he had learned to ease around dogs on point and “block” the running blue quail.

Jenny was a close companion for 10 years before dying on a cold winter day, just a month after I found her curled up next to a dead baby goat I placed in a wheelbarrow while searching for a shovel to bury it. Jenny might never have been a mother to a litter of pups, but she certainly had motherly ways.

I have found that lots of people share my

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love for dogs. Will Rogers was one of them.

He once said, “If there are no dogs in heaven, then I want to go wherever they go.” Put another way, dogs make you want you to live your life in a way to become the type of person your dog thinks you are.

Indeed, dogs have left impressions on many of our lives, and those of us who have hunted behind countless pointers, setters, and other hunting dogs have something in common: We have just as many different per-

sonality differences as do our dogs. And dogs are not our whole lives, but they make our lives whole.

E-mail Bob Hood at hunting@fishgame.com.

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Open Season

by Reavis Wortham | TF&G Humor Editor

The Dangers of Mysticism EONARD FLEMING INTRODUCED HIMSELF TO the partygoers gathered in the living room. “Darla said you all wanted to have some fun at this party, so I think we should all take turns introducing ourselves to the group before we get started.”

I glared daggers at Youngster. It was his stupid party and we had agreed to attend simply because none of the Hunting Club members had anything planned for that particular Friday night.

Darla started by introducing herself first.

“Hello, you all know me. I’m Darla. I’m a homemaker and I just love to read murder mysteries, horror novels, anything in which the hero wields a sword, and I’m very fond of cats, Chico Marx, and books on the Afterlife.” She thought for a moment. “Oh, I have five kids, too.”

The boys and I tried to slip outside by the pool, but after two were hauled back inside by an ear, we surrendered to the torture.

“What’s your name?” Leonard asked me when my turn came around.

“Huh? I didn’t hear you because my ear is hurting.”

Woodrow rubbed his own throbbing ear and grinned at my discomfort.

“Everybody knows me anyway,” I grumbled and slipped out of the circle to stand beside the ranch dressing and raw carrots.

Everyone had introduced themselves by the time I could hear again. “Now, Leonard began, “let’s gather around the extraordinarily large table here and hold hands. We’re going to have a séance.”

The War Department settled in on my left and Wrong Willie almost took the seat on my right. He suddenly realized that he

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would have to hold my hand. He shouldered his own Spousal unit into the chair and sat on the other side.

The lights went out and Leonard lit several candles around the room.

“Close your eyes, and I’ll try to contact my spirit guide, Butch.”

Doc stifled a snicker.

“Hey, Butch.” Leonard called softly.

“There you are. Come on.”

“Is Butch a spirit guide dog?” I whispered to the War Department. “Maybe that’s where seeing-eye dogs go.”

She successfully cracked a rib. It was mine.

“Butch is here. Does anyone have any questions for Butch tonight? We are now in direct contact with the Other Side.”

The candles on the mantle blew out. I suspected one of the Club members.

“Yeah,” Woodrow spoke up. “Uncle Fred had an old humpback Browning when I was a kid and it disappeared after he passed away. Who got it?”

All the guys made eye contact. This could be fun.

Leonard spoke in a voice that simply couldn’t have come out of him. It was Uncle Fred’s voice. “You little idiot,” he said to Woodrow. “You know dang good and well I had to sell that shotgun to get you out of trouble while you were in college.”

Woodrow’s eyes snapped wide open in the dim light. His wife frowned and looked over at him. “What trouble?”

Two more candles blew out in the room.

I had been watching. No one had moved.

I tried to get the attention off of Woodrow. “Uh, I have a question Uncle Fred. Can you ask my great-granddad whether my dad really threw his old shotgun at a chicken and killed it after he missed with both barrels?”

A different voice rolled out of Leonard.

“Of course he did. How do you think it got that crack in the stock right through the checkering? I wore his tail out for that one.”

My mouth went dry. No one in the room should have known that story.

Another candle went out. The only

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source of light left in the room was the single candle in the middle of the table.

The War Department spoke up.

“Butch?”

“Yes-sum.”

“Do you know how many shotguns and rifles my husband actually owns?”

Moans drifted across the table. For a moment, I thought they were ghostly moans, but then I realized the sounds came from the Hunting Club members who suddenly realized the implications of this line of questioning.

“He has 32 long guns and an even dozen handguns. Do you want to know how many he’s bought since you two got married a year-and-a-half ago?”

“Now wait a minute!” I began. Another moan filled the air. A thump came from under the table. Then another.

The last candle went out. The only light in the room came from a streetlamp shining through the window.

In horror, I saw the table begin to rise under out hands. I quickly looked around.

Everyone was still holding hands.

“Yaaahhh!”

Then Leonard began to levitate, rising toward the ceiling. That was enough.

Screams erupted from several more throats.

“No more!” Wrong Willie shouted and bolted for the light switch. He turned it on.

Leonard was standing beside the table.

“But you were levitating!” I accused.

“I was just standing up.”

“Oh. But the table rose in the air.”

“That idiot Delbert went to sleep and slid down onto the floor before we started. I felt him trying to get up for quite a while.”

We were so shook up that everyone was ready to go home. I’m still wondering why, though, the girls handed Leonard money before we left.

They sure smiled a lot.

E-mail Reavis Wortham at humor@fishgame.com

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HE WORDS SMART AND FISH SEEM MUTUALLY exclusive.

They do not have large brains and are not known for their trainability or task mastering skills.

However when it comes to evading anglers certain species are much more wily than others, especially when the pressure is on. Call it wary, smart or attribute it to pure survival instincts but the fact is some fish are downright frustrating to pursue.

When I sat down to do this story my original intention was to have it represent only saltwater fish. However, I had to be honest with myself and admit there were numerous freshwater species we have all pursued that stack right up with the best from our bays so they are included as well.

This is based on overall wariness and response to fishing pressure in a given area in the large specimens. Juveniles of most species are fairly easy to catch so this is only looking at the very biggest of the following fish.

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5. FLOUNDER—My original list had tripletail in this position but I scratched that and put in flounder. It might seem strange that the guy who has written more about flounder than anyone in the world for the last 15 years would rank them at 5 but I am if anything honest and flounder while among the wariest have a few faults among the elite on this list.

by Chester Moore The biggest negative for flounder is just how tidally driven they are. I regularly fish a small canal that feeds into the Intracoastal.

It is loaded with big flounder at times and it seems like every time I go there the tide is slack. Flounder do not bite well on a slack tide. However, when a ship comes through and pulls water they bite in a frenzy-like state. Wise flounder anglers who have the luxury of closely scheduling trips with tidal flow know this and routinely catch really big fish. The other side of this is the propensity of the largest fish to hang out right on the

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So, What is the Smartest Game Fish? edge of deep water on high tides, which anglers have picked up on.

On the plus side, flounder in clear water can be super line shy and the biggest saddle blankets of all tend to stay in deep water and prey on larger baitfish much like the number one choice on this list. In addition few fish are as sensitive to how lures are presented which makes chasing them a real challenge for artificial purists.

4. CRAPPIE—These tasty panfish might seem easy to dupe but don’t forget we are talking about the very largest specimens of a given species. Big crappie are super wary. In fact John Prochnow of Pure Fishing (He is the inventor of Gulp) has spent extensive time studying fish in laboratories and said crappie are the second most intelligent fish according to their data. As I wrote in a column earlier this year I got to hand feed some two and three-pound crappie underwater and they blasted a jet of water onto the shiner I held in my fingers before striking it. In the wild I have experience a solid “thump”, G A M E ®

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In This Issue

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HOTSPOTS FOCUS: ROCKPORT • Hot! Hot! Hot! |

BY CAPT. MAC GABLE

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NEW PRODUCTS • What’s New from Top Outdoor Manufacturers |

BY TF&G STAFF

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HOTSPOTS FOCUS: LOWER COAST • Think Red in July |

BY CHESTER MOORE

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INDUSTRY INSIDER • Third Stone, Irlene Mandrell |

BY TF&G STAFF

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SPORTSMAN’S DAYBOOK • Tides, Solunar Table, Best Hunting/Fishing Times |

BY TF&G STAFF

OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE SECTION

HOW-TO SECTION

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COVER STORY • What is the Smartest Game Fish? |

BY CHESTER MOORE

HOTSPOTS & TIDES SECTION

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TEXAS HOTSPOTS • Texas’ Hottest Fishing Spots |

BY TOM BEHRENS, CALIXTO GONZALES, & BOB HOOD

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HOTSPOTS FOCUS: UPPER COAST • Go Green on Sabine |

BY CAPT. EDDIE HERNANDEZ

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HOTSPOTS FOCUS: GALVESTON • COMPLEX • The Action Heats Up |

BY CAPT. MIKE HOLMES

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HOTSPOTS FOCUS: MATAGORDA • Try Unusual Flounder Tactics |

BY CHESTER MOORE

set the hook and nothing. When I slowed down and gave them a second, I would often catch the fish and it was usually a big one. I think they are testing out the food before committing.

3. SPECKLED TROUT—If we knew how many big speckled trout we cast right next to we would be stunned. Well, I am stunned from trips taken to South Texas where there is super clear water and you have opportunities to sight cast to huge specks and in most

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BOWHUNTING TECH • Shot Placement |

BY LOU MARULLO

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HUNTING TALES • Texas’ 5 Smartest Game Animals |

BY DON ZAIDLE

TEXAS GUNS & GEAR • Trijicon TR23-2G AccuPoint | BY STEVE LAMASCUS TEXAS KAYAKING • The Furtive Angler |

BY GREG BERLOCHER

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BY TF&G STAFF

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PHOTO ALBUM • Your Action Photos |

BY TF&G READERS

GEARING UP SECTION

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TEXAS TESTED • Smith & Colt, Eagle One, Shimano |

BY TFG STAFF

www.FishGame.com

Catching trophy trout is not easy.

In my book Texas Trout Tactics, I talk extensively about how big trout are “moody” and tend to segregate themselves from others on top of changing their bite pattern at the drop of a hat.

2. ALLIGATOR GARFISH—I know you’re thinking, “Chester has finally lost it.” No, I am dead serious on this one. In fact, I debated them being number one. The alligator gar is perhaps the most meticulous large

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BAITS & RIGS • Surf Leaders |

BY PAUL BRADSHAW

Garfish

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TEXAS TASTED • Fajita Feeding Frenzy |

BY BRYAN SLAVEN

TEXAS BOATING • Boating Constitution |

BY LENNY RUDOW

The spotted gar is the smallest garfish, and the one most commonly seen by Texas anglers.

cases they will not respond to anything.

Speckled trout can become extremely lure shy, line shy and get really nervous when someone makes a loud, careless cast that just flops into the water.

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freshwater fish in the world. In my interview with Jeremy Wade, host of Animal Planet’s smash-hit “River Monsters”, he said they were by far the most challenging of the huge fish he pursues. Gar and I am talking about F I S H

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six foot plus gar will pick at a bait for upwards of 30 minutes before finally taking it and according to some gar fishing guides are very wary of noise made in boats and from the shore. Really big gar are really old fish and far any fish that has a commercial value and is pursued by bow fishermen and anglers with rod and reels to make it to 50 plus year of age, indicates some kind of smarts.

1. LARGEMOUTH BASS—When it comes to getting super finicky on water bodies ranging from one acre to 100,000 acres it is hard to deny the smarts of the largemouth bass.

Pro anglers often talk about how in the blink of an eye largemouth will seemingly get lockjaw and refuse to hit anything but some certain obscure color. The largest specimens spend most of their lives in seclusion in deep water away from the shorelines pounded by most anglers. On small impoundments I have had bass even get shy to live bait and forced me to use very unusual methods to catch them.

Their wariness is a huge reason they are North America’s most popular and will probably remain so in perpetuity.

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Cocahoe Will Do for Jetty Trout LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Jetties GPS: N29.67285, W93.8375 SPECIES: Speckled trout

BY TOM BEHRENS tbehrens@fishgame.com

BEST BAITS: Cocahoe Minnows in a Glow Chartreuse or live croaker CONTACT: Capt. Steve Davis, 409- 4601220 TIPS: If you can get some live croaker for bait, you will catch some good fish.

LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Short Rigs GPS: N29.648067, W93.70395

SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Cocahoe Minnows in a Morning Glory or Red Shad colors CONTACT: Capt. Steve Davis, 409- 4601220 TIPS: “We catch a lot of good fish in July. A lot of times if you catch one good fish, there will be a bunch of similar fish there. You don’t have to throw right up under the rigs. Sometimes the trout will suspend out from the rigs. Circle the rig and fish all the way around it.” — Davis LOCATION: Gulf beachfront east and west of Texas Point HOTSPOT: Beachfront GPS: N29.6785, W93.839717 SPECIES: Speckled trout

BEST BAITS: Super Spook topwaters in Bone White CONTACT: Capt. Steve Davis, 409- 4601220 TIPS: Get out early, especially on an overcast day. The bite should extend longer into the day. A lot of prime fish are caught along the beachfront.

BANK ACCESS: Take Dowling Road out of Sabine Pass and turn on First Ave and go all the way, crossing Texas Bayou, to the end. The road runs right up to it; cross the rip rap to get on the beach.

LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Causeway GPS: N29.769295 ,-93.900833 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Curl tail grubs in pearl color; Gulp, and Bass Assassins with a chartreuse tail fished with ¼ ounce jig heads CONTACT: Capt. Phillip Samuels, 409960-6418 TIPS: In July the Lake should be full of bait. Match your bait and color selection to the bait in the area.

LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Jetties GPS: N29.67145, W93.821167 SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Gulp and Bass Assassins; best colors for the Bass Assassin are Morning Glory and Glow. Use ¼ ounce jig heads CONTACT: Capt. Phillip Samuels, 409960-6418 TIPS: Generally a fast retrieve works best LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Madame Johnson Bayou GPS: N29.847317, W93.847317 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Gulp and Bass Assassins in Morning Glory color; ¼ ounce jig heads CONTACT: Capt. Phillip Samuels, 409960-6418

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TIPS: Make long drifts looking for bait scattering across the water.

LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Jetties GPS: N29.67145, W93.821167 SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: 1/4 ounce Flounder Pounder in chartreuse/red tail CONTACT: Capt. Randy Foreman, 409985-7619 TIPS: Get their early to try your luck along the rocks at the end of the jetty LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Intracoastal Waterway – 1014 feet of water GPS: N29.978889, W93.818056 SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Fishbites under a popping cork CONTACT: Capt. Randy Foreman, 409-

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985-7619 TIPS: Throw up to the mud. When the bait comes off and drops into deeper water, the redfish nail it.

LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Stewt’s Island GPS: N 29.964983, W93.848333 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Down South Lures and the new Mull-O-Grunt lure made by StuntGrunt CONTACT: Capt. Randy Foreman, 409985-7619 TIPS: Look for bird action

LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Pleasure Island Point GPS: N29.929617, W93.865817 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Down South Lures and the

new Mull-O-Grunt lure made by StuntGrunt CONTACT: Capt. Randy Foreman, 409985-7619 TIPS: Look for mullet action.

LOCATION: Matagorda HOTSPOT: Beachfront from east of the Colorado River Jetties GPS: N28.598992, 95.936737 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters to start the morning early and then move to soft plastic baits, using a ¼ - 3/8 ounce jig head.

Choice of jig head size depends on how hard the wind is blowing.

CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz, 281450-4037 TIPS: Color is not that important if the fish are biting. “Use the color you have confidence in. I think the fish can feel the confidence all the way from your hand to the lure, or the lack thereof ” — Countz BANK ACCESS: If you have a 4-wheel drive vehicle, you can drive the beachfront east from the mouth of the Colorado River jetties. “For the angler who is fishing from a boat, it’s a great opportunity to anchor up and throw bait.” — Countz LOCATION: Matagorda HOTSPOT: Beachfront from west of the Colorado River Jetties GPS: N28.578492, W96.008148 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters to start the morning early and then move to soft plastic baits, using a ¼ - 3/8 ounce jig head.

CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz, 281450-4037 TIPS: “I like to throw the bigger topwater baits, such as the She Dog. Color is really not that important. If the fish are in the mood to hit the bait, they will hit any color.” — Countz BANK ACCESS: If you have a 4-wheel drive vehicle, you can drive the beachfront west from the mouth of the Colorado River jetties. “This is where I like to wade fish because usually you have a lot less people.”

— Countz LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay

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HOTSPOT: South Shoreline grass beds from the Pipeline down to Greens GPS: N8.498117, W96.2367 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Wade fishing using Norton Sand Eels in darker colors CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz, 281450-4037 TIPS: Tide movement is critical, incoming or falling. Key on the grass beds.

LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Boiler Bayou GPS: N28.646005, W95.900002 SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Wade fishing using Norton Sand Eels in darker colors CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz, 281450-4037 TIPS: Concentrate on finding grassy areas holding bait up close to the shoreline.

LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Hanna’s Reef GPS: N29.478383, W94.761717 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Texas Trout Killers in Red Shad and Limetreuse CONTACT: Capt. LG Boyd, 409-7703567 TIPS: Fish any of the mid-bay reefs that are about 4-6 feet deep. Bounce the lure along the bottom LOCATION: Galveston Bay HOTSPOT: Halfmoon Reef GPS: N29.400383, W94.843867 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Texas Trout Killers in Red Shad and Limetreuse CONTACT: Capt. LG Boyd, 409-7703567 TIPS: Try Halfmoon Reef when the trout are deeper, 6 – 9 feet deep.

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GPS: N28.400159, W96.721573 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Texas Trout Killer in either Roach/chartreuse or Morning Glory colors CONTACT: Capt. Chris Martin, 361-7852686 TIPS: Wade fishing these reefs. Martin prefers to key in on the color change near the ends of the reefs. Each reef should be marked by small white PVC pipes. Nervous mullet and either clean or slightly offcolor water are a must.

LOCATION: San Antonio Bay HOTSPOT: Seadrift Reefs GPS: N28.400159, W96.721573 SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Texas Red Killer in Plumtruse CONTACT: Capt. Chris Martin, 361-7852686 TIPS: Fish will be right on top or next to deep side of the reef.

LOCATION: San Antonio Bay HOTSPOT: Half Moon Reef GPS: N28.334933, W96.768733 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Black topwaters early and the Texas Trout Killer in Geaux Gleaux.

CONTACT: Capt. Chris Martin, 361-7852686 TIPS: Get there when it’s dark and start using a black topwater lure. Once the sun comes up switch to the Trout Killer. Miller advises to work from east to west along the reef; walk very little and do not talk. Miller also suggests that you try to bounce the lure over the shell using a slow to moderate retrieve.

LOCATION: San Antonio Bay HOTSPOT: Half Moon Reef GPS: N28.334933, W96.768733 SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Texas Red Killer in the Who Dat color

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CONTACT: Capt. Chris Martin, 361-7852686 TIPS: Use the Who Dat color while working off-color water on the backside of the oyster reef.

LOCATION: St. Charles Bay HOTSPOT: Little Devils Bayou GPS: N28.198, W96.925 SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: topwaters in red, white, Bone CONTACT: Capt. Mac Gable, 361-7909601, 512-809-2681 TIPS: For best results, work the area thoroughly during the first two hours of daylight.

LOCATION: St. Charles Bay HOTSPOT: Cavasso Creek GPS: N28.2147, W96.9833 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Rat-L-Traps or Super Spooks CONTACT: Capt. Mac Gable, 361-7909601, 512-809-2681 TIPS: The transition to deeper water at the mouth of Cavasso should produce some nice specks.

LOCATION: Copano Bay HOTSPOT: Little lap reef GPS: N28.14, W97.0524 SPECIES: redfish, black drum BEST BAITS: cut mullet, sardines CONTACT: Capt. Mac Gable, 361-7909601, 512-809-2681 TIPS: Work baits slowly along the bottom during low tide.

LOCATION: Copano Bay HOTSPOT: Old Pipeline GPS: N28.0976, W-97.2046 SPECIES: speckled trout 28.0976, W97.2046t, redfish BEST BAITS: mud minnows, finger mullet CONTACT: Capt. Mac Gable, 361-7909601, 512-809-2681 TIPS: Use a popping cork or free-line live bait according to what the fish seem to prefer.

LOCATION: Aransas Bay

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HOTSPOT: Dead Man Island GPS: N28.030205, W97.025371 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live shrimp CONTACT: Capt. Mac Gable, 361-7909601, 512-809-2681 TIPS: The deeper water edges off of Nine Mile Point is good for trout using croaker or a rattling cork and shrimp.

LOCATION: Carlos Bay HOTSPOT: Spalding Bight GPS: N28.1074, W96.892 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live shrimp CONTACT: Capt. Mac Gable, 361-7909601, 512-809-2681 TIPS: Fish the late evening on a falling tide using free-lined shrimp.

LOCATION: Mesquite Bay HOTSPOT: Cedar Bayou GPS: N28.1141 -96.8244 SPECIES: redfish, sheepshead BEST BAITS: cut menhaden, free-lined shrimp CONTACT: Capt. Mac Gable, 361-7909601, 512-809-2681 TIPS: We need Cedar Bayou open for this Bay to turn around. Best bet right now is the east shoreline, where a few reds and sheepshead work the deeper reefs.

LOCATION: Ayres Bay HOTSPOT: Ayres Reef GPS: N28.1739, W96.8394 SPECIES: flounder, trout BEST BAITS: shrimp CONTACT: Capt. Mac Gable, 361-7909601, 512-809-2681 TIPS: Ayres Reef is a productive using a rattling cork and shrimp for flounder and trout.

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Popper around the grasslines. There will be tailing redfish around the grasslines.

You can sight cast with soft plastics on light (1/8th ounce) jighead or ¼ ounce gold spoons. Swim your baits just above the grass.

LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: King Ranch Shoreline GPS: N27.358961, W97.389679 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, pinfish, or croaker. Gulp! Baits/Paradise Popper CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089. 361-449-7441. brushcountrycharters.com TIPS: Trout will be lurking around the potholes along the grassbeds. If you are fishing a weedline, then use a live pinfish or shrimp on a Chatterweight. If you’re drifting potholes, then rig a 3” Gulp! or Bayside Shrimp under an Old Bayside Paradise Popper. Bring plenty of water and a bimini top or T-Top for shade. It is not hard to become a victim of heat exhaustion, especially on calm, humid day. Fresh fruit will also help replace any lost potassium and avoid vicious leg cramps.

Go Live on Baffin LOCATION: Baffin Bay

by CALIXTO GONZALES cgonzales@fishgame.com

HOTSPOT: East Kleberg Point GPS: N27 16.300, W97 30.426 SPECIES: speckled trout.

BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, pinfish, croaker.

CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089. 361-449-7441. brushcountrycharters.com TIPS: An angler can make an entire day by simply fishing this area. Fish the shallows around rock edges and let the bait fall into deeper water. Use a Texas Rattlin’ Rig Chatterweight and a 3/0 Kahle-style hook for best results. As the day grows longer, fish deeper where fish seek out cooler water. Live bait is best, especially on dog days.

LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: ICW GPS: N27 27 16.674, W97 23.821 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, Gulp! lures.

CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089. 361-449-7441. brushcountrycharters.com TIPS: Trout will be holding along the edges. When you locate a school, fish a Gulp! Shrimp or shad tail under an Old

LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Beacroft’s Hole GPS: N27.551533, W97.32155 SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, pinfish, or croaker. Soft Plastics in Tequila Gold, gold weedless spoons.

CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089. 361-449-7441. brushcountrycharters.com TIPS: Upper Laguna Madre can be a hot place in July, both in temperature and fishing. Work live shrimp under a Paradise C O A S T A L

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Bayside Paradise Popper. Use a ¼ ounce jighead and no cork if the fish are deeper; switch to a 1/8 ounce jighead if using the X-treme cork. Fish the spoils on an incoming tide.

LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Rocky Slough GPS: N27 18.651, W97 33.465 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, pinfish, live croaker. Soft plastics in morning glory, Baffin Magic.

CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089. 361-449-7441. brushcountrycharters.com TIPS: Fish the deep points rocks with live bait on a Chatterweight rig. Drift fishing is better than anchoring because it allows you to cover more water around the reef. Once you find a concentration of fish, you can anchor-up and focus on the

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area. Stake out sticks and Power Poles are very useful in these situations, but a well-placed push-pole will work just as well.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: The Washing Machine GPS: N26.028233, W97.172117 SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, live finfish Soft Plastics in red/white, chartreuse/white, green apple.

CONTACT: Captain Allen Salinas, 956943-3474 TIPS: Night fishing the full moon can be absolutely awesome. The strong outgoing tides create the “washing machine” effect this point is famous for. The strong flow pushes all sorts of bait off the flats and into the channels that converge at the point. Live shrimp, mullet, and mud minnows all work, as do soft baits that imitate

same. Fishing lights aren’t very necessary to attract fish.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: The Washing Machine GPS: N26.028233, W97.172117 SPECIES: Snook BEST BAITS: Live large shrimp, live finfish Swimbaits in black, smoke. Topwaters in dark colors.

CONTACT: Captain Allen Salinas, 956943-3474 TIPS: Some of the biggest snook of the season prowl the area on the same full moon that draws trout and other game fish.

Live bait always works. Five-inch swimbaits are strong mojo, but if you want a heart-stopping strike, throw out a noisy topwater when the tide starts to ease up. If Mr. Robalo is there, he’ll rip the rod out of your arms.

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LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Mexequita Flats GPS: N26 3.624, W97 11.532 SPECIES: Redfish 26.0604, W97.1922 BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, topwaters, DOA Shrimp/popping cork.

CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez, 956551-9581 TIPS: Fish during a high tide. As always, live shrimp under a popping cork is very effective. If there is a high tide early in the morning, topwaters in bone and blue/chrome will draw crashing strikes.

Fish around sand potholes scattered throughout the flats for speckled trout.

Redfish will be cruising between the potholes. A little-used technique that is very effective is to sharp shoot potholes with a ¼ ounce DOA Shrimp, YUM! Sweet Shrimp or Tsunami Holoshrimp in clear/gold. If the redfish are short-striking your top waters, switch to a suspending twitch bait such as the Magic Swimmer.

LOCATION: Gulf of Mexico HOTSPOT: North Jetty Tip GPS: N26.068683, W97.1453 SPECIES: Kingfish BEST BAITS: Ribbonfish rigs, Magnum Rat-L-Traps in Chrome/blue.

CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez,956551-9581 TIPS: July’s dog days means that blue water and kingfish are within casting distance of the jetties. Ribbonfish under a balloon can drift out away from the rocks.

If you have a 12’ surf rod, you can also try zinging a big lipless crankbait out where the lunkers lurk and burn it back. Make sure your reel is high capacity and loaded.

A smoker can leave you with an empty reel and a broken heart in a big hurry.

LOCATION: Gulf of Mexico HOTSPOT: North Jetty Tip GPS: N26.068683, W97.1453 SPECIES: Tarpon BEST BAITS: Live mullet or sand trout/balloon rigs, MirrOlures Catch 2000, Magnum Rat-L-Traps in Chrome/blue. White flies.

CONTACT: White Sands Marina, 956943-2414 TIPS: Tarpon will cruise along the jetties, around the tip and along the beachfront. Savvy anglers looking for a brawl can intercept the silver bruisers from a boat C O A S T A L

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or the rocks. Rig a balloon over a three foot leader, tie a 10/0 circle hook and pin a small sand trout or 6 to 8 inch mullet. Let it drift along in the current next to the rocks. Artificials such as a chrome/blue or red/white Catch 2000 or ‘Trap are tough to beat. Fly casters rigged out with 9 or 10-weight rods can throw Tarpon Bunnies or Chicken Feathers.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: The Wreck GPS: N26.079433, W97.19615 SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Live Bait, Live Shrimp/Grand Slam popper, soft plastics in red/white.

CONTACT: Captain Richard Cadengo, 956-434-2521 TIPS: Some big trout in excess of 20 inches are lurking around the edges of the sunken ship that is easily located (watch for the change in current eddies caused by the boat structure). Cast out a live shrimp under a Grand Slam or similar popping cork and pay out line as it drifts by the edge of the wreck. A trout will usually pull the cork down before it passes the tail end of the eddies.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Long Bar GPS: N26.202733, W97.26595 SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Topwaters early.

Mauler/shrimp-tail, Gulp! Shrimp in new penny, chartreuse patterns CONTACT: Captain Eddie Curry, 956943-8301 TIPS: Redfish action heats up with the weather in July. Fish topwaters along the spoil edge early, then switch over to a Gulp!/Mauler combo later in the day. If you are able to sight-fish for reds, rig a 4” Gulp! Shrimp or Ghost Shrimp on a bare 3/0 hook and flick it in front of the redfish.

The bait will actually suspend in the water column. When Mr. Spot keys in on your offering, twitch it slightly, then hang on.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Drum Boats GPS: N26.17855, W97.185117 SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Topwaters early.

Mauler/shrimp-tail, Gulp! Shrimp in new penny, chartreuse patterns

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CONTACT: Captain Eddie Curry, 956943-8301 TIPS: Watch for tailing redfish between the potholes on the flats. Topwaters early in the morning. If there aren’t any cooperative fish in the area, move to the color changes and work a Gulp! On a jighead.

Fish the area slowly and thoroughly.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre/South Padre Island HOTSPOT: South Cullen Bay GPS: N26.220333, W97.266667 SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAIT: Soft plastics, topwaters, cut ballyhoo, gold spoons CONTACT: Captain Mike Knox (956) 243-0039.

TIPS: Fish the deeper waters around Unneccesary Island. Bounce 1/8 ounce to 1/16 once jigheads rigged with 3" or 4" Gulp! Shrimp slowly through the deeper pockets for Speckled Trout. Best colors are newpenny, molting, or natural. Work the shallower water to the west with weedless gold spoons for Redfish.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre/South Padre Island HOTSPOT: Cullen Channel GPS: N26.260833, W97.288333 SPECIES: Flounder BEST BAIT: Live Shrimp, Soft plastics, and live finger mullet CONTACT: Captain Mike Knox (956) 243-0039 TIPS: When targeting Flounder, fish with heavier jigheads tipped with live shrimp hooked through the tail. Bounce heavy jigheads along edges of the channel.

When you feel the Flounder thump-it, wait three seconds before you set the hook. Set hook hard so you can penetrate flounders' bony mouths.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre/South Padre Island HOTSPOT: Spoils north of Marker 67 GPS: N26.231283, W97.269583 SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAIT: Live Shrimp and Soft plastics CONTACT: Captain Mike Knox (956) 243-0039 68 |

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TIPS: Try to find fish cruising the edge of the spoils. Work topwaters near the shoreline when you start first thing in the morning. Soft plastics will work, too, especially in plum/chartreuse or chartreuse colors.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Gaswell Flats GPS: N26.271817, W97.270367 SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Cut Ballyhoo, live shrimp.

Soft plastics in red/white, ¼-1/2 ounce gold weedless spoons.

CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez, 956-551-9581.

TIPS: If the tides aren’t extraordinarily low, redfish will cruise all over Gaswells.

Set up a long drift across the broad flat, spot the pods working over the bottom, and use cut bait on the bottom or weedless gold spoons to tempt them. Quarter-ounce spoons are best, but you may want to move up to a heavier spoon if the wind is blowing hard out of the Southeast.

LOCATION: Arroyo Colorado HOTSPOT: Primero Island GPS: N26.2745, W97.275 SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Topwaters, soft plastics in pearl white/chartreuse, live shrimp/popping cork, gold spoons.

CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez, 956-551-9581.

TIPS: Look east of Primero to find pods of red cruising the flats and speckled trout lying in potholes amidst the grass. A low tide will show redfish tails and concentrate trout along the grassy edges of sand holes.

Topwaters are good early. Flutter a gold spoon over potholes or in front of water disturbed by prowling redfish. The water can be very clear, so wear your Polaroids and keep a sharp eye.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Dunkin’s Shack GPS: N26.298467, W97.301717 SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: live bait; topwaters; soft plastics in red/white, New Penny, gold spoons.

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CONTACT: Captain Allen Salinas, 956943-3474 TIPS: Drift near the spoil islands. Redfish prowl all along the flats. Use either live shrimp under a popping cork or gold spoons; both will cover the most water in the shortest amount of time. If you prefer using top waters, bone and blue/chrome are popular, and Halloween (black/gold/orange) catches its fair share.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: East Cut GPS: N26.556083, W97.370567 SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics in salt/pepper, clear/red flake, gold spoons.

CONTACT: Captain Richard Lopez, 956207-4715.

TIPS: Fish the drop offs for trout, flounder, using artificials with an 1/8th to a 1/4 ounce jig head. Free lining shrimp with one to two egg weights along the drop offs could be very effective for catching all species as well. You can get out of the boat and wade right up to the edge. Watch your step, though, because the last one can be a lulu.

LOCATION: Port Mansfield HOTSPOT: Beach Front GPS: N26.595067, W97.28585 SPECIES: Mixed Bag Best Baits Catch 2000, Catch 5 in red/white, Texas Chicken, plastics in bone/clear, bone/diamond, salt and pepper.

CONTACT: Captain Steve Devries, 956289-3631 TIPS: Baitballs pop up just off the beach front in July, and all sorts of surf runners join in on the massacre. Skipjack, bonita, Spanish mackerel, tarpon, speckled trout, bull redfish, even the occasional trouble-making kingfish rip into these schools of hapless baitfish on a calm day. Suspending twitch baits should be hooked up to a short wire leader to prevent breakoffs.

Ditto with soft plastics. Try slow-trolling leadheads around the perimeter of the maelstrom to prospect for kings and Bonita.

LOCATION: Port Mansfield

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HOTSPOT: West Bay GPS: N26.475433, W97.417517 SPECIES: Speckled Trout.

BEST BAITS: Topwaters at first light, ¼1/2 ounce gold spoons, soft plastics in red/white, fire tiger CONTACT: Captain Richard Lopez, 956207-4715.

TIPS: Don’t bother looking for Bennie’s Shack. Hurricane Dolly took care of that (you could look for Bennie’s pilings, I guess). What you CAN look for are slicks and jumping mullet to indicate where trout are prowling. Fish west of the spoil islands with a poppin' cork and shrimp. Artificials is a good choice too. Use an 1/8th ounce jig head with a sand eel that has a pearl color to it.

LOCATION: Port Mansfield HOTSPOT: Big Oak Motts GPS: N26.699417, W97.463183 SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Live shrimp/popping cork, plastics in bone/clear, bone/diamond, salt and pepper.

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CONTACT: Captain Richard Lopez, 956207-4715.

TIPS: Fish the color changes with either live bait or soft plastics such as a Norton Sand Eel or Bass Assassin on a 1/8th ounce head. Target the potholes and grasslines. Fish deeper water on a windy day.

Code Red for Action LOCATION: Tradinghouse Creek Reservoir HOTSPOT: Redfish Point GPS: N31 33.834, W96 56.919 SPECIES: redfish

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

BEST BAITS: chrome and black-blue medium to deep-running crankbaits CONTACT: Jimmy D. Moore, raya-

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BANK ACCESS: South Levee road. Cross the levee and turn left. Go uphill and park in the old park. Use cut bait for catfish and Texas-rigged plastic worms for largemouth bass.

LOCATION: Lake Lewisville HOTSPOT: Old Lake Dallas Dam Riprap GPS: N33.111214, W96.992111 SPECIES: channel catfish BEST BAITS: Secret 7 Dip Bait, fresh shad CONTACT: Bobby Kubin, bobby@bobbycatfishing.com, 817-455-2894, www.bobby-catfishing.com TIPS: Anchor your boat in Clark’s Cove

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within casting distance of brush-liked banks and fish the baits on a Carolina-rig in two to three feet of water against the brush.

The green willows often will hold a lot of fish. At the Old Lake Dallas dam, fish the dip bait, punch bait, shrimp or shad around the shallow rocks on the rip rap.

Some channel cats still are spawning and can be caught in one to five feet of water on slip corks. Throw out soured maize if the bite slows.

BANK ACCESS: Pilot Knoll Park for crappie, largemouth bass and catfish LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Saline Creek GPS: N32.167890, W95.428448 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: 3/4-ounce brown/black jigs, finesse worms on Shaky Head jigs and blue heron Shimmy Shaker CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff, ricky@rickysquideservice.com, 903-5617299, www.rickysguideservice.com TIPS: Fish the docks that are in at least six feet of water with brush in front of them early and late. The Shimmy Shaker also will work well on main lake points early and late while deep-diving crankbaits will work well during the heat of the day. Fish your lures very slowly.

LOCATION: Richland-Chambers HOTSPOT: 309 Hump No.2 GPS: N31.975833, W96.139167 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: chrome/blue Zara Spook, 3/8-ounce black S.O.B. buzzbait, Kicker Bait Kicker Kraw, Kicker Bait 11-inch worm and lizard CONTACT: Steve Schmidt, steve@schmidtsbigbass.com, 682-5188252, www.schmidtsbigbass.com TIPS: Start at daybreak with a topwater lure on the hump. Once the topwater bite stops just before sunup, use a Carolina rig with a two to four-foot leader, 5-0 hook and 3/4 or 1/2-ounce Tungsten weight depending on the wind and two 8 mm Force bead above a Kicker Kraw. Drag the Carolina rig across the humps. There is a secondary hump about 25 yards south of the first one. The humps have a lot of 70 |

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brush on top of them.

BANK ACCESS: Oak Cove Marina LOCATION: Richland-Chambers HOTSPOT: 308 Hump No. 3 GPS: N31.972167, W96.135 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Chrome/blue Zara Spook, 3/8-ounce black S.O.B. buzzbait, Kicker Bait Kicker Kraw, Kicker Bait 11-inch worm and lizard CONTACT: Steve Schmidt, steve@schmidtsbigbass.com, 682-5188252, www.schmidtsbigbass.com TIPS: Start at daybreak with a topwater lure on the hump. Once the topwater bite stops just before sunup, use a Carolina rig with a two to four-foot leader, 5-0 hook and 3/4 or 1/2-ounce Tungsten weight depending on the wind and two 8 mm Force bead above a Kicker Kraw. Drag the Carolina rig across the humps. There is a secondary hump about 25 yards south of the first one. The humps have a lot of brush on top of them.

BANK ACCESS: Oak Cove Marina LOCATION: Gibbons Creek Reservoir HOTSPOT: Fuller’s Shelf GPS: N30.62375, W96.054517 SPECIES: crappie BEST BAITS: small minnows, small curlytailed red/white or black/chartreuse jigs CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, Weldon_edna@hotmail.com, 979-229-3103, www.FishTales-GuideService.com TIPS: There are lots of stumps in this area. Experiment with the depths of your bait until you find the bite, moving the depth 8-12 inches each time. Look for shallow-water bites during early mornings when the water is cooler. A fish light can be very effective at night now that the days are hotter. Do not sit on one stump if the bite slows. Another stump 10 feet away may be holding fish.

LOCATION: Lake Somerville HOTSPOT: South Schooling Area GPS: N30.322517, W96.562017 SPECIES: white bass, hybrid stripers BEST BAITS: ghost minnows, shad, small spoons, red/silver slabs F I S H

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CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, weldon_edna@hotmail.com, 979-229-3103, www.FishTales-GuideService.com TIPS: If using shad or ghost minnows, anchor in this area and use tight line and No.2 Kahle hook. For trolling, use a Hellbender with small spoon lure as a trailer. If you locate a school of fish with your electronics, bounce slabs off the bottom. Look for surfacing action during late afternoons and use a Little George near the surface but don’t expect the action to last very long at one time.

LOCATION: Fayette County Lake HOTSPOT: Deer Stand Hump GPS: N29.932417, W96.7297 SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: punch bait, worms CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, Weldon_edna@hotmail.com, 979-229-3103, www.FishTales-GuideService.com TIPS: The hump is six feet deep.

Anchor close to the shore and cast back to the hump. The fish will be hanging around the hump looking for baitfish. Use a tight line with an egg sinker. Punch bait is best when the water is warm. The hump also attracts lots of fish moving from deeper water onto it at night.

LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Kickapoo Creek GPS: N32.28565. W95.5061 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Nichols 3/8-ounce white/chartreuse double-willow spinnerbait,Texas-rigged watermelon/red, junebug and red shad Zoom Baby Brush Hog CONTACT: Ricky's Guide Service, 903 561-7299 TIPS: The bass will move up and down the point between two channels in Kickapoo Creek at this site. Work both sides of the point along the sides of the point itself.

Use a Texas-rigged Zoom Baby Brush Hog on hot days under the sun. Earlymornings can be good on topwater poppers and Nichols spinnerbaits.

LOCATION: Lake Texoma HOTSPOT: Alberta Creek GPS: N33.959033, W96.6002

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SPECIES: Striped bass BEST BAITS: Topwater lures and Slabs CONTACT: Bill Carey, bigfish@striperexpress.com, 877-786-4477, www.striperexpress.com TIPS: Topwater fishing is at its best. Several large schools will surface around the lake during early-morning hours with some of the frenzy a mile long and a half-mile wide. Cast Pencil Poppers for the best action. After the surface action subsides, locate the schools with your electronics and then vertically drop slabs and use a fast retrieve. Expect hard strikes.

BANK ACCESS: Washita Point and Platter Flats LOCATION: Whitney HOTSPOT: The Island GPS: N31.895340, W97.381096 SPECIES: striped bass BEST BAITS: White 1/2-ounce jigs with chartreuse plastic trailers CONTACT: Randy Routh, teamredneck01@hotmail.com, 817-822-5539, www.teamredneck.net TIPS: The thermocline has set in and the stripers are relating to a reaction strike. We are downrigging 1/2-ounce white jigs with chartreuse trailers just above the thermocline and catching limits daily. Fish the ledge from the island and the McCowan Flats.

LOCATION: Granger Lake HOTSPOT: Dam Area GPS: N30.701697, W97.335777 SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: white slab spoon CONTACT: Tommy Tidwell, crappie1@hotmail.com, 512-365-7761, www.gotcrappie.com TIPS: Bounce or drag the slab spoon on top of the humps and ridges. Casting and reeling the lure will catch a lot of fish but they likely will be small. Keep the spoons on the bottom to catch the larger fish. The best time to catch the larger fish is from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Shallow Bass LOCATION: Toledo Bend Reservoir HOTSPOT: Bayou Seipe GPS: N31.729717, W93.813383 C O A S T A L

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SPECIES: largemouth bass

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

BEST BAITS: topwater lures, crankbaits, soft plastics CONTACT: Greg Crafts, gregcrafts@yahoo.com, 936-368-7151, www.toledobendguide.com TIPS: During early-morning, late-evening and cloudy days, work topwater lures, buzzbaits, spinnerbaits, plastic frogs and shallow-diving crankbaits along the edges of the pepper grass, duckweed and lily pads that are growing close to deep water.

When the sun is overhead and the shallowwater bite has slowed down, back out to deeper water and fish diving crankbaits, slab spoons, tail-spinners and Texas or Carolina-rigged soft plastics.

bait and a small egg sinker. Let the bait go to the bottom and wait for a slight resistance which signals a strike.

BANK ACCESS: Stowaway Marina LOCATION: Toledo Bend HOTSPOT: Roadbed near Buck Creek GPS: N31.169702, W93.609352 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Watermelon lizard, Mardis Gra Zoom Fluke

LOCATION: Lake Livingston HOTSPOT: Highway 190 road bed GPS: N30.752533, W95.172017 SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: Jigging spoons, slabs, Pet Spoons CONTACT: David S. Cox, dave@palmettoguideservice.com, 936291-9602, www.palmettoguideservice.com TIPS: Key on the old sunken bridge crossing the river channel. Look for fish at 11-15 feet on your graph. Fish vertically with slabs and spoons, dropping the lures all the way to the bottom and then popping your rod tip. Watch for strikes as the lure falls.

LOCATION: Lake Conroe HOTSPOT: North Lake GPS: N30.459841, W95.583801 SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: Primos stinkbait CONTACT: Richard Tatsch, admin@fishdudetx.com, 936-291-1277, www.fishdudetx.com TIPS: The cats have finished eating all the shad they can along the bulkheads after the shad spawn. They now are back in deep water along the channel edges. Find a stump along the channel on the north end of the lake and throw out some range cubes to bait the area. Allow about 30 minutes for the fish to move in. I use sponges on No. 6 treble hooks to absorb the dipping

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CONTACT: Don Mattern, donmat@windstream.com, 903-478-2633. www.matternguideservice.com TIPS: This is a great big bass area for July. The fish will follow the roadbed to a 10-foot level with 25 feet of water nearby.

Anchor near the GPS site and use a Carolina rig with 3/4-ounce sinker and 2 1/2foot leader. I use a 3-ought hook. Tip the tails of the Fluke or lizard with chartreuse Spike It Dye and slowly drag the Carolina along the bottom.

Stripers on the Run LOCATION: Possum Kingdom Lake HOTSPOT: South D&D GPS: N32.877929, W98.487968 SPECIES: Striped bass

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

BEST BAITS: Live gizzard shad and shadimitation lures.

CONTACT: Dean Heffner, fav734@aceweb.com, 940-329-0036 TIPS: Look for stripers around South D&D that are making their annual migration to the dam during the hot-weather months. The fish will be most active at daybreak and under the lights at night to avoid the heat and bright sun. Start early by looking for active fish that have pushed shad into the backs of the coves. They will slowly work their way back to deeper water as the sun rises. This also is a prime time for down-rigging along the sides of the old river channel as the day progresses. The fish will pick a certain depth to run down the channel and beside the flats as natural highways. Be prepared for occasional feeding frenzies on cloudy days as the fish rise from the depths to smash shad at the surface. I prefer to have a 1/2-ounce jig with a Mister Twister trailer to catch fish within two feet of the surface during these feeding frenzies.

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crankbaits or spinnerbaits across a point or down a bluff bank to catch bass that have moved shallow to feed on baitfish being blown into these areas.

BANK ACCESS: Pace Bend for crappie on minnows and white jigs

Deep Water Guadalupe Bass LOCATION: Lake Medina HOTSPOT: Walton Island GPS: N29.559217, W98.9207 SPECIES: Guadalupe bass

BEST BAITS: Pop R, Zara Puppy, 1/4oune buzzbait and spinnerbait, Shaky Head or Drop-shot rig.

CONTACT: Dave Burlington, dave@bassindave.com, 210-833-9417, www.bassindave.com TIPS: Most bass will be in six to 20 feet of water relating to brush on deep-water points, humps, bluff banks and islands.

The topwater bite should come early in shallow water. Switch to a Drop-shot or Shaky Head rig when the sun gets up with watermelon, pumpkin and cotton candy finesse worms over the deep brush. At night, fish the lighted docks with jigs, tube worms and 7-inch black and brown worms.

BANK ACCESS: Red’s Cove for catfish on shad sides and cheese bait

LOCATION: Lake LBJ HOTSPOT: Sunrise Beach GPS: N30.589267, W98.408517 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Grass frog, buzzbait, Pop R, medium-diving crankbait, Texas, Whacky and Carolina-rigged worms in black-blue, watermelon.-red, green pumpkin and motor oil CONTACT: Dave Burlington, dave@bassindave.com, 210-833-9417, www.bassindave.com TIPS: Fish the primary points and humps with Texas and Carolina-rigged plastics and jigs. A good topwater bite often comes early and late around laydown logs, docks and grassbeds. Boat traffic often stirs the shallow water along seawalls and grassbeds. Look for bass to move into those areas during mid-day hours and fish a spinnerbait or jerkbait along the seawall and in the grassbeds or pitch a Texasrigged worm or Whacky-rigged Senko under the docks.

BANK ACCESS: Flying K for bass on spinnerbaits and soft plastics

LOCATION: Lake Travis HOTSPOT: Hurst Creek GPS: N30.38486, W97.959981 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Bone-colored Pop R and Zara Spook, white spinnerbait, mediumdiving shad-colored crankbait, smoke grub, Texas and Carolina-rigged watermelon-red worms CONTACT: Dave Burlington, dave@bassindave.com, 210-833-9417, www.bassindave.com TIPS: Look for bass in 5-20 feet of water around the deep-water structure. Fish the topwater lures early and then go to grubs or worms and fish deeper. bass often suspend in these areas. Swimming a grub through them should produce some catches. If a strong wind is blowing, work

LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Toms Creek GPS: N29.872682, W98.256569 SPECIES: smallmouth bass BEST BAITS: Smoke-red fleck, watermelon and silver fleck tubes, grubs and worms, Zara Puppies, Pop Rs, chartreuse medium-diving crankbaits CONTACT: Dave Burlington, dave@bassindave.com, 210-833-9417, www.bassindave.com TIPS: Look for bushes and rock piles in 12-28 feet of water along breaklines and points. Fish topwaters early and late. Swim the grubs and worms along the bottom to get strikes. Sandy areas along bluff walls with the wind blowing attract lots of bass.

Throw the crankbait, grub or tube in these areas.

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

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BANK ACCESS: Canes Mill for crappie on minnows and jigs LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Mystic Shores GPS: N29.912567, W98.29245 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: One quarter-ounce Shakey Head worms, 1/2 pt 3/4-ounce Carolinarigged Watermelon Flukes, Senkos Texas rigged w/ 1/4-3/8oz Tungsten weights CONTACT: KC’s bassin’ Guide Service, kandie@gvtc.com TIPS: Fish the point near the dropoff slowly. Work the shallows early and then move into the deeper depths. bass are in their summer homes and with the weather being warm are not likely to be aggressive.

Use a good rod like Castaways Camo rod in Heavy Weight 7’ for Carolina rigging.

Good summer colors include, watermelon red, blue fleck, june bug, watermelon candy.

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LOCATION: Falcon Reservoir HOTSPOT: Arroyo Valeno GPS: N26.876167, W99.246267 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Texas-rigged Brush Hawg, medium-diving crankbait CONTACT: Robert’s Fish N Tackle, robert@robertsfishntackle.com, 956-7651442, www.robertsfishntackle. Com TIPS: Look for schooling bass early along the east bank of the creek channel.

During mid-day target bends in the creek channel with Brush Hawgs.

LOCATION: Falcon Reservoir.

HOTSPOT: Big Tiger bridge GPS: N26.679567, W99.233883 SPECIES: Channnel and blue catfish BEST BAITS: Punch bait, shrimp CONTACT: Robert’s Fish N Tackle, robert@robertsfishntackle.com, 956-7651442, www.robertsfishntackle.com TIPS: Fish the deep water under the bridge for big channel cats and blue cats with shrimp or punch bait. Also drift the entire creek channel with cut or live shad.

Cow Creek Sows LOCATION: Lake Amistad HOTSPOT: Cow Creek GPS: N29.524416, W101.186314 SPECIES: largemouth bass

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

BEST BAITS: Chartreuse spinnerbaits, Zara Spooks CONTACT: Larry Scruggs, fisherofmenlrs@hotmail.com, 210-789-1645 TIPS: Cast Zara Spooks early and late to the windy points and then shift to spinnerbaits in off-color water.

LOCATION: Choke Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Four Fingers GPS: N28.502167, W98.271733 SPECIES: largemouth bass

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

BEST BAITS: topwater frogs with red or white bellies, white buzzbaits, spinnerbaits and Chatter Baits, chrome Rat-L-Traps, Texas and Carolina-rigged worms CONTACT: Dave Burlington, dave@bassindave.com, 210-833-9417, www.bassindave.com TIPS: bass will feed aggressively around the grassbeds early and late. Fish spinnerbaits, Chatter Baits and swimming jigs in those areas. Move to deeper water off points, islands and roadbeds during the mid-day hours and fish Texas and Carolina-rigged worms in 15-25 feet of water.

Fish spinnerbaits and Chatter Baits up the river around timber along the channel in 38 feet of water.

BANK ACCESS: Calliham State Park for catfish on shrimp and cut bait C O A S T A L

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Go Green On Sabine HE PRETTY GREEN WATER THAT SEEMS TO overtake the Sabine ecosystem in the summer months is what gets me the most excited about fishing in July.

The southerly winds help push the pretty water with the incoming tides and it seems to just keep on coming. With the green water comes a smorgasbord of species with large appetites.

Trout, redfish, flounder, ling, sharks, triple tail, jacks, croaker, drum, snapper, king mackerel, spanish mackerel, stingray, sheepshead, hardheads, and gafftops (some obviously less desirable) can all be caught within minutes of the boat ramp. If you decide to hit the jetties or near gulf waters

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you should have little problem locating most of the species mentioned above. The jetties hold tremendous numbers of trout and reds as well as numerous other rod-bending species.

Light colored soft plastics fished fairly deep with a 1/4 oz. lead head, or live baits such as finger mullet, shad, and live shrimp should produce the best results. If the winds are favorable, and your heart is not set on limits of trout only, try breaking away from the jetties and venturing out into the open gulf waters.

On most good days you shouldn’t have to run very far to find a nice weedline.

When you do, ease up to it with the trolling motor and start looking. Most of the time it’s just a matter of seconds before you see a triple tail relaxing in the shade, or even sunning on top of the grass. Flip whatever color plastic you’ve got tied on in front of his nose and see what kind of mood he is in.

Many times he will inhale it as soon as it hits the water just so none of his buddies get

the chance. Other times he will sniff and follow it for awhile as others come out of the shadows to see what the fuss is all about.

More often than not you will hook up quickly and continue catching as long as they hang around.

Be ready for some serious tug of war and do your best to turn it away from the weedline as quickly as possible. Some of these brutes can be pushing 20 lbs. and have a knack for getting your line tangled in the grass.

Don’t be surprised if other big, dark, torpedo shaped silhouettes suddenly appear from the shadows. It’s not uncommon to see big ling or sharks while fishing weed lines.

You’ll obviously need heavier gear to land one of these so if you’ve got a big rod handy, use it. If not, it’s still worth a shot with light tackle.

Another very exciting option is to fish the giant schools of pogie that come in close to the jetties. Big jack crevalle , ling, sharks, mackerel, and reds will hit just about anything shiny that you can rip quickly through the water. Rattletraps and MirrOlures are good choices.

Like everyone else, I love chasing the Big 3, but when the hot, green water makes its way to Sabine in the summer, it’s nice to break the mold and do something just a little different.

THE BANK BITE LOCATION: McFaddin Beach SPECIES: Speckled Trout, Redfish BEST BAITS: Topwaters, soft plastics, rattletraps BEST TIMES: Mornings & evenings with calm winds

Contact: Eddie Hernandez at, ehernandez@fishgame.com 74 |

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The Action Heats Up ONG-RANGE PREDICTIONS AT THIS TIME show the overly wet spring that followed the wet winter in Texas to be drying up in July, which is excellent news for bay and surf fishermen. While July can be the last really windy month of summer, it lacks the extreme heat of a calm August day, and often after the big 4th of July weekend, winds will drop to a very pleasant level. Water clarity will still be off if rains have indeed caused flooding conditions on area rivers and other tidal streams, but clear water will be found on incoming tides inside passes and river mouths.

Pockets of clear water will also be found along the north shoreline of Galveston Island and Bolivar Peninsula. Clear water is probably more important to fishermen than to fish – reds, flounder, and panfish will feed in off color water just as well. Speckled trout may be found holding in the clearer, saltier water beneath the freshwater tinged runoff on the surface.

Wade fishermen normally love this time of the year, when being in the water is pleasant and cooling under the heat of the mid day sun.

Topwater plugs worked in areas of nervous mullet or over and along oyster bottom are perhaps the most exciting way to fish our bays, but many anglers still rely on the tried and true live shrimp under a popping cork for much of their fishing.

Fishing at night is also a comfortable option in mid summer, if the mosquitoes aren’t too bad. Salt marsh “skeeters” can be deadly, and the wet conditions might well produce a bumper crop in 2010. If biting bugs are at a level that can be controlled with a good repellant, “go fish”, if not, use a head net, long pants, and long sleeves Night fishing can be under dock lights, lights run by generators

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from shore or boat, or in the dark. Wading and casting on a moonlit night is a great experience, and the bay shorelines are seldom crowded at night. Of course, only do this in familiar waters.

A spot I always wanted to fish more often at night, although it requires a boat, is the “Tire Reef” or Fish Haven Reef, in West Galveston Bay. Far enough off the ICW to avoid barge traffic, this area of pilings with automotive tires strapped around them does not get a lot of attention, but should attract schools of trout and some reds. I have caught good gafftop there in early summer, and have even seen large stingrays and bigger sharks caught there than one might expect that far inside the bay system. The pilings make for easy mooring, and might also harbor flounder and sheepshead. A good green light should attract enough bait to provide some sort of action other than hungry skeeters.

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LOCATION: Beachfront piers and rock groins, where they are rebuilt and open, can offer action on anything from pompano to tarpon this time of year; SPECIES: Warm weather brings out the cream of the crop. Trout, reds, flounder, croaker, sand trout; and in the surf, these same species plus larger reds, jack crevalle, big sharks, and tarpon.

BEST BAITS: Live shrimp or small baitfish, or cut bait from the same mullet, and other species. In artificials, pick your favorite and chunk it – all will work at times, including some freshwater spinners, grubs, and worms.

BEST TIMES: As always, go with the moving water, but fish when you can, as much as you can. When good tidal movement comes early or late –or in the night – conditions are as good as they get.

Capt. Mike Holmes runs tarpon, shark, and bluewater trips on a classic 31 Bertram. To book a trip, call 979415-0535 Email: mholmes@fishgame.com.

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Try Unusual Flounder Tactics ULY IS NOT THE TIME OF YEAR MOST ANGLERS think of flounder, but the fact is there are flatfish to be caught for enterprising anglers in the Matagorda area.

In fact, toward the end of the month and into August is a time when some of the flounder that migrate out early in the fall start gorging themselves on baitfish to build on their fat reserves. It is a trend I have studied greatly for the last 10 years and recently have concluded it is worth anglers exploring.

One such area that offers some excellent flounder action this time of year are the river

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and creek systems feeding into the bays. I find it interesting that this same area gets an early run of good fishing in late February and turns on in late summer before the fish south of there start to bite.

Pay particular attention to the islands, points and cuts that are adjacent to deep water as they typically hold flounder during summer. These are great places to fish a live shad on a Carolina (fish-finder) rig.

Anglers in the Matagorda area do not pay much attention to flounder this time of year, but the south shoreline of both East and West Matagorda Bays can be loaded with flounder.

by Chester Moore Look for strong outgoing tides to produce the best bites and make sure to key in on the deeper cuts in the shoreline. These spots have typically have more oxygen moving through them and more baitfish, meaning that the flounder will be there more so

than in the other cuts.

An overlooked spot that I accidentally stumbled on back in the mid 1990s is the riprap around boat docks, at various points in the channel and in other locales. I was staying at a hotel in Corpus Christ for a fishing vacation and decided to try my luck pitching some jigs along the edges of the rocks on the beach. I was expecting and hoping to catch some mangrove snapper, but was happy to find out there are good numbers of flounder.

I fished with a double curl-tailed jig in chartreuse color and caught half a limit of legal-sized fish. On high tides look for large concentrations of small baitfish around the rocks and for flounder to be on the out edge and moving deeper as the tide recedes.

Something you might want to try there is simply drifting a live mud minnow under a cork on the edge of the rocks and right over the submerged ones. That would be a good way to get those flounder’s attention and to draw the strike of any other game fish that might be lurking there.

Spots like that may not be the ones that grab fishing-related headlines but for anglers who cannot afford a boat or simply like to try their luck at off-the-wall locations, they can be well worth the effort to find.

If you decide to go fishing, it will not take you long to figure out that July is one seriously hot month. However, at the same time if you try some of these fishing holes you will see the fishing action can be even hotter.

THE BANK BITE HOT SPOT: Jetty Park LOCATION: End of FM 2031, Matagorda SPECIES: Speckled Trout LURE/BAITS: Live shrimp BEST TIMES: When light winds are blowing and waters are running clear

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where a few reds and sheep head work the deeper water reefs. Cut menhaden and free lined shrimp are the preferred baits. Midbay reefs will hold a few trout but few limits.

Hot! Hot! Hot! HIS TIME OF YEAR IS LIVE BAIT CITY FOR ME and top water heaven. The soft plastic baits that are productive in the winter can now be replaced by harder rattling baits with good results. Drink a lot of water, stay in the shade of your T-top, but FISH FISH FISH!

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St. Charles Bay — The mouth of Little Devils Bayou using top waters in red and white and bone colors is good for keeper reds. The transition to deeper water at the mouth of Cavasso will produce some nice specks using rattling lures like Rattle Traps or Superspooks.

along with some patience.

Here’s Wishing You Tight Lines Bent Poles and Plenty of Bait!

Ayres Bay — Mid-bay reefs using croaker will work for trout and gaff top.

Ayres Reef is a productive using a rattling cork and shrimp for a few flounder and trout.

Contact Capt. Mac Gable at Mac Attack Guide Service, 512-809-2681, 361-790-9601

THE BANK BITE Copano Bay airport shoreline is the best bet for reds and some nice trout. Mud minnows on a Carolina rig are the formula here,

Copano Bay — The old pipe line on the west shore line is a good place for reds and trout using mud minnows and finger mullet. Little lap reef during low tide using cut mullet or sardines is a good for reds and black drum.

Aransas Bay — Dead Man Island is holding black drum. Use peeled shrimp on a Carolina rig or a silent popping cork. The deeper water edges off of Nine Mile Point is good for trout using croaker or a rattling cork and shrimp.

Carlos Bay — Pelican Reef early morning on a high tide is the ticket for reds using pin perch or cut mullet, a filleted croaker works well here too. Spalding Bite late evening on a falling tide is good for trout using free lined shrimp.

Mesquite Bay — We need Cedar Bayou open for this Bay to turn around.

Best bet right now is the east shoreline, C O A S T A L

A L M A N A C

T E X A S

F I S H

&

G A M E ®

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Think Red in July ORT MANSFIELD IS HARD TO IGNORE FOR redfish any time of year. This shallow water destination on the southern coast does not wane for redfish production during the relentless heat of smmer.

Target drop-offs along channel for reds in the slot size. Large silver spoons with bucktail jigs for trailers and top waters are especially productive lures this time of year.

P

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Key on mud boils in the clear water to locate small schools of feedings reds. If you cannot find any feeding action, search for spots with shell along the edges of the dropoffs and try slow rolling a Rat-L-Trap or similar crank bait. Make sure and fish the lure very slowly if bites are rare. There is something about loud crank bait fished with slow, repetitive retrieve that drives reds nuts.

For anglers looking for bigger reds try the surf at Padre Island.

This time of year, the big bull redfish start to hit the surf and while the peak of the redfish run is still six weeks or more away, numerous super-sized specimens show up now.

“This time of year, I like to fish the

F I S H

&

G A M E ®

heads of large mullet, which are abundant in the surf. I have tried live mullet, whole and other parts but I have found the head to be by far the best in these parts,” said veteran surf and jetty angler Kurt Feldman.

Feldman said the best fishing is typically at night during the high tides on a full moon.

“I catch my biggest fish and the most of them after hours when the moon is strong and I like to get out past the second sandbar.

There are still some sharks in the surf this time of year but I have no problem getting several huge reds a night,” he said.

Yes, there is good fishing in the surf and around the jetties itself but for anglers that want to get in on the incredible opportunity of catching bull redfish feeding in frenzy in

C O A S T A L

A L M A N A C

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schools the size of parking lots you will need a boat.

These massive schools typically roam anywhere from a few hundred yards offshore to five miles out. Look for them on calm days when the surf and sandy green to blue.

These fish can be quite spooky so try to drift into them instead of running a trolling motor and no matter what you do, do not try to run with your big motor up to them. You will lose them for good that way.

C O A S T A L

Page 79

Drift a whole live croaker, cut ballyhoo or mullet through these schools and you will have no problem getting in on some rodbending action.

LURE/BAITS: Live shrimp BEST TIMES: First hour of outgoing, last of incoming tides

THE BANK BITE Contact: Chester Moore by email at cmoore@fishgame.com

HOT SPOT: Pirate’s Fishing Pier LOCATION: 204 North Garcia SPECIES: Speckled Trout

A L M A N A C

T E X A S

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Tides and Prime Times

JULY 2010 USING THE PRIME TIMES CALENDAR

The following pages contain TIDE and SOLUNAR predictions for Galveston Channel (29.3166° N, 94.88° W).

T12

T4

T11

T10

TIDE PREDICTIONS are located in the upper white boxes on the Calendar Pages. Use the Correction Table below, which is keyed to 23 other tide stations, to adjust low and high tide times.

T13 T7

T6 T5 T17

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY is shown in the lower color boxes of the Calendar pages. Use the SOLUNAR ADJUSTMENT SCALE below to adjust times for points East and West of Galveston Channel.

AM & PM MINOR phases occur when the moon rises and sets. These phases last 1 to 2 hours.

T14

T15 T16

T18

AM & PM MAJOR phases occur when the moon reaches its highest point overhead as well as when it is “underfoot” or at its highest point on the exact opposite side of the earth from your positoin (or literally under your feet). Most days have two Major Feeding Phases, each lasting about 2 hours.

T19

SOLAR & LUNAR ACTIVITY: Sunrise: 6:34a Sunset: 7:51p

PEAK DAYS: The closer the moon is to your location, the stronger the influence. FULL or NEW MOONS provide the strongest influnce of the month.

T20

AM Minor: 9:11a AM Major: 2:57a PM Minor: 9:40p PM Major: 3:25p

PEAK TIMES: When a Solunar Period falls within 30 minutes to an hour of sunrise or sunset, anticipate increased action. A moon rise or moon set during one of these periods will cause even greater action. If a FULL or NEW MOON occurs during a Solunar Period, expect the best action of the season.

Moonrise:9:27a Moon Set: None Moon Overhead:

T21

4:55p

TIDE CORRECTION TABLE Add or subtract the time shown at the right of the Tide Stations on this table (and map) to determine the adjustment from the time shown for GALVESTON CHANNEL in the calendars.

TIDE PREDICTIONS are shown in graph form, with High and Low tide predictions in text immediately below.

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY data is provided to indicate major and minor feeding periods for each day, as the daily phases of the moon have varying degrees of influence on a wide variety of wildlife species.

T9 T8

T3 T2 T1

KEY T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6

PLACE Sabine Bank Lighthouse Sabine Pass Jetty Sabine Pass Mesquite Pt, Sab. Pass Galveston Bay, S. Jetty Port Bolivar

HIGH -1:46 -1:26 -1:00 -0:04 -0:39 +0:14

LOW -1:31 -1:31 -1:15 -0:25 -1:05 -0:06

KEY PLACE HIGH Galveston Channel/Bays T7 Texas City Turning Basin +0:33 +3:54 T8 Eagle Point +6:05 T9 Clear Lake +10:21 T10 Morgans Point T11 Round Pt, Trinity Bay +10:39

LOW +0:41 +4:15 +6:40 +5:19 +5:15

KEY PLACE T12 Pt Barrow, Trinity Bay T13 Gilchrist, East Bay T14 Jamaica Beach, W. Bay T15 Alligator Point, W. Bay T16 Christmas Pt T17 Galveston Pleasure Pier

HIGH +5:48 +3:16 +2:38 +2:39 +2:32 -1:06

LOW +4:43 +4:18 +3:31 +2:33 +2:31 -1:06

KEY T18 T19 T20 T21 T22 T23

PLACE San Luis Pass Freeport Harbor Pass Cavallo Aransas Pass Padre Island (So. End) Port Isabel

SPORTSMAN’S DAYBOOK IS SPONSORED BY:

NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION T22 T23

KEYS TO USING THE TIDE AND SOLUNAR GRAPHS TIDE LE VEL GRAPH: Yellow: Daylight

12a

Tab: Peak Fishing Period

6a

12p

6p

12a

Light Blue: Nighttime

BEST:

7:05-9:40 PM

Green: Falling Tide

AM/PM Timeline

Gold Fish: Best Time

Blue: Rising Tide Red Graph: Fishing Score

Blue Fish: Good Time

SOLUNAR AC TIVIT Y: MINOR Feeding Periods (+/- 1.5 Hrs.) Time Moon is at its Highest Point in the Sky 12a

AM/PM Timeline

80 |

AM Minor: 1:20a

PM Minor: 1:45p

AM Major: 7:32a

PM Major: 7:57p

MAJOR Feeding Periods (+/- 2 Hrs.)

Moon Overhead: 8:50a 6a

12p

6p

12a

Time Moon is Directly Underfoot (at its peak on opposite side of the earth)

Moon Underfoot: 9:15p J U L Y

2 0 1 0

T E X A S

F I S H

&

G A M E ®

C O A S T A L

A L M A N A C

HIGH -0.09 -0:44 0:00 -0:03 -0:24 +1:02

LOW -0.09 -1:02 -1:20 -1:31 -1:45 -0:42

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NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION BEST:

7:45-9:40 AM

= Peak Fishing Period

= FALLING TIDE = RISING TIDE = DAYLIGHT HOURS = NIGHTTIME HOURS

Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score

TUESDAY

Sunrise: 6:21a Set: 8:21p Moonrise: 10:06p Set: 8:16a

Sunrise: 6:22a Set: 8:21p Moonrise: 10:38p Set: 9:12a

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

28

29

THURSDAY

30

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

JUL 1

2

Sunrise: 6:22a Set: 8:21p Sunrise: 6:22a Set: 8:21p Sunrise: 6:23a Moonrise: 11:09p Set: 10:06a Moonrise: 11:37p Set: 10:59a Moonrise: None

SUNDAY

4

3

Set: 8:21p Sunrise: 6:23a Set: 8:21p Sunrise: 6:23a Set: 8:21p Set: 11:50a Moonrise: 12:05a Set: 12:42p Moonrise: 12:34a Set: 1:36p

AM Minor: 7:25a

PM Minor: 7:48p

AM Minor: 8:15a

PM Minor: 8:37p

AM Minor: 9:04a

PM Minor: 9:24p

AM Minor: 9:50a

PM Minor: 10:10p

AM Minor: 10:34a

PM Minor: 10:54p

AM Minor: 11:17a

PM Minor: 11:37p

AM Minor: ——-

PM Minor: 12:00p

AM Major: 1:13a

PM Major: 1:36p

AM Major: 2:04a

PM Major: 2:26p

AM Major: 2:53a

PM Major: 3:14p

AM Major: 3:40a

PM Major: 4:00p

AM Major: 4:24a

PM Major: 4:44p

AM Major: 5:07a

PM Major: 5:27p

AM Major: 5:49a

PM Major: 6:10p

Moon Overhead: 2:51a

12a

WEDNESDAY

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 4:20a

Moon Overhead: 3:37a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

Moon Overhead: 5:01a

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 6:20a

Moon Overhead: 5:41a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

MONDAY

Tides and Prime Times for JULY 2010

Moon Overhead: 7:02a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

FEET

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 3:14p +2.0

BEST:

-1.0

Moon Underfoot: 5:21p

BEST:

BEST:

9:30 — 11:30 PM

BEST:

10:00P — 12:00A

Moon Underfoot: 6:41p BEST:

11:00A — 1:00P

Moon Underfoot: 7:23p +2.0

BEST:

12:00 — 2:00PM

12:30 — 2:30PM

TIDE LEVELS

8:00 — 10:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 6:00p

TIDE LEVELS

0

Moon Underfoot: 4:40p

BEST:

7:30 — 9:30 PM

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 3:58p

High Tide: 8:13 am Low Tide: 1:19 pm High Tide: 3:43 pm

1.36 ft 1.19 ft 1.21 ft

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

12:22 am 8:36 am 1:46 pm 4:47 pm

-0.20 ft 1.30 ft 1.08 ft 1.11 ft

C O A S T A L

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

12:54 am 8:57 am 2:29 pm 6:02 pm

A L M A N A C

-0.03 ft 1.24 ft 0.96 ft 1.00 ft

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

1:24 am 9:16 am 3:16 pm 7:35 pm

T E X A S

0.16 ft 1.20 ft 0.81 ft 0.90 ft

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

F I S H

1:52 am 9:31 am 4:01 pm 9:27 pm

&

0.37 ft 1.16 ft 0.65 ft 0.84 ft

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

G A M E ®

2:18 am 9:42 am 4:43 pm 11:29 pm

0.58 ft 1.13 ft 0.48 ft 0.86 ft

J U L Y

Low Tide: 2:43 am High Tide: 9:43 am Low Tide: 5:23 pm

2 0 1 0

|

0.78 ft 1.12 ft 0.30 ft

81

+1.0

0

-1.0

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NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION BEST:

= Peak Fishing Period

7:45-9:40 AM

= FALLING TIDE = RISING TIDE = DAYLIGHT HOURS = NIGHTTIME HOURS

Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

6

THURSDAY

7

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

9

8

SUNDAY

10

11

Sunrise: 6:24a Moonrise: 1:05a

Set: 8:21p Set: 2:32p

Sunrise: 6:24a Moonrise: 1:40a

Set: 8:21p Set: 3:31p

Sunrise: 6:25a Moonrise: 2:20a

Set: 8:21p Set: 4:32p

Sunrise: 6:25a Moonrise: 3:07a

Set: 8:21p Set: 5:35p

Sunrise: 6:26a Moonrise: 4:01a

Set: 8:21p Set: 6:36p

Sunrise: 6:26a Moonrise: 5:03a

Set: 8:20p Set: 7:33p

Sunrise: 6:27a Moonrise: 6:10a

Set: 8:20p Set: 8:26p

AM Minor: 12:20a

PM Minor: 12:42p

AM Minor: 1:02a

PM Minor: 1:27p

AM Minor: 1:47a

PM Minor: 2:13p

AM Minor: 2:35a

PM Minor: 3:03p

AM Minor: 3:26a

PM Minor: 3:56p

AM Minor: 4:22a

PM Minor: 4:52p

AM Minor: 5:20a

PM Minor: 5:51p

AM Major: 6:31a

PM Major: 6:54p

AM Major: 7:14a

PM Major: 7:39p

AM Major: 8:00a

PM Major: 8:27p

AM Major: 8:49a

PM Major: 9:17p

AM Major: 9:41a

PM Major: 10:11p

AM Major: 10:37a

PM Major: 11:08p

AM Major: 11:36a

PM Major: 12:06p

Moon Overhead: 7:45a 6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 9:24a

Moon Overhead: 8:32a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 10:19a 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 12:20p

Moon Overhead: 11:18a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 1:21p 12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

5

12a

Tides and Prime Times for JULY 2010

12a

FEET

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 8:08p +2.0

BEST:

BEST:

-1.0

BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 10:48p BEST:

3:30 — 5:30 PM

4:00 — 6:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 11:49p BEST:

4:30 — 6:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: None BEST:

5:30 — 7:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 12:50a +2.0

BEST:

6:00 — 8:00 PM TIDE LEVELS

0

2:30 — 4:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 9:51p

TIDE LEVELS

10:00P — 12:00A

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 8:57p

High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

1:41 am 3:02 am 9:25 am 6:04 pm

0.98 ft 0.97 ft 1.15 ft 0.11 ft

High Tide: 8:32 am Low Tide: 6:47 pm

1.22 ft High Tide: -0.07 ft Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

4:34 am 5:58 am 7:48 am 7:31 pm

1.31 ft High Tide: 4:57 am 1.30 ft Low Tide: 8:18 pm 1.31 ft -0.26 ft

1.43 ft High Tide: 5:29 am -0.43 ft Low Tide: 9:05 pm

1.53 ft High Tide: 6:02 am -0.58 ft Low Tide: 9:53 pm

1.58 ft High Tide: -0.66 ft Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

6:34 am 11:05 am 1:39 pm 10:41 pm

1.58 ft 1.38 ft 1.41 ft -0.66 ft

+1.0

0

-1.0

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NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION BEST:

= Peak Fishing Period

7:45-9:40 AM

= FALLING TIDE = RISING TIDE = DAYLIGHT HOURS = NIGHTTIME HOURS

Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

13

THURSDAY

14

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

15

16

SUNDAY

18

17

Sunrise: 6:27a Moonrise: 7:20a

Set: 8:20p Set: 9:13p

Sunrise: 6:27a Moonrise: 8:31a

Set: 8:20p Set: 9:54p

Sunrise: 6:28a Moonrise: 9:39a

AM Minor: 6:21a

PM Minor: 6:50p

AM Minor: 7:22a

PM Minor: 7:50p

AM Minor: 8:23a

PM Minor: 8:49p

AM Minor: 9:21a

PM Minor: 9:47p

AM Minor: 10:18a

PM Minor: 10:43p

AM Minor: 11:12a

PM Minor: 11:37p

AM Minor: ——-

PM Minor: 12:04p

AM Major: 12:06a

PM Major: 12:36p

AM Major: 1:08a

PM Major: 1:36p

AM Major: 2:09a

PM Major: 2:36p

AM Major: 3:09a

PM Major: 3:34p

AM Major: 4:05a

PM Major: 4:30p

AM Major: 4:59a

PM Major: 5:24p

AM Major: 5:51a

PM Major: 6:17p

Moon Overhead: 2:20p 6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 4:10p

Moon Overhead: 3:16p 12a

6a

12p

6p

Set: 8:19p Sunrise: 6:28a Set: 8:19p Sunrise: 6:30a Set: 8:19p Sunrise: 6:29a Set: 8:18p Set: 10:32p Moonrise: 10:46a Set: 11:08p Moonrise: 11:50a Set: 11:44p Moonrise: 12:55p Set: None

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 5:00p 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 6:41p

Moon Overhead: 5:50p 12a

6a

12p

6p

Sunrise: 6:30a Moonrise: 1:59p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Set: 8:18p Set: 12:21a

Moon Overhead: 7:32p 12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

12

12a

Tides and Prime Times for JULY 2010

12a

FEET

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 1:51a +2.0

BEST:

BEST:

-1.0

BEST:

2:00 — 4:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 4:35a

Moon Underfoot: 5:25a

BEST:

3:00 — 5:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 6:15a

BEST:

10:00A — 12:00P

BEST:

11:00A — 1:00P

Moon Underfoot: 7:06a +2.0

BEST:

12:00 — 2:00 PM

1:00 — 3:00 PM TIDE LEVELS

0

Moon Underfoot: 3:43a

TIDE LEVELS

7:00 — 8:00 PM

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 2:49a

High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

7:04 am 11:38 am 3:10 pm 11:29 pm

84 |

1.54 ft High Tide: 7:32 am 1.47 ft 1.27 ft Low Tide: 12:24 pm 1.09 ft 1.36 ft High Tide: 4:36 pm 1.27 ft -0.57 ft

J U L Y

2 0 1 0

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

T E X A S

12:16 am 7:57 am 1:16 pm 6:07 pm

-0.37 ft 1.38 ft 0.85 ft 1.16 ft

F I S H

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

&

1:02 am 8:21 am 2:12 pm 7:46 pm

-0.08 ft 1.30 ft 0.58 ft 1.05 ft

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

G A M E ®

1:48 am 8:41 am 3:12 pm 9:37 pm

0.26 ft 1.24 ft 0.30 ft 1.00 ft

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

C O A S T A L

2:34 am 8:59 am 4:14 pm 11:42 pm

0.61 ft 1.21 ft 0.05 ft 1.05 ft

A L M A N A C

Low Tide: 3:22 am High Tide: 9:12 am Low Tide: 5:16 pm

0.93 ft 1.21 ft -0.17 ft

+1.0

0

-1.0

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= New Moon = First Quarter = Full Moon = Last Quarter = Best Day

Tides and Prime Times for JULY 2010 MONDAY

TUESDAY

20

21

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

22

SUNDAY

24

23

25

Sunrise: 6:31a Moonrise: 3:02p

Set: 8:18p Set: 1:00a

Sunrise: 6:31a Moonrise: 4:03p

Set: 8:17p Set: 1:43a

Sunrise: 6:32a Moonrise: 5:01p

Set: 8:17p Set: 2:31a

Sunrise: 6:32a Moonrise: 5:55p

Set: 8:16p Set: 3:22a

Sunrise: 6:33a Moonrise: 6:43p

Set: 8:16p Set: 4:16a

Sunrise: 6:33a Moonrise: 7:26p

Set: 8:15p Set: 5:12a

Sunrise: 6:34a Moonrise: 8:05p

Set: 8:15p Set: 6:09a

AM Minor: 12:28a

PM Minor: 12:55p

AM Minor: 1:17a

PM Minor: 1:44p

AM Minor: 2:06a

PM Minor: 2:32p

AM Minor: 2:54a

PM Minor: 3:20p

AM Minor: 3:41a

PM Minor: 4:07p

AM Minor: 4:29a

PM Minor: 4:54p

AM Minor: 5:16a

PM Minor: 5:40p

AM Major: 6:41a

PM Major: 7:08p

AM Major: 7:31a

PM Major: 7:57p

AM Major: 8:19a

PM Major: 8:46p

AM Major: 9:07a

PM Major: 9:33p

AM Major: 9:54a

PM Major: 10:20p

AM Major: 10:41a

PM Major: 11:06p

AM Major: 11:28a

PM Major: 11:52p

Moon Overhead: 8:25p

12a

THURSDAY

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 10:12p

Moon Overhead: 9:18p 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 11:05p 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: None

Moon Overhead: 11:56p 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

19

WEDNESDAY

Moon Overhead: 12:46a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

FEET

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 7:58a +2.0

BEST:

0

-1.0

BEST:

2:00 — 4:00 PM

3:00 — 5:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 10:39a BEST:

3:30 — 5:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 11:31a BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 12:21p BEST:

4:30 — 6:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 1:09p +2.0

BEST:

6:00 — 8:00 PM

6:30 — 8:30 PM TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 9:45a

TIDE LEVELS

9:00 — 11:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 8:51a

High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

2:15 am 4:37 am 9:10 am 6:17 pm

1.20 ft High Tide: 4:16 am 1.19 ft Low Tide: 7:16 pm 1.24 ft -0.33 ft

1.37 ft High Tide: 5:04 am -0.44 ft Low Tide: 8:09 pm

C O A S T A L

A L M A N A C

1.47 ft High Tide: 5:41 am -0.49 ft Low Tide: 8:58 pm

T E X A S

1.50 ft High Tide: 6:10 am -0.49 ft Low Tide: 9:43 pm

F I S H

&

1.47 ft High Tide: -0.45 ft Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

G A M E ®

6:30 am 11:49 am 1:29 pm 10:21 pm

1.42 ft 1.27 ft 1.28 ft -0.38 ft

J U L Y

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= Peak Fishing Period

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= FALLING TIDE = RISING TIDE = DAYLIGHT HOURS = NIGHTTIME HOURS

Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

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THURSDAY

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FRIDAY

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SATURDAY

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SUNDAY

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AU G 1

Sunrise: 6:35a Moonrise: 8:39p

Set: 8:14p Set: 7:05a

Sunrise: 6:35a Moonrise: 9:10p

Set: 8:14p Set: 7:59a

Sunrise: 6:36a Moonrise: 9:39p

Set: 8:13p Set: 8:52a

AM Minor: 6:03a

PM Minor: 6:25p

AM Minor: 6:49a

PM Minor: 7:10p

AM Minor: 7:34a

PM Minor: 7:54p

AM Minor: 8:19a

PM Minor: 8:39p

AM Minor: 9:04a

PM Minor: 9:24p

AM Minor: 9:50a

PM Minor: 10:10p

AM Minor: 10:35a

PM Minor: 10:57p

AM Major: ——-

PM Major: 12:14p

AM Major: 12:38a

PM Major: 12:59p

AM Major: 1:24a

PM Major: 1:44p

AM Major: 2:09a

PM Major: 2:29p

AM Major: 2:54a

PM Major: 3:14p

AM Major: 3:39a

PM Major: 4:00p

AM Major: 4:25a

PM Major: 4:46p

Moon Overhead: 1:33a 6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 2:58a

Moon Overhead: 2:17a 12a

6a

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6p

Sunrise: 6:36a Set: 8:12p Moonrise: 10:07p Set: 9:44a

12a

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Sunrise: 6:37a Set: 8:12p Sunrise: 6:37a Set: 8:11p Sunrise: 6:38a Set: 8:11p Moonrise: 10:36p Set: 10:36a Moonrise: 11:05p Set: 11:28a Moonrise: 11:38p Set: 12:22p

Moon Overhead: 3:39a 12a

6a

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6p

Moon Overhead: 4:59a

Moon Overhead: 4:18a 12a

6a

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6p

12a

6a

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Moon Overhead: 5:40a 12a

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SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

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Tides and Prime Times for JULY 2010

12a

FEET

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 1:55p +2.0

BEST:

BEST:

-1.0

BEST:

8:00 — 10:00 PM

2:00 — 4:00 AM

Moon Underfoot: 3:59p BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 4:38p BEST:

9:00 — 11:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 5:19p BEST:

10:00A — 12:00P

Moon Underfoot: 6:02p +2.0

BEST:

11:00A — 1:00P

11:30A — 1:30P TIDE LEVELS

0

Moon Underfoot: 3:19p

TIDE LEVELS

7:30 — 9:30 PM

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 2:38p

High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

6:58 am 11:40 am 3:38 pm 11:26 pm

1.30 ft 1.11 ft 1.22 ft -0.14 ft

High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

7:12 am 12:01 pm 4:35 pm 11:54 pm

1.26 ft 1.00 ft 1.17 ft 0.01 ft

High Tide: 7:26 am 1.23 ft Low Tide: 12:33 pm 0.87 ft High Tide: 5:34 pm 1.10 ft

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

12:20 am 7:41 am 1:10 pm 6:39 pm

0.19 ft 1.20 ft 0.74 ft 1.03 ft

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

12:44 am 7:54 am 1:50 pm 7:56 pm

0.39 ft 1.18 ft 0.61 ft 0.97 ft

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

1:08 am 8:02 am 2:33 pm 9:30 pm

0.59 ft 1.16 ft 0.48 ft 0.95 ft

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

1:28 am 7:58 am 3:19 pm 11:28 pm

0.78 ft 1.17 ft 0.34 ft 1.00 ft

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AR 22s from Smith and Colt

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The Smith is mostly made of polymer, and weighs in at five and a half pounds. The Colt is all metal, and consequently a little heavier at about six pounds two ounces.

The difference is noticeable but not highly significant.

The Colt’s front sight is mounted in a

THE HUGELY POPULAR AR-15 RIFLE IS NOW available from too many manufacturers to count, and it seems many of those now offer a plinker’s version in .22 caliber. For the AR aficionado, such as myself, the only problem is choosing which rifle to buy.

Two of the hottest AR .22s are the Colt M4 Ops and the Smith & Wesson M&P15-22.

Both offer the fun of shooting tactical style rifles, the convenience of a railed fore end for ease of attaching lights, sights, and other gizmos, and the economy of inexpensive ammunition.

And as my friend, Gordon Gibson, of KNS Pictured are the author’s Smith & Wessson Precision, says, these copy of the AR-15 on top, the Colt M4 Ops in the middle, old AR-style guns have a high CDI and the Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22 on the factor (chicks dig it). skeletal bottom.

Both of these great apparatus rimfires offer six-posiattached to AR Comparison tion adjustable butt the barrel, while the stocks, muzzle flash hiders, and plenty of Smith front sight is on a bar mounted rails for accessory attachment. Both are directly to the top Picatinny rail. The blow back semi-autos. Both come with mili- Colt’s metal magazine holds 30 rounds, tary-style rear peep sights adjustable for while the Smith’s polymer mag tops out at windage and elevation, and post front 25. Both feed reliably, although it is a sights adjustable for elevation. And both good idea to clean the gunk out of the need to be kept away from teenage boys, actions periodically to prevent problems. unless a closet full of ammo is handy.

Both rifles feature a bolt release button Despite these similarities, there are on the left side of the receiver, but the plenty of differences between the two rifles.

Colt’s is purely cosmetic. The bolt catch on 88 |

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the Smith is fully functional, and works just like the one on its .223 caliber big brother.

The Colt comes with rail guards, the Smith doesn’t.

Mechanical safeties are located in the usual spot on the left side of the frames, and both are on safe when pointed forward. The Smith safety is moved to the fire position by rotating it downward to a vertical position, but the Colt’s safety button must be rotated a full 180 degrees to be released. This is impossible to do while keeping a finger on the trigger, unless two hands are used, which may be the intent.

Accuracy is respectable in both models, about what you would expect from a semiautomatic rimfire rifle.

The problem, again, is deciding between the two. So don’t. My advice is to get one of each.

—Kendal Hemphill

Eagle One Gel Wax IS YOUR BOAT SHINY ENOUGH? IF YOU answered “yes,” then you’re not ambitious enough—every good boater wants Mom’s mink to shine so brightly, it’s visible from outer space. And Eagle One’s new Gel Wax (www.eagleone.com, $10 for a 16-ounce bottle) will help you get there.

Regular paste wax is always a necessity, to protect your gel coat. But it’s carnauba wax (found in most

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wash-and-wax types of products) that boosts your shine-factor to 10. The down-side?

Most of these carnauba waxes wear off in a mere week or two. Eagle One claimed their Gel Wax, which is formulated for boat and automotive finishes, would do the trick yet would last longer then the norm, so I tested it out on my boat’s gel coat for several months.

The thing I like the most about the Gel Wax is the fact that it’s a gel—that makes application a piece of cake. You merely wipe it on and don’t have to wait for it to dry and buff it, because the gel gets spread evenly in a thin coat as you apply it, then you wipe off any excess immediately. No white powdery coat appears to be buffed away, as it does with most waxes. Another bonus: unlike many waxes, since there’s no white powder this stuff doesn’t discolor your rubrail and other rubber or black nylon fittings. Once I coated the boat, I thought the shine was significantly better then paste wax provides, though it wasn’t quite as mirror-like as the finish you get from a good wash-and-wax. Of course, that stuff rinses away the first time it rains. And the Gel Wax’s shine held up for a solid month, even though the surface wasn’t as slick to the touch as it is with regular wax.

But this doesn’t seem to affect clean-up, because when I trailered down a bug-infested highway and had gnat and mosquito marks all over the boat, they washed away easily. That means that even though you’ll still want a yearly base coat of paste wax and a weekly wash-down with a carnaubabased product, the Eagle One Gel Wax is a winner for monthly application of a longterm shine.

—Lenny Rudow

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star drag reels aren’t as good for big Shimano game fishing because their drag washers are so much smaller then those on lever drags. A conundrum?

You bet, and that’s why Shimano designed the Talica II series, a new line of lever drag reels that can conquer giant fish yet cast that country mile.

These reels were originally designed for “fly lining” small live baits like sardines to fish like tunas, sailfish, and wahoo. An aggressively machined spool reduces weight, while high-grade greaseless ballbearings (which won’t flex under side-load) allow it to spin easier for excellent castability. When I first held one in my hand, it was so small and light I thought there was no way it would have the beef to take on truly big game… but looks can be deceiving. So, how did it cast? When I pulled down the lever, flipped my wrist, and released my thumb, the Talica spun without resistance until my light little bait splashed down 40 yards away. Meanwhile, Talica II big-game fishing reel — built for casting.

Shimano didn’t ignore the other features that make a reel big-game capable. The lever drag and drag system are as smooth as they get, and the Talica II 10 I tested put out 13 pounds of drag at strike and 20 pounds on full. Not enough for your tastes? The 12 and 16 models put out 22 pounds at strike, and 40 pounds at full. The gearing is also impressive, with a 4.1:1 low speed and a 6.2:1 high speed. Switching gears can be done single-handed, by pressing a button at the base of the crank.

The 8 and 12 models are rated for 40 to 50 pound braid and the 12 and 16 are rated for 65 to 80 pound braid. Spooling up with 50, the Talica II 10 had no problem holding 535 yards of Power Pro line.

So, what’s the down-side? Price—the Talicas run about $500. But as the old saying goes, you get what you pay for: with the little mighty-mite in hand I tied into a 148-pound bluefin tuna, and had no trouble winning the day. —LR

On the Web www.smith-wesson.com www.colt22rimfire.com www.buyeagleone.com www.fish.shimano.com

PHOTO (OPPOSITE): EAGLE ONE

Shimano Talica YOU WISH YOU HAD A BIG GAME REEL THAT could handle hundred pound plus fish, yet was still easy to cast? That’s a tall order; most big game reels have lever drags, and lever drag reels are notoriously hard to cast.

Star drags are what you need to throw a country mile, because they have lighter spools since the drags are in the gears, as opposed to being on the spool itself. Yet C O A S T A L

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‘Best Fishing Invention in a Decade’ DEBUTING AT THE 2010 BASSMASTER CLASSIC the “Shark Tooth” was a perfect pair with winner Kevin VanDam who won his third Classic and signed on to endorse one of the most innovative ideas in the fishing industry this decade and now named “Best of Show” at the 2010 Fred Hall Fishing Show!

The ‘Shark Tooth” Leader Control System originally developed for the fly fishing industry has taken Freshwater and Saltwater anglers by storm. “Everyone who sees it… does a double take, smiles, some of them slap their forehead and then buy atleast 3” says Bob Holt, inventor of the ‘Shark Tooth’.

“I’m an avid fly fisherman and just like everyone else, I had to deal with spools of tippet on a lanyard and bulk spools in my boat that continually unravel, tangle and get caught in my nippers as I was trying to cut the one I needed.” After many prototypes I came up with the ‘Shark Tooth’.

This Leader Control System simply

Leader control system endorsed

by Kevin VanDam.

Sharktooth 90 |

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described is an elastic band in four sizes made to work with all types and sizes of line on spools from tippet to bulk braid with a molded plastic ‘Shark Tooth’ that allows the user to position it on the spool drawing the line through the hole, creating tension as you unspool it and then the stainless steel cutter, cuts the length of line you need leaving a tag line each time. The ‘Shark Tooth’ keeps your line on the spool, helps you load your reels, manage your line and tippet and eliminates the need for nippers and line waste.

The ‘Shark Tooth’ has been received with such enthusiasm at the Bassmaster Classic and the Fred Hall Show that the second round of production has begun and the next phase of “Shark Tooth Technology” will be coming soon.

The ‘Shark Tooth’ is available at www.flyfishingxtreme.com.

Video Series for Galveston Bays DISCOVER “WHERE TO GO & WHAT TO Throw” from Capt Paul Marcaccio as he discusses places in the Galveston Bay complex. In these videos, Capt Paul shows the best places to fish and how to catch them.

Capt Paul Marcaccio is a native Texan, born on Galveston Island (B.O.I.) Over 30 years of wade fishing and drifting the Galveston bay system. From San Luis Pass to the far reaches of the Trinity Bay. He is now sharing that knowledge and GPS coordinates .

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to the tepid shores of the Gulf of Mexico to glean thirty years of wade fishing and drift fishing experience for redfish and trout to pass on to future and past clients.

Captain Paul has one of the most impressive tournament “Fishing Galverecords of all ston Trinity Bay” Texas Gulf

by Capt. Paul Coast Guides Marcaccio and his incrediDVD Series ble tournament resume equates to hundreds of successful trips for you. To mention all of his tournament conquests would be daunting; however, a few to his name are Champion of the 1999’s CCA Guides Cup followed by runner up in 2000 and 2001 and perennial Texas Troutmasters Top-Ten Finisher.

Marcaccio’s Fishin’ Guide Service 2422A Rue de Laffitte Dr. San Leon Texas 77539 281-788-4041; 281-339-0475 www.gofishgalveston.com or email, captpaul@gofishgalveston.com

New ChatterWeight for 2010 TEXAS RATTLIN’ RIGS HAS INTRODUCED A NEW Medium sized ChatterWeight for 2010.

The Medium ChatterWeight will complete an already proven fish attracting product line of in-line rattle weights that includes; the Large, Large Floater, and Mini ChatterWeight.

The Medium ChatterWeight will fill the niche between the Large ChatterWeight

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New medium-sized ChatterWeight

that’s used in deeper water and swifter current and the Mini ChatterWeight that’s used in shallower water and milder currents.

The Medium size will complete a fisherman’s arsenal by having a ChatterWeight that is used in moderate water depths and currents.

Captain Steve Walko of Texas Rattlin’ Rigs stated; “Because of so many requests from fishermen we have added the Medium. When fishermen speak, we listen. We strive to make high quality products, and to satisfy what fishermen want by keeping a pulse on their demands.”

ChatterWeights are made of high impact plastic and contain no lead making them environmentally friendly. Most terminal riggings that use a lead weight can be improved by using a ChatterWeights instead with lures or live baits.

All sizes of ChatterWeights are available in Natural and 5 Holographic colors.

Find them at Fishing Tackle Unlimited, Marburger’s Sporting Goods or at www.texasrattlinrig.com.

Captain Steve Walko-713-947-8107.

Texas Rattlin’ Rigs

3D Riflescopes

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riflescopes using advanced technologies that provide superior Design, Depth and Dimension.

Designed by outdoorsman for outdoorsman, the 3D Series are Designed to be extremely rugged and dependable, yet lightweight to carry. Their advanced optical systems provide crystal clear images with exceptional Depth and Dimension. They feature fully multicoated lenses that allow maximum light transmission, even in low light conditions.

The 3D Series riflescopes feature onepiece/1-inch aluminum tube construction to reduce weight. All scopes provide for a ¼” MOA (minute of angle) adjustment and windage/elevation adjustments (the 618x50mm scope has an 1/8” MOA and a convenient side focus). Eye relief is a comfortable 4.” They are all shockproof, waterproof and fog proof, which allow superior performance in all outdoor conditions and terrain.

Five models are available: 3.5-10 x 44mm with Multiplex Reticle, 4.5-14 x 44mm with Multiplex and Mildot Reticles and 6-18 x 50mm with Multiplex and Mildot Reticles. MSRP’s will range from $290 to $325.

Carson Optical is a leading supplier of consumer optics for people of all ages and interests. Carson is known for innovative, high-quality optics at extraordinary value.

Carson branded products include a wide range of Binoculars, Magnifiers, Microscopes and related accessory products.

Carson Optical services the hunting, fishing, birding, outdoor, children’s educational toy and lifestyle markets. Contact us toll-free: 1-800-9-OPTICS or visit our web site at www.carsonoptical.com or email us at info@carsonoptical.com.

DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND, CARSON OPTICAL IS adding a series of high performance riflescopes to their optical product line, the 3D Series.

Pioneers in cutting edge optics like their award winning HD “High Definition” binoculars, Carson’s team of product designers and outdoor enthusiasts have developed a line of C O A S T A L

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3D Riflescope: superior Design, Depth, Dimension

Carson Optical

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Fishbites Xtreme for Texas Inshore TEXAS SURF ANGLERS HAVE BEEN FISHBITES fans since 2001. They know that Fishbites pioneered the scented bait business.

While many first laughed at the bubblegum looking baits that Fishbites first released, they soon stopped laughing once

From Top: Shrimp, Paddle Tail, Jerk Bait, XR Fatty Jr., Finesse Worm.

the pole started bending. Now Fishbites has something Fishbites for Texas inshore anglers—Fishbites Xtreme Scent Release Lures.

Made from Fishbites’ propriety HydroGel, Fishbites Xtreme Lures hold almost all of their powerful flavor/scents inside the body of the lure until they hit the water. In short, it’s “the scent that melts in the water, not on your hands”… or more importantly, not in the bag.

Fishbites Xtreme Lures are made from a waterbased biodegradable plastic that’s infused with our powerful flavor/scent technology. Gone are the days of handling stink baits or dealing with leaky tubs of stink juice.

These lures are also much more durable and slower drying than other similar products allowing you to move from spot to spot without re-baiting. Fishbites Xtreme lures G A M E ®

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are available now for both Freshwater and Saltwater anglers.

Available shapes are 3.5” Shrimp, 3” Paddle Tail, 5” Jerk Bait, 6” Finesse Worm, 5” Trick Worm (Senko). Fishbites are made with pride in St. Augustine, FL USA - fishbites.com - 877-840-2248.

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Star Tron Can Save Your Engine BOAT OR ATV ENGINES THAT SUDDENLY RUN rough or are difficult to start might actually

be experiencing fuel-related problems.

Today’s new fuels need the latest technology in fuel. The most common new fuel is E10, a mixture of 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline. Most modern engines are designed to run on E10, but it is common to experience a decline in power and fuel economy. This is because ethanol is not as efficient a fuel as gasoline.

Ethanol is also a very powerful solvent that can

Protection from ethanol gasoline damage.

strip away built up Star Tron varnish or gums in fuel tanks, causing clogged filters, injectors or carburetors.

The solution is simple: add Star Tron Enzyme Fuel Treatment every time you fuel your equipment. Its enzymes allow fuel to burn more completely so engines run at peak efficiency and start easily. The enzymes also disperse moisture as well as gums or varnish into small particles that won’t cause clogs or affect performance.

Most fuel stabilizers use 40-year old technology and simply cannot help improve ethanol-blended fuel. Star Tron uses cut-

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ting-edge technology to actually improve fuel quality, works in all 2 and 4-cycle engines and will improve engine performance from the first time you use it.

For more information, log onto www.startron or call (800) 327-8583.

nient transport.

Features: 1.0 Liter FluxRing® cooking cup with insulating Cargo Cozy Adjustable burner with push-button igniter Insulating drink-through lid Insulating measuring cup bottom For more information about Jetboil and to find a dealer near you, please go to Personal Cookiing www.jetboil.com or call (888) 611-9905

Camp Cooking Gets Personal

System.

THE JETBOIL PERSONAL COOKING SYSTEM IS perfect for sportsmen, scouts, campers and anyone looking for a reliable cooking solution at a great value. PCS is ideal for dehydrated meals, coffee or tea on the go, remote worksites, and emergency kits.

This ultra-compact 1 liter system is a complete food and beverage multi-tool you can hold in your hand and weighs about a pound. Lights with the click of a button, and within two minutes you’ve got two cups of boiling water ready for coffee or a quick meal. Pack components, fuel and accessories into the cooking cup for conve-

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Jetboil ALL PHOTOS: COURTESY MANUFACTURERS

On the Web www.flyfishingextremecom www.gofishgalveston.com www.texasrattlinrig.com www.carsonoptical.com www.fishbites.com www.startron.com www.jetboil.com

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Computer Analysis Tells Where to Fish ACCUMULATED INFORMATION ON PAST SALTWAter fishing trips, including tidal highs and lows and other pertinent data, provide tips and information on where to go on future fishing trips. About five years ago Gary Easterwood, 43 years old, an IT professional and saltwater angler, was searching for a software data tool to input information on his fishing trips but couldn’t find any. Why not create his own software?

“I started building The Fishermans Analyst to be nothing more than a journal, but I became interested in wanting to know if there was a way for me to understand what the tide was doing at that time when I caught the fish,” said Easterwood.

He was able to predict tidal movement and strength for over 3,000 sites along coastal United States, Alaska, and Hawaii. Why not couple that information with trip particulars such as what baits he was using, speed of retrieve, etc., and see what he came up with.

“It was just kind of an evolutionary thing where the application just kind of grew,” continued Easterwood. “From that not only could I predict what the tide was doing at the time of the catch but I could predict what it would be doing next week.

Through statistical analysis I was able to understand what those variables were when I was catching fish.”

After about four years of development he had a tool that was putting out reliable information as to where, when, and how to fish at his favorite fishing locations along the Laguna Madre. Why not make the software available to any saltwater angler where they could choose a listed site or plug in new fishing sites and start building their own reliable fishing projections.

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journal. You can chronicle your trips, plug in pictures of your trips and tie it into specific fish…show all the data why you caught it and show when you caught it.

Easterwood says you can ask the software questions. He gives an example: “How and were do I catch speckled trout over 27 inches when there is a north wind, 10 mph, or maybe how do I catch fish on a cloudy day. Include baits and retrieve speed.

“You can come up with very specific catch information based on information that you have been inputting from past trips,” explains Easterwood. The more you use it, the more the accurate it becomes.

All information is fisherman friendly.

“The graphs are very similar to the types of graphs you see in fishing magazines…not a lot of scientific jargon…very user friendly.”

Right out of the box: For example, Galveston Bay has between 60-70 fishing sites already preprogrammed. Because the information is based on tidal flow, the software can give best times to be on the water at one of these chosen locations. From there the journey begins.

“An angler catches a couple of specks at that site. He plugs the information in and starts building up that information.

The more he learns he keeps plugging the information in on his trips…baits used, retrieved, etc.”

The preprogrammed fishing sites are there to just help an angler get started in fishing a place he or she hasn’t fished before. Enter new sites as you fish the coast. Tidal movement for your new site is updated automatically every minute. Start logging data every time you fish the location.

Don’t forget to log information on even the trips that do not produce. “If you go out and don’t catch anything, you want to log that as well,” adds Walter Speck,” Director of Sales and Marketing. “The F I S H

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more information you put in, the more analysis you have and the better your chances are for going back to the spots that allows you the most success.”

Load The Fishermans Analyst on your PC or laptop and have up to the minute information on tidal movement listing over 3,000 reference sites anywhere along the coast of the United States. Just plug in the closest reference location and find out what the tide is doing. The software is a journal and a log allowing you to add data to the different sites as you fish them. Let The Fishermans Analyst tell you when and where to catch fish. More information about The Fishermans Analyst is now available online at www.thirdstonesoft.com.

Retail cost is $39.95.

Irlene Mandrell Charity Shoot IRLENE MANDRELL WILL BE HOSTING HER Annual Charity Shoot, benefiting Wish Upon A Star, the Boy Scouts of America, and new for 2010, Annabelle’s Wish, from Thursday, July 8th through Sunday, July 10th. This always fun-filled event will be held at the Seven Springs Mountain Resort, one of the premier sporting clays courses in the country, located in southwest Pennsylvania.

This year’s event will be dedicated to Irby Mandrell and named “The Irby Mandrell Memorial Shoot.” Irby passed away in March, 2009. He was the proud father of The Mandrell Sisters: Country “Hall of Fame” inductee Barbara, Louise, and Irlene, from the popular The Mandrell Sisters TV series. The 2010 shoot will emphasize the family values Irby lovingly bestowed upon his daughters and grandchildren. Irlene will be reunited with her sisters for this event to honor and commemorate their Daddy’s life and achievements.

Over the course of the event, the main

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one hour out of Pittsburgh, in the Laurel Highlands area of Pennsylvania.

Irlene Mandrell To register or for more information, visit www.IrleneMandrellShoot.com or www.7Springs.com, or contact Tammy Meyers at Seven Springs Mountain Resort—TEL (814) 352-7777, ext.

Annual Charity Shoot July 8th thrugh 10th.

7899, e-mail TMeyers@7Springs.com If you can’t attend the event, yet care to contribute, please do. Checks should be made payable to and sent to: Irlene Mandrell Charities at 3106 Highway N, Albany, MO 64402.

competition will consist of 200 rounds of Sporting Clays. Side competitions include 9mm pistol, paintball challenge, wobble trap, 5 stand, tomahawk throwing, .22 revolver, Gamo air rifle, two man flush, terrible teal, and cotton ball drop. Everyone is eligible to compete in these exciting events! No hard-core experience necessary—just have fun!

Irlene Mandrell has long been associated with the shooting sports. She is equally accomplished with shotgun, rifle, or handgun. Irlene is a spokeswoman (including Dynamic Research Technologies, Smith & Wesson, Deerasic) for the industry, frequently appearing on TV and radio. She is as dedicated to the sport as anyone.

Irlene is a loving mom to three wonderful children, Deric, Vanessa, and Christina.

Her many accomplishments in the entertainment industry include singer, percussionist, actress, comedian, as well as spokeswoman for several excellent shooting sports companies. Irlene has been deeply involved in many charities over the years, but Wish Upon A Star, the Boy Scouts of America, and now Annabelle’s Wish, remain closest to her heart.

Celebrating its 21st Anniversary, Wish Upon A Star is an independent charity whose mission is to grant wishes to children ages 3 to18 who have been diagnosed with a terminal or life threatening illness. Since its inception, Wish Upon A Star has granted well over 200 of these special wishes, everything from dream hunting and fishing outings, to trips to Disney World, to meeting Michael Jordan. This is why Irlene Mandrell has been so dedicated in supporting this charity.

Seven Springs Mountain Resort, site of the 2010 shoot, is located approximately C O A S T A L

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Texas’ 5 Smartest Game Animals HE GENERAL PUBLIC’S PERCEPTION OF hunting is that we walk into the woods, easily find “innocent” animals and shoot them. Hunters of course know this is far from the truth as the game animals we pursue are far from “innocent”.

They are armed with super sharp senses, instinctual wariness and sometimes a “sixth sense” that allows them to elude hunters armed with the latest in high tech weaponry.

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animal “smart” but the fact is they often outwit us. With that said here is a list of what I consider to be the top 5 smartest game animals (and birds) in relation to the oldest,

by Chester Moore wisest specimens of each. Some choices are obvious, others shocking and at least one is bound to be downright controversial.

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5. Alligators I know this is a weird one from the list but hear me out. Most alligator hunting is done by putting out bait and shooting them once they take a hook. It is however legal to hunt with certain archery equipment and I have done this in Texas and southern Louisiana.

Let me tell you, a mature, wild alligator

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knows what a boat is and how to avoid it.

They are as sly as any whitetail deer and utilize their aquatic abilities to the match. Anyone who thinks it is comparable to bowfishing is wrong. It is easily ten times harder and gave me a true respect for these big, ugly reptiles.

Alligators in the 10-foot range can be 30 plus years old and have evaded harvest from legal hunters and poachers for decades. The age factor alone gives them an edge over most game.

4. Snow Geese Anyone who has hunted geese much at all can attest to the amazing smarts of these birds. The mature specimens have been shot at from Canada to the Mexico line and get wise very quickly.

Two seasons ago we set up 1,000 decoys in a big field near Wharton about 1/2 mile from a roost of 10,000 plus birds. Most of the geese that year were mature as the hatch was only like three percent. We had a young goose locked up and coming into calls and then from above two mature birds flew down next to it and started letting out a distress call and led it back up to the flock. They knew danger was below.

I have seen a lot of animals do a lot of things but that was one of the most amazing examples of ability I have witnessed in the animal kingdom.

3. Whitetail Deer I know putting whitetail at number three seems disrespectful. Big bucks are super wary and I do not have to go through all of their attributes but they have a huge downfall. During the rut, they can lose all wariness, which is something the next two animals on the list have under better control.

On the average deer are harder most animals but keep in mind we are talking about the biggest of each and for an extended time even the world’s biggest bucks will do anything to get a doe and that keeps them at the third position on my list.

Whitetails also exhibit easily defined patterns of behavior in relation to rut like making scrapes and rub lines. All of these telltale signs give hunters a shot at taking them or else they would be at the top of this list.

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2. Feral Hog Hogs do not seem smart much of the time. As soon as a feeder goes off in some areas hog will appear from out of nowhere to gobble up every drop. However, a large, mature boar is one of the smartest game animals in the world. They have an eerie “sixth sense” that alerts them to danger and keeps them from avoiding trouble.

While bowhunting, I once watched a big boar come in upwind of me while a dozen or so smaller hogs fed just 15 yards away from me. It could not wind me but it knew something was wrong. From my elevated position, I watched the hog come in to about 50 yards, look around and then walk cautiously behind me about 100 yards before it winded me and headed for the brush.

Young hogs are not the sharpest knives in the drawer but let a boar get past his first few years and you have an extremely difficult to hunt animal.

1. Aoudad The aoudad, which is an African import that is now common in West and Central Texas, is so smart they boggle the mind.

They have almost zero pattern of behavior, become nocturnal at the first hint of pressure and have better eyes, hearing and an equal sense of smell to whitetails. My friend Thompson Temple owns a 640-acre high fenced ranch that is all high hills and rocky canyons. He put aoudad on it when he first bought the place and rarely sees them.

Occasionally a hunter will see a herd of 30 or so animals and then no one will see them for a couple of years. He did an experiment to see if he could figure out their patterns so he released an aoudad ewe with a bell on her neck so he could hear them on the ranch. They totally ostracized her. A guide from the YO Ranch in Mountain Home told me they had an aoudad in an acre pen that had three foot grass in it and it took numerous men to find the animal which was crouched down on its knees and crawling low in the grass to avoid them.

As much as I love whitetails aoudad have them beat in the hard to hunt department particularly the big, mature specimens we are dealing with here.

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Shot Placement N JULY, I SPEND A MAJORITY OF MY FREE TIME with bow in hand and a target in my yard. Before you know it, the hunting season will be in full swing and in order to be ready, you need to practice. I have written about how important practice is when it comes to a string and a stick before, but for this month, I thought about getting a little more serious about it.

Whenever I talk to a rifle hunter about the best place to aim for a humane harvest, I always get many different answers. Most of them would be correct, but when it comes to taking a whitetail with a bow, a different approach might prove to be the better one.

I once spoke to a hunter who told me he

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took a deer right between the lookers and the deer went down immediately. Another boasted to me about always taking a neck shot to bring home his venison. He claimed it was the best shot because he never ruined any of the delicious meat. In the bowhunting world, neither one of those shots could be considered ethical. Could you take a whitetail with a neck shot while using a bow? Of course you can. As long as your arrow happened to slice through the windpipe or the main artery.

There is one place on a deer that will put him down within steps of the initial hit. The femoral artery runs along the rump and down the back leg. If you hit this with your arrow, the deer will bleed out immediately, and will be the best-tasting deer you ever had. Hold a pencil up. That is about the size if the artery I spoke of. If you have practiced, you should be able to hit that with no problem at 20 yards. Now hold a magazine up and have a friend hold the pencil behind the magazine. Can you hit it now? You have

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no idea where this small target is. My point here is that, as bow hunters, the only ethical shot to take is in the “bread basket”...the vitals area. This is the largest area that will harvest a deer when hit with an arrow. It also is the area with the largest amount of blood flow. When struck with an arrow, massive hemorrhaging will cause the animal to succumb quickly making it a very humane shot to take.

Now that we know the best place to aim, our next task is to practice from different elevations and different angles. It would be nice if the whitetail stopped and stood broadside for us while we took careful aim and recreated the shot we practiced so many times in our back yards. However, it usually does not happen that way. We have to take the time and think of different angles the deer may offer.

One of the hardest shots, oddly enough, is also one of the closest shots. It is very difficult to shoot directly down on a deer. Also, there is so much bone protecting the vitals that this shot is not recommended.

If a deer comes in and is facing toward you, you might be tempted to go ahead and release your arrow. While this may indeed harvest your animal, you also run the risk of only wounding it. That alone should convince you to wait for a better shot. Once again, the vitals are protected by bone and plenty of it. Your arrow would likely deflect and cause the animal to be wounded.

If your are out there hunting turkeys with a bow, one of the best shots you can take is right up the butt. Not so with a whitetail.

Penetration would be limited and again you would wound the animal. Wait for the deer to turn and offer a better, more reliable shot.

A quartering away shot is, by far, the very best shot you can take with a bow. A well-placed arrow on this deer would do severe damage to the heart, lungs and liver.

Massive hemorrhaging would occur and you will soon find your trophy. Although we are told that the best-placed shot is behind the front shoulder, on this particular angle you

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On the Web Watch Lou Marullo’s video bow hunting tips at: www.Fishgame.com/video Search: Marullo

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would need to reconsider the placement of your arrow. If you aim behind the front shoulder of a quartering away deer, you will more than likely miss all the vitals and it will be a long afternoon for you while you test your tracking skills. For this particular angle, you will need to place your point of aim back a bit from the front shoulder. For the novice hunter, this will seem very awkward. It will look like you are going to just hit the stomach, and anyone who has hit a deer in the stomach knows that although it is lethal, it is not someplace you want to hit when it comes time to field dress that animal. I guarantee that if you ever have to field dress a gut shot animal, you would think long and hard about your shot placement on your very next opportunity. So, how far back should the aim point be to make that perfect shot we have talked about? I have found that if you look at the deer and imagine where his opposite shoulder is, you will definitely be in the ballpark. One of my only concerns for a new

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bow hunter comes after he finds his deer.

With a quartering away shot, you may not have a full pass-through and your arrow will still be in the deer. Worse yet, if your arrow

only has half the penetration, it may likely break in two pieces leaving the broadhead someplace in the deer cavity. Special care is needed when it comes time to field dress the whitetail.

In conclusion, the best place to aim on any animal while using a bow is either behind the shoulder with a broadside shot, or back a bit with a quartering away shot. Again, the only animal we might hunt with a bow that does not fit this pattern is the turkey. A shot at the base of the wing or directly from behind are the ones you should be looking for. As bow hunters, and as hunters in general, our “aim” is not to would the animal we hunt, but rather to take an ethical clean shot that will bring the animal down quickly. Aim true and you will be proud to call yourself an ethical hunter.

Remember to hunt safe and have fun out there.

E-mail Lou Marullo at lmarullo@fishgame.com

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Trijicon TR23-2G AccuPoint S YOU PROBABLY KNOW, I AM ALWAYS VERY leery of the Best New Product in Decades hype. Many times the writer who touts the product has done no testing on his own, but merely read the propaganda put out by the product's PR guys.

Many of these wonderful products are just old ideas rehashed and redressed. They are equally likely to be poorly made, fragile, imprecise, and just plain junk. When I receive a new product I do not jump on any speeding turnip truck until I have tried it out, completely and thoroughly. That is why you usually see whatever is mentioned in my Texas Fish and Game column some time after the rest of the gun writers have sung its praises. I want to know how good it is so that I can tell you the facts, and I can't do that without a period of thorough testing. If you don't see it here, there is a very good reason.

Now for the good news: There is a great new product on the scene, made by Trijicon.

This is one of the newest Trijicon offerings, the 5-20x50mm TR23-2G AccuPoint.

This scope comes with a 30mm tube, which is larger than the standard American 1” tube. It also has the tritium dot at the center of the crosshairs, which is, in addition, sunlight activated and adjustable, and it has the standard mil.dot reticle.

I don't test many 30mm scopes because the average American shooter is perfectly satisfied with his 1-inch scope, and rightly so, as the true advantage of a 30mm tube to the hunter is minor. In fact, I didn't have any rings to fit this scope and had to (cringe) buy a set.

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I mounted the scope on my pet 7mm Remington Magnum. This rifle is an old stainless and synthetic Winchester Model 70 Classic.

It is one of my most accurate long range rifles.

With its pet load it will put all the bullets into one ragged hole at 100 yards. I figured this was the nearest thing I had handy to a real sniper rifle, which is the true purpose for this Trijicon scope.

The big tube and the 50mm objective lens makes the big AccuPoint a light gathering phenomenon. I was, quite frankly, astounded at how well I could see through this scope in low light situations. Most of us have seen how long after sunset we can see through our high quality scopes. Most of the good ones, even without the giant objective lenses, will give us as much as an extra half-hour of shooting light. This Trijicon, with its 30mm tube and 50mm objective, is astounding. I truly believe I can see well enough to shoot on a reasonably clear moonlit night; which I may try sometime.

At 20-power the TR23-2G has the power to place precision shots on targets at extended ranges. I almost never shoot at more than 300 yards, because that is the maximum distance I have on my rifle range. However, this scope has the power and precision to place shots on a target, or game animal, at far beyond 300 yards. That does not mean that you should mount one on your old .270 and start whanging away at deer at a half-mile. It does mean that if you find yourself in a position to take a shot at extended but reasonable range, and if you have practiced and know the trajectory of your rifle, you will be equipped to make the shot. To shoot or not is your decision.

Also, precision of adjustment is perfect.

One of the downfalls of the cheaper scopes is that their adjustments are far from precise.

One time 8 clicks will move 2 inches, the next time it will be 1 inch, and the time after that it won't move at all. One time it will move easily, the next time you will have to rap it will your pocketknife to get it to move. The Trijicon scopes that I have tested have been absolutely precise. Each click is ¼ inch, no

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rapping necessary. The mil.dots on the TR23-2G are designed to be used with the scope set on 20-power, rather than the 10X that is the norm. The distance between dots is 3.6 inches per 100 yards.

If you do a bit of arithmetic beforehand you can use the dots as a rough range-finding device. For example: If the average deer is 18 inches deep from withers to the bottom of its chest, then it would measure 2.5 mil dots at 200 yards. If you want more precise math, you can find it at: http://www.trijicon.com/mildot/mil-dot.cfm.

It was a pleasant February day when I took the TR23-2G and my old 7mm Magnum to the range. I loaded some 175-grain Hornady Interlock soft points over 75.5 grains of H870. Velocity in my rifle was 2905 feet per second, as checked by my old Oehler chronograph. This is a very good load for elk or even moose and the Hornady Spire Point bullets hold their velocity very well, making this an excellent long range load.

I bore-sighted the rifle and headed for the range. I got lucky and the first shot hit about 3 inches low and 2 inches left. I dialed in the scope and the next shot took the little orange dot out of the center of the Shoot-N-See target. Now that is what I call precision adjustments. Then I fired for group; each shot hit right where the crosshairs rested on the target.

My wobbles and a brisk wind caused the group to spread out to about ¾ of an inch. I can't wait to test it at truly long range, but first I have to locate a range with such distances.

Meanwhile, I have put a lot of rounds downrange using this Trijicon and my opinion of it only gets higher with use.

This may be the finest scope I have ever tested. If you are looking for the best of the best, this just might be it. Retail price of the TR23-2G is $1224.00 and I think it is worth every penny.

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The Furtive Angler IMPLY PUT, FURTIVENESS IS A PREREQUISITE to consistent success when sightcasting to trout and redfish in extremely shallow water. The term “stealth” is a common descriptor that writers use when relating lessons about stalking fish in skinny water. It suggests that an angler should avoid being detected, and while that holds true, the term lacks the drive and passion for success. Furtiveness, on the other hand, paints an image of an angler taking great pains to avoid detection, as well as being sly and crafty. Evasiveness is part of the furtive angler’s makeup. Kayaks can help take your shallow water game to the next level, allowing you to becoming a shallow water ninja.

Meanings are in the minds of people and, in my mind, shallow water is measured in inches, not feet. If your knees are wet, you are too deep.

Trout and redfish often hunt in the shallows, using the lack of water to their advantage in their quest for a meal. Since a mullet can’t go over or under an attacking game fish in these confined quarters, the only option is to turn right or left. Trout and redfish use the shallow water to corral fleeing baitfish like a linebacker uses the sideline to capture a shifty running back. The lack of depth makes it easier for trout and reds to catch their prey.

Shallow water is not utopia for game fish or else they would never leave. While the lack of depth makes hunting easier, it also makes fish easier to pick out from above, making them conspicuous targets for hungry ospreys and other birds of prey. Redfish and trout never forget that attacks can come from the air as well as the sea. As such, game fish in skinny water are extremely skittish and

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the slightest shadow or unnatural sound will cause them to jet off to the safety of deeper water.

There are several ways to access shallow water. Wading is the time honored method on the Texas coast but sneaking into prime areas isn’t foolproof. Redfish and stingrays have a fondness for muddy bottoms. It could be my imagination but the larger the resident population of stingrays on a flat, the bigger the smiles on the redfish. Besides the barbed obstacles between you and a pod of feeding fish, you are likely to encounter muddy areas which defy description. They look harmless enough until you venture into the abyss, sinking quickly up to your knees in the goo with all the support and firm footing you would expect a barrel full of pudding to provide. Every step requires maximum labor as the sucking alluvial muck tugs at your legs as you try to break free. Even on a hard bottom, the crunching of oyster shells under a wading bootie, not to mention a cloddish half stumble, will send fish streaking.

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Flats skiffs, relatively recent imports from Florida, float in mere inches of water.

Equipped with modest sized outboards to keep weight down, flats skiffs are poled from a platform on the stern while an angler casts up front. The height advantage the casting platforms makes it easier to spot lounging and cruising fish, but it also makes it easier for the fish to see you. Florida style flats skiffs will get you into skinniest of water but that access comes at a high price. I conservatively estimate that one could buy 20 – 30 tricked out kayaks for the price of a single high performance flats skiff.

Assuming you don’t need to travel more than a mile or two from your starting point, a kayak is the best option of all for the angler with furtiveness on their mind. Kayaks only need a heavy dew to float and can be launched from beaches and roads. They are easily operated by a single person, not needing a second person to poll while the first CONTINUED on Page 105

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The Boating Constitution Preamble: We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect boating community, establish seagoing justice for all, provide for the common maritime good, promote the general welfare, and secure the Blessings of Boating to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Boating Constitution of the United States of America. We hold certain truths to be selfevident, that all boaters are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, among these are the pursuit of life, liberty, and lunker fish… as well as the rights listed herein this document.

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OUR SCORE AND SEVEN YEARS AGO, OUR forefathers brought forth the internal combustion engine, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all boaters are created equal. But as the decades passed since then, old realities were smashed as marine architecture and technology created realities anew, and today’s boaters ask not what their boats can do for them but ask what they can do to increase the efficiency, speed, reliability, and seaworthiness of their boats. Therefore and heretofore, let it be known to all sportsmen that the following are more then mere facts, they are truths created by the boaters, for the boaters, and they shall never perish from the sea.

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Amendment #1 – You Have the Right to Fuel Efficiency and a Smoother Ride, But Lighter Shall No Longer Be Assumed Better. When fiberglass first became the dominant boatbuilding material, hull thickness was measured in inches and weight was measured by tonnage—in boats

that today would weigh less then half a ton.

As manufacturers became more and more familiar with the material they were able to reduce resin-to-glass ratios and glass thickness, effectively reducing the weight of hulls and parts without a loss of strength. Then came different fiberglass weaves, and advanced materials like Kevlar and carbonfiber. All other things being equal, lighter boats are faster and more fuel efficient then heavier boats, so as tonnage dropped, boats were considered “better”.

But alas, as is true of all things with boats, there is a trade-off. Mass and momentum allow a boat to shove water out of the way, instead of being shoved by that water. And today, some boats are so light that hitting a one-foot wave at 30-mph launches them like the Space Shuttle. Yesteryears’ boats, however, had the beef to muscle waves out of the way without launching or hesitating. There’s a happy medium somewhere between the 2,200 pound 18’ fishboats of the 60’s and the 1,000 pounders built today. Where exactly is it?

That depends on you, and whether you place more importance on fuel economy and speed, or comfort of ride and seakeeping abilities. But one thing is for sure: lighter no longer automatically means better.

Amendment #2 – You Have the Right to a Better Outboard, Regardless of Stroke. Ever since we began striving for energy independence, there’s been a schism in the boating community between fourstroke fans and two-stroke lovers. Early design flaws weeded out the weaker outboard species, and today we’re left with a handful of four-stroke builders (Yamaha, Suzuki, Mercury, Honda, and Tohatsu/Nissan), and even fewer two-stroke builders (Evinrude, Mercury, and Tohatsu/Nissan). There used to be a valid divide between these two camps. Four strokes had the edge for fuel economy and sound levels, while two-strokes had more punch off the line and lighter weights. But new technolo-

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gy has produced four-strokes that weigh the same or even less then many competing two strokes, and have the same kick-in-the-pants acceleration. Meanwhile, advances in twostroke designs have, in many cases, matched or even exceeded the four-stroke’s fuel economy while reducing sound levels and smoke production. The bottom line? Both technologies have made such strides that deciding which is “better” is often little more then a coin-toss. Whether you go with a twostroke or a four-stroke, the days of smelly, smoking, ear-splitting, oil slicking outboard engines are over.

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don’t take to it well, and few boats are run often enough that phase separation and water formation won’t be a problem. That means you’re asking for trouble, if you don’t use an additive that either eats water or breaks it down molecularly so it burns through the engine. There’s some controversy as to which additive is best, but most industry experts agree that StarBrite’s Star Tron is an excellent option, and my person-

al experience backs that assertion up. Don’t worry too much about playing politics, though; just get the job done, and make sure you treat the fuel in your tank with every fillup.

Amendment #6 – You Have the Right to Choose between more then just fiberglass and aluminum. Crazy though it CONTINUED on Page 104

Amendment #3 – You Have the Right to (Longer) Life thanks to modern PFDs. Those clunky old orange things were the pits. They were uncomfortable, they got in the way, and they looked ridiculous. But today we have inflatable SOSpenders and belt packs which are so comfortable, you’ll forget you’re wearing them in a matter of seconds. They’re relatively inexpensive (you can find decent belt packs for about $50) and they last for years. Meanwhile, new fabrics and designs have made life vests that are also far more comfortable then those of yesteryear. No excuses – get them and wear them, and your safety margin goes though the roof.

Amendment #4 – You Have the Right to (Even Longer) Life thanks to modern long-distance signaling devices. As with life jackets, the latest in technology has given we boaters a plethora of options when it comes to signaling for help from afar. It used to cost thousands of dollars to get the least expensive EPIRBs (emergency position indicating radio beacon). But today, EPIRB prices have plummeted and you have even less expensive PLBs (Personal locator beacons), satellite locators, and Mini-EPIRBs to choose from. For a mere $150—the cost of a single tank of fuel for many of us—you can send out a Mayday from anywhere, at any time, and be sure that it will be heard by the authorities. No excuses—get them and carry them, and your safety margin goes not just through roof, but all the way through the atmosphere.

Amendment #5 – You Have the Right to Longer Outboard Life, but only if you use fuel additives. We the people have ethanol to thank for this one. Outboards C O A S T A L

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Surf Leaders I

LIVE A LONG WAY FROM ANYTHING RESEMbling saltwater. If I drive the speed limit it’s a solid four hours from my front door to the beach. Even though I live closer to famous impoundments like Fork and Sam Rayburn than the coast, I still enjoy saltwater fishing more than just about anything. More specifically, I like to surf fish for whatever will bite. I don’t discriminate. Sharks, specks, reds, jack crevalle, black drum, stingray or whatever else seems to be cruising the surf line and is willing to bite is fair game. The wife and kids go to the beach for the sun and sand, I go to fish.

Surf fishing does not take an excessive amount of specialized tackle to get started.

If you only have the opportunity to spend a few weeks per year on the sand then a couple surf rod & reel combos spooled with a few hundred yards of 30 pound line will suffice. On the business end of the line is where things get more complicated, but just

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slightly, since leaders used in rough conditions for fish that can weigh more than your average ten year old tend to be a little different than those used for lesser fish in placid water.

If you live near the coast it is possible to purchase heavy duty surf leaders from just about any bait shop you come across. However, if you find yourself in the middle of nowhere and out of leaders it is beneficial to know how to make your own. What we’ll discuss here is a basic monofilament leader but this same design can be used with steel wire as a substitute when chasing really big toothy critters like sharks. This is not the only way to build a leader, just a simple method to make one so you can wet a hook the next time the wife and kids want to play on the beach.

Besides heavy monofilament, the particular surf leader covered here consists of two barrel swivels, one snap swivel, a hook, and a few plastic beads. When selecting these items it’s best to err on the heavy side because there might come a day when something large decides to take your offering and you want to be prepared just in case. When choosing monofilament leader material the absolute lowest you should go is with 50 pound. Something in the 80 to 100 pound range would be better. Use this same line of thinking when selecting barrel swivels as

well. A #3 barrel swivel is typically rated at around 70 to 75 pound breaking strength and should be the minimum size used. If you step up to a #1 barrel swivel the strength rating jumps up to 150 pounds.

Start your surf leader by cutting a short length (18 – 24 inches) of the heavy monofilament. Tie one end of this leader to the end of a barrel swivel using your favorite knot. I prefer using an improved clinch knot, while others might recommend a Palomar or thumb kno,t but the key is to use a knot you can tie well to reduce the chance of the knot slipping. Tying heavy monofilament can be tricky so practice a few times before trusting your knots on actual fish. Many surf anglers use crimps instead of knots to connect their leaders to the swivels and hooks which work as well, but you may not have this available so it would be wise to learn to tie knots with heavy monofilament just in case.

On this short length of leader slip on two beads, then run the leader through the line tie eye of the snap swivel before putting on two more beads and tying the end of the leader to another barrel swivel. The purpose behind the beads is to keep the snap swivel from sliding too far down either end of the leader and becoming tangled with the barrel swivels.

Bead color doesn’t matter but you’ll see most surf leaders with red beads.

TEXAS BOATING Continued from Page 103 may sound, plastic is actually an excellent boat-building material. Polyethylene, in specific, is used in many applications and produces hulls that are strong, take the seas well, and are nearly indestructible.

Ram them into piers, drag then across shell bottom, cruise right into rocks, dump them on the boat ramp, and you still won’t hurt these things. If you need a boat that can be abused, consider one made of poly.

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Amendment #7 – You Have the Right to Wood without worry. Modern marine pressure-treated plywood doesn’t rot like the old stuff did. In fact, some brands come with a lifetime no-rot guarantee. Sure, builders who don’t use wood like to mention the fact that rot won’t be a problem with their all-composite creations, and they’re right—but that shouldn’t lead one to infer that boats built with marine plywood will rot.

We therefore, the representatives of

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mariners across the United States of America, do solemnly publish and declare, that we pledge these Amendments with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, our fortunes, and our sacred honor as boaters.

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E-mail Lenny Rudow at boating@fishgame.com

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Cut another piece of monofilament to finish off the leader. If you plan on casting this rig then keep this section of the leader under six feet long. If you are going to use a kayak to deploy your bait then this leader section can be as long as you dare to make

TEXAS KAYAKING Continued from Page 101 fishes. Plus, kayaks eliminate the fun of doing “mud aerobics”, a definite plus.

The term kayak is derived from an Eskimo word which means “hunter boat”. They allow you to slide into the shallows undetected. If you are looking for the height advantage a casting platform offers, stand up in your yak. A number of new models provide the necessary stability to fish while standing. If your hull is narrow, consider adding a set of outriggers.

The furtive angler is concerned with little details, like hull slap, that give away their presence in shallow water.

Square- sided kayaks, like square sides power boats, sound like snare drums when waves and chop beat against the hulls. Consider the shape of your kayak’s hull and the noise it produces, even in the tiniest ripples, if you intend on making a clandestine assault on the flats.

While kayaks provide a covert means of transportation, it takes practice to make a totally muted assault on the fish. Banging paddles and mutinous anchors top a cacophonous list of things that will betray your presence before you ever make a cast.

Anyone can catch fish in shallow water once in a while but you must elevate your game to make success routine.

Stealth is a good first step but you won’t become a shallow water hero until you become a furtive angler. Adding a kayak to the mix will help you get there.

Greg Berlocher can be reached for question or comment at kayak@fishgame.com.

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it. Tie one end of the leader to one of the barrel swivels and add a circle hook to the other end.

The problem with recommending a hook size is that size varies from one manufacture to another. A 10/0 hook made by one company may not be the same size as a 10/0 hook made by another. So buy a few different sizes from 10/0 up and base which one used on the size of the bait. You need enough hook exposed so that the point can

drive home without being stopped by the bait.

E-mail Paul Bradshaw at freshrigs@fishgame.com

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Fajita Feeding Frenzy HIS IS AN AWESOME RECIPE THAT I DEVEL oped back in the mid 1980's. I have won many a cookoff with this recipe in and around Houston, Texas. It took many cold Tecate's and Lime, and sometimes a Cuervo Gold Margarita to assist in refining the recipe, but I feel it is where it should be!

Take it and make it yours, just remember that you got it from me, Bryan Slaven,The Texas Gourmet.

(If you want to cook chicken breast and use this recipe, you can, just be sure and keep the chicken separate from the beef when marinating and grilling, until its placed on the plate at serving time)

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Serves 4 to 6 (you can increase the recipe in equal increments as necessary)

Ingredients: 3 to 4 pounds - skirt steak, remove skin sheath , trim away large areas of fat but don't worry about removing all fat. Cut the meat into about 6 to 8 inch pieces. The meat will cook at a very high temperature and will use the fat to keep the meat moist and will largely melt away.

1- sweet onion- sliced into 1/2" thick rings 2 poblano peppers, rinsed and cut into 1/2" thick slices (remove the seeds) 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil 3 to 4 cloves fresh garlic, crushed 2 limes - juiced 106 |

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PHOTO: Š PETER GALBRAITH - FOTOLIA.COM

1/2 cup of brown sugar 1 Tablespoon - med. or finely ground black pepper 1/2 cup light soy sauce 1/2 beer 5 to 7 pounds of charcoal, preferably mesquite, or add a few chunks or bits of mesquite while cooking , killer flavor!(Remember this, increase your charcoal and mesquite as you increase the recipe, as you want a good hot fire when grilling the meat!

Preparation: After you have cleaned the fajitas, rub them down with the fresh crushed garlic, then sprinkle with the black pepper .Set aside, then in a large bowl combine the olive oil, soy sauce, lime juice and beer. Stir well to combine, then add the fajita meat and then add the peppers and onions. Using your hands, work the liquid mixture into the meat and then place in increments that will fit into gallon zip locks about 3/4 full. After all meat is divided into bags, then equally

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distribute the liquid marinade among the bags. Seal up removing all air from the bags and place them all in a cooler with ice or in a spare refrigerator. I like to marinate them for a minimum of 4 to 6 hours but, overnight is even better!

Grilling: Make a good hot fire, if using charcoal, when the coals are grey and hot, put the meat on directly over the fire, about 6 to 7 inches away is good. Sear the meat for a couple minutes on each side, then move them to the opposite side of the grill, cover and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, I like to place the onion and pepper rings on the meat as it cooks, this adds flavor to the meat, and keeps the vegetables from burning. After cooking each piece, transfer to a cutting board and slice the meat across the grain into slices approx. 1/2 " thick . Transfer the meat to large double lined foil pouches, approx. 2 lbs. to a pouch, add a tablespoon of butter to each pouch then place on a cookie sheet

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in a preheated oven at about 225 degrees until ready to serve.

Serving: Serve with good, warm flour tortillas, chile con queso, and of course, with some spicy pico de gallo and some Texas Gourmet's Fire Roasted Serrano Salsa.

PORTABELLO FAJITAS

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1 Serrano pepper, seeded and diced small Salt & pepper to taste Preparation: Peel avocados, roughly chop them into a large bowl, mash with a fork.

Add other ingredients and mix together.

Place seeds from avocados back into the guacamole, cover with saran wrap and refrigerate until

ready to serve. The guacamole will stay good for 1 full day.

Bon Appetit!

Contact Bryan Slaven, "The Texas Gourmet," at 888-234-7883, www.thetexasgourmet.com; or by email at texas-tasted@fishgame.com

4 Portabello mushrooms stems removed & discarded, caps wiped clean 1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive oil 3 Tbsp Soy sauce 1 Tbsp Chopped fresh cilantro 6 oz. Dark beer 1 Tsp Fresh ground black pepper 1 Tbsp Texas Gourmet Habanero Pepper Jelly 1 Onion sliced into 1/2” thick rings Combine olive oil, sliced onion rings, lime juice, garlic, soy sauce, cilantro, Habanero Jelly, beer and pepper in a large zip lock plastic bag. Add the mushrooms, seal the bag and gently shake to coat themushrooms with the marinade. Place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Cut four 12” x 12” pieces of foil.

Remove mushrooms from marinade, place a foil square on a work surface and set a mushroom on top, under side up. Fold the foil edges over to enclose the mushroom and seal the edges shut. Grill indirectly over medium hot fire for 10-12 minutes with the lid closed. Remove and discard the foil.

Return the unwrapped mushrooms to the grill, bottom side up, brush with the marinade and cook until grill marked, 30-60 seconds. Remove from the grill and slice into 1/4” thick slices . Serve with warm flour tortillas, grilled rings of onion, guacamole and pico de gallo.

GRINGO GUACAMOLE Serves: 4-6 4-5 Medium to large ripe avocados 2 Roma tomatoes diced in 1/2 inch chunks 1/2 Purple onion diced small 2 lemons juiced 1 Chopped cilantro 1/3 Cup red salsa 1 Clove Garlic minced C O A S T A L

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Trout Rockport Redrunner

Bob & Mike Reds & Trout Hillman Guide Service

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TEXAS SALTWATER

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CORPUS CHRISTI

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For Classified Rates and Informatio call Dennise at 1-800-750-4678, ext. 5579.

GALVESTON

TEXAS SALTWATER

LAKE TEXOMA

ROCKPORT

ADVERTISERS, SEND IN YOUR PHOTOS TODAY! 108 |

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Jackson Espe Striper Striper Express Guide Service

White Oak Outfitters Hog

BJ and Captain Charles Newton Redfish Charters

TEXAS HUNTING

TEXAS HUNTING

OUTDOOR SHOPPER

SPOTLIGHT: NEW GLASS 2 NewGlass2 is a space age acrylic polymer. It is designed to seal and protect fiberglass from salt and sun. As fiberglass grows older it develops tiny pores and cracks as the fiberglass dries out. NewGlass2 fills in the pores and cracks as it mechanically bonds to the fiberglass. This adds a coating of hard, shiny acrylic plastic to the surface of your fiberglass. This protective coating of hard acrylic makes colors pop out and the surface shines like new.

NewGlass was developed in a marina in Miami to protect fiberglass from the Florida sun. That was 1988, over 20 years ago. NewGlass2 has been protecting boats and RVs ever since then. Improvements have been made over the years and now NewGlass2 is easier to apply, longer lasting and more protective.

In Texas, NewGlass2 should last between 14 and 18 months. It is recommended that 2 maintenance coats be applied every 12 months to extend the life of the shine. A quart of NewGlass2 will coat and protect a 25’ center console fishing boat or a 30’ RV. NewGlass2 dries very quickly to a hard, shiny surface. A quart of NewGlass2 sells for $39.95 plus shipping from Florida. No Compounding. No Rubbing. No Buffing. Satisfaction is backed by a 100% Money Back Guarantee.

More information is available from Thom and Jennifer at 800 785 7675 or at www.NewGlass2.com.

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LARGEMOUTH BASS • Private Pond

WHITE BASS an • Lake Buchan

ught Oakridge, ca gs, age 8, of now Lauren Hastin ss while fishing with min ba County. r ke al this 7-pound W in Joe’s pond . at her uncle the big bass lping to hold Dad Skip is he

CATFISH • La ke Livingsto

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Pearl Plata of San Antonio, caught and released this catfish while fishing with mom and au her nt on Lake Li vingston. Sh a Barbie rod e us with Crappie Marshmallow ed bait.

5caught this 2. of Georgetown on a crankbait Zach Davies ss ba ite ch wh Two pound, 16.5-in hes of Lake Buchanan. reac very cold trip. in the upper a on ht ug re ca dozen fish we

FLOUNDER on • West Galvest Bay

PRONGHORN ANTELOPE • Marfa

LARGEMOUTH BASS • Chigger Cree k

Amber Stolz shows off th is pronghorn on her first hu taken nt with her da Texas. d in Marfa,

caught this 21 a of Houston, Hana Hieshim ile fishing in West Galver wh f, inch flounde fish by hersel p. e caught the ston Bay. Sh with live shrim e qu ni ch te ret” using a “sec

Hazel Woodr uff of Friend swood caught first bass in her Chigger Cree k. Hazel crui banks of Chig ses the ger Creek in her Barbie fo wheeler with ura Dora the Ex plorer fishing rod.

LARGEMOUTH BASS • Private Lake

sas REL • Port Aran KING MACKE

Oppernbaum, Fred Rod nathon Rose Dave Ault, Jo nberg, Lance McLemore, se kingfish e es th ht man, Seth Ro ug an Powell ca Powell and Ry out of Port Aransas. sca on the La Pe

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REDFISH • Co pano Bay Rhonda Holle rb 33-inch redfis ach of San Antonio caug ht a h at sundow n in Copano Texas, while Bay, fishing off of the Wright On She was usin . g mullet for ba it.

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caught this 5- Ben Hellman en lake near Mu Eight-year-old l al bass in a sm pound black ster

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WHITE BASS ton • Lake Livings

FLOUNDER • San Bernard River

CATFISH • Trinity River the US Army k McCrady of , limited out on Lt. Col. Fran ds en ong with fri vingston. He Reserves, al hing Lake Li fis ile wh ss ze. si is white ba th e re leased th caught and re

Seven-year-o ld Trysten Pe arson caught catfish while this on a fishing trip Jerry Marullo , at the Trinity with his uncle, River.

is ton, caught th age 7, of Hous of the San Troy Bollier, th ou m e th at der um 18-inch floun hing with a pl r. Troy was fis Bernard Rive Bass Assassin. e and chartreus

REDFISH • Palacios

Kobe Gonzal es of Louise , ca pound, 28-in ch redfish wh ught this 10ile fishing wi family at Pala th his cios. He was using live cr and caught a oaker, 24-inch red th e next day.

LARGEMOUTH BASS • Falcon Lake

REDFISH as • Lake Calaver caught this 20 San Antonio, laveras Lake. It Devin Gray of Ca in ch redfish rth pound, 38.5-in to reel it in, but was wo es ie Gray. nn Ro d, took 15 minut da s ured with hi the fight. Pict

Rene Estimbo of Edinburg, Texas, caught and released this 9.8-poun d largemouth bass, which appeared to have already spawned out, while fishing at Falcon La ke.

HAMMERHEAD SHARK • Bob Hall Pier

LARGEMOUTH BASS • Lake Fork

REDFISH • Tres Palacios River d Rek caught an ld Katie Marie Eleven-year-o ch red drum while fishing -in d 10 landed this 28 e fish weighe . cios River. Th -inch girth 18 the Tres Pala an d ha d nces an pounds, 8 ou

Bret Nordqu ist of Cypres s hooked a 9pound, 7-ounc e 8 feet of wate largemouth while fishing r on his first in trip to Lake Fo This was his rk. biggest bass to date.

nio, with a 27 r of San Anto b Rebecca Huiza head shark caught off Bo mer Blas Huizar, th 1/2-inch ham wi ng hi e was fis Hall Pier. Sh erheads. ht two hamm who also caug

SPECKLED TROUT • Port O’Connor

WHITETAIL BUCK ty • Newton Coun

SPECKLED TROUT • Hackberry, LA

Clayton Hans en Galveston, pr , son of Brenda Pantalio n of oudly shows off a speckled trout that he caught on hi s best fishing ever out of Ha trip ckberry, Loui siana.

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, , of Nederland Parker, age 11 the River Bottom Seth Rivers at er de his first Texas, shot unty. in Newton Co Hunting Club

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HE GENERAL PUBLIC’S PERCEPTION OF hunting is that we walk into the woods, easily find “innocent” animals and shoot them. Hunters of course know this is far from the truth as the game animals we pursue are far from “innocent”. They are armed with super sharp senses, instinctual wariness and sometimes a “sixth sense” that allows them to elude hunters armed with the latest in high tech weaponry.

It might not be exactly accurate to call an animal “smart” but the fact is they often outwit us. With that said here is a list of what I consider to be the top 5 smartest game animals (and birds) in relation to the oldest, wisest specimens of each. Some choices are obvious, others shocking and at least one is bound to be downright controversial.

5. Alligators— I know this is a weird one from the list but hear me out. Most alligator hunting is done by putting out bait and shooting them once they take a hook. It is however legal to hunt with certain archery equipment and I have done this in Texas and southern Louisiana.

Let me tell you, a mature, wild alligator knows what a boat is and how to avoid it.

They are as sly as any whitetail deer and uti-

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lize their aquatic abilities to the match. Anyone who thinks it is comparable to bowfishing is wrong. It is easily ten times harder and gave me a true respect for these big, ugly reptiles.

Alligators in the 10-foot range can be 30 plus years old and have evaded harvest from legal hunters and poachers for decades. The age factor alone gives them an edge over most game.

by Chester Moore 4. Snow Geese— Anyone who has hunted geese much at all can attest to the amazing smarts of these birds. The mature specimens have been shot at from Canada to the Mexico line and get wise very quickly.

Two seasons ago we set up 1,000 decoys in a big field near Wharton about 1/2 mile from a roost of 10,000 plus birds. Most of the geese that year were mature as the hatch was only like three percent. We had a young goose locked up and coming into calls and then from above two mature birds flew down next to it and started letting out a distress call and led it back up to the flock. They knew danger was below.

I have seen a lot of animals do a lot of

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Texas’ 5 Smartest Game Animals things but that was one of the most amazing examples of ability I have witnessed in the animal kingdom.

3. Whitetail Deer— I know putting whitetail at number three seems disrespectful.

Big bucks are super wary and I do not have to go through all of their attributes but they have a huge downfall. During the rut, they can lose all wariness, which is something the next two animals on the list have under better control.

On the average deer are harder most animals but keep in mind we are talking about the biggest of each and for an extended time even the world’s biggest bucks will do anything to get a doe and that keeps them at the third position on my list.

Whitetails also exhibit easily defined patterns of behavior in relation to rut like making scrapes and rub lines. All of these telltale signs give hunters a shot at taking them or else they would be at the top of this list.

2. Feral Hog— Hogs do not seem smart much of the time. As soon as a feeder goes off in some areas hog will appear from out of nowhere to gobble up every drop. However, a large, mature boar is one of the smartest game animals in the world. They have an eerie “sixth sense” that alerts them to danger and G A M E ®

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In This Issue OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE SECTION

HOW-TO SECTION

92 94 95 96 98

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COVER STORY • Texas’ 5 Smartest Game Animals |

BY CHESTER MOORE

HOTSPOTS & TIDES SECTION

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TEXAS HOTSPOTS • Texas’ Hottest Fishing Spots |

BY TOM BEHRENS, CALIXTO GONZALES, & BOB HOOD

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SPORTSMAN’S DAYBOOK • Tides, Solunar Table, Best Hunting/Fishing Times |

BY TF&G STAFF

keeps them from avoiding trouble.

While bowhunting, I once watched a big boar come in upwind of me while a dozen or so smaller hogs fed just 15 yards away from me. It could not wind me but it knew something was wrong. From my elevated position, I watched the hog come in to about 50 yards,

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BOWHUNTING TECH • Shot Placement |

BY LOU MARULLO TEXAS GUNS & GEAR • Trijicon TR23-2G AccuPoint | BY STEVE LAMASCUS

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TEXAS TASTED • Fajita Feeding Frenzy |

BY BRYAN SLAVEN

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OUTDOOR CLASSIFIED DIRECTORY • Classifieds |

BY TF&G STAFF

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PHOTO ALBUM • Your Action Photos |

BY TF&G READERS

TEXAS KAYAKING • The Furtive Angler |

BY GREG BERLOCHER

TEXAS BOATING • Boating Constitution |

BY LENNY RUDOW BAITS & RIGS • Surf Leaders |

BY PAUL BRADSHAW

GEARING UP SECTION

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TEXAS TESTED • Smith & Colt, Eagle One, Shimano |

BY TFG STAFF

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NEW PRODUCTS • What’s New from Top Outdoor Manufacturers |

BY TF&G STAFF

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INDUSTRY INSIDER • Third Stone, Irlene Mandrell |

BY TF&G STAFF

www.FishGame.com

look around and then walk cautiously behind me about 100 yards before it winded me and headed for the brush.

Young hogs are not the sharpest knives in the drawer but let a boar get past his first few years and you have an extremely difficult to hunt animal.

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1. Aoudad— The aoudad, which is an African import that is now common in West and Central Texas, is so smart they boggle the mind. They have almost zero pattern of behavior, become nocturnal at the first hint of pressure and have better eyes, hearing and an equal sense of smell to whitetails. My friend Thompson Temple owns a 640-acre high fenced ranch that is all high hills and rocky canyons. He put aoudad on it when he first bought the place and rarely sees them.

Occasionally a hunter will see a herd of 30 or so animals and then no one will see them for a couple of years. He did an experiment to see if he could figure out their patterns so he released an aoudad ewe with a bell on her neck so he could hear them on the ranch.

They totally ostracized her. A guide from the YO Ranch in Mountain Home told me they had an aoudad in an acre pen that had three foot grass in it and it took numerous men to find the animal which was crouched down on its knees and crawling low in the grass to avoid them.

As much as I love whitetails aoudad have them beat in the hard to hunt department particularly the big, mature specimens we are dealing with here.

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Cocahoe Will Do for Jetty Trout LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Jetties GPS: N29.67285, W93.8375 SPECIES: Speckled trout

BY TOM BEHRENS tbehrens@fishgame.com

BEST BAITS: Cocahoe Minnows in a Glow Chartreuse or live croaker CONTACT: Capt. Steve Davis, 409- 4601220 TIPS: If you can get some live croaker for bait, you will catch some good fish.

LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Short Rigs GPS: N29.648067, W93.70395

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SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Cocahoe Minnows in a Morning Glory or Red Shad colors CONTACT: Capt. Steve Davis, 409- 4601220 TIPS: “We catch a lot of good fish in July. A lot of times if you catch one good fish, there will be a bunch of similar fish there. You don’t have to throw right up under the rigs. Sometimes the trout will suspend out from the rigs. Circle the rig and fish all the way around it.” — Davis LOCATION: Gulf beachfront east and west of Texas Point HOTSPOT: Beachfront GPS: N29.6785, W93.839717 SPECIES: Speckled trout

BEST BAITS: Super Spook topwaters in Bone White CONTACT: Capt. Steve Davis, 409- 4601220 TIPS: Get out early, especially on an overcast day. The bite should extend longer into the day. A lot of prime fish are caught along the beachfront.

BANK ACCESS: Take Dowling Road out of Sabine Pass and turn on First Ave and go all the way, crossing Texas Bayou, to the end. The road runs right up to it; cross the rip rap to get on the beach.

LOCATION: Matagorda HOTSPOT: Beachfront from east of the Colorado River Jetties GPS: N28.598992, 95.936737 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters to start the morning early and then move to soft plastic baits, using a ¼ - 3/8 ounce jig head.

Choice of jig head size depends on how hard the wind is blowing.

CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz, 281450-4037 TIPS: Color is not that important if the fish are biting. “Use the color you have confidence in. I think the fish can feel the confidence all the way from your hand to the lure, or the lack thereof ” — Countz BANK ACCESS: If you have a 4-wheel drive vehicle, you can drive the beachfront east from the mouth of the Colorado River jetties. “For the angler who is fishing from a boat, it’s a great opportunity to anchor up and throw bait.” — Countz LOCATION: Matagorda HOTSPOT: Beachfront from west of the Colorado River Jetties GPS: N28.578492, W96.008148 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters to start the morning early and then move to soft plastic baits, using a ¼ - 3/8 ounce jig head.

CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz, 281450-4037

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TIPS: “I like to throw the bigger topwater baits, such as the She Dog. Color is really not that important. If the fish are in the mood to hit the bait, they will hit any color.” — Countz BANK ACCESS: If you have a 4-wheel drive vehicle, you can drive the beachfront west

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from the mouth of the Colorado River jetties.

San Antone Specks

LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: South Shoreline grass beds from the Pipeline down to Greens GPS: N8.498117, W96.2367 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Wade fishing using Norton Sand Eels in darker colors CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz, 281450-4037 TIPS: Tide movement is critical, incoming or falling. Key on the grass beds. “By July the water is going to be real warm and the fish are going to be sluggish. It’s real important to slow your bait down and try to feel the bite.” — Countz

LOCATION: San Antonio Bay HOTSPOT: Seadrift Reefs GPS: N28.400159, W96.721573 SPECIES: Speckled trout

LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Boiler Bayou GPS: N28.646005, W95.900002 SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Wade fishing using Norton Sand Eels in darker colors CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz, 281450-4037 TIPS: Concentrate on finding grassy areas holding bait up close to the shoreline.

LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Hanna’s Reef GPS: N29.478383, W94.761717 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Texas Trout Killers in Red Shad and Limetreuse CONTACT: Capt. LG Boyd, 409-7703567 TIPS: Fish any of the mid-bay reefs that are about 4-6 feet deep. Bounce the lure along the bottom LOCATION: Galveston Bay HOTSPOT: Halfmoon Reef GPS: N29.400383, W94.843867 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Texas Trout Killers in Red Shad and Limetreuse CONTACT: Capt. LG Boyd, 409-7703567 TIPS: Try Halfmoon Reef when the trout are deeper, 6 – 9 feet deep.

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BEST BAITS: Texas Trout Killer in either Roach/chartreuse or Morning Glory colors CONTACT: Capt. Chris Martin, 361-7852686 TIPS: Wade fishing these reefs. Martin prefers to key in on the color change near the ends of the reefs. Each reef should be marked by small white PVC pipes. Nervous mullet and either clean or slightly offcolor water are a must.

LOCATION: San Antonio Bay HOTSPOT: Seadrift Reefs GPS: N28.400159, W96.721573 SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Texas Red Killer in Plumtruse CONTACT: Capt. Chris Martin, 361-7852686 TIPS: Fish will be right on top or next to deep side of the reef.

LOCATION: San Antonio Bay HOTSPOT: Half Moon Reef GPS: N28.334933, W96.768733 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Black topwaters early and the Texas Trout Killer in Geaux Gleaux.

CONTACT: Capt. Chris Martin, 361-7852686 TIPS: Get there when it’s dark and start using a black topwater lure. Once the sun comes up switch to the Trout Killer. Miller advises to work from east to west along the reef; walk very little and do not talk.

Bounce the lure over the shell using a slow to moderate retrieve.

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GPS: N28.334933, W96.768733 SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Texas Red Killer in the Who Dat color CONTACT: Capt. Chris Martin, 361-7852686 TIPS: Use the Who Dat color while working off-color water on the backside of the oyster reef.

HOTSPOT: Dead Man Island GPS: N28.030205, W97.025371 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live shrimp CONTACT: Capt. Mac Gable, 361-7909601, 512-809-2681 TIPS: The deeper water edges off of Nine Mile Point is good for trout using croaker or a rattling cork and shrimp.

LOCATION: St. Charles Bay HOTSPOT: Little Devils Bayou GPS: N28.198, W96.925 SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: topwaters in red, white, Bone CONTACT: Capt. Mac Gable, 361-7909601, 512-809-2681 TIPS: For best results, work the area thoroughly during the first two hours of daylight.

LOCATION: Carlos Bay HOTSPOT: Spalding Bight GPS: N28.1074, W96.892 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live shrimp CONTACT: Capt. Mac Gable, 361-7909601, 512-809-2681 TIPS: Fish the late evening on a falling tide using free-lined shrimp.

LOCATION: St. Charles Bay HOTSPOT: Cavasso Creek GPS: N28.2147, W96.9833 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Rat-L-Traps or Super Spooks CONTACT: Capt. Mac Gable, 361-7909601, 512-809-2681 TIPS: The transition to deeper water at the mouth of Cavasso should produce some nice specks.

LOCATION: Copano Bay HOTSPOT: Little lap reef GPS: N28.14, W97.0524 SPECIES: redfish, black drum BEST BAITS: cut mullet, sardines CONTACT: Capt. Mac Gable, 361-7909601, 512-809-2681 TIPS: Work baits slowly along the bottom during low tide.

LOCATION: Copano Bay HOTSPOT: Old Pipeline GPS: N28.0976, W-97.2046 SPECIES: speckled trout 28.0976, W97.2046t, redfish BEST BAITS: mud minnows, finger mullet CONTACT: Capt. Mac Gable, 361-7909601, 512-809-2681 TIPS: Use a popping cork or free-line live bait according to what the fish seem to prefer.

LOCATION: Aransas Bay I N L A N D

LOCATION: Mesquite Bay HOTSPOT: Cedar Bayou GPS: N28.1141 -96.8244 SPECIES: redfish, sheepshead BEST BAITS: cut menhaden, free-lined shrimp CONTACT: Capt. Mac Gable, 361-7909601, 512-809-2681 TIPS: We need Cedar Bayou open for this Bay to turn around. Best bet right now is the east shoreline, where a few reds and sheepshead work the deeper reefs.

LOCATION: Ayres Bay HOTSPOT: Ayres Reef GPS: N28.1739, W96.8394 SPECIES: flounder, trout BEST BAITS: shrimp CONTACT: Capt. Mac Gable, 361-7909601, 512-809-2681 TIPS: Ayres Reef is a productive using a rattling cork and shrimp for flounder and trout.

LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Beacroft’s Hole GPS: N27.551533, W97.32155 SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, pinfish, or croaker. Soft Plastics in Tequila Gold, gold weedless spoons.

CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089. 361-449-7441. brushcountrycharters.com TIPS: Upper Laguna Madre can be a hot place in July, both in temperature and fishing. Work live shrimp under a Paradise

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Popper around the grasslines. There will be tailing redfish around the grasslines.

You can sight cast with soft plastics on light (1/8th ounce) jighead or ¼ ounce gold spoons. Swim your baits just above the grass.

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LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: King Ranch Shoreline GPS: N27.358961, W97.389679 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, pinfish, or croaker. Gulp! Baits/Paradise Popper CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-985-

6089. 361-449-7441. brushcountrycharters.com TIPS: Trout will be lurking around the potholes along the grassbeds. If you are fishing a weedline, then use a live pinfish or shrimp on a Chatterweight. If you’re drifting potholes, then rig a 3” Gulp! or Bayside Shrimp under an Old Bayside Paradise Popper. Bring plenty of water and a bimini top or T-Top for shade. It is not hard to become a victim of heat exhaustion, especially on calm, humid day. Fresh fruit will also help replace any lost potassium and avoid vicious leg cramps.

Go Live on Baffin Bay LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: East Kleberg Point GPS: N27 16.300, W97 30.426 SPECIES: speckled trout.

by CALIXTO GONZALES cgonzales@fishgame.com

BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, pinfish, croaker.

CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089. 361-449-7441. brushcountrycharters.com TIPS: An angler can make an entire day by simply fishing this area. Fish the shallows around rock edges and let the bait fall into deeper water. Use a Texas Rattlin’ Rig Chatterweight and a 3/0 Kahle-style hook for best results. As the day grows longer, fish deeper where fish seek out cooler water. Live bait is best, especially on dog days.

LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: ICW GPS: N27 27 16.674, W97 23.821 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, Gulp! lures.

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TIPS: Trout will be holding along the edges. When you locate a school, fish a Gulp! Shrimp or shad tail under an Old Bayside Paradise Popper. Use a ¼ ounce jighead and no cork if the fish are deeper; switch to a 1/8 ounce jighead if using the X-treme cork. Fish the spoils on an incoming tide.

LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Rocky Slough GPS: N27 18.651, W97 33.465 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, pinfish, live croaker. Soft plastics in morning glory, Baffin Magic.

CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089. 361-449-7441. brushcountrycharters.com TIPS: Fish the deep points rocks with live bait on a Chatterweight rig. Drift fishing is better than anchoring because it allows you to cover more water around the reef. Once you find a concentration of fish, you can anchor-up and focus on the area. Stake out sticks and Power Poles are very useful in these situations, but a well-placed push-pole will work just as well.

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CONTACT: Captain Allen Salinas, 956943-3474 TIPS: Some of the biggest snook of the season prowl the area on the same full moon that draws trout and other game fish.

Live bait always works. Five-inch swimbaits are strong mojo, but if you want a heart-stopping strike, throw out a noisy topwater when the tide starts to ease up. If Mr. Robalo is there, he’ll rip the rod out of your arms.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Mexequita Flats GPS: N26 3.624, W97 11.532 SPECIES: Redfish 26.0604, W97.1922 BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, topwaters, DOA Shrimp/popping cork.

CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez, 956551-9581 TIPS: Fish during a high tide. As always, live shrimp under a popping cork is very effective. If there is a high tide early

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: The Washing Machine GPS: N26.028233, W97.172117 SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, live finfish Soft Plastics in red/white, chartreuse/white, green apple.

CONTACT: Captain Allen Salinas, 956943-3474 TIPS: Night fishing the full moon can be absolutely awesome. The strong outgoing tides create the “washing machine” effect this point is famous for. The strong flow pushes all sorts of bait off the flats and into the channels that converge at the point. Live shrimp, mullet, and mud minnows all work, as do soft baits that imitate same. Fishing lights aren’t very necessary to attract fish.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: The Washing Machine GPS: N26.028233, W97.172117 SPECIES: Snook BEST BAITS: Live large shrimp, live finfish Swimbaits in black, smoke. Topwaters in dark colors.

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in the morning, topwaters in bone and blue/chrome will draw crashing strikes.

Fish around sand potholes scattered throughout the flats for speckled trout.

Redfish will be cruising between the potholes. A little-used technique that is very effective is to sharp shoot potholes with a ¼ ounce DOA Shrimp, YUM! Sweet Shrimp or Tsunami Holoshrimp in clear/gold. If the redfish are short-striking your top waters, switch to a suspending twitch bait such as the Magic Swimmer.

LOCATION: Gulf of Mexico HOTSPOT: North Jetty Tip GPS: N26.068683, W97.1453 SPECIES: Kingfish BEST BAITS: Ribbonfish rigs, Magnum Rat-L-Traps in Chrome/blue.

CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez,956551-9581 TIPS: July’s dog days means that blue water and kingfish are within casting dis-

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tance of the jetties. Ribbonfish under a balloon can drift out away from the rocks.

If you have a 12’ surf rod, you can also try zinging a big lipless crankbait out where the lunkers lurk and burn it back. Make sure your reel is high capacity and loaded.

A smoker can leave you with an empty reel and a broken heart in a big hurry.

LOCATION: Gulf of Mexico HOTSPOT: North Jetty Tip GPS: N26.068683, W97.1453 SPECIES: Tarpon BEST BAITS: Live mullet or sand trout/balloon rigs, MirrOlures Catch 2000, Magnum Rat-L-Traps in Chrome/blue. White flies.

CONTACT: White Sands Marina, 956943-2414 TIPS: Tarpon will cruise along the jetties, around the tip and along the beachfront. Savvy anglers looking for a brawl can intercept the silver bruisers from a boat

or the rocks. Rig a balloon over a three foot leader, tie a 10/0 circle hook and pin a small sand trout or 6 to 8 inch mullet. Let it drift along in the current next to the rocks. Artificials such as a chrome/blue or red/white Catch 2000 or ‘Trap are tough to beat. Fly casters rigged out with 9 or 10-weight rods can throw Tarpon Bunnies or Chicken Feathers and expect some success.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: The Wreck GPS: N26.079433, W97.19615 SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Live Bait, Live Shrimp/Grand Slam popper, soft plastics in red/white.

CONTACT: Captain Richard Cadengo, 956-434-2521 TIPS: Some big trout in excess of 20 inches are lurking around the edges of the sunken ship that is easily located (watch for the change in current eddies caused by the boat structure). Cast out a live shrimp under a Grand Slam or similar popping cork and pay out line as it drifts by the edge of the wreck. A trout will usually pull the cork down before it passes the tail end of the eddies.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Long Bar GPS: N26.202733, W97.26595 SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Topwaters early.

Mauler/shrimp-tail, Gulp! Shrimp in new penny, chartreuse patterns CONTACT: Captain Eddie Curry, 956943-8301 TIPS: Redfish action heats up with the weather in July. Fish topwaters along the spoil edge early, then switch over to a Gulp!/Mauler combo later in the day. If you are able to sight-fish for reds, rig a 4” Gulp! Shrimp or Ghost Shrimp on a bare 3/0 hook and flick it in front of the redfish.

The bait will actually suspend in the water column. When Mr. Spot keys in on your offering, twitch it slightly, then hang on.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Drum Boats

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GPS: N26.17855, W97.185117 SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Topwaters early.

Mauler/shrimp-tail, Gulp! Shrimp in new penny, chartreuse patterns CONTACT: Captain Eddie Curry, 956943-8301 TIPS: Watch for tailing redfish between the potholes on the flats. Topwaters early in the morning. If there aren’t any cooperative fish in the area, move to the color changes and work a Gulp! On a jighead.

Fish the area slowly and thoroughly.

Code Red for Action LOCATION: Tradinghouse Creek Reservoir HOTSPOT: Redfish Point GPS: N31 33.834, W96 56.919 SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: chrome and black-blue medi-

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by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

um to deep-running crankbaits CONTACT: Jimmy D. Moore, rayado@earthlink.net, 254-744-2104, www.bigtroutman.tripod.com TIPS: A fairly deep creek channel winds around the point and meanders south toward the South Levee. Work the sides of the channel with a crankbait. If no luck, switch to a deep-running crankbait to get down to the colder water at the bottom of the channel.

BANK ACCESS: South Levee road. Cross the levee and turn left. Go uphill and park in the old park. Use cut bait for catfish and Texas-rigged plastic worms for largemouth bass.

LOCATION: Lake Lewisville

HOTSPOT: Old Lake Dallas Dam Riprap GPS: N33.111214, W96.992111 SPECIES: channel catfish BEST BAITS: Secret 7 Dip Bait, fresh shad CONTACT: Bobby Kubin, bobby@bobbycatfishing.com, 817-455-2894, www.bobby-catfishing.com TIPS: Anchor your boat in Clark’s Cove within casting distance of brush-liked banks and fish the baits on a Carolina-rig in two to three feet of water against the brush.

The green willows often will hold a lot of fish. At the Old Lake Dallas dam, fish the dip bait, punch bait, shrimp or shad around the shallow rocks on the rip rap.

Some channel cats still are spawning and can be caught in one to five feet of water on slip corks. Throw out soured maize if the bite slows.

BANK ACCESS: Pilot Knoll Park for crappie, largemouth bass and catfish LOCATION: Lake Waco HOTSPOT: Reynolds Creek GPS: N31.554987, W97.231579 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Buzzbaits with chartreuse translucent plastic blades, chartreuse-white spinnerbaits, watermelon-red Carolinarigged worms CONTACT: Jimmy D. Moore, rayado@earthlink.net, 254-744-2104, www.bigtroutman.tripod.com TIPS: Begin at the south entrance to Reynolds Creek and work the edge of the flooded timber on the left side with buzzbaits and spinnerbaits. Work your way to the third bend and then change sides and work your way back to the entrance.

Also work the lake-side of the standing timber on either side of the mouth of Reynolds with a Carolina-rigged watermelon-red worm. The area produces numerous eight-pound bass annually. I have caught more big bass in this area than anywhere else on the lake. Fish slow and thorough.

BANK ACCESS: Reynolds Creek Park for largemouth bass, white bass and catfish.

LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Saline Creek

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GPS: N32.167890, W95.428448 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: 3/4-ounce brown/black jigs, finesse worms on Shaky Head jigs and blue heron Shimmy Shaker CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff, ricky@rickysquideservice.com, 903-5617299, www.rickysguideservice.com TIPS: Fish the docks that are in at least six feet of water with brush in front of them early and late. The Shimmy Shaker also will work well on main lake points early and late while deep-diving crankbaits will work well during the heat of the day. Fish your lures very slowly.

LOCATION: Richland-Chambers HOTSPOT: 309 Hump No.2 GPS: N31.975833, W96.139167 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: chrome/blue Zara Spook, 3/8-ounce black S.O.B. buzzbait, Kicker Bait Kicker Kraw, Kicker Bait 11-inch worm and lizard CONTACT: Steve Schmidt, steve@schmidtsbigbass.com, 682-5188252, www.schmidtsbigbass.com TIPS: Start at daybreak with a topwater lure on the hump. Once the topwater bite stops just before sunup, use a Carolina rig with a two to four-foot leader, 5-0 hook and 3/4 or 1/2-ounce Tungsten weight depending on the wind and two 8 mm Force bead above a Kicker Kraw. Drag the Carolina rig across the humps. There is a secondary hump about 25 yards south of the first one. The humps have a lot of brush on top of them.

BANK ACCESS: Oak Cove Marina LOCATION: Richland-Chambers HOTSPOT: 308 Hump No. 3 GPS: N31.972167, W96.135 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Chrome/blue Zara Spook, 3/8-ounce black S.O.B. buzzbait, Kicker Bait Kicker Kraw, Kicker Bait 11-inch worm and lizard CONTACT: Steve Schmidt, steve@schmidtsbigbass.com, 682-5188252, www.schmidtsbigbass.com TIPS: Start at daybreak with a topwater lure on the hump. Once the topwater bite stops just before sunup, use a Carolina rig with a two to four-foot leader, 5-0 hook and 3/4 or 1/2-ounce Tungsten weight depending on the wind and two 8 mm I N L A N D

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Force bead above a Kicker Kraw. Drag the Carolina rig across the humps. There is a secondary hump about 25 yards south of the first one. The humps have a lot of brush on top of them.

BANK ACCESS: Oak Cove Marina LOCATION: Richland-Chambers HOTSPOT: 309 House Foundation GPS: N31.970833, W96.1395 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Chrome/blue Zara Spook, 3/8-ounce black S.O.B. buzzbait, Kicker Bait Kicker Kraw, Kicker Bait 11-inch worm and lizard CONTACT: Steve Schmidt, steve@schmidtsbigbass.com, 682-5188252, www.schmidtsbigbass.com TIPS: Start at daybreak with a topwater lure on the hump. Once the topwater bite stops just before sunup, use a Carolina rig with a two to four-foot leader, 5-0 hook and 3/4 or 1/2-ounce Tungsten weight depending on the wind and two 8 mm Force bead above a Kicker Kraw. Drag the Carolina rig across the humps. There is a secondary hump about 25 yards south of the first one. The humps have a lot of brush on top of them.

BANK ACCESS: Oak Cove Marina LOCATION: Richland-Chambers Reservoir HOTSPOT: 309 Flats GPS: N31.978633, W96.1145 SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: Clear Tiny Torpedo, 1/4ounce chrome/blue Rat-L-Trap CONTACT: Royce and Adam Simmons, royce@gonefishing.biz, 903-389-4117, www.gonefishing.biz TIPS: The white bass are beginning a topwater feeding frenzy that will last all summer. Check out the main lake south shoreline from Fisherman’s Point Marina to Ferguson Point and the Highway 309 Flats on the north shoreline. Look for terns and egrets picking up baitfish over large schools of white bass. The schooling fish sometimes will chase shad in five to 10-acre size schools. This is a great time to take kids fishing.

LOCATION: Gibbons Creek Reservoir HOTSPOT: Fuller’s Shelf GPS: N30.62375, W96.054517 SPECIES: crappie

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BEST BAITS: small minnows, small curlytailed red/white or black/chartreuse jigs CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, Weldon_edna@hotmail.com, 979-229-3103, www.FishTales-GuideService.com TIPS: There are lots of stumps in this area. Experiment with the depths of your bait until you find the bite, moving the depth 8-12 inches each time. Look for shallow-water bites during early mornings when the water is cooler. A fish light can be very effective at night now that the days are hotter. Do not sit on one stump if the bite slows. Another stump 10 feet away may be holding fish.

LOCATION: Lake Somerville HOTSPOT: South Schooling Area GPS: N30.322517, W96.562017 SPECIES: white bass, hybrid stripers BEST BAITS: ghost minnows, shad, small spoons, red/silver slabs

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CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, weldon_edna@hotmail.com, 979-229-3103, www.FishTales-GuideService.com TIPS: If using shad or ghost minnows, anchor in this area and use tight line and No.2 Kahle hook. For trolling, use a Hellbender with small spoon lure as a trailer. If you locate a school of fish with your electronics, bounce slabs off the bottom. Look for surfacing action during late afternoons and use a Little George near the surface but don’t expect the action to last very long at one time.

LOCATION: Fayette County Lake HOTSPOT: Deer Stand Hump GPS: N29.932417, W96.7297 SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: punch bait, worms CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, Weldon_edna@hotmail.com, 979-229-3103, www.FishTales-GuideService.com

TIPS: The hump is six feet deep.

Anchor close to the shore and cast back to the hump. The fish will be hanging around the hump looking for baitfish. Use a tight line with an egg sinker. Punch bait is best when the water is warm. The hump also attracts lots of fish moving from deeper water onto it at night.

LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Kickapoo Creek GPS: N32.28565. W95.5061 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Nichols 3/8-ounce white/chartreuse double-willow spinnerbait,Texas-rigged watermelon/red, junebug and red shad Zoom Baby Brush Hog CONTACT: Ricky's Guide Service, 903 561-7299 TIPS: The bass will move up and down the point between two channels in Kickapoo Creek at this site. Work both sides of the point along the sides of the point itself.

Use a Texas-rigged Zoom Baby Brush Hog on hot days under the sun. Earlymornings can be good on topwater poppers and Nichols spinnerbaits.

LOCATION: Lake Aquilla HOTSPOT: Dam Riprap GPS: N31.935, W97.2165 SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: Little Georges, chrome and blue Rat-L-Traps CONTACT: Randy Routh, teamredneck01@hotmail.com, 817-822-5539, www.teamredneck.net TIPS: The whites should be schooling early along the rip rap. Make long casts with a chrome and blue Rat-L-Trap or Little George. After the sun is high, move over to the Bubbler and expect fast action on white bass and largemouth bass as they move in to gorge themselves on shad at the aerator.

LOCATION: Lake Aquilla HOTSPOT: The Bubbler GPS: N31.914517, W97.194267 SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: Little Georges, chrome and blue Rat-L-Traps CONTACT: Randy Routh, teamred-

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neck01@hotmail.com, 817-822-5539, www.teamredneck.net TIPS: The whites should be schooling early along the rip rap. Make long casts with a chrome and blue Rat-L-Trap or Little George. After the sun is high, move over to the Bubbler and expect fast action on white bass and largemouth bass as they move in to gorge themselves on shad at the aerator.

LOCATION: Granger Lake HOTSPOT: Dam Area GPS: N30.701697, W97.335777 SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: white slab spoon CONTACT: Tommy Tidwell, crappie1@hotmail.com, 512-365-7761, www.gotcrappie.com TIPS: Bounce or drag the slab spoon on top of the humps and ridges. Casting and reeling the lure will catch a lot of fish but they likely will be small. Keep the spoons on the bottom to catch the larger fish. The best time to catch the larger fish is from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

LOCATION: Lake Texoma HOTSPOT: Alberta Creek GPS: N33.959033, W96.6002 SPECIES: Striped bass BEST BAITS: Topwater lures and Slabs CONTACT: Bill Carey, bigfish@striperexpress.com, 877-786-4477, www.striperexpress.com TIPS: Topwater fishing is at its best. Several large schools will surface around the lake during early-morning hours with some of the frenzy a mile long and a half-mile wide. Cast Pencil Poppers for the best action. After the surface action subsides, locate the schools with your electronics and then vertically drop slabs and use a fast retrieve. Expect hard strikes.

BANK ACCESS: Washita Point and Platter Flats LOCATION: Whitney HOTSPOT: The Island GPS: N31.895340, W97.381096 SPECIES: striped bass BEST BAITS: White 1/2-ounce jigs with chartreuse plastic trailers CONTACT: Randy Routh, teamredneck01@hotmail.com, 817-822-5539, www.teamredneck.net TIPS: The thermocline has set in and the

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stripers are relating to a reaction strike. We are downrigging 1/2-ounce white jigs with chartreuse trailers just above the thermocline and catching limits daily. Fish the ledge from the island and the McCowan Flats.

LOCATION: Whitney HOTSPOT: McCowan Flats GPS: NMcCowan Flats: N31.9242, W97.410467

SPECIES: Striped bass BEST BAITS: White 1/2-ounce jigs with chartreuse plastic trailers CONTACT: Randy Routh, teamredneck01@hotmail.com, 817-822-5539, www.teamredneck.net TIPS: The thermocline has set in and the stripers are relating to a reaction strike. We are downrigging 1/2-ounce white jigs with chartreuse trailers just above the thermocline and catching limits daily. Fish the

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ledge from the island and the McCowan Flats.

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HOTSPOT: Bayou Seipe GPS: N31.729717, W93.813383 SPECIES: largemouth bass

Shallow Bass

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

LOCATION: Toledo Bend Reservoir

BEST BAITS: topwater lures, crankbaits, soft plastics CONTACT: Greg Crafts, gregcrafts@yahoo.com, 936-368-7151, www.toledobendguide.com TIPS: During early-morning, late-evening and cloudy days, work topwater lures, buzzbaits, spinnerbaits, plastic frogs and shallow-diving crankbaits along the edges of the pepper grass, duckweed and lily pads that are growing close to deep water.

When the sun is overhead and the shallowwater bite has slowed down, back out to deeper water and fish diving crankbaits, slab spoons, tail-spinners and Texas or Carolina-rigged soft plastics.

LOCATION: Lake Livingston HOTSPOT: Highway 190 road bed GPS: N30.752533, W95.172017 SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: Jigging spoons, slabs, Pet Spoons CONTACT: David S. Cox, dave@palmettoguideservice.com, 936291-9602, www.palmettoguideservice.com TIPS: Key on the old sunken bridge crossing the river channel. Look for fish at 11-15 feet on your graph. Fish vertically with slabs and spoons, dropping the lures all the way to the bottom and then popping your rod tip. Watch for strikes as the lure falls.

LOCATION: Lake Conroe HOTSPOT: North Lake GPS: N30.459841, W95.583801 SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: Primos stinkbait CONTACT: Richard Tatsch, admin@fishdudetx.com, 936-291-1277, www.fishdudetx.com TIPS: The cats have finished eating all the shad they can along the bulkheads after 72 |

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the shad spawn. They now are back in deep water along the channel edges. Find a stump along the channel on the north end of the lake and throw out some range cubes to bait the area. Allow about 30 minutes for the fish to move in. I use sponges on No. 6 treble hooks to absorb the dipping bait and a small egg sinker. Let the bait go to the bottom and wait for a slight resistance which signals a strike.

BANK ACCESS: Stowaway Marina LOCATION: Toledo Bend HOTSPOT: Roadbed near Buck Creek GPS: N31.169702, W93.609352 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Watermelon lizard, Mardis Gra Zoom Fluke TIPS: This is a great big bass area for July. The fish will follow the roadbed to a 10-foot level with 25 feet of water nearby.

Anchor near the GPS site and use a Carolina rig with 3/4-ounce sinker and 2 1/2foot leader. I use a 3-ought hook. Tip the tails of the Fluke or lizard with chartreuse Spike It Dye and slowly drag the Carolina along the bottom.

Stripers on the Run LOCATION: Possum Kingdom Lake HOTSPOT: South D&D GPS: N32.877929, W98.487968 SPECIES: Striped bass

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

BEST BAITS: Live gizzard shad and shadimitation lures.

CONTACT: Dean Heffner, fav734@aceweb.com, 940-329-0036 TIPS: Look for stripers around South D&D that are making their annual migration to the dam during the hot-weather months. The fish will be most active at daybreak and under the lights at night to avoid the heat and bright sun. Start early by looking for active fish that have pushed

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shad into the backs of the coves. They will slowly work their way back to deeper water as the sun rises. This also is a prime time for down-rigging along the sides of the old river channel as the day progresses. The fish will pick a certain depth to run down the channel and beside the flats as natural highways. Be prepared for occasional feeding frenzies on cloudy days as the fish rise from the depths to smash shad at the surface. I prefer to have a 1/2-ounce jig with a Mister Twister trailer to catch fish within two feet of the surface during these feeding frenzies.

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Texas and Carolina-rigged watermelon-red worms CONTACT: Dave Burlington, dave@bassindave.com, 210-833-9417, www.bassindave.com TIPS: Look for bass in 5-20 feet of water around the deep-water structure. Fish the topwater lures early and then go to grubs or worms and fish deeper. bass often suspend in these areas. Swimming a grub

through them should produce some catches. If a strong wind is blowing, work crankbaits or spinnerbaits across a point or down a bluff bank to catch bass that have moved shallow to feed on baitfish being blown into these areas.

BANK ACCESS: Pace Bend for crappie on minnows and white jigs LOCATION: Lake LBJ

Deep Water Guadalupe Bass LOCATION: Lake Medina HOTSPOT: Walton Island GPS: N29.559217, W98.9207 SPECIES: Guadalupe bass

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

BEST BAITS: Pop R, Zara Puppy, 1/4oune buzzbait and spinnerbait, Shaky Head or Drop-shot rig.

CONTACT: Dave Burlington, dave@bassindave.com, 210-833-9417, www.bassindave.com TIPS: Most bass will be in six to 20 feet of water relating to brush on deep-water points, humps, bluff banks and islands.

The topwater bite should come early in shallow water. Switch to a Drop-shot or Shaky Head rig when the sun gets up with watermelon, pumpkin and cotton candy finesse worms over the deep brush. At night, fish the lighted docks with jigs, tube worms and 7-inch black and brown worms.

BANK ACCESS: Red’s Cove for catfish on shad sides and cheese bait LOCATION: Lake Travis HOTSPOT: Hurst Creek GPS: N30.38486, W97.959981 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Bone-colored Pop R and Zara Spook, white spinnerbait, mediumdiving shad-colored crankbait, smoke grub, I N L A N D

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HOTSPOT: Sunrise Beach GPS: N30.589267, W98.408517 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Grass frog, buzzbait, Pop R, medium-diving crankbait, Texas, Whacky and Carolina-rigged worms in black-blue, watermelon.-red, green pump-

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kin and motor oil CONTACT: Dave Burlington, dave@bassindave.com, 210-833-9417, www.bassindave.com TIPS: Fish the primary points and humps with Texas and Carolina-rigged plastics and jigs. A good topwater bite

often comes early and late around laydown logs, docks and grassbeds. Boat traffic often stirs the shallow water along seawalls and grassbeds. Look for bass to move into those areas during mid-day hours and fish a spinnerbait or jerkbait along the seawall and in the grassbeds or pitch a Texasrigged worm or Whacky-rigged Senko under the docks.

BANK ACCESS: Flying K for bass on spinnerbaits and soft plastics LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Toms Creek GPS: N29.872682, W98.256569 SPECIES: smallmouth bass BEST BAITS: Smoke-red fleck, watermelon and silver fleck tubes, grubs and worms, Zara Puppies, Pop Rs, chartreuse medium-diving crankbaits CONTACT: Dave Burlington, dave@bassindave.com, 210-833-9417, www.bassindave.com TIPS: Look for bushes and rock piles in 12-28 feet of water along breaklines and points. Fish topwaters early and late. Swim the grubs and worms along the bottom to get strikes. Sandy areas along bluff walls with the wind blowing attract lots of bass.

Throw the crankbait, grub or tube in these areas.

BANK ACCESS: Canes Mill for crappie on minnows and jigs LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Mystic Shores GPS: N29.912567, W98.29245 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: One quarter-ounce Shakey Head worms, 1/2 pt 3/4-ounce Carolinarigged Watermelon Flukes, Senkos Texas rigged w/ 1/4-3/8oz Tungsten weights CONTACT: KC’s bassin’ Guide Service, kandie@gvtc.com TIPS: Fish the point near the dropoff slowly. Work the shallows early and then move into the deeper depths. bass are in their summer homes and with the weather being warm are not likely to be aggressive. Use a good rod like Castaways Camo rod in Heavy Weight 7’ for Carolina rigging. Good summer colors include, watermelon red, blue fleck, june bug, watermelon candy.

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Get Froggy for Bass LOCATION: Choke Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Four Fingers GPS: N28.502167, W98.271733 SPECIES: largemouth bass

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

BEST BAITS: topwater frogs with red or white bellies, white buzzbaits, spinnerbaits and Chatter Baits, chrome Rat-L-Traps, Texas and Carolina-rigged worms CONTACT: Dave Burlington, dave@bassindave.com, 210-833-9417, www.bassindave.com TIPS: bass will feed aggressively around the grassbeds early and late. Fish spinnerbaits, Chatter Baits and swimming jigs in those areas. Move to deeper water off points, islands and roadbeds during the mid-day hours and fish Texas and Carolina-rigged worms in 15-25 feet of water.

Fish spinnerbaits and Chatter Baits up the river around timber along the channel in 38 feet of water.

BANK ACCESS: Calliham State Park for catfish on shrimp and cut bait LOCATION: Falcon Reservoir HOTSPOT: Arroyo Valeno GPS: N26.876167, W99.246267 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Texas-rigged Brush Hawg, medium-diving crankbait CONTACT: Robert’s Fish N Tackle, robert@robertsfishntackle.com, 956-7651442, www.robertsfishntackle. Com TIPS: Look for schooling bass early along the east bank of the creek channel.

During mid-day target bends in the creek channel with Brush Hawgs.

Cow Creek Sows LOCATION: Lake Amistad HOTSPOT: Cow Creek GPS: N29.524416, W101.186314 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Chartreuse spinnerbaits, Zara Spooks

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

CONTACT: Larry Scruggs, fisherofmenlrs@hotmail.com, 210-789-1645 TIPS: Cast Zara Spooks early and late to the windy points and then shift to spinnerbaits in off-color water.

www.FishGame.com

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Tides and Prime Times

JULY 2010 USING THE PRIME TIMES CALENDAR

The following pages contain TIDE and SOLUNAR predictions for Galveston Channel (29.3166° N, 94.88° W).

T12

T4

T11

T10

TIDE PREDICTIONS are located in the upper white boxes on the Calendar Pages. Use the Correction Table below, which is keyed to 23 other tide stations, to adjust low and high tide times.

T3 T2 T1

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY data is provided to indicate major and minor feeding periods for each day, as the daily phases of the moon have varying degrees of influence on a wide variety of wildlife species.

T9 T8

T13 T7

T6 T5 T17

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY is shown in the lower color boxes of the Calendar pages. Use the SOLUNAR ADJUSTMENT SCALE below to adjust times for points East and West of Galveston Channel.

AM & PM MINOR phases occur when the moon rises and sets. These phases last 1 to 2 hours.

T14

T15 T16

T18

AM & PM MAJOR phases occur when the moon reaches its highest point overhead as well as when it is “underfoot” or at its highest point on the exact opposite side of the earth from your positoin (or literally under your feet). Most days have two Major Feeding Phases, each lasting about 2 hours.

T19

SOLAR & LUNAR ACTIVITY: Sunrise: 6:34a Sunset: 7:51p

PEAK DAYS: The closer the moon is to your location, the stronger the influence. FULL or NEW MOONS provide the strongest influnce of the month.

T20

AM Minor: 9:11a AM Major: 2:57a PM Minor: 9:40p PM Major: 3:25p

PEAK TIMES: When a Solunar Period falls within 30 minutes to an hour of sunrise or sunset, anticipate increased action. A moon rise or moon set during one of these periods will cause even greater action. If a FULL or NEW MOON occurs during a Solunar Period, expect the best action of the season.

Moonrise:9:27a Moon Set: None Moon Overhead:

T21

4:55p

TIDE CORRECTION TABLE Add or subtract the time shown at the right of the Tide Stations on this table (and map) to determine the adjustment from the time shown for GALVESTON CHANNEL in the calendars.

TIDE PREDICTIONS are shown in graph form, with High and Low tide predictions in text immediately below.

KEY T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6

PLACE Sabine Bank Lighthouse Sabine Pass Jetty Sabine Pass Mesquite Pt, Sab. Pass Galveston Bay, S. Jetty Port Bolivar

HIGH -1:46 -1:26 -1:00 -0:04 -0:39 +0:14

LOW -1:31 -1:31 -1:15 -0:25 -1:05 -0:06

KEY PLACE HIGH Galveston Channel/Bays T7 Texas City Turning Basin +0:33 +3:54 T8 Eagle Point +6:05 T9 Clear Lake +10:21 T10 Morgans Point T11 Round Pt, Trinity Bay +10:39

LOW +0:41 +4:15 +6:40 +5:19 +5:15

KEY PLACE T12 Pt Barrow, Trinity Bay T13 Gilchrist, East Bay T14 Jamaica Beach, W. Bay T15 Alligator Point, W. Bay T16 Christmas Pt T17 Galveston Pleasure Pier

HIGH +5:48 +3:16 +2:38 +2:39 +2:32 -1:06

LOW +4:43 +4:18 +3:31 +2:33 +2:31 -1:06

KEY T18 T19 T20 T21 T22 T23

SPORTSMAN’S DAYBOOK IS SPONSORED BY:

NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION T22 T23

KEYS TO USING THE TIDE AND SOLUNAR GRAPHS TIDE LE VEL GRAPH: Yellow: Daylight

12a

Tab: Peak Fishing Period

6a

12p

6p

12a

Green: Falling Tide

AM/PM Timeline Light Blue: Nighttime

BEST:

7:05-9:40 PM

Gold Fish: Best Time

Blue: Rising Tide Red Graph: Fishing Score

Blue Fish: Good Time

SOLUNAR AC TIVIT Y: MINOR Feeding Periods (+/- 1.5 Hrs.) Time Moon is at its Highest Point in the Sky 12a

AM/PM Timeline

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AM Minor: 1:20a

PM Minor: 1:45p

AM Major: 7:32a

PM Major: 7:57p

MAJOR Feeding Periods (+/- 2 Hrs.)

Moon Overhead: 8:50a 6a

12p

6p

12a

Time Moon is Directly Underfoot (at its peak on opposite side of the earth)

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PLACE San Luis Pass Freeport Harbor Pass Cavallo Aransas Pass Padre Island (So. End) Port Isabel

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HIGH -0.09 -0:44 0:00 -0:03 -0:24 +1:02

LOW -0.09 -1:02 -1:20 -1:31 -1:45 -0:42

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NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION BEST:

7:45-9:40 AM

= Peak Fishing Period

= FALLING TIDE = RISING TIDE = DAYLIGHT HOURS = NIGHTTIME HOURS

Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score

TUESDAY

Sunrise: 6:21a Set: 8:21p Moonrise: 10:06p Set: 8:16a

Sunrise: 6:22a Set: 8:21p Moonrise: 10:38p Set: 9:12a

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

28

29

THURSDAY

30

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

JUL 1

2

Sunrise: 6:22a Set: 8:21p Sunrise: 6:22a Set: 8:21p Sunrise: 6:23a Moonrise: 11:09p Set: 10:06a Moonrise: 11:37p Set: 10:59a Moonrise: None

SUNDAY

4

3

Set: 8:21p Sunrise: 6:23a Set: 8:21p Sunrise: 6:23a Set: 8:21p Set: 11:50a Moonrise: 12:05a Set: 12:42p Moonrise: 12:34a Set: 1:36p

AM Minor: 7:25a

PM Minor: 7:48p

AM Minor: 8:15a

PM Minor: 8:37p

AM Minor: 9:04a

PM Minor: 9:24p

AM Minor: 9:50a

PM Minor: 10:10p

AM Minor: 10:34a

PM Minor: 10:54p

AM Minor: 11:17a

PM Minor: 11:37p

AM Minor: ——-

PM Minor: 12:00p

AM Major: 1:13a

PM Major: 1:36p

AM Major: 2:04a

PM Major: 2:26p

AM Major: 2:53a

PM Major: 3:14p

AM Major: 3:40a

PM Major: 4:00p

AM Major: 4:24a

PM Major: 4:44p

AM Major: 5:07a

PM Major: 5:27p

AM Major: 5:49a

PM Major: 6:10p

Moon Overhead: 2:51a

12a

WEDNESDAY

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 4:20a

Moon Overhead: 3:37a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 5:01a 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 6:20a

Moon Overhead: 5:41a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 7:02a 12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

MONDAY

Tides and Prime Times for JULY 2010

12a

FEET

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 3:14p +2.0

BEST:

BEST:

-1.0

BEST:

8:00 — 10:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 5:21p BEST:

9:30 — 11:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 6:00p BEST:

10:00P — 12:00A

Moon Underfoot: 6:41p BEST:

11:00A — 1:00P

Moon Underfoot: 7:23p +2.0

BEST:

12:00 — 2:00PM

12:30 — 2:30PM TIDE LEVELS

0

Moon Underfoot: 4:40p

TIDE LEVELS

7:30 — 9:30 PM

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 3:58p

High Tide: 8:13 am Low Tide: 1:19 pm High Tide: 3:43 pm

1.36 ft 1.19 ft 1.21 ft

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

12:22 am 8:36 am 1:46 pm 4:47 pm

-0.20 ft 1.30 ft 1.08 ft 1.11 ft

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

12:54 am 8:57 am 2:29 pm 6:02 pm

-0.03 ft 1.24 ft 0.96 ft 1.00 ft

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

1:24 am 9:16 am 3:16 pm 7:35 pm

0.16 ft 1.20 ft 0.81 ft 0.90 ft

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

1:52 am 9:31 am 4:01 pm 9:27 pm

0.37 ft 1.16 ft 0.65 ft 0.84 ft

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

2:18 am 9:42 am 4:43 pm 11:29 pm

0.58 ft 1.13 ft 0.48 ft 0.86 ft

Low Tide: 2:43 am High Tide: 9:43 am Low Tide: 5:23 pm

0.78 ft 1.12 ft 0.30 ft

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NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION BEST:

= Peak Fishing Period

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= FALLING TIDE = RISING TIDE = DAYLIGHT HOURS = NIGHTTIME HOURS

Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

6

THURSDAY

7

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

9

8

SUNDAY

10

11

Sunrise: 6:24a Moonrise: 1:05a

Set: 8:21p Set: 2:32p

Sunrise: 6:24a Moonrise: 1:40a

Set: 8:21p Set: 3:31p

Sunrise: 6:25a Moonrise: 2:20a

Set: 8:21p Set: 4:32p

Sunrise: 6:25a Moonrise: 3:07a

Set: 8:21p Set: 5:35p

Sunrise: 6:26a Moonrise: 4:01a

Set: 8:21p Set: 6:36p

Sunrise: 6:26a Moonrise: 5:03a

Set: 8:20p Set: 7:33p

Sunrise: 6:27a Moonrise: 6:10a

Set: 8:20p Set: 8:26p

AM Minor: 12:20a

PM Minor: 12:42p

AM Minor: 1:02a

PM Minor: 1:27p

AM Minor: 1:47a

PM Minor: 2:13p

AM Minor: 2:35a

PM Minor: 3:03p

AM Minor: 3:26a

PM Minor: 3:56p

AM Minor: 4:22a

PM Minor: 4:52p

AM Minor: 5:20a

PM Minor: 5:51p

AM Major: 6:31a

PM Major: 6:54p

AM Major: 7:14a

PM Major: 7:39p

AM Major: 8:00a

PM Major: 8:27p

AM Major: 8:49a

PM Major: 9:17p

AM Major: 9:41a

PM Major: 10:11p

AM Major: 10:37a

PM Major: 11:08p

AM Major: 11:36a

PM Major: 12:06p

Moon Overhead: 7:45a 6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 9:24a

Moon Overhead: 8:32a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 10:19a 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 12:20p

Moon Overhead: 11:18a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 1:21p 12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

5

12a

Tides and Prime Times for JULY 2010

12a

FEET

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 8:08p +2.0

BEST:

BEST:

-1.0

BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 10:48p BEST:

3:30 — 5:30 PM

4:00 — 6:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 11:49p BEST:

4:30 — 6:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: None BEST:

5:30 — 7:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 12:50a +2.0

BEST:

6:00 — 8:00 PM TIDE LEVELS

0

2:30 — 4:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 9:51p

TIDE LEVELS

10:00P — 12:00A

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 8:57p

High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

1:41 am 3:02 am 9:25 am 6:04 pm

0.98 ft 0.97 ft 1.15 ft 0.11 ft

High Tide: 8:32 am Low Tide: 6:47 pm

1.22 ft High Tide: -0.07 ft Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

4:34 am 5:58 am 7:48 am 7:31 pm

1.31 ft High Tide: 4:57 am 1.30 ft Low Tide: 8:18 pm 1.31 ft -0.26 ft

1.43 ft High Tide: 5:29 am -0.43 ft Low Tide: 9:05 pm

1.53 ft High Tide: 6:02 am -0.58 ft Low Tide: 9:53 pm

1.58 ft High Tide: -0.66 ft Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

6:34 am 11:05 am 1:39 pm 10:41 pm

1.58 ft 1.38 ft 1.41 ft -0.66 ft

+1.0

0

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NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION BEST:

= Peak Fishing Period

7:45-9:40 AM

= FALLING TIDE = RISING TIDE = DAYLIGHT HOURS = NIGHTTIME HOURS

Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

13

THURSDAY

14

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

15

16

SUNDAY

18

17

Sunrise: 6:27a Moonrise: 7:20a

Set: 8:20p Set: 9:13p

Sunrise: 6:27a Moonrise: 8:31a

Set: 8:20p Set: 9:54p

Sunrise: 6:28a Moonrise: 9:39a

AM Minor: 6:21a

PM Minor: 6:50p

AM Minor: 7:22a

PM Minor: 7:50p

AM Minor: 8:23a

PM Minor: 8:49p

AM Minor: 9:21a

PM Minor: 9:47p

AM Minor: 10:18a

PM Minor: 10:43p

AM Minor: 11:12a

PM Minor: 11:37p

AM Minor: ——-

PM Minor: 12:04p

AM Major: 12:06a

PM Major: 12:36p

AM Major: 1:08a

PM Major: 1:36p

AM Major: 2:09a

PM Major: 2:36p

AM Major: 3:09a

PM Major: 3:34p

AM Major: 4:05a

PM Major: 4:30p

AM Major: 4:59a

PM Major: 5:24p

AM Major: 5:51a

PM Major: 6:17p

Moon Overhead: 2:20p 6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 4:10p

Moon Overhead: 3:16p 12a

6a

12p

6p

Set: 8:19p Sunrise: 6:28a Set: 8:19p Sunrise: 6:30a Set: 8:19p Sunrise: 6:29a Set: 8:18p Set: 10:32p Moonrise: 10:46a Set: 11:08p Moonrise: 11:50a Set: 11:44p Moonrise: 12:55p Set: None

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 5:00p 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 6:41p

Moon Overhead: 5:50p 12a

6a

12p

6p

Sunrise: 6:30a Moonrise: 1:59p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Set: 8:18p Set: 12:21a

Moon Overhead: 7:32p 12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

12

12a

Tides and Prime Times for JULY 2010

12a

FEET

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 1:51a +2.0

BEST:

0

-1.0

BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 4:35a BEST:

3:00 — 5:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 5:25a BEST:

10:00A — 12:00P

Moon Underfoot: 6:15a BEST:

11:00A — 1:00P

Moon Underfoot: 7:06a +2.0

BEST:

12:00 — 2:00 PM

1:00 — 3:00 PM TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

BEST:

2:00 — 4:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 3:43a

TIDE LEVELS

7:00 — 8:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 2:49a

High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

7:04 am 11:38 am 3:10 pm 11:29 pm

1.54 ft High Tide: 7:32 am 1.47 ft 1.27 ft Low Tide: 12:24 pm 1.09 ft 1.36 ft High Tide: 4:36 pm 1.27 ft -0.57 ft

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

12:16 am 7:57 am 1:16 pm 6:07 pm

-0.37 ft 1.38 ft 0.85 ft 1.16 ft

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

1:02 am 8:21 am 2:12 pm 7:46 pm

-0.08 ft 1.30 ft 0.58 ft 1.05 ft

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

1:48 am 8:41 am 3:12 pm 9:37 pm

0.26 ft 1.24 ft 0.30 ft 1.00 ft

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

2:34 am 8:59 am 4:14 pm 11:42 pm

0.61 ft 1.21 ft 0.05 ft 1.05 ft

Low Tide: 3:22 am High Tide: 9:12 am Low Tide: 5:16 pm

0.93 ft 1.21 ft -0.17 ft

+1.0

0

-1.0

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= New Moon = First Quarter = Full Moon = Last Quarter = Best Day

Tides and Prime Times for JULY 2010 MONDAY

TUESDAY

20

21

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

22

SUNDAY

24

23

25

Sunrise: 6:31a Moonrise: 3:02p

Set: 8:18p Set: 1:00a

Sunrise: 6:31a Moonrise: 4:03p

Set: 8:17p Set: 1:43a

Sunrise: 6:32a Moonrise: 5:01p

Set: 8:17p Set: 2:31a

Sunrise: 6:32a Moonrise: 5:55p

Set: 8:16p Set: 3:22a

Sunrise: 6:33a Moonrise: 6:43p

Set: 8:16p Set: 4:16a

Sunrise: 6:33a Moonrise: 7:26p

Set: 8:15p Set: 5:12a

Sunrise: 6:34a Moonrise: 8:05p

Set: 8:15p Set: 6:09a

AM Minor: 12:28a

PM Minor: 12:55p

AM Minor: 1:17a

PM Minor: 1:44p

AM Minor: 2:06a

PM Minor: 2:32p

AM Minor: 2:54a

PM Minor: 3:20p

AM Minor: 3:41a

PM Minor: 4:07p

AM Minor: 4:29a

PM Minor: 4:54p

AM Minor: 5:16a

PM Minor: 5:40p

AM Major: 6:41a

PM Major: 7:08p

AM Major: 7:31a

PM Major: 7:57p

AM Major: 8:19a

PM Major: 8:46p

AM Major: 9:07a

PM Major: 9:33p

AM Major: 9:54a

PM Major: 10:20p

AM Major: 10:41a

PM Major: 11:06p

AM Major: 11:28a

PM Major: 11:52p

Moon Overhead: 8:25p

12a

THURSDAY

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 10:12p

Moon Overhead: 9:18p 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 11:05p 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: None

Moon Overhead: 11:56p 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 12:46a 12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

19

WEDNESDAY

12a

FEET

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 7:58a +2.0

BEST:

0

-1.0

BEST:

3:00 — 5:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 10:39a BEST:

3:30 — 5:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 11:31a BEST:

4:30 — 6:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 12:21p BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 1:09p +2.0

BEST:

6:00 — 8:00 PM

6:30 — 8:30 PM TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

BEST:

2:00 — 4:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 9:45a

TIDE LEVELS

9:00 — 11:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 8:51a

High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

2:15 am 4:37 am 9:10 am 6:17 pm

1.20 ft High Tide: 4:16 am 1.19 ft Low Tide: 7:16 pm 1.24 ft -0.33 ft

1.37 ft High Tide: 5:04 am -0.44 ft Low Tide: 8:09 pm

1.47 ft High Tide: 5:41 am -0.49 ft Low Tide: 8:58 pm

1.50 ft High Tide: 6:10 am -0.49 ft Low Tide: 9:43 pm

1.47 ft High Tide: -0.45 ft Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

6:30 am 11:49 am 1:29 pm 10:21 pm

1.42 ft 1.27 ft 1.28 ft -0.38 ft

High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

6:45 am 11:36 am 2:39 pm 10:56 pm

1.36 ft 1.21 ft 1.26 ft -0.28 ft

+1.0

0

-1.0

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NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION BEST:

= Peak Fishing Period

7:45-9:40 AM

= FALLING TIDE = RISING TIDE = DAYLIGHT HOURS = NIGHTTIME HOURS

Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

27

THURSDAY

28

FRIDAY

29

SATURDAY

30

SUNDAY

31

AU G 1

Sunrise: 6:35a Moonrise: 8:39p

Set: 8:14p Set: 7:05a

Sunrise: 6:35a Moonrise: 9:10p

Set: 8:14p Set: 7:59a

Sunrise: 6:36a Moonrise: 9:39p

Set: 8:13p Set: 8:52a

AM Minor: 6:03a

PM Minor: 6:25p

AM Minor: 6:49a

PM Minor: 7:10p

AM Minor: 7:34a

PM Minor: 7:54p

AM Minor: 8:19a

PM Minor: 8:39p

AM Minor: 9:04a

PM Minor: 9:24p

AM Minor: 9:50a

PM Minor: 10:10p

AM Minor: 10:35a

PM Minor: 10:57p

AM Major: ——-

PM Major: 12:14p

AM Major: 12:38a

PM Major: 12:59p

AM Major: 1:24a

PM Major: 1:44p

AM Major: 2:09a

PM Major: 2:29p

AM Major: 2:54a

PM Major: 3:14p

AM Major: 3:39a

PM Major: 4:00p

AM Major: 4:25a

PM Major: 4:46p

Moon Overhead: 1:33a 6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 2:58a

Moon Overhead: 2:17a 12a

6a

12p

6p

Sunrise: 6:36a Set: 8:12p Moonrise: 10:07p Set: 9:44a

12a

6a

12p

6p

Sunrise: 6:37a Set: 8:12p Sunrise: 6:37a Set: 8:11p Sunrise: 6:38a Set: 8:11p Moonrise: 10:36p Set: 10:36a Moonrise: 11:05p Set: 11:28a Moonrise: 11:38p Set: 12:22p

Moon Overhead: 3:39a 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 4:59a

Moon Overhead: 4:18a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 5:40a 12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

26

12a

Tides and Prime Times for JULY 2010

12a

FEET

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 1:55p +2.0

BEST:

BEST:

-1.0

BEST:

8:00 — 10:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 3:59p

Moon Underfoot: 4:38p

BEST:

2:00 — 4:00 AM

BEST:

9:00 — 11:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 5:19p BEST:

10:00A — 12:00P

Moon Underfoot: 6:02p +2.0

BEST:

11:00A — 1:00P

11:30A — 1:30P TIDE LEVELS

0

Moon Underfoot: 3:19p

TIDE LEVELS

7:30 — 9:30 PM

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 2:38p

High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

6:58 am 11:40 am 3:38 pm 11:26 pm

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High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

7:12 am 12:01 pm 4:35 pm 11:54 pm

2 0 1 0

1.26 ft 1.00 ft 1.17 ft 0.01 ft

High Tide: 7:26 am 1.23 ft Low Tide: 12:33 pm 0.87 ft High Tide: 5:34 pm 1.10 ft

T E X A S

F I S H

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

&

12:20 am 7:41 am 1:10 pm 6:39 pm

0.19 ft 1.20 ft 0.74 ft 1.03 ft

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

G A M E ®

12:44 am 7:54 am 1:50 pm 7:56 pm

0.39 ft 1.18 ft 0.61 ft 0.97 ft

I N L A N D

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

1:08 am 8:02 am 2:33 pm 9:30 pm

0.59 ft 1.16 ft 0.48 ft 0.95 ft

A L M A N A C

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

1:28 am 7:58 am 3:19 pm 11:28 pm

0.78 ft 1.17 ft 0.34 ft 1.00 ft

+1.0

0

-1.0

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AR 22s from Smith and Colt

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The Smith is mostly made of polymer, and weighs in at five and a half pounds. The Colt is all metal, and consequently a little heavier at about six pounds two ounces.

The difference is noticeable but not highly significant.

The Colt’s front sight is mounted in a

THE HUGELY POPULAR AR-15 RIFLE IS NOW available from too many manufacturers to count, and it seems many of those now offer a plinker’s version in .22 caliber. For the AR aficionado, such as myself, the only problem is choosing which rifle to buy.

Two of the hottest AR .22s are the Colt M4 Ops and the Smith & Wesson M&P15-22.

Both offer the fun of shooting tactical style rifles, the convenience of a railed fore end for ease of attaching lights, sights, and other gizmos, and the economy of inexpensive ammunition.

And as my friend, Gordon Gibson, of KNS Pictured are the author’s Smith & Wessson Precision, says, these copy of the AR-15 on top, the Colt M4 Ops in the middle, old AR-style guns have a high CDI and the Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22 on the factor (chicks dig it). skeletal bottom.

Both of these great apparatus rimfires offer six-posiattached to AR Comparison tion adjustable butt the barrel, while the stocks, muzzle flash hiders, and plenty of Smith front sight is on a bar mounted rails for accessory attachment. Both are directly to the top Picatinny rail. The blow back semi-autos. Both come with mili- Colt’s metal magazine holds 30 rounds, tary-style rear peep sights adjustable for while the Smith’s polymer mag tops out at windage and elevation, and post front 25. Both feed reliably, although it is a sights adjustable for elevation. And both good idea to clean the gunk out of the need to be kept away from teenage boys, actions periodically to prevent problems. unless a closet full of ammo is handy.

Both rifles feature a bolt release button Despite these similarities, there are on the left side of the receiver, but the plenty of differences between the two rifles.

Colt’s is purely cosmetic. The bolt catch on 84 |

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the Smith is fully functional, and works just like the one on its .223 caliber big brother.

The Colt comes with rail guards, the Smith doesn’t.

Mechanical safeties are located in the usual spot on the left side of the frames, and both are on safe when pointed forward. The Smith safety is moved to the fire position by rotating it downward to a vertical position, but the Colt’s safety button must be rotated a full 180 degrees to be released. This is impossible to do while keeping a finger on the trigger, unless two hands are used, which may be the intent.

Accuracy is respectable in both models, about what you would expect from a semiautomatic rimfire rifle.

The problem, again, is deciding between the two. So don’t. My advice is to get one of each.

—Kendal Hemphill

Eagle One Gel Wax IS YOUR BOAT SHINY ENOUGH? IF YOU answered “yes,” then you’re not ambitious enough—every good boater wants Mom’s mink to shine so brightly, it’s visible from outer space. And Eagle One’s new Gel Wax (www.eagleone.com, $10 for a 16-ounce bottle) will help you get there.

Regular paste wax is always a necessity, to protect your gel coat. But it’s carnauba wax (found in most

I N L A N D

A L M A N A C

PHOTO: KENDAL HEMPHILL

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wash-and-wax types of products) that boosts your shine-factor to 10. The down-side?

Most of these carnauba waxes wear off in a mere week or two. Eagle One claimed their Gel Wax, which is formulated for boat and automotive finishes, would do the trick yet would last longer then the norm, so I tested it out on my boat’s gel coat for several months.

The thing I like the most about the Gel Wax is the fact that it’s a gel—that makes application a piece of cake. You merely wipe it on and don’t have to wait for it to dry and buff it, because the gel gets spread evenly in a thin coat as you apply it, then you wipe off any excess immediately. No white powdery coat appears to be buffed away, as it does with most waxes. Another bonus: unlike many waxes, since there’s no white powder this stuff doesn’t discolor your rubrail and other rubber or black nylon fittings. Once I coated the boat, I thought the shine was significantly better then paste wax provides, though it wasn’t quite as mirror-like as the finish you get from a good wash-and-wax. Of course, that stuff rinses away the first time it rains. And the Gel Wax’s shine held up for a solid month, even though the surface wasn’t as slick to the touch as it is with regular wax.

But this doesn’t seem to affect clean-up, because when I trailered down a bug-infested highway and had gnat and mosquito marks all over the boat, they washed away easily. That means that even though you’ll still want a yearly base coat of paste wax and a weekly wash-down with a carnaubabased product, the Eagle One Gel Wax is a winner for monthly application of a longterm shine.

—Lenny Rudow

Page 85

star drag reels aren’t as good for big Shimano game fishing because their drag washers are so much smaller then those on lever drags. A conundrum?

You bet, and that’s why Shimano designed the Talica II series, a new line of lever drag reels that can conquer giant fish yet cast that country mile.

These reels were originally designed for “fly lining” small live baits like sardines to fish like tunas, sailfish, and wahoo. An aggressively machined spool reduces weight, while high-grade greaseless ballbearings (which won’t flex under side-load) allow it to spin easier for excellent castability. When I first held one in my hand, it was so small and light I thought there was no way it would have the beef to take on truly big game… but looks can be deceiving. So, how did it cast? When I pulled down the lever, flipped my wrist, and released my thumb, the Talica spun without resistance until my light little bait splashed down 40 yards away. Meanwhile, Talica II big-game fishing reel — built for casting.

Shimano didn’t ignore the other features that make a reel big-game capable. The lever drag and drag system are as smooth as they get, and the Talica II 10 I tested put out 13 pounds of drag at strike and 20 pounds on full. Not enough for your tastes? The 12 and 16 models put out 22 pounds at strike, and 40 pounds at full. The gearing is also impressive, with a 4.1:1 low speed and a 6.2:1 high speed. Switching gears can be done single-handed, by pressing a button at the base of the crank.

The 8 and 12 models are rated for 40 to 50 pound braid and the 12 and 16 are rated for 65 to 80 pound braid. Spooling up with 50, the Talica II 10 had no problem holding 535 yards of Power Pro line.

So, what’s the down-side? Price—the Talicas run about $500. But as the old saying goes, you get what you pay for: with the little mighty-mite in hand I tied into a 148-pound bluefin tuna, and had no trouble winning the day. —LR

On the Web www.smith-wesson.com www.colt22rimfire.com www.buyeagleone.com www.fish.shimano.com

PHOTO (OPPOSITE): EAGLE ONE

Shimano Talica YOU WISH YOU HAD A BIG GAME REEL THAT could handle hundred pound plus fish, yet was still easy to cast? That’s a tall order; most big game reels have lever drags, and lever drag reels are notoriously hard to cast.

Star drags are what you need to throw a country mile, because they have lighter spools since the drags are in the gears, as opposed to being on the spool itself. Yet I N L A N D

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‘Best Fishing Invention in a Decade’ DEBUTING AT THE 2010 BASSMASTER CLASSIC the “Shark Tooth” was a perfect pair with winner Kevin VanDam who won his third Classic and signed on to endorse one of the most innovative ideas in the fishing industry this decade and now named “Best of Show” at the 2010 Fred Hall Fishing Show!

The ‘Shark Tooth” Leader Control System originally developed for the fly fishing industry has taken Freshwater and Saltwater anglers by storm. “Everyone who sees it… does a double take, smiles, some of them slap their forehead and then buy atleast 3” says Bob Holt, inventor of the ‘Shark Tooth’.

“I’m an avid fly fisherman and just like everyone else, I had to deal with spools of tippet on a lanyard and bulk spools in my boat that continually unravel, tangle and get caught in my nippers as I was trying to cut the one I needed.” After many prototypes I came up with the ‘Shark Tooth’.

This Leader Control System simply

Leader control system endorsed

by Kevin VanDam.

Sharktooth 86 |

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described is an elastic band in four sizes made to work with all types and sizes of line on spools from tippet to bulk braid with a molded plastic ‘Shark Tooth’ that allows the user to position it on the spool drawing the line through the hole, creating tension as you unspool it and then the stainless steel cutter, cuts the length of line you need leaving a tag line each time. The ‘Shark Tooth’ keeps your line on the spool, helps you load your reels, manage your line and tippet and eliminates the need for nippers and line waste.

The ‘Shark Tooth’ has been received with such enthusiasm at the Bassmaster Classic and the Fred Hall Show that the second round of production has begun and the next phase of “Shark Tooth Technology” will be coming soon.

The ‘Shark Tooth’ is available at www.flyfishingxtreme.com.

Video Series for Galveston Bays DISCOVER “WHERE TO GO & WHAT TO Throw” from Capt Paul Marcaccio as he discusses places in the Galveston Bay complex. In these videos, Capt Paul shows the best places to fish and how to catch them.

Capt Paul Marcaccio is a native Texan, born on Galveston Island (B.O.I.) Over 30 years of wade fishing and drifting the Galveston bay system. From San Luis Pass to the far reaches of the Trinity Bay. He is now sharing that knowledge and GPS coordinates .

Captain Paul used his close proximity F I S H

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to the tepid shores of the Gulf of Mexico to glean thirty years of wade fishing and drift fishing experience for redfish and trout to pass on to future and past clients.

Captain Paul has one of the most impressive tournament “Fishing Galverecords of all ston Trinity Bay” Texas Gulf

by Capt. Paul Coast Guides Marcaccio and his incrediDVD Series ble tournament resume equates to hundreds of successful trips for you. To mention all of his tournament conquests would be daunting; however, a few to his name are Champion of the 1999’s CCA Guides Cup followed by runner up in 2000 and 2001 and perennial Texas Troutmasters Top-Ten Finisher.

Marcaccio’s Fishin’ Guide Service 2422A Rue de Laffitte Dr. San Leon Texas 77539 281-788-4041; 281-339-0475 www.gofishgalveston.com or email, captpaul@gofishgalveston.com

New ChatterWeight for 2010 TEXAS RATTLIN’ RIGS HAS INTRODUCED A NEW Medium sized ChatterWeight for 2010.

The Medium ChatterWeight will complete an already proven fish attracting product line of in-line rattle weights that includes; the Large, Large Floater, and Mini ChatterWeight.

The Medium ChatterWeight will fill the niche between the Large ChatterWeight

I N L A N D

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New medium-sized ChatterWeight

that’s used in deeper water and swifter current and the Mini ChatterWeight that’s used in shallower water and milder currents.

The Medium size will complete a fisherman’s arsenal by having a ChatterWeight that is used in moderate water depths and currents.

Captain Steve Walko of Texas Rattlin’ Rigs stated; “Because of so many requests from fishermen we have added the Medium. When fishermen speak, we listen. We strive to make high quality products, and to satisfy what fishermen want by keeping a pulse on their demands.”

ChatterWeights are made of high impact plastic and contain no lead making them environmentally friendly. Most terminal riggings that use a lead weight can be improved by using a ChatterWeights instead with lures or live baits.

All sizes of ChatterWeights are available in Natural and 5 Holographic colors.

Find them at Fishing Tackle Unlimited, Marburger’s Sporting Goods or at www.texasrattlinrig.com.

Captain Steve Walko-713-947-8107.

Texas Rattlin’ Rigs

3D Riflescopes

Page 87

riflescopes using advanced technologies that provide superior Design, Depth and Dimension.

Designed by outdoorsman for outdoorsman, the 3D Series are Designed to be extremely rugged and dependable, yet lightweight to carry. Their advanced optical systems provide crystal clear images with exceptional Depth and Dimension. They feature fully multicoated lenses that allow maximum light transmission, even in low light conditions.

The 3D Series riflescopes feature onepiece/1-inch aluminum tube construction to reduce weight. All scopes provide for a ¼” MOA (minute of angle) adjustment and windage/elevation adjustments (the 618x50mm scope has an 1/8” MOA and a convenient side focus). Eye relief is a comfortable 4.” They are all shockproof, waterproof and fog proof, which allow superior performance in all outdoor conditions and terrain.

Five models are available: 3.5-10 x 44mm with Multiplex Reticle, 4.5-14 x 44mm with Multiplex and Mildot Reticles and 6-18 x 50mm with Multiplex and Mildot Reticles. MSRP’s will range from $290 to $325.

Carson Optical is a leading supplier of consumer optics for people of all ages and interests. Carson is known for innovative, high-quality optics at extraordinary value.

Carson branded products include a wide range of Binoculars, Magnifiers, Microscopes and related accessory products.

Carson Optical services the hunting, fishing, birding, outdoor, children’s educational toy and lifestyle markets. Contact us toll-free: 1-800-9-OPTICS or visit our web site at www.carsonoptical.com or email us at info@carsonoptical.com.

DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND, CARSON OPTICAL IS adding a series of high performance riflescopes to their optical product line, the 3D Series.

Pioneers in cutting edge optics like their award winning HD “High Definition” binoculars, Carson’s team of product designers and outdoor enthusiasts have developed a line of I N L A N D

A L M A N A C

3D Riflescope: superior Design, Depth, Dimension

Carson Optical

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Fishbites Xtreme for Texas Inshore TEXAS SURF ANGLERS HAVE BEEN FISHBITES fans since 2001. They know that Fishbites pioneered the scented bait business.

While many first laughed at the bubblegum looking baits that Fishbites first released, they soon stopped laughing once

From Top: Shrimp, Paddle Tail, Jerk Bait, XR Fatty Jr., Finesse Worm.

the pole started bending. Now Fishbites has something Fishbites for Texas inshore anglers—Fishbites Xtreme Scent Release Lures.

Made from Fishbites’ propriety HydroGel, Fishbites Xtreme Lures hold almost all of their powerful flavor/scents inside the body of the lure until they hit the water. In short, it’s “the scent that melts in the water, not on your hands”… or more importantly, not in the bag.

Fishbites Xtreme Lures are made from a waterbased biodegradable plastic that’s infused with our powerful flavor/scent technology. Gone are the days of handling stink baits or dealing with leaky tubs of stink juice.

These lures are also much more durable and slower drying than other similar products allowing you to move from spot to spot without re-baiting. Fishbites Xtreme lures G A M E ®

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are available now for both Freshwater and Saltwater anglers.

Available shapes are 3.5” Shrimp, 3” Paddle Tail, 5” Jerk Bait, 6” Finesse Worm, 5” Trick Worm (Senko). Fishbites are made with pride in St. Augustine, FL USA - fishbites.com - 877-840-2248.

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Star Tron Can Save Your Engine BOAT OR ATV ENGINES THAT SUDDENLY RUN rough or are difficult to start might actually

be experiencing fuel-related problems.

Today’s new fuels need the latest technology in fuel. The most common new fuel is E10, a mixture of 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline. Most modern engines are designed to run on E10, but it is common to experience a decline in power and fuel economy. This is because ethanol is not as efficient a fuel as gasoline.

Ethanol is also a very powerful solvent that can

Protection from ethanol gasoline damage.

strip away built up Star Tron varnish or gums in fuel tanks, causing clogged filters, injectors or carburetors.

The solution is simple: add Star Tron Enzyme Fuel Treatment every time you fuel your equipment. Its enzymes allow fuel to burn more completely so engines run at peak efficiency and start easily. The enzymes also disperse moisture as well as gums or varnish into small particles that won’t cause clogs or affect performance.

Most fuel stabilizers use 40-year old technology and simply cannot help improve ethanol-blended fuel. Star Tron uses cut88 |

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ting-edge technology to actually improve fuel quality, works in all 2 and 4-cycle engines and will improve engine performance from the first time you use it.

For more information, log onto www.startron or call (800) 327-8583.

nient transport.

Features: 1.0 Liter FluxRing® cooking cup with insulating Cargo Cozy Adjustable burner with push-button igniter Insulating drink-through lid Insulating measuring cup bottom For more information about Jetboil and to find a dealer near you, please go to Personal Cookiing www.jetboil.com or call (888) 611-9905

Camp Cooking Gets Personal

System.

THE JETBOIL PERSONAL COOKING SYSTEM IS perfect for sportsmen, scouts, campers and anyone looking for a reliable cooking solution at a great value. PCS is ideal for dehydrated meals, coffee or tea on the go, remote worksites, and emergency kits.

This ultra-compact 1 liter system is a complete food and beverage multi-tool you can hold in your hand and weighs about a pound. Lights with the click of a button, and within two minutes you’ve got two cups of boiling water ready for coffee or a quick meal. Pack components, fuel and accessories into the cooking cup for conve-

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Jetboil ALL PHOTOS: COURTESY MANUFACTURERS

On the Web www.flyfishingextremecom www.gofishgalveston.com www.texasrattlinrig.com www.carsonoptical.com www.fishbites.com www.startron.com www.jetboil.com

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Computer Analysis Tells Where to Fish ACCUMULATED INFORMATION ON PAST SALTWAter fishing trips, including tidal highs and lows and other pertinent data, provide tips and information on where to go on future fishing trips. About five years ago Gary Easterwood, 43 years old, an IT professional and saltwater angler, was searching for a software data tool to input information on his fishing trips but couldn’t find any. Why not create his own software?

“I started building The Fishermans Analyst to be nothing more than a journal, but I became interested in wanting to know if there was a way for me to understand what the tide was doing at that time when I caught the fish,” said Easterwood.

He was able to predict tidal movement and strength for over 3,000 sites along coastal United States, Alaska, and

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Hawaii. Why not couple that information with trip particulars such as what baits he was using, speed of retrieve, etc., and see what he came up with.

“It was just kind of an evolutionary thing where the application just kind of grew,” continued Easterwood. “From that not only could I predict what the tide was doing at the time of the catch but I could predict what it would be doing next week.

Through statistical analysis I was able to understand what those variables were when I was catching fish.”

After about four years of development he had a tool that was putting out reliable information as to where, when, and how to fish at his favorite fishing locations along the Laguna Madre. Why not make the software available to any saltwater angler where they could choose a listed site or plug in new fishing sites and start building their own reliable fishing projections.

More than just tide projections: Third Stone software is a fishing log and

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journal. You can chronicle your trips, plug in pictures of your trips and tie it into specific fish…show all the data why you caught it and show when you caught it.

Easterwood says you can ask the software questions. He gives an example: “How and were do I catch speckled trout over 27 inches when there is a north wind, 10 mph, or maybe how do I catch fish on a cloudy day. Include baits and retrieve speed.

“You can come up with very specific catch information based on information that you have been inputting from past trips,” explains Easterwood. The more you use it, the more the accurate it becomes.

All information is fisherman friendly.

“The graphs are very similar to the types of graphs you see in fishing magazines.”

Right out of the box: For example, Galveston Bay has between 60-70 fishing sites already preprogrammed. Because the information is based on tidal flow, the software can give best times to be on the water at one of these chosen locations.

“An angler catches a couple of specks at that site. He plugs the information in and starts building up that information.

The more he learns he keeps plugging the information in on his trips…baits used, retrieved, etc.”

The preprogrammed fishing sites are there to just help an angler get started in fishing a place he or she hasn’t fished before. Enter new sites as you fish the coast. Tidal movement for your new site is updated automatically every minute. Start logging data every time you fish the spot.

Don’t forget to log information on even the trips that do not produce. “If you go out and don’t catch anything, you want to log that as well,” adds Walter Speck,” Director of Sales and Marketing. “The more information you put in, the more analysis you have and the better your chances are for going back to the spots that allows you the most success.”

Load The Fishermans Analyst on your

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PC or laptop and have up to the minute information on tidal movement listing over 3,000 reference sites anywhere along the coast of the United States. Just plug in the closest reference location and find out what the tide is doing. The software is a journal and a log allowing you to add data to the different sites as you fish them. Let The Fishermans Analyst tell you when and where to catch fish. For more information, visit www.thirdstonesoft.com. Retail cost is $39.95.

Irlene Mandrell Charity Shoot IRLENE MANDRELL WILL BE HOSTING HER Annual Charity Shoot, benefiting Wish Upon A Star, the Boy Scouts of America, and new for 2010, Annabelle’s Wish, from Thursday, July 8th through Sunday, July 10th. This always fun-filled event will be held at the Seven Springs Mountain Resort, one of the premier sporting clays courses in the country, located in southwest Pennsylvania.

This year’s event will be dedicated to Irby Mandrell and named “The Irby Mandrell Memorial Shoot.” Irby passed away in March, 2009. He was the proud father of The Mandrell Sisters: Country “Hall of Fame” inductee Barbara, Louise, and Irlene, from the popular The Mandrell Sisters TV series. The 2010 shoot will emphasize the family values Irby lovingly bestowed upon his daughters and grandchildren. Irlene will be reunited with her sisters for this event to honor and commemorate their Daddy’s life and achievements.

Over the course of the event, the main competition will consist of 200 rounds of Sporting Clays. Side competitions include 9mm pistol, paintball challenge, wobble trap, 5 stand, tomahawk throwing, .22 revolver, Gamo air rifle, two man flush, terrible teal, and cotton ball drop. Everyone is eligible to compete in these exciting events! No hard-core experience necessary—just have fun!

Irlene Mandrell has long been associated with the shooting sports. She is equally accomplished with shotgun, rifle, or handgun. Irlene is a spokeswoman (including Dynamic Research Technologies, Smith & Wesson, Deerasic) for the industry, freI N L A N D

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Annual Charity Shoot July 8th thrugh 10th.

Irlene Mandrell quently appearing on TV and radio. She is as dedicated to the sport as anyone.

Irlene is a loving mom to three wonderful children, Deric, Vanessa, and Christina.

Her many accomplishments in the entertainment industry include singer, percussionist, actress, comedian, as well as spokeswoman for several excellent shooting sports companies. Irlene has been deeply involved in many charities over the years, but Wish Upon A Star, the Boy Scouts of America, and now Annabelle’s Wish, remain closest to her heart.

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Celebrating its 21st Anniversary, Wish Upon A Star is an independent charity whose mission is to grant wishes to children ages 3 to18 who have been diagnosed with a terminal or life threatening illness. Since its inception, Wish Upon A Star has granted well over 200 of these special wishes, everything from dream hunting and fishing outings, to trips to Disney World, to meeting Michael Jordan. This is why Irlene Mandrell has been so dedicated in supporting this charity.

Seven Springs Mountain Resort, site of the 2010 shoot, is located approximately one hour out of Pittsburgh, in the Laurel Highlands area of Pennsylvania.

To register or for more information, visit www.IrleneMandrellShoot.com or www.7Springs.com.

If you can’t attend the event, yet care to contribute, please do. Checks should be made payable to and sent to: Irlene Mandrell Charities at 3106 Highway N, Albany, MO 64402.

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PHOTO: COURTESY IRLENE MANDRELL

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Shot Placement N JULY, I SPEND A MAJORITY OF MY FREE TIME with bow in hand and a target in my yard. Before you know it, the hunting season will be in full swing and in order to be ready, you need to practice. I have written about how important practice is when it comes to a string and a stick before, but for this month, I thought about getting a little more serious about it.

Whenever I talk to a rifle hunter about the best place to aim for a humane harvest, I always get many different answers. Most of them would be correct, but when it comes to taking a whitetail with a bow, a different approach might prove to be the better one.

I once spoke to a hunter who told me he

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took a deer right between the lookers and the deer went down immediately. Another boasted to me about always taking a neck shot to bring home his venison. He claimed it was the best shot because he never ruined any of the delicious meat. In the bowhunting world, neither one of those shots could be considered ethical. Could you take a whitetail with a neck shot while using a bow? Of course you can. As long as your arrow happened to slice through the windpipe or the main artery.

There is one place on a deer that will put him down within steps of the initial hit. The femoral artery runs along the rump and down the back leg. If you hit this with your arrow, the deer will bleed out immediately, and will be the best-tasting deer you ever had. Hold a pencil up. That is about the size if the artery I spoke of. If you have practiced, you should be able to hit that with no problem at 20 yards. Now hold a magazine up and have a friend hold the pencil behind the magazine. Can you hit it now? You have

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no idea where this small target is. My point here is that, as bow hunters, the only ethical shot to take is in the “bread basket”...the vitals area. This is the largest area that will harvest a deer when hit with an arrow. It also is the area with the largest amount of blood flow. When struck with an arrow, massive hemorrhaging will cause the animal to succumb quickly making it a very humane shot to take.

Now that we know the best place to aim, our next task is to practice from different elevations and different angles. It would be nice if the whitetail stopped and stood broadside for us while we took careful aim and recreated the shot we practiced so many times in our back yards. However, it usually does not happen that way. We have to take the time and think of different angles the deer may offer.

One of the hardest shots, oddly enough, is also one of the closest shots. It is very difficult to shoot directly down on a deer. Also, there is so much bone protecting the vitals that this shot is not recommended.

If a deer comes in and is facing toward you, you might be tempted to go ahead and release your arrow. While this may indeed harvest your animal, you also run the risk of only wounding it. That alone should convince you to wait for a better shot. Once again, the vitals are protected by bone and plenty of it. Your arrow would likely deflect and cause the animal to be wounded.

If your are out there hunting turkeys with a bow, one of the best shots you can take is right up the butt. Not so with a whitetail.

Penetration would be limited and again you would wound the animal. Wait for the deer to turn and offer a better, more reliable shot.

A quartering away shot is, by far, the very best shot you can take with a bow. A well-placed arrow on this deer would do severe damage to the heart, lungs and liver.

Massive hemorrhaging would occur and you will soon find your trophy. Although we are told that the best-placed shot is behind the front shoulder, on this particular angle you

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On the Web Watch Lou Marullo’s video bow hunting tips at: www.Fishgame.com/video Search: Marullo

PHOTO: TEXAS FISH & GAME

would need to reconsider the placement of your arrow. If you aim behind the front shoulder of a quartering away deer, you will more than likely miss all the vitals and it will be a long afternoon for you while you test your tracking skills. For this particular angle, you will need to place your point of aim back a bit from the front shoulder. For the novice hunter, this will seem very awkward. It will look like you are going to just hit the stomach, and anyone who has hit a deer in the stomach knows that although it is lethal, it is not someplace you want to hit when it comes time to field dress that animal. I guarantee that if you ever have to field dress a gut shot animal, you would think long and hard about your shot placement on your very next opportunity. So, how far back should the aim point be to make that perfect shot we have talked about? I have found that if you look at the deer and imagine where his opposite shoulder is, you will definitely be in the ballpark. One of my only concerns for a new

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bow hunter comes after he finds his deer.

With a quartering away shot, you may not have a full pass-through and your arrow will still be in the deer. Worse yet, if your arrow

only has half the penetration, it may likely break in two pieces leaving the broadhead someplace in the deer cavity. Special care is needed when it comes time to field dress the whitetail.

In conclusion, the best place to aim on any animal while using a bow is either behind the shoulder with a broadside shot, or back a bit with a quartering away shot. Again, the only animal we might hunt with a bow that does not fit this pattern is the turkey. A shot at the base of the wing or directly from behind are the ones you should be looking for. As bow hunters, and as hunters in general, our “aim” is not to would the animal we hunt, but rather to take an ethical clean shot that will bring the animal down quickly. Aim true and you will be proud to call yourself an ethical hunter.

Remember to hunt safe and have fun out there.

E-mail Lou Marullo at lmarullo@fishgame.com

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Trijicon TR23-2G AccuPoint S YOU PROBABLY KNOW, I AM ALWAYS VERY leery of the Best New Product in Decades hype. Many times the writer who touts the product has done no testing on his own, but merely read the propaganda put out by the product's PR guys.

Many of these wonderful products are just old ideas rehashed and redressed. They are equally likely to be poorly made, fragile, imprecise, and just plain junk. When I receive a new product I do not jump on any speeding turnip truck until I have tried it out, completely and thoroughly. That is why you usually see whatever is mentioned in my Texas Fish and Game column some time after the rest of the gun writers have sung its praises. I want to know how good it is so that I can tell you the facts, and I can't do that without a period of thorough testing. If you don't see it here, there is a very good reason.

Now for the good news: There is a great new product on the scene, made by Trijicon.

This is one of the newest Trijicon offerings, the 5-20x50mm TR23-2G AccuPoint.

This scope comes with a 30mm tube, which is larger than the standard American 1” tube. It also has the tritium dot at the center of the crosshairs, which is, in addition, sunlight activated and adjustable, and it has the standard mil.dot reticle.

I don't test many 30mm scopes because the average American shooter is perfectly satisfied with his 1-inch scope, and rightly so, as the true advantage of a 30mm tube to the hunter is minor. In fact, I didn't have any rings to fit this scope and had to (cringe) buy a set.

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I mounted the scope on my pet 7mm Remington Magnum. This rifle is an old stainless and synthetic Winchester Model 70 Classic.

It is one of my most accurate long range rifles.

With its pet load it will put all the bullets into one ragged hole at 100 yards. I figured this was the nearest thing I had handy to a real sniper rifle, which is the true purpose for this Trijicon scope.

The big tube and the 50mm objective lens makes the big AccuPoint a light gathering phenomenon. I was, quite frankly, astounded at how well I could see through this scope in low light situations. Most of us have seen how long after sunset we can see through our high quality scopes. Most of the good ones, even without the giant objective lenses, will give us as much as an extra half-hour of shooting light. This Trijicon, with its 30mm tube and 50mm objective, is astounding. I truly believe I can see well enough to shoot on a reasonably clear moonlit night; which I may try sometime.

At 20-power the TR23-2G has the power to place precision shots on targets at extended ranges. I almost never shoot at more than 300 yards, because that is the maximum distance I have on my rifle range. However, this scope has the power and precision to place shots on a target, or game animal, at far beyond 300 yards. That does not mean that you should mount one on your old .270 and start whanging away at deer at a half-mile. It does mean that if you find yourself in a position to take a shot at extended but reasonable range, and if you have practiced and know the trajectory of your rifle, you will be equipped to make the shot. To shoot or not is your decision.

Also, precision of adjustment is perfect.

One of the downfalls of the cheaper scopes is that their adjustments are far from precise.

One time 8 clicks will move 2 inches, the next time it will be 1 inch, and the time after that it won't move at all. One time it will move easily, the next time you will have to rap it will your pocketknife to get it to move. The Trijicon scopes that I have tested have been absolutely precise. Each click is ¼ inch, no F I S H

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rapping necessary. The mil.dots on the TR23-2G are designed to be used with the scope set on 20-power, rather than the 10X that is the norm. The distance between dots is 3.6 inches per 100 yards.

If you do a bit of arithmetic beforehand you can use the dots as a rough range-finding device. For example: If the average deer is 18 inches deep from withers to the bottom of its chest, then it would measure 2.5 mil dots at 200 yards. If you want more precise math, you can find it at: http://www.trijicon.com/mildot/mil-dot.cfm.

It was a pleasant February day when I took the TR23-2G and my old 7mm Magnum to the range. I loaded some 175-grain Hornady Interlock soft points over 75.5 grains of H870. Velocity in my rifle was 2905 feet per second, as checked by my old Oehler chronograph. This is a very good load for elk or even moose and the Hornady Spire Point bullets hold their velocity very well, making this an excellent long range load.

I bore-sighted the rifle and headed for the range. I got lucky and the first shot hit about 3 inches low and 2 inches left. I dialed in the scope and the next shot took the little orange dot out of the center of the Shoot-N-See target. Now that is what I call precision adjustments. Then I fired for group; each shot hit right where the crosshairs rested on the target.

My wobbles and a brisk wind caused the group to spread out to about ¾ of an inch. I can't wait to test it at truly long range, but first I have to locate a range with such distances.

Meanwhile, I have put a lot of rounds downrange using this Trijicon and my opinion of it only gets higher with use.

This may be the finest scope I have ever tested. If you are looking for the best of the best, this just might be it. Retail price of the TR23-2G is $1224.00 and I think it is worth every penny.

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The Furtive Angler IMPLY PUT, FURTIVENESS IS A PREREQUISITE to consistent success when sightcasting to trout and redfish in extremely shallow water. The term “stealth” is a common descriptor that writers use when relating lessons about stalking fish in skinny water. It suggests that an angler should avoid being detected, and while that holds true, the term lacks the drive and passion for success. Furtiveness, on the other hand, paints an image of an angler taking great pains to avoid detection, as well as being sly and crafty. Evasiveness is part of the furtive angler’s makeup. Kayaks can help take your shallow water game to the next level, allowing you to becoming a shallow water ninja.

Meanings are in the minds of people and, in my mind, shallow water is measured in inches, not feet. If your knees are wet, you are too deep.

Trout and redfish often hunt in the shallows, using the lack of water to their advantage in their quest for a meal. Since a mullet can’t go over or under an attacking game fish in these confined quarters, the only option is to turn right or left. Trout and redfish use the shallow water to corral fleeing baitfish like a linebacker uses the sideline to capture a shifty running back. The lack of depth makes it easier for trout and reds to catch their prey.

Shallow water is not utopia for game fish or else they would never leave. While the lack of depth makes hunting easier, it also makes fish easier to pick out from above, making them conspicuous targets for hungry

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ospreys and other birds of prey. Redfish and trout never forget that attacks can come from the air as well as the sea. As such, game fish in skinny water are extremely skittish and the slightest shadow or unnatural sound will cause them to jet off to the safety of deeper water.

There are several ways to access shallow water. Wading is the time honored method on the Texas coast but sneaking into prime areas isn’t foolproof. Redfish and stingrays have a fondness for muddy bottoms. It could be my imagination but the larger the resident population of stingrays on a flat, the bigger the smiles on the redfish. Besides the barbed obstacles between you and a pod of feeding fish, you are likely to encounter muddy areas which defy description. They look harmless enough until you venture into the abyss, sinking quickly up to your knees in the goo with all the support and firm footing you would expect a barrel full of pudding to provide. Every step requires maximum labor as the sucking alluvial muck tugs at your legs as you try to break free. Even on a hard bottom, the crunching of oyster shells under a wading bootie, not to mention a cloddish half stumble, will send fish streaking.

Flats skiffs, relatively recent imports from Florida, float in mere inches of water.

Equipped with modest sized outboards to keep weight down, flats skiffs are poled from a platform on the stern while an angler casts up front. The height advantage the casting platforms makes it easier to spot lounging and cruising fish, but it also makes it easier for the fish to see you. Florida style flats skiffs will get you into skinniest of water but that access comes at a high price. I conservatively estimate that one could buy 20 – 30 tricked out kayaks for the price of a single high performance flats skiff.

Assuming you don’t need to travel more than a mile or two from your starting point, a kayak is the best option of all for the angler with furtiveness on their mind. Kayaks only need a heavy dew to float and can be launched from beaches and roads. They are

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easily operated by a single person, not needing a second person to poll while the first fishes. Plus, kayaks eliminate the fun of doing “mud aerobics”, a definite plus.

The term kayak is derived from an Eskimo word which means “hunter boat”. They allow you to slide into the shallows undetected. If you are looking for the height advantage a casting platform offers, stand up in your yak. A number of new models provide the necessary stability to fish while standing. If your hull is narrow, consider adding a set of outriggers.

The furtive angler is concerned with little details, like hull slap, that give away their presence in shallow water. Square- sided kayaks, like square sides power boats, sound like snare drums when waves and chop beat against the hulls. Consider the shape of your kayak’s hull and the noise it produces, even in the tiniest ripples, if you intend on making a clandestine assault on the flats.

While kayaks provide a covert means of transportation, it takes practice to make a totally muted assault on the fish. Banging paddles and mutinous anchors top a cacophonous list of things that will betray your presence before you ever make a cast.

Anyone can catch fish in shallow water once in a while but you must elevate your game to make success routine. Stealth is a good first step but you won’t become a shallow water hero until you become a furtive angler. Adding a kayak to the mix will help you get there.

Greg Berlocher can be reached for question or comment at kayak@fishgame.com.

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The Boating Constitution Preamble: We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect boating community, establish seagoing justice for all, provide for the common maritime good, promote the general welfare, and secure the Blessings of Boating to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Boating Constitution of the United States of America. We hold certain truths to be selfevident, that all boaters are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, among these are the pursuit of life, liberty, and lunker fish… as well as the rights listed herein this document.

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OUR SCORE AND SEVEN YEARS AGO, OUR forefathers brought forth the internal combustion engine, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all boaters are created equal. But as the decades passed since then, old realities were smashed as marine architecture and technology created realities anew, and today’s boaters ask not what their boats can do for them but ask what they can do to increase the efficiency, speed, reliability, and seaworthiness of their boats. Therefore and heretofore, let it be known to all sportsmen that the following are more then mere facts, they are truths created by the boaters, for the boaters, and they shall never perish from the sea.

Amendment #1 – You Have the Right to Fuel Efficiency and a Smoother Ride, But Lighter Shall No Longer Be Assumed Better. When fiberglass first became the dominant boatbuilding material, hull thickness was measured in inches and weight was measured by tonnage—in boats that today would weigh less then half a ton. As manufacturers became

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more and more familiar with the material they were able to reduce resin-to-glass ratios and glass thickness, effectively reducing the weight of hulls and parts without a loss of strength.

Then came different fiberglass weaves, and advanced materials like Kevlar and carbonfiber. All other things being equal, lighter boats are faster and more fuel efficient then heavier boats, so as tonnage dropped, boats were considered “better”.

But alas, as is true of all things with boats, there is a trade-off. Mass and momentum allow a boat to shove water out of the way, instead of being shoved by that water. And today, some boats are so light that hitting a one-foot wave at 30-mph launches them like the Space Shuttle. Yesteryears’ boats, however, had the beef to muscle waves out of the way without launching or hesitating. There’s a happy medium somewhere between the 2,200 pound 18’ fishboats of the 60’s and the 1,000 pounders built today. Where exactly is it?

That depends on you, and whether you place more importance on fuel economy and speed, or comfort of ride and seakeeping abilities.

But one thing is for sure: lighter no longer automatically means better.

Amendment #2 – You Have the Right to a Better Outboard, Regardless of Stroke.

Ever since we began striving for energy independence, there’s been a schism in the boating community between four-stroke fans and twostroke lovers. Early design flaws weeded out the weaker outboard species, and today we’re left with a handful of four-stroke builders (Yamaha, Suzuki, Mercury, Honda, and Tohatsu/Nissan), and even fewer two-stroke builders (Evinrude, Mercury, and Tohatsu/Nissan). There used to be a valid divide between these two camps. Four strokes had the edge for fuel economy and sound levels, while two-strokes had more punch off the line and lighter weights. But new technology has produced four-strokes that weigh the same or even less then many competing two strokes, and have the same kick-in-the-pants acceleration. Meanwhile, advances in two-stroke designs have, in many cases, matched or even

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exceeded the four-stroke’s fuel economy while reducing sound levels and smoke production.

The bottom line? Both technologies have made such strides that deciding which is “better” is often little more then a coin-toss.

Whether you go with a two-stroke or a fourstroke, the days of smelly, smoking, ear-splitting, oil slicking outboard engines are over.

Amendment #3 – You Have the Right to (Longer) Life thanks to modern PFDs. Those clunky old orange things were the pits.

They were uncomfortable, they got in the way, and they looked ridiculous. But today we have inflatable SOSpenders and belt packs which are so comfortable, you’ll forget you’re wearing them in a matter of seconds. They’re relatively inexpensive (you can find decent belt packs for about $50) and they last for years.

Meanwhile, new fabrics and designs have made life vests that are also far more comfortable then those of yesteryear. No excuses – get them and wear them, and your safety margin goes though the roof.

Amendment #4 – You Have the Right to (Even Longer) Life thanks to modern long-distance signaling devices. As with life

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jackets, the latest in technology has given we boaters a plethora of options when it comes to signaling for help from afar. It used to cost thousands of dollars to get the least expensive EPIRBs (emergency position indicating radio beacon). But today, EPIRB prices have plummeted and you have even less expensive PLBs (Personal locator beacons), satellite locators, and Mini-EPIRBs to choose from.

For a mere $150—the cost of a single tank of fuel for many of us—you can send out a Mayday from anywhere, at any time, and be sure that it will be heard by the authorities. No excuses—get them and carry them, and your safety margin goes not just through roof, but all the way through the atmosphere.

Amendment #5 – You Have the Right to Longer Outboard Life, but only if you use fuel additives. We the people have ethanol to thank for this one. Outboards don’t take to it well, and few boats are run often enough that phase separation and water formation won’t be a problem. That means you’re asking for trouble, if you don’t use an additive that either eats water or breaks it down molecularly so it burns through the engine. There’s some con-

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troversy as to which additive is best, but most industry experts agree that StarBrite’s Star Tron is an excellent option, and my personal experience backs that assertion up. Don’t worry too much about playing politics, though; just get the job done, and make sure you treat the fuel in your tank with every fillup.

Amendment #6 – You Have the Right to Choose between more then just fiberglass and aluminum. Crazy though it may sound, plastic is actually an excellent boat-building material. Polyethylene, in specific, is used in many applications and produces hulls that are strong, take the seas well, and are nearly indestructible. Ram them into piers, drag then across shell bottom, cruise right into rocks, dump them on the boat ramp, and you still won’t hurt these things. If you need a boat that can be abused, consider one made of poly.

Amendment #7 – You Have the Right to Wood without worry. Modern marine pressure-treated plywood doesn’t rot like the old stuff did. In fact, some brands come with a CONTINUED on Page 98

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Surf Leaders LIVE A LONG WAY FROM ANYTHING RESEMbling saltwater. If I drive the speed limit it’s a solid four hours from my front door to the beach. Even though I live closer to famous impoundments like Fork and Sam Rayburn than the coast, I still enjoy saltwater fishing more than just about anything. More specifically, I like to surf fish for whatever will bite. I don’t discriminate. Sharks, specks, reds, jack crevalle, black drum, stingray or whatever else seems to be cruising the surf line and is willing to bite is fair game. The wife and kids go to the beach for the sun and sand, I go to fish.

Surf fishing does not take an excessive amount of specialized tackle to get started. If you only have the opportunity to spend a few weeks per year on the sand then a couple surf rod & reel combos spooled with a few hundred yards of 30 pound line will suffice. On the business end of the line is where things get more complicated, but just slightly, since leaders used in rough conditions for fish that can weigh more than your average ten year old tend to be a little different than those used for lesser fish in placid water.

If you live near the coast it is possible to purchase heavy duty surf leaders from just about any bait shop you come across. However, if you find yourself in the middle of

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nowhere and out of leaders it is beneficial to know how to make your own. What we’ll discuss here is a basic monofilament leader but this same design can be used with steel wire as a substitute when chasing really big toothy critters like sharks. This is not the only way to build a leader, just a simple method to make one so you can wet a hook the next time the wife and kids want to play on the beach.

Besides heavy monofilament, the particular surf leader covered here consists of two barrel swivels, one snap swivel, a hook, and a few plastic beads. When selecting these items it’s best to err on the heavy side because there might come a day when something large decides to take your offering and you want to be prepared just in case. When choosing monofilament leader material the absolute lowest you should go is with 50 pound.

Something in the 80 to 100 pound range would be better. Use this same line of thinking when selecting barrel swivels as well. A #3 barrel swivel is typically rated at around 70 to 75 pound breaking strength and should be the minimum size used. If you step up to a #1 barrel swivel the strength rating jumps up to 150 pounds.

Start your surf leader by cutting a short length (18 – 24 inches) of the heavy monofilament. Tie one end of this leader to the end of a barrel swivel using your favorite knot. I prefer using an improved clinch knot, while others might recommend a Palomar or thumb kno,t but the key is to use a knot you can tie well to reduce the chance of the knot slipping.

Tying heavy monofilament can be tricky so practice a few times before trusting your knots on actual fish. Many surf anglers use crimps

instead of knots to connect their leaders to the swivels and hooks which work as well, but you may not have this available so it would be wise to learn to tie knots with heavy monofilament just in case.

On this short length of leader slip on two beads, then run the leader through the line tie eye of the snap swivel before putting on two more beads and tying the end of the leader to another barrel swivel. The purpose behind the beads is to keep the snap swivel from sliding too far down either end of the leader and becoming tangled with the barrel swivels.

Bead color doesn’t matter but you’ll see most surf leaders with red beads.

Cut another piece of monofilament to finish off the leader. If you plan on casting this rig then keep this section of the leader under six feet long. If you are going to use a kayak to deploy your bait then this leader section can be as long as you dare to make it. Tie one end of the leader to one of the barrel swivels and add a circle hook to the other end.

The problem with recommending a hook size is that size varies from one manufacture to another. A 10/0 hook made by one company may not be the same size as a 10/0 hook made by another. So buy a few different sizes from 10/0 up and base which one used on the size of the bait. You need enough hook exposed so that the point can drive home without being stopped by the bait.

E-mail Paul Bradshaw at freshrigs@fishgame.com

TEXAS BOATING Continued from Page 97 lifetime no-rot guarantee. Sure, builders who don’t use wood like to mention the fact that rot won’t be a problem with their all-composite creations, and they’re right—but that 98 |

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shouldn’t lead one to infer that boats built with marine plywood will rot.

We therefore, the representatives of mariners across the United States of America, do solemnly publish and declare, that we pledge these Amendments with a firm F I S H

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reliance on the protection of divine Providence, our fortunes, and our sacred honor as boaters.

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meat and then place in increments that will fit into gallon zip locks about 3/4 full. After all meat is divided into bags, then equally distribute the liquid marinade among the bags. Seal up removing all air from the bags and place them all in a cooler with ice or in a spare refrigerator. I like to marinate them for a minimum of 4 to 6 hours but, overnight is even better!

Fajita Feeding Frenzy HIS IS AN AWESOME RECIPE THAT I DEVEL oped back in the mid 1980's. I have won many a cookoff with this recipe in and around Houston, Texas. It took many cold Tecate's and Lime, and sometimes a Cuervo Gold Margarita to assist in refining the recipe, but I feel it is where it should be!

Take it and make it yours, just remember that you got it from me, Bryan Slaven,The Texas Gourmet.

(If you want to cook chicken breast and use this recipe, you can, just be sure and keep the chicken separate from the beef when marinating and grilling, until its placed on the plate at serving time)

Grilling:

T

Serves 4 to 6 (you can increase the recipe in equal increments as necessary)

Ingredients: 3 to 4 pounds - skirt steak, remove skin sheath , trim away large areas of fat but don't worry about removing all fat. Cut the meat into about 6 to 8 inch pieces. The meat will cook at a very high temperature and will use the fat to keep the meat moist and will largely melt away.

1- sweet onion- sliced into 1/2" thick rings 2 poblano peppers, rinsed and cut into 1/2" thick slices (remove the seeds) 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil 3 to 4 cloves fresh garlic, crushed 2 limes - juiced I N L A N D

1/2 cup of brown sugar 1 Tablespoon - med. or finely ground black pepper 1/2 cup light soy sauce 1/2 beer 5 to 7 pounds of charcoal, preferably mesquite, or add a few chunks or bits of mesquite while cooking , killer flavor!(Remember this, increase your charcoal and mesquite as you increase the recipe, as you want a good hot fire when grilling the meat!

Preparation:

Bon Appetit!

After you have cleaned the fajitas, rub them down with the fresh crushed garlic, then sprinkle with the black pepper .Set aside, then in a large bowl combine the olive oil, soy sauce, lime juice and beer. Stir well to combine, then add the fajita meat and then add the peppers and onions. Using your hands, work the liquid mixture into the

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Make a good hot fire, if using charcoal, when the coals are grey and hot, put the meat on directly over the fire, about 6 to 7 inches away is good. Sear the meat for a couple minutes on each side, then move them to the opposite side of the grill, cover and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, I like to place the onion and pepper rings on the meat as it cooks, this adds flavor to the meat, and keeps the vegetables from burning. After cooking each piece, transfer to a cutting board and slice the meat across the grain into slices approx. 1/2 " thick . Transfer the meat to large double lined foil pouches, approx. 2 lbs. to a pouch, add a tablespoon of butter to each pouch then place on a cookie sheet in a preheated oven at about 225 degrees until ready to serve.

Serving: Serve with good, warm flour tortillas, chile con queso, and of course, with some spicy pico de gallo and some Texas Gourmet's Fire Roasted Serrano Salsa.

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ADVERTISERS, SEND IN YOUR PHOTOS TODAY! 100 |

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Jackson Espe Striper Striper Express Guide Service

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SPOTLIGHT: NEW GLASS 2 NewGlass2 is a space age acrylic polymer. It is designed to seal and protect fiberglass from salt and sun. As fiberglass grows older it develops tiny pores and cracks as the fiberglass dries out. NewGlass2 fills in the pores and cracks as it mechanically bonds to the fiberglass. This adds a coating of hard, shiny acrylic plastic to the surface of your fiberglass. This protective coating of hard acrylic makes colors pop out and the surface shines like new.

NewGlass was developed in a marina in Miami to protect fiberglass from the Florida sun. That was 1988, over 20 years ago. NewGlass2 has been protecting boats and RVs ever since then. Improvements have been made over the years and now NewGlass2 is easier to apply, longer lasting and more protective.

In Texas, NewGlass2 should last between 14 and 18 months. It is recommended that 2 maintenance coats be applied every 12 months to extend the life of the shine. A quart of NewGlass2 will coat and protect a 25’ center console fishing boat or a 30’ RV. NewGlass2 dries very quickly to a hard, shiny surface. A quart of NewGlass2 sells for $39.95 plus shipping from Florida. No Compounding. No Rubbing. No Buffing. Satisfaction is backed by a 100% Money Back Guarantee.

More information is available from Thom and Jennifer at 800 785 7675 or at www.NewGlass2.com.

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LARGEMOUTH BASS • Private Pond

WHITE BASS an • Lake Buchan

ught Oakridge, ca gs, age 8, of now Lauren Hastin ss while fishing with min ba County. r ke al this 7-pound W in Joe’s pond . at her uncle the big bass lping to hold Dad Skip is he

CATFISH • La ke Livingsto

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Pearl Plata of San Antonio, caught and released this catfish while fishing with mom and au her nt on Lake Li vingston. Sh a Barbie rod e us with Crappie Marshmallow ed bait.

5caught this 2. of Georgetown on a crankbait Zach Davies ss ba ite ch wh Two pound, 16.5-in hes of Lake Buchanan. reac very cold trip. in the upper a on ht ug re ca dozen fish we

FLOUNDER on • West Galvest Bay

PRONGHORN ANTELOPE • Marfa

LARGEMOUTH BASS • Chigger Cree k

Amber Stolz shows off th is pronghorn on her first hu taken nt with her da Texas. d in Marfa,

caught this 21 a of Houston, Hana Hieshim ile fishing in West Galver wh f, inch flounde fish by hersel p. e caught the ston Bay. Sh with live shrim e qu ni ch te ret” using a “sec

Hazel Woodr uff of Friend swood caught first bass in her Chigger Cree k. Hazel crui banks of Chig ses the ger Creek in her Barbie fo wheeler with ura Dora the Ex plorer fishing rod.

LARGEMOUTH BASS • Private Lake

sas REL • Port Aran KING MACKE

Oppernbaum, Fred Rod nathon Rose Dave Ault, Jo nberg, Lance McLemore, se kingfish e es th ht man, Seth Ro ug an Powell ca Powell and Ry out of Port Aransas. sca on the La Pe

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REDFISH • Co pano Bay Rhonda Holle rb 33-inch redfis ach of San Antonio caug ht a h at sundow n in Copano Texas, while Bay, fishing off of the Wright On She was usin . g mullet for ba it.

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caught this 5- Ben Hellman en lake near Mu Eight-year-old l al bass in a sm pound black ster

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WHITE BASS ton • Lake Livings

FLOUNDER • San Bernard River

CATFISH • Trinity River the US Army k McCrady of , limited out on Lt. Col. Fran ds en ong with fri vingston. He Reserves, al hing Lake Li fis ile wh ss ze. si is white ba th e re leased th caught and re

Seven-year-o ld Trysten Pe arson caught catfish while this on a fishing trip Jerry Marullo , at the Trinity with his uncle, River.

is ton, caught th age 7, of Hous of the San Troy Bollier, th ou m e th at der um 18-inch floun hing with a pl r. Troy was fis Bernard Rive Bass Assassin. e and chartreus

REDFISH • Palacios

Kobe Gonzal es of Louise , ca pound, 28-in ch redfish wh ught this 10ile fishing wi family at Pala th his cios. He was using live cr and caught a oaker, 24-inch red th e next day.

LARGEMOUTH BASS • Falcon Lake

REDFISH as • Lake Calaver caught this 20 San Antonio, laveras Lake. It Devin Gray of Ca in ch redfish rth pound, 38.5-in to reel it in, but was wo es ie Gray. nn Ro d, took 15 minut da s ured with hi the fight. Pict

Rene Estimbo of Edinburg, Texas, caught and released this 9.8-poun d largemouth bass, which appeared to have already spawned out, while fishing at Falcon La ke.

HAMMERHEAD SHARK • Bob Hall Pier

LARGEMOUTH BASS • Lake Fork

REDFISH • Tres Palacios River d Rek caught an ld Katie Marie Eleven-year-o ch red drum while fishing -in d 10 landed this 28 e fish weighe . cios River. Th -inch girth 18 the Tres Pala an d ha d nces an pounds, 8 ou

Bret Nordqu ist of Cypres s hooked a 9pound, 7-ounc e 8 feet of wate largemouth while fishing r on his first in trip to Lake Fo This was his rk. biggest bass to date.

nio, with a 27 r of San Anto b Rebecca Huiza head shark caught off Bo mer Blas Huizar, th 1/2-inch ham wi ng hi e was fis Hall Pier. Sh erheads. ht two hamm who also caug

SPECKLED TROUT • Port O’Connor

WHITETAIL BUCK ty • Newton Coun

SPECKLED TROUT • Hackberry, LA

Clayton Hans en Galveston, pr , son of Brenda Pantalio n of oudly shows off a speckled trout that he caught on hi s best fishing ever out of Ha trip ckberry, Loui siana.

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, , of Nederland Parker, age 11 the River Bottom Seth Rivers at er de his first Texas, shot unty. in Newton Co Hunting Club

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Neto (no last na Antonio, Texa me given), age 12, of San s, trout out of th caught this 24-inch spec kled e big jetties in Port O’Co nnor.

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HE GENERAL PUBLIC’S PERCEPTION OF hunting is that we walk into the woods, easily find “innocent” animals and shoot them. Hunters of course know this is far from the truth as the game animals we pursue are far from “innocent”. They are armed with super sharp senses, instinctual wariness and sometimes a “sixth sense” that allows them to elude hunters armed with the latest in high tech weaponry.

It might not be exactly accurate to call an animal “smart” but the fact is they often outwit us. With that said here is a list of what I consider to be the top 5 smartest game animals (and birds) in relation to the oldest, wisest specimens of each. Some choices are obvious, others shocking and at least one is bound to be downright controversial.

5. Alligators— I know this is a weird one from the list but hear me out. Most alligator hunting is done by putting out bait and shooting them once they take a hook. It is however legal to hunt with certain archery equipment and I have done this in Texas and southern Louisiana.

Let me tell you, a mature, wild alligator knows what a boat is and how to avoid it.

They are as sly as any whitetail deer and uti-

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lize their aquatic abilities to the match. Anyone who thinks it is comparable to bowfishing is wrong. It is easily ten times harder and gave me a true respect for these big, ugly reptiles.

Alligators in the 10-foot range can be 30 plus years old and have evaded harvest from legal hunters and poachers for decades. The age factor alone gives them an edge over most game.

by Chester Moore 4. Snow Geese— Anyone who has hunted geese much at all can attest to the amazing smarts of these birds. The mature specimens have been shot at from Canada to the Mexico line and get wise very quickly.

Two seasons ago we set up 1,000 decoys in a big field near Wharton about 1/2 mile from a roost of 10,000 plus birds. Most of the geese that year were mature as the hatch was only like three percent. We had a young goose locked up and coming into calls and then from above two mature birds flew down next to it and started letting out a distress call and led it back up to the flock. They knew danger was below.

I have seen a lot of animals do a lot of

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PHOTO COMPOSITE: TEXAS FISH & GAME

Texas’ 5 Smartest Game Animals things but that was one of the most amazing examples of ability I have witnessed in the animal kingdom.

3. Whitetail Deer— I know putting whitetail at number three seems disrespectful.

Big bucks are super wary and I do not have to go through all of their attributes but they have a huge downfall. During the rut, they can lose all wariness, which is something the next two animals on the list have under better control.

On the average deer are harder most animals but keep in mind we are talking about the biggest of each and for an extended time even the world’s biggest bucks will do anything to get a doe and that keeps them at the third position on my list.

Whitetails also exhibit easily defined patterns of behavior in relation to rut like making scrapes and rub lines. All of these telltale signs give hunters a shot at taking them or else they would be at the top of this list.

2. Feral Hog— Hogs do not seem smart much of the time. As soon as a feeder goes off in some areas hog will appear from out of nowhere to gobble up every drop. However, a large, mature boar is one of the smartest game animals in the world. They have an eerie “sixth sense” that alerts them to danger and G A M E ®

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In This Issue HOW-TO SECTION

57

COVER STORY • Texas’ 5 Smartest Game Animals |

BY CHESTER MOORE

HOTSPOTS & TIDES SECTION

60

SPORTSMAN’S DAYBOOK • Tides, Solunar Table, Best Hunting/Fishing Times |

BY TF&G STAFF

62

TEXAS HOTSPOTS • Texas’ Hottest Fishing Spots |

BY TOM BEHRENS, CALIXTO GONZALES, & BOB HOOD

keeps them from avoiding trouble.

While bowhunting, I once watched a big boar come in upwind of me while a dozen or so smaller hogs fed just 15 yards away from me. It could not wind me but it knew something was wrong. From my elevated position, I watched the hog come in to about 50 yards,

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BOWHUNTING TECH • Shot Placement |

BY LOU MARULLO

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TEXAS GUNS & GEAR • Trijicon TR23-2G AccuPoint |

BY STEVE LAMASCUS

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TEXAS KAYAKING • The Furtive Angler |

BY GREG BERLOCHER

80

TEXAS BOATING • Boating Constitution |

BY LENNY RUDOW

82

BAITS & RIGS • Surf Leaders |

BY PAUL BRADSHAW

OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE SECTION

83

TEXAS TASTED • Fajita Feeding Frenzy |

BY BRYAN SLAVEN

84

OUTDOOR CLASSIFIED DIRECTORY • Classifieds | BY TF&G STAFF

86

PHOTO ALBUM • Your Action Photos |

BY TF&G READERS

GEARING UP SECTION

70

TEXAS TESTED • Smith & Colt, Eagle One, Shimano |

BY TFG STAFF

72

NEW PRODUCTS • What’s New from Top Outdoor Manufacturers |

BY TF&G STAFF

75

INDUSTRY INSIDER • Third Stone, Irlene Mandrell |

BY TF&G STAFF

www.FishGame.com

look around and then walk cautiously behind me about 100 yards before it winded me and headed for the brush.

Young hogs are not the sharpest knives in the drawer but let a boar get past his first few years and you have an extremely difficult to hunt animal.

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1. Aoudad— The aoudad, which is an African import that is now common in West and Central Texas, is so smart they boggle the mind. They have almost zero pattern of behavior, become nocturnal at the first hint of pressure and have better eyes, hearing and an equal sense of smell to whitetails. My friend Thompson Temple owns a 640-acre high fenced ranch that is all high hills and rocky canyons. He put aoudad on it when he first bought the place and rarely sees them.

Occasionally a hunter will see a herd of 30 or so animals and then no one will see them for a couple of years. He did an experiment to see if he could figure out their patterns so he released an aoudad ewe with a bell on her neck so he could hear them on the ranch.

They totally ostracized her. A guide from the YO Ranch in Mountain Home told me they had an aoudad in an acre pen that had three foot grass in it and it took numerous men to find the animal which was crouched down on its knees and crawling low in the grass to avoid them.

As much as I love whitetails aoudad have them beat in the hard to hunt department particularly the big, mature specimens we are dealing with here.

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Tides and Prime Times

JULY 2010

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

JUL 1

SYMBOL KEY

New Moon

5 High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

First Quarter

PRIME TIME 1:41 am 3:02 am 9:25 am 6:04 pm

0.98 ft 0.97 ft 1.15 ft 0.11 ft

10:00P — 12:00A

Full Moon

Last Quarter

6 1.22 ft -0.07 ft

PRIME TIME

Good Day

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 8:32 am Low Tide: 6:47 pm

2:30 — 4:30 PM

BEST DAYS

7 High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

1.31 ft 1.30 ft 1.31 ft -0.26 ft

PRIME TIME 0.16 ft 1.20 ft 0.81 ft 0.90 ft

10:00P — 12:00A

Sunrise: 6:36a Set: 8:44p Moonrise: 11:56p Set: 11:17a AM Minor: 10:08a Set: 3:58a PM Minor: 10:28p Set: 4:18p Moon Overhead: 5:20a Moon Underfoot: 5:40p

PRIME TIME 4:34 am 5:58 am 7:48 am 7:31 pm

1:24 am 9:16 am 3:16 pm 7:35 pm

3:30 — 5:30 PM

8

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 4:57 am Low Tide: 8:18 pm

1.43 ft -0.43 ft

4:00 — 6:00 PM

Sunrise: 6:38a Set: 8:44p Moonrise: 1:22a Set: 2:54p AM Minor: 12:38a Set: 6:50a PM Minor: 1:01p Set: 7:12p Moon Overhead: 8:04a Moon Underfoot: 8:27p

Sunrise: 6:38a Set: 8:44p Moonrise: 1:56a Set: 3:54p AM Minor: 1:21a Set: 7:33a PM Minor: 1:45p Set: 7:57p Moon Overhead: 8:51a Moon Underfoot: 9:16p

Sunrise: 6:39a Set: 8:43p Moonrise: 2:35a Set: 4:56p AM Minor: 2:05a Set: 8:18a PM Minor: 2:32p Set: 8:45p Moon Overhead: 9:43a Moon Underfoot: 10:10p

Sunrise: 6:39a Set: 8:43p Moonrise: 3:21a Set: 5:59p AM Minor: 2:53a Set: 9:07a PM Minor: 3:21p Set: 9:36p Moon Overhead: 10:38a Moon Underfoot: 11:07p

12

13

14

15

High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

PRIME TIME

7:04 am 11:38 am 3:10 pm 11:29 pm

1.54 ft 1.27 ft 1.36 ft -0.57 ft

7:00 — 8:00 PM

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 7:32 am 1.47 ft Low Tide: 12:24 pm 1.09 ft High Tide: 4:36 pm 1.27 ft

2:00 — 4:00 PM

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

12:16 am 7:57 am 1:16 pm 6:07 pm

PRIME TIME -0.37 ft 1.38 ft 0.85 ft 1.16 ft

3:00 — 5:00 PM

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

PRIME TIME 1:02 am 8:21 am 2:12 pm 7:46 pm

-0.08 ft 1.30 ft 0.58 ft 1.05 ft

10:00A — 12:00P

Sunrise: 6:41a Set: 8:42p Moonrise: 7:36a Set: 9:34p AM Minor: 6:39a Set: 12:25a PM Minor: 7:09p Set: 12:54p Moon Overhead: 2:39p Moon Underfoot: 2:10a

Sunrise: 6:42a Set: 8:42p Moonrise: 8:48a Set: 10:15p AM Minor: 7:41a Set: 1:27a PM Minor: 8:08p Set: 1:55p Moon Overhead: 3:35p Moon Underfoot: 3:08a

Sunrise: 6:42a Set: 8:42p Moonrise: 9:57a Set: 10:52p AM Minor: 8:41a Set: 2:28a PM Minor: 9:07p Set: 2:54p Moon Overhead: 4:29p Moon Underfoot: 4:02a

Sunrise: 6:43a Set: 8:41p Moonrise: 11:05a Set: 11:26p AM Minor: 9:40a Set: 3:27a PM Minor: 10:05p Set: 3:52p Moon Overhead: 5:19p Moon Underfoot: 4:54a

19

20

21

22

High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

PRIME TIME 2:15 am 4:37 am 9:10 am 6:17 pm

1.20 ft 1.19 ft 1.24 ft -0.33 ft

9:00 — 11:00 PM

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 4:16 am Low Tide: 7:16 pm

1.37 ft -0.44 ft

2:00 — 4:00 PM

High Tide: 5:04 am Low Tide: 8:09 pm

PRIME TIME 1.47 ft -0.49 ft

3:00 — 5:00 PM

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 5:41 am Low Tide: 8:58 pm

1.50 ft -0.49 ft

3:30 — 5:30 PM

Sunrise: 6:45a Set: 8:40p Moonrise: 3:25p Set: 1:16a AM Minor: 12:47a Set: 7:00a PM Minor: 1:13p Set: 7:26p Moon Overhead: 8:44p Moon Underfoot: 8:17a

Sunrise: 6:46a Set: 8:39p Moonrise: 4:27p Set: 1:58a AM Minor: 1:36a Set: 7:49a PM Minor: 2:02p Set: 8:16p Moon Overhead: 9:37p Moon Underfoot: 9:10a

Sunrise: 6:46a Set: 8:39p Moonrise: 5:25p Set: 2:45a AM Minor: 2:24a Set: 8:37a PM Minor: 2:51p Set: 9:04p Moon Overhead: 10:31p Moon Underfoot: 10:04a

Sunrise: 6:47a Set: 8:38p Moonrise: 6:19p Set: 3:36a AM Minor: 3:12a Set: 9:25a PM Minor: 3:39p Set: 9:52p Moon Overhead: 11:24p Moon Underfoot: 10:58a

26

27

28

29

High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

PRIME TIME

6:58 am 11:40 am 3:38 pm 11:26 pm

1.30 ft 1.11 ft 1.22 ft -0.14 ft

7:30 — 9:30 PM

Sunrise: 6:49a Set: 8:36p Moonrise: 9:00p Set: 7:21a AM Minor: 6:21a Set: 12:10a PM Minor: 6:43p Set: 12:32p Moon Overhead: 1:51a Moon Underfoot: 2:14p

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High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

7:12 am 12:01 pm 4:35 pm 11:54 pm

PRIME TIME 1.26 ft 1.00 ft 1.17 ft 0.01 ft

8:00 — 10:00 PM

F I S H

2:00 — 4:00 AM

Sunrise: 6:51a Set: 8:35p Moonrise: 9:59p Set: 9:10a AM Minor: 7:52a Set: 1:42a PM Minor: 8:13p Set: 2:03p Moon Overhead: 3:17a Moon Underfoot: 3:38p

Sunrise: 6:50a Set: 8:36p Moonrise: 9:30p Set: 8:16a AM Minor: 7:07a Set: 12:56a PM Minor: 7:28p Set: 1:18p Moon Overhead: 2:36a Moon Underfoot: 2:57p

T E X A S

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 7:26 am 1.23 ft Low Tide: 12:33 pm 0.87 ft High Tide: 5:34 pm 1.10 ft

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Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

PRIME TIME 12:20 am 7:41 am 1:10 pm 6:39 pm

0.19 ft 1.20 ft 0.74 ft 1.03 ft

9:00 — 11:00 PM

Sunrise: 6:51a Set: 8:34p Moonrise: 10:26p Set: 10:03a AM Minor: 8:38a Set: 2:28a PM Minor: 8:58p Set: 2:48p Moon Overhead: 3:58a Moon Underfoot: 4:17p

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Tides and Prime Times

JULY 2010

FRIDAY

2 Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

1:52 am 9:31 am 4:01 pm 9:27 pm

0.37 ft 1.16 ft 0.65 ft 0.84 ft

SATURDAY PRIME TIME

3

11:00A — 1:00P

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

SUNDAY PRIME TIME

2:18 am 9:42 am 4:43 pm 11:29 pm

0.58 ft 1.13 ft 0.48 ft 0.86 ft

12:00 — 2:00PM

4

PRIME TIME

Low Tide: 2:43 am High Tide: 9:43 am Low Tide: 5:23 pm

0.78 ft 1.12 ft 0.30 ft

12:30 — 2:30PM

Sunrise: 6:37a Set: 8:44p Moonrise: None Set: 12:09p AM Minor: 10:53a Set: 4:43a PM Minor: 11:12p Set: 5:03p Moon Overhead: 6:00a Moon Underfoot: 6:19p

Sunrise: 6:37a Set: 8:44p Moonrise: 12:23a Set: 1:02p AM Minor: 11:36a Set: 5:25a PM Minor: 11:56p Set: 5:46p Moon Overhead: 6:39a Moon Underfoot: 7:00p

Sunrise: 6:38a Set: 8:44p Moonrise: 12:51a Set: 1:56p AM Minor: ----Set: 6:07a PM Minor: 12:18p Set: 6:29p Moon Overhead: 7:20a Moon Underfoot: 7:42p

9

10

11

High Tide: 5:29 am Low Tide: 9:05 pm

PRIME TIME 1.53 ft -0.58 ft

4:30 — 6:30 PM

High Tide: 6:02 am Low Tide: 9:53 pm

PRIME TIME 1.58 ft -0.66 ft

5:30 — 7:30 PM

High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

PRIME TIME 6:34 am 11:05 am 1:39 pm 10:41 pm

1.58 ft 1.38 ft 1.41 ft -0.66 ft

6:00 — 8:00 PM

Sunrise: 6:40a Set: 8:43p Moonrise: 4:15a Set: 7:00p AM Minor: 3:45a Set: 10:00a PM Minor: 4:15p Set: 10:30p Moon Overhead: 11:37a Moon Underfoot: None

Sunrise: 6:40a Set: 8:43p Moonrise: 5:17a Set: 7:57p AM Minor: 4:40a Set: 10:55a PM Minor: 5:11p Set: 11:26p Moon Overhead: 12:39p Moon Underfoot: 12:08a

Sunrise: 6:41a Set: 8:43p Moonrise: 6:25a Set: 8:49p AM Minor: 5:39a Set: 11:54a PM Minor: 6:09p Set: 12:24p Moon Overhead: 1:40p Moon Underfoot: 1:09a

16

PRIME TIME

17

18

11:00A — 1:00P

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

1:48 am 8:41 am 3:12 pm 9:37 pm

0.26 ft 1.24 ft 0.30 ft 1.00 ft

PRIME TIME 2:34 am 8:59 am 4:14 pm 11:42 pm

0.61 ft 1.21 ft 0.05 ft 1.05 ft

12:00 — 2:00 PM

PRIME TIME

Low Tide: 3:22 am High Tide: 9:12 am Low Tide: 5:16 pm

0.93 ft 1.21 ft -0.17 ft

1:00 — 3:00 PM

Sunrise: 6:43a Set: 8:41p Moonrise: 12:11p Set: None AM Minor: 10:36a Set: 4:24a PM Minor: 11:01p Set: 4:49p Moon Overhead: 6:09p Moon Underfoot: 5:45a

Sunrise: 6:44a Set: 8:41p Moonrise: 1:16p Set: 12:01a AM Minor: 11:30a Set: 5:18a PM Minor: 11:55p Set: 5:43p Moon Overhead: 7:00p Moon Underfoot: 6:35a

Sunrise: 6:45a Set: 8:40p Moonrise: 2:21p Set: 12:37a AM Minor: ----Set: 6:10a PM Minor: 12:22p Set: 6:35p Moon Overhead: 7:51p Moon Underfoot: 7:25a

23

24

25

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 6:10 am Low Tide: 9:43 pm

1.47 ft -0.45 ft

4:30 — 6:30 PM

High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

6:30 am 11:49 am 1:29 pm 10:21 pm

PRIME TIME 1.42 ft 1.27 ft 1.28 ft -0.38 ft

6:00 — 8:00 PM

Sunrise: 6:48a Set: 8:38p Moonrise: 7:07p Set: 4:30a AM Minor: 4:00a Set: 10:13a PM Minor: 4:26p Set: 10:39p Moon Overhead: None Moon Underfoot: 11:50a

Sunrise: 6:48a Set: 8:37p Moonrise: 7:49p Set: 5:27a AM Minor: 4:47a Set: 11:00a PM Minor: 5:12p Set: 11:25p Moon Overhead: 12:16a Moon Underfoot: 12:40p

30

PRIME TIME

31

10:00A — 12:00P

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

12:44 am 7:54 am 1:50 pm 7:56 pm

0.39 ft 1.18 ft 0.61 ft 0.97 ft

Sunrise: 6:52a Set: 8:34p Moonrise: 10:53p Set: 10:55a AM Minor: 9:23a Set: 3:13a PM Minor: 9:43p Set: 3:33p Moon Overhead: 4:37a Moon Underfoot: 4:57p

N O R T H

High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

6:45 am 11:36 am 2:39 pm 10:56 pm

PRIME TIME 1.36 ft 1.21 ft 1.26 ft -0.28 ft

Sunrise: 6:49a Set: 8:37p Moonrise: 8:27p Set: 6:24a AM Minor: 5:34a Set: 11:46a PM Minor: 5:58p Set: ----Moon Overhead: 1:05a Moon Underfoot: 1:28p

PRIME TIME 1:08 am 8:02 am 2:33 pm 9:30 pm

0.59 ft 1.16 ft 0.48 ft 0.95 ft

PRIME TIME

11:00A — 1:00P

Sunrise: 6:53a Set: 8:33p Moonrise: 11:22p Set: 11:48a AM Minor: 10:08a Set: 3:58a PM Minor: 10:28p Set: 4:18p Moon Overhead: 5:18a Moon Underfoot: 5:38p

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6:30 — 8:30 PM

T E X A S

F I S H

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TIDE STATION CORRECTION TABLE (Adjust High & Low Tide times listed in the Calendar by the amounts below for each keyed location)

NOT FOR NAVIGATION PLACE SABINE BANK LIGHTHOUSE (29.47° N, 93.72° W) SABINE PASS JETTY (29.65° N, 93.83° W) SABINE PASS (29.73° N, 93.87°W) MESQUITE PT, SABINE PASS (29.77° N, 93.9° W) GALV. BAY, SO. JETTY (29.34° N, 94.7° W) PORT BOLIVAR (29.36° N, 94.77° W) TX CITY TURNING BASIN (29.38° N, 94.88° W) EAGLE POINT (29.5° N, 94.91° W) CLEAR LAKE (29.56° N, 95.06° W) MORGANS POINT (29.68° N, 94.98° W) ROUND PT, TRINITY BAY (29.71° N, 94.69° W) PT. BARROW, TRIN. BAY (29.74° N, 94.83° W) GILCHRIST, E. BAY (29.52° N, 94.48° W) JAMAICA BCH., W. BAY (29.2° N, 94.98° W) ALLIGATOR PT., W. BAY (29.17° N, 94.13° W) CHRISTMAS PT, CHR. BAY (29.08° N, 94.17° W) GALV. PLEASURE PIER (29.29° N, 94.79° W) SAN LUIS PASS (29.08° N, 95.12° W) FREEPORT HARBOR (28.95° N, 95.31° W) PASS CAVALLO (28.37° N, 96.4° W) ARANSAS PASS (27.84° N, 97.05° W) PADRE ISL.(SO. END) (26.07° N, 97.16° W) PORT ISABEL (26.06° N, 97.22° W)

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HIGH

LOW

-1:46

-1:31

-1:26

-1:31

-1:00

-1:15

-0:04

-0:25

-0:39

-1:05

+0:14

-0:06

+0:33

+0:41

+3:54

+4:15

+6:05

+6:40

+10:21

+5:19

+10:39

+5:15

+5:48

+4:43

+3:16

+4:18

+2:38

+3:31

+2:39

+2:33

+2:32

+2:31

-1:06

-1:06

-0.09

-0.09

-0:44

-1:02

0:00

-1:20

-0:03

-1:31

-0:24

-1:45

+1:02

-0:42

2 0 1 0

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Code Red for Action LOCATION: Tradinghouse Creek Reservoir HOTSPOT: Redfish Point GPS: N31 33.834, W96 56.919

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: chrome and black-blue medium to deep-running crankbaits CONTACT: Jimmy D. Moore, rayado@earthlink.net, 254-744-2104, www.bigtroutman.tripod.com TIPS: A fairly deep creek channel winds around the point and meanders south toward the South Levee. Work the sides of the channel with a crankbait. If no luck, switch to a deep-running crankbait to get down to the colder water at the bottom of the channel.

BANK ACCESS: South Levee road. Cross the levee and turn left. Go uphill and park in the old park. Use cut bait for catfish and Texas-rigged plastic worms for largemouth bass.

LOCATION: Lake Lewisville HOTSPOT: Old Lake Dallas Dam Riprap GPS: N33.111214, W96.992111 SPECIES: channel catfish BEST BAITS: Secret 7 Dip Bait, fresh shad CONTACT: Bobby Kubin, bobby@bobbycatfishing.com, 817-455-2894, www.bobby-catfishing.com TIPS: Anchor your boat in Clark’s Cove within casting distance of brush-liked banks and fish the baits on a Carolina-rig in two to three feet of water against the brush.

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fish. At the Old Lake Dallas dam, fish the dip bait, punch bait, shrimp or shad around the shallow rocks on the rip rap. Some channel cats still are spawning and can be caught in one to five feet of water on slip corks. Throw out soured maize if the bite slows.

BANK ACCESS: Pilot Knoll Park for crappie, largemouth bass and catfish LOCATION: Lake Waco HOTSPOT: Reynolds Creek GPS: N31.554987, W97.231579 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Buzzbaits with chartreuse translucent plastic blades, chartreuse-white spinnerbaits, watermelon-red Carolinarigged worms CONTACT: Jimmy D. Moore, rayado@earthlink.net, 254-744-2104, www.bigtroutman.tripod.com TIPS: Begin at the south entrance to Reynolds Creek and work the edge of the flooded timber on the left side with buzzbaits and spinnerbaits. Work your way to the third bend and then change sides and work your way back to the entrance.

Also work the lake-side of the standing timber on either side of the mouth of Reynolds with a Carolina-rigged watermelon-red worm. The area produces numerous eight-pound bass annually. I have caught more big bass in this area than anywhere else on the lake. Fish slow and thorough.

BANK ACCESS: Reynolds Creek Park for largemouth bass, white bass and catfish.

LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Saline Creek GPS: N32.167890, W95.428448 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: 3/4-ounce brown/black jigs, finesse worms on Shaky Head jigs and F I S H

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blue heron Shimmy Shaker CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff, ricky@rickysquideservice.com, 903-5617299, www.rickysguideservice.com TIPS: Fish the docks that are in at least six feet of water with brush in front of them early and late. The Shimmy Shaker also will work well on main lake points early and late while deep-diving crankbaits will work well during the heat of the day. Fish your lures very slowly.

LOCATION: Richland-Chambers HOTSPOT: 309 Hump No.2 GPS: N31.975833, W96.139167 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: chrome/blue Zara Spook, 3/8-ounce black S.O.B. buzzbait, Kicker Bait Kicker Kraw, Kicker Bait 11-inch worm and lizard CONTACT: Steve Schmidt, steve@schmidtsbigbass.com, 682-5188252, www.schmidtsbigbass.com TIPS: Start at daybreak with a topwater lure on the hump. Once the topwater bite stops just before sunup, use a Carolina rig with a two to four-foot leader, 5-0 hook and 3/4 or 1/2-ounce Tungsten weight depending on the wind and two 8 mm Force bead above a Kicker Kraw. Drag the Carolina rig across the humps. There is a secondary hump about 25 yards south of the first one. The humps have a lot of brush on top of them.

BANK ACCESS: Oak Cove Marina LOCATION: Richland-Chambers HOTSPOT: 308 Hump No. 3 GPS: N31.972167, W96.135 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Chrome/blue Zara Spook, 3/8-ounce black S.O.B. buzzbait, Kicker Bait Kicker Kraw, Kicker Bait 11-inch worm and lizard CONTACT: Steve Schmidt, steve@schmidtsbigbass.com, 682-5188252, www.schmidtsbigbass.com TIPS: Start at daybreak with a topwater

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lure on the hump. Once the topwater bite stops just before sunup, use a Carolina rig with a two to four-foot leader, 5-0 hook and 3/4 or 1/2-ounce Tungsten weight depending on the wind and two 8 mm Force bead above a Kicker Kraw. Drag the Carolina rig across the humps. There is a secondary hump about 25 yards south of the first one. The humps have a lot of brush on top of them.

BANK ACCESS: Oak Cove Marina LOCATION: Richland-Chambers HOTSPOT: 309 House Foundation GPS: N31.970833, W96.1395 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Chrome/blue Zara Spook, 3/8-ounce black S.O.B. buzzbait, Kicker Bait Kicker Kraw, Kicker Bait 11-inch worm and lizard CONTACT: Steve Schmidt, steve@schmidtsbigbass.com, 682-518-

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8252, www.schmidtsbigbass.com TIPS: Start at daybreak with a topwater lure on the hump. Once the topwater bite stops just before sunup, use a Carolina rig with a two to four-foot leader, 5-0 hook and 3/4 or 1/2-ounce Tungsten weight depending on the wind and two 8 mm Force bead above a Kicker Kraw. Drag the Carolina rig across the humps. There is a secondary hump about 25 yards south of the first one. The humps have a lot of brush on top of them.

BANK ACCESS: Oak Cove Marina LOCATION: Richland-Chambers HOTSPOT: 309 Flats GPS: N31.978633, W96.1145 SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: Clear Tiny Torpedo, 1/4ounce chrome/blue Rat-L-Trap CONTACT: Royce and Adam Simmons, royce@gonefishing.biz, 903-389-4117,

www.gonefishing.biz TIPS: The white bass are beginning a topwater feeding frenzy that will last all summer. Check out the main lake south shoreline from Fisherman’s Point Marina to Ferguson Point and the Highway 309 Flats on the north shoreline. Look for terns and egrets picking up baitfish over large schools of white bass. The schooling fish sometimes will chase shad in five to 10-acre size schools. This is a great time to take kids fishing.

LOCATION: Fayette County Lake HOTSPOT: Deer Stand Hump GPS: N29.932417, W96.7297 SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: punch bait, worms CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, Weldon_edna@hotmail.com, 979-229-3103, www.FishTales-GuideService.com TIPS: The hump is six feet deep.

Anchor close to the shore and cast back to the hump. The fish will be hanging around the hump looking for baitfish. Use a tight line with an egg sinker. Punch bait is best when the water is warm. The hump also attracts lots of fish moving from deeper water onto it at night.

LOCATION: Lake Aquilla HOTSPOT: Dam Riprap GPS: N31.935, W97.2165 SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: Little Georges, chrome and blue Rat-L-Traps CONTACT: Randy Routh, teamredneck01@hotmail.com, 817-822-5539, www.teamredneck.net TIPS: The whites should be schooling early along the rip rap. Make long casts with a chrome and blue Rat-L-Trap or Little George. After the sun is high, move over to the Bubbler and expect fast action on white bass and largemouth bass as they move in to gorge themselves on shad at the aerator.

LOCATION: Lake Aquilla HOTSPOT: The Bubbler GPS: N31.914517, W97.194267 SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: Little Georges, chrome and

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blue Rat-L-Traps CONTACT: Randy Routh, teamredneck01@hotmail.com, 817-822-5539, www.teamredneck.net TIPS: The whites should be schooling early along the rip rap. Make long casts with a chrome and blue Rat-L-Trap or Little George. After the sun is high, move over to the Bubbler and expect fast action on white bass and largemouth bass as they move in to gorge themselves on shad at the aerator.

LOCATION: Lake Texoma HOTSPOT: Alberta Creek GPS: N33.959033, W96.6002 SPECIES: Striped bass BEST BAITS: Topwater lures and Slabs CONTACT: Bill Carey, bigfish@striperexpress.com, 877-786-4477, www.striperexpress.com TIPS: Topwater fishing is at its best. Several large schools will surface around the lake during early-morning hours with some of the frenzy a mile long and a half-mile wide. Cast Pencil Poppers for the best action. After the surface action subsides, locate the schools with your electronics and then vertically drop slabs and use a fast retrieve. Expect hard strikes.

BANK ACCESS: Washita Point and Platter Flats LOCATION: Whitney HOTSPOT: The Island GPS: N31.895340, W97.381096 SPECIES: striped bass BEST BAITS: White 1/2-ounce jigs with chartreuse plastic trailers CONTACT: Randy Routh, teamredneck01@hotmail.com, 817-822-5539, www.teamredneck.net TIPS: The thermocline has set in and the stripers are relating to a reaction strike. We are downrigging 1/2-ounce white jigs with chartreuse trailers just above the thermocline and catching limits daily. Fish the ledge from the island and the McCowan Flats.

LOCATION: Whitney HOTSPOT: McCowan Flats GPS: NMcCowan Flats: N31.9242, W97.410467 SPECIES: Striped bass BEST BAITS: White 1/2-ounce jigs with chartreuse plastic trailers

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CONTACT: Randy Routh, teamredneck01@hotmail.com, 817-822-5539, www.teamredneck.net TIPS: The thermocline has set in and the stripers are relating to a reaction strike. We are downrigging 1/2-ounce white jigs with chartreuse trailers just above the thermocline and catching limits daily. Fish the ledge from the island and the McCowan Flats.

Shallow Bass LOCATION: Toledo Bend Reservoir HOTSPOT: Bayou Seipe GPS: N31.729717, W93.813383

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

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SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: topwater lures, crankbaits, soft plastics CONTACT: Greg Crafts, gregcrafts@yahoo.com, 936-368-7151, www.toledobendguide.com TIPS: During early-morning, late-evening and cloudy days, work topwater lures, buzzbaits, spinnerbaits, plastic frogs and shallow-diving crankbaits along the edges of the pepper grass, duckweed and lily pads that are growing close to deep water.

When the sun is overhead and the shallowwater bite has slowed down, back out to deeper water and fish diving crankbaits, slab spoons, tail-spinners and Texas or Carolina-rigged soft plastics.

LOCATION: Lake Livingston HOTSPOT: Highway 190 road bed GPS: N30.752533, W95.172017 SPECIES: white bass

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BEST BAITS: Jigging spoons, slabs, Pet Spoons CONTACT: David S. Cox, dave@palmettoguideservice.com, 936291-9602, www.palmettoguideservice.com TIPS: Key on the old sunken bridge crossing the river channel. Look for fish at 11-15 feet on your graph. Fish vertically with slabs and spoons, dropping the lures all the way to the bottom and then popping your rod tip. Watch for strikes as the lure falls.

LOCATION: Toledo Bend HOTSPOT: Roadbed near Buck Creek GPS: N31.169702, W93.609352 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Watermelon lizard, Mardis Gra Zoom Fluke TIPS: This is a great big bass area for July. The fish will follow the roadbed to a 10-foot level with 25 feet of water nearby.

Anchor near the GPS site and use a Carolina rig with 3/4-ounce sinker and 2 1/2foot leader. I use a 3-ought hook. Tip the tails of the Fluke or lizard with chartreuse Spike It Dye and slowly drag the Carolina along the bottom.

Stripers on the Run LOCATION: Possum Kingdom Lake HOTSPOT: South D&D GPS: N32.877929, W98.487968 SPECIES: Striped bass

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

BEST BAITS: Live gizzard shad and shadimitation lures.

CONTACT: Dean Heffner, fav734@aceweb.com, 940-329-0036 TIPS: Look for stripers around South D&D that are making their annual migration to the dam during the hot-weather months. The fish will be most active at daybreak and under the lights at night to avoid the heat and bright sun. Start early by looking for active fish that have pushed shad into the backs of the coves. They will slowly work their way back to deeper water as the sun rises. This also is a prime time for down-rigging along the sides of the old river channel as the day progresses. The fish will pick a certain depth to run down the channel and beside the flats as natural highways. Be prepared for occasional feeding frenzies on cloudy days as the fish rise from the depths to smash shad at the surface. I prefer to have a 1/2-ounce jig with a Mister Twister trailer to catch fish within two feet of the surface during these feeding frenzies.

LOCATION: Lake Graham-Eddleman HOTSPOT: Hot water outlet on Lake Eddleman GPS: N33.137623, W98.604698 SPECIES: hybrid striped bass and white bass BEST BAITS: Live shad, Slabs, jigs

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beneath weighted popping corks CONTACT: Dean Heffner, 940-329-0036, fav7734@aceweb.com, 940-329-0036 TIPS: Check the water outlet first for fish congregating in the fast-moving water, then migrate through the cut that connects the two lakes to the humps between the Lake Graham dam and the cut. The hybrids and white bass will readily take live shad but some nice blue catfish can be caught in the same manner. Anchor on the breaks and fish the deep sides.

LOCATION: Palo Pinto Lake HOTSPOT: Hot water outlet GPS: N32.654299, W98.308282 SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: Live shad, jigs and slabs CONTACT: Dean Heffner, fav7734@aceweb.com, 940-329-0036 TIPS: Look for white bass in the fastmoving water at the water discharge outlet.

The white bass often will stack up in that area or out in deep water in the main lake area. The fish will push shad up on the points, humps and flats early under heavy cloud cover. Live shad will work but syou can do well on jigs and slabs. This also is a great time for trolling crankbaits in water up to 15 feet deep.

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finesse worms over the deep brush. At night, fish the lighted docks with jigs, tube worms and 7-inch black and brown worms.

BANK ACCESS: Red’s Cove for catfish on shad sides and cheese bait

down a bluff bank to catch bass that have moved shallow to feed on baitfish being blown into these areas.

BANK ACCESS: Pace Bend for crappie on minnows and white jigs

LOCATION: Lake Travis HOTSPOT: Hurst Creek GPS: N30.38486, W97.959981 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Bone-colored Pop R and Zara Spook, white spinnerbait, mediumdiving shad-colored crankbait, smoke grub, Texas and Carolina-rigged watermelon-red worms CONTACT: Dave Burlington, dave@bassindave.com, 210-833-9417, www.bassindave.com TIPS: Look for bass in 5-20 feet of water around the deep-water structure. Fish the topwater lures early and then go to grubs or worms and fish deeper. bass often suspend in these areas. Swimming a grub through them should produce some catches. If a strong wind is blowing, work crankbaits or spinnerbaits across a point or

LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Toms Creek GPS: N29.872682, W98.256569 SPECIES: smallmouth bass BEST BAITS: Smoke-red fleck, watermelon and silver fleck tubes, grubs and worms, Zara Puppies, Pop Rs, chartreuse medium-diving crankbaits CONTACT: Dave Burlington, dave@bassindave.com, 210-833-9417, www.bassindave.com TIPS: Look for bushes and rock piles in 12-28 feet of water along breaklines and points. Fish topwaters early and late. Swim the grubs and worms along the bottom to get strikes. Sandy areas along bluff walls with the wind blowing attract lots of bass.

Throw the crankbait, grub or tube in these areas.

Deep Guadalupes LOCATION: Lake Medina HOTSPOT: Walton Island GPS: N29.559217, W98.9207 SPECIES: Guadalupe bass

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

BEST BAITS: Pop R, Zara Puppy, 1/4oune buzzbait and spinnerbait, Shaky Head or Drop-shot rig.

CONTACT: Dave Burlington, dave@bassindave.com, 210-833-9417, www.bassindave.com TIPS: Most bass will be in six to 20 feet of water relating to brush on deep-water points, humps, bluff banks and islands.

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BANK ACCESS: Canes Mill for crappie on minnows and jigs

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HOTSPOT: Four Fingers GPS: N28.502167, W98.271733 SPECIES: largemouth bass

Get Froggy for Bass

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

LOCATION: Choke Canyon Lake

BEST BAITS: topwater frogs with red or white bellies, white buzzbaits, spinnerbaits and Chatter Baits, chrome Rat-L-Traps, Texas and Carolina-rigged worms CONTACT: Dave Burlington, dave@bassindave.com, 210-833-9417, www.bassindave.com TIPS: bass will feed aggressively around the grassbeds early and late. Fish spinnerbaits, Chatter Baits and swimming jigs in those areas. Move to deeper water off points, islands and roadbeds during the mid-day hours and fish Texas and Carolina-rigged worms in 15-25 feet of water.

Fish spinnerbaits and Chatter Baits up the river around timber along the channel in 38 feet of water.

BANK ACCESS: Calliham State Park for catfish on shrimp and cut bait LOCATION: Falcon Reservoir HOTSPOT: Arroyo Valeno GPS: N26.876167, W99.246267 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Texas-rigged Brush Hawg, medium-diving crankbait CONTACT: Robert’s Fish N Tackle, robert@robertsfishntackle.com, 956-7651442, www.robertsfishntackle. Com TIPS: Look for schooling bass early along the east bank of the creek channel.

During mid-day target bends in the creek channel with Brush Hawgs.

Cow Creek Sows LOCATION: Lake Amistad HOTSPOT: Cow Creek GPS: N29.524416, W101.186314

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SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Chartreuse spinnerbaits, Zara Spooks CONTACT: Larry Scruggs, fisherofmenlrs@hotmail.com, 210-789-1645 TIPS: Cast Zara Spooks early and late to the windy points and then shift to spinnerbaits in off-color water.

Cocahoe Will Do for Jetty Trout LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Jetties GPS: N29.67285, W93.8375 SPECIES: Speckled trout

BY TOM BEHRENS tbehrens@fishgame.com

BEST BAITS: Cocahoe Minnows in a Glow Chartreuse or live croaker CONTACT: Capt. Steve Davis, 409- 4601220 TIPS: If you can get some live croaker for bait, you will catch some good fish.

LOCATION: Matagorda HOTSPOT: Beachfront from east of the Colorado River Jetties GPS: N28.598992, 95.936737 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters to start the morning early and then move to soft plastic baits, using a ¼ - 3/8 ounce jig head.

Choice of jig head size depends on how hard the wind is blowing.

CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz, 281450-4037 TIPS: Color is not that important if the fish are biting. “Use the color you have confidence in. I think the fish can feel the confidence all the way from your hand to the lure, or the lack thereof ” — Countz BANK ACCESS: If you have a 4-wheel drive vehicle, you can drive the beachfront east from the mouth of the Colorado River jetties.

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San Antone Specks LOCATION: San Antonio Bay HOTSPOT: Seadrift Reefs GPS: N28.400159, W96.721573 SPECIES: Speckled trout

by TOM BEHRENS tbehrens@fishgame.com

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SPECIES: speckled trout.

BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, pinfish, croaker.

CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089. 361-449-7441. brushcountrycharters.com TIPS: An angler can make an entire day by simply fishing this area. Fish the shallows around rock edges and let the bait fall into deeper water. Use a Texas Rattlin’ Rig Chatterweight and a 3/0 Kahle-style

hook for best results. As the day grows longer, fish deeper where fish seek out cooler water. Live bait is best, especially on dog days.

BEST BAITS: Texas Trout Killer in either Roach/chartreuse or Morning Glory colors CONTACT: Capt. Chris Martin, 361-7852686 TIPS: Wade fishing these reefs. Martin prefers to key in on the color change near the ends of the reefs. Each reef should be marked by small white PVC pipes. Nervous mullet and either clean or slightly offcolor water are a must.

LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: King Ranch Shoreline GPS: N27.358961, W97.389679 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, pinfish, or croaker. Gulp! Baits/Paradise Popper CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089. 361-449-7441. brushcountrycharters.com TIPS: Trout will be lurking around the potholes along the grassbeds. If you are fishing a weedline, then use a live pinfish or shrimp on a Chatterweight. If you’re drifting potholes, then rig a 3” Gulp! or Bayside Shrimp under an Old Bayside Paradise Popper. Bring plenty of water and a bimini top or T-Top for shade. It is not hard to become a victim of heat exhaustion, especially on calm, humid day. Fresh fruit will also help replace any lost potassium and avoid vicious leg cramps.

Go Live on Baffin LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: East Kleberg Point GPS: N27 16.300, W97 30.426

by CALIXTO GONZALES cgonzales@fishgame.com N O R T H

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AR 22s from Smith and Colt

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The Smith is mostly made of polymer, and weighs in at five and a half pounds. The Colt is all metal, and consequently a little heavier at about six pounds two ounces.

The difference is noticeable but not highly significant.

The Colt’s front sight is mounted in a

THE HUGELY POPULAR AR-15 RIFLE IS NOW available from too many manufacturers to count, and it seems many of those now offer a plinker’s version in .22 caliber. For the AR aficionado, such as myself, the only problem is choosing which rifle to buy.

Two of the hottest AR .22s are the Colt M4 Ops and the Smith & Wesson M&P15-22.

Both offer the fun of shooting tactical style rifles, the convenience of a railed fore end for ease of attaching lights, sights, and other gizmos, and the economy of inexpensive ammunition.

And as my friend, Gordon Gibson, of KNS Pictured are the author’s Smith & Wessson Precision, says, these copy of the AR-15 on top, the Colt M4 Ops in the middle, old AR-style guns have a high CDI and the Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22 on the factor (chicks dig it). skeletal bottom.

Both of these great apparatus rimfires offer six-posiattached to AR Comparison tion adjustable butt the barrel, while the stocks, muzzle flash hiders, and plenty of Smith front sight is on a bar mounted rails for accessory attachment. Both are directly to the top Picatinny rail. The blow back semi-autos. Both come with mili- Colt’s metal magazine holds 30 rounds, tary-style rear peep sights adjustable for while the Smith’s polymer mag tops out at windage and elevation, and post front 25. Both feed reliably, although it is a sights adjustable for elevation. And both good idea to clean the gunk out of the need to be kept away from teenage boys, actions periodically to prevent problems. unless a closet full of ammo is handy.

Both rifles feature a bolt release button Despite these similarities, there are on the left side of the receiver, but the plenty of differences between the two rifles.

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the Smith is fully functional, and works just like the one on its .223 caliber big brother.

The Colt comes with rail guards, the Smith doesn’t.

Mechanical safeties are located in the usual spot on the left side of the frames, and both are on safe when pointed forward. The Smith safety is moved to the fire position by rotating it downward to a vertical position, but the Colt’s safety button must be rotated a full 180 degrees to be released. This is impossible to do while keeping a finger on the trigger, unless two hands are used, which may be the intent.

Accuracy is respectable in both models, about what you would expect from a semiautomatic rimfire rifle.

The problem, again, is deciding between the two. So don’t. My advice is to get one of each.

—Kendal Hemphill

Eagle One Gel Wax IS YOUR BOAT SHINY ENOUGH? IF YOU answered “yes,” then you’re not ambitious enough—every good boater wants Mom’s mink to shine so brightly, it’s visible from outer space. And Eagle One’s new Gel Wax (www.eagleone.com, $10 for a 16-ounce bottle) will help you get there.

Regular paste wax is always a necessity, to protect your gel coat. But it’s carnauba wax (found in most

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wash-and-wax types of products) that boosts your shine-factor to 10. The down-side?

Most of these carnauba waxes wear off in a mere week or two. Eagle One claimed their Gel Wax, which is formulated for boat and automotive finishes, would do the trick yet would last longer then the norm, so I tested it out on my boat’s gel coat for several months.

The thing I like the most about the Gel Wax is the fact that it’s a gel—that makes application a piece of cake. You merely wipe it on and don’t have to wait for it to dry and buff it, because the gel gets spread evenly in a thin coat as you apply it, then you wipe off any excess immediately. No white powdery coat appears to be buffed away, as it does with most waxes. Another bonus: unlike many waxes, since there’s no white powder this stuff doesn’t discolor your rubrail and other rubber or black nylon fittings. Once I coated the boat, I thought the shine was significantly better then paste wax provides, though it wasn’t quite as mirror-like as the finish you get from a good wash-and-wax. Of course, that stuff rinses away the first time it rains. And the Gel Wax’s shine held up for a solid month, even though the surface wasn’t as slick to the touch as it is with regular wax.

But this doesn’t seem to affect clean-up, because when I trailered down a bug-infested highway and had gnat and mosquito marks all over the boat, they washed away easily. That means that even though you’ll still want a yearly base coat of paste wax and a weekly wash-down with a carnaubabased product, the Eagle One Gel Wax is a winner for monthly application of a longterm shine.

—Lenny Rudow

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star drag reels aren’t as good for big Shimano game fishing because their drag washers are so much smaller then those on lever drags. A conundrum?

You bet, and that’s why Shimano designed the Talica II series, a new line of lever drag reels that can conquer giant fish yet cast that country mile.

These reels were originally designed for “fly lining” small live baits like sardines to fish like tunas, sailfish, and wahoo. An aggressively machined spool reduces weight, while high-grade greaseless ballbearings (which won’t flex under side-load) allow it to spin easier for excellent castability. When I first held one in my hand, it was so small and light I thought there was no way it would have the beef to take on truly big game… but looks can be deceiving. So, how did it cast? When I pulled down the lever, flipped my wrist, and released my thumb, the Talica spun without resistance until my light little bait splashed down 40 yards away. Meanwhile, Talica II big-game fishing reel — built for casting.

Shimano didn’t ignore the other features that make a reel big-game capable. The lever drag and drag system are as smooth as they get, and the Talica II 10 I tested put out 13 pounds of drag at strike and 20 pounds on full. Not enough for your tastes? The 12 and 16 models put out 22 pounds at strike, and 40 pounds at full. The gearing is also impressive, with a 4.1:1 low speed and a 6.2:1 high speed. Switching gears can be done single-handed, by pressing a button at the base of the crank.

The 8 and 12 models are rated for 40 to 50 pound braid and the 12 and 16 are rated for 65 to 80 pound braid. Spooling up with 50, the Talica II 10 had no problem holding 535 yards of Power Pro line.

So, what’s the down-side? Price—the Talicas run about $500. But as the old saying goes, you get what you pay for: with the little mighty-mite in hand I tied into a 148-pound bluefin tuna, and had no trouble winning the day. —LR

On the Web www.smith-wesson.com www.colt22rimfire.com www.buyeagleone.com www.fish.shimano.com

PHOTO (OPPOSITE): EAGLE ONE

Shimano Talica YOU WISH YOU HAD A BIG GAME REEL THAT could handle hundred pound plus fish, yet was still easy to cast? That’s a tall order; most big game reels have lever drags, and lever drag reels are notoriously hard to cast.

Star drags are what you need to throw a country mile, because they have lighter spools since the drags are in the gears, as opposed to being on the spool itself. Yet N O R T H

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‘Best Fishing Invention in a Decade’ DEBUTING AT THE 2010 BASSMASTER CLASSIC the “Shark Tooth” was a perfect pair with winner Kevin VanDam who won his third Classic and signed on to endorse one of the most innovative ideas in the fishing industry this decade and now named “Best of Show” at the 2010 Fred Hall Fishing Show!

The ‘Shark Tooth” Leader Control System originally developed for the fly fishing industry has taken Freshwater and Saltwater anglers by storm. “Everyone who sees it… does a double take, smiles, some of them slap their forehead and then buy atleast 3” says Bob Holt, inventor of the ‘Shark Tooth’.

“I’m an avid fly fisherman and just like everyone else, I had to deal with spools of tippet on a lanyard and bulk spools in my boat that continually unravel, tangle and get caught in my nippers as I was trying to cut the one I needed.” After many prototypes I came up with the ‘Shark Tooth’.

This Leader Control System simply

Leader control system endorsed

by Kevin VanDam.

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described is an elastic band in four sizes made to work with all types and sizes of line on spools from tippet to bulk braid with a molded plastic ‘Shark Tooth’ that allows the user to position it on the spool drawing the line through the hole, creating tension as you unspool it and then the stainless steel cutter, cuts the length of line you need leaving a tag line each time. The ‘Shark Tooth’ keeps your line on the spool, helps you load your reels, manage your line and tippet and eliminates the need for nippers and line waste.

The ‘Shark Tooth’ has been received with such enthusiasm at the Bassmaster Classic and the Fred Hall Show that the second round of production has begun and the next phase of “Shark Tooth Technology” will be coming soon.

The ‘Shark Tooth’ is available at www.flyfishingxtreme.com.

Video Series for Galveston Bays DISCOVER “WHERE TO GO & WHAT TO Throw” from Capt Paul Marcaccio as he discusses places in the Galveston Bay complex. In these videos, Capt Paul shows the best places to fish and how to catch them.

Capt Paul Marcaccio is a native Texan, born on Galveston Island (B.O.I.) Over 30 years of wade fishing and drifting the Galveston bay system. From San Luis Pass to the far reaches of the Trinity Bay. He is now sharing that knowledge and GPS coordinates .

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to the tepid shores of the Gulf of Mexico to glean thirty years of wade fishing and drift fishing experience for redfish and trout to pass on to future and past clients.

Captain Paul has one of the most impressive tournament “Fishing Galverecords of all ston Trinity Bay” Texas Gulf

by Capt. Paul Coast Guides Marcaccio and his incrediDVD Series ble tournament resume equates to hundreds of successful trips for you. To mention all of his tournament conquests would be daunting; however, a few to his name are Champion of the 1999’s CCA Guides Cup followed by runner up in 2000 and 2001 and perennial Texas Troutmasters Top-Ten Finisher.

Marcaccio’s Fishin’ Guide Service 2422A Rue de Laffitte Dr. San Leon Texas 77539 281-788-4041; 281-339-0475 www.gofishgalveston.com or email, captpaul@gofishgalveston.com

New ChatterWeight for 2010 TEXAS RATTLIN’ RIGS HAS INTRODUCED A NEW Medium sized ChatterWeight for 2010.

The Medium ChatterWeight will complete an already proven fish attracting product line of in-line rattle weights that includes; the Large, Large Floater, and Mini ChatterWeight.

The Medium ChatterWeight will fill the niche between the Large ChatterWeight

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New medium-sized ChatterWeight

that’s used in deeper water and swifter current and the Mini ChatterWeight that’s used in shallower water and milder currents.

The Medium size will complete a fisherman’s arsenal by having a ChatterWeight that is used in moderate water depths and currents.

Captain Steve Walko of Texas Rattlin’ Rigs stated; “Because of so many requests from fishermen we have added the Medium. When fishermen speak, we listen. We strive to make high quality products, and to satisfy what fishermen want by keeping a pulse on their demands.”

ChatterWeights are made of high impact plastic and contain no lead making them environmentally friendly. Most terminal riggings that use a lead weight can be improved by using a ChatterWeights instead with lures or live baits.

All sizes of ChatterWeights are available in Natural and 5 Holographic colors.

Find them at Fishing Tackle Unlimited, Marburger’s Sporting Goods or at www.texasrattlinrig.com.

Captain Steve Walko-713-947-8107.

Texas Rattlin’ Rigs

3D Riflescopes

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riflescopes using advanced technologies that provide superior Design, Depth and Dimension.

Designed by outdoorsman for outdoorsman, the 3D Series are Designed to be extremely rugged and dependable, yet lightweight to carry. Their advanced optical systems provide crystal clear images with exceptional Depth and Dimension. They feature fully multicoated lenses that allow maximum light transmission, even in low light conditions.

The 3D Series riflescopes feature onepiece/1-inch aluminum tube construction to reduce weight. All scopes provide for a ¼” MOA (minute of angle) adjustment and windage/elevation adjustments (the 618x50mm scope has an 1/8” MOA and a convenient side focus). Eye relief is a comfortable 4.” They are all shockproof, waterproof and fog proof, which allow superior performance in all outdoor conditions and terrain.

Five models are available: 3.5-10 x 44mm with Multiplex Reticle, 4.5-14 x 44mm with Multiplex and Mildot Reticles and 6-18 x 50mm with Multiplex and Mildot Reticles. MSRP’s will range from $290 to $325.

Carson Optical is a leading supplier of consumer optics for people of all ages and interests. Carson is known for innovative, high-quality optics at extraordinary value.

Carson branded products include a wide range of Binoculars, Magnifiers, Microscopes and related accessory products.

Carson Optical services the hunting, fishing, birding, outdoor, children’s educational toy and lifestyle markets. Contact us toll-free: 1-800-9-OPTICS or visit our web site at www.carsonoptical.com or email us at info@carsonoptical.com.

DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND, CARSON OPTICAL IS adding a series of high performance riflescopes to their optical product line, the 3D Series.

Pioneers in cutting edge optics like their award winning HD “High Definition” binoculars, Carson’s team of product designers and outdoor enthusiasts have developed a line of N O R T H

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Fishbites Xtreme for Texas Inshore TEXAS SURF ANGLERS HAVE BEEN FISHBITES fans since 2001. They know that Fishbites pioneered the scented bait business.

While many first laughed at the bubblegum looking baits that Fishbites first released, they soon stopped laughing once

From Top: Shrimp, Paddle Tail, Jerk Bait, XR Fatty Jr., Finesse Worm.

the pole started bending. Now Fishbites has something Fishbites for Texas inshore anglers—Fishbites Xtreme Scent Release Lures.

Made from Fishbites’ propriety HydroGel, Fishbites Xtreme Lures hold almost all of their powerful flavor/scents inside the body of the lure until they hit the water. In short, it’s “the scent that melts in the water, not on your hands”… or more importantly, not in the bag.

Fishbites Xtreme Lures are made from a waterbased biodegradable plastic that’s infused with our powerful flavor/scent technology. Gone are the days of handling stink baits or dealing with leaky tubs of stink juice.

These lures are also much more durable and slower drying than other similar products allowing you to move from spot to spot without re-baiting. Fishbites Xtreme lures G A M E ®

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are available now for both Freshwater and Saltwater anglers.

Available shapes are 3.5” Shrimp, 3” Paddle Tail, 5” Jerk Bait, 6” Finesse Worm, 5” Trick Worm (Senko). Fishbites are made with pride in St. Augustine, FL USA - fishbites.com - 877-840-2248.

Star Tron Can Save Your Engine BOAT OR ATV ENGINES THAT SUDDENLY RUN rough or are difficult to start might actually be experiencing fuel-related problems.

Today’s new fuels need the latest technology in fuel. The most common new fuel is E10, a mixture of 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline. Most modern engines are designed to run on E10, but Protection from ethanol gasoline it is comdamage. mon to experience Star Tron a decline in power and fuel economy. This is because ethanol is not as efficient a fuel as gasoline. Ethanol is also a very powerful

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solvent that can strip away built up varnish or gums in fuel tanks, causing clogged filters, injectors or carburetors.

The solution is simple: add Star Tron Enzyme Fuel Treatment every time you fuel your equipment. Its enzymes allow fuel to burn more completely so engines run at peak efficiency and start easily. The enzymes also disperse moisture as well as gums or varnish into small particles that won’t cause clogs or affect performance.

Most fuel stabilizers use 40-year old technology and simply cannot help improve ethanol-blended fuel. Star Tron uses cutting-edge technology to actually improve fuel quality, works in all 2 and 4-cycle engines and will improve engine performance from the first time you use it.

For more information, log onto www.startron or call (800) 327-8583.

Camp Cooking Gets Personal

dehydrated meals, coffee or tea on the go, remote worksites, and emergency kits.

This ultra-compact 1 liter system is a complete food and beverage multi-tool you can hold in your hand and weighs about a pound.

Lights with the click of a button, and within two minutes you’ve got two cups of boiling water ready for coffee or a quick meal. Pack components, fuel and accessories into the Personal Cookiing System.

Jetboil

THE JETBOIL PERSONAL COOKING SYSTEM IS perfect for sportsmen, scouts, campers and anyone looking for a reliable cooking solution at a great value. PCS is ideal for

cooking cup for convenient transport.

Features: 1.0 Liter FluxRing® cooking cup with insulating Cargo Cozy Adjustable burner with push-button igniter Insulating drink-through lid Insulating measuring cup bottom For more information about Jetboil and to find a dealer near you, please go to www.jetboil.com or call (888) 611-9905

ALL PHOTOS: COURTESY MANUFACTURERS

On the Web www.flyfishingextremecom www.gofishgalveston.com www.texasrattlinrig.com www.carsonoptical.com www.fishbites.com www.startron.com www.jetboil.com 74 |

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Computer Analysis Tells Where to Fish ACCUMULATED INFORMATION ON PAST SALTWAter fishing trips, including tidal highs and lows and other pertinent data, provide tips and information on where to go on future fishing trips. About five years ago Gary Easterwood, 43 years old, an IT professional and saltwater angler, was searching for a software data tool to input information on his fishing trips but couldn’t find any. Why not create his own software?

“I started building The Fishermans Analyst to be nothing more than a journal, but I became interested in wanting to know if there was a way for me to understand what the tide was doing at that time when I caught the fish,” said Easterwood.

He was able to predict tidal movement and strength for over 3,000 sites along coastal United States, Alaska, and Hawaii.

Why not couple that information with trip particulars such as what baits he was using, speed of retrieve, etc., and see what he came up with.

“It was just kind of an evolutionary thing where the application just kind of grew,” continued Easterwood. “From that not only could I predict what the tide was doing at the time of the catch but I could predict what it would be doing next week. Through statistical analysis I was able to understand what those variables were when I was catching fish.”

After about four years of development he had a tool that was putting out reliable information as to where, when, and how to fish at his favorite fishing locations along the Laguna Madre. Why not make the software available to any saltwater angler where they could choose a listed site or plug in new fishing sites and start building their own reliable fishing projections.

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journal. You can chronicle your trips, plug in pictures of your trips and tie it into specific fish…show all the data why you caught it and show when you caught it.

Easterwood says you can ask the software questions. He gives an example: “How and were do I catch speckled trout over 27 inches when there is a north wind, 10 mph, or maybe how do I catch fish on a cloudy day.

Include baits and retrieve speed.

“You can come up with very specific catch information based on information that you have been inputting from past trips,” explains Easterwood. The more you use it, the more the accurate it becomes.

All information is fisherman friendly.

“The graphs are very similar to the types of graphs you see in fishing magazines.”

Right out of the box: For example, Galveston Bay has between 60-70 fishing sites already preprogrammed. Because the information is based on tidal flow, the software can give best times to be on the water at one of these chosen locations.

“An angler catches a couple of specks at that site. He plugs the information in and starts building up that information. The more he learns he keeps plugging the information in on his trips…baits used, retrieved, etc.”

The preprogrammed fishing sites are there to just help an angler get started in fishing a place he or she hasn’t fished before.

Enter new sites as you fish the coast. Tidal movement for your new site is updated automatically every minute. Start logging data every time you fish the spot.

Don’t forget to log information on even the trips that do not produce. “If you go out and don’t catch anything, you want to log that as well,” adds Walter Speck,” Director of Sales and Marketing. “The more information you put in, the more analysis you have and the better your chances are for going back to the spots that allows you the most success.”

Load The Fishermans Analyst on your PC or laptop and have up to the minute

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information on tidal movement listing over 3,000 reference sites anywhere along the coast of the United States. Just plug in the closest reference location and find out what the tide is doing. The software is a journal and a log allowing you to add data to the different sites as you fish them. Let The Fishermans Analyst tell you when and where to catch fish. For more information, visit www.thirdstonesoft.com. Retail cost is $39.95.

Irlene Mandrell Charity Shoot IRLENE MANDRELL WILL BE HOSTING HER Annual Charity Shoot, benefiting Wish Upon A Star, the Boy Scouts of America, and new for 2010, Annabelle’s Wish, from Thursday, July 8th through Sunday, July 10th. This always fun-filled event will be held at the Seven Springs Mountain Resort, one of the premier sporting clays courses in the country, located in southwest Pennsylvania.

This year’s event will be dedicated to Irby Mandrell and named “The Irby Mandrell Memorial Shoot.” Irby passed away in March, 2009. He was the proud father of The Mandrell Sisters: Country “Hall of Fame” inductee Barbara, Louise, and Irlene, from the popular The Mandrell Sisters TV series. The 2010 shoot will emphasize the family values Irby lovingly bestowed upon his daughters and grandchildren. Irlene will be reunited with her sisters for this event to honor and commemorate their Daddy’s life and achievements.

Over the course of the event, the main competition will consist of 200 rounds of Sporting Clays. Side competitions include 9mm pistol, paintball challenge, wobble trap, 5 stand, tomahawk throwing, .22 revolver, Gamo air rifle, two man flush, terrible teal, CONTINUED on Page 76 G A M E ®

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Shot Placement N JULY, I SPEND A MAJORITY OF MY FREE TIME with bow in hand and a target in my yard. Before you know it, the hunting season will be in full swing and in order to be ready, you need to practice. I have written about how important practice is when it comes to a string and a stick before, but for this month, I thought about getting a little more serious about it.

Whenever I talk to a rifle hunter about the best place to aim for a humane harvest, I always get many different answers. Most of them would be correct, but when it comes to taking a whitetail with a bow, a different approach might prove to be the better one.

I once spoke to a hunter who told me he took a deer right between the lookers and the deer went down immediately. Another boasted to me about always taking a neck

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shot to bring home his venison. He claimed it was the best shot because he never ruined any of the delicious meat. In the bowhunting world, neither one of those shots could be considered ethical. Could you take a whitetail with a neck shot while using a bow? Of course you can. As long as your arrow happened to slice through the windpipe or the main artery.

There is one place on a deer that will put him down within steps of the initial hit. The femoral artery runs along the rump and down the back leg. If you hit this with your arrow, the deer will bleed out immediately, and will be the best-tasting deer you ever had. Hold a pencil up. That is about the size if the artery I spoke of. If you have practiced, you should be able to hit that with no problem at 20 yards. Now hold a magazine up and have a friend hold the pencil behind the magazine. Can you hit it now? You have no idea where this small target is. My point here is that, as bow hunters, the only ethical shot to take is in the “bread basket”...the vitals area. This is the largest area that will harvest a deer when hit with an arrow. It also is the area with the largest amount of

blood flow. When struck with an arrow, massive hemorrhaging will cause the animal to succumb quickly making it a very humane shot to take.

Now that we know the best place to aim, our next task is to practice from different elevations and different angles. It would be nice if the whitetail stopped and stood broadside for us while we took careful aim and recreated the shot we practiced so many times in our back yards. However, it usually does not happen that way. We have to take the time and think of different angles the deer may offer.

One of the hardest shots, oddly enough, is also one of the closest shots. It is very difficult to shoot directly down on a deer. Also, there is so much bone protecting the vitals that this shot is not recommended.

If a deer comes in and is facing toward you, you might be tempted to go ahead and release your arrow. While this may indeed harvest your animal, you also run the risk of only wounding it. That alone should convince you to wait for a better shot. Once again, the vitals are protected by bone and plenty of it. Your arrow would likely deflect

INDUSTRY INSIDER Continued from Page 75 and cotton ball drop. Everyone is eligible to compete in these exciting events! No hard-core experience necessary—just have fun!

Irlene Mandrell has long been associated with the shooting sports. She is equally accomplished with shotgun, rifle, or handgun. Irlene is a spokeswoman (including Dynamic Research Technologies, Smith & Wesson, Deerasic) for the industry, frequently appearing on TV and radio. She is as dedicated to the sport as anyone.

Irlene is a loving mom to three wonderful children, Deric, Vanessa, and Christina.

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tainment industry include singer, percussionist, actress, comedian, as well as spokeswoman for several excellent shooting sports companies. Irlene has been deeply involved in many charities over the years, but Wish Upon A Star, the Boy Scouts of America, and now Annabelle’s Wish, remain closest to her heart.

Celebrating its 21st Anniversary, Wish Upon A Star is an independent charity whose mission is to grant wishes to children ages 3 to18 who have been diagnosed with a terminal or life threatening illness. Since its inception, Wish Upon A Star has granted well over 200 of these special wishes, everything from dream hunting and fishing outings, to trips to Disney World, to F I S H

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meeting Michael Jordan. This is why Irlene Mandrell has been so dedicated in supporting this charity.

Seven Springs Mountain Resort, site of the 2010 shoot, is located approximately one hour out of Pittsburgh, in the Laurel Highlands area of Pennsylvania.

To register or for more information, visit www.IrleneMandrellShoot.com or www.7Springs.com.

If you can’t attend the event, yet care to contribute, please do. Checks should be made payable to and sent to: Irlene Mandrell Charities at 3106 Highway N, Albany, MO 64402.

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and cause the animal to be wounded.

If your are out there hunting turkeys with a bow, one of the best shots you can take is right up the butt. Not so with a whitetail.

Penetration would be limited and again you would wound the animal. Wait for the deer to turn and offer a better, more reliable shot.

A quartering away shot is, by far, the very best shot you can take with a bow. A well-placed arrow on this deer would do severe damage to the heart, lungs and liver.

Massive hemorrhaging would occur and you will soon find your trophy. Although we are told that the best-placed shot is behind the front shoulder, on this particular angle you would need to reconsider the placement of your arrow. If you aim behind the front shoulder of a quartering away deer, you will more than likely miss all the vitals and it will be a long afternoon for you while you test your tracking skills. For this particular angle, you will need to place your point of aim back a bit from the front shoulder. For the novice hunter, this will seem very awkward.

It will look like you are going to just hit the stomach, and anyone who has hit a deer in

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the stomach knows that although it is lethal, it is not someplace you want to hit when it comes time to field dress that animal. I guarantee that if you ever have to field dress a gut shot animal, you would think long and hard about your shot placement on your very next opportunity. So, how far back should the aim point be to make that perfect shot we have talked about? I have found that if you look at the deer and imagine where his opposite shoulder is, you will definitely be in the ballpark. One of my only concerns for a new bow hunter comes after he finds his deer. With a quartering away shot, you may not have a full pass-through and your arrow will still be in the deer. Worse yet, if your arrow only has half the penetration, it may likely break in two pieces leaving the broadhead someplace in the deer cavity. Special care is needed when it comes time to field dress the whitetail.

In conclusion, the best place to aim on any animal while using a bow is either behind the shoulder with a broadside shot, or back a bit with a quartering away shot.

Again, the only animal we might hunt with

a bow that does not fit this pattern is the turkey. A shot at the base of the wing or directly from behind are the ones you should be looking for. As bow hunters, and as hunters in general, our “aim” is not to would the animal we hunt, but rather to take an ethical clean shot that will bring the animal down quickly. Aim true and you will be proud to call yourself an ethical hunter.

Remember to hunt safe and have fun out there.

E-mail Lou Marullo at lmarullo@fishgame.com

On the Web Watch Lou Marullo’s video bow hunting tips at: www.Fishgame.com/video Search: Marullo

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Trijicon TR23-2G AccuPoint S YOU PROBABLY KNOW, I AM ALWAYS VERY leery of the Best New Product in Decades hype. Many times the writer who touts the product has done no testing on his own, but merely read the propaganda put out by the product's PR guys.

Many of these wonderful products are just old ideas rehashed and redressed. They are equally likely to be poorly made, fragile, imprecise, and just plain junk. When I receive a new product I do not jump on any speeding turnip truck until I have tried it out, completely and thoroughly. That is why you usually see whatever is mentioned in my Texas Fish and Game column some time after the rest of the gun writers have sung its praises. I want to know how good it is so that I can tell you the facts, and I can't do that without a period of thorough testing. If you don't see it here, there is a very good reason.

Now for the good news: There is a great new product on the scene, made by Trijicon.

This is one of the newest Trijicon offerings, the 5-20x50mm TR23-2G AccuPoint.

This scope comes with a 30mm tube, which is larger than the standard American 1” tube. It also has the tritium dot at the center of the crosshairs, which is, in addition, sunlight activated and adjustable, and it has the standard mil.dot reticle.

I don't test many 30mm scopes because the average American shooter is perfectly satisfied with his 1-inch scope, and rightly so, as the true advantage of a 30mm tube to the hunter is minor. In fact, I didn't have any rings to fit this scope and had to (cringe) buy a set.

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I mounted the scope on my pet 7mm Remington Magnum. This rifle is an old stainless and synthetic Winchester Model 70 Classic.

It is one of my most accurate long range rifles.

With its pet load it will put all the bullets into one ragged hole at 100 yards. I figured this was the nearest thing I had handy to a real sniper rifle, which is the true purpose for this Trijicon scope.

The big tube and the 50mm objective lens makes the big AccuPoint a light gathering phenomenon. I was, quite frankly, astounded at how well I could see through this scope in low light situations. Most of us have seen how long after sunset we can see through our high quality scopes. Most of the good ones, even without the giant objective lenses, will give us as much as an extra half-hour of shooting light. This Trijicon, with its 30mm tube and 50mm objective, is astounding. I truly believe I can see well enough to shoot on a reasonably clear moonlit night; which I may try sometime.

At 20-power the TR23-2G has the power to place precision shots on targets at extended ranges. I almost never shoot at more than 300 yards, because that is the maximum distance I have on my rifle range. However, this scope has the power and precision to place shots on a target, or game animal, at far beyond 300 yards. That does not mean that you should mount one on your old .270 and start whanging away at deer at a half-mile. It does mean that if you find yourself in a position to take a shot at extended but reasonable range, and if you have practiced and know the trajectory of your rifle, you will be equipped to make the shot. To shoot or not is your decision.

Also, precision of adjustment is perfect.

One of the downfalls of the cheaper scopes is that their adjustments are far from precise.

One time 8 clicks will move 2 inches, the next time it will be 1 inch, and the time after that it won't move at all. One time it will move easily, the next time you will have to rap it will your pocketknife to get it to move. The Trijicon scopes that I have tested have been absolutely precise. Each click is ¼ inch, no F I S H

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rapping necessary. The mil.dots on the TR23-2G are designed to be used with the scope set on 20-power, rather than the 10X that is the norm. The distance between dots is 3.6 inches per 100 yards.

If you do a bit of arithmetic beforehand you can use the dots as a rough range-finding device. For example: If the average deer is 18 inches deep from withers to the bottom of its chest, then it would measure 2.5 mil dots at 200 yards. If you want more precise math, you can find it at: http://www.trijicon.com/mildot/mil-dot.cfm.

It was a pleasant February day when I took the TR23-2G and my old 7mm Magnum to the range. I loaded some 175-grain Hornady Interlock soft points over 75.5 grains of H870. Velocity in my rifle was 2905 feet per second, as checked by my old Oehler chronograph. This is a very good load for elk or even moose and the Hornady Spire Point bullets hold their velocity very well, making this an excellent long range load.

I bore-sighted the rifle and headed for the range. I got lucky and the first shot hit about 3 inches low and 2 inches left. I dialed in the scope and the next shot took the little orange dot out of the center of the Shoot-N-See target. Now that is what I call precision adjustments. Then I fired for group; each shot hit right where the crosshairs rested on the target.

My wobbles and a brisk wind caused the group to spread out to about ¾ of an inch. I can't wait to test it at truly long range, but first I have to locate a range with such distances.

Meanwhile, I have put a lot of rounds downrange using this Trijicon and my opinion of it only gets higher with use.

This may be the finest scope I have ever tested. If you are looking for the best of the best, this just might be it. Retail price of the TR23-2G is $1224.00 and I think it is worth every penny.

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E-mail Steve LaMascus at guns@fishgame.com A L M A N A C

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The Furtive Angler IMPLY PUT, FURTIVENESS IS A PREREQUISITE to consistent success when sightcasting to trout and redfish in extremely shallow water. The term “stealth” is a common descriptor that writers use when relating lessons about stalking fish in skinny water. It suggests that an angler should avoid being detected, and while that holds true, the term lacks the drive and passion for success. Furtiveness, on the other hand, paints an image of an angler taking great pains to avoid detection, as well as being sly and crafty. Evasiveness is part of the furtive angler’s makeup. Kayaks can help take your shallow water game to the next level, allowing you to becoming a shallow water ninja.

Meanings are in the minds of people and, in my mind, shallow water is measured in inches, not feet. If your knees are wet, you are too deep.

Trout and redfish often hunt in the shallows, using the lack of water to their advantage in their quest for a meal. Since a mullet can’t go over or under an attacking game fish in these confined quarters, the only option is to turn right or left. Trout and redfish use the shallow water to corral fleeing baitfish like a linebacker uses the sideline to capture a shifty running back. The lack of depth makes it easier for trout and reds to catch their prey.

Shallow water is not utopia for game fish or else they would never leave. While the lack of depth makes hunting easier, it also makes fish easier to pick out from above, making them conspicuous targets for hungry

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ospreys and other birds of prey. Redfish and trout never forget that attacks can come from the air as well as the sea. As such, game fish in skinny water are extremely skittish and the slightest shadow or unnatural sound will cause them to jet off to the safety of deeper water.

There are several ways to access shallow water. Wading is the time honored method on the Texas coast but sneaking into prime areas isn’t foolproof. Redfish and stingrays have a fondness for muddy bottoms. It could be my imagination but the larger the resident population of stingrays on a flat, the bigger the smiles on the redfish. Besides the barbed obstacles between you and a pod of feeding fish, you are likely to encounter muddy areas which defy description. They look harmless enough until you venture into the abyss, sinking quickly up to your knees in the goo with all the support and firm footing you would expect a barrel full of pudding to provide. Every step requires maximum labor as the sucking alluvial muck tugs at your legs as you try to break free. Even on a hard bottom, the crunching of oyster shells under a wading bootie, not to mention a cloddish half stumble, will send fish streaking.

Flats skiffs, relatively recent imports from Florida, float in mere inches of water.

Equipped with modest sized outboards to keep weight down, flats skiffs are poled from a platform on the stern while an angler casts up front. The height advantage the casting platforms makes it easier to spot lounging and cruising fish, but it also makes it easier for the fish to see you. Florida style flats skiffs will get you into skinniest of water but that access comes at a high price. I conservatively estimate that one could buy 20 – 30 tricked out kayaks for the price of a single high performance flats skiff.

Assuming you don’t need to travel more than a mile or two from your starting point, a kayak is the best option of all for the angler with furtiveness on their mind. Kayaks only need a heavy dew to float and can be launched from beaches and roads. They are

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easily operated by a single person, not needing a second person to poll while the first fishes. Plus, kayaks eliminate the fun of doing “mud aerobics”, a definite plus.

The term kayak is derived from an Eskimo word which means “hunter boat”. They allow you to slide into the shallows undetected. If you are looking for the height advantage a casting platform offers, stand up in your yak. A number of new models provide the necessary stability to fish while standing. If your hull is narrow, consider adding a set of outriggers.

The furtive angler is concerned with little details, like hull slap, that give away their presence in shallow water. Square- sided kayaks, like square sides power boats, sound like snare drums when waves and chop beat against the hulls. Consider the shape of your kayak’s hull and the noise it produces, even in the tiniest ripples, if you intend on making a clandestine assault on the flats.

While kayaks provide a covert means of transportation, it takes practice to make a totally muted assault on the fish. Banging paddles and mutinous anchors top a cacophonous list of things that will betray your presence before you ever make a cast.

Anyone can catch fish in shallow water once in a while but you must elevate your game to make success routine. Stealth is a good first step but you won’t become a shallow water hero until you become a furtive angler. Adding a kayak to the mix will help you get there.

Greg Berlocher can be reached for question or comment at kayak@fishgame.com.

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The Boating Constitution Preamble: We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect boating community, establish seagoing justice for all, provide for the common maritime good, promote the general welfare, and secure the Blessings of Boating to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Boat-

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ing Constitution of the United States of America. We hold certain truths to be selfevident, that all boaters are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, among these are the pursuit of life, liberty, and lunker fish… as well as the rights listed herein this document.

ask what they can do to increase the efficiency, speed, reliability, and seaworthiness of their boats. Therefore and heretofore, let it be known to all sportsmen that the following are more then mere facts, they are truths created by the boaters, for the boaters, and they shall never perish from the sea.

OUR SCORE AND SEVEN YEARS AGO, OUR forefathers brought forth the internal combustion engine, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all boaters are created equal. But as the decades passed since then, old realities were smashed as marine architecture and technology created realities anew, and today’s boaters ask not what their boats can do for them but

Amendment #1 – You Have the Right to Fuel Efficiency and a Smoother Ride, But Lighter Shall No Longer Be Assumed Better. When fiberglass first became the dominant boatbuilding material, hull thickness was measured in inches and weight was measured by tonnage—in boats that today would weigh less then half a ton. As manufacturers became more and more familiar with the material they were able to reduce resin-to-glass ratios and glass thickness, effectively reducing the weight of hulls and parts without a loss of strength.

Then came different fiberglass weaves, and advanced materials like Kevlar and carbonfiber. All other things being equal, lighter boats are faster and more fuel efficient then heavier boats, so as tonnage dropped, boats were considered “better”.

But alas, as is true of all things with boats, there is a trade-off. Mass and momentum allow a boat to shove water out of the way, instead of being shoved by that water. And today, some boats are so light that hitting a one-foot wave at 30-mph launches them like the Space Shuttle. Yesteryears’ boats, however, had the beef to muscle waves out of the way without launching or hesitating. There’s a happy medium somewhere between the 2,200 pound 18’ fishboats of the 60’s and the 1,000 pounders built today. Where exactly is it?

That depends on you, and whether you place more importance on fuel economy and speed, or comfort of ride and seakeeping abilities.

But one thing is for sure: lighter no longer automatically means better.

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Amendment #2 – You Have the Right to a Better Outboard, Regardless of Stroke.

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community between four-stroke fans and twostroke lovers. Early design flaws weeded out the weaker outboard species, and today we’re left with a handful of four-stroke builders (Yamaha, Suzuki, Mercury, Honda, and Tohatsu/Nissan), and even fewer two-stroke builders (Evinrude, Mercury, and Tohatsu/Nissan). There used to be a valid divide between these two camps. Four strokes had the edge for fuel economy and sound levels, while two-strokes had more punch off the line and lighter weights. But new technology has produced four-strokes that weigh the same or even less then many competing two strokes, and have the same kick-in-the-pants acceleration. Meanwhile, advances in two-stroke designs have, in many cases, matched or even exceeded the four-stroke’s fuel economy while reducing sound levels and smoke production.

The bottom line? Both technologies have made such strides that deciding which is “better” is often little more then a coin-toss.

Whether you go with a two-stroke or a fourstroke, the days of smelly, smoking, ear-splitting, oil slicking outboard engines are over.

Amendment #3 – You Have the Right to (Longer) Life thanks to modern PFDs. Those clunky old orange things were the pits.

They were uncomfortable, they got in the way, and they looked ridiculous. But today we have inflatable SOSpenders and belt packs which are so comfortable, you’ll forget you’re wearing them in a matter of seconds. They’re relatively inexpensive (you can find decent belt packs for about $50) and they last for years.

Meanwhile, new fabrics and designs have made life vests that are also far more comfortable then those of yesteryear. No excuses – get them and wear them, and your safety margin goes though the roof.

Amendment #4 – You Have the Right to (Even Longer) Life thanks to modern long-distance signaling devices. As with life jackets, the latest in technology has given we boaters a plethora of options when it comes to signaling for help from afar. It used to cost thousands of dollars to get the least expensive EPIRBs (emergency position indicating radio beacon). But today, EPIRB prices have plummeted and you have even less expensive PLBs (Personal locator beacons), satellite locators, and Mini-EPIRBs to choose from.

For a mere $150—the cost of a single tank of fuel for many of us—you can send out a Mayday from anywhere, at any time, and be sure N O R T H

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that it will be heard by the authorities. No excuses—get them and carry them, and your safety margin goes not just through roof, but all the way through the atmosphere.

Amendment #5 – You Have the Right to Longer Outboard Life, but only if you use fuel additives. We the people have ethanol to thank for this one. Outboards don’t take to it well, and few boats are run often enough that phase separation and water formation won’t be a problem. That means you’re asking for trouble, if you don’t use an additive that either eats water or breaks it down molecularly so it burns through the engine. There’s some controversy as to which additive is best, but most industry experts agree that StarBrite’s Star Tron is an excellent option, and my personal experience backs that assertion up. Don’t worry too much about playing politics, though; just get the job done, and make sure you treat the fuel in your tank with every fillup.

Amendment #6 – You Have the Right to Choose between more then just fiberglass and aluminum. Crazy though it may sound, plastic is actually an excellent boat-building material. Polyethylene, in specific, is used in many applications and produces hulls that are strong, take the seas well, and are nearly indestructible. Ram them into piers, drag then across shell bottom, cruise right into rocks, dump them on the boat ramp, and you still won’t hurt these things. If you need a boat that can be abused, consider one made of poly.

Amendment #7 – You Have the Right to Wood without worry. Modern marine pressure-treated plywood doesn’t rot like the old stuff did. In fact, some brands come with a lifetime no-rot guarantee. Sure, builders who don’t use wood like to mention the fact that rot won’t be a problem with their all-composite creations, and they’re right—but that shouldn’t lead one to infer that boats built with marine plywood will rot.

We therefore, the representatives of mariners across the United States of America, do solemnly publish and declare, that we pledge these Amendments with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, our fortunes, and our sacred honor as boaters.

A L M A N A C

E-mail Lenny Rudow at boating@fishgame.com T E X A S

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Surf Leaders LIVE A LONG WAY FROM ANYTHING RESEMbling saltwater. If I drive the speed limit it’s a solid four hours from my front door to the beach. Even though I live closer to famous impoundments like Fork and Sam Rayburn than the coast, I still enjoy saltwater fishing more than just about anything. More specifically, I like to surf fish.

Surf fishing does not take an excessive amount of specialized tackle to get started. A couple surf rod & reel combos spooled with a few hundred yards of 30 pound line will suffice. On the business end of the line is where things get more complicated, but just slightly, since leaders used in rough conditions for fish that can weigh more than your average ten

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year old tend to be a little different than those used for lesser fish in placid water.

What we’ll discuss here is a basic monofilament leader but this same design can be used with steel wire as a substitute when chasing really big toothy critters like sharks.

Besides heavy monofilament, the particular surf leader covered here consists of two barrel swivels, one snap swivel, a hook, and a few plastic beads. When selecting these items it’s best to err on the heavy side because there might come a day when something large decides to take your offering and you want to be prepared just in case. When choosing monofilament leader material the absolute lowest you should go is with 50 pound.

Something in the 80 to 100 pound range would be better. Use this same line of thinking when selecting barrel swivels as well. A #3 barrel swivel is typically rated at around 70 to 75 pound breaking strength and should be the minimum size used. If you step up to a #1 barrel swivel the strength rating jumps up to 150 pounds.

Start your surf leader by cutting a short length (18 – 24 inches) of the heavy monofilament. Tie one end of this leader to the end of a barrel swivel using your favorite knot. I prefer using an improved clinch knot, while others might recommend a Palomar or thumb kno,t but the key is to use a knot you can tie well to reduce the chance of the knot slipping.

Tying heavy monofilament can be tricky so practice a few times before trusting your knots on actual fish. Many surf anglers use crimps instead of knots to connect their leaders to the swivels and hooks which work as well, but you may not have this available so it would be wise to learn to tie knots with heavy monofilament just in case.

On this short length of leader slip on two beads, then run the leader through the line tie eye of the snap swivel before putting on two more beads and tying the end of the leader to another barrel swivel. The purpose behind the beads is to keep the snap swivel from sliding too far down either end of the leader and becoming tangled with the barrel swivels.

Bead color doesn’t matter but you’ll see most surf leaders with red beads.

Cut another piece of monofilament to finish off the leader. If you plan on casting this rig then keep this section of the leader under six feet long. If you are going to use a kayak to deploy your bait then this leader section can be as long as you dare to make it. Tie one end of the leader to one of the barrel swivels and add a circle hook to the other end.

The problem with recommending a hook size is that size varies from one manufacture to another. A 10/0 hook made by one company may not be the same size as a 10/0 hook made by another. So buy a few different sizes from 10/0 up and base which one used on the size of the bait. You need enough hook exposed so that the point can drive home without being stopped by the bait.

E-mail Paul Bradshaw at freshrigs@fishgame.com 82 |

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meat and then place in increments that will fit into gallon zip locks about 3/4 full. After all meat is divided into bags, then equally distribute the liquid marinade among the bags. Seal up removing all air from the bags and place them all in a cooler with ice or in a spare refrigerator. I like to marinate them for a minimum of 4 to 6 hours but, overnight is even better!

Fajita Feeding Frenzy HIS IS AN AWESOME RECIPE THAT I DEVEL oped back in the mid 1980's. I have won many a cookoff with this recipe in and around Houston, Texas. It took many cold Tecate's and Lime, and sometimes a Cuervo Gold Margarita to assist in refining the recipe, but I feel it is where it should be!

Take it and make it yours, just remember that you got it from me, Bryan Slaven,The Texas Gourmet.

(If you want to cook chicken breast and use this recipe, you can, just be sure and keep the chicken separate from the beef when marinating and grilling, until its placed on the plate at serving time)

Grilling:

T

Serves 4 to 6 (you can increase the recipe in equal increments as necessary)

Ingredients: 3 to 4 pounds - skirt steak, remove skin sheath , trim away large areas of fat but don't worry about removing all fat. Cut the meat into about 6 to 8 inch pieces. The meat will cook at a very high temperature and will use the fat to keep the meat moist and will largely melt away.

1- sweet onion- sliced into 1/2" thick rings 2 poblano peppers, rinsed and cut into 1/2" thick slices (remove the seeds) 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil 3 to 4 cloves fresh garlic, crushed 2 limes - juiced N O R T H

1/2 cup of brown sugar 1 Tablespoon - med. or finely ground black pepper 1/2 cup light soy sauce 1/2 beer 5 to 7 pounds of charcoal, preferably mesquite, or add a few chunks or bits of mesquite while cooking , killer flavor!(Remember this, increase your charcoal and mesquite as you increase the recipe, as you want a good hot fire when grilling the meat!

Preparation:

Bon Appetit!

After you have cleaned the fajitas, rub them down with the fresh crushed garlic, then sprinkle with the black pepper. Set aside, then in a large bowl combine the olive oil, soy sauce, lime juice and beer. Stir well to combine, then add the fajita meat and then add the peppers and onions. Using your hands, work the liquid mixture into the

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Make a good hot fire, if using charcoal, when the coals are grey and hot, put the meat on directly over the fire, about 6 to 7 inches away is good. Sear the meat for a couple minutes on each side, then move them to the opposite side of the grill, cover and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, I like to place the onion and pepper rings on the meat as it cooks, this adds flavor to the meat, and keeps the vegetables from burning. After cooking each piece, transfer to a cutting board and slice the meat across the grain into slices approx. 1/2 " thick . Transfer the meat to large double lined foil pouches, approx. 2 lbs. to a pouch, add a tablespoon of butter to each pouch then place on a cookie sheet in a preheated oven at about 225 degrees until ready to serve.

Serving: Serve with good, warm flour tortillas, chile con queso, and of course, with some spicy pico de gallo and some Texas Gourmet's Fire Roasted Serrano Salsa.

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Contact Bryan Slaven, "The Texas Gourmet," at 888-234-7883, www.thetexasgourmet.com; or by email at texas-tasted@fishgame.com

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PHOTO: Š PETER GALBRAITH - FOTOLIA.COM

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LARGEMOUTH BASS • Private Pond

WHITE BASS an • Lake Buchan

ught Oakridge, ca gs, age 8, of now Lauren Hastin ss while fishing with min ba County. r ke al this 7-pound W in Joe’s pond . at her uncle the big bass lping to hold Dad Skip is he

CATFISH • La ke Livingsto

5caught this 2. of Georgetown on a crankbait Zach Davies ss ba ite ch wh Two pound, 16.5-in hes of Lake Buchanan. reac very cold trip. in the upper a on ht ug re ca dozen fish we

n

Pearl Plata of San Antonio, caught and released this catfish while fishing with mom and au her nt on Lake Li vingston. Sh a Barbie rod e us with Crappie Marshmallow ed bait.

FLOUNDER on • West Galvest Bay

PRONGHORN ANTELOPE • Marfa

LARGEMOUTH BASS • Chigger Cree k

Amber Stolz shows off th is pronghorn on her first hu taken nt with her da Texas. d in Marfa,

caught this 21 a of Houston, Hana Hieshim ile fishing in West Galver wh f, inch flounde fish by hersel p. e caught the ston Bay. Sh with live shrim e qu ni ch te ret” using a “sec

Hazel Woodr uff of Friend swood caught first bass in her Chigger Cree k. Hazel crui banks of Chig ses the ger Creek in her Barbie fo wheeler with ura Dora the Ex plorer fishing rod.

LARGEMOUTH BASS • Private Lake

sas REL • Port Aran KING MACKE

Oppernbaum, Fred Rod nathon Rose Dave Ault, Jo nberg, Lance McLemore, se kingfish e es th ht man, Seth Ro ug an Powell ca Powell and Ry out of Port Aransas. sca on the La Pe

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REDFISH • Co pano Bay

caught this 5- Ben Hellman en lake near Mu Eight-year-old l al bass in a sm pound black ster

Rhonda Holle rb 33-inch redfis ach of San Antonio caug ht a h at sundow n in Copano Texas, while Bay, fishing off of the Wright On She was usin . g mullet for ba it.

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WHITE BASS ton • Lake Livings

FLOUNDER • San Bernard River

CATFISH • Trinity River the US Army k McCrady of , limited out on Lt. Col. Fran ds en ong with fri vingston. He Reserves, al hing Lake Li fis ile wh ss ze. si is white ba th e re leased th caught and re

Seven-year-o ld Trysten Pe arson caught catfish while this on a fishing trip Jerry Marullo , at the Trinity with his uncle, River.

is ton, caught th age 7, of Hous of the San Troy Bollier, th ou m e th at der um 18-inch floun hing with a pl r. Troy was fis Bernard Rive Bass Assassin. e and chartreus

REDFISH • Palacios

Kobe Gonzal es of Louise , ca pound, 28-in ch redfish wh ught this 10ile fishing wi family at Pala th his cios. He was using live cr and caught a oaker, 24-inch red th e next day.

LARGEMOUTH BASS • Falcon Lake

REDFISH as • Lake Calaver caught this 20 San Antonio, laveras Lake. It Devin Gray of Ca in ch redfish rth pound, 38.5-in to reel it in, but was wo es ie Gray. nn Ro d, took 15 minut da s ured with hi the fight. Pict

Rene Estimbo of Edinburg, Texas, caught and released this 9.8-poun d largemouth bass, which appeared to have already spawned out, while fishing at Falcon La ke.

HAMMERHEAD SHARK • Bob Hall Pier

LARGEMOUTH BASS • Lake Fork

REDFISH • Tres Palacios River d Rek caught an ld Katie Marie Eleven-year-o ch red drum while fishing -in d 10 landed this 28 e fish weighe . cios River. Th -inch girth 18 the Tres Pala an d ha d nces an pounds, 8 ou

Bret Nordqu ist of Cypres s hooked a 9pound, 7-ounc e 8 feet of wate largemouth while fishing r on his first in trip to Lake Fo This was his rk. biggest bass to date.

nio, with a 27 r of San Anto b Rebecca Huiza head shark caught off Bo mer Blas Huizar, th 1/2-inch ham wi ng hi e was fis Hall Pier. Sh erheads. ht two hamm who also caug

SPECKLED TROUT • Port O’Connor

WHITETAIL BUCK ty • Newton Coun

SPECKLED TROUT • Hackberry, LA

Clayton Hans en Galveston, pr , son of Brenda Pantalio n of oudly shows off a speckled trout that he caught on hi s best fishing ever out of Ha trip ckberry, Loui siana.

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, , of Nederland Parker, age 11 the River Bottom Seth Rivers at er de his first Texas, shot unty. in Newton Co Hunting Club

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Neto (no last na Antonio, Texa me given), age 12, of San s, trout out of th caught this 24-inch spec kled e big jetties in Port O’Co nnor.

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