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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 MCKIBBIN • DENISE BELL •

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

SUBSCRIPTION/PRODUCT MKTG. 1745 GREENS ROAD, HOUSTON, TX 77032 PHONE 800/725-1134

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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.

MEMBER AUDIT BUREAU OF CIRCULATIONS

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FEATURES JUNE 2010 • Volume XXVI • NO. 2

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KING OF THE GULF King mackerel are impressive fish: flashy speedsters that hit hard, fight hard, and are at times relatively easy to catch—but never so easy as to cease being a challenge.

by Mike Holmes

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5 GREAT LURES NOBODY WRITES ABOUT

ON THE COVER

Even though they are no longer the “hot new lure,” plenty of old standards are still plenty capable of catching plenty of fish.

by Greg Berlocher

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SHARING THE SHARELUNKER WEALTH TPWD’s ShareLunker program has been booming this year. It has passed the 500-fish mark, and the bounty of 13-plus pounders has been coming in from all over the state.

by Chester Moore

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HOLLYWOOD BASS They may be as gaudy as all get out, but big California swimbaits do catch monster largemouths.

The original painting that graces our cover and is used as the lead illustration for our “King of the Gulf ” feature article (see page 22) was done by artist JK (Jeff ) Christian.

The artist has captured the majestic grace and power of the king mackerel as it does battle with its angler opponent.

Christian has had a love of fishing all his life, and this has led him to portray the sport in his art.

Christian’s work can be viewed and purchased on his website, www.jkchristian.com

Illustrated by JK Christian

by Matt Williams

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WALKABOUT ANGLER 6: DRIVE-UP FISHING The sixth installment in our series aimed at the boatless, or boat-challenged, angler takes a look at the use of motor vehicles in the pursuit of bank-based fishing.

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COLUMNS and DEPARTMENTS JUNE 2010 • Volume XXVI • NO. 2

COLUMNS 10 Editor’s Notes An Elk for Fathers Day

30 Texas Saltwater Persnickety Snook

by DON ZAIDLE TF&G Editor-in-Chief

by CALIXTO GONZALES TF&G Saltwater Editor

14 Chester’s Notes

DEPARTMENTS 8

LETTERS

12

TF&G REPORT

12

BIG BAGS & CATCHES

33

TRUE GREEN

Family Fishing Clinic

by CHESTER MOORE, JR. TF&G Executive Editor

16 Doggett at Large Genesis

by JOE DOGGETT TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

18 Pike On the Edge Requiem for Rollover

32 Texas Freshwater All-Time Greatest Bass Angler

by DOUG PIKE TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

20 TexasWild

Texas Bowhunters: Dead Last

by MATT WILLIAMS TF&G Freshwater Editor

53 Hunt Texas Tactical Tuskers

by TED NUGENT TF&G Editor at Large

21 Commentary Regulated to Death

by BOB HOOD TF&G Hunting Editor

54 Open Season How to Tye Flies

by KENDAL HEMPHILL TF&G Political Commentator 6 |

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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 The Texas Night Gollum I enjoyed your expose’ on the “Texas Night Gollum” in Editor’s Notes of the April issue. It was the first time I ever saw one with his eyes open. I haven’t seen many of them around the Metroplex, but then I don’t get out at night quite as much as I did when I was younger and more active (and single).

The nearest I have come lately is a mama ‘possum that seems to think my storage shed is her personal maternity ward. That sometimes generates unusual activity when my wife arrives home after shopping until the stores close. She firmly believes ‘possums are just a deranged version of a rat—and have a

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set of fangs that are just

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Editor-in-Chief Don Zaidle’s photo of a Texas night gollum emerging from a woodpile

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as lethal as any rat’s.

I will have to leave this issue of TF&G lying around—open to page 10—so she can “discover” it.

I have told her before how wild and dangerous the panhandle of Texas is around Borger where I grew up, as compared to the tamer area of Lubbock. She won’t be able to believe that she grew up in a place where such a creature could haunt

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the dark, wild places--or maybe even right outside the alley fence where she used to put trash in the dumpster.

Thanks for a good grin.

Jerry Redden Via email

Redneck Holiday Best article I’ve ever “red.” (Editor’s Notes, May 2010) I’m going to hope for the jerky-dispensing Ted Nugent PEZ on Father’s Day. I’ve gotta figure out a way to make that happen.

Hats off.

Send Your Comments to: Letters to the Editor 1745 Greens Road Houston TX 77032 E-mail: letters@fishgame.com

Save the Largemouth

Jeremy Schwegmann Via email

Texas Fish & Game should lead the way on proper treatment in handling bass. Texas Parks & Wildlife Department fishery experts say that the one-handed grip of bass by the bottom lip with extended arm/hand usually results in the death of the fish.

In your May issue, only the pictures on pages N40 and N46 show proper handling and support of the bass with two hands. We bass fisherman should want a long life for a bass and not a dislocated jaw.

Jimmy Hoover Via email

The Crappie Bite The article in the April issue about the crappie bite hit me like a ton of bricks.

I have caught lots of nice crappie but never really big ones. After reading the story, it made me realize what I was doing wrong. When I have caught the biggest fish I have ever caught (a few right at 2 pounds), it was always when they bit strangely. Then I would miss even more and really didn’t know what was going on.

This kind of story is the reason I so much enjoy Texas Fish & Game. Where else are you going to get a story where someone went down underwater, fed crappie by hand, and learned how they bite?

All of you amaze me every month. You have the best freshwater fishing coverage I know of--and please keep it up. I’ll send in some pics when I catch those monster crappie on my next trip.

Jackson Stewart Via email

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Editor’s Notes

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

An Elk for Fathers Day A reader recently sent me a note and some photos. Fathers Day is this month. The note and photos tell the rest. — Don Zaidle

WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR MAGAZINE and express the joy my family and I experience when it comes in the mail. I have been receiving Texas Fish & Game for the past two years, and have also enrolled my father into a subscription from you guys.

My father, Clifton Williamson, Jr., is a retired Korea and Vietnam veteran and he

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(L-R) Clifton Williamson, Jr; Clifton Williamson IV; and Clifton Williamson, III with Clifton, Jr.’s elk taken at the Mack Morris Ranch.

Hunt of a Lifetime

me he wished he could have gone Elk hunting once in his lifetime.

My father worked hard his whole life to provide for his family and send my sisters and me through college—never complaining about his sacrifices. There in the hospital, I wished there was a way I could have made an elk hunt possible for my father.

My Father pulled through after two grueling months in the hospital. Through the help of my deer lease friends, Messrs.

Kennen Cantley and Mack Morris, my father was able to fulfill his dream by taking this spike elk with the .308 Remington he had purchased on leave during the Korean war some 45 years ago. There wasn’t a dry eye in the crowd of friends back at camp as we brought this trophy home.

My father looks back at his picture catalog daily, and I thought why not send this in to his favorite magazine to possibly get published, and relive the hunt again.

— Clifton Williamson, III

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failure. He was hospitalized with an infection last year and we thought we were going to lose him.

During his stay in the hospital, he told

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

PHOTOS COURTESY CLIFTON WILLIAMSON, III

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TF&G Report

Governor Experiences ‘The Truth about Coyotes’ © CANSTOCK PHOTO

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N MANY OCCASIONS, TEXAS FISH & GAME has cautioned about risks posed by unbridled growth of predator populations, reiterated most recently in Chester Moore’s

TF&G FIRST

PRESENTS

BIG BAGS AND C ATCHES

SPECKLED TROUT — UPPER LAGUNA MADRE

WHITETAIL BUCK — GEORGE WEST

STRIPED BASS — LAKE TEXOMA

Judy Jenson caught 8-pound, 30-inch speckled trout while fishing in the Upper Laguna Madre. This was a once-in-a-lifetime catch for Judy.

Caroline Davis harvested this 10-point whitetail buck near George West. The trophy buck had a 21inch spread and scored a 142-1/8-inch B&C.

Jackson Espe, age 8, caught this nice striper on an artificial lure while drifting the islands at Lake Texoma. Photo courtesy of Striper Express.

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April column, “The Truth about Coyotes.” That same month, Governor Rick Perry learned firsthand a bit of “The Truth about Coyotes.”

While jogging in an undeveloped area near his home, Perry encountered a coyote intent on making a meal of a Labrador pup accompanying the governor. Perry, who holds a concealed carry license, assessed the situation, drew a laser-sighted .380 pistol from a belt holster, and killed the coyote with one shot.

“Don’t attack my dog or you might get shot ... if you’re a coyote,” he later told reporters.

Perry said he carries the little Ruger loaded with hollow points when jogging because he is “afraid of snakes,” but did not elaborate on type or species.

The governor lives in a private house in a hilly area near downtown Austin while the Governor's Mansion undergoes repairs to damages incurred in a 2008 fire.

Perry told Associated Press reporters: “I’m enjoying the run when something catches my eye and it’s this coyote. I know he knows I’m there. He never looks at me, he is laser-locked on that dog.

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“I holler and the coyote stopped. I holler again. By this time, I had taken my weapon out and charged it. It is now staring dead at me. Either me or the dog are in imminent danger. I did the appropriate thing and sent it to where coyotes go.”

Published AP reports incorrectly asserted, “Texas state law allows people to shoot coyotes if they are threatening livestock or

domestic animals.” In fact, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department regulations class coyotes as “non-game” animals that may be hunted or killed at any time. A hunting license is required for recreational or control hunting.

—Staff Report

Spring Alligators—

E T A D P U & N O I T CLARIFICA

HE FEATURE STORY “NIGHT OF THE Saurians” in our March 2010 issue could give the impression it is legal to hunt alligators at night during the spring alligator season. This is not the case and is a violation of TPWD regulations.

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Wildlife Service federal warden charged guides and clients with game violations, including but not limited to taking alligators outside legal hunting hours (one-half hour before sunrise to sunset).

It is NOT LEGAL to hunt alligators at night.

LARGEMOUTH BASS — MEXICO Darryl Hanson caught his first big bass at over 10 pounds while fishing on Lake Baccarrac in Mexico.

The bass was 26 inches and was caught on a Yum 5inch white swimbait.

According to our information at the time the story was published and as of press time for the June issue, the outfitter conducting these hunts was doing so in cooperation with local TPWD biologists and wardens in Wharton County as “nuisance alligator” control on private land. The outfitter was sufficiently confident in the arrangement to publicize the hunt offering and seek press coverage, which Texas Fish & Game provided.

During a nighttime hunt subsequent to the one covered in our March issue, a TPWD warden accompanied by a U.S. Fish & T E X A S

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by Texas Fish & Game to contact one of the biologists allegedly involved have so far been unsuccessful. We will continue to investigate this story and publish our findings as soon as practicable.

—Don Zaidle, Editor-in-Chief

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Chester’s Notes

by Chester Moore | TF&G Executive Editor

Family Fishing Clinic ESULTS—THAT IS WHAT THE FISHING industry says it needs in response to the constant push to get new people involved in the “sport.” Nationwide, there has been a steady decline in angler numbers, causing the experts great frustration and fear for the future.

In my opinion, the problem begins with identifying fishing as a “sport” instead of a lifestyle.

Sure, there is a sporting element, and for some there is even money to be made in the competitive realms, but there is something transcendent about fishing—something deeper.

People typically do not pass on playing tennis or running track from one generation to the next, but they will go to great lengths to share catfish bait recipes, wade-fishing holes, and legacy tackle prized by relatives of years past.

Teach someone to play basketball, and they might have a good run through college if they are lucky. Teach them to fish, and they have recreation that lasts a lifetime for them and their family.

Families might watch sports, but they engage in fishing and they do so together.

We at Texas Fish & Game are constantly working toward finding ways to create business opportunities that also benefit our readership. On Saturday June 26, we are excited to unveil a new kind of event that will hopefully inspire people from novice to expert to fish, and arm them with information that will enhance their fishing lifestyle.

From 10 a.m. until 6 p.m., TF&G will

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host a “Family Fishing Clinic” at the World’s Largest Tackle Store, Fishing Tackle Unlimited (FTU), 12800 Gulf Freeway in Houston. The event is free, open to the public, and designed to help you catch more fish.

The event will include seminars by employees of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department who will address the benefits of hatcheries to our coastal fisheries. Capt.

Mike Holmes will talk trolling strategies for summer pelagics. Bryan Treadway will discuss Bank and Small Boat Access for West Galveston Bay, and I will talk gear and tac-

tics for the Walkabout Angler.

In addition, throughout the day the public will have full access to mini clinics set up around the facility. Expert surf-fisherman Marcus Heflin will have his impressive setup of surf-fishing gear and will help people learn to fish our beaches on a budget. He will go over gear and give you fishing tips for shark, bull red, speckled trout, and everything else that roams Texas beaches.

Members of the Coastal Conservation Association will be on hand to host a kids

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casting booth complete with one-on-one instruction and prizes. FTU will have kayak demonstrations and help anglers interested in these increasingly popular watercraft.

Anglers can bring in their gear and get an honest appraisal of what they need to upgrade, change, or keep the same to reach their fishing goals. I came up with this concept because so many people have fishing equipment but don’t quite know what to do with it. We will help you help yourself by giving you an honest gear evaluation.

We will have people on hand to answer questions about fishing access, regulations, and other issues. I will be on hand all day with a special Flounder Revolution exhibit and will answer any questions you have about any aspect of fishing.

This is geared toward anyone with an interest in enhancing his or her angling opportunities and will be very kid friendly. We will have prizes, refreshments, and drawings throughout the day. We have designed several of our clinics to meet Boy Scout fishing merit requirements. We look forward to meeting with young and old alike.

There is nothing wrong with the many events that seek to simply let kids wet a line, but it takes a family to stay involved in fishing. We want to ensure anyone of any age can leave this event with a better understanding of how to keep their angling lifestyle alive. It doesn’t matter if you are single or have a half-dozen kids, or if you are 16 or 60. This event is for you and is thanks from TF&G and FTU for keeping us alive and well into the year 2010 and beyond.

We believe it is our responsibility to help others enjoy their outdoors experiences, and we believe this is the beginning of something special that will help do just that.

See you there.

Email Chester Moore at cmoore@fishgame.com

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Doggett At Large

by Joe Doggett | TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

Genesis ACH SPRING, THE LAKES AND BAYS OF Texas greet kids new to the world of angling. Many of these beginners receive encouragement from mentors or friends while others go it alone.

Regardless of approach, some may give fishing an indifferent shot then move onto other activities. Others may enjoy the experience but, in subsequent years, fail to embrace the sparkle of promising water as a major influence. They swell the ranks of the occasional “weekend fishermen”—and that’s fine.

But each spring, fortunate kids with bright eyes and bumbling efforts find a magic wand. They rise from the awkward casts and recurring backlashes and know a lifelong passion for angling.

This column is for them. Yes, you—the kid about to embark on their first real fishing adventure. You might not realize it now, but the first significant fish caught on your own is an accomplishment that can be all out proportion to the actual event.

Trust me on this. I caught my first largemouth bass 50 years ago, and I can recall a lot more than you probably want to know about the encounter.

The bass came one late-spring morning from the old Hermann Park Lake adjacent to the Houston Zoo. The urban “lake” covered approximately four acres; it was home water for junior-high forays with simple spincast tackle for small bluegill sunfish and stunted bullhead catfish. Nobody among my rag-tag crew of fishing friends had ever hooked, much less caught a bass.

The water was clear, rimmed with thick beds of coontail moss, and that balmy morning the surface was slick. Two wooden piers extended into the lake, opening the promise of deeper water and weed-bed pockets.

I walked out the east pier. I was alone. I often fished alone because neither of my parents had any interest in angling. They didn’t

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discourage my outdoor pursuit (stoked by monthly articles in Field & Stream and Outdoor Life and Sports Afield) but they just didn’t understand the beckon.

I was wielding a Zebco 33 reel and a 51/2-foot Roddy fiberglass rod and a De Long plastic eel. The 3-inch eel sported two small gold hooks seated tandem on a mono leader in the slim body. Soft plastic (or “rubber”) baits were relatively new during the late 1950s, and the stiff rig was pretty rough compared to today’s sophisticated offerings, but the black eel looked to me like something a bass might grab. I was correct.

The third or fourth cast into a large pocket on the west side of the pier drew a no-nonsense yank. I thrilled to see an upwelling boil and a flash of silver and green. The flash was long and slim—no stubby “perch” this time!

The rod bent and the bass came up and out in a thrilling magazine-cover leap. I could see the flared gill plates and wild eyes and twisting, shaking fins. The green back and black lateral line were bold in the early light.

I clutched the dipping rod and cranked the stubborn reel. The bass jumped again.

Oh, please don’t get off, I mentally pleaded.

Oh, not now! Not this one!

The bass made a final jump then a flurry and dive under the pier, but I reeled down and hoisted the flapping fish onto the wooden planks. Mine!

I clutched the lower jaw exactly the way the great Jason Lucas would have done and felt the rough lip and marveled at the glowing prize.

How big? You’re probably thinking 6 pounds, maybe 8. At least 5, right?

No...my first largemouth bass, the most beautiful fish in the world, measured a hair over 14 inches. It weighed less than a pound.

But it was every inch and every scale a bona fide bass, a true game fish of the finest order.

And I, at once, was a real angler, a catcher of big-league species not just B-team bait stealers.

The trailing gold hook was pinned in the corner of the jaw, excellent placement that resulted from the flashing image as the bass

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snatched the eel and turned. Luck there; had I seen the fish coming, no question I would have panicked and yanked the lure away; or “burned his lip” as I have done so many times on visual strikes during the subsequent decades.

I held the bass in my right hand and used the left to push the hook free. The fins bristled and a tiny dot of blood showed on the hinge, but the fish was in excellent condition following the brief struggle. It shone with vibrant colors and looked supremely correct.

I considered keeping the bass. The temptation to show it around and bask in the bragging rights was strong. But so, also, were the beauty and promise of the living fish.

A metal clip-type stringer lay piled optimistically in the bottom of the My Buddy tackle box. I had unfurled it several times to impale palm-sized bluegills and puny “horned pouts,” but the image of my first bass dangling from the bottom clip, twisting and gasping and dying was not the memory that I wanted. That fish represented the start of a great adventure, one that would carry a long way.

I lowered the bass to the green water and stirred it back and forth several times, then opened my hand and watched it swim away.

I remember those details as if they occurred today—never mind the hundreds of trips from Alaska to Argentina, and the thousands of fish from Atlantic salmon to Pacific sailfish, that have followed since that first great morning.

And that, you lucky young rascal, is what you might experience this spring.

E-mail Joe Doggett at doggett@fishgame.com

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Pike on the Edge

by Doug Pike | TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

Requeim for Rollover OON, IF NOT ALREADY, ROLLOVER PASS ON the Bolivar Peninsula will be filled and forgotten. In the historic blink of an eye, this immensely popular fishing destination was rendered indistinguishable from beachfront and bayshore to its left and right.

Within a single generation, Rollover Pass will be no more than something else about which old fishermen talk whenever and wherever they reminisce. And when they

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speak of this place, most will punctuate the memory with a barb or two aimed at whomever they blame for its closure.

Plans to silence the flow of water through this narrow gap, opened in the mid1950s and host to hundreds of thousands of fishermen since then, were nothing new. There has been talk of it, but never more than that, for many years.

Soon after storm surge receded behind hurricane

Ike, however, the game changed. Check that.

The game remained the same, but the home team was crippled.

Before Ike, Rollover Pass mattered dearly to a great number of people. They cared, many of them passionately, about so many fond recollections spawned on the ebb and flow of green water here.

Ike’s fury swept away the future of Rollover Pass as surely as it washed homes and boats and even a few lives right out to sea. In its wake, locals had lost everything, and similar devastation was heaped upon thousands more people who fished Rollover Pass regularly.

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And all those fishermen, once so quick to speak out in defense of the pass, suddenly had new and bigger priorities. Rollover still mattered, but not as much.

To those who wanted the pass closed, whether to ease maintenance of the Intracoastal Waterway or to favorably alter salinity levels in Galveston Bay or for whatever reasons they had, fewer people on the “Keep It Open” sideline made it easy to gain ground. There were fewer phone calls, fewer emails, and fewer letters in response to balloons floated by long-term planners and engineers. They made interesting and sometimes compelling arguments for shutting that gap, and Ike inadvertently provided opportunity to get that done.

The hurricane punched Rollover Pass in the gut, time and again. The nation’s concurrently floundering economy socked the pass squarely on the chin and rocked it to the canvas.

Granted, it costs money and lots of it to rebuild bridges and maintain an ICW constantly flooded with sand and silt on the incoming tide. And apparently (never mind the billions hemorrhaging daily out of federal arteries) there were no dollars available to reshape and reconstruct.

The fight was a good one and a long one, but it’s over.

Despite no official obligation to do so, incidentally, the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department held a meeting in April, in Galveston, to ask anglers what it might do to relieve some of the sting from loss of the pass.

On the list, among other things, were new fishing piers and boat ramps. With respect to the department, which did all in its power, nothing short of saving the pass could compare to saving the pass. You can’t have chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream, boys and girls, but how about some Brussels sprouts and beets?

Piers are legitimate fishing options, granted, but they don’t provide the drive-up, sit-down-and-fish access that made Rollover Pass so popular. New public boat ramps are welcome on any occasion (for people who own boats), but most folks who fished Rollover Pass don’t own boats. That’s why they were sitting on tailgates or lawn chairs at Rollover Pass and not anchored over Hannah’s Reef.

It saddened me that no politician made a stronger case—made any case at all really—

to heal Rollover Pass behind the hurricane.

Our lawmakers’ decisions came down to votes, it seems most likely; two-lane bridges and dredge barges don’t generate as much goodwill at the polls as another truckload of free cheese.

Soon, as we drive down the Bolivar highway, we will point to blank sand and talk about Rollover Pass in a distant, saddening past tense. And not long after that, as the area is redeveloped, we will have a hard time

remembering where it even was.

Past generations will miss Rollover Pass.

Future generations, since we are fortunate to have abundant fisheries now, will find new places. Change, like tide, is constant and unstoppable. But through it all, those of us who want to fish...will fish.

E-mail Doug Pike at dpike@fishgame.com

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Ted Nugent’s TexasWild

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

Texas Bowhunters: Dead Last WASN’T BORN IN TEXAS, BUT I GOT HERE AS fast as I could. Being the very lucky man that I am, my choice of residence is virtually unlimited. I could live anywhere I want to, and I do. Many circumstances evolved that brought me to the wonderful Lone Star State from my birth state of Michigan, but here I am and it is all good. I am a proud Texan through and through.

More than a Texan, I am an American, and my genetic makeup is one of defiance and volatile suspicion of authority and the long arm of authority. It is my sincere belief that all Americans have a patriotic duty to participate in this glorious experiment in selfgovernment, and constantly ask questions and remain as vigilant watchdogs on our government and the media. It is up to We The People to monitor the function of America based on the spiritual brilliance of the U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence, Ten Commandments, and Golden Rule. I believe, and I do.

As wonderful as Texas appeared to be, it was strange enough to give me headaches when I first learned back in 1975 that Texas had no concealed weapons rights. I know, Texans could have a handgun in the glove box as long as they crossed two county lines, but that ain’t keeping and bearing squat by any stretch of the imagination. I couldn’t believe it.

Once the carnage from Luby’s cafeteria was cleaned up and we threw the anti-gun liberal Democrat Ann Richards out so she could date Mario Cuomo, the poster boy for anti-hunting, anti-gun, and far left big government liberalism, we elected George W. Bush on the simple premise that We The People of Texas could and should be allowed

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to have a concealed weapon on our person.

What a concept.

I was more than stymied when I discovered that the No. 1 deer hunting state on Earth had a Ted Kennedy-type law that mysteriously closed down the hunting season smack dab in the middle of it all, where even private landowners were forbidden from deer hunting for a week between bow and gun season. Beyond bizzarro!

One phone call to the good bowhunting governor, Rick Perry, and that insane regulation went the way of the dodo bird. Good riddance.

It is also good that Texans can chose to bowhunt with either a vertical bow or a horizontal bow at their discretion in this Great Republic. It is good to see logic in policy making in the greatest state in the nation.

Rejoice.

It is obvious and rather celebratory that Texas is indeed the No. 1 hunting state in the nation, but here’s where the headaches kick back in. How can the No. 1 hunting state in the nation be No. 50 when it comes to bowhunting? Considering the phenomenal amount of virtually unlimited bowhunting opportunities in Texas, from the incredible deer, turkey, javelina and year-round lion, hog, varmint, and exotic hunting, it is incomprehensible to this old bowhunter how Texas could possibly have the fewest bowhunters per hunting license sold compared to any other state. How can this be, and more importantly, what can we do to rectify this embarrassing situation?

Too many Texans are missing out on the effervescent mystical flight of the arrow.

Bowhunting is just too cool for us to be dead last.

Having guided Texas’ hunters and lots of Texas bowhunters for many years in Texas and in numerous other states, a reoccurring profile is identified that exposes the source of our problem. I have many hunches on how it all started, but the important thing is what to do about it now.

I am well aware that some of the best, deadliest bowhunters on earth are Texans.

I’ve hunted with them and watched them slay

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many a fine beast on TV and video. These guys and gals got it and get it. But surprisingly, the vast majority of Texas bowhunters I have shared campfires with are ridiculously over-bowed with noticeably too heavy a draw weight, and somehow came into possession of a bow that just doesn’t fit them properly.

Too much draw weight and an archery form destroying too long of a draw length spell certain frustration and a propensity to quit for many.

If I hear another Texan tell me they tried bowhunting with a borrowed or hand-medown bow from their uncle or brother, but couldn’t get the hang of it, I think I will implode. It is pandemic.

A bow is not something you can borrow from a buddy—unless you both mysteriously have the exact body, arm, and muscle structure; same draw length facilitating proper archery form at that bow’s draw weight; and ultimately the same overall “feel” for the bow at hand. You might get away with this when shooting a recurve or longbow, but not with a modern compound bow, as the functions of cams, wheels, and draw force are critical to the individual archer—do or die critical.

If you have to lift your bow above the plane of sight when drawing, the draw weight is too heavy for you. Case closed. My petite, dainty little wife, the Queen of the Forest, Shemane, kills all sorts of big, tough, hard game with her little girly 40-pound Martin bow. Deer, hog, zebra, kudu, wildebeest, and exotics of every species, simply dash off a short ways, tip over, and die.

I shoot 48-53 pounds draw, and more and more of my bowhunting buddies are purchasing new bows at substantially lighter draw once they discover how much more enjoyable it is and how much more accurate they are with lighter tackle. Killing efficiency of lighter bows is simply not a consideration.

Stealth, accuracy, dedicated practice, and hunting awareness bring home the backstraps.

Spread the word. Carry on.

E-mail Ted Nugent at tnugent@fishgame.com

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Commentary

by Kendal Hemphill | TF&G Political Commentator

Regulated to Death HEN MY THREE SONS AND I DECIDED to float Santa Elena Canyon on the Rio Grande recently, we naively assumed permission would entail, at most, a permit for my wife to enter Big Bend National Park in order to pick us up at the take-out. We had our own canoes and kayaks, our own personal floatation devices, our own paddles, and our own sunscreen. As United States citizens, we believed we also had our own right to use the river. Unfortunately, although the Rio Grande is an international boundary, the U.S. government evidently assumes ownership and therefore regulation of it.

Those who care to visit the official Big Bend National Park website will find a list of regulations governing any act of Rio Grande River travel in and below the park. This list includes, but is not limited to: one extra PFD per group, one extra paddle per vessel (one extra paddle per group for kayaks), and a patch kit and air pump for any inflatable boats (emphasis mine). Group size is limited to 20 persons (30 if launched within the park), and commercial operators are limited to 20 clients per day in no more than three groups. These groups must launch at least two hours apart.

These are not suggestions, but requirements, and violators are subject to being fined and ejected from the park. In addition, each group must carry a chemical “river potty” for human waste, which, if not owned, must be rented from a commercial operator for $30. Cheap, when you consider the after-use cleaning necessary, but still....

Besides all these rules, each party must obtain a backcountry-use permit, available at park headquarters during business hours.

Put-in and take-out locations must be listed, each member of the party must be named,

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and $10 must be paid. A copy of the permit must be carried on the trip, and supposedly kept dry and legible. This is in addition to a regular park use permit, for which a separate fee must be coughed up.

All this for an overnight float on a river that, as far as I can tell, does not belong to the government that is doing all this regulating and fee charging.

We are being henpecked to death by our federal, state, county, and city governments.

Of these, the most overbearing is, by far, federal. Nearly anything we choose to do now requires a license, permit, fee, registration, certification, or some other form of permission. Our freedom, bought with the blood of our forefathers and military, has been siphoned away through miles of red tape.

Consider, for example, what is required for a citizen of Texas to go fishing in a state or national park. He or she must obtain a fishing license, which must be carried on the trip, along with some form of photo identification. Besides fishing equipment a vehicle is required, which must be registered, maintained, and operated within specified bounds. A park fee is also necessary, and even then certain areas are off limits. This for a fishing trip on what is euphemistically called “public land.”

But then, there may be fewer places to fish soon, anyway, if the current administration has its way. There are already plenty of federal no fishing zones, and plans to take more of “your” waterways out of circulation are underway. A cane pole and a can of worms is no longer a ticket to an afternoon of recreation in the U.S.A. Land is also disappearing by the mile into the government maw. President BO is considering establishment of 14 new national monuments in nine states, according to a document leaked recently from the Department of the Interior. Without consulting state or local officials, this effort would set aside millions of acres of land currently in use by the public—the people who ostensibly own it.

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told how fast we can drive, how much tread our tires must possess, how deep our septic tanks must be dug, and even how much water we are allowed to flush down our toilets. Children riding school busses excepted, we are even required to protect our over-regulated selves when we drive by wearing our safety belts. Very soon we will be told where we can receive medical aid and from whom when we are sick.

This total manipulation has to end somewhere, and Texas needs to take the lead.

Governor Perry and the Texas legislature should make a proclamation asserting sovereignty from the federal bureaucracy, stop taking federal money, and allow Texans to live their lives as they see fit. At the very least, we should be able to float a river without enough federal regulations to sink our boat.

When the federal government was formed by representatives from the several states, it was given certain and specific powers. The Tenth Amendment says, in effect, that if the constitution does not enumerate a power to the federal government, then that power is retained by the states, or the people.

Which means the federal government does not have the right to mandate health care, or enact gun control, or regulate carbon emissions, or oversee hunting rights, because those powers are not listed in the constitution as being under federal jurisdiction. It also does not have the right to tell me how many paddles I need in my canoe, or to force me to wear a seatbelt.

The National Park Service most certainly has no right to require me to use a river potty, although in that case I believe we would have a hard time finding an entity with more experience than our federal government.

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E-mail Kendal Hemphill at commentary@fishgame.com

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ILLUSTRATION BY JK CHRISTIAN

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Long Live the King Mackerel

by Capt.

Mike Holmes IT IS QUITE POSSIBLE king mackerel’s royal title owes to its size as the largest mackerel species common to the near-shore Gulf of Mexico. It achieves up to 90 pounds, although 30 or under is the norm; while smaller than its distant cousin, the wahoo, the king reigns superior to Spanish and Cero mackerel.

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Kings are impressive fish: flashy speedsters that hit hard, fight hard, and at times relatively easy to catch—but never so easy to cease being a challenge. Sport anglers always preferred big mackerel to bottom-fishing for snapper because of their size and fighting ability. Kings might be caught trolling, drifting, around anchored shrimp boats, along weed lines, or by rig fishing - even over snapper rocks and other bottom structure.

In the days when most Texans fried everything that came from the water, the term “stink up a frying pan” could be taken quite literally with big mackerel. Today, we know other ways to cook a kingfish.

Fisheries managers tell us the king mackerel is virtually the only success story in the Gulf of Mexico, having seemingly rebounded completely from the dark days when it was under the first seasonal closure of a fish species in the Gulf, thus restoring the king to its rightful throne.

If you have access to a boat worthy of venturing past the surf in good weather, you can catch kings fairly close to shore. I caught a nice 27-pounder fishing from the beach for bull reds in 1979. I remember seeing two teenagers in a small flat-bottom aluminum boat with 15-hp outboard catching kings about eight miles off Sargent, although I would not recommend a boat quite that small.

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Tackling a king from a kayak ups the “tough” factor exponentially.

the population hangs around through much or all of winter. Large schools show up in deeper waters such as Stetson Rock very early in the spring, and seasons past when they were numerous over rocks in 120 feet of water off Freeport all winter.

Some novice friends came in with a good catch of kings one year in November from the Middle Banks off Freeport. It is also likely that older kings past their breeding prime go to

deeper water for winter rather than migrate with the big schools, and thus found at the Claypile Bank and similar spots.

Two groups of Gulf king mackerel are generally acknowledged, corresponding to the western and eastern Gulf, but the two are

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thought to mingle and breed during winter in the deep water off the mouth of the Mississippi—one reason winter is the best time for big kings out of Grand Isle and Venice, Louisiana.

While not always the most productive method for kings, I think trolling is the most exciting, coming as close to the feeling of fishing blue water for tuna, wahoo, and billfish as anyone in a smaller boat can. The time-honored feather jig might be the all-time best king catcher, but I find replacing the feathers with a bright plastic skirt a worthwhile improvement.

Adding a natural bait trailer such as a cigar minnow or strip of squid can up your odds, especially when slow-trolling a weedline or around a shrimp boat. For open water trolling, I like a 6inch twister tail grub in fluorescent orange. Perhaps even more successful is the Sevenstrand Tuna Clone, which can be pulled pretty fast and is as effective without a trailer as with one. Purple or Sablefish are my preferred colors for kings, as the red/white and blue/white often attract bonito.

The little tinsel jigs with the rounded leadhead and notched “mouth” are very effective INSET: TFG PHOTO

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with a cigar minnow trailer, especially in early spring. Various large swimming plugs and the King Getter/Russelure type of metal baits are very good pulled at slower speeds around rigs and shrimp boats, and over structure.

Drifting for kings while chumming is a great way to get fast light-tackle action, but the fish slash in so fast that a lot of short strikes and cut-off baits can result in missed hookups. Switching to a circle hook run through the gills and then anchored in the tail of a cigar minnow, threadfin shad, or small mullet increases the hookup ratio tremendously.

When I crewed aboard the 48-foot Wango Tango out of Freeport, we caught most of our kings while anchored over snapper rocks such as Saratoga Ridge and Little Campeche in depths approaching 200 feet; most of the action came late in the evening and early in the morning. Like jack crevalle inshore, deeper water kings do not seem to feed much at night, and we seldom caught them in the dark hours. In the morning, after a night of bottomfishing, a little chum would usually bring as many kings as we wanted to catch.

I have seen kings caught on Rebel-type swimming plugs cast out behind the boat with

PHOTO COURTESY REDFISH LODGE

ing net, sort of holding the head with a fish grabber like freshwater guys use for catfish sometimes, and wallowing it aboard. They left before we did, and of course missed the strong squall that battered us on the way in.

Judging from their actions and the few words exchanged, this was the family’s first offshore fishing attempt, and they didn’t seem to understand what the big deal was. To me, that highlights the value of the king mackerel—a royal fish for all anglers, noble and alike common.

A trophy king on a fly rod?

Believe it.

the rod left in a holder, where the only action of the plug was what the current imparted.

One of my favorite king stories was the time we encountered a family group in a bass boat at the “East Rig” out of San Luis Pass.

They were drifting with too-light spinning tackle, using who knows what for bait, and catching more kings than anybody. Lacking a gaff, their landing technique involved getting the bottom portion of the king in a big land-

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On the Web Sevenstrand Tuna Clone: www.berkleyfishing.com Russelure: www.russelure.com JK Christian, Fine Art: www.jkchristian.com

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Even though they are no longer the “ hot new lure,” plenty of old standards are still plenty capable of catching plenty of fish by Greg Berlocher

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“ herd mentality” comes to mind

when I think of serious fishermen. They are always looking for the next “ hot lure and as soon as a magazine article touting a new one comes out, it sets off a stampede to the nearest tackle shop. In addition to garnering the lions

is minimized. A snap swivel is another option.

In-line spinners come in different sizes. If you are gunning for bass, buy a lure with a hook large enough for the task.

LUCKY −−−−−−− 13 −− This cigar-style surface plug developed by James Heddon back in 1920 is a classic.

The distinctive notched face produces a deep-throated chug! when retrieved sharply.

Generically called a “chugger,” this type plug was once called a “plunker.”

Regardless of the current moniker,

share of retail sales, hot lures get most of the ink. Lots of great lures catch plenty fish; they just don’t get the press. Here are five of my personal favorites.

THE JITTERBUG −−−− −−−−−−−−−−−−

IN−LINE SPINNER −−−−−−−−− −−−−−−−−−

Introduced in 1938 by Fred Arbogast, the Jitterbug features a tubular body and cupped metal lip. This topwater bait retrieves with a seductive wiggle cadenced to seductive gurgles and paddle-plops that largemouth bass cannot

resist; fishermen find the soft, puttering gurgle quite pleasing, too.

Jitterbugs do not take much effort to fish; simply cast and reel.

Once you have that part down, make irregular pauses in your retrieve, allowing the plug to loiter near an exposed stump or lily pad.

Jitterbugs are a great choice for young fishermen to learn lure fishing. The plugs are easy to work, and a surface blast from a largemouth makes a lasting impression.

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In-line spinners are one of the most effective lures of all times, and will catch virtually any species that swims. Popular brands include Mepps, Blue Fox, Shyster, and Rooster Tail. The spinners feature a metal midsection that provides weight, a spinner that revolves around a central shaft, and a treble hook adorned with feathers or fur.

In-line spinners have been around since the late 1800s, when they were called spoons, and come in a variety of sizes to catch anything from panfishes to musky.

Black bass find them irresistible.

There are two knocks against in-line spinners: line twist and small hooks. Line twist is the result of an overzealous retrieve. Reel your bait in too fast and the line will

twist. Slow down your retrieve and the problem goes away, or at least

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retrieving the Lucky 13 in a series of “bloops” elicits tsunami-class strikes.

“Blooping” the lure periodically instead of continuously is a good technique. Hart Stillwell, author of the 1947 text, Hunting and Fishing in Texas, described this way: “I don’t like working a plunker that way. I like to let one lie out there until it gets its breath after the cast, then gently twist its ear to start it moving again.”

The Lucky 13 is available in several sizes and wide range of colors, although sometimes I wonder if color really makes a difference. Lucky 13s are so noisy when popped smartly that bass seem intent on destroying them just to shut them up.

SPOONS −−−−−−−− If I were limited to fishing with just one lure for the rest of my life, it would be a gold spoon. In my book, spoons rival jigs in versatility and are equally effective in fresh- and saltwater. They can be retrieved at a steady rate, twitched, danced across the tops of grass beds, rigged with a jig trailer, or jigged vertically in deep water. There are many excellent manufacturers: Johnson, Kastmaster, and Little Cleo are three of my favorites.

Since they are made of metal, spoons have more mass than most plasPHOTO CREDITS COURTESY MANUFACTURERS

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tic baits; large spoons can be hurled great distances. Surffishermen favor heavy spoons, as they can be punched into pumping coastal breezes, and stand up well to toothy species such as Spanish mackerel.

Several decades ago when Livingston, Conroe, and Sam Rayburn Reservoirs were new, bass fishermen regularly took weighty limits by jigging heavy silver spoons such as the Dixie Jet, which featured an embossed profile of a bass on its inner surface. The drill was straightforward—find deep structure and flutter a glistening spoon up and down over it.

The technique still works, but no one writes about it any more.

Any treatise on saltwater fishing that does not mention gold spoons is highly suspect.

The glittering gems entice a variety of fishes, including the “Big Three” speckled trout, redfish, and flounder.

DEVIL’S −−−−−−−− HORSE −−−−−−−

I am partial to wooden lures; they have a special timeless quality that plastic baits simply lack. Wooden plug lineage traces to the beginning of the U.S. tackle industry, and they still have certain panache in my book.

The Smithwick Devil’s Horse is one of the few wooden baits still on the market, and one of my favorites.

The Devil’s Horse is equipped with a metal propeller on either end, and makes a pleasing whirring sound when retrieved. Prop

baits, sometimes known as “slush baits,” kick up a fuss on the surface when retrieved at a fast rate or ripped for-

ward several feet. The double props mimic the commotion of panicked baitfish, thus triggering impressive strikes.

The Devils’ Horse is a good choice for long distance sniping at school fish feeding on the surface. Largemouth, white, and striped bass as well speckled trout love the sleek profile that comes with the frothy sound.

On the Web www.heddonlures.com www.arbogastlures.com www.smithwicklures.com www.acmetackle.com

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Texas Saltwater

by Calixto Gonzales | TF&G Saltwater Editor

Persnickety Snook HE SNOOK IS TRULY BECOMING A STATE fish. Warmer waters that some fisheries biologists think might be the biggest bane of Texas flounder numbers have also proven a boon for the coveted linesider. Catches of small-to-medium snook have been reported with greater frequency north of the Land Cut--long considered the northernmost reach for robalo. Anglers in Aransas Pass, Matagorda, even Galveston and Sabine have reported landing an occasional snook while plying the waters for redfish and speckled trout. Though these catches are still very rare, they are noteworthy enough to inspire a few words on the popular but moody saltwater answer to the pike.

Snook aficionados rarely have the luxury of rescheduling a fishing trip. Unless there is a severe weather event, catastrophic equipment breakdown, or major family emergency, most fishermen chalk up less-than-perfect days to part of the sport and go anyway.

They work mangrove edges with the hope of finding their quarry in spite of conditions that have caused linesiders up and down the coast to close their under-bites tight and move from regular haunts.

There is no need to rely on wishful thinking to have a shot at snook in contrary conditions, nor to start wondering if the mangrove snapper are biting. You might need to adopt a different plan to get your fix, but the day is certainly not lost.

Weather affects snook more than any other factor throughout the year. Sudden cold fronts that send water temperatures plummeting as much as 15 degrees (especially a late-season norther that catches fish and fishermen alike flat-footed), rising barometric pressure from a summertime highpressure system that parks itself over an area

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Snook, just like most inshore game fishes, seek warmer digs when shallow-water temperatures creep below 70 degrees. They abandon regular haunts along shoreline timber and on shallow flats. Conversely, during the warm days of a Texas summer, snook will stretch their fins and start roaming bay systems and the first and second guts of the surf.

They become more aggressive and can be easier to catch. It doesn’t take much, however, to change that attitude.

Ironically, the bluebird skies and bright days of a mid-summer high-pressure system that draws so many anglers to the coast can shut down snook. The intense sunlight can push bigger snook deeper into shaded areas and cover.

“Last summer was a really tough time to catch snook consistently,” said Captain Allan Salinas of Port Isabel (956-9436954). “You could find some small fish, but the numbers of big ones weren’t there. It was difficult because of the conditions.”

During the summer of 2009, a large high pressure system moved over most of Texas and parked for the duration of the season.

Southeast winds that pushed 30 mph and high temperatures persisted through the end of August. It wasn’t a banner season for snook.

The fish that did come to the net, according to Salinas, required a different approach.

“It was a finesse type of situation,” he said. “I was having my clients throw weightless jerkbaits at the fish that we could spot, or into potholes and let the lures just sit there. If the fish didn’t bite, we just kept at it until they did. Persistence is important in succeeding with tough conditions. The fish might not be hungry, but you can trigger reaction strikes.”

Live bait is another option for moody summer snook. It might seem downright sacrilegious to some anglers to even think of seducing so wily and noble an adversary with meat, but if you’ve been flinging everything in the tackle box at a fish that won’t even

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budge to look at it, you’ll reach for the cast net soon enough. Besides, fishermen in Florida chum for snook, for crying out loud.

Bait has it’s purpose.

Later in summer, when snook start developing serious lockjaw, a large live shrimp, feisty mullet, or pinfish might get their attention. Shrimp can be fished in a traditional fashion, such as under a popping cork or free-lined around structure. Live finfish should be hooked just above the anal fin so that it will swim up and away from structure.

Moreover, the bait will give off a lot of vibration, which will draw a snook’s attention.

Even if a linesider isn’t hungry, it will strike out of instinct.

Surf snook can get a case of the mulligrubs, too. These fish are catchable, but the rock-hoppers are at greater advantage than boat anglers. Snook often hold very tight to rock crevices and groins when a high-pressure system hits. A jetty walker can drop a bait or lure straight down into these tight spots when the most accurate caster can’t thread the needle and get to the fish.

The up-close approach can be very effective. Back when I was a teenager, when there were “no snook in Texas,” I remember seeing an old fisherman on the North Brazos Santiago jetty who would fish with a 12-foot cane pole and live mullet. He would drop the mullet into a crevice or notch and wait.

More often than not, he would yank up a big snook or trout. He caught plenty of the former, and tons of the latter. He is long gone, but his lesson remains. When I dabble with his technique, I use a 9-foot surf rod instead of a cane pole. I am not as successful as he was, but I catch a few fish.

Inactive snook might not be on the feed, but they are catchable. Ultimately, you have to be creative to get a bite. You might have to tease them until they lose their temper—or make them an offer they can’t refuse.

E-mail Calixto Gonzales cgonzales@fishgame.com

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Texas Freshwater

by Matt Williams| TF&G Freshwater Editor

KVD: All-Time Greatest Bass Angler T IS A LONG WAY FROM TEXAS TO LAY LAKE IN Birmingham, Alabama, but I could almost hear the proverbial kkkk-boom! when “KVD” shot down “The Squirrel” in the closing minutes of the final weighin of the 2010 Bassmaster Classic held on the 12,000-acre reservoir in February.

“KVD” is short for Kevin VanDam. The Kalamazoo, Michigan, pro is recognized as the most dominating figure in big league bass fishing, and quite possibly the greatest bass angler of all-time.

“The Squirrel” is the nickname bestowed several years ago on Ardmore, Oklahoma, pro Jeff Kriet.

Kriet is one of the best in the business, but his tendency to lose his cool in clutch situations and scramble nervously like a fox squirrel hunting a nut has cost him dearly in the past.

The two anglers, along with Jasper, Texas, native Todd Faircloth, occupied the top three spots going into the final round of an event that can make a career for the one who wins it. With only 3 ounces dividing them, the stage was set for a dramatic finish to what had proven to be one of the most challenging Classics in recent times.

Haunted by cold, muddy water and a finicky bite, many of the nation’s top bass pros struggled with Lay Lake’s stubborn bass from start to finish.

Denny Brauer, a veteran in the field and a former Classic champ, never landed the first fish. Boyd Duckett, the home-state favorite from nearby Demopolis who won the 2007 Classic on Lay, brought only one keeper to the scales. Skeet Reese, the 2007 BASS Angler of the Year and 2009 Classic champ from Auburn, California, managed

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just three bass in two days.

Only a handful of anglers really figured them out. Not surprisingly, VanDam was dialed in on the big ones better than anyone else, and he caught them when they counted the most.

In typical KVD style, the BASS all-time leading money winner and five-time BASS AOY put together a near flawless performance that shocked the bass fishing world and left everyone in it scratching their heads and asking the $500,000 question: “How in

VanDam is the all-time leading money winner on the BASS circuit.

the hell does he do it?”

Some say Kevin VanDam VanDam is an iceman with nerves of steel who never sways under pressure. Others contend that he is not from this planet.

I say he is a true champion, master of a demanding trade that hinges on uncertainties and quirky factors that are forever changing, sometimes from one minute to the next.

Though he is always a threat, VanDam seemingly fishes unconscious in tough bite tournaments. Somehow, some way, he always manages to put together a viable game plan that will put him in contention for the trophy. More importantly, he executes those plans with surgical precision, more often than not without error.

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Decision-making is another one of VanDam’s strong suits. He rarely makes a bad one. Perhaps the most important call he made in the 2010 Classic was to put all his marbles in a tiny stretch of water in the back of Beeswax Creek and to mine it for all it was worth.

Although he had other spots, his gut told him the scattered patches of coontail grass in Beeswax held the most promise for kicking out the winning fish. He followed his intuition and camped on the spot for the duration of the tournament. The decision paid off handsomely.

In three days, VanDam posted as many limits that collectively weighed 51 pounds, 6 ounces to nail down his third Bassmaster Classic victory in 20 years on tour. Only one other angler, four-time winner Rick Clunn, has claimed the trophy more than twice.

KVD registered the two heaviest sacks of the tournament, including a 19-pound, 7ounce limit in the final round that catapulted him past Kriet with 5 pounds to spare.

The win, worth $500,000 in cash, gives VanDam more than $4.1 million in career earnings—roughly $1.8 million more than Brauer, the No. 2 BASS all-time money winner.

To put KVD’s accomplishments into better perspective, consider these factors: He has competed in 222 BASS events and won 17 of them; has 85 Top 10 finishes and 136 Top 20. On average, he wins $18,700 per tournament. He has not missed qualifying for the Bassmaster Classic since turning pro in 1991. In 20 Classics, KVD has finished inside the Top 10 twelve times and outside the Top 20 only four times. How long will this stunning string of dominance last?

That’s anybody’s guess. Mine is that KVD won’t be going away anytime soon. He was born to fish and is driven to win.

E-mail Matt Williams at freshwater@fishgame.com

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ACOB BRYANT SAID IT LOOKED LIKE SOMEthing out of “Jaws” when the white jug sluiced past while he was bass fishing in the Nueces River.

“I looked up and saw this jug floating along about 100 yards south of me,” Bryant said. “I didn’t think much of it, until it went under and came up in front of my boat.”

Confused at first, he figured he was witnessing but a bit of discarded flotsam, but questioned his judgment as the jug took off at breakneck speed down the river. His imagination then began to run wild.

“The little devil on my shoulder wanted me to take a peek at whatever was on the line,” Bryant said. “But part of me didn’t want to know. I could just envision the scene from “Jaws” where Roy Scheider’s character throws over a scoop of chum, turns around, and the 30-foot great white comes up. I was pretty far inland, but I couldn’t shake the vision of something with lots of teeth getting after me.”

Irresistible curiosity prompted him to follow the jug until it stopped abruptly. As he stared into the clear water, something with even more teeth than a shark broke the surface.

“It was an alligator gar, and it was the biggest I’ve ever seen,” Bryant said. “Its tail

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looked like it was two feet across, and its head resembled a cross between an alligator and a Tyrannosaurus Rex. “Conservatively estimating, I would say it was 7 feet long, but it could’ve been more than 10 for all I know. The scary part was the way it looked at me—this evil stare like I did something wrong. It was downright spooky.”

Whether or not gar actually get mad at people is debatable, but the fish could have

by Chester Moore very well been 10 feet long. Like everything else in the Lone Star State, garfish get big here, and some of the very biggest dwell in the Texas bay and marsh systems, where a growing number of anglers pursue them for sport.

Angler Pete Castille of Baytown considers gar the ultimate sport fish in Texas waters, and spends much of his time in pursuit of them.

“Gar have all the qualities a so-called ‘sport fish’ should have,” he said. “They get big, fight hard, and actually taste very good.

But most people don’t like to fool with them because they’re kind of scary-looking. But once you start going after them, that’s all

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Give Gar a Chance you’ll want to fish for.”

Castille said anglers should keep it simple when gearing up for garfish and to remember what they are dealing with: “I fish from a boat, so I use a stout 6-foot offshore stick with an old Penn reel. I use 80-pound Ande monofilament line and fish with an 18-inch, 100-pound-test steel leader with a treble hook. I’m looking for big gar when I go fishing, so I don’t fool with light tackle.”

Castille usually starts fishing with whole mullet and switches to small chunks of cut bait when the gar get finicky.

“Sometimes big gar will get weird and won’t take a big bait,” he explained. “And sometimes the smaller gar will get the big bait and leave the small stuff alone. They’re strange that way. When it gets like that and I switch to smaller bait, I start getting more bites and wind up landing more respectable fish. ‘Respectable’ in gar terms is different than with other fish, of course. Anything less than 3 feet long is disappointing.”

Castille said he seeks gar from May through the middle of October. The catching is good through spring and summer, but gets better after the first cold fronts of fall.

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In This Issue

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HOTSPOTS FOCUS: ROCKPORT • Genesis Again|

BY CAPT. MAC GABLE

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GEARING UP SECTION

HOTSPOTS FOCUS: LOWER COAST • If not Snapper, then Flipper |

BY CHESTER MOORE

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SPECIAL SECTION • Tricked Out Rides | BY TF&G STAFF

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

BY TF&G STAFF

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INDUSTRY INSIDER • Laguna Rods, MG Arms, Z-Man |

BY TF&G STAFF

TEXAS HOTSPOTS • Texas’ Hottest Fishing Spots |

BY TOM BEHRENS, CALIXTO GONZALES, & BOB HOOD

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HOTSPOTS FOCUS: UPPER COAST • Eye on the Sky |

BY CAPT. EDDIE HERNANDEZ

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HOTSPOTS FOCUS: GALVESTON • COMPLEX • The Little Things |

BY CAPT. MIKE HOLMES

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BOWHUNTING TECH • Time for a Change? |

BY LOU MARULLO

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TEXAS KAYAKING • The Power to Heal |

BY GREG BERLOCHER

TEXAS GUNS & GEAR • Federal Cartridge |

BY STEVE LAMASCUS TEXAS BOATING • The 30 Best Boating Tips, Ever! |

BY LENNY RUDOW

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OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE SECTION

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OUTDOOR CLASSIFIED DIRECTORY • Classifieds | BY TF&G STAFF

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PHOTO ALBUM • Your Action Photos |

TEXAS TASTED • Barbecued Crab |

BY BRYAN SLAVEN

BY TF&G READERS

BAITS & RIGS • Bream Basics |

BY PAUL BRADSHAW

www.FishGame.com

fine flavor and can be pre- Garfish populations are in decline now allow for the retaining pared in just about every of one gar a day. due to unregulated commercial way imaginable.

Gar meat is often packfishing and habitat loss.

“Gar balls,” a mixture aged as “ocean perch” and of ground gar meat and vegetables, is the sold in the frozen food section of grocery most popular dish, but gar is also eaten fried stores. The virtually unregulated commerand grilled. The meat has a firm texture like cial harvest of gar results in the deaths of swordfish. Pound-for-pound, gars probably thousands of large gar in Texas and other yield more meat than any other fishes. states every year.

According to studies conducted by the Alligator gar are still abundant in some U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the areas, but many areas that used to be loaded Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, the with them now have very few. meat value of garfish is having a major “Part of the problem with gar is that we impact on their populations, which is a don’t know a lot about them,” said U.S. major reason for the regulation changes that Fish and Wildlife Service biologist Bob PitC2 |

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

BY TF&G STAFF

TESTED • C40 TEXAS Vision Slyder, Voltaeus Rods, Winchester |

HOW-TO SECTION

COVER STORY • Give Gar a Chance |

BY CHESTER MOORE

HOTSPOTS & TIDES SECTION

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man. “They’re the second-largest freshwater fish next to sturgeon, yet there have been few studies conducted on them.”

Pitman feels that besides commercial harvest, one of the biggest problems could be lack of spawning habitat: “Backwater areas, which are prime habitat for alligator gar, are often regarded by people as undesirable because they hinder flood control, spawn mosquitoes, and so on. When rivers are channeled to eliminate these backwaters, it eliminates spawning and nursery habitats for gar. Without a place to spawn, their populations certainly can’t grow.”

Currently, two national fish hatcheries, Uvalde National Fish Hatchery in Texas and Tishomingo NFH in Oklahoma, are experimenting with ways to raise alligator gar in captivity. If the species continues to decline, there may be a need for gar stocking programs.

“We should be concerned with this fish’s well-being,” Pitman said. “When some of the top links in the food chain start disappearing, it’s usually a signal of other environmental problems.”

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Plastics and Toppers for Trout LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Sydney Island GPS: N29 58.590, W93 49.433 SPECIES: speckled trout

BY TOM BEHRENS tbehrens@fishgame.com

BEST BAITS: soft plastics in natural colors, chartreuse tail, sparkle (clear water); chartreuse, Lemon, Morning Glory (stained water); topwaters CONTACT: Capt. Bill Watkins, 409-7862018 TIPS: We should have lost our incoming freshwater flow from the rivers and the north end of Sabine Lake should be salty.

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LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: East Pass GPS: N29 58.920, W93 47.135 SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: soft plastics in natural colors, chartreuse tail, sparkle (clear water); chartreuse, Lemon, Morning Glory (stained water); topwaters CONTACT: Capt. Bill Watkins, 409-7862018 TIPS: Everything is shaping up this month for the summer fishing pattern.

LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Garrison’s Ridge GPS: N29 48 811, W93 52.002 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: soft plastics, topwaters CONTACT: Capt. Bill Watkins, 409-7862018

TIPS: When the water clears up it should make for some great fishing. Birds should be working.

LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Beachfront @ Texas Point GPS: N29 70.277, W93.90.111 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: soft plastics in natural colors, chartreuse tail, sparkle (clear water); chartreuse, Lemon, Morning Glory (stained water); topwaters CONTACT: Capt. Bill Watkins, 409-7862018 TIPS: Look for bait action in the surf.

BANK ACCESS: Wade-fish the area south of Sabine Pass. 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 riprap to get on the beach.

LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Blue Buck Point GPS: N29 47.780, W93 54.439 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: soft plastics in clear or natural colors CONTACT: Capt. Bill Watkins, 409-7862018 TIPS: Speed of retrieve depends on tidal movement and how hungry the fish are.

Start with a slow retrieve, letting the bait sink to the bottom. Retrieve, keeping it in contact with the bottom, bouncing the bait.

LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Jetties GPS: N29 40.371, W93 50.250 SPECIES: slot redfish BEST BAITS: soft plastics in natural colors, chartreuse tail, sparkle (clear water); chartreuse, Lemon, Morning Glory (stained water); topwaters CONTACT: Capt. Bill Watkins, 409-7862018 TIPS: June is probably the best time of the year to be fishing off the jetties. A variety of

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fishes can be found along the jetties.

LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Jetties GPS: N29 40.371, W93 50.250 SPECIES: tripletail BEST BAITS: live shrimp under a rattling cork CONTACT: Capt. Bill Watkins, 409-7862018 TIPS: Pop the cork a couple of times and the fish should come to the bait. The fish like to lay near the surface and you might even be able to see them.

LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Stewts Island GPS: N29 57.899, W93 50.900 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Bill Watkins, 409-7862018

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TIPS: Speed of retrieve depends on tidal movement and how hungry the fish are.

Start with a slow retrieve, letting the bait sink to the bottom. Retrieve, keeping it in contact with the bottom, bouncing the bait.

LOCATION: Sabine Pass HOTSPOT: Ship Channel GPS: N29 70.277, W93.90.111 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: soft plastics in natural colors, chartreuse tail, sparkle (clear water); chartreuse, Lemon, Morning Glory (stained water); topwaters CONTACT: Capt.

Bill Watkins, 409.673.9211 TIPS: Vary presentation and retrieve according to water conditions.

Pink Fat Boy Specks LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Hannah’s Reef GPS: N29 28.783, W94 43.784 SPECIES: speckled trout

by TOM BEHRENS tbehrens@fishgame.com

BEST BAITS: Corky Fat Boy in pink or chartreuse CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio, 281788-4041 TIPS: Make long drifts keying on mullet activity and slicks.

LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Pig Pen GPS: N29 25.176, W94 44.116 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Corky in Fat Boy Pink or chartreuse CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio, 281788-4041 TIPS: Drift and key on bait slicks. Fish stack up on the western end.

LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Hannah’s Reef GPS: N29 28.783, W94 43.784 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Limetreuse Bass Assassins, Limetreuse/brown Devil Eyes rigged on 1/8- to 1/4-ounce jigheads CONTACT: Capt. Steve Hillman, 409-2567937 TIPS: Hannah’s Reef is about as good as it is going to get in June. Look for slicks.

LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Deep Reef GPS: N29 31.062, W94 41.206 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Limetreuse Bass Assassins, Limetreuse/brown Devil Eyes rigged on 1/8- to 1/4-ounce jigheads CONTACT: Capt. Steve Hillman, 409-256-

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7937 TIPS: Don’t forget to try the humps around Hannah’s Reef. If you see mullet action, try a topwater bait.

LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Compuerta Pass

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GPS: N27 29.792, W97 23.914 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live croaker CONTACT: Capt. Dan Filla, 361-2152332 TIPS: Free-line the croaker in 3-5 feet of water, working grass beds.

LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: North Compuerta GPS: N27 21.429, W97 23.087 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live croaker CONTACT: Capt. Dan Filla, 361-2152332 TIPS: Free-line the croaker in 3-5 feet of water, working grass beds.

LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Pipeline GPS: N28 32.024, W96 10.367 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: topwaters early, soft plastics as the sun comes up; Black Magic Sand Eel with 1/8-ounce leadhead CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz, 281450-4037 TIPS: Wade-fish the grass beds on south shore.

LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Cotton’s Bayou GPS: N28 30.602, W96 12.603 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: topwaters early, soft plastics as the sun comes up; Black Magic Sand Eel with 1/8-ounce leadhead CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz, 281450-4037 TIPS: Target drop-offs along sand bars.

LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Rig Pilings, Markers GPS: N28 31.265, W96 19.738 SPECIES: tripletail BEST BAITS: live shrimp 4 feet under a popping cork CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz, 281450-4037 TIPS: It all depends on how calm the winds are. You are fishing in the open bay.

LOCATION: Matagorda Surf HOTSPOT: Surf GPS: N28 43.213, W95 41.828 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: topwater early, switching to a Corky, sand eel with a 1/4-ounce jighead; silver spoon, 51 and 52 series MirrOlures CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz, 281-

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450-4037 TIPS: Anytime the surf is flat and clear, be there. This is a great place for anglers without a boat.

Green Apple Trout LOCATION: Gulf of Mexico HOTSPOT: Boca Chica Beach GPS: N26 2.493, W97 9.151 SPECIES: speckled trout

by CALIXTO GONZALES cgonzales@fishgame.com

BEST BAITS: large live shrimp or mullet; soft plastics in red/white, chartreuse/white, Green Apple CONTACT: Captain Allen Salinas, 956943-3474 TIPS: speckled trout roam the surf starting in June. Fish the first gut early in the morning, and move to the second and third gut later in the morning. Cruise between the jetties and the mouth of the river and watch for any changes in the sandbars. Fish live bait on a free-line rig with 1/4-ounce split shot. If that’s not enough weight, keep adding shot until you find the right combo.

Soft plastics work great pinned to 1/4-ounce heads.

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LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: South Jetty GPS: N26 3.846, W97 9.082 SPECIES: snook BEST BAITS: live shrimp, finger mullet; soft plastics, swimbaits CONTACT: Captain Allen Salinas, 956943-3474 TIPS: Early morning is a great time to try for a snook or two along the South Brazos Santiago Jetties. Boating anglers can fish the edges near the broken rock along the last third of the jetty, or back off of the point and fish the suds. Shorebound anglers can fish the surf side, where plenty snook love to hang out in the rocks, waiting for hapless prey to get tossed into range by the surf.

LOCATION: Gulf of Mexico HOTSPOT: Buoy GPS: N26 3.893, W97 6.721 SPECIES: Kingfish BEST BAITS: ribbonfish rigs, Magnum Rapala CONTACT: Quick Stop, 956-943-1159 TIPS: Calm seas mean kingfish come close enough to shore that anglers can make a run for them. Slow trolling with ribbonfish or giant swimming plugs are standard fare.

The key for small boat anglers is to choose your days. Watch the weather buoys for forecasts of stable weather. If the weather begins to pick up and chop the water, head for the

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barn. No fish is worth risking your life.

LOCATION: Gulf of Mexico HOTSPOT: Port Isabel Fishing Reef GPS: N25 57.736, W97 3.577 SPECIES: mangrove snapper BEST BAITS: live bait, fresh bait; soft plastics in red/white CONTACT: Jimmy Martinez, 956-5519581 TIPS: These aren’t your kids’ mangrove snapper. Some of these beasts push 9-10 pounds and bigger, and can cause some anxious moments for light tackle aficionados.

Live finger mullet are most effective, but live shrimp, squid, and cut ballyhoo work well, too. Fish with a split-shot rig to prevent from getting snagged in the reef. Bottom rigs will leave you re-tying and muttering to yourself.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Long Bar

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GPS: N26 8.349, W97 14.194 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Mauler/shrimp-tail; Gulp!

Shrimp in New Penny, chartreuse patterns CONTACT: Captain Eddie Curry, 956943-8301 TIPS: For bird activity, if there is none, sharpshoot the potholes with Mauler-rigged plastics or tails on light jigheads. An innovative but very lethal technique is to nose-rig a Gulp! Shrimp weightless on a weedless hook and swim it slowly through potholes and around grass beds. Trout and redfish find the look and suspending action hard to resist.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre/South Padre Island HOTSPOT: East of Three Islands GPS: N26 16.95, W97 16.00 SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: soft plastics, topwaters, cut

ballyhoo, fresh finger mullet, gold spoons CONTACT: Captain Mike Knox, 956-2430039 TIPS: Schools of redfish will be patrolling these waters, especially toward the end of the month. Fish soft plastics on 1/8- or 1/16-ounce jigheads. White and chartreuse is always a good color combination. If you are having a problem with floating grass, try a weedless gold spoon. Really work the light colored potholes. Hold onto your rod because these fish are normally oversized.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre/South Padre Island HOTSPOT: Edge of ICW north of Marker 67 GPS: N26 13.877, W97 16.175 SPECIES: flounder, black drum.

BEST BAITS: live shrimp; soft plastics CONTACT: Captain Mike Knox, 956-2430039

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TIPS: Get live shrimp, rig on a Mansfield Mauler or free-line with a small hook. Cast along the edge of the drop-off and let the current take the bait. Get ready for an action-filled morning.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre/South Padre Island HOTSPOT: Edge of ICW north of Marker 67 GPS: N26 13.877, W97 16.175 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAIT: live shrimp; soft plastics CONTACT: Captain Mike Knox, 956- 2430039 TIPS: Try to find birds and baitfishes cruising the edge. If you find the margaritagreen water there will be speckled trout. Soft plastics will work just as well for the more experienced fishermen; try Plum or chartreuse colors.

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LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Gaswell Flats GPS: N26 16.309, W97 16.222 SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: cut ballyhoo, live shrimp; soft plastics in red/white; 1/4- to 1/2-ounce gold weedless spoons CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez, 956551-9581 TIPS: If the tides aren’t extraordinarily low, redfish will cruise all over Gaswell. 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 might want to move up to a heavier spoon if the wind is blowing hard out of the Southeast.

LOCATION: Arroyo Colorado HOTSPOT: Cullen Bay GPS: N26 13.421, W97 16.773

SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: topwaters; Gulp! Shrimp in Nuclear Chicken, Pearl CONTACT: Captain Eddie Curry, 956943-8301 TIPS: A high tide spreads the fish out over the bay. Watch the shallows for tailing reds. Topwaters are good early in the morning. Fish Gulp! Baits or other softies later in the day. Mansfield Maulers will keep baits off the bottom.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: The Shacks GPS: N26 23.932, W97 20.591 SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: live bait; large topwaters early; DOA Tandems in Salt/Pepper, clear/red flake; gold spoons CONTACT: Captain Allen Salinas, 956943-3474.

TIPS: Some very good numbers of redfish

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prowl the flats along the ICW north of the Arroyo Colorado. Live shrimp, finger mullet, and mud minnows walked along the bottom on 1/4-ounce Carolina rigs is an option, but soft plastics like DOA Tandems can also be effective, and they will last much longer. Try fishing along the pilings early in the morning.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Three Islands GPS: N26 16.282, W97 17.702 SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: live bait; large topwaters early; DOA Tandems in Salt/Pepper, clear/red flake; gold spoons CONTACT: Captain Allen Salinas, 956943-3474 TIPS: redfish will be patrolling the area in herds of 3-5 fish. Noisy topwaters in Bone, Bone/Diamond are effective, especially those with high-pitched rattles such as the He-Dog or SkitterWalk. Soft plastics on a 1/8- to 1/4-ounce setups or 1/2-ounce gold weedless spoons are also effective. Swim one around the edges of the holes.

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LOCATION: Port Mansfield HOTSPOT: Beach Front GPS: N26 35.704. W97 17.151 SPECIES: tarpon BEST BAITS: topwaters early; plastics in Bone/clear, Bone/Diamond, Salt and Pepper CONTACT: Captain Steve Devries, 956289-3631 TIPS: Tarpon will be cruising up and down the beachfront in the summer. When the wind is down and “ice cream� conditions prevail, an angler can run his boat out and watch for the shallows for these silver marauders. Positions yourself on an intercept, and throw a topwater or suspending plug in front of these fish. Trout tackle makes this adventure even more exciting.

LOCATION: Port Mansfield HOTSPOT: East of Marker 151 GPS: N26 31.890, W97 23.260 SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: topwaters at first light; 1/4- to 1/2-ounce gold spoons; soft plastics in red/white, Firetiger

CONTACT: Captain Steve Devries, 956289-3631 TIPS: Wade or drift the deep potholes in the area with topwaters, soft plastics, spoons, or your favorite redfish lures to find pods of reds cruising the flats in this area. If you can locate the depth break, wade parallel to it and cast along the break.

LOCATION: Port Mansfield HOTSPOT: Big Oak Motts GPS: N26 41.965, W97 27.791 SPECIES: speckled trout, redfish BEST BAITS: topwaters; plastics in Bone/clear, Bone/Diamond, Salt and Pepper CONTACT: Captain Steve Devries, 956289-3631 TIPS: Drift or wade about 200 yards off the shoreline, where the bottom begins to slope into deeper water. Cast topwaters toward the shoreline early in the morning.

Turn around and cast into deeper water as the morning progresses and fish drop into it.

This is also an effective night-fishing spot on a full moon.

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Catfish Punch LOCATION: Gibbons Creek Lake HOTSPOT: Eagle Point, south side GPS: N30 37.920, W96 02.791

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: shad, crawfish CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, weldon_edna@hotmail.com, 979-229-3103, www.FishTalesGuideService.com TIPS: South winds are starting to blow regularly this month. Fishing the north bank where baitfishes are being blown to shore will be productive. Chum an area 20 yards off the shore then pull your boat to the bank and cast back into the chummed area. The action should improve within about 30 minutes after you have chummed. Using punch bait will help keep the area chummed because some of it will fall off the hook during each cast. Set out at least one line with shad for those larger fish passing through the area.

LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Shark Cove GPS: N32 55.149, W95 39.118 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS Yellow Magic, Zara Spook, Torpedo

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CONTACT: Michael Rogge, microg@texascellnet.com, 903-383-3406, www.lake-fork-guides.com TIPS: Bass are in their summer pattern, so early-morning and late-evening action will produce the most bites. During the day, move to the edges of the grass and fish wacky worms, stickbaits, or lightweight Carolina rigs. You can’t go wrong with anything that is green.

LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Boardtree Creek GPS: N32 52.128, W95 39.510 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS Yellow Magic, Zara Spook, Torpedo CONTACT: Michael Rogge, microg@texascellnet.com, 903-383-3406, www.lake-fork-guides.com TIPS: Bass are in their summer pattern, so early-morning and late-evening action will produce the most bites. During the day, move to the edges of the grass and fish wacky worms, stickbaits, or lightweight Carolina rigs. You can’t go wrong with anything that is green.

LOCATION: Lake Texoma HOTSPOT: The north end

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GPS: N33 52.072, W96 41.672 SPECIES: Striped bass BEST BAITS: topwater lures, slabs, jigs CONTACT: Bill Carey, bigfish@striperexpress.com, 877-786-4477, www.striperexpress.com TIPS: The striped bass have finished their annual spawn and are grouping up in large schools, roaming the lake in a feeding frenzy. During early mornings, cast topwater plugs on shallow banks with deep water nearby. At mid-mornings, tie on a 1 1/2ounce chartreuse, chrome or white Slab.

Locate the large schools in the river channel and main-lake area. Drop your slab, let it free-fall to the bottom, and reel it up quickly. Stay in contact with your Slab. The fish will hit it on the fall. By mid-month, look for the traditional surfacing topwater action in the same areas.

BANK ACCESS: Washita Point and Texas Flats LOCATION: Lake Somerville HOTSPOT: Yegua Park Cove, GPS: N30 18.322, W96 32.032

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SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: Shad, crawfish, punch bait CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, weldon_edna@hotmail.com, 979-229-3103, www.FishTalesGuideService.com TIPS: June is a good month to start chumming. Anchor within casting distance of the shoreline in the cove. Put out some chum toward the bank. Fish toward the shore.

Lily pads also might be starting to grow in this area and the fish will be on the outside edge of them. Tight-line Carolina-rigs using a No. 2 Kahle hook for shad and crawfish, and a No. 4 treble hook for punch bait on a Carolina rig. This also is a good area for night-fishing close to the shoreline.

LOCATION: Fayette County Lake HOTSPOT: Pekema Creek channel GPS: N29 55.950, W96 42.871 SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: punch bait, worms.

CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, weldon_edna@hotmail.com, 979-229-3103, www.FishTalesGuideService.com TIPS: Most fish have spawned and are

hungry. They will be moving into trees in 10-20 feet of water. Tie up to the trees and chum around them. The action should improve the longer you stay. Fish straight down around the base of the trees being stingy with the chum, but re-chumming every 15 minutes or so. The cats will move in schools so be patient and they will return to the chum.

LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Cobb Creek GPS: Cobb Creek, N32 05.00, W95 27.30 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Grape Mister Twister Thunder worms; shad-colored crankbaits; spoons CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff, ricky@rickysguideservice.com, 903-5617299, www.rickysguideservice.com TIPS: The south end of the lake in Cobb, Chimney, and Saline Creeks should provide the best action. Fish the boat docks and points at 6-10 feet deep.

LOCATION: Lake Richland-Chambers

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HOTSPOT: Pelican Island GPS: N31 59.722, W96 10.922 SPECIES: white bass, hybrid striped bass BEST BAITS: chartreuse slabs, silver-blue Rat-L-Traps CONTACT: Royce and Adam Simmons, Royce@gonefishin.biz, 903-389-4117, www.gonefishin.biz TIPS: June is the “transition month” here and you will often find white bass and hybrid stripers on a deep-water bite or you might see some surfacing action. Keep a one-ounce silver or chartreuse Slab on one rod to check out the main-lake points and humps in 20-25 feet of water. Also, have a second rod rigged with a 1/4-ounce silverblue Rat-L-Trap ready to cast at surfacing schools of white bass. The early-morning bite usually is best but afternoons can be cool enough to enjoy good action.

Stripers on Patrol LOCATION: Possum Kingdom HOTSPOT: Broadway GPS: N32 52.572, W98 31.723 SPECIES: striped bass

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

BEST BAITS: slabs; jigs with Mister Twister trailers CONTACT: Dean Heffner, fav7734@aceweb.com

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TIPS: The fish should be back in the main-lake area following the older riverbed near Broadway at the end of the peninsula.

Work jigs with trailers vertically or, if you see surface activity, cast into them and bring the lure back at high speed. This also is a perfect time to be downrigging with one-ounce jigs with six-inch Mister Twister trailers and trolling from 24 to 36 feet deep. Live shad can work, too, but artificials will pay off better if the fish are active. Keep a lookout for active fish and see what size bait they are chasing to “match the hatch.” Sometimes a smaller bait will catch more fish than larger offerings. Once you catch a fish, pay attention to the depth and try to duplicate what put that fish into your boat.

LOCATION: Lakes Graham-Eddleman HOTSPOT: Water intake SPECIES: hybrid striped bass BEST BAITS: Rat-L-Trap, slabs, jigs, topwater lures CONTACT: Dean Heffner, fav7734@aceweb.com, 940-329-0036 TIPS: Check the water outlet to see if the fish are congregated there. If they are not there head to rough the cut between the two lakes into Lake Graham and fish the humps near the dam during the early morning or while under cloud cover. Live bait always is best but trolling Rat-L-Traps and crankbaits from two to 15 feet will work, too. Go to smaller lures if you see the shad the fish are feeding on are small.

Go Deep for Bass LOCATION: Falcon Reservoir HOTSPOT: Piercen Cove GPS: N26 44.02, W99 12.64 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: deep-diving crankbaits, Carolina-rigged soft plastics with 3/4- to 1-

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

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robert@robertsfishntackle.com, 956-7651442, www.robertsfishntackle.com TIPS: The bass are moving to the humps off the river channel in their normal summer patterns. Concentrate on the edges of the channels where the fish are eager to fish on baitfish.

Dead Man Stripers LOCATION: Amistad Reservoir HOTSPOT: Railroad Bridge @ Dead Man’s Canyon, Pecos River SPECIES: white bass, striped bass BEST BAITS: perch-colored Rat-L-Traps, Bomber Model A’s

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

CONTACT: Larry Scruggs, fisherofmenlrs@hotmail.com, 210-789-1645 TIPS: Troll Rat-L-Trap or Bomber Model A in the main channel close to ledges.

Brown’s Whites LOCATION: Toledo Bend (North) HOTSPOT: Brown’s Bend GPS: N31 42.259, W93 48.605 SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: slab spoons, tail spinners,

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

Rat-L-Traps, shallow-diving crankbaits CONTACT: Greg Crafts, gregcrafts@yahoo.com, 936-368-7151, www.toledobendguide.com TIPS: White bass will be holding along the old river channel sandbars. A slab or tail spinner can be very productive. Watch for the whites schooling along the river channel, boat roads, flats, main lake points and at the mouth of the coves. Rat-L-Traps and shal-

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low diving crankbaits work great. Also, keep an eye open for gulls feeding on baitfish.

Usually, the whites have pushed the baitfish to the surface and the gulls can be a good key to locating the whites.

LOCATION: Sam Rayburn HOTSPOT: Hydrilla & Lily pads GPS: N31 14.650, W94 17.890 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: black-chartreuse and Watermelon, Red Pearl belly plastic Ribbit Frog; buzzbait CONTACT: Don Mattern, Sr., donmat@windstream.net, 903-478-2633, www.matternguideservice.fghp.com TIPS: Fish the plastic frog over hydrilla and lily pads. Buzzbaits and poppers work well in the same areas in the openings in the vegetation.

BANK ACCESS: Powell Park Marina for largemouth bass, striped bass, catfish, and white bass.

LOCATION: Lake Livingston HOTSPOT: Pine Island GPS: N30 39.686, W95 03.822 SPECIES: striped bass BEST BAITS: Zara Spook CONTACT: David S. Cox, dave@palmettoguideservice.com, 936-2919602, www.palmettoguideservice.com TIPS: Look for schooling stripers southwest of Pine Island at sunrise.

BANK ACCESS: Beacon Bay Marina

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flooded timber and fish it slowly with either Motor Oil-red or blue fleck Berkley Power Worms rigged Texas style with 1/4-ounce Tru-Tungsten weight. Fish the entire point to the entrance of Canyon Park.

Fle Flicker Bass LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Potter’s Creek GPS: N29 54.08, W98 15.59 SPECIES: largemouth bass

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

BEST BAITS: Texas-rigged creature baits, 7-inch Berkley Power worms, Tru-Tungsten Flea Flicker jigs, Crème Scoundrel worms CONTACT: Kandie Candelaria, kandie@gvtc.com, 210-823-2153 TIPS: As the weather warms, the bass will move out. Fish along the ledge edges at 8 to 15 feet depths with 3/16-ounce Tru-Tungsten Flea Flicker jigs with Watermelon-red Crème Scoundrel worms rigged whacky style. Concentrate on main-lake points with Cotton Candy or Watermelon-purple Texasrigged creature baits with 1/8-ounce TruTungsten weights. Make your way left to the

LOCATION: Granger Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake Brush Piles GPS: Entire Lake SPECIES: crappie BEST BAITS: chartreuse jigs CONTACT: Tommy Tidwell, crappie1@hotmail.com, 512-365-7761, www.gotcrappie.com TIPS: Fish vertically over the brush in 4 to 12 feet of water, lowering the jig until it contacts the brush and then raising it slightly.

Hold the jig still and wait for the bite. If you don’t get bit, move around the brush pile until you do. Use a 1/16-ounce jig in murky water and a 1/32-ounce jig in clear water.

The color is snot that important.

BANK ACCESS: Wilson Fox Park provides the only bank access for this pattern.

LOCATION: Lake Conroe HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N30 43.01, W95 59.35 SPECIES: hybrid striped bass BEST BAITS: live shad, Storm Swim Shad CONTACT: Richard Tatsch, admin@fishdudetx.com, 936-291-1277, www.fishdudetx.com TIPS: The hybrid stripers are in full swing now and this is the time to catch trophy fish and possibly a lake record. They will be all around the lake on submerged points and humps. The use of electronics is a necessity!

Find schools of shad and you will find the hybrids. This time of year, they will range in the water column from 16 to 28 feet. Find the depth the bait is in and you will find the fish. As the weather heats up, the early morning bite will be best.

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Eye on the Sky HEN YOU HEAD DOWN TO SABINE Lake in June, you need to be prepared. You need to be prepared to fish in pretty green water with very hot temperatures and abundant sunshine. You need to be prepared to tangle with a vast array of salt-loving species ranging from the Big 3 to bluefish and blacktip sharks.

You also need to be prepared for the possibility of some very intense and dangerous thunderstorms. Those mid-morning and afternoon “popcorn” showers that seem to appear out of nowhere are not nearly as cute and subtle as the name implies. As hot as the fishing can be in June, it doesn’t hold a candle to the heat that some of these cuties are packing.

The conditions can turn from the best ever, to

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“we better get out of here now” in a matter of minutes. You have to be prepared to leave a good bite in a hurry to get out of harm’s way.

I always keep an eye on the sky while fishing in the hot summer months. The good news is that you can see them building in the distance and usually have plenty of time to plan an evacuation route. The key is making an early enough exit. Waiting too long can definitely spell trouble. If the temperature suddenly drops 10 degrees and you have whitecaps where there was barely a ripple just moments earlier, you have waited too long.

As far as the fishing is concerned, it’s just downright good. South of the Causeway Bridge from the ship channel to the short rigs, anglers should have little problem scoring big numbers of trout, reds, and flounder. Soft plastics and topwaters should produce serious results.

SkitterWalks and She-Dogs in Bone, pink, and black with a chartreuse head should do well early. Once the sunlight begins to penetrate the water, switch to a soft plastic. CT Shad by Flounder Pounder; Assassins, and

Norton Sand Eels and Bull Minnows are excellent choices.

Lighter colors like Glow, chartreuse, Limetreuse, and Margarita should produce best in clear water. If it’s a little off-color, try a darker color like Rootbeer or Strawberry.

We simply work our way down the channel, hitting various proven summertime haunts. Goat Island, the LNG Plant, and Lighthouse Cove are good starting points.

From there, we work our way to the jetties or short rigs, where we usually do not have any problem topping off the fish box. Again, lighter colored soft plastic are the ticket in the pretty water. The same baits mentioned earlier will work well, as will Glow Cocahoe Minnows, DOA Shrimp, and chrome with blue rat-l-traps.

Don’t forget your Louisiana license if you plan on fishing anywhere on the east side of the channel. If you would rather hit the lake, you should have no problem locating fish on the eastern shoreline. Throwing plastics rigged on 1/4- or 1/8-ounce leadheads from Blue Buck Point to Bridge Bayou should produce good results. DOA Shrimp, Gulp!

Shrimp, and soft plastics under a popping cork with about 18 to 24 inches of leader will also get the job done.

Keep an eye out for gulls and terns working in the open bay; if this year is anything like last year, we should have bird activity all summer long. Check the radar, keep an eye on the sky, and come join us for some super June action on Sabine Lake.

THE BANK BITE LOCATION: Lake Road (Bailey Road) Bridge City SPECIES: redfish, flounder, croaker BAITS/LURES: mud minnows, fresh dead shrimp BEST TIMES: mornings and evenings

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The Little Things NE LINE IN AN OLD SONG BY WILLIE NELson goes: I’d have to be crazy, to be on my knees, following ants, as they crawled ‘cross the ground.

I’ve fished for marlin, wahoo, monster sharks, and tuna, but I’ve had just about as much fun catching “ants” in the second gut off the west end of Galveston Island.

Warm summer tides often bring an invasion of small but aggressive predator species to the surf that can provide a lot of pleasure to the light-tackle angler. Among these ultralight game fish are small croaker and whiting, baby jack crevalle, small bluefish, Spanish mackerel, and skipjack (ladyfish or horse mackerel).

Blues and Spanish macks often run together in large schools, with skipjacks mixed in, feeding on small baitfishes and shrimp.

“Normal” trout tackle is light enough for decent sport with these eager eaters, while still giving the fisherman a cushion if a larger mackerel (or speckled trout, or rat red) should strike. An even better time can be had using ultralight spinning or spin-cast gear.

Fancy tackle isn’t needed. The tiny spincast outfits commonly purchased to get kids started will provide a lot of service if flushed and cleaned after a day in the surf. If you have children interested in fishing, this is an excellent way to get them started.

Any of the small “speck rig” type jigs, tandem rigged, will draw strikes from all these species, as well as larger fishes on occasion. If windy conditions make for hard casting, tying the dual jig leader to the hook of a silver Johnson Sprite spoon makes for easier casting and more opportunities. Many times, I’ve seen such a rig come out of the water with a shiny skipjack on each hook, cartwheeling in different directions.

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Skipjack are distant cousins of the revered tarpon, and imitate them precisely in how they fight against a tight line of appropriate size.

Bluefish seldom jump, but make strong runs worthy of a much larger fish, and the flashy Spanish mackerel does everything a king will do on a size-appropriate scale.

To target whiting or croaker, merely let any cast that did not hook a Spanish, blue, or ladyfish sink to the bottom and start a trail of sand “bumps” in the current.

Few ladyfish will need to be released, as they also share the hard mouth of the tarpon and most will throw the hook in mid jump.

Any that remain securely snagged might as well be saved for bait for larger species; they are usually too tender to survive a release.

All of the other species mentioned make good table fare, and only Spanish mackerel are subject to a bag limit of 16 per angler per day.

A surf-launched small boat can be used to run the guts in search of birds working over bait, and driving the beach (where legal) can accomplish the same goal. Skipjack can also

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The largest one I have seen caught was about 3 pounds—a brute on ultralight gear.

THE BANK BITE LOCATION: Gulf beach from High Island to Freeport. June winds can still be brisk, but early mornings and late afternoon often bring calm surf and clear, green water.

SPECIES: Speckled and sand trout, redfish, flounder, and all the panfish species .

BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, mud minnows, finger mullet, and other small baitfishes do well. For artificials, small jigs or freshwater safety pin-type spinnerbaits are best, although when trout or reds will take a top water lure, it makes for exciting fishing.

BEST TIMES: Anytime you can get on the edge of the water with a moving tide is worth fishing, especially early and late.

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Genesis Again HE WAS SMALL IN STATURE AND THE PRETTI est woman I had ever seen. Her Indian blood gave her an olive complexion and her dark, thick hair turned heads wherever we went. She was outspoken and I was reminded on many occasions that dynamite comes in small packages, and this package demanded respect.

She loved the outdoors, and hunting and fishing weren’t just things she supported, she did it. She could light matches with her open sight .30-30, and on many occasions we would head out from deer camp with her at camp cleaning up after breakfast, only to return to a deer hanging in camp waiting when all us mighty men hunters returned.

She woke me one morning and told me to get dressed. I was just five years old and not yet in school. She was packing food into an old galvanized Coleman ice cooler and had her Garcia rod and reel and my Zebco standing by the back screen door. She said I should go next door and get worms from our German neighbors, who had worms beds loaded with red wigglers. As I opened the gate between our place and theirs, Uncle Hugo said, “Boy, where you going with that coffee can?”

I said, “I need some worms, Uncle Hugo. We’re going fishing.”

“Mein gott!” he said in a thick German accent. “Boy, can you catch fish?”

“Oh, yes sir,” I said. You said “yes sir” to Uncle Hugo or he shot you with his BB gun.

“Ja, ist okay,” he said. “When you get back, you can pull weeds to pay for them, ja?”

“Yes sir,” I said.

Digging worms was a joy for me. The

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coffee grounds and other items of leftovers from our table kept the worms happy under the big pecan trees in Uncle Hugo and Tante Vinnie’s backyard. Two spades full of dirt and I had all the worms we could use and a couple of grubs to boot.

Our destination was Onion Creek, just outside of Austin. We crossed an old wooden bridge that cracked and popped and moaned and I was sure we were going to end up in the creek with the fishes.

A short walk across a hot, dry, and chigger-filled field, we found her secret spot—a deep hole with an underground spring that kept the water cool and clean on this hot spring day.

She laid down a mat next to the creek for us to sit on and keep the bugs off, and told me to be very quiet or I would scare the fish.

She said there was a lot of catfish here and one big bass that she really wanted to catch.

We impaled red wigglers on gold J hooks attached to old Dacron braided line (braided line is not as new as some think, just copied from the old days and made better).

Baits were in the water and it didn’t take long before I had a sun perch and mud cat in the fish basket. She hadn’t had a bite yet—and no wonder: she was fishing straight over the edge, not casting out like I was. Well, I was the man and proceeded to tell her what she was doing wrong.

“You gotta cast out,” I said. “They’re out in the middle of the deep hole.”

She smiled, the picture of beauty in her jeans, boots, and white blouse with every hair in place. She put her finger to her lips and went “Shhhhh.” She pointed and told me to peek over the edge of the bank, very slowly. I crawled to the edge and looked down into the spring clear water. I almost wet myself. The bank we were sitting on was a hollow ledge and the creek went 10 feet or so back into the dirt and rock right underneath us. About 4 inches from her bait was Ole Towe—the biggest bass I had ever seen, just staring at the red wigglers on her hook.

She sat there for hours never moving her

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bait, and finally I said, “Why doesn’t that big ol’ bass bite?”

She said, “Well, he’s either not hungry or we are using the wrong bait.”

A few minutes later, a big grasshopper from the field behind us flew into the water, and Ole Towe hammered it. She said, “Why don’t you go see if there might be another granddaddy hopper out there?”

I dumped the wigglers on the ground and took off with the coffee can in hand (you can’t just grab those big grasshoppers cuz they bite). It wasn’t long and I was back.

With the patience of a well digger, she put the big hopper on her hook and eased it over the side of that bank. I was scared to look.

Waiting...waiting...waiting...nothing.

I looked at her with a chagrined face, scared to talk, and she mouthed the word, “Watch.” She moved the pole side to side several times. I couldn’t stand it. (By then, my nose and eyes were just over the edge of the bank, watching. In that clear spring water, I could see it all. Like a big cat getting ready to pounce, Ole Towe’s fins went stiff and body rigid. Then, with a sharp jerk, she jigged the big hopper up and down. The second jig was all it took. The hopper was in Ole Towe’s mouth.

I exploded.

“Set the hook! Set the hook!”

She just sat there for what seemed an eternity and gave him a lot of slack as he swam off. I was sure she had missed him, then with an elegant lift of her rod, she let him know who was boss. Hooked solidly on that old braided line you could pull a truck with, she calmly reeled him in.

I was speechless. This pretty-as-the-dayis-long woman had just done everything the opposite of what I did, and had just landed the biggest fish in Onion Creek. What happened after that, words can’t describe, but I will try.

She slowly took out the hook with needle nose pliers, laid Ole Towe on a towel, and handed him to me to look at and enjoy. This fish is gonna eat good tonight, I thought,

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then she said, “Mac, now ease him back into the water.”

Now, in my mind at that age, there were certain things that just didn’t line up right in the universe, and at that particular time, this was at the top of the list.

“You can’t do that! No one will know we caught him!” I pleaded.

“Yes they will,” she said. “We will know.”

Then, in a firm voice, she said, “Now!” I might as well have cut off my arm and put it in the water was how I felt, but I eased the fish over the edge in what seemed like slow motion and watched him slip into the water and swim off. She touched me on the shoulder as I stood there in shock, then said, “You might want to come back here and catch him some day. Besides, you caught enough fish for us to eat today.”

With those words, my chest puffed out and the universe magically re-aligned itself.

The lessons learned that day were obvious. There are ways to catch fish and there are ways to catch big fish. Giving back to nature ensures we have something for tomorrow. Take a child fishing; it doesn’t have to be in the big ocean, an old creek or pond will do. It might just establish some good habits for a lifetime. The best anglers are probably women like the beautiful lady that took this young boy fishing that hot spring day Thanks, Mom.

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sand holes in front of Mud Island are a good bet using croaker for trout. Grass lines on the east side of the LBJ Causeway are good for trout using a popping cork and shrimp.

Carlos Bay: Carlos Dugout is a good bet for trout in the heat of the day using a rat-l-trap. The key is to reel until it bumps the bottom, let it float up a foot or two, then repeat. The shell at the mouth of Mesquite on the Carlos side is a good bet for reds using sea lice or cut mullet.

Mesquite Bay: At high tide, Little Brundrett Lake is good for flounder using a white and chartreuse grub on a 1/16-ounce jig. Reel slowly and bump the bottom. The shell reefs off Brays Cove are good in late evening on a falling tide for reds using Berkley Gulp! Crab under a cork or Carolina rig.

Ayres Bay: Mid-bay reefs will be holding some trout and gafftop using free-lined shrimp or piggy perch. The east shoreline between Ayres and San Antonio Bay on high tide is a good place for early morning topwater action for reds and trout, and a few mangrove snapper. Plugs in red/white and

black/white are good bets.

THE BANK BITE I like early morning and late evenings and shy away from mid-day for wading. The shoreline from the Causeway to Newcomb Point is a good bet using a bucket full of live shrimp for trout and reds. Black drum also frequent this area, so slow your hook sets down for these sensitive feeders. You can find plenty of live shrimp at Seagun Bait right across the highway. Call Gerald at 361-727-2220.

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

Copano Bay: Drift the north shore or use a trolling motor to work the transition to deeper water. For reds, use topwaters in Bone, red/white, and red work best. Soft plastics in Motor Oil, chartreuse, and Pumpkinseed work well for trout. The pilings and shell reef mid-bay will hold trout and reds, and mud minnows or free-lined live shrimp are the ticket.

St Charles Bay: Peeled shrimp on a Carolina rig work well for black drum in the back part of the bay close to Cavasso Creek.

The channel from Goose Island boat ramp is a good place for reds early morning during high tide periods. Throw into the shell on the southwest side of the channel. Cut mullet or menhaden work well here. Use a lighter weight to avoid hang-ups.

Aransas Bay: Poverty Reef and Deadman’s Reef are good bets for black drum and reds in early morning using soft plastics in New Penny and Watermelon colors. The A L M A N A C

T E X A S

F I S H

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If not Snapper, then Flipper HE SUMMER RED SNAPPER FISHERY IN THIS region can give up impressive catches despite the fact federal fisheries managers claim the fishery is in shambles.

And with fish available in state waters, there is ample opportunity beyond the short federal waters window.

Snapper are not drawn to only big structure such as huge oil rigs. The smaller wellheads, rocks, and tiny reefs hold good numbers of fish, too. And since these areas are not pressured as much as the rigs in this area, you tend to find more big fish there.

Anchor upcurrent of a given piece of structure and fall back across it. Use a typical bottom rig with squid or Spanish sardine rigged on two circle hooks. A lot of times, you will have a strong current and you need to get

T

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the bait down to the structure. When fishing rigs, you have a little more leeway, but presenting bait 5 feet one direction or another can make all the difference in the world.

A good way to catch high pressure snapper here is to fish with a large jig like a Snapper Slapper Pulsator tipped with a cigar minnow. Let this heavy jig sink to the bottom and move it in a straight up and down fashion.

When a big snapper hits it, you will know because your rod will double over.

The world “dolphin” means two things along the Texas coast. The first is the obvious marine mammal that thrills visitors to marine parks and had its own television show, Flipper.

The other is a beautifully marked game fish that is within reach of small boat anglers in Texas waters in the summer months. It also goes under the name “dorado” and “mahi mahi,” but we will stick with dolphin.

Dolphin like to feed in open water and most of them are caught around current “rips” and weed lines.

Rips are areas where large currents meet in the Gulf and identified by noticing a water-

line, where darker water meets lighter water.

These rips bring together lots of baitfishes, which the dolphin prey on with great sport and enthusiasm. Anglers wanting to catch these rip-running dolphin should target them by trolling along the rip with large, bright-colored trolling plugs like you might fish for wahoo or sailfish. Dolphin can grow to impressive sizes and catching fish weighing upward of 50 pounds is not uncommon, so do not be afraid to fish large lures.

Dolphin often feed along weed lines and can be seen near the surface striking at baitfishes and darting in and out of the weeds.

Most of these dolphin are what anglers call “chicken dolphin” or the small fish from 3 to 10 pounds. You can fish for them with trout tackle. I like to fish with soft plastic shrimp tails or minnow imitations, which you can sight-cast to them. A lot of times, they will be hiding right under the edge of the weeds. By pitching a soft plastic under them, you can pull them out and get their attention.

There are no size or bag limits on dolphin, which will likely make them more popular as snapper regulations tighten. These fish have what is arguably the tastiest flesh of any fish, and are commonly sold in fine restaurants.

They are also highly beautiful, but the beauty does not last long once they are out of the water. These fish go through multiple color changes and within a span of minutes change from green/yellow to blue, back to green/yellow, to almost back. If you want a photo with your dolphin, take it quickly or it will look as if you are holding something that has been dead for weeks.

THE BANK BITE HOTSPOT: Packery Channel LOCATION: Padre Island SPECIES: redfish BAITS: fresh dead shrimp, cut mullet BEST TIMES: during tidal movement

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T E X A S

F I S H

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Tides and Prime Times

JUNE 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.

T15 T16

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

T14 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

T22 T23

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

AM/PM Timeline

Moon Underfoot: 9:15p

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J U N E

12a

2 0 1 0

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

Yellow: Daylight

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

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

T E X A S

F I S H

&

G A M E ®

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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TUESDAY

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

THURSDAY

2

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

4

3

SUNDAY

5

6

Set: 8:13p Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:13p Sunrise: 6:20a Set: 8:14p Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 10:27a Moonrise: 12:07a Set: 11:22a Moonrise: 12:39a Set: 12:15p Moonrise: 1:08a

Set: 8:14p Set: 1:07p

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 1:36a

Set: 8:15p Set: 1:59p

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 2:05a

Set: 8:15p Set: 2:52p

AM Minor: 8:52a

PM Minor: 9:16p

AM Minor: 9:45a

PM Minor: 10:08p

AM Minor: 10:34a

PM Minor: 10:56p

AM Minor: 11:20a

PM Minor: 11:40p

AM Minor: ——-

PM Minor: 12:02p

AM Minor: 12:22a

PM Minor: 12:42p

AM Minor: 1:00a

PM Minor: 1:21p

AM Major: 2:39a

PM Major: 3:04p

AM Major: 3:33a

PM Major: 3:56p

AM Major: 4:23a

PM Major: 4:45p

AM Major: 5:09a

PM Major: 5:30p

AM Major: 5:52a

PM Major: 6:12p

AM Major: 6:32a

PM Major: 6:52p

AM Major: 7:10a

PM Major: 7:31p

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 5:42a

Moon Overhead: 4:57a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

Moon Overhead: 6:24a

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 7:44a

Moon Overhead: 7:05a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Sunrise: 6:20a Moonrise: None

Moon Overhead: 4:10a

12a

WEDNESDAY

JUN 1

31 Sunrise: 6:20a Set: 8:12p Moonrise: 11:32p Set: 9:30a

= New Moon = First Quarter = Full Moon = Last Quarter = Best Day

Tides and Prime Times for JUNE 2010

NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION

MONDAY

Page C25

Moon Overhead: 8:25a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

FEET

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 4:34p +2.0

BEST:

0

-1.0

BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 6:44p

Moon Underfoot: 7:24p

BEST:

10:00P — 12:00A

Moon Underfoot: 8:05p

BEST:

12:30 — 1:30 PM

BEST:

12:00 — 2:00 AM

Moon Underfoot: 8:46p +2.0

BEST:

1:30 — 3:30 PM

2:00 — 4:00 PM TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

BEST:

10:00P — 12:00A

Moon Underfoot: 6:03p

TIDE LEVELS

9:00 — 11:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 5:20p

Low Tide: 12:48 am -0.19 ft Low Tide: 1:30 am -0.03 ft Low Tide: 2:11 am 0.15 ft High Tide: 9:33 am 1.47 ft High Tide: 10:08 am 1.40 ft High Tide: 10:36 am 1.33 ft

A L M A N A C

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

2:51 am 10:58 am 6:21 pm 9:22 pm

T E X A S

0.34 ft 1.27 ft 0.91 ft 0.95 ft

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

F I S H

&

3:31 am 11:16 am 6:24 pm 11:29 pm

0.54 ft 1.22 ft 0.74 ft 0.95 ft

Low Tide: 4:15 am 0.74 ft High Tide: 11:29 am 1.19 ft Low Tide: 6:39 pm 0.55 ft

G A M E ®

J U N E

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

2 0 1 0

1:16 am 5:09 am 11:37 am 7:02 pm

|

1.03 ft 0.92 ft 1.19 ft 0.36 ft

C25

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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

8

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

10

9

SATURDAY

11

SUNDAY

12

13

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 2:35a

Set: 8:16p Set: 3:48p

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 3:08a

Set: 8:16p Set: 4:46p

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 3:46a

Set: 8:16p Set: 5:48p

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 4:29a

Set: 8:17p Set: 6:51p

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 5:20a

Set: 8:17p Set: 7:54p

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 6:19a

Set: 8:18p Set: 8:53p

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 7:23a

Set: 8:18p Set: 9:48p

AM Minor: 1:38a

PM Minor: 2:00p

AM Minor: 2:17a

PM Minor: 2:41p

AM Minor: 2:59a

PM Minor: 3:25p

AM Minor: 3:46a

PM Minor: 4:14p

AM Minor: 4:38a

PM Minor: 5:08p

AM Minor: 5:36a

PM Minor: 6:07p

AM Minor: 6:38a

PM Minor: 7:09p

AM Major: 7:49a

PM Major: 8:11p

AM Major: 8:29a

PM Major: 8:52p

AM Major: 9:12a

PM Major: 9:38p

AM Major: 10:00a

PM Major: 10:28p

AM Major: 10:53a

PM Major: 11:23p

AM Major: 11:51a

PM Major: 12:22p

AM Major: 12:23a

PM Major: 12:53p

Moon Overhead: 9:08a 6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 10:44a

Moon Overhead: 9:54a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 11:38a 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 1:37p

Moon Overhead: 12:36p 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 2:37p 12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

7

12a

Tides and Prime Times for JUNE 2010

12a

FEET

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 9:30p +2.0

BEST:

BEST:

-1.0

Moon Underfoot: None

BEST:

4:30 — 6:30 PM

5:00 — 7:00 PM

BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 12:07a BEST:

5:30 — 7:30 PM

6:00 — 8:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 1:06a BEST:

6:30 — 8:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 2:07a +2.0

BEST:

7:00 — 9:00 PM TIDE LEVELS

0

Moon Underfoot: 11:11p

TIDE LEVELS

4:00 — 6:00 PM

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 10:18p

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

2:41 am 6:25 am 11:38 am 7:30 pm

C26 |

1.17 ft 1.09 ft 1.20 ft 0.16 ft

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

J U N E

3:45 am 8:10 am 11:25 am 8:03 pm

2 0 1 0

1.32 ft High Tide: 4:36 am 1.22 ft Low Tide: 8:40 pm 1.24 ft -0.03 ft

T E X A S

1.45 ft High Tide: 5:22 am -0.21 ft Low Tide: 9:21 pm

F I S H

&

1.57 ft High Tide: 6:07 am 1.65 ft High Tide: 6:53 am 1.69 ft High Tide: -0.37 ft Low Tide: 10:05 pm -0.50 ft Low Tide: 10:51 pm -0.57 ft Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

G A M E ®

A L M A N A C

7:37 am 12:53 pm 1:31 pm 11:39 pm

1.69 ft 1.46 ft 1.46 ft -0.56 ft

+1.0

0

-1.0

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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

MONDAY

TUESDAY

14

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

15

THURSDAY

16

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

17

Set: 8:19p Set: 8:19p Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 11:19p Moonrise: 10:47a Set: None

AM Minor: 7:42a

PM Minor: 8:12p

AM Minor: 8:46a

PM Minor: 9:14p

AM Minor: 9:48a

PM Minor: 10:14p

AM Minor: 10:45a

PM Minor: 11:10p

AM Minor: 11:38a

PM Minor: ——-

AM Major: 1:28a

PM Major: 1:57p

AM Major: 2:32a

PM Major: 3:00p

AM Major: 3:34a

PM Major: 4:01p

AM Major: 4:32a

PM Major: 4:57p

AM Major: 5:26a

PM Major: 5:50p

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 5:26p

Moon Overhead: 4:33p 12a

6a

12p

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:19p Moonrise: 11:53a Set: None

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:19p Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 12:56p Set: 12:33a Moonrise: 1:59p

Moon Overhead: 6:17p 12a

6a

12p

6p

6a

12p

6p

20

Set: 8:20p Set: 1:08a

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 3:02p

Set: 8:20p Set: 1:43a

AM Minor: 12:03a

PM Minor: 12:27p

AM Minor: 12:50a

PM Minor: 1:14p

AM Major: 6:15a

PM Major: 6:40p

AM Major: 7:02a

PM Major: 7:27p

Moon Overhead: 7:54p

Moon Overhead: 7:06p 12a

SUNDAY

19

18

Set: 8:18p Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 10:36p Moonrise: 9:40a

Moon Overhead: 3:37p

12a

WEDNESDAY

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 8:44p 12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 8:31a

Tides and Prime Times for JUNE 2010

12a

FEET

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 3:07a +2.0

BEST:

-1.0

Moon Underfoot: 5:52a

BEST:

BEST:

5:00 — 7:00 PM

BEST:

6:00 — 8:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 7:30a BEST:

12:00 — 2:00 PM

1:30 — 3:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 8:19a +2.0

BEST:

2:00 — 4:00 PM

TIDE LEVELS

8:30 — 10:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 6:41a

TIDE LEVELS

0

Moon Underfoot: 5:00a

BEST:

8:00 — 10:00 PM

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 4:05a

High Tide: 8:19 am Low Tide: 1:25 pm High Tide: 2:57 pm

C28 |

1.65 ft 1.39 ft 1.40 ft

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

J U N E

12:28 am 8:56 am 2:16 pm 4:33 pm

2 0 1 0

-0.47 ft 1.57 ft 1.25 ft 1.27 ft

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

1:17 am 9:28 am 3:13 pm 6:35 pm

T E X A S

-0.29 ft 1.48 ft 1.04 ft 1.11 ft

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

F I S H

&

2:08 am 9:55 am 4:09 pm 8:48 pm

-0.03 ft 1.38 ft 0.77 ft 0.98 ft

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

G A M E ®

3:00 am 10:18 am 5:02 pm 10:59 pm

0.29 ft 1.29 ft 0.47 ft 0.97 ft

Low Tide: 3:57 am 0.63 ft High Tide: 10:37 am 1.24 ft Low Tide: 5:53 pm 0.16 ft

A L M A N A C

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

1:05 am 5:11 am 10:51 am 6:42 pm

1.08 ft 0.94 ft 1.22 ft -0.11 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 JUNE 2010 MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

22

SATURDAY

25

24

SUNDAY

27

26

Sunrise: 6:20a Moonrise: 4:05p

Set: 8:20p Set: 2:20a

Sunrise: 6:20a Moonrise: 5:08p

Set: 8:20p Set: 3:00a

Sunrise: 6:20a Moonrise: 6:09p

Set: 8:21p Set: 3:44a

Sunrise: 6:20a Moonrise: 7:07p

Set: 8:21p Set: 4:33a

Sunrise: 6:20a Moonrise: 8:00p

Set: 8:21p Set: 5:26a

Sunrise: 6:21a Moonrise: 8:47p

Set: 8:21p Set: 6:22a

Sunrise: 6:21a Moonrise: 9:29p

Set: 8:21p Set: 7:19a

AM Minor: 1:35a

PM Minor: 2:00p

AM Minor: 2:20a

PM Minor: 2:47p

AM Minor: 3:07a

PM Minor: 3:35p

AM Minor: 3:57a

PM Minor: 4:24p

AM Minor: 4:48a

PM Minor: 5:15p

AM Minor: 5:40a

PM Minor: 6:06p

AM Minor: 6:33a

PM Minor: 6:57p

AM Major: 7:48a

PM Major: 8:13p

AM Major: 8:34a

PM Major: 9:00p

AM Major: 9:21a

PM Major: 9:48p

AM Major: 10:10a

PM Major: 10:37p

AM Major: 11:01a

PM Major: 11:28p

AM Major: 11:53a

PM Major: ——-

AM Major: 12:20a

PM Major: 12:45p

Moon Overhead: 9:35p

12a

23

FRIDAY

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 11:22p

Moon Overhead: 10:28p 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: None 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 1:10a

Moon Overhead: 12:17a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

21

THURSDAY

Moon Overhead: 2:02a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

FEET

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 9:09a +2.0

BEST:

0

-1.0

BEST:

4:00 — 6:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 11:49a

Moon Underfoot: 12:44p

BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 1:36p

BEST:

4:30 — 6:30 PM

5:00 — 7:00 PM

BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 2:27p +2.0

BEST:

5:30 — 7:30 PM

7:00 — 9:00 PM TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

BEST:

3:30 — 5:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 10:55a

TIDE LEVELS

3:00 — 5:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 10:01a

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

2:58 am 7:20 am 11:00 am 7:31 pm

1.26 ft High Tide: 4:22 am 1.17 ft Low Tide: 8:18 pm 1.24 ft -0.33 ft

1.43 ft High Tide: 5:21 am -0.47 ft Low Tide: 9:04 pm

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1.53 ft High Tide: 6:07 am -0.55 ft Low Tide: 9:48 pm

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1.56 ft High Tide: 6:46 am 1.54 ft High Tide: 7:19 am 1.49 ft High Tide: -0.56 ft Low Tide: 10:30 pm -0.53 ft Low Tide: 11:10 pm -0.45 ft Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

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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

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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 JUNE 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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Contraptioned Wheels HEN I WAS A KID, NEIGHBORING ranch urchins and I spent our free time crafting ways to amuse ourselves in the absence of TiVo, Six Flags, and Game Boy. Common pastimes included building “contraptions”-Rube Goldberg-type constructs usually designed to provide gravity-induced thrills.

Leaping off the hay barn into a manure pile takes you only so far. More elaborate machinations produced a roller coaster made from sheets of tin placed on the slope of a gully, and a four-wheel furniture dolly.

It didn’t last long after my grandfather discovered where we got the tin.

Another nifty contraption produced many hours of near-death experiences after we found several lengths of cable someone carelessly abandoned atop some old electricity poles. The guy from the electric company tried to tell us the cable wasn’t aban-

W

doned and threatened us with big words like “electrocution” and “prosecution” and “fried like a chicken,” but we knew he was just joshing. We joshed him back with commentary on his dubious ancestry and sexual habits.

We then found a large snatch-block pulley left carelessly atop the gin poles on the back of an old electric company truck. This we suspended from the cable after stretching it over a wide gulley between two large trees, thereby creating a Geronimo line, a.k.a “zip line.” The guy from the electric company later came around to josh us some more about the pulley, but we zipped away to safety on the Geronimo line.

For some reason, word spread through the ranching community like lard in a hot skillet whenever we started construction on a contraption. My grandfather would telephone neighbors: “Put up your cows and

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chickens and lock the tool shed--the boys are building a contraption.”

We always figured stories about hens not laying, cows not giving milk, and rancher’s wives succumbing to the vapors was just the grown-ups joshing us kids. Grown-ups love to josh kids.

As I grew older, my penchant for contraptionizing did not wane but morphed to more adult-oriented pursuits.

The workover derrick I made from oilfield pipe, a pulley (the same one we had on our Geronimo line, by the way), and juryrigged cathead winch mounted on the front of a tractor whereby to pull my submersible well pump for repair, amazed passersby, frightened neighbors, and contributed to at least two highway accidents. A sheriff ’s deputy later joshed me about it.

Some of my finest work has involved vehicle modifications and add-ons. To the

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best of my knowledge, I am the only person in America if not the world to build a bumper-mount winch from an old gas-powered washing machine wringer, a lariat rope, and a hayhook. I once designed a forkmounted gun carrier for motorcycles, but abandoned the idea after several bent gun

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barrels and assaults with intent to kill painfully and slowly.

Although I still use my contraptionbuilding skills, when it comes to vehicles I find it usually pays to go with commercial products; let somebody else assume the risks and pay the hospital bills.

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Whether racks for an ATV to transport gear and game, specialty lighting, or a brush- and Zaidle-proof bumper for a pickup, somebody out there makes it for your ride.

One thing I learned along the way is DIY engine fluids and additives are not a good idea. (Take my word that creosote does not make an effective crankcase flush.)

Leave such things to professionals such as Life Automotive Products Smart Blend Synthetics. The company’s line of engine, fuel, transmission, radiator, power steering, differential, brake, and ac/heating fluids and additives help prolong systems life and minimize maintenance headaches endemic to all wheeled things.

I suppose I should be grateful to the makers of Sure Grip Gun and Bow Racks, but instead I harbor resentment. Had the company introduced its never-fail gun and bow retention system about 30 years ago, it would have saved me a lot of beatings and threats thereof. As it is, all I can do is send anonymous notes to my antagonists (many of whom still harbor grudges) to try the Sure Grip product in hopes of dissuading them from shooting out my porch lights.

If you have ever worked on a vehicle inside a barn to escape inclement weather (hasn’t everybody?), you know a tin barn does not help with three-digit ambient temperatures. I often wished for some way to air condition a barn, and somebody finally came up with one. GEM Cooling of Texas provides a variety of portable cooling systems, including the Kuulaire PACKA15 evaporative cooler that services spaces up to 750 square feet. Stack a few hay bales to enclose the work area, fire up the Kuulaire, and work on your truck, tractor, or brotherin-law’s lime-green Cadillac in comfort.

Some vehicle accessories positively demand professional reliability. One such area is firefighting/search-and-rescue. As a volunteer firefighter and EMT, I know lives literally depend on properly equipping a truck or ATV for wildland fire suppression or rescue. When part of your equipment fails due to poor construction or materials, things can get mighty “hot” in more ways than one. Likewise, the last thing an injured person needs is to fall from a failed vehicle-

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Kimtek’s Firelite and Medlite ATV bed inserts.

mounted basket stretcher rack.

One company, Kimtek Research (888-546-8358, kimtekresearch.com), offers solutions to both needs.

Equipped with more than 100 feet of hose reel-deployed firefighting hose, drafting ability, water reservoir, and independent gasoline powered pump, the skid-mounted slide-in Firelite design quickly converts any pickup truck or utility-bed ATV/UTV into a mobile fire-control machine. A fire-suppressant foam option extends the unit’s control and containment capabilities.

ATV Firefighting When things get out of control for any reason, the Firelite’s integrated stretcher deck facilitates rapid evacuation of injured persons.

Landowners and hunting lease holders know the benefits of planned, controlled burning for habitat improvement. Obviously, a successful controlled burn requires “control,” and that is what the Firelite is designed to do.

For larger scale operations such as ranches and rural fire departments, the Kimtek Medlite skid unit provides purpose-built medevac capability with the same rapid

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mobile deployment versatility as the Firelite.

All Kimtek skid units feature aluminum diamond plate, aluminum tubing, and stainless steel construction to make them strong, lightweight, and durable.

Speaking of firefighting, our department’s brush trucks are equipped with bumper-mounted, remote control water cannons. That gave me an idea: I have an old semi-auto shotgun, a record player turntable, and some wire out in the barn and... ...never mind. I’m just joshing.

—Don Zaidle

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Okuma Serrano Baitcasters Get Low SERRANO LOW-PROFILE BAITCAST REELS FROM Okuma are designed for smooth performance in both fresh and saltwater environments.

Built upon a rigid die cast aluminum (ALC) frame, Serrano reels are made to handle all types of freshwater species as well as inshore brutes such as calico bass, redfish, permit, and more. The aluminum right sideplate keeps all of the heavy duty, machine cut Dura brass gearing in perfect alignment, while the graphite left sideplate reduces weight and is easily removed for access to the adjustable 8position Velocity Control System. The Dura brass gearing featured in the Serrano reels are stronger and more durable than traditional baitcast gears.

The Serrano reel’s smoothness comes from 10 ball bearings incorporated throughout the reel, in addition to the Quick-set anti-reverse roller bearing. Precision Japan-

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size, these reels still dish out 11 lbs. of drag, all while providing a 6.2:1 gear ratio for increased line pick up.

Additionally, all Serrano reels undergo Okuma’s Corrosion Resistant Coating (CRC) process which features a coating of Corrosion X HD to the inside housing of the reel. This coating actually bonds to the metal parts and creates a protective barrier against corrosion.

Other features include a micro-click drag star for precise drag settings, Zirconium line guide inserts for use with braided line, an A6061-T6 grade machined aluminum, anodized spool, and an ergonomic handle design that allows cranking closer to the body.

Despite using a rigid ALC die cast aluminum right sideplate, the Serrano still weighs in at only 7.2 oz., while other companies have gone to graphite right sideplates to reduce weight.

To top it all off, all Serrano reels are backed by Okuma’s 3-year warranty program.

For more information: (909) 9232828, or www.okumafishing.com

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“LEADER” IS DEFINED BY WEBSTER: “TO BE superior, to have the advantage over…”

All Fluorocarbons are not equal. Ande is 100% Fluorocarbon with all the properties you would expect from a Fluorocarbon line—good knot strength, abrasion resistance, low stretch, doesn’t absorb water, sinks quickly and is totally invisible underwater. Its Ande quality at a very reasonable price. And remember Ande is on a 50 yard spool.

Ande has been awarded the Best Line in the World for the Eight year in a row by the IGFA for both fresh water and salt water. Ande is the only line ever Voted

Ande fluorocarbon leader matrial in 50-yard spools

ese ABEC-5 bearings are featured on the spool for ultimate casting and freespool.

For a strong, smooth drag system, Okuma utilizes a Carbonite greased drag system. Despite the Serrano’s compact C34 |

Ande Fluorocarbon Leader Material

Okuma’s new Serrano low-profile baitcasting reels.

Okuma

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“Best Line” by the IGFA for both fresh and Ande Line salt water.

Ande has also been voted “Best Fly Fish Tippet” six times.

Ande, “The Line of Champions.”

Ande Inc., 5409 Australian Ave., West Palm Beach, FL. 33407 (561) 8422474, Fax (561) 848-5538.

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Cheeca Shades SOPHISTICATED PERFORMANCE MEETS aggressive sport style with Costa's new Cheeca sunglasses. Available in retail outlets and Costa's online store now, Cheeca features a large, classic wrap fit with a stylish mid temple mounting.

Named for Cheeca Lodge, one of the best places in the Florida Keys to fish for bonefish, tarpon and permit, Cheeca comes in tortoise and black frame colors, as well as new color combinations white/tortoise and black/coral. The nylon frames feature Costa's new

The X10 has twin 36-lb thrust electric motors.

the way they fish.

The Twin Twin Troller Troller’s patented digital foot controls operate twin 36lb thrust electric motors to offer unmatched positioning on the water and a zero degree turning radius. The sleek hull design with its recessed motors allows the boat to work effectively in as little as 6 to 8 inches of water allowing you to get over submerged trees or other underwater obstacles to catch those trophy fish Costa’s new revoluyou have been after. Your fishing will Cheeca sunglasses be much more productive when the tionary anti-rocking hinge, the most Costa del Mar your hands are free to cast and not advanced spring hinge struggling to maintain position on the available today. In addition to providing water or worry about underwater obstacles. an even more comfortable fit, the anti-rockThe 10-foot Twin Troller X10 weighs ing hinge significantly increases durability approximately 175 pounds and can be easand virtually eliminates movement between ily loaded into a truck bed, or towed by the frame front and temple. any size vehicle. The total weight capacity The sunglasses are available in the is 585 pounds and offers extreme stability Costa clear 580T lens technology. for 2 persons.

Costa's 580 lenses block yellow light, The Twin Troller X10 is a product of and are superior in cutting glare, enhancing Carolina Electric Boats, Inc. in Benson, vision and protecting against harmful UV NC. Visit them at CarolinaElecrays, so outdoors and angling enthusiasts tricBoats.com or call 1877-882-0099 for can see more clearly. more information.

As part of Costa's ongoing commitment to protecting the Earth's fisheries, a portion of proceeds from sunglass sales this year will benefit the Bonefish Tarpon Trust's Project Permit, an initiative to tag 6,000 permit this year in Florida and the Caribbean for research and scientific study.

Cheeca retails from $149 to $249 depending on lens selection.

LANDOWNERS AND Visit www.costadelmar.com or call 800hunting lease 447-3700. owners know the

Equipped with up to 100 feet of hose reel-deployed firefighting hose, drafting ability, water reservoir, and independent gasoline powered pump, the skid-mounted slide-in design quickly converts any pickup truck or utility-bed ATV/UTV into a mobile fire-control machine. A fire-suppressant foam option extends the unit’s control and containment capabilities.

When things get out of control for any reason, the Firelite’s integrated stretcher deck facilitates rapid evacuation of injured persons.

For larger scale operations such as ranches and rural fire departments, the Kimtek Medlite skid unit provides purpose-built medevac capability with the same rapid mobile deployment versatility as the Firelite.

Both unit types come in a variety of configurations to meet application-specific requirements, and with available options makes configuration virtually limitless.

All Kimtek skid units feature aluminum diamond plate, aluminum tubing, and stainless steel construction to make them strong, lightweight, and durable. Darley Davey pump, hose, and reel components provide the reliability critical for bringing control and order into otherwise chaotic situations.

For more information, contact Kimtek at 888-546-8358 or visit the company website at www.kimtekresearch.com.

Firelite converts pickups or ATVs into firefighting vehicles.

Personal Fire Engine

Twin Troller CAROLINA ELECTRIC BOAT’S TWIN TROLLER X10 provides unmatched stability and maneuverability that will allow fisherman to increase their catch and ultimately change

Kimtek

benefits of planned, controlled burning for habitat improvement. Obviously, a successful controlled burn requires “control,” and that is what the Kimtek Firelite is designed to do.

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Laguna Rods Gets New Owners PTU HOLDINGS, LLC, HAS PURCHASED LAGUNA Custom Rods, based in Hempstead, Texas.

Brothers Danny and Jeff Neu founded Laguna Rods in 2000. The brothers grew up fishing on the Texas Gulf Coast and designed a collection of fishing rods that offered the latest technology based on their fishing skills and experiences. Details of the sale were not disclosed by either party.

“We have been given the opportunity to stay involved with Laguna Rods while we pursue our gulf coast fishing guide business,” said Jeff Neu. “We’ve always come up with solid product ideas that stem from our own fishing experiences as well as our many fishing clients, and we will provide continuous input to Laguna to aid in product development. We’re very interested in seeing Laguna grow.”

Travis Petty, a partner in PTU Hold-

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Founders of Laguna Graphite Rods, brothers Jeff and Danny Neu (left to right), celebrate the sale of their company to PTU Holdings, LLC partners Drew Hall and Travis Petty. Not shown is their third partner, Larry Tuggle.

Laguna Graphite Rods ings, said: “We’ve been attracted to Laguna because of their quality reputation and their

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Photo Coutresy PTU Holdings

Custom Rod Series which offers today’s fisherman a high quality rod using the finest American-made graphite blank and the finest Portuguese cork, coupled with true-quality titanium components. Laguna Rods will be an excellent fit for our future plans in the custom and inshore markets.”

According to Danny Neu: “Laguna Rods represents some of the best fishing rods in the industry. From the recreational fisherman who really appreciates a very well made, good-looking fishing rod, to the tournament angler who takes this sport very seriously and the Captain who is on the water every day, Laguna Rods are known for their durability. They are lightweight so after multiple days of fishing, the angler is not fatigued and tired. Laguna Rods are definitely the rods for all fishermen.”

“The future looks bright for Laguna’s custom rod business,” continued Petty. “We will relocate the manufacturing and sales offices to Georgetown, Texas in the near future and look to growing the business exponentially over the next few years...but still one rod at a time.”

Contact: Travis Petty, 936.697.8838, tpetty@LagunaRods.com

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MG Arms, a New Texas Gunmaker IT’S AN AMAZING FACT THAT SO MANY OF OUR fine shooting sports companies began as “Mom & Pop” operations, many times in a garage or basement. Here’s another one: MG Arms, now out of Spring, Texas. In 1980, Carol and Kerry O’Day, looking to change their fortunes, started an ammunition reloading company, running their Dillon presses in their garage. Soon the company became Match Grade Ammunition and developed a sterling reputation. By 1998, Carol and Kerry were ready to tackle custom rifle building. This was the advent of MG Arms.

Today MG Arms has expanded into many areas of custom gun craft, creating only

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the finest custom rifles and single-action their class.” MGA K-Yote Varmint System. revolvers, custom gunsmithing, metal finishMGA CK-4 rifles and MGA DragonFly ing, stock work, (weighs approx. 1 pound) and MGA Dragand custom cartridge onSlayer single-action revolvers. These are building. As Kerry says, all custom guns built expressly for the most “MG Arms is like a hotrod shop for guns.”

Perhaps the best known of MG Arms custom guns is the MGA Ultra-Light rifle. Depending upon stock, action, and barrel chosen, these custom rifles MG Arms makes will weigh in at 4-3/4 to 5high-quality rifles in Houston.

3/4 pounds (w/o scope).

Accuracy is guaranteed to be MG Arms less than 1 MOA. Most will shoot .4 to .5 MOA in three-shot groups. dedicated hunter who demands Other custom products in the MG Arms the very best. line include: MGA Signature and MGA Contact: MG Arms, MGArmsInc.com, Varminter rifles, “Simply the best ARs in 281-821-8282, MGArms@swbell.net

PHOTO COURTESY MG ARMS

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Z-Man Launches Bold New Website Z-Man Fishing, the fastest growing artificial bait brand in North America, has launched a new, totally revamped website that promises to be the most educational, entertaining, and interactive in the fishing tackle industry.

The new website, zmanfishing.com, will inform fresh and saltwater anglers alike about Z-Man’s unique and technologically advanced product line, including its ChatterBait, ElaZtech, EZ-Skirt, FlashBack, Silaflash, and Sof-TeaZ brands. Specifically, the site contains a wealth of upgraded educational and informational content regarding Z-Man’s extensive new line of proprietary 10X Tough ElaZtech soft baits, which are generating a tremendous buzz in the fishing community due to their durability, buoyancy, and incredibly lifelike action.

“Z-Man’s philosophy is to be a cutting-

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edge company that is constantly pushing the envelope when it comes to the design and creation of lures that will give anglers a definite edge, be it on a lake, river, backcountry, or offshore,” said Z-Man President Jonathan Zucker. “Z-Man’s motto is ‘The Science and Art of Fishing,’ and the new website exemplifies our commitment to providing anglers with the most technologically advanced and visually appealing lures.

The website gives participants insight into the enthusiasm, energy, and excellence that characterizes Z-Man Fishing.”

To be sure, zmanfishing.com is a highoctane site that grabs each visitor and won’t let go. The website’s Z-Man TV feature provides how-to videos from wellknown tournament pros including B.A.S.S. Elite Angler Casey Ashley and Fishing University’s Charlie Ingram, plus a look at Z-Man’s action-packed TV spots.

Other newly added features include regularly updated HeadlineZ featuring the latest news from Z-Man and its tournament pros; a Pro TipZ section that includes pointers on rigging and fishing Z-Man

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products; an interactive Post YourZ page, where anglers can post their stories and pictures of fish caught using Z-Man BaitZ; a Dealer Locator feature that allows anglers to locate their nearest retailers; and a series of pages dedicated to ZMan’s Tournament ProZ and guide staffers who rely on Z-Man products every day.

What’s more, visitors can sign up for the exclusive Z-Man Squad to receive newsletters and alerts about product giveaways and promotions, become a fan of ZMan on Facebook, and follow Z-Man on Twitter to get up-to-the-minute news about happenings at Z-Man. The ProductZ section of the new website features a full listing of all of Z-Man’s fresh- and saltwater baits that allows visitors to view the tremendous variety of lures and color combinations offered by Z-Man. The Z-Man Store even allows anglers to order online in the event that they cannot find a specific product at their local tackle shop.

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six ball-bearing reel with infinite antireverse, precision-cut brass

Thumb-Dinger Vision Slider YOU’RE FISHING IN A BASS TOURNAMENT AND you need every edge you can get. It would be nice to have a secret weapon that would get lethargic largemouth to start feeding, but that’s impossible—or is it.

What if your reel had a small “finesse” wheel placed strategically near your left thumb that worked like the scroll wheel on a computer mouse to let you turn the spool manually and micro-manage your retrieve?

You’d be able to creep that plastic worm along the bottom in slo-mo and gather up slack with the flick of a finger. It’s a neat idea, and I wish I could take credit for it, but I can’t. Pinnacle gets that honor. The new Vision Slyder reels have that finesse wheel built in, right where your left thumb rests on the reel.

The Vision Slyder has assets above and beyond the finesse wheel, too. It’s a smooth,

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New Vision Slider baitcaster with “finesse” wheel.

gears, graphite body, and Pinnacle machined-aluminum spool. It has a blazing-fast 7.0:1 gear ratio, and the SYF10X I tested weighed in at 8.1 ounces and holds 120 yards of 12-poundtest. The anti-backlash system worked well and the multi-disc drag is as smooth as they come.

Interestingly, I found the finesse wheel had an additional advantage above and beyond the ability to creep baits at microslow speeds. Since it allows you to take in line with your left thumb, it comes in handy when you want to reach for a drink or work your boat’s electronics in mid-retrieve. You

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can spin the wheel quickly enough to maintain lure speed using your left hand while your right hand is free to do whatever you need.

—Lenny Rudow

High Voltage Voltaeus Rods YOU WANT A FISHING ROD THAT’S NEARLY indestructible. Up to now, that meant choosing fiberglass over graphite, which also meant you were stuck with a heavy, slow-action, flimsy, low-sensitivity rod. Shimano set out to change that with the Voltaeus series, and this month I had the chance to test out a 6-6 Medium Voltaeus rated for 12- to 30-poundtest line.

Since this rod’s supposed to be tough, I started by dropping it carelessly into the bed of my pickup with piles of other gear. Then I made a six-hour road trip to a friend’s boat, and spent all the next day fishing for bluefish, snapper, and flounder. The rod’s action is fast, its sensitivity is excellent, and most surprising of all, it’s as light as any graphite rig. I made sure I dropped the rod, banged it on the gunwales, and generally abused it— without causing more then a few scuffs.

The reason the Voltaeus is so tough is, naturally, its construction. Shimano’s “unifiber” construction chemically bonds three different composites, including carbon and T-glass. Guides are stainless steel without the usual ceramic inserts. That leaves the potential for more line wear later down the road if they get nicked or scratched. But it also means you don’t have to worry about guide liners, which are a common weak point on most rods, since they sometimes pop out or break.

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The Voltaeus is available in a wide variety of lengths and sizes, ranging from a 4foot, 6-inch ultralight designed for 1- to 4pound-test, to a 7-footer that can handle 20to 40-pound-test in both spinning and casting versions. One- and two-piece models are available.

—Lenny Rudow

The Newest Model 70 Winchester

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the Featherweight that was introduced in the 1980s, being different only in that the bolt is now controlled round-feed rather than the push-feed of its predecessor. It is a goodlooking gun, with very well done checkering and floral work on the stock, brightly blued metalwork, and jeweled bolt housing. Well, making a pretty gun is easy; making a good gun is harder. Testing was obviously indicated.

My test gun is in .30-06, the All-Ameri-

can Caliber. I mounted a Weaver 3-15X SuperSlam scope with Weaver rings and mounts, grabbed a few boxes of Federal .3006 ammo, and headed to the range.

The first thing I found was that the trigger was a little hard for my tastes. It scales over 5 pounds on my Lyman digital trigger pull gauge. The literature says it should come from the factory with a pull of 3.75 CONTINUED on Page C43

WHEN WINCHESTER CLOSED ITS NEW HAVEN, Connecticut, plant in 2006, it surprised few.

The truth was that it had become impossible for Winchester to make a profit under the conditions that prevailed at that facility.

Rumor has it that when Winchester began to put safeties on the Model 94, they were forced by union rules to pay a man $30 an hour to sit and paint one side of it red.

Salaries and overhead grew until it eventually got to the point where Winchester was losing money on each Model 94 and Model 70 sold. At that point, they made the decision to close the doors on the plant that had been open since 1936.

As I said, that didn’t surprise many of us. Neither did it surprise us when a year later it was announced that Winchester would reintroduce the Model 70. Most of us had expected it would be manufactured in one of the Japanese firearms factories. Winchester fooled us (me, at least) by having FN Herstal’s Columbia, South Carolina, plant produce the Model 70. In retrospect, that is logical since both Browning and U.S. Repeating Arms are, I understand, subsidiaries of FN Herstal, although Olin still owns the Winchester brand name. FN currently produces the M16 and several other models for the U.S. Military in the Columbia factory.

The shooting world is now in a state of bubbling ecstasy. The fabled Model 70 has been given yet another lease on a life that has been both long and troubled. Soon it will require a degree from Texas A&M to just discuss the many permutations of the Model 70, from Pre-64, to Post-64 push-feed, to the newer Classic, to...what? The Post2007? Never mind. It doesn’t matter.

Anyway, I just received a test sample of the newest Model 70 Featherweight. In outward appearance, it looks almost exactly like A L M A N A C

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Time for a Change?

OW IS THE TIME TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT practice. I am sure you have heard before that the more you practice the more proficient you will be when the moment of truth arrives. However, I have a suggestion. Before you spend countless hours out there flinging arrows, spend a little time to think about last season. Where you happy with your gear? Maybe while you sat there in your tree stand you thought about possibly changing a few things on your bow setup. I know I have.

After years of shooting the same broadheads and using the same sight, for some reason I thought that it is time for a change. At that time, I also thought about changing my arrow rest as well. Why? Who knows. I guess

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I just wanted to try the “new and improved” model. As hunters, we are all drawn to the hunting section of any store we go to. It makes no difference if it is a store that specializes in hunting gear or a supermarket. Somehow, we will find something in the store that we feel we can use in the field. I admit that it is a sickness among hunters. My wife would agree.

If you are like me, and a change is in the forecast, the time to try a change is now, before you start your diligent practice. Changing broadheads sounds simple enough, but not so fast. You might find that the new broadhead does not group as well as the ones you are used to. Is it the broadhead itself, or something else that is causing you to be inconsistent with your shooting? A mechanical broadhead is supposed to fly like your field tips. The key word here is “supposed.” I always have to adjust my sites a little to accommodate any hunting broadhead I use. That is not the case with some of my hunting partners. I think the reason for this is a combination of the smooth release, or lack of, and a very steady bow hand. It ends up being a matter of personal

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preference and what works best for you.

There is nothing wrong with my old sight.

I just wanted to change and try a new one.

Not only does this involve taking the time to set it up for your bow, but you should also leave some extra time for practice so you can really fine-tune this sight. Whatever sight you choose, as long as you take the time needed to set the pins correctly, it should be no problem at all when opening day arrives.

I have learned through my years of bow hunting that the smaller the tip of your sight pins are, the more accurate you will be. I often think of the line in the movie “The Patriot.”

Aim small, shoot small. So it is with your sight pins. If you use a large sight pin, your target will be covered and you will not be able to pick a precise spot. The smaller the better.

Most sight pins come with a thickness of .029.

I choose the .019 size, but now they even offer one that is .010 thick. That is small. I am not even sure if these old eyes could see that.

You can pick and choose which colors work best for your sight pins. Again, it is a personal preference thing. The human eye seems to be able to pick up green better than any other color. I have no reason why... but I can tell you that it is that way for my eyes.

Consequently, I use green tips on all of my sight pins.

If you decide it is time to use a different arrow rest, then make sure you give yourself enough time to research some of the top arrow rests on the market. In the archery world, there are pros and cons to just about any rest out there. Personally, I have two components that I feel are necessary if a rest is put on my bow. It has to have the ability to hold an arrow in place while my bow is hanging on my bow holder. More importantly, it has to be quite while you draw your arrow back.

If you choose a rest that does not hold your arrow in place, you risk the chance of your arrow falling off the rest and landing on the shelf of the bow. This also might be the time to cover the shelf with a piece of moleskin to help keep things quiet.

If your arrow makes any noise at all while

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TEXAS TESTED pounds, but the guy who adjusted this one must have slipped. I took the rifle apart to see if the trigger was adjustable. It is enclosed completely in an aluminum housing and the adjustment screws were covered with epoxy. I assumed there are adjustment screws under the epoxy, but I did not go further. Still, even though it is too heavy to suit my personal tastes, I must say that the trigger is shootable as it is, and I assume that it can be lightened without much difficulty.

At the bench, the rifle performed well.

With the various Federal factory loads of

150- 165-, and 180-grain bullets, the rifle managed three-shot groups in the 1- to 11/2-inch range. It was rather surprising given the light barrel. My friends Todd Tate and Tim Bycroft helped with the shooting, and all of us agreed that the new Winchester does credit to its ancestry. In fact, it shoots better than any Featherweight I have ever shot. I expect part of that can be attributed to the quality of the ammunition.

The little Winchester has a 22-inch barrel and tips the scales at 7 pounds. Add a scope and ammo and it will come up to over 8 pounds, which is about what a .3006 should weigh for comfortable shooting.

The new Model 70 comes in nine dif-

ferent versions. The flagship is the Model 70 Super Grade, with superior wood and metal finish. The sniper version is called the Stealth, and the predator model is Model 70 Coyote Light. The standard grade is the Model 70 Sporter. There is also a Model 70 Extreme Weather SS. Winchester seems to have covered all the bases without having so many different models that the consumer gets confused.

All things considered, this newest incarnation of the Model 70 is a very fine rifle, true to the Winchester tradition. I think Jack O’Connor would be pleased with it.

—Steve LaMascus

you draw your bowstring back, you will immediately put the deer on alert and your chances of success are diminished. Either way, you will soon find out why they are called whitetails.

Some arrow rests come with a piece of rubber that covers the metal prongs of the rest. If you practice as often as you should, you soon will discover that the rubber has worn away from the friction of your arrow. It needs to be

replaced before you head out to your tree stand. If this is not fixed, then you will be pulling your arrow back on a piece of metal and it is a sure bet that your arrow will sing as it draws back on the rest.

Trying new equipment every once in a while is a good thing. You might find something you cannot live without. It might be something that boosts your confidence level.

In any event, at the end of the day, it still is fun to do, and by trying new things, you will be paying more attention to your setup. Your diligence will pay off come deer season.

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E-mail Lou Marullo at lmarullo@fishgame.com

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Federal Cartridge N ENTREPRENEUR NAMED CHARLES HORN founded the Federal Cartridge Company in 1922 in Anoka, Minnesota.

I remember when I was a kid, wrongly or rightly, we considered Federal Ammunition the cheap stuff. We would buy Winchester or Remington for serious hunting and buy Federal for practice. I suspect that even then, this was a simple misapprehension

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on our part, but it appeared to be pretty much pervasive at that time. I do know, however, that by the late 1960s I was using Federal’s 139-grain load in my father’s 7mm Mauser and was supremely pleased with the results. I shot a truckload of coyotes, bobcats, foxes, and deer with the Mauser and that load. Federal has since replaced that old reliable load with a new one in the Power-Shok line using a 140-grain Speer Hot-Cor bullet. It too should perform to script.

Federal began as a small company that focused on putting its products in small business such as mom and pop grocery stores, service stations, small town hardware stores, and such. Federal began small and grew steadily.

As it grew, it began to offer a wider and wider

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range of products.

Eventually Federal began to offer its Premium ammunition. Today Federal is the leader of the pack, with the former leaders apparently playing catch-up. Here’s why.

Federal was the first to figure out that it could load premium handloader’s bullets, like Nosler and Sierra, in its ammunition. Why no one had thought of this before is a good question. Today you can buy Federal Premium Ammunition loaded with everything from Barnes Triple-Shock bullets to Sierra Game Kings and Nosler Ballistic Tips. Instead of having to make one bullet do all the work, as I did way back when, the modern shooter and hunter can select the bullet best suited for the purpose at hand.

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Let’s look at the .30-06, for example: If I were hunting moose, I would pick the Vital-Shok ammunition shooting the 180grain Barnes Triple-Shock X-Bullet or Power-Shok shooting the 220-grain Speer Hot-Cor soft point.

If I were hunting pronghorn antelope, I would choose the Vital-Shok shooting the 150-grain Sierra GameKing Boat tail Soft Point or the 150-grain Nosler Ballistic Tip. For elk, the best choice might be VitalShok shooting the 180-grain Trophy Bonded Tip bullet at 2880 feet per second.

For predators or woodchucks, the best bet would be the Power-Shok with the 125-grain soft point.

In addition to these there are, assuming my count is right, 16 other high quality loads with such wonderful performers as the Nosler’s AccuBond and Partition, and the Barnes MRX. In short, if you can’t find it in the Federal line-up, you probably can’t find it.

There are 25 additional pages of various loads for rifles ranging from the .22 Hornet to the mighty .470 Nitro Express.

In addition to its rifle ammunition, Federal produces top quality handgun and shotgun ammo. My favorite defense load in the .45 ACP is Federal’s 230-grain Hydra-Shok. I have unmitigated faith that should I need it, that load will get the job done, and that is what you want in a load you may be forced to bet your life on.

Back when I was carrying a .357 Magnum every day, I knew that the Federal 125grain hollow point ammunition was the best made for my purposes. When the Border Patrol finally allowed its agents to carry semiauto handguns, it first chose Federal to load the ammunition. Once again, I was supremely confident that the Federal 9mm 115-grain +P+ hollow points that I carried in my Glock 17 were the best I could get.

Today there is a wide selection of Federal personal protection ammunition, including the time proven Hydra-Shok. There are eight pages of handgun loads listed on the Federal website, including about anything you could want in a hunting, target, or defense load.

If you are a shotgunner, you have a huge selection of ammo to choose from. You waterfowlers can choose the Black Cloud steel shot, Ultra-Shok Hi-Density shot, or the SpeedShok steel shot loads.

For pheasant, you might choose the Federal Wing-Shok Pheasants Forever loads with 1-1/4 ounces of No. 5.

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For quail and doves there are a number of loads available from the standard Game-Shok game loads, to the Game-Shok Hi-Brass.

Skeet and trap shooters can choose from several target loads, such as the Gold Medal Target International Plastic loads, or the more traditional Gold Medal Target International Paper. Anyone who has every experienced it knows that there is nothing on earth that smells as good as a freshly spent paper shotgun shell. I wish they would make ladies per-

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fume with that aroma.

I just checked the Federal website and it lists seven pages of various 12-gauge shot shell loads. Everyone should be able to find something that suits their needs.

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E-mail Steve LaMascus at guns@fishgame.com

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The 30 Best Boating Tips, Ever!

F YOU READ THIS ENTIRE PARAGRAPH, THEN your attention span is longer than that of most Americans. The digital age has us breaking down data into tiny tidbits that blip from here to there to everywhere.

While 50 years ago people preferred to read 1500 words at a clip, today, 150 is a stretch. We multi-task, we change topics, and we don’t digest information—we devour bits and pieces of it. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? I have no idea. But it has forced writers to re-think the way we communicate information, and one tactic we

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often use is simple tips. Tips are awesome; they let you put knowledge into an easy to understand, easy to read format that’s so short people might actually read the whole thing and get something out of it. Through the years, I’ve had to put together a lot of boating tips, probably hundreds, maybe even thousands. Here are the 30 I’ve found most interesting and useful. You can read them one a day or one an hour, or if it suits your brain, read the whole bunch in one sitting. Either way, I’m betting you’ll take the time to digest them.

Maintenance Tips 1. Apply canvas waterproofing treatment to T-tops at high noon; do it early in the day and dew might be in the fabric, which will prevent the waterproofer from working. Do it late in the day, and dew might form before the waterproofer has time to dry completely.

2. You popped an engine belt at sea, and don’t have an extra. Pull a strap off a life jacket, use a fishhook to clip the ends togeth-

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er, and sub it out for the belt.

3. Smear your transducer with Vaseline before bottom-painting your boat. Then if any paint gets on your transducer by accident, it’ll be easy to remove.

4. When changing your lower unit oil, look closely at the oil color to get a read on the condition of your lower unit. Black might look bad but it’s the normal color; gray or silver means minute metal shavings in the oil, and you have potential gear damage; milky colored oil is bad news--you have a water intrusion problem.

5. One of your gauges has started working intermittently. Before you replace it, try cleaning all of the connections at the gauge and at the sender. This is usually the root of this problem.

6. Your outboard’s telltale isn’t putting out any water, but your engine isn’t overheating. Insert 50-pound-test monofilament fishing line into the hole, run it as far as possible into the motor, and spin it to ream out the clog.

7. A grommet ripped out of your boat cover. Ball up a sock, push it under the cover so it makes a bulge, then tie your line around the bottom of the bulge.

8. When running a bead of caulk or sealant, always push the tube along instead of pulling it. Pushing will make a smoother line every time.

9. To get a long-lasting gleam on your gel coat, use paste wax made with bee’s wax for an initial protective undercoat, and carnauba-based liquid wax for a shiny top coat.

10. Always roll—never fold—clear vinyl curtains and Isinglass to prevent creasing.

11. When drilling into gel coat, run the drill at top RPM. A slow-moving drill bit causes more cracking than one that’s spinning quickly. Reduce cracking even more by placing a piece of tape over the spot before drilling.

12. To get a tight knot out of a mooring line, soak it in warm water with fabric softener and it will loosen up.

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Safety Tips 13. When shooting flares to signal a boat in the distance, shoot two of them spaced 10 to 15 seconds apart. If they see one flare it might leave questions in people’s minds as to whether there’s an emergency or someone’s shooting fireworks, or performing a test. The second one leaves no doubt.

14. When night-fishing, have everyone aboard attach a Cyalume light stick to a belt loop with a rubber band. If someone goes overboard, they have a visible way to signal in the darkness.

15. If something in your boat’s microwave catches on fire, do not open the door. Just turn it off and/or pull the plug. As soon as the fans shut off, the fire will smother in the confined space.

16. When someone is hypothermic and needs body heat fast, fill a zipper-lock bag with hot water from your outboard’s telltale.

Then place it in the victim’s armpits and groin to warm their blood. (Editor’s Note: This seems like a good source of warm water to relieve jellyfish stings.)

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clutter your fish-finder screen, suspect electrical interference. Isolating the transducer wire from all other wiring (particularly the engine harness) will usually end it.

24. Maximum range for any radar is commonly limited not by power or capability, but by the height of the antenna. Here’s the formula to determine actual range: 1.22NM x square root of the antenna height, x 1.22NM x square root of the target height.

25. To estimate distance to shore, remember that at about one mile individual tree trunks can be seen with the naked eye.

At half a mile, individual branches can be distinguished.

26. If you have a chartplotter with a trackball, you might have noticed it became jerky with age. To get it working smoothly again, wipe it with isopropyl alcohol and roll CONTINUED on Page C49

Trailering Tips 17. If your tandem-axel trailer sways a little, try dropping 3-5 psi in the front tires.

This will transfer more of the load to the rear tires and help stabilize your rig.

18. If your boat doesn’t self-center when you drive it onto the trailer, try pulling the trailer up the ramp a foot or two. This problem is usually the result of submerging the trailer too deep.

19. To figure out your trailer winch’s power ratio, multiply crank length by gear ratio and divide the result by 1/2 the drum diameter.

20. Always unplug your trailer lights before you launch the boat. Otherwise, when the cool water hits the hot bulbs, they are likely to pop.

Navigation & Electronics Tips 21. When you see purple lines on a contour map, don’t assume they’re accurate.

Purple means they come from photos and haven’t been verified by personnel in the field.

22. To figure your reverse compass bearing, add 180 to bearings under 180 degrees and subtract 180 from bearings over 180 degrees.

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The Power to Heal HE IMAGE WAS VIVID AND LASTING: EIGHT empty wheelchairs parked haphazardly at the edge of a lake and eight anglers, some of them double amputees, paddling away in brightly colored kayaks. I sat mesmerized, listening intently to Jim Dolan recall the story of one of the outings that Heroes on the Water held last year to help wounded veterans relax, rehab, and reintegrate with society.

Dolan and I met for lunch last month to discuss Heroes on the Water and the organization’s philosophy of using kayak angling to help wounded veterans and their families.

“There is something unique about The image of empty wheelkayak fishing,” said Dolan. “There is a chairs is unforgettable sense of individualism you don’t get Heroes on the Water on the Water and their when you are fishing in a powerboat. close friends in military support organizations It is very liberating.

“Many veterans come home with post to persuade veterans to participate in outings. traumatic stress disorder. Even though there He joked that one young Marine in the Dalisn’t anything harmed on the outside, there is las area had to be ordered out of his house by on the inside. A lot of my guys stutter and take a Gunnery Sergeant.

“That young man didn’t want anything to a while to process information.

“We have found that getting people do with us in the beginning, but he quickly felt involved in outdoor activities has a very posi- the support of his fellow vets,” Dolan said. “It tive effect on them. Fishing from a kayak gives has helped the healing process and he can them a sense of empowerment. They are total- now occasionally forget some of the terrible things in his past. The Gunnery Sergeant ly relaxed and can do their own thing.

“When we have a group outing, every one confided in me that it was the first time in six splits up and paddles their own way, but at months that he had seen him smile.”

Heroes on the Water is a non-profit orgasome point during the day, everyone rafts up, away from everyone on the shore, and the vets nization and Dolan is the heartbeat that keeps just talk amongst themselves out in the lake or the organization moving ahead.

“The kayak industry is tremendously supbay. It might be about life events, family problems, or medical problems. They find a lot of portive of our efforts,” he said. “The paddling community has also been very supportive, but comfort in each other’s company.”

Many of the veterans Dolan has interfaced it is tough to keep them engaged. This sort of with are in a dark place and desire to keep outreach requires a lot of devotion, but the their own company. It is common for Heroes results are overwhelming.”

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The U.S. Military takes a much different approach dealing with soldiers returning from combat than it did several decades ago. There are Warrior Transition Battalions at every major fort in the country, and soldiers coming back from combat duty spend time readjusting. The military’s philosophy is to get the soldier healed while they are on active duty.

Dolan’s goal is to see Heroes on the Water integrated into these battalions.

Heroes on the Water sponsors events throughout the year, mostly on private lakes.

“We usually get together for 4-6 hours, with some sort of lunch afterward. We provide the kayaks and gear and make all the arrangements. Most of the lakes we fish in are 15-20 acres in size. This gives everyone plenty of room to spread out, plus we don’t have to worry about water skiers and boaters zooming around.”

When a solider is wounded, their families also suffer. Heroes on the Water encourages families to participate in kayak events, allowing them to heal as well.

“Last month, I got to witness a dad that had lost both of his legs being able to paddle his daughter around the lake in his lap while she fished. Is his daughter’s eyes, he wasn’t disabled anymore,” Dolan said.

“The best testament of our success came when one of my guys called me after a year in the program and asked me to go fishing with him instead of the other way around.”

I salute Jim Dolan and the rest of the volunteers at Heroes on the Water for their tireless devotion to helping our wounded veterans. They have clearly demonstrated the kayak’s power to heal.

Email Greg Berlocher at kayak@fishgame.com

On the Web www.HeroesontheWater.org

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Bream Basics MUST ADMIT THAT I’VE DONE YOU AN INJUStice.

Over the past few years that I’ve been writing this column, we’ve gone over rigs for catching just about anything that swims. I’ve covered conventional and a few off the wall rigs, and hopefully you’ve picked up tips on how to catch everything from bass and catfish to redfish and gar. However, the one fish I seem to have ignored is probably the most sought after fish in the state, the lowly bream (sunfish).

Redear, longear, warmouth, bluegill, green, and redbreast sunfishes all swim in just about every lake, pond, creek, ditch, or puddle in the state. While these species are not considered game fish and are basically the swimming food source for the more popular fishes we chase, they are still fun to catch and a great way to get new anglers interested in fishing. Think back to when you were a kid (longer ago for some of us than others) and I’d be willing to bet that the first memory you have of fishing involves a sunfish. My kids still prefer to go down to the lake and catch bream to just about any other type of fish because of the

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ease of rigging for them and their willingness to bite.

So, this month, we’re going to cover how to catch the diminutive bream. Most of you already know how to do this, so this isn’t for you. This column is for the person who picked up their first outdoor magazine and wants to know how to catch something, anything, just to see what it’s like.

Bream fishing is a simple endeavor. This time of year, you can find multiple sunfish species hanging near the bank in just about any cover, including grass, brush piles, and boat docks. Basically, if you find cover you’ll find sunfishes.

There are a few hybrid species of bream that can be measured in pounds instead of ounces, but sunfishes in general do not grow very large. Catching one the size of a grown man’s hand is something to brag about, so your fishing gear does not need to be stout to chase them. Ultralight spinning gear loaded

with 6-pound monofilament is all you’ll ever need to manhandle even the largest bream.

On the end of the main line, tie on a small long shank bream hook. The small size and long shaft of the hook each serve a specific purpose. Even a world record bream has a small mouth, so the small hook allows them to easily get the point of the hook into their mouth, increasing hook-ups. The long shank

helps the angler get the hook back out, because the fisherman can grasp the long shank outside the fish’s mouth instead of trying to get a finger in to pry out a hook that got a little too deep.

Put a bobber (float) on the main line above the hook. When choosing a bobber, think small. The point behind the bobber is to indicate a strike, but it has to do this without deterring the fish from biting. Small bobbers offer less resistance, so they will go under easier and not pull the bait out of the fish’s mouth or scare them off by casting a large shadow.

The traditional red and white plastic bobber works fine if you use the smallest one possible. However, long, thin, balsa wood pencil bobbers are easy to see, are pulled under easily, and don’t throw a large shadow, so keep those in mind while making your selection.

On the main line 3-4 inches above the hook, crimp on a split shot—again, think really small. The purpose of the split shot is to

keep the buoyant bait from floating up, putting slack in the line between the hook and the float. Any slack in the line allows the fish to bite without moving the bobber, so you are not aware of the strike.

E-mail Paul Bradshaw at freshrigs@fishgame.com

TEXAS BOATING Continued from Page C47 it around for a few seconds.

27. Your radar sees “ghost” returns.

Structures in line with your radar antenna are often the cause. Move other antennae, masts, and anything in proximity to the dome or array.

ILLUSTRATION BY PAUL BRADSHAW

General Tips 28. Old masking tape won’t rip up easily. Rub cooking oil over it to eliminate the stickies.

29. Craving a hot meal on an outboard-powered center console. Put a can of soup, ravioli, or spaghetti into a bucket, then fill it with hot water from the out-

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30. Saltwater brine will cool fish faster then plain ice. Add a 5-gallon bucket of saltwater per 40 pounds of ice to maximize the chill in your fish box.

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TEXAS SALTWATER

GALVESTON

BAFFIN BAY Wyatt Crappie Blairs Guide Service

ADVERTISERS, SEND IN YOUR PHOTOS TODAY!

CORPUS CHRISTI Katy Group Reds Redfish Charters Tonya Switalski Red Hillman Guide Service

UPPER COAST (SABINE LAKE)

Dale’s 28” Trout Coastal Bend Outdoors

or Classified Rates and Informatio call Dennise at 1-800-750-4678, ext. 5579.

ROCKPORT

TEXAS HUNTING

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White Oak Outfitters Hog

Kayla’s Trout Rockport Red Runner

TEXAS FRESHWATER

Justin Gilbreath Striper Striper Express Guide Service

OUTDOOR SHOPPER

LAKE TEXOMA

EAST TEXAS

ADVERTISERS, SEND IN YOUR PHOTOS TODAY!

LAKE AMISTAD

SPOTLIGHT: SPEC-TACULAR TROUT ADVENTURES David Dillman is the owner and operator of Spec-tacular Trout Adventures, a year-round full time fishing guide service. Spec-tacular Trout Adventures was founded in January of 1990. They fish all of the Galveston Bay Complex for speckled trout and redfish, utilizing live natural bait and artificial lures.

From May through September, David guides out of Eagle Point Fishing Camp in San Leon, Texas. From October through April, he guides out of Jamaica Beach on Galveston Island.

Spec-tacular Trout Adventures offers both half and full day trips. For more information visit his website www.spec-taculartrout.com or call David (409) 632.0924.

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pressure) Texas Gourmet’s Sidewinder Searing Spice

Barbecued Crab REMEMBER CRABBING ON BOLIVAR ISLAND with my parents and grandmother. My grandmother was from Mobile Bay, Alabama, and loved crab. She taught me many great recipes, but this one came from Beaumont, Texas.

Barbecued crab was invented at Granger’s in Sabine Pass, Texas, during the late 1940s, when one of their cooks seasoned a crab and then deep-fried it. The rest is history.

Contrary to the name, these crab are not barbecued. The name comes from the barbecue-like seasoning. Theses crab are full of sweet, rich meat and spiced with Texas Gourmet’s Sidewinder Searing Spice, which

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1 large pot (12 qt. minimum) with a basket for frying 1 gal. peanut oil 8-10 large blue crab, cleaned and chilled (remove lungs and insides using heavy water

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Start with live hard-shell blue crab, discarding any that are dead.

Place the live blue crab in icewater for several minutes to stun (it is best to use a large cooler for this purpose).

Once immersed in icewater, the crab will become dormant. After several minutes, they will be “asleep,” then you can easily handle them with your bare hands.

Remove the carapace (top shell) from each crab by grasping the legs on one side and prying the shell off, using the sharp spines for leverage. This kills the crab instantly.

Turn the crab upside down and, using a knife or other sharp object, pry up and remove the “apron” that is folded up under the body.

Turn the crab right-side up. Using your thumb and index finger, grasp the mouth parts and twist off to remove. Remove the spongy gills from each side of the body and the entrails from inside the main body cavity.

Rinse clean.

Remove the two large claws and reserve.

Do not remove the legs. Break each cleaned body in half.

At this point, you should have two halves, each with four legs still attached.

Each body half should be completely clean and consist of nothing but glistening white shell with meat inside.

Boil the crabs for three minutes prior to seasoning and frying. This technique helps prevent the meat from sticking to the shell.

Dredge each body half in seafood seasoning (see resources below) to completely coat.

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Place the seasoned crabs in the refrigerator for 1 or 2 hours to allow the seasoning to penetrate into the meat.

Heat oil in a deep-fat fryer to 350 and drop in a few crab. Deep fry until they turn red and float to the surface, approximately 57 minutes. Repeat until all of the crabs are cooked.

Serve immediately while steaming hot.

Optionally, you can sprinkle the cooked crab with more seafood seasoning before serving.

The claws should be boiled in water until they turn bright red and float to the surface.

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reach of children.

- Ideally, you should be deep-frying infrequently, which allows you to use fresh oil each time. But if you really want to re-use the oil, wait until it has cooled then strain it through paper towels, coffee filters, or cheesecloth into a new container; store it in a cool, dark place.

- Flames from a pot of hot oil can be 2-3 feet high. Be sure to have a real non-liquid fire extinguisher on hand and ready to use.

A box of baking soda likely will not suffice in the event of a deep-fryer fire.

Contact Bryan Slaven, "The Texas Gourmet," at 888-234-7883, www.thetexasgourmet.com; or by email at texas-tasted@fishgame.com

Deep-Frying Tips If you are undeterred by possible health risks or are treating yourself to an occasional deep-fried delicacy, here are some techniques and safety tips to keep in mind: - Choose your cooking oil carefully.

When the oil starts to give off continuous smoke, you have it way too hot. Oils with high “smoke points” are best, such as peanut, safflower, sunflower, and canola oil.

Be sure to use enough oil so there is enough to cover whatever items you intend to fry.

- Choose a deep, very heavy skillet to fry with. Add oil to the cold pan, leaving a space of at least two inches at the top of the pan, to allow a safety margin when the oil bubbles up as the food is added.

- Heating a large amount of oil can take a long time. Deep-frying should be done with the oil around 365 degrees F (185 C). Use a candy thermometer to keep track of the oil’s temperature.

- When breading with a moist batter, use cornmeal, cornstarch, or flour to make it stick to the food. Be sure to shake off the excess batter or breading before frying, else it might come off in the oil.

- Always place food in the fryer away from you to prevent splashing and burning— do not throw it in! Keep your sleeves rolled down.

- Avoid crowding the deep fryer with food, which will lower the oil’s temperature.

- Maintain the proper frying temperature to ensure food cooks properly and doesn’t absorb too much oil. If it is too hot, the coating will burn before the food cooks; if it is not hot enough, oil will reach the food before it’s fully cooked and make it greasy.

- Watch the food carefully as it cooks and do not leave the fryer unattended. Make sure all cords and the fryer itself are out of the A L M A N A C

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4r caught this mons of Tyle nd, outHunter Clem dparents’ po an gr s hi in pound bass e grandson of . Hunter is th side of Athens Clemmons of Athens. y nd Jack and Ca

Peyton Usof f of Victoria, Texa to reel in this 23-inch redfis s, was thrilled h while fishing Port Lavaca. in

Bill Stewart of Beaumont ca ed this 28-in ught and rele ch hybrid strip aser in the mar south of Sabi sh ne Lake. He was fishing fo fish with live r re mullet. Photo

by Greg Brow dn.

on ot this buck of Tomball sh grandis th at e Caleb Barber is just after sunr dina. opening day Me w Z Ranch in parents’ Arro

dthis keeper re ughan caught a Carol Rose He Texas, while fishing with rt, er fish in Freepo orning topwat e red was a m chug bug. Th bite.

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Ty Chumley, his dad Bobb y, time friends, Eric and Carl, and two longwith specks redfish from an a trip with Ca ptain Ryan of d Busceme’s Bl ack Dog Fish Guide Servic e.

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Isabella Soriano, age 7, of Corpus Christi, Texas, caught this 25-inch speckled trout while surf-fishing the National Seashore with her dad, Joel. It was her best catch to date.

Keith Miller, of Robinson , Texas, caug 1/2-pound, 23 ht a 6-in fishing at Trad ch largemouth bass while inghouse Cr eek Reservoi r.

acktip is 38-inch bl ger caught th Myles Marbur ng with his granddad, hi tty. shark while fis at the Galveston North Je ld, ed. rm Charles Arno ha un ed as s rele The shark wa

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2g caught this n of Rosenber fishing with his Cody Shelto ss ba th rgemou Cody 1/2-pound la Hungerford. . mily pond in use curltail jig dad in the fa tre ar ch k/ ac th bl was fishing wi

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Jennifer Klei n, age 13, of Dallas, Texas, caught her fir st “keeper” re dfish while fis ing with her grandfather, Tony Pustejov hat his home sky, on Sargent Be ach.

Five-year-old Reagyn Pyfe r of North Ri land Hills, Te chxas, caught this 8-pound at Joe Pool La carp ke. Submitted dad, Darren. by her proud

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speckught his first k of Vidor ca l Beach, while Luke Sodola ta ys Cr at rf e su Pa. led trout in th little brother, dad and Pa ait. his ut with cut-b fishing with tro ch -in /4 -3 e 19 He caught th

Kthe time, of Mc rnik, age 5 at Christian Piva ught his largest fish, a 22 ca nite inney, Texas, tfish, using a d channel ca inch, 8-poun wne Lake. crawler on To

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Wiley Webb took Liberty Hill, Te this buck while hunting in xas, in Willia mson County Webb shot th . e buck at ab out 150 yard s.

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ows Woodlands sh nnett of The in ht ug ca r, Mary-Kate Be de ss, a 6-poun ds. off her first ba rk Lake in The Woodlan t Pa . ss Shadow Poin ba d ht a 2-poun She also caug

Four-year-old Ja deer with a 22 gger Lechler shot his fir st Ho dad, Derek, on rnet while hunting with his the Braun Ra nch in La Pryo r.

a a shows off y of Lago Vist ot in the CCA David Barcla sl 8 e th d se mis the trout that just while fishing ment, caught .

STAR Tourna tty je ur th rt Ar surf east of Po

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Collin Rayburg, age 5, caught this 23-1/2inch redfish in Rockport, using his Zebco 33.

He cast his bait, set the hook and reeled it in on his own; his dad helped to net the fish.

nded this 4.5Spicewood la O.H. Ivie.

Colt King of ng at hi fis ile wh pound bass

Brenyn Burk holder, age 8, of caught her fir st redfish wh San Antonio ile fishing wi dad and brot th her her in the ba ys off the Pa Channel, alon ckery g the Texas coast.

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e n, age 6 at th alls of Housto off John David W first trout while fishing his time, caught s in Port Mans over the light the dock and ry proud! ve field. He was

Taylor Sims of Cypress la nded this 22 redfish while -inch fishing on th e Lavaca Rive with her brot r her Ryan and dad Kerry (p tured). She ca icught the red on her first ca st.

ught this 6.5of Bellville ca hing Mark Zapalac trout while fis ed kl ec sp ch pound, 27-in in Sargent.

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FEW YEARS AGO, I CAME TO THE STARTLING realization that most people cannot perform even minor vehicle maintenance tasks. The notion of taking a car or truck to the dealership to have a signal lamp replaced simply boggled my mind. Chalk it up to urbanization, I suppose.

Most of my acquaintances—all rural folk—do some or all of the maintenance on their vehicles. Around the Zaidle homeplace, overhauling a pickup engine, replacing the clutch in a John Deere tractor, and repacking the wheel bearings on a 4X4 routinely crop up on the “to do” list. Oil changes, engine tune-ups, and electrical system troubleshooting fall in the same category as taking out the trash and cleaning guns—routine chores. Several local auto supply store proprietors check with me before submitting restocking orders; I even know my computer file number at one of them—9000. The counter guys have even taken to calling me, “Old Number 9000.”

No respect.

I am not thumping my hairy, he-man mechanic chest, but trying to instill confidence that, while I am not Mr. Goodwrench, I know enough about vehicles to avoid putting oil in the radiator or water in the power steering pump. Further—and perhaps more importantly in these economic times—performing your own vehicle maintenance brings substantial savings. You can do that $50 oil change yourself for less than half the cost, and the savings in a DIY tune-up can amount to three figures.

A

ENGINE FLUIDS: All internal combustion engines use fluids for lubrication and cooling. Several types of oils and other fluid chemicals serve a variety of purposes in the engine and external systems. Checking and replacing fluids is one of the easiest—and most crucial—routine maintenance chores.

COOLANT: With the exception of the original Volkswagen Beetle and Chevrolet Corvair (which had rear-mounted, air-cooled engines), all car and truck engines use a mixture of water and liquid chemicals to prevent

by Don Zaidle overheating. A pump circulates the liquid through internal engine cavities (the cooling jacket) and the radiator. The chemicals lubricate the water pump, help prevent rust in the cooling system, raise coolant boiling point, and prevent freezing. A fan draws air across radiator vanes to convection-cool the fluid inside. Though the circulatory system is “sealed,” some fluid can be lost for a variety of reasons, hence the need to check the level.

The first rule of coolant checking is never check when the engine is hot or running.

Coolant is under pressure when the engine is hot and will spew out causing severe burns.

With the engine cool, locate and remove the radiator/coolant fill cap at the front of the engine compartment. You should see green liquid just below the fill neck or on top of the radiator vanes. If not, add a 50-50 mixture of

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Under the Hood water and antifreeze, filling to the bottom of the filler neck, and replace the radiator cap.

Coolant antifreeze and antiboil properties break down over time. To check for this, you need an antifreeze tester (hygrometer). These are available from auto supply stores and come in several varieties, but most look like a small turkey baster. Remove the radiator cap and draw some liquid into the tester. Follow the directions that come with the tester. If the tester indicates inadequate antifreeze but the radiator is full, you must first drain some coolant (about half a gallon on most vehicles) through a valve on the bottom of the radiator.

Refill with 100 percent antifreeze.

The radiator overflow/reserve reservoir, usually mounted under the hood on one of the fender wells, is made of semi-transparent plastic with MIN and MAX indicators marked on the outside. Add 50-50 coolant mixture to the MAX mark.

OIL: Engine oil provides internal lubrication and aids cooling. Older vehicles—and even some new ones—might lose oil in a number of ways. To check oil level, locate the oil dipstick—a long, flat piece of thin metal with a ring or T-shaped handle on one end. The other end has two marks, an upper and a lower, indicating FULL and ADD respectively, and usually labeled accordingly.

Depending on vehicle make and model, the dipstick is usually located at the front or on either side of the engine.

Pull the dipstick straight up from its G A M E ®

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In This Issue OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE SECTION

HOW-TO SECTION

I1

COVER STORY • Under the Hood |

BY DON ZAIDLE

I36 I38 I39 I40

BOWHUNTING TECH • Time for a Change? |

BY LOU MARULLO

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BAITS & RIGS • Bream Basics |

BY PAUL BRADSHAW

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TEXAS TASTED • Barbecued Crab |

BY BRYAN SLAVEN

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OUTDOOR CLASSIFIED DIRECTORY • Classifieds | BY TF&G STAFF

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PHOTO ALBUM • Your Action Photos |

TEXAS GUNS & GEAR • Federal Cartridge |

BY STEVE LAMASCUS TEXAS KAYAKING • The Power to Heal |

BY GREG BERLOCHER TEXAS BOATING • The 30 Best Boating Tips, Ever! |

BY LENNY RUDOW

BY TF&G READERS

GEARING UP SECTION

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

mounting tube, then wipe off the oil with a rag. Reinsert the stick in the tube, ensuring that it seats completely. Withdraw the stick again and, holding it horizontally so the oil does not run, see where the oil level is on the end. Any level between the ADD and FULL marks is acceptable. If at or below the

I27 I30

SPECIAL SECTION • Tricked Out Rides | BY TF&G STAFF

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INDUSTRY INSIDER • Laguna Rods, MG Arms, Z-Man |

BY TF&G STAFF

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TEXAS TESTED • Vision Slyder, Voltaeus Rods, Winchester |

BY TF&G STAFF

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

BY TF&G STAFF

www.FishGame.com

ADD mark, the level is low by at least one quart.

To add oil, locate the oil fill neck and cap.

Like the dipstick, it may be at the front or on either side of the engine, or at the top-rear on some models. It looks similar to the radiator cap, so take care not to confuse the two.

Remove the cap and pour in one quart of oil of the same brand and viscosity already in the engine. If unsure about this, consult the dealership or mechanic who last checked/changed the oil.

POWER STEERING FLUID: The power steering pump pressurizes a low-viscosity oil to drive a piston or other mechanism, which in turn actuates the drag links and other components that steer the front wheels. The pump is located on the lower-front of the engine, usually—but not always—on the driver side. In the top is a combination fill cap/dipstick. Remove the cap and follow the same procedure as checking engine oil, but remember the ADD quantity is only a few ounces, not a whole quart. Some manufacturers specify a special power steering fluid, but ordinary automatic transmission fluid is fine in older vehicles.

BRAKE FLUID: Car and light truck brake systems are hydraulic. A piston (master cylinder) connected to the brake pedal pressurizes a watery, low-viscosity fluid that actuates smaller cylinders in each wheel to apply braking pressure. The master cylinder is mounted on the firewall (the metal divider CONTINUED on Page I-4

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Plastics and Toppers for Trout LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Sydney Island GPS: N29 58.590, W93 49.433 SPECIES: speckled trout

BY TOM BEHRENS tbehrens@fishgame.com

BEST BAITS: soft plastics in natural colors, chartreuse tail, sparkle (clear water); chartreuse, Lemon, Morning Glory (stained water); topwaters CONTACT: Capt. Bill Watkins, 409-7862018 TIPS: We should have lost our incoming freshwater flow from the rivers and the north end of Sabine Lake should be salty.

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TIPS: When the water clears up it should make for some great fishing. Birds should be working.

LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: East Pass GPS: N29 58.920, W93 47.135 SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: soft plastics in natural colors, chartreuse tail, sparkle (clear water); chartreuse, Lemon, Morning Glory (stained water); topwaters CONTACT: Capt. Bill Watkins, 409-7862018 TIPS: Everything is shaping up this month for the summer fishing pattern.

LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Garrison’s Ridge GPS: N29 48 811, W93 52.002 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: soft plastics, topwaters CONTACT: Capt. Bill Watkins, 409-7862018

LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Beachfront @ Texas Point GPS: N29 70.277, W93.90.111 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: soft plastics in natural colors, chartreuse tail, sparkle (clear water); chartreuse, Lemon, Morning Glory (stained water); topwaters CONTACT: Capt. Bill Watkins, 409-7862018 TIPS: Look for bait action in the surf.

BANK ACCESS: Wade-fish the area south of Sabine Pass. 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 riprap to get on the beach.

LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Blue Buck Point

COVER STORY Continued from Page I-2 between the engine and passenger compartments) on the driver side. It has a reservoir with MIN and MAX marks for brake fluid.

Some reservoirs are see-through and can be checked without removing the fill cap.

Remove the fill cap from an opaque reservoir and check the fluid level. Add brake fluid—and nothing else—until the level reaches the MAX mark.

HYDRAULIC CLUTCH FLUID: Many trucks and some cars equipped with standard (stick) transmissions use hydraulics similar to the brake system to engage and disengage the clutch. The clutch master cylinder is a smaller version of the brake master cylinder and usually mounted somewhere near it on the firewall. The same I4 |

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check and add procedure and same brake fluid is used unless otherwise specified by the manufacturer.

WASHER FLUID: The windshield washer fluid reservoir is usually mounted on one of the fender wells. Most are transparent with MIN and MAX marks. Refill as needed with washer fluid—never water, which can freeze and damage the system.

TRANSMISSION FLUID: You check automatic transmission fluid level the same way you check engine oil, with a dipstick, but it is a bit more involved. Most vehicle manufacturers recommend the vehicle be at operating temperature and that you cycle through all the gears before checking. Some have other requirements. Consult your owner’s manual or a mechanic for the propF I S H

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er procedure for your vehicle.

CAUTION: If in doubt, ask someone qualified to guide you through the procedures mentioned here. If you put in the wrong fluid or overfill a system, your warranty as well as your vehicle is in jeopardy.

Space precludes delving into fluid and filter changing, basic tune-ups, lamp replacement, and other light routine maintenance. If you want to get your hands even dirtier, Haynes Publications produces an excellent series of manuals covering every make and model on the road. Instructions on simple routine maintenance up to complete engine overhaul are meticulously detailed and illustrated with art and photographs. Available at any auto supply store, or order directly from Haynes Publications Inc, 1-800-2424637, www.haynes.com.

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GPS: N29 47.780, W93 54.439 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: soft plastics in clear or natural colors CONTACT: Capt. Bill Watkins, 409-7862018 TIPS: Speed of retrieve depends on tidal

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movement and how hungry the fish are.

Start with a slow retrieve, letting the bait sink to the bottom. Retrieve, keeping it in contact with the bottom, bouncing the bait.

LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Jetties GPS: N29 40.371, W93 50.250 SPECIES: slot redfish BEST BAITS: soft plastics in natural colors, chartreuse tail, sparkle (clear water); chartreuse, Lemon, Morning Glory (stained water); topwaters CONTACT: Capt. Bill Watkins, 409-7862018 TIPS: June is probably the best time of the year to be fishing off the jetties. A variety of fishes can be found along the jetties.

LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Jetties GPS: N29 40.371, W93 50.250 SPECIES: tripletail BEST BAITS: live shrimp under a rattling cork CONTACT: Capt. Bill Watkins, 409-7862018 TIPS: Pop the cork a couple of times and the fish should come to the bait. The fish like to lay near the surface and you might

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even be able to see them.

LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Stewts Island GPS: N29 57.899, W93 50.900 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Bill Watkins, 409-7862018 TIPS: Speed of retrieve depends on tidal movement and how hungry the fish are.

Start with a slow retrieve, letting the bait sink to the bottom. Retrieve, keeping it in contact with the bottom, bouncing the bait.

LOCATION: Sabine Pass HOTSPOT: Ship Channel GPS: N29 70.277, W93.90.111 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: soft plastics in natural colors, chartreuse tail, sparkle (clear water); chartreuse, Lemon, Morning Glory (stained water); topwaters CONTACT: Capt.

Bill Watkins, 409.673.9211 TIPS: Vary presentation and retrieve according to water conditions.

LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Hannah’s Reef

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GPS: N29.28783, W94.43784 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Corky Fat Boy in pink or chartreuse CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio, 281788-4041 TIPS: Make long drifts keying on mullet

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activity and slicks.

LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Pig Pen GPS: N29 25.176, W94 44.116 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Corky in Fat Boy Pink or

chartreuse CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio, 281788-4041 TIPS: Drift and key on bait slicks. Fish stack up on the western end.

LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Hannah’s Reef GPS: N29.28783, W94.43784 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Limetreuse Bass Assassins, Limetreuse/brown Devil Eyes rigged on 1/8- to 1/4-ounce jigheads CONTACT: Capt. Steve Hillman, 409-2567937 TIPS: Hannah’s Reef is about as good as it is going to get in June. Look for slicks.

LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Deep Reef GPS: N29 31.062, W94 41.206 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Limetreuse Bass Assassins, Limetreuse/brown Devil Eyes rigged on 1/8- to 1/4-ounce jigheads CONTACT: Capt. Steve Hillman, 409-2567937 TIPS: Don’t forget to try the humps around Hannah’s Reef. If you see mullet action, try a topwater bait.

Upper Lag Specks LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Compuerta Pass GPS: N27 29.792, W97 23.914 SPECIES: speckled trout

by TOM BEHRENS tbehrens@fishgame.com

BEST BAITS: live croaker CONTACT: Capt. Dan Filla, 361-2152332 TIPS: Free-line the croaker in 3-5 feet of water, working grass beds.

LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: North Compuerta GPS: N27 21.429, W97 23.087 I8 |

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SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live croaker CONTACT: Capt. Dan Filla, 361-2152332 TIPS: Free-line the croaker in 3-5 feet of water, working grass beds.

LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Pipeline GPS: N28 32.024, W96 10.367 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: topwaters early, soft plastics as the sun comes up; Black Magic Sand Eel with 1/8-ounce leadhead CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz, 281450-4037 TIPS: Wade-fish the grass beds on south shore.

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SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: topwaters early, soft plastics as the sun comes up; Black Magic Sand Eel with 1/8-ounce leadhead CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz, 281450-4037 TIPS: Target drop-offs along sand bars.

LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Rig Pilings, Markers GPS: N28 31.265, W96 19.738 SPECIES: tripletail BEST BAITS: live shrimp 4 feet under a popping cork CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz, 281450-4037 TIPS: It all depends on how calm the winds are. You are fishing in the open bay.

LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Cotton’s Bayou GPS: N28 30.602, W96 12.603

SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: topwater early, switching to a Corky, sand eel with a 1/4-ounce jighead; silver spoon, 51 and 52 series MirrOlures CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz, 281450-4037 TIPS: Anytime the surf is flat and clear, be there. This is a great place for anglers without a boat.

Green Apple Trout LOCATION: Gulf of Mexico HOTSPOT: Boca Chica Beach GPS: N26 2.493, W97 9.151

LOCATION: Matagorda Surf HOTSPOT: Surf GPS: N28 43.213, W95 41.828

by CALIXTO GONZALES cgonzales@fishgame.com

SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: large live shrimp or mullet; soft plastics in red/white, chartreuse/white, Green Apple CONTACT: Captain Allen Salinas, 956943-3474 TIPS: speckled trout roam the surf starting in June. Fish the first gut early in the morning, and move to the second and third gut later in the morning. Cruise between the jetties and the mouth of the river and watch for any changes in the sandbars. Fish live bait on a free-line rig with 1/4-ounce split shot. If that’s not enough weight, keep adding shot until you find the right combo.

Soft plastics work great pinned to 1/4-ounce heads.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: South Jetty GPS: N26 3.846, W97 9.082 SPECIES: snook BEST BAITS: live shrimp, finger mullet; soft plastics, swimbaits CONTACT: Captain Allen Salinas, 956943-3474 TIPS: Early morning is a great time to try for a snook or two along the South Brazos Santiago Jetties. Boating anglers can fish the edges near the broken rock along the last I10 |

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third of the jetty, or back off of the point and fish the suds. Shorebound anglers can fish the surf side, where plenty snook love to hang out in the rocks, waiting for hapless prey to get tossed into range by the surf.

LOCATION: Gulf of Mexico HOTSPOT: Buoy GPS: N26 3.893, W97 6.721 SPECIES: Kingfish BEST BAITS: ribbonfish rigs, Magnum Rapala CONTACT: Quick Stop, 956-943-1159 TIPS: Calm seas mean kingfish come close enough to shore that anglers can make a run for them. Slow trolling with ribbonfish or giant swimming plugs are standard fare.

The key for small boat anglers is to choose your days. Watch the weather buoys for forecasts of stable weather. If the weather begins to pick up and chop the water, head for the barn. No fish is worth risking your life.

LOCATION: Gulf of Mexico HOTSPOT: Port Isabel Fishing Reef GPS: N25 57.736, W97 3.577

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SPECIES: mangrove snapper BEST BAITS: live bait, fresh bait; soft plastics in red/white CONTACT: Jimmy Martinez, 956-5519581 TIPS: These aren’t your kids’ mangrove snapper. Some of these beasts push 9-10 pounds and bigger, and can cause some anxious moments for light tackle aficionados.

Live finger mullet are most effective, but live shrimp, squid, and cut ballyhoo work well, too. Fish with a split-shot rig to prevent from getting snagged in the reef. Bottom rigs will leave you re-tying and muttering to yourself.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Long Bar GPS: N26 8.349, W97 14.194 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Mauler/shrimp-tail; Gulp!

Shrimp in New Penny, chartreuse patterns CONTACT: Captain Eddie Curry, 956943-8301 TIPS: For bird activity, if there is none, sharpshoot the potholes with Mauler-rigged plastics or tails on light jigheads. An innov-

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ative but very lethal technique is to nose-rig a Gulp! Shrimp weightless on a weedless hook and swim it slowly through potholes and around grass beds. Trout and redfish find the look and suspending action hard to resist.

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LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre/South Padre Island HOTSPOT: East of Three Islands GPS: N26 16.95, W97 16.00 SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: soft plastics, topwaters, cut ballyhoo, fresh finger mullet, gold spoons

CONTACT: Captain Mike Knox, 956-2430039 TIPS: Schools of redfish will be patrolling these waters, especially toward the end of the month. Fish soft plastics on 1/8- or 1/16-ounce jigheads. White and chartreuse is always a good color combination. If you are having a problem with floating grass, try a weedless gold spoon. Really work the light colored potholes. Hold onto your rod because these fish are normally oversized.

Catfish Punch LOCATION: Gibbons Creek Lake HOTSPOT: Eagle Point, south side GPS: N30 37.920, W96 02.791 SPECIES: catfish

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

BEST BAITS: shad, crawfish CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, weldon_edna@hotmail.com, 979-229-3103, www.FishTalesGuideService.com TIPS: South winds are starting to blow regularly this month. Fishing the north bank where baitfishes are being blown to shore will be productive. Chum an area 20 yards off the shore then pull your boat to the bank and cast back into the chummed area. The action should improve within about 30 minutes after you have chummed. Using punch bait will help keep the area chummed because some of it will fall off the hook during each cast. Set out at least one line with shad for those larger fish passing through the area.

LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Shark Cove GPS: N32 55 14.92, W95 39 11.80 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS Yellow Magic, Zara Spook, Torpedo CONTACT: Michael Rogge, microg@texascellnet.com, 903-383-3406, www.lake-fork-guides.com TIPS: Bass are in their summer pattern, so early-morning and late-evening action I12 |

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will produce the most bites. During the day, move to the edges of the grass and fish wacky worms, stickbaits, or lightweight Carolina rigs. You can’t go wrong with anything that is green.

LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Boardtree Creek GPS: N32 52 12.87, W95 39 51.09 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS Yellow Magic, Zara Spook, Torpedo CONTACT: Michael Rogge, microg@texascellnet.com, 903-383-3406, www.lake-fork-guides.com TIPS: Bass are in their summer pattern, so early-morning and late-evening action will produce the most bites. During the day, move to the edges of the grass and fish wacky worms, stickbaits, or lightweight Carolina rigs. You can’t go wrong with anything that is green.

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BANK ACCESS: Park in the old park to the left and just past the levee on the south side of the lake.

LOCATION: Lake Texoma HOTSPOT: The north end GPS: N33 52.072, W96 41.672 SPECIES: Striped bass BEST BAITS: topwater lures, slabs, jigs CONTACT: Bill Carey, bigfish@striperexpress.com, 877-786-4477,

www.striperexpress.com TIPS: The striped bass have finished their annual spawn and are grouping up in large schools, roaming the lake in a feeding frenzy. During early mornings, cast topwater plugs on shallow banks with deep water nearby. At mid-mornings, tie on a 1 1/2ounce chartreuse, chrome or white Slab.

Locate the large schools in the river channel and main-lake area. Drop your slab, let it free-fall to the bottom, and reel it up quick-

LOCATION: Tradinghouse Hollow HOTSPOT: Water Intake GPS: N32 34.453, W96 57.972 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: buzzbait with translucent plastic trailer, yellow blades; chartreuse/white spinnerbait CONTACT: Jimmy D. Moore, rayado@earthlink.net, 254-744-2104, www.bigtroutman.tripod.com TIPS: If the generators are running, the water north of the water intake will be the coolest in the lake. Largemouth bass consistently patrol this area. Work around, over and inside pockets in hydrilla beds. Work the reeds all the way out to the main lake point. Noisy baits and persistent casting will bring the bass up.

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ly. Stay in contact with your Slab. The fish will hit it on the fall. By mid-month, look for the traditional surfacing topwater action in the same areas.

BANK ACCESS: Washita Point and Texas Flats LOCATION: Lake Somerville HOTSPOT: Yegua Park Cove, GPS: N30 18.322, W96 32.032 SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: Shad, crawfish, punch bait CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, weldon_edna@hotmail.com, 979-229-3103, www.FishTalesGuideService.com TIPS: June is a good month to start chumming. Anchor within casting distance of the shoreline in the cove. Put out some chum toward the bank. Fish toward the shore.

Lily pads also might be starting to grow in this area and the fish will be on the outside edge of them. Tight-line Carolina-rigs using

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a No. 2 Kahle hook for shad and crawfish, and a No. 4 treble hook for punch bait on a Carolina rig. This also is a good area for night-fishing close to the shoreline.

LOCATION: Lake Waco HOTSPOT: Old Highway 6 (submerged) GPS: N31 33.096, W97 14.820 SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: chrome, blue, black/blue RatL-Traps and shallow-running crankbaits CONTACT: Jimmy D. Moore rayado@earthlink.net, 254-744-2104, www.bigtroutman.tripod.com TIPS: Work the Old Highway 6 roadbed where it turns south across the main lake.

Use electronics to locate the roadbed. The roadbed is flat on top and slopes off quickly on either side. Watch for the birds and “jumpy” water. This is your alert white bass are chasing shad close by. Throw lures into the whites and hold on.

BANK ACCESS: Reynolds Creek Park for largemouth bass. There is plenty of parking areas and shoreline to fish.

LOCATION: Fayette County Lake HOTSPOT: Pekema Creek channel GPS: N29 55.950, W96 42.871 SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: punch bait, worms.

CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, weldon_edna@hotmail.com, 979-229-3103, www.FishTalesGuideService.com TIPS: Most fish have spawned and are hungry. They will be moving into trees in 10-20 feet of water. Tie up to the trees and chum around them. The action should improve the longer you stay. Fish straight down around the base of the trees being stingy with the chum, but re-chumming every 15 minutes or so. The cats will move in schools so be patient and they will return to the chum.

LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Cobb Creek GPS: Cobb Creek, N32 05.00, W95 27.30 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Grape Mister Twister Thunder worms; shad-colored crankbaits; spoons CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff, ricky@rickysguideservice.com, 903-5617299, www.rickysguideservice.com TIPS: The south end of the lake in Cobb, Chimney, and Saline Creeks should provide the best action. Fish the boat docks and points at 6-10 feet deep.

LOCATION: Richland-Chambers HOTSPOT: Lily Pad Cove near old Clear View Marina SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Tru-Life swimbait, XPloded Toad, topwater; Watermelon-red, Watermelon-gold Kicker High Tail worm CONTACT: Steve Schmidt, steve@schmidtsbigbass.com, 817-9290675, www.schmidtsbigbass.com TIPS: Start just before daybreak in Lily Pad Cove east of old Clear View Marina with a top-water lure or buzzbait and work the pads about mid-way back. After sunup, fish the northeast side of Hickey Island

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north of Highway 287 bridge, concentrating on roadbeds and points. Then fish the points and stock tank dams on the southeast side of the lake with Carolina-rigged worms on 3/8 or 3/4-ounce Tru-Tungsten weights on windy days. I use 25-pound Seaguar line with a black swivel and 8mm Force bead.

On calmer days I use an 18-inch leader with 5/0 wide gap Gamma hook and 15-pound test line and the lightest weight to make the bait as lifelike as possible.

BANK ACCESS: Oak Cove Marina LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Chimney Creek SPECIES: crappie BEST BAITS: Mr. Minnow jigs CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff, ricky@rickysguideservice.com, 903-5617299, www.rickysguideservice.com TIPS: Target the brush piles with greencolored Mr. Minnow jigs.

LOCATION: Lake Richland-Chambers HOTSPOT: Pelican Island GPS: N31 59.722, W96 10.922 SPECIES: white bass, hybrid striped bass BEST BAITS: chartreuse slabs, silver-blue Rat-L-Traps CONTACT: Royce and Adam Simmons,

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Royce@gonefishin.biz, 903-389-4117, www.gonefishin.biz TIPS: June is the “transition month” here and you will often find white bass and hybrid stripers on a deep-water bite or you might see some surfacing action. Keep a one-ounce silver or chartreuse Slab on one rod to check out the main-lake points and humps in 20-25 feet of water. Also, have a second rod rigged with a 1/4-ounce silverblue Rat-L-Trap ready to cast at surfacing schools of white bass. The early-morning bite usually is best but the afternoons can be cool enough to enjoy good action. June is a great month to take children fishing, especially when there is topwater action.

LOCATION: Lake Whitney HOTSPOT: Mouth of Big Rocky Creek GPS: N31 42.795, W97 23.682 SPECIES: Striped bass BEST BAITS: live gizzard shad CONTACT: Randy Routh, teamredneck01@hotmail.com, 817-822-5539, www.teamredneck.net TIPS: The stripers are in their post-spawn patterns and the big fish bite is on. Anchor up and use live gizzard shad on a Carolina rig. Drop the shad to 24 feet. Quick limits will come early and late.

BANK ACCESS: Walling Bend LOCATION: Lake Aquilla HOTSPOT: Deep Humps GPS: N31 54.075’, W97 11.945’ SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: 1-ounce chartreuse Slabs CONTACT: Randy Routh, teamredneck01@hotmail.com, 817-822-5539, www.teamredneck.net TIPS: White bass are staging on main lake humps by the dam. Use your graph to mark schools of white bass on and around humps. Position your boat above the schools, drop a Slab down, lift, and drop it to the bottom maintaining contact with your Slab. The bite often occurs on the fall. If the school moves, I use a rubber mallet and tap on the side or floor of my boat and the light knocking noise will draw the white bass back under boat.

Stripers on Patrol LOCATION: Possum Kingdom HOTSPOT: Broadway GPS: N32.52572, W98.31723 SPECIES: striped bass

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

BEST BAITS: slabs; jigs with Mister Twister trailers CONTACT: Dean Heffner, fav7734@aceweb.com TIPS: The fish should be back in the main-lake area following the older riverbed near Broadway at the end of the peninsula.

Work jigs with trailers vertically or, if you see surface activity, cast into them and bring the lure back at high speed. This also is a perfect time to be downrigging with one-ounce jigs with six-inch Mister Twister trailers and trolling from 24 to 36 feet deep. Live shad can work, too, but artificials will pay off better if the fish are active. Keep a lookout for active fish and see what size bait they are chasing to “match the hatch.” Sometimes a I16 |

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smaller bait will catch more fish than larger offerings. Once you catch a fish, pay attention to the depth and try to duplicate what put that fish into your boat.

LOCATION: Lakes Graham-Eddleman HOTSPOT: Water intake SPECIES: hybrid striped bass BEST BAITS: Rat-L-Trap, slabs, jigs, topwater lures CONTACT: Dean Heffner, fav7734@aceweb.com, 940-329-0036 TIPS: Check the water outlet to see if the fish are congregated there. If they are not there head to rough the cut between the two lakes into Lake Graham and fish the humps near the dam during the early morning or while under cloud cover. Live bait always is best but trolling Rat-L-Traps and crankbaits from two to 15 feet will work, too. Go to smaller lures if you see the shad the fish are feeding on are small.

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CONTACT: Robert Amaya, robert@robertsfishntackle.com, 956-7651442, www.robertsfishntackle.com TIPS: The bass are moving to the humps off the river channel in their normal summer patterns. Concentrate on the edges of the channels where the fish are eager to fish on baitfish.

Dead Man Stripers LOCATION: Amistad Reservoir HOTSPOT: Railroad Bridge @ Dead

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

LOCATION: Lake Palo Pinto HOTSPOT: Power Plant Outlet SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: jigs and slabs CONTACT: Dean Heffner, fav7734@aceweb.com, 940-329-0036 TIPS: Start at the outlet to see if the fish are congregated there. After that, look for them at mid-lake close to flats or humps near deep water early or on cloudy days. Live bait is best but trolling shallow-running crankbaits or working jigs and Slabs from two to 15 feet deep works well, too. The fish might be keying on fry so small Fle-Flies and similar small baits might work best at those times.

Go Deep for Bass LOCATION: Falcon Reservoir HOTSPOT: Piercen Cove GPS: N26 44.02, W99.12.64 SPECIES: largemouth bass

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

BEST BAITS: deep-diving crankbaits, Carolina-rigged soft plastics with 3/4- to 1ounce weights.

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Man’s Canyon, Pecos River SPECIES: white bass, striped bass BEST BAITS: perch-colored Rat-L-Traps, Bomber Model A’s CONTACT: Larry Scruggs, fisherofmenlrs@hotmail.com, 210-789-1645 TIPS: Troll Rat-L-Trap or Bomber Model A in the main channel close to ledges.

Brown’s for Whites LOCATION: Toledo Bend (North) HOTSPOT: Brown’s Bend GPS: N31.42.259, W93.48.605 SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: slab spoons, tail spinners, Rat-L-Traps, shallow-diving crankbaits

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by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

CONTACT: Greg Crafts, gregcrafts@yahoo.com, 936-368-7151, www.toledobendguide.com TIPS: White bass will be holding along the old river channel sandbars. A slab or tail spinner can be very productive. Watch for the whites schooling along the river channel, boat roads, flats, main lake points and at the mouth of the coves. Rat-L-Traps and shallow diving crankbaits work great. Also, keep an eye open for gulls feeding on baitfish.

Usually, the whites have pushed the baitfish to the surface and the gulls can be a good key to locating the whites.

LOCATION: Sam Rayburn HOTSPOT: Hydrilla & Lily pads GPS: N31 14.650, W94 17.890

SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: black-chartreuse and Watermelon, Red Pearl belly plastic Ribbit Frog; buzzbait CONTACT: Don Mattern, Sr., donmat@windstream.net, 903-478-2633, www.matternguideservice.fghp.com TIPS: Fish the plastic frog over hydrilla and lily pads. Buzzbaits and poppers work well in the same areas in the openings in the vegetation.

BANK ACCESS: Powell Park Marina for largemouth bass, striped bass, catfish, and white bass.

LOCATION: Lake Livingston HOTSPOT: Pine Island GPS: N30 39.686, W95 03.822 SPECIES: striped bass BEST BAITS: Zara Spook CONTACT: David S. Cox, dave@palmettoguideservice.com, 936-291-

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9602, www.palmettoguideservice.com TIPS: Look for schooling stripers southwest of Pine Island at sunrise.

BANK ACCESS: Beacon Bay Marina LOCATION: Lake Conroe HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N30 43.01, W95 59.35 SPECIES: hybrid striped bass BEST BAITS: live shad, Storm Swim Shad CONTACT: Richard Tatsch, admin@fishdudetx.com, 936-291-1277, www.fishdudetx.com TIPS: The hybrid stripers are in full swing now and this is the time to catch trophy fish and possibly a lake record. They will be all around the lake on submerged points and humps. The use of electronics is a necessity!

Find schools of shad and you will find the hybrids. This time of year, they will range in the water column from 16 to 28 feet. Find the depth the bait is in and you will find the fish. As the weather heats up, the early morning bite will be best.

BANK ACCESS: Stowaway Marina

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Fle Flicker Bass LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Potter’s Creek GPS: N29 54.08, W98 15.59 SPECIES: largemouth bass

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

BEST BAITS: Texas-rigged creature baits, 7-inch Berkley Power worms, Tru-Tungsten Flea Flicker jigs, Crème Scoundrel worms CONTACT: Kandie Candelaria, kandie@gvtc.com, 210-823-2153 TIPS: As the weather warms, the bass will move out. Fish along the ledge edges at 8 to 15 feet depths with 3/16-ounce Tru-Tungsten Flea Flicker jigs with Watermelon-red Crème Scoundrel worms rigged whacky style. Concentrate on main-lake points with Cotton Candy or Watermelon-purple Texasrigged creature baits with 1/8-ounce TruTungsten weights. Make your way left to the

flooded timber and fish it slowly with either Motor Oil-red or blue fleck Berkley Power Worms rigged Texas style with 1/4-ounce Tru-Tungsten weight. Fish the entire point to the entrance of Canyon Park.

LOCATION: Granger Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake Brush Piles GPS: Entire Lake SPECIES: crappie BEST BAITS: chartreuse jigs CONTACT: Tommy Tidwell, crappie1@hotmail.com, 512-365-7761, www.gotcrappie.com TIPS: Fish vertically over the brush in 4 to 12 feet of water, lowering the jig until it contacts the brush and then raising it slightly.

Hold the jig still and wait for the bite. If you don’t get bit, move around the brush pile until you do. Use a 1/16-ounce jig in murky water and a 1/32-ounce jig in clear water.

The color is snot that important.

BANK ACCESS: Wilson Fox Park provides the only bank access for this pattern.

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Tides and Prime Times

JUNE 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.

T15 T16

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

T14 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

T22 T23

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

Yellow: Daylight

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

F I S H

&

G A M E ®

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

ALMANAC I.qxd:1002 Coastal

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9:31 AM

TUESDAY

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

THURSDAY

2

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

4

3

SUNDAY

5

6

Set: 8:13p Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:13p Sunrise: 6:20a Set: 8:14p Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 10:27a Moonrise: 12:07a Set: 11:22a Moonrise: 12:39a Set: 12:15p Moonrise: 1:08a

Set: 8:14p Set: 1:07p

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 1:36a

Set: 8:15p Set: 1:59p

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 2:05a

Set: 8:15p Set: 2:52p

AM Minor: 8:52a

PM Minor: 9:16p

AM Minor: 9:45a

PM Minor: 10:08p

AM Minor: 10:34a

PM Minor: 10:56p

AM Minor: 11:20a

PM Minor: 11:40p

AM Minor: ——-

PM Minor: 12:02p

AM Minor: 12:22a

PM Minor: 12:42p

AM Minor: 1:00a

PM Minor: 1:21p

AM Major: 2:39a

PM Major: 3:04p

AM Major: 3:33a

PM Major: 3:56p

AM Major: 4:23a

PM Major: 4:45p

AM Major: 5:09a

PM Major: 5:30p

AM Major: 5:52a

PM Major: 6:12p

AM Major: 6:32a

PM Major: 6:52p

AM Major: 7:10a

PM Major: 7:31p

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 5:42a

Moon Overhead: 4:57a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 6:24a 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 7:44a

Moon Overhead: 7:05a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 8:25a 12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Sunrise: 6:20a Moonrise: None

Moon Overhead: 4:10a

12a

WEDNESDAY

JUN 1

31 Sunrise: 6:20a Set: 8:12p Moonrise: 11:32p Set: 9:30a

= New Moon = First Quarter = Full Moon = Last Quarter = Best Day

Tides and Prime Times for JUNE 2010

NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION

MONDAY

Page I21

12a

FEET

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 4:34p +2.0

BEST:

0

-1.0

BEST:

10:00P — 12:00A

Moon Underfoot: 6:44p BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 7:24p BEST:

12:30 — 1:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 8:05p BEST:

12:00 — 2:00 AM

1:30 — 3:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 8:46p +2.0

BEST:

2:00 — 4:00 PM TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

BEST:

10:00P — 12:00A

Moon Underfoot: 6:03p

TIDE LEVELS

9:00 — 11:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 5:20p

Low Tide: 12:48 am -0.19 ft Low Tide: 1:30 am -0.03 ft Low Tide: 2:11 am 0.15 ft High Tide: 9:33 am 1.47 ft High Tide: 10:08 am 1.40 ft High Tide: 10:36 am 1.33 ft

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

2:51 am 10:58 am 6:21 pm 9:22 pm

0.34 ft 1.27 ft 0.91 ft 0.95 ft

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

3:31 am 11:16 am 6:24 pm 11:29 pm

0.54 ft 1.22 ft 0.74 ft 0.95 ft

Low Tide: 4:15 am 0.74 ft High Tide: 11:29 am 1.19 ft Low Tide: 6:39 pm 0.55 ft

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

1:16 am 5:09 am 11:37 am 7:02 pm

1.03 ft 0.92 ft 1.19 ft 0.36 ft

+1.0

0

-1.0

ALMANAC I.qxd:1002 Coastal

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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

8

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

10

9

SATURDAY

11

SUNDAY

12

13

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 2:35a

Set: 8:16p Set: 3:48p

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 3:08a

Set: 8:16p Set: 4:46p

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 3:46a

Set: 8:16p Set: 5:48p

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 4:29a

Set: 8:17p Set: 6:51p

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 5:20a

Set: 8:17p Set: 7:54p

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 6:19a

Set: 8:18p Set: 8:53p

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 7:23a

Set: 8:18p Set: 9:48p

AM Minor: 1:38a

PM Minor: 2:00p

AM Minor: 2:17a

PM Minor: 2:41p

AM Minor: 2:59a

PM Minor: 3:25p

AM Minor: 3:46a

PM Minor: 4:14p

AM Minor: 4:38a

PM Minor: 5:08p

AM Minor: 5:36a

PM Minor: 6:07p

AM Minor: 6:38a

PM Minor: 7:09p

AM Major: 7:49a

PM Major: 8:11p

AM Major: 8:29a

PM Major: 8:52p

AM Major: 9:12a

PM Major: 9:38p

AM Major: 10:00a

PM Major: 10:28p

AM Major: 10:53a

PM Major: 11:23p

AM Major: 11:51a

PM Major: 12:22p

AM Major: 12:23a

PM Major: 12:53p

Moon Overhead: 9:08a 6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 10:44a

Moon Overhead: 9:54a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 11:38a 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 1:37p

Moon Overhead: 12:36p 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 2:37p 12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

7

12a

Tides and Prime Times for JUNE 2010

12a

FEET

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 9:30p +2.0

BEST:

BEST:

-1.0

BEST:

4:30 — 6:30 PM

5:00 — 7:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: None BEST:

5:30 — 7:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 12:07a BEST:

6:00 — 8:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 1:06a BEST:

6:30 — 8:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 2:07a +2.0

BEST:

7:00 — 9:00 PM TIDE LEVELS

0

Moon Underfoot: 11:11p

TIDE LEVELS

4:00 — 6:00 PM

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 10:18p

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

2:41 am 6:25 am 11:38 am 7:30 pm

1.17 ft 1.09 ft 1.20 ft 0.16 ft

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

3:45 am 8:10 am 11:25 am 8:03 pm

1.32 ft High Tide: 4:36 am 1.22 ft Low Tide: 8:40 pm 1.24 ft -0.03 ft

1.45 ft High Tide: 5:22 am -0.21 ft Low Tide: 9:21 pm

1.57 ft High Tide: 6:07 am 1.65 ft High Tide: 6:53 am 1.69 ft High Tide: -0.37 ft Low Tide: 10:05 pm -0.50 ft Low Tide: 10:51 pm -0.57 ft Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

7:37 am 12:53 pm 1:31 pm 11:39 pm

1.69 ft 1.46 ft 1.46 ft -0.56 ft

+1.0

0

-1.0

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Page I24

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

MONDAY

TUESDAY

14

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

15

THURSDAY

16

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

17

Set: 8:19p Set: 8:19p Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 11:19p Moonrise: 10:47a Set: None

AM Minor: 7:42a

PM Minor: 8:12p

AM Minor: 8:46a

PM Minor: 9:14p

AM Minor: 9:48a

PM Minor: 10:14p

AM Minor: 10:45a

PM Minor: 11:10p

AM Minor: 11:38a

PM Minor: ——-

AM Major: 1:28a

PM Major: 1:57p

AM Major: 2:32a

PM Major: 3:00p

AM Major: 3:34a

PM Major: 4:01p

AM Major: 4:32a

PM Major: 4:57p

AM Major: 5:26a

PM Major: 5:50p

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 5:26p

Moon Overhead: 4:33p 12a

6a

12p

6p

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:19p Moonrise: 11:53a Set: None

12a

6a

12p

6p

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:19p Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 12:56p Set: 12:33a Moonrise: 1:59p

Moon Overhead: 6:17p 12a

6a

12p

6p

6a

12p

6p

20

Set: 8:20p Set: 1:08a

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 3:02p

Set: 8:20p Set: 1:43a

AM Minor: 12:03a

PM Minor: 12:27p

AM Minor: 12:50a

PM Minor: 1:14p

AM Major: 6:15a

PM Major: 6:40p

AM Major: 7:02a

PM Major: 7:27p

Moon Overhead: 7:54p

Moon Overhead: 7:06p 12a

SUNDAY

19

18

Set: 8:18p Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 10:36p Moonrise: 9:40a

Moon Overhead: 3:37p

12a

WEDNESDAY

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 8:44p 12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 8:31a

Tides and Prime Times for JUNE 2010

12a

FEET

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 3:07a +2.0

BEST:

BEST:

-1.0

BEST:

8:30 — 10:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 5:52a BEST:

5:00 — 7:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 6:41a BEST:

6:00 — 8:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 7:30a BEST:

12:00 — 2:00 PM

1:30 — 3:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 8:19a +2.0

BEST:

2:00 — 4:00 PM TIDE LEVELS

0

Moon Underfoot: 5:00a

TIDE LEVELS

8:00 — 10:00 PM

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 4:05a

High Tide: 8:19 am Low Tide: 1:25 pm High Tide: 2:57 pm

1.65 ft 1.39 ft 1.40 ft

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

12:28 am 8:56 am 2:16 pm 4:33 pm

-0.47 ft 1.57 ft 1.25 ft 1.27 ft

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

1:17 am 9:28 am 3:13 pm 6:35 pm

-0.29 ft 1.48 ft 1.04 ft 1.11 ft

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

2:08 am 9:55 am 4:09 pm 8:48 pm

-0.03 ft 1.38 ft 0.77 ft 0.98 ft

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

3:00 am 10:18 am 5:02 pm 10:59 pm

0.29 ft 1.29 ft 0.47 ft 0.97 ft

Low Tide: 3:57 am 0.63 ft High Tide: 10:37 am 1.24 ft Low Tide: 5:53 pm 0.16 ft

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

1:05 am 5:11 am 10:51 am 6:42 pm

1.08 ft 0.94 ft 1.22 ft -0.11 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 JUNE 2010 MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

22

SATURDAY

25

24

SUNDAY

27

26

Sunrise: 6:20a Moonrise: 4:05p

Set: 8:20p Set: 2:20a

Sunrise: 6:20a Moonrise: 5:08p

Set: 8:20p Set: 3:00a

Sunrise: 6:20a Moonrise: 6:09p

Set: 8:21p Set: 3:44a

Sunrise: 6:20a Moonrise: 7:07p

Set: 8:21p Set: 4:33a

Sunrise: 6:20a Moonrise: 8:00p

Set: 8:21p Set: 5:26a

Sunrise: 6:21a Moonrise: 8:47p

Set: 8:21p Set: 6:22a

Sunrise: 6:21a Moonrise: 9:29p

Set: 8:21p Set: 7:19a

AM Minor: 1:35a

PM Minor: 2:00p

AM Minor: 2:20a

PM Minor: 2:47p

AM Minor: 3:07a

PM Minor: 3:35p

AM Minor: 3:57a

PM Minor: 4:24p

AM Minor: 4:48a

PM Minor: 5:15p

AM Minor: 5:40a

PM Minor: 6:06p

AM Minor: 6:33a

PM Minor: 6:57p

AM Major: 7:48a

PM Major: 8:13p

AM Major: 8:34a

PM Major: 9:00p

AM Major: 9:21a

PM Major: 9:48p

AM Major: 10:10a

PM Major: 10:37p

AM Major: 11:01a

PM Major: 11:28p

AM Major: 11:53a

PM Major: ——-

AM Major: 12:20a

PM Major: 12:45p

Moon Overhead: 9:35p

12a

23

FRIDAY

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 11:22p

Moon Overhead: 10:28p 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: None 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 1:10a

Moon Overhead: 12:17a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

21

THURSDAY

Moon Overhead: 2:02a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

FEET

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 9:09a +2.0

BEST:

0

-1.0

BEST:

4:00 — 6:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 11:49a

Moon Underfoot: 12:44p

BEST:

4:30 — 6:30 PM

BEST:

5:00 — 7:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 1:36p BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 2:27p +2.0

BEST:

5:30 — 7:30 PM

7:00 — 9:00 PM TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

BEST:

3:30 — 5:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 10:55a

TIDE LEVELS

3:00 — 5:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 10:01a

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

2:58 am 7:20 am 11:00 am 7:31 pm

1.26 ft High Tide: 4:22 am 1.17 ft Low Tide: 8:18 pm 1.24 ft -0.33 ft

1.43 ft High Tide: 5:21 am -0.47 ft Low Tide: 9:04 pm

A L M A N A C

1.53 ft High Tide: 6:07 am -0.55 ft Low Tide: 9:48 pm

T E X A S

1.56 ft High Tide: 6:46 am 1.54 ft High Tide: 7:19 am 1.49 ft High Tide: -0.56 ft Low Tide: 10:30 pm -0.53 ft Low Tide: 11:10 pm -0.45 ft Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

F I S H

&

G A M E ®

J U N E

2 0 1 0

7:48 am 1:18 pm 2:36 pm 11:47 pm

1.43 ft 1.27 ft 1.27 ft -0.34 ft

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+1.0

0

-1.0

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Page I26

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 JUNE 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

+1.0

0

-1.0

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Page I27

Contraptioned Wheels HEN I WAS A KID, NEIGHBORING ranch urchins and I spent our free time crafting ways to amuse ourselves in the absence of TiVo, Six Flags, and Game Boy. Common pastimes included building “contraptions”-Rube Goldberg-type constructs usually designed to provide gravity-induced thrills.

Leaping off the hay barn into a manure pile takes you only so far. More elaborate machinations produced a roller coaster made from sheets of tin placed on the slope of a gully, and a four-wheel furniture dolly.

It didn’t last long after my grandfather discovered where we got the tin.

Another nifty contraption produced many hours of near-death experiences after we found several lengths of cable someone carelessly abandoned atop some old electricity poles. The guy from the electric company tried to tell us the cable wasn’t aban-

W

doned and threatened us with big words like “electrocution” and “prosecution” and “fried like a chicken,” but we knew he was just joshing. We joshed him back with commentary on his dubious ancestry and sexual habits.

We then found a large snatch-block pulley left carelessly atop the gin poles on the back of an old electric company truck. This we suspended from the cable after stretching it over a wide gulley between two large trees, thereby creating a Geronimo line, a.k.a “zip line.” The guy from the electric company later came around to josh us some more about the pulley, but we zipped away to safety on the Geronimo line.

For some reason, word spread through the ranching community like lard in a hot skillet whenever we started construction on a contraption. My grandfather would telephone neighbors: “Put up your cows and

A L M A N A C

T E X A S

F I S H

&

chickens and lock the tool shed--the boys are building a contraption.”

We always figured stories about hens not laying, cows not giving milk, and rancher’s wives succumbing to the vapors was just the grown-ups joshing us kids. Grown-ups love to josh kids.

As I grew older, my penchant for contraptionizing did not wane but morphed to more adult-oriented pursuits.

The workover derrick I made from oilfield pipe, a pulley (the same one we had on our Geronimo line, by the way), and juryrigged cathead winch mounted on the front of a tractor whereby to pull my submersible well pump for repair, amazed passersby, frightened neighbors, and contributed to at least two highway accidents. A sheriff ’s deputy later joshed me about it.

Some of my finest work has involved vehicle modifications and add-ons. To the

G A M E ®

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best of my knowledge, I am the only person in America if not the world to build a bumper-mount winch from an old gas-powered washing machine wringer, a lariat rope, and a hayhook. I once designed a forkmounted gun carrier for motorcycles, but abandoned the idea after several bent gun

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Page I28

barrels and assaults with intent to kill painfully and slowly.

Although I still use my contraptionbuilding skills, when it comes to vehicles I find it usually pays to go with commercial products; let somebody else assume the risks and pay the hospital bills.

T E X A S

F I S H

&

G A M E ®

Whether racks for an ATV to transport gear and game, specialty lighting, or a brush- and Zaidle-proof bumper for a pickup, somebody out there makes it for your ride.

One thing I learned along the way is DIY engine fluids and additives are not a good idea. (Take my word that creosote does not make an effective crankcase flush.)

Leave such things to professionals such as Life Automotive Products Smart Blend Synthetics. The company’s line of engine, fuel, transmission, radiator, power steering, differential, brake, and ac/heating fluids and additives help prolong systems life and minimize maintenance headaches endemic to all wheeled things.

I suppose I should be grateful to the makers of Sure Grip Gun and Bow Racks, but instead I harbor resentment. Had the company introduced its never-fail gun and bow retention system about 30 years ago, it would have saved me a lot of beatings and threats thereof. As it is, all I can do is send anonymous notes to my antagonists (many of whom still harbor grudges) to try the Sure Grip product in hopes of dissuading them from shooting out my porch lights.

If you have ever worked on a vehicle inside a barn to escape inclement weather (hasn’t everybody?), you know a tin barn does not help with three-digit ambient temperatures. I often wished for some way to air condition a barn, and somebody finally came up with one. GEM Cooling of Texas provides a variety of portable cooling systems, including the Kuulaire PACKA15 evaporative cooler that services spaces up to 750 square feet. Stack a few hay bales to enclose the work area, fire up the Kuulaire, and work on your truck, tractor, or brotherin-law’s lime-green Cadillac in comfort.

Some vehicle accessories positively demand professional reliability. One such area is firefighting/search-and-rescue. As a volunteer firefighter and EMT, I know lives literally depend on properly equipping a truck or ATV for wildland fire suppression or rescue. When part of your equipment fails due to poor construction or materials, things can get mighty “hot” in more ways than one. Likewise, the last thing an injured person needs is to fall from a failed vehicle-

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Kimtek’s Firelite and Medlite ATV bed inserts.

mounted basket stretcher rack.

One company, Kimtek Research (888-546-8358, kimtekresearch.com), offers solutions to both needs.

Equipped with more than 100 feet of hose reel-deployed firefighting hose, drafting ability, water reservoir, and independent gasoline powered pump, the skid-mounted slide-in Firelite design quickly converts any pickup truck or utility-bed ATV/UTV into a mobile fire-control machine. A fire-suppressant foam option extends the unit’s control and containment capabilities.

ATV Firefighting When things get out of control for any reason, the Firelite’s integrated stretcher deck facilitates rapid evacuation of injured persons.

Landowners and hunting lease holders know the benefits of planned, controlled burning for habitat improvement. Obviously, a successful controlled burn requires “control,” and that is what the Firelite is designed to do.

For larger scale operations such as ranches and rural fire departments, the Kimtek Medlite skid unit provides purpose-built medevac capability with the same rapid

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mobile deployment versatility as the Firelite.

All Kimtek skid units feature aluminum diamond plate, aluminum tubing, and stainless steel construction to make them strong, lightweight, and durable.

Speaking of firefighting, our department’s brush trucks are equipped with bumper-mounted, remote control water cannons. That gave me an idea: I have an old semi-auto shotgun, a record player turntable, and some wire out in the barn and... ...never mind. I’m just joshing.

--Don Zaidle

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Okuma Serrano Baitcasters Get Low SERRANO LOW-PROFILE BAITCAST REELS FROM Okuma are designed for smooth performance in both fresh and saltwater environments.

Built upon a rigid die cast aluminum (ALC) frame, Serrano reels are made to handle all types of freshwater species as well as inshore brutes such as calico bass, redfish, permit, and more. The aluminum right sideplate keeps all of the heavy duty, machine cut Dura brass gearing in perfect alignment, while the graphite left sideplate reduces weight and is easily removed for access to the adjustable 8position Velocity Control System. The Dura brass gearing featured in the Serrano reels are stronger and more durable than traditional baitcast gears.

The Serrano reel’s smoothness comes from 10 ball bearings incorporated throughout the reel, in addition to the Quick-set anti-reverse roller bearing. Precision Japan-

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size, these reels still dish out 11 lbs. of drag, all while providing a 6.2:1 gear ratio for increased line pick up.

Additionally, all Serrano reels undergo Okuma’s Corrosion Resistant Coating (CRC) process which features a coating of Corrosion X HD to the inside housing of the reel. This coating actually bonds to the metal parts and creates a protective barrier against corrosion.

Other features include a micro-click drag star for precise drag settings, Zirconium line guide inserts for use with braided line, an A6061-T6 grade machined aluminum, anodized spool, and an ergonomic handle design that allows cranking closer to the body.

Despite using a rigid ALC die cast aluminum right sideplate, the Serrano still weighs in at only 7.2 oz., while other companies have gone to graphite right sideplates to reduce weight.

To top it all off, all Serrano reels are backed by Okuma’s 3-year warranty program.

For more information: (909) 9232828, or www.okumafishing.com

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“LEADER” IS DEFINED BY WEBSTER: “TO BE superior, to have the advantage over…”

All Fluorocarbons are not equal. Ande is 100% Fluorocarbon with all the properties you would expect from a Fluorocarbon line—good knot strength, abrasion resistance, low stretch, doesn’t absorb water, sinks quickly and is totally invisible underwater. Its Ande quality at a very reasonable price. And remember Ande is on a 50 yard spool.

Ande has been awarded the Best Line in the World for the Eight year in a row by the IGFA for both fresh water and salt water. Ande is the only line ever Voted

Ande fluorocarbon leader matrial in 50-yard spools

ese ABEC-5 bearings are featured on the spool for ultimate casting and freespool.

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Ande Fluorocarbon Leader Material

Okuma’s new Serrano low-profile baitcasting reels.

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“Best Line” by the IGFA for both fresh and Ande Line salt water.

Ande has also been voted “Best Fly Fish Tippet” six times.

Ande, “The Line of Champions.”

Ande Inc., 5409 Australian Ave., West Palm Beach, FL. 33407 (561) 8422474, Fax (561) 848-5538.

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Cheeca Shades SOPHISTICATED PERFORMANCE MEETS aggressive sport style with Costa's new Cheeca sunglasses. Available in retail outlets and Costa's online store now, Cheeca features a large, classic wrap fit with a stylish mid temple mounting.

Named for Cheeca Lodge, one of the best places in the Florida Keys to fish for bonefish, tarpon and permit, Cheeca comes in tortoise and black frame colors, as well as new color combinations white/tortoise and black/coral. The nylon frames feature Costa's new

The X10 has twin 36-lb thrust electric motors.

the way they fish.

The Twin Twin Troller Troller’s patented digital foot controls operate twin 36lb thrust electric motors to offer unmatched positioning on the water and a zero degree turning radius. The sleek hull design with its recessed motors allows the boat to work effectively in as little as 6 to 8 inches of water allowing you to get over submerged trees or other underwater obstacles to catch those trophy fish Costa’s new revoluyou have been after. Your fishing will Cheeca sunglasses be much more productive when the tionary anti-rocking hinge, the most Costa del Mar your hands are free to cast and not advanced spring hinge struggling to maintain position on the available today. In addition to providing water or worry about underwater obstacles. an even more comfortable fit, the anti-rockThe 10-foot Twin Troller X10 weighs ing hinge significantly increases durability approximately 175 pounds and can be easand virtually eliminates movement between ily loaded into a truck bed, or towed by the frame front and temple. any size vehicle. The total weight capacity The sunglasses are available in the is 585 pounds and offers extreme stability Costa clear 580T lens technology. for 2 persons.

Costa's 580 lenses block yellow light, The Twin Troller X10 is a product of and are superior in cutting glare, enhancing Carolina Electric Boats, Inc. in Benson, vision and protecting against harmful UV NC. Visit them at CarolinaElecrays, so outdoors and angling enthusiasts tricBoats.com or call 1877-882-0099 for can see more clearly. more information.

As part of Costa's ongoing commitment to protecting the Earth's fisheries, a portion of proceeds from sunglass sales this year will benefit the Bonefish Tarpon Trust's Project Permit, an initiative to tag 6,000 permit this year in Florida and the Caribbean for research and scientific study.

Cheeca retails from $149 to $249 depending on lens selection.

LANDOWNERS AND Visit www.costadelmar.com or call 800hunting lease 447-3700. owners know the

Equipped with up to 100 feet of hose reel-deployed firefighting hose, drafting ability, water reservoir, and independent gasoline powered pump, the skid-mounted slide-in design quickly converts any pickup truck or utility-bed ATV/UTV into a mobile fire-control machine. A fire-suppressant foam option extends the unit’s control and containment capabilities.

When things get out of control for any reason, the Firelite’s integrated stretcher deck facilitates rapid evacuation of injured persons.

For larger scale operations such as ranches and rural fire departments, the Kimtek Medlite skid unit provides purpose-built medevac capability with the same rapid mobile deployment versatility as the Firelite.

Both unit types come in a variety of configurations to meet application-specific requirements, and with available options makes configuration virtually limitless.

All Kimtek skid units feature aluminum diamond plate, aluminum tubing, and stainless steel construction to make them strong, lightweight, and durable. Darley Davey pump, hose, and reel components provide the reliability critical for bringing control and order into otherwise chaotic situations.

For more information, contact Kimtek at 888-546-8358 or visit the company website at www.kimtekresearch.com.

Firelite converts pickups or ATVs into firefighting vehicles.

Personal Fire Engine

Twin Troller CAROLINA ELECTRIC BOAT’S TWIN TROLLER X10 provides unmatched stability and maneuverability that will allow fisherman to increase their catch and ultimately change

Kimtek

benefits of planned, controlled burning for habitat improvement. Obviously, a successful controlled burn requires “control,” and that is what the Kimtek Firelite is designed to do.

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Laguna Rods Gets New Owners PTU HOLDINGS, LLC, HAS PURCHASED LAGUNA Custom Rods, based in Hempstead, Texas.

Brothers Danny and Jeff Neu founded Laguna Rods in 2000. The brothers grew up fishing on the Texas Gulf Coast and designed a collection of fishing rods that offered the latest technology based on their fishing skills and experiences. Details of the sale were not disclosed by either party.

“We have been given the opportunity to stay involved with Laguna Rods while we pursue our gulf coast fishing guide business,” said Jeff Neu. “We’ve always come up with solid product ideas that stem from our own fishing experiences, and we will provide continuous input to Laguna to aid in product development. We’re very interested in seeing Laguna grow.”

Travis Petty, a partner in PTU Holdings, said: “We’ve been attracted to Laguna

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because of their quality reputation and their Custom Rod Series which offers today’s fisherman a high quality rod using the finest American-made graphite blank and the finest Portuguese cork, coupled with true-quality titanium components. Laguna Rods will be an excellent fit for our future plans in the custom and inshore markets.”

According to Danny Neu: “Laguna Rods represents some of the best fishing rods in the industry. From the recreational fisherman who really appreciates a very well made, good-looking fishing rod, to the tournament angler who takes this sport very seriously and the Captain who is on the water every day, Laguna Rods are known for their durability. They are lightweight so after multiple days of fishing, the angler is not fatigued and tired. Laguna Rods are definitely the rods for all fishermen.”

“The future looks bright for Laguna’s custom rod business,” continued Petty. “We will relocate the manufacturing and sales offices to Georgetown, Texas in the near future and look to growing the business expo-

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nentially over the next few years...but still one rod at a time.”

Contact: Travis Petty, 936.697.8838, tpetty@LagunaRods.com

MG Arms, a New Texas Gunmaker IT’S AN AMAZING FACT THAT SO MANY OF OUR fine shooting sports companies began as “Mom & Pop” operations, many times in a garage or basement. Here’s another one: MG Arms, now out of Spring, Texas. In 1980, Carol and Kerry O’Day, looking to change their fortunes, started an ammunition reloading company, running their Dillon presses in their garage. Soon the company became Match Grade Ammunition and developed a sterling reputation. By 1998, Carol and Kerry were ready to tackle custom rifle building. This was the advent of MG Arms.

Today MG Arms has expanded into many areas of custom gun craft, creating only the finest custom rifles and single-action revolvers, custom gunsmithing, metal finishing, stock work, and custom cartridge building. As Kerry says, “MG Arms is like a hotrod shop for guns.”

Perhaps the best known of MG Arms custom guns is the MGA Ultra-Light rifle.

Depending upon stock, action, and barrel chosen, these custom rifles will weigh in at 43/4 to 5-3/4 pounds (w/o scope). Accuracy is guaranteed to be less than 1 MOA. Most will shoot .4 to .5 MOA in three-shot groups.

Other custom products in the MG Arms line include: MGA Signature and MGA Varminter rifles, “Simply the best ARs in their class.” MGA K-Yote Varmint System.

MGA CK-4 rifles and MGA DragonFly (weighs approx. 1 pound) and MGA DragonSlayer single-action revolvers. These are all custom guns built expressly for the most dedicated hunter who demands the very best.

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Contact: MG Arms, MGArmsInc.com, 281-821-8282, MGArms@swbell.net

Z-Man Launches Bold New Website Z-Man Fishing, the fastest growing artificial bait brand in North America, has launched a new, totally revamped website that promises to be the most educational, entertaining, and interactive in the fishing tackle industry.

The new website, zmanfishing.com, will inform fresh and saltwater anglers alike about Z-Man’s unique and technologically advanced product line, including its ChatterBait, ElaZtech, EZ-Skirt, FlashBack, Silaflash, and Sof-TeaZ brands. Specifically, the site contains a wealth of upgraded educational and informational content regarding Z-Man’s extensive new line of proprietary 10X Tough ElaZtech soft baits, which are generating a tremendous buzz in the fishing community due to their durability, buoyancy, and lifelike action.

“Z-Man’s philosophy is to be a cuttingedge company that is constantly pushing the envelope when it comes to the design and creation of lures that will give anglers a definite edge, be it on a lake, river, backcountry, or offshore,” said Z-Man President Jonathan Zucker. “Z-Man’s motto is ‘The Science and Art of Fishing,’ and the new website exemplifies our commitment to providing anglers with the most technologically advanced and visually appealing lures.

The website gives participants insight into the enthusiasm, energy, and excellence that characterizes Z-Man Fishing.”

To be sure, zmanfishing.com is a highoctane site that grabs each visitor and won’t let go. The website’s Z-Man TV feature provides how-to videos from wellknown tournament pros including B.A.S.S. Elite Angler Casey Ashley and Fishing University’s Charlie Ingram, plus a look at Z-Man’s action-packed TV spots.

Other newly added features include regularly updated HeadlineZ featuring the latest news from Z-Man and its tournament pros; a Pro TipZ section that includes pointers on rigging and fishing Z-Man products; an interactive Post YourZ page, where anglers can post their stories and pictures of fish caught using Z-Man BaitZ; a Dealer Locator feature that

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allows anglers to locate their nearest retailers; and a series of pages dedicated to ZMan’s Tournament ProZ and guide staffers who rely on Z-Man products every day.

What’s more, visitors can sign up for the exclusive Z-Man Squad to receive newsletters and alerts about product giveaways and promotions, become a fan of ZMan on Facebook, and follow Z-Man on Twitter to get up-to-the-minute news about

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happenings at Z-Man. The ProductZ section of the new website features a full listing of all of Z-Man’s fresh- and saltwater baits that allows visitors to view the tremendous variety of lures and color combinations offered by Z-Man. The Z-Man Store even allows anglers to order online in the event that they cannot find a specific product at their local tackle shop.

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slack with

Thumb-Dinger Vision Slider YOU’RE FISHING IN A BASS TOURNAMENT AND you need every edge you can get. It would be nice to have a secret weapon that would get lethargic largemouth to start feeding, but that’s impossible—or is it.

What if your reel had a small “finesse” wheel placed strategically near your left thumb that worked like the scroll wheel on a computer mouse to let you turn the spool manually and micro-manage your retrieve?

You’d be able to creep that plastic worm along the bottom in slo-mo and gather up

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fast 7.0:1 gear ratio, and the SYF10X I tested weighed in at 8.1 ounces and holds 120 yards of 12pound-test. The anti-backlash system New Vision Slider worked well and the multi-disc drag is as baitcaster with the flick of a smooth as they come. “finesse” wheel. finger. It’s a neat idea, I found the finesse wheel had an addiand I wish I could tional advantage above and beyond the abiliPinnacle take credit for it, but I ty to creep baits at micro-slow speeds. Since can’t. Pinnacle gets that honor. The new it allows you to take in line with your left Vision Slyder reels have that finesse wheel thumb, it comes in handy when you want to right where your left thumb rests on the reel. reach for a drink or work your boat’s elecThe Vision Slyder has assets above and tronics in mid-retrieve. You can spin the beyond the finesse wheel, too. It’s a smooth, wheel quickly enough to maintain lure speed six ball-bearing reel with infinite anti-reverse, using your left hand while your right hand is precision-cut brass gears, graphite body, and free to do whatever you need. machined-aluminum spool. It has a blazing—Lenny Rudow

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High Voltage Voltaeus Rods YOU WANT A FISHING ROD THAT’S NEARLY indestructible. Up to now, that meant choosing fiberglass over graphite, which also meant you were stuck with a heavy, slow-action, flimsy, low-sensitivity rod. Shimano set out to change that with the Voltaeus series, and this month I had the chance to test out a 6-6 Medium Voltaeus rated for 12- to 30-poundtest line.

Since this rod’s supposed to be tough, I started by dropping it carelessly into the bed of my pickup with piles of other gear. Then I made a six-hour road trip to a friend’s boat, and spent all the next day fishing for bluefish, snapper, and flounder. The rod’s action is fast, its sensitivity is excellent, and most surprising of all, it’s as light as any graphite rig. I made sure I dropped the rod, banged it on the gunwales, and generally abused it— without causing more then a few scuffs.

The reason the Voltaeus is so tough is, naturally, its construction. Shimano’s “unifiber” construction chemically bonds three different composites, including carbon and T-glass. Guides are stainless steel without the usual ceramic inserts. That leaves the potential for more line wear later down the road if they get nicked or scratched. But it also means you don’t have to worry about guide liners, which are a common weak point on most rods.

The Voltaeus is available in a wide variety of lengths and sizes, ranging from a 4foot, 6-inch ultralight designed for 1- to 4pound-test, to a 7-footer that can handle 20to 40-pound-test in both spinning and casting versions. One- and two-piece models are available.

—Lenny Rudow

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forced by union rules to pay a man $30 an hour to sit and paint one side of it red.

Salaries and overhead grew until it eventually got to the point where Winchester was losing money on each Model 94 and Model 70 sold. At that point, they made the decision to close the doors on the plant that had been open since 1936.

As I said, that didn’t surprise many of us. Neither did it surprise us when a year later it was announced that Winchester

would reintroduce the Model 70.

I just received a test sample of the newest Model 70 Featherweight. In outward appearance, it looks almost exactly like the Featherweight that was introduced in the 1980s, being different only in that the bolt is now controlled round-feed rather than the push-feed of its predecessor. It is a goodlooking gun, with very well done checkering Continued on Page I-37

The Newest Model 70 Winchester WHEN WINCHESTER CLOSED ITS NEW HAVEN, Connecticut, plant in 2006, it surprised few.

The truth was that it had become impossible for Winchester to make a profit under the conditions that prevailed at that facility.

Rumor has it that when Winchester began to put safeties on the Model 94, they were A L M A N A C

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Time for a Change?

OW IS THE TIME TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT practice. I am sure you have heard before that the more you practice the more proficient you will be when the moment of truth arrives. However, I have a suggestion. Before you spend countless hours out there flinging arrows, spend a little time to think about last season. Where you happy with your gear? Maybe while you sat there in your tree stand you thought about possibly changing a few things on your bow setup. I know I have.

After years of shooting the same broadheads and using the same sight, for some reason I thought that it is time for a change. At that time, I also thought about changing my arrow rest as well. Why? Who knows. I guess

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I just wanted to try the “new and improved” model. As hunters, we are all drawn to the hunting section of any store we go to. It makes no difference if it is a store that specializes in hunting gear or a supermarket. Somehow, we will find something in the store that we feel we can use in the field. I admit that it is a sickness among hunters. My wife would agree.

If you are like me, and a change is in the forecast, the time to try a change is now, before you start your diligent practice. Changing broadheads sounds simple enough, but not so fast. You might find that the new broadhead does not group as well as the ones you are used to. Is it the broadhead itself, or something else that is causing you to be inconsistent with your shooting? A mechanical broadhead is supposed to fly like your field tips. The key word here is “supposed.” I always have to adjust my sites a little to accommodate any hunting broadhead I use. That is not the case with some of my hunting partners. I think the reason for this is a combination of the smooth release, or lack of, and a very steady bow hand. It ends up being a matter of personal

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preference and what works best for you.

There is nothing wrong with my old sight.

I just wanted to change and try a new one.

Not only does this involve taking the time to set it up for your bow, but you should also leave some extra time for practice so you can really fine-tune this sight. Whatever sight you choose, as long as you take the time needed to set the pins correctly, it should be no problem at all when opening day arrives.

I have learned through my years of bow hunting that the smaller the tip of your sight pins are, the more accurate you will be. I often think of the line in the movie “The Patriot.”

Aim small, shoot small. So it is with your sight pins. If you use a large sight pin, your target will be covered and you will not be able to pick a precise spot. The smaller the better.

Most sight pins come with a thickness of .029.

I choose the .019 size, but now they even offer one that is .010 thick. That is small. I am not even sure if these old eyes could see that.

You can pick and choose which colors work best for your sight pins. Again, it is a personal preference thing. The human eye seems to be able to pick up green better than any other color. I have no reason why... but I can tell you that it is that way for my eyes.

Consequently, I use green tips on all of my sight pins.

If you decide it is time to use a different arrow rest, then make sure you give yourself enough time to research some of the top arrow rests on the market. In the archery world, there are pros and cons to just about any rest out there. Personally, I have two components that I feel are necessary if a rest is put on my bow. It has to have the ability to hold an arrow in place while my bow is hanging on my bow holder. More importantly, it has to be quite while you draw your arrow back.

If you choose a rest that does not hold your arrow in place, you risk the chance of your arrow falling off the rest and landing on the shelf of the bow. This also might be the time to cover the shelf with a piece of moleskin to help keep things quiet.

If your arrow makes any noise at all while

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TEXAS TESTED Continued from Page I-35 and floral work on the stock, brightly blued metalwork, and jeweled bolt housing.

My test gun is in .30-06, the All-American Caliber. I mounted a Weaver 3-15X SuperSlam scope with Weaver rings and mounts, grabbed a few boxes of Federal .30-06 ammo, and headed to the range.

The trigger was a little hard for my tastes. It scales over 5 pounds on my Lyman digital trigger pull gauge. I took the rifle apart to see if the trigger was adjustable. It is enclosed completely in an aluminum housing and the adjustment screws were covered with epoxy. I assumed you draw your bowstring back, you will immediately put the deer on alert and your chances of success are diminished. Either way, you will soon find out why they are called whitetails.

Some arrow rests come with a piece of rubber that covers the metal prongs of the rest. If you practice as often as you should, you soon will discover that the rubber has worn away from the friction of your arrow. It needs to be

there are adjustment screws under the epoxy, but I did not go further. Still, even though it is too heavy to suit my personal tastes, I must say that the trigger is shootable as it is, and I assume that it can be lightened without much difficulty.

At the bench, the rifle performed well.

With the various Federal factory loads of 150- 165-, and 180-grain bullets, the rifle managed three-shot groups in the 1- to 11/2-inch range. It was rather surprising given the light barrel. In fact, it shoots better than any Featherweight I have ever shot.

The little Winchester has a 22-inch barrel and tips the scales at 7 pounds. Add a scope and ammo and it will come up to

over 8 pounds.

The new Model 70 comes in nine different versions. The flagship is the Model 70 Super Grade, with superior wood and metal finish. The sniper version is called the Stealth, and the predator model is Model 70 Coyote Light. The standard grade is the Model 70 Sporter. There is also a Model 70 Extreme Weather SS. This newest incarnation of the Model 70 is a very fine rifle, true to the Winchester tradition.

replaced before you head out to your tree stand. If this is not fixed, then you will be pulling your arrow back on a piece of metal and it is a sure bet that your arrow will sing as it draws back on the rest.

Trying new equipment every once in a while is a good thing. You might find something you cannot live without. It might be something that boosts your confidence level.

In any event, at the end of the day, it still is fun to do, and by trying new things, you will be paying more attention to your setup. Your diligence will pay off come deer season.

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E-mail Lou Marullo at lmarullo@fishgame.com

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Federal Cartridge Company N ENTREPRENEUR NAMED CHARLES HORN founded the Federal Cartridge Company in 1922 in Anoka, Minnesota.

I remember when I was a kid, wrongly or rightly, we considered Federal Ammunition the cheap stuff. We would buy Winchester or Remington for serious hunting and buy Federal for practice. I suspect that even then, this was a simple misapprehension on our part, but it appeared to be pretty much pervasive at that time. I do know, however, that by the late 1960s I was using Federal’s 139-grain load in my father’s 7mm Mauser and was supremely pleased with the results. I shot a truckload of coyotes, bobcats, foxes, and deer with the Mauser and that load. Federal has since replaced that old reliable load with a new one in the Power-Shok line using a 140grain Speer Hot-Cor bullet. It too should perform to script.

Federal began as a small company that focused on putting its products in small business such as mom and pop grocery stores, service stations, small town hardware stores, and such. Federal began small and grew steadily. As it grew, it began to offer a wider and wider range of products.

Eventually Federal began to offer its Premium ammunition. Today Federal is the leader of the pack, with the former leaders apparently playing catch-up. Here’s why.

Federal was the first to figure out that it could load premium handloader’s bullets, like Nosler and Sierra, in its ammunition.

Why no one had thought of this before is a good question. Today you can buy Federal

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Premium Ammunition loaded with everything from Barnes Triple-Shock bullets to Sierra Game Kings and Nosler Ballistic Tips. Instead of having to make one bullet do all the work, as I did way back when, the modern shooter and hunter can select the bullet best suited for the purpose at hand.

Let’s look at the .30-06, for example: If I were hunting moose, I would pick the Vital-Shok ammunition shooting the 180grain Barnes Triple-Shock X-Bullet or Power-Shok shooting the 220-grain Speer Hot-Cor soft point.

If I were hunting pronghorn antelope, I would choose the Vital-Shok shooting the 150-grain Sierra GameKing Boat tail Soft Point or the 150-grain Nosler Ballistic Tip. For elk, the best choice might be VitalShok shooting the 180-grain Trophy Bonded Tip bullet at 2880 feet per second.

For predators or woodchucks, the best bet would be the Power-Shok with the 125grain soft point.

In addition to these there are, assuming my count is right, 16 other high quality loads with such wonderful performers as the Nosler’s AccuBond and Partition, and the Barnes MRX. In short, if you can’t find it in the Federal line-up, you probably can’t find it.

There are 25 additional pages of various loads for rifles ranging from the .22 Hornet to the mighty .470 Nitro Express.

In addition to its rifle ammunition, Federal produces top quality handgun and shotgun ammo. My favorite defense load in the .45 ACP is Federal’s 230-grain HydraShok. I have unmitigated faith that should I need it, that load will get the job done, and that is what you want in a load you may be forced to bet your life on.

Back when I was carrying a .357 Magnum every day, I knew that the Federal 125grain hollow point ammunition was the best made for my purposes. When the Border Patrol finally allowed its agents to carry semi-auto handguns, it first chose Federal to load the ammunition. Once again, I was

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supremely confident that the Federal 9mm 115-grain +P+ hollow points that I carried in my Glock 17 were the best I could get.

Today there is a wide selection of Federal personal protection ammunition, including the time proven Hydra-Shok. There are eight pages of handgun loads listed on the Federal website, including about anything you could want in a hunting, target, or defense load.

If you are a shotgunner, you have a huge selection of ammo to choose from. You waterfowlers can choose the Black Cloud steel shot, Ultra-Shok Hi-Density shot, or the Speed-Shok steel shot loads.

For pheasant, you might choose the Federal Wing-Shok Pheasants Forever loads with 1-1/4 ounces of No. 5.

For quail and doves there are a number of loads available from the standard GameShok game loads, to the Game-Shok HiBrass.

Skeet and trap shooters can choose from several target loads, such as the Gold Medal Target International Plastic loads, or the more traditional Gold Medal Target International Paper. Anyone who has every experienced it knows that there is nothing on earth that smells as good as a freshly spent paper shotgun shell. I wish they would make ladies perfume with that aroma.

I just checked the Federal website and it lists seven pages of various 12-gauge shot shell loads. Everyone should be able to find something that suits their needs.

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E-mail Steve LaMascus at guns@fishgame.com

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The Power to Heal HE IMAGE WAS VIVID AND LASTING: EIGHT empty wheelchairs parked haphazardly at the edge of a lake and eight anglers, some of them double amputees, paddling away in brightly colored kayaks. I sat mesmerized, listening intently to Jim Dolan recall the story of one of the outings that Heroes on the Water held last year to help wounded veterans relax, rehab, and reintegrate with society.

Dolan and I met for lunch last month to discuss Heroes on the Water and the organization’s philosophy of using kayak angling to help wounded veterans and their families.

“There is something unique about The image of empty wheelkayak fishing,” said Dolan. “There is a chairs is unforgettable sense of individualism you don’t get Heroes on the Water on the Water and their when you are fishing in a powerboat. close friends in military support organizations It is very liberating.

“Many veterans come home with post to persuade veterans to participate in outings. traumatic stress disorder. Even though there He joked that one young Marine in the Dalisn’t anything harmed on the outside, there is las area had to be ordered out of his house by on the inside. A lot of my guys stutter and take a Gunnery Sergeant.

“That young man didn’t want anything to a while to process information.

“We have found that getting people do with us in the beginning, but he quickly felt involved in outdoor activities has a very posi- the support of his fellow vets,” Dolan said. “It tive effect on them. Fishing from a kayak gives has helped the healing process and he can them a sense of empowerment. They are total- now occasionally forget some of the terrible things in his past. The Gunnery Sergeant ly relaxed and can do their own thing.

“When we have a group outing, every one confided in me that it was the first time in six splits up and paddles their own way, but at months that he had seen him smile.”

Heroes on the Water is a non-profit orgasome point during the day, everyone rafts up, away from everyone on the shore, and the vets nization and Dolan is the heartbeat that keeps just talk amongst themselves out in the lake or the organization moving ahead.

“The kayak industry is tremendously supbay. It might be about life events, family problems, or medical problems. They find a lot of portive of our efforts,” he said. “The paddling community has also been very supportive, but comfort in each other’s company.”

Many of the veterans Dolan has interfaced it is tough to keep them engaged. This sort of with are in a dark place and desire to keep outreach requires a lot of devotion, but the their own company. It is common for Heroes results are overwhelming.”

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PHOTOS BY GREG BERLOCHER

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The U.S. Military takes a much different approach dealing with soldiers returning from combat than it did several decades ago. There are Warrior Transition Battalions at every major fort in the country, and soldiers coming back from combat duty spend time readjusting. The military’s philosophy is to get the soldier healed while they are on active duty.

Dolan’s goal is to see Heroes on the Water integrated into these battalions.

Heroes on the Water sponsors events throughout the year, mostly on private lakes.

“We usually get together for 4-6 hours, with some sort of lunch afterward. We provide the kayaks and gear and make all the arrangements. Most of the lakes we fish in are 15-20 acres in size. This gives everyone plenty of room to spread out, plus we don’t have to worry about water skiers and boaters zooming around.”

When a solider is wounded, their families also suffer. Heroes on the Water encourages families to participate in kayak events, allowing them to heal as well.

“Last month, I got to witness a dad that had lost both of his legs being able to paddle his daughter around the lake in his lap while she fished. Is his daughter’s eyes, he wasn’t disabled anymore,” Dolan said.

“The best testament of our success came when one of my guys called me after a year in the program and asked me to go fishing with him instead of the other way around.”

I salute Jim Dolan and the rest of the volunteers at Heroes on the Water for their tireless devotion to helping our wounded veterans. They have clearly demonstrated the kayak’s power to heal.

Email Greg Berlocher at kayak@fishgame.com

On the Web www.HeroesontheWater.org

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The 30 Best Boating Tips, Ever!

F YOU READ THIS ENTIRE PARAGRAPH, THEN your attention span is longer than that of most Americans. The digital age has us breaking down data into tiny tidbits that blip from here to there to everywhere.

While 50 years ago people preferred to read 1500 words at a clip, today, 150 is a stretch. We multi-task, we change topics, and we don’t digest information—we devour bits and pieces of it. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? I have no idea. But it has forced writers to re-think the way we communicate information, and one tactic we

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often use is simple tips. Tips are awesome; they let you put knowledge into an easy to understand, easy to read format that’s so short people might actually read the whole thing and get something out of it. Through the years, I’ve had to put together a lot of boating tips, probably hundreds, maybe even thousands. Here are the 30 I’ve found most interesting and useful. You can read them one a day or one an hour, or if it suits your brain, read the whole bunch in one sitting. Either way, I’m betting you’ll take the time to digest them.

Maintenance Tips 1. Apply canvas waterproofing treatment to T-tops at high noon; do it early in the day and dew might be in the fabric, which will prevent the waterproofer from working. Do it late in the day, and dew might form before the waterproofer has time to dry completely.

2. You popped an engine belt at sea, and don’t have an extra. Pull a strap off a life jacket, use a fishhook to clip the ends togeth-

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er, and sub it out for the belt.

3. Smear your transducer with Vaseline before bottom-painting your boat. Then if any paint gets on your transducer by accident, it’ll be easy to remove.

4. When changing your lower unit oil, look closely at the oil color to get a read on the condition of your lower unit. Black might look bad but it’s the normal color; gray or silver means minute metal shavings in the oil, and you have potential gear damage; milky colored oil is bad news--you have a water intrusion problem.

5. One of your gauges has started working intermittently. Before you replace it, try cleaning all of the connections at the gauge and at the sender. This is usually the root of this problem.

6. Your outboard’s telltale isn’t putting out any water, but your engine isn’t overheating. Insert 50-pound-test monofilament fishing line into the hole, run it as far as possible into the motor, and spin it to ream out the clog.

7. A grommet ripped out of your boat cover. Ball up a sock, push it under the cover so it makes a bulge, then tie your line around the bottom of the bulge.

8. When running a bead of caulk or sealant, always push the tube along instead of pulling it. Pushing will make a smoother line every time.

9. To get a long-lasting gleam on your gel coat, use paste wax made with bee’s wax for an initial protective undercoat, and carnauba-based liquid wax for a shiny top coat.

10. Always roll—never fold—clear vinyl curtains and Isinglass to prevent creasing.

11. When drilling into gel coat, run the drill at top RPM. A slow-moving drill bit causes more cracking than one that’s spinning quickly. Reduce cracking even more by placing a piece of tape over the spot before drilling.

12. To get a tight knot out of a mooring line, soak it in warm water with fabric softener and it will loosen up.

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Safety Tips 13. When shooting flares to signal a boat in the distance, shoot two of them spaced 10 to 15 seconds apart. If they see one flare it might leave questions in people’s minds as to whether there’s an emergency or someone’s shooting fireworks, or performing a test. The second one leaves no doubt.

14. When night-fishing, have everyone aboard attach a Cyalume light stick to a belt loop with a rubber band. If someone goes overboard, they have a visible way to signal in the darkness.

15. If something in your boat’s microwave catches on fire, do not open the door. Just turn it off and/or pull the plug. As soon as the fans shut off, the fire will smother in the confined space.

16. When someone is hypothermic and needs body heat fast, fill a zipper-lock bag with hot water from your outboard’s telltale.

Then place it in the victim’s armpits and groin to warm their blood. (Editor’s Note: This seems like a good source of warm water to relieve jellyfish stings.)

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clutter your fish-finder screen, suspect electrical interference. Isolating the transducer wire from all other wiring (particularly the engine harness) will usually end it.

24. Maximum range for any radar is commonly limited not by power or capability, but by the height of the antenna. Here’s the formula to determine actual range: 1.22NM x square root of the antenna height, x 1.22NM x square root of the target height.

25. To estimate distance to shore, remember that at about one mile individual tree trunks can be seen with the naked eye.

At half a mile, individual branches can be distinguished.

26. If you have a chartplotter with a trackball, you might have noticed it became jerky with age. To get it working smoothly again, wipe it with isopropyl alcohol and roll Continued on Page I-42

Trailering Tips 17. If your tandem-axel trailer sways a little, try dropping 3-5 psi in the front tires.

This will transfer more of the load to the rear tires and help stabilize your rig.

18. If your boat doesn’t self-center when you drive it onto the trailer, try pulling the trailer up the ramp a foot or two. This problem is usually the result of submerging the trailer too deep.

19. To figure out your trailer winch’s power ratio, multiply crank length by gear ratio and divide the result by 1/2 the drum diameter.

20. Always unplug your trailer lights before you launch the boat. Otherwise, when the cool water hits the hot bulbs, they are likely to pop.

Navigation & Electronics Tips 21. When you see purple lines on a contour map, don’t assume they’re accurate.

Purple means they come from photos and haven’t been verified by personnel in the field.

22. To figure your reverse compass bearing, add 180 to bearings under 180 degrees and subtract 180 from bearings over 180 degrees.

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Bream Basics MUST ADMIT THAT I’VE DONE YOU AN INJUSTICE. Over the past few years that I’ve been writing this column, we’ve gone over rigs for catching just about anything that swims. I’ve covered conventional and a few off the wall rigs, and hopefully you’ve picked up tips on how to catch everything from bass and catfish to redfish and gar. However, the one fish I seem to have ignored is probably the most sought after fish in the state, the lowly bream (sunfish).

Redear, longear, warmouth, bluegill, green, and redbreast sunfishes all swim in just about every lake, pond, creek, ditch, or puddle in the state. While these species are not considered game fish and are basically the swimming food source for the more popular fishes we chase, they are still fun to catch and a great way to get new anglers interested in fishing. Think back to when you were a kid (longer ago for some of us than others) and I’d be willing to bet that the first memory you have of fishing involves a sunfish. My kids still prefer to go down to the lake and catch bream to just about any other type of fish because of the

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ease of rigging for them and their willingness to bite.

So, this month, we’re going to cover how to catch the diminutive bream. Most of you already know how to do this, so this isn’t for you. This column is for the person who picked up their first outdoor magazine and wants to know how to catch something, anything, just to see what it’s like.

Bream fishing is a simple endeavor. This time of year, you can find multiple sunfish species hanging near the bank in just about any cover, including grass, brush piles, and boat docks. Basically, if you find cover you’ll find sunfishes.

There are a few hybrid species of bream that can be measured in pounds instead of ounces, but sunfishes in general do not grow very large. Catching one the size of a grown man’s hand is something to brag about, so your fishing gear does not need to be stout to chase them. Ultralight spinning gear loaded

with 6-pound monofilament is all you’ll ever need to manhandle even the largest bream.

On the end of the main line, tie on a small long shank bream hook. The small size and long shaft of the hook each serve a specific purpose. Even a world record bream has a small mouth, so the small hook allows them to easily get the point of the hook into their mouth, increasing hook-ups. The long shank

helps the angler get the hook back out, because the fisherman can grasp the long shank outside the fish’s mouth instead of trying to get a finger in to pry out a hook that got a little too deep.

Put a bobber (float) on the main line above the hook. When choosing a bobber, think small. The point behind the bobber is to indicate a strike, but it has to do this without deterring the fish from biting. Small bobbers offer less resistance, so they will go under easier and not pull the bait out of the fish’s mouth or scare them off by casting a large shadow.

The traditional red and white plastic bobber works fine if you use the smallest one possible. However, long, thin, balsa wood pencil bobbers are easy to see, are pulled under easily, and don’t throw a large shadow, so keep those in mind while making your selection.

On the main line 3-4 inches above the hook, crimp on a split shot—again, think really small. The purpose of the split shot is to

keep the buoyant bait from floating up, putting slack in the line between the hook and the float. Any slack in the line allows the fish to bite without moving the bobber, so you are not aware of the strike.

E-mail Paul Bradshaw at freshrigs@fishgame.com

TEXAS BOATING Continued from Page I-41 it around for a few seconds.

27. Your radar sees “ghost” returns.

Structures in line with your radar antenna are often the cause. Move other antennae, masts, and anything in proximity to the dome or array.

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General Tips 28. Old masking tape won’t rip up easily. Rub cooking oil over it to eliminate the stickies.

29. Craving a hot meal on an outboard-powered center console. Put a can of soup, ravioli, or spaghetti into a bucket, then fill it with hot water from the out-

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board’s telltale. Let it sit 10-15 minutes, and enjoy.

30. Saltwater brine will cool fish faster then plain ice. Add a 5-gallon bucket of saltwater per 40 pounds of ice to maximize the chill in your fish box.

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E-mail Lenny Rudow at boating@fishgame.com ILLUSTRATION BY PAUL BRADSHAW

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with more seafood seasoning before serving.

The claws should be boiled in water until they turn bright red and float to the surface.

Barbecued Crab REMEMBER CRABBING ON BOLIVAR ISLAND with my parents and grandmother. My grandmother was from Mobile Bay, Alabama, and loved crab. She taught me many great recipes, but this one came from Beaumont, Texas.

Barbecued crab was invented at Granger’s in Sabine Pass, Texas, during the late 1940s, when one of their cooks seasoned a crab and then deep-fried it. The rest is history.

Contrary to the name, these crab are not barbecued. The name comes from the barbecue-like seasoning. Theses crab are full of sweet, rich meat and spiced with Texas Gourmet’s Sidewinder Searing Spice, which will have you keeping a cold drink close by.

Deep-Frying Tips If you are undeterred by possible health risks or are treating yourself to an occasional deep-fried delicacy, here are some techniques and safety tips to keep in mind:

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1 large pot (12 qt. minimum) with a basket for frying 1 gal. peanut oil 8-10 large blue crab, cleaned and chilled (remove lungs and insides using heavy water pressure) Texas Gourmet’s Sidewinder Searing Spice Start with live hard-shell blue crab, discarding any that are dead. Place the live blue crab in icewater for several minutes to stun (it is best to use a large cooler for this purpose). Once immersed in icewater, the crab will become dormant. After several minutes, they will be “asleep,” then you can easily handle them with your bare hands.

Remove the carapace (top shell) from each crab by grasping the legs on one side and prying the shell off, using the sharp spines for leverage. This kills the crab instantly.

PHOTO BY BRYAN SLAVEN

Turn the crab upside down and, using a knife or other sharp object, pry up and remove the “apron” that is folded up under the body.

Turn the crab right-side up. Using your thumb and index finger, grasp the mouth parts and twist off to remove. Remove the spongy gills from each side of the body and the entrails from inside the main body cavity.

Rinse clean.

Remove the two large claws and reserve.

Do not remove the legs. Break each cleaned body in half.

At this point, you should have two halves, each with four legs still attached.

Each body half should be completely clean and consist of nothing but glistening white shell with meat inside.

Boil the crabs for three minutes prior to seasoning and frying. This technique helps prevent the meat from sticking to the shell.

Dredge each body half in seafood seasoning (see resources below) to completely coat.

Place the seasoned crabs in the refrigerator for 1 or 2 hours to allow the seasoning to penetrate into the meat.

Heat oil in a deep-fat fryer to 350 and drop in a few crab. Deep fry until they turn red and float to the surface, approximately 57 minutes. Repeat until all of the crabs are cooked.

Serve immediately while steaming hot.

Optionally, you can sprinkle the cooked crab

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- Choose your cooking oil carefully.

When the oil starts to give off continuous smoke, you have it way too hot. Oils with high “smoke points” are best, such as peanut, safflower, sunflower, and canola oil.

- Choose a deep, very heavy skillet to fry with. Add oil to the cold pan, leaving at least two inches at the top of the pan, for the oil to bubble up as the food is added.

- Heating a lot of oil can take a long time. Deep-frying should be done with the oil at 365 degrees F (185 C). Use a candy thermometer to monitor the oil’s temperature.

- When breading with a moist batter, use cornmeal, cornstarch, or flour to make it stick to the food. Be sure to shake off the excess batter or breading before frying.

- Always place food in the fryer away from you to prevent splashing and burning— do not throw it in!

- Avoid crowding the deep fryer with food, which will lower the oil’s temperature.

- Maintain the proper frying temperaturel. If it is too hot, the coating will burn before the food cooks; if it is not hot enough, oil will reach the food before it’s fully cooked and make it greasy.

- Watch the food carefully as it cooks and do not leave the fryer unattended.

- Flames from a pot of hot oil can be 2-3 feet high. Be sure to have a real non-liquid fire extinguisher on hand and ready to use.

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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or Classified Rates and Informatio call Dennise at 1-800-750-4678, ext. 5579.

ROCKPORT

TEXAS HUNTING

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White Oak Outfitters Hog

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SPOTLIGHT: SPEC-TACULAR TROUT ADVENTURES David Dillman is the owner and operator of Spec-tacular Trout Adventures, a year-round full time fishing guide service. Spec-tacular Trout Adventures was founded in January of 1990. They fish all of the Galveston Bay Complex for speckled trout and redfish, utilizing live natural bait and artificial lures.

From May through September, David guides out of Eagle Point Fishing Camp in San Leon, Texas. From October through April, he guides out of Jamaica Beach on Galveston Island.

Spec-tacular Trout Adventures offers both half and full day trips. For more information visit his website www.spec-taculartrout.com or call David (409) 632.0924.

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4r caught this mons of Tyle nd, outHunter Clem dparents’ po an gr s hi in pound bass e grandson of . Hunter is th side of Athens Clemmons of Athens. y nd Jack and Ca

Bill Stewart of Beaumont ca ed this 28-in ught and rele ch hybrid strip aser in the mar south of Sabi sh ne Lake. He was fishing fo fish with live r re mullet. Photo

by Greg Brow dn.

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Isabella Soriano, age 7, of Corpus Christi, Texas, caught this 25-inch speckled trout while surf-fishing the National Seashore with her dad, Joel. It was her best catch to date.

Peyton Usof f of Victoria, Texa to reel in this 23-inch redfis s, was thrilled h while fishing Port Lavaca. in

on ot this buck of Tomball sh grandis th at e Caleb Barber is just after sunr dina. opening day Me w Z Ranch in parents’ Arro

dthis keeper re ughan caught a Carol Rose He Texas, while fishing with rt, er fish in Freepo orning topwat e red was a m chug bug. Th bite.

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Ty Chumley, his dad Bobb y, time friends, Eric and Carl, and two longwith specks redfish from an a trip with Ca ptain Ryan of d Busceme’s Bl ack Dog Fish Guide Servic e.

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Keith Miller, of Robinson , Texas, caug 1/2-pound, 23 ht a 6-in fishing at Trad ch largemouth bass while inghouse Cr eek Reservoi r.

acktip is 38-inch bl ger caught th Myles Marbur ng with his granddad, hi tty. shark while fis at the Galveston North Je ld, ed. rm Charles Arno ha un ed as s rele The shark wa

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2g caught this n of Rosenber fishing with his Cody Shelto ss ba th rgemou Cody 1/2-pound la Hungerford. . mily pond in use curltail jig dad in the fa tre ar ch k/ ac th bl was fishing wi

Five-year-old Reagyn Pyfe r of North Ri land Hills, Te chxas, caught this 8-pound at Joe Pool La carp ke. Submitted dad, Darren. by her proud

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Jennifer Klei n, age 13, of Dallas, Texas, caught her fir st “keeper� re dfish while fis ing with her grandfather, Tony Pustejov hat his home sky, on Sargent Be ach.

Kthe time, of Mc rnik, age 5 at Christian Piva ught his largest fish, a 22 ca nite inney, Texas, tfish, using a d channel ca inch, 8-poun wne Lake. crawler on To

speckught his first k of Vidor ca l Beach, while Luke Sodola ta ys Cr at rf e su Pa. led trout in th little brother, dad and Pa ait. his ut with cut-b fishing with tro ch -in /4 -3 e 19 He caught th

Wiley Webb took Liberty Hill, Te this buck while hunting in xas, in Willia mson County Webb shot th . e buck at ab out 150 yard s.

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ows Woodlands sh nnett of The in ht ug ca r, Mary-Kate Be de ss, a 6-poun ds. off her first ba rk Lake in The Woodlan t Pa . ss Shadow Poin ba d ht a 2-poun She also caug

Four-year-old Ja deer with a 22 gger Lechler shot his fir st Ho dad, Derek, on rnet while hunting with his the Braun Ra nch in La Pryo r.

a a shows off y of Lago Vist ot in the CCA David Barcla sl 8 e th d se mis the trout that just while fishing ment, caught .

STAR Tourna tty je ur th rt Ar surf east of Po

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Collin Rayburg, age 5, caught this 23-1/2inch redfish in Rockport, using his Zebco 33.

He cast his bait, set the hook and reeled it in on his own; his dad helped to net the fish.

nded this 4.5Spicewood la O.H. Ivie.

Colt King of ng at hi fis ile wh pound bass

Brenyn Burk holder, age 8, of caught her fir st redfish wh San Antonio ile fishing wi dad and brot th her her in the ba ys off the Pa Channel, alon ckery g the Texas coast.

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e n, age 6 at th alls of Housto off John David W first trout while fishing his time, caught s in Port Mans over the light the dock and ry proud! ve field. He was

Taylor Sims of Cypress la nded this 22 redfish while -inch fishing on th e Lavaca Rive with her brot r her Ryan and dad Kerry (p tured). She ca icught the red on her first ca st.

ught this 6.5of Bellville ca hing Mark Zapalac trout while fis ed kl ec sp ch pound, 27-in in Sargent.

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FEW YEARS AGO, I CAME TO THE STARTLING realization that most people cannot perform even minor vehicle maintenance tasks. The notion of taking a car or truck to the dealership to have a signal lamp replaced simply boggled my mind. Chalk it up to urbanization, I suppose.

Most of my acquaintances—all rural folk—do some or all of the maintenance on their vehicles. Around the Zaidle homeplace, overhauling a pickup engine, replacing the clutch in a John Deere tractor, and repacking the wheel bearings on a 4X4 routinely crop up on the “to do” list. Oil changes, engine tune-ups, and electrical system troubleshooting fall in the same category as taking out the trash and cleaning guns—routine chores. Several local auto supply store proprietors check with me before submitting restocking orders; I even know my computer file number at one of them—9000. The counter guys have even taken to calling me, “Old Number 9000.”

No respect.

I am not thumping my hairy, he-man mechanic chest, but trying to instill confidence that, while I am not Mr. Goodwrench, I know enough about vehicles to avoid putting oil in the radiator or water in the power steering pump. Further—and perhaps more importantly in these economic times—performing your own vehicle maintenance brings substantial savings. You can do that $50 oil change yourself for less than half the cost, and the savings in a DIY tune-up can amount to three figures.

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ENGINE FLUIDS: All internal combustion engines use fluids for lubrication and cooling. Several types of oils and other fluid chemicals serve a variety of purposes in the engine and external systems. Checking and replacing fluids is one of the easiest—and most crucial—routine maintenance chores.

COOLANT: With the exception of the original Volkswagen Beetle and Chevrolet Corvair (which had rear-mounted, air-cooled engines), all car and truck engines use a mixture of water and liquid chemicals to prevent

by Don Zaidle overheating. A pump circulates the liquid through internal engine cavities (the cooling jacket) and the radiator. The chemicals lubricate the water pump, help prevent rust in the cooling system, raise coolant boiling point, and prevent freezing. A fan draws air across radiator vanes to convection-cool the fluid inside. Though the circulatory system is “sealed,” some fluid can be lost for a variety of reasons, hence the need to check the level.

The first rule of coolant checking is never check when the engine is hot or running.

Coolant is under pressure when the engine is hot and will spew out causing severe burns.

With the engine cool, locate and remove the radiator/coolant fill cap at the front of the engine compartment. You should see green liquid just below the fill neck or on top of the radiator vanes. If not, add a 50-50 mixture of

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PHOTO VLADIMIR MUCIBABIC

Under the Hood water and antifreeze, filling to the bottom of the filler neck, and replace the radiator cap.

Coolant antifreeze and antiboil properties break down over time. To check for this, you need an antifreeze tester (hygrometer). These are available from auto supply stores and come in several varieties, but most look like a small turkey baster. Remove the radiator cap and draw some liquid into the tester. Follow the directions that come with the tester. If the tester indicates inadequate antifreeze but the radiator is full, you must first drain some coolant (about half a gallon on most vehicles) through a valve on the bottom of the radiator.

Refill with 100 percent antifreeze.

The radiator overflow/reserve reservoir, usually mounted under the hood on one of the fender wells, is made of semi-transparent plastic with MIN and MAX indicators marked on the outside. Add 50-50 coolant mixture to the MAX mark.

OIL: Engine oil provides internal lubrication and aids cooling. Older vehicles—and even some new ones—might lose oil in a number of ways. To check oil level, locate the oil dipstick—a long, flat piece of thin metal with a ring or T-shaped handle on one end. The other end has two marks, an upper and a lower, indicating FULL and ADD respectively, and usually labeled accordingly.

Depending on vehicle make and model, the dipstick is usually located at the front or on either side of the engine.

Pull the dipstick straight up from its G A M E ®

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In This Issue OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE SECTION

HOW-TO SECTION

N20 N22 N24

BOWHUNTING TECH • Time for a Change? |

BY LOU MARULLO

N26

BAITS & RIGS • Bream Basics |

BY PAUL BRADSHAW

TEXAS KAYAKING • The Power to Heal |

BY GREG BERLOCHER TEXAS BOATING • The 30 Best Boating Tips, Ever! |

BY LENNY RUDOW

BY

SPECIAL SECTION • Tricked Out Rides |

BY TF&G STAFF

HOTSPOTS & TIDES SECTION

N16

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

BY TF&G STAFF

N4

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

BY TF&G STAFF

N6

TEXAS HOTSPOTS • Texas’ Hottest Fishing Spots |

BY TOM BEHRENS, CALIXTO GONZALES, & BOB HOOD

N18

TEXAS TESTED • Vision Slyder, Voltaeus Rods, Winchester |

BY TF&G STAFF

mounting tube, then wipe off the oil with a rag. Reinsert the stick in the tube, ensuring that it seats completely. Withdraw the stick again and, holding it horizontally so the oil does not run, see where the oil level is on the end. Any level between the ADD and FULL marks is acceptable. If at or below the

CLASSIFIED DIRECTORY • N28 OUTDOOR Classifieds | TF&G S TAFF

ALBUM • N30 PHOTO Your Action Photos | TF&G R

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TEXAS TASTED • Barbecued Crab |

BY BRYAN SLAVEN

BY

GEARING UP SECTION COVER STORY • Under the Hood |

BY DON ZAIDLE

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EADERS

www.FishGame.com ADD mark, the level is low by at least one quart.

To add oil, locate the oil fill neck and cap.

Like the dipstick, it may be at the front or on either side of the engine, or at the top-rear on some models. It looks similar to the radiator cap, so take care not to confuse the two.

Remove the cap and pour in one quart of oil of the same brand and viscosity already in the engine. If unsure about this, consult the dealership or mechanic who last checked/changed the oil.

POWER STEERING FLUID: The power steering pump pressurizes a low-viscosity oil to drive a piston or other mechanism, which in turn actuates the drag links and other components that steer the front wheels. The pump is located on the lower-front of the engine, usually—but not always—on the driver side. In the top is a combination fill cap/dipstick. Remove the cap and follow the same procedure as checking engine oil, but remember the ADD quantity is only a few ounces, not a whole quart. Some manufacturers specify a special power steering fluid, but ordinary automatic transmission fluid is fine in older vehicles.

BRAKE FLUID: Car and light truck brake systems are hydraulic. A piston (master cylinder) connected to the brake pedal pressurizes a watery, low-viscosity fluid that actuates smaller cylinders in each wheel to apply braking pressure. The master cylinder is mounted on the firewall (the metal divider CONTINUED on Page N6

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Tides and Prime Times

JUNE 2010

MONDAY

TUESDAY

JUN 1 Low Tide: 1:30 am -0.03 ft High Tide: 10:08 am 1.40 ft

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

PRIME TIME 2:41 am 6:25 am 11:38 am 7:30 pm

1.17 ft 1.09 ft 1.20 ft 0.16 ft

4:00 — 6:00 PM

WEDNESDAY PRIME TIME

2

10:00P — 12:00A

Low Tide: 2:11 am 0.15 ft High Tide: 10:36 am 1.33 ft

THURSDAY PRIME TIME

3

10:00P — 12:00A

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

PRIME TIME 2:51 am 10:58 am 6:21 pm 9:22 pm

0.34 ft 1.27 ft 0.91 ft 0.95 ft

12:30 — 1:30 PM

Sunrise: 6:34a Set: 8:35p Moonrise: None Set: 10:43a AM Minor: 10:03a Set: 3:52a PM Minor: 10:26p Set: 4:15p Moon Overhead: 5:16a Moon Underfoot: 5:39p

Sunrise: 6:34a Set: 8:36p Moonrise: 12:29a Set: 11:38a AM Minor: 10:52a Set: 4:42a PM Minor: 11:14p Set: 5:03p Moon Overhead: 6:01a Moon Underfoot: 6:22p

Sunrise: 6:34a Set: 8:36p Moonrise: 12:59a Set: 12:32p AM Minor: 11:38a Set: 5:28a PM Minor: 11:59p Set: 5:48p Moon Overhead: 6:43a Moon Underfoot: 7:03p

8

9

10

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

PRIME TIME 3:45 am 8:10 am 11:25 am 8:03 pm

1.32 ft 1.22 ft 1.24 ft -0.03 ft

4:30 — 6:30 PM

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 4:36 am Low Tide: 8:40 pm

1.45 ft -0.21 ft

5:00 — 7:00 PM

High Tide: 5:22 am Low Tide: 9:21 pm

PRIME TIME 1.57 ft -0.37 ft

5:30 — 7:30 PM

Sunrise: 6:33a Set: 8:38p Moonrise: 2:52a Set: 4:09p AM Minor: 1:56a Set: 8:07a PM Minor: 2:18p Set: 8:29p Moon Overhead: 9:27a Moon Underfoot: 9:49p

Sunrise: 6:33a Set: 8:39p Moonrise: 3:24a Set: 5:09p AM Minor: 2:35a Set: 8:47a PM Minor: 2:59p Set: 9:11p Moon Overhead: 10:13a Moon Underfoot: 10:37p

Sunrise: 6:33a Set: 8:39p Moonrise: 4:01a Set: 6:11p AM Minor: 3:17a Set: 9:30a PM Minor: 3:43p Set: 9:56p Moon Overhead: 11:03a Moon Underfoot: 11:30p

Sunrise: 6:33a Set: 8:39p Moonrise: 4:44a Set: 7:15p AM Minor: 4:04a Set: 10:18a PM Minor: 4:32p Set: 10:46p Moon Overhead: 11:57a Moon Underfoot: None

14

PRIME TIME

15

PRIME TIME

16

17

8:00 — 10:00 PM

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

8:30 — 10:30 PM

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

High Tide: 8:19 am Low Tide: 1:25 pm High Tide: 2:57 pm

1.65 ft 1.39 ft 1.40 ft

12:28 am 8:56 am 2:16 pm 4:33 pm

-0.47 ft 1.57 ft 1.25 ft 1.27 ft

PRIME TIME 1:17 am 9:28 am 3:13 pm 6:35 pm

-0.29 ft 1.48 ft 1.04 ft 1.11 ft

5:00 — 7:00 PM

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

PRIME TIME 2:08 am 9:55 am 4:09 pm 8:48 pm

-0.03 ft 1.38 ft 0.77 ft 0.98 ft

6:00 — 8:00 PM

Sunrise: 6:33a Set: 8:41p Moonrise: 8:46a Set: 10:59p AM Minor: 8:01a Set: 1:46a PM Minor: 8:30p Set: 2:15p Moon Overhead: 3:56p Moon Underfoot: 3:27a

Sunrise: 6:33a Set: 8:41p Moonrise: 9:56a Set: 11:41p AM Minor: 9:05a Set: 2:51a PM Minor: 9:33p Set: 3:19p Moon Overhead: 4:52p Moon Underfoot: 4:25a

Sunrise: 6:33a Set: 8:42p Moonrise: 11:05a Set: None AM Minor: 10:06a Set: 3:53a PM Minor: 10:32p Set: 4:19p Moon Overhead: 5:45p Moon Underfoot: 5:19a

Sunrise: 6:33a Set: 8:42p Moonrise: 12:11p Set: 12:18a AM Minor: 11:03a Set: 4:51a PM Minor: 11:28p Set: 5:16p Moon Overhead: 6:36p Moon Underfoot: 6:11a

21

22

23

24

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

PRIME TIME 2:58 am 7:20 am 11:00 am 7:31 pm

1.26 ft 1.17 ft 1.24 ft -0.33 ft

3:00 — 5:00 PM

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 4:22 am Low Tide: 8:18 pm

1.43 ft -0.47 ft

3:30 — 5:30 PM

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 5:21 am Low Tide: 9:04 pm

1.53 ft -0.55 ft

4:00 — 6:00 PM

Sunrise: 6:34a Set: 8:43p Moonrise: 4:28p Set: 2:36a AM Minor: 1:53a Set: 8:06a PM Minor: 2:19p Set: 8:32p Moon Overhead: 9:54p Moon Underfoot: 9:28a

Sunrise: 6:34a Set: 8:43p Moonrise: 5:32p Set: 3:15a AM Minor: 2:39a Set: 8:52a PM Minor: 3:05p Set: 9:18p Moon Overhead: 10:47p Moon Underfoot: 10:20a

Sunrise: 6:34a Set: 8:43p Moonrise: 6:33p Set: 3:59a AM Minor: 3:26a Set: 9:39a PM Minor: 3:53p Set: 10:06p Moon Overhead: 11:41p Moon Underfoot: 11:14a

28

29

PRIME TIME

30

8:00 — 10:00 PM

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

PRIME TIME

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

1.36 ft 1.19 ft 1.21 ft

7:30 — 9:30 PM

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

Sunrise: 6:35a Set: 8:44p Moonrise: 10:27p Set: 8:32a AM Minor: 7:43a Set: 1:31a PM Minor: 8:06p Set: 1:55p Moon Overhead: 3:10a Moon Underfoot: 3:33p

Sunrise: 6:36a Set: 8:44p Moonrise: 10:59p Set: 9:29a AM Minor: 8:33a Set: 2:22a PM Minor: 8:56p Set: 2:44p Moon Overhead: 3:56a Moon Underfoot: 4:17p

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

-0.03 ft 1.24 ft 0.96 ft 1.00 ft

9:30 — 11:30 PM

Sunrise: 6:36a Set: 8:44p Moonrise: 11:29p Set: 10:23a AM Minor: 9:22a Set: 3:11a PM Minor: 9:43p Set: 3:32p Moon Overhead: 4:39a Moon Underfoot: 4:59p

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High Tide: 6:07 am Low Tide: 9:48 pm

PRIME TIME 1.56 ft -0.56 ft

4:30 — 6:30 PM

Sunrise: 6:34a Set: 8:43p Moonrise: 7:31p Set: 4:48a AM Minor: 4:15a Set: 10:29a PM Minor: 4:42p Set: 10:56p Moon Overhead: None Moon Underfoot: 12:09p

PRIME TIME

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Tides and Prime Times

JUNE 2010

FRIDAY

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

SATURDAY PRIME TIME

3:31 am 11:16 am 6:24 pm 11:29 pm

0.54 ft 1.22 ft 0.74 ft 0.95 ft

5

SUNDAY

12:00 — 2:00 AM

6

PRIME TIME

Low Tide: 4:15 am 0.74 ft High Tide: 11:29 am 1.19 ft Low Tide: 6:39 pm 0.55 ft

PRIME TIME

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

1:30 — 3:30 PM

1:16 am 5:09 am 11:37 am 7:02 pm

1.03 ft 0.92 ft 1.19 ft 0.36 ft

2:00 — 4:00 PM

Sunrise: 6:33a Set: 8:37p Moonrise: 1:28a Set: 1:25p AM Minor: ----Set: 6:10a PM Minor: 12:20p Set: 6:30p Moon Overhead: 7:23a Moon Underfoot: 7:43p

Sunrise: 6:33a Set: 8:37p Moonrise: 1:55a Set: 2:18p AM Minor: 12:40a Set: 6:50a PM Minor: 1:00p Set: 7:10p Moon Overhead: 8:03a Moon Underfoot: 8:24p

Sunrise: 6:33a Set: 8:38p Moonrise: 2:23a Set: 3:12p AM Minor: 1:18a Set: 7:29a PM Minor: 1:39p Set: 7:49p Moon Overhead: 8:44a Moon Underfoot: 9:05p

11

12

13

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 6:07 am 1.65 ft Low Tide: 10:05 pm -0.50 ft

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 6:53 am 1.69 ft Low Tide: 10:51 pm -0.57 ft

6:00 — 8:00 PM

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

6:30 — 8:30 PM

PRIME TIME

7:37 am 12:53 pm 1:31 pm 11:39 pm

1.69 ft 1.46 ft 1.46 ft -0.56 ft

7:00 — 9:00 PM

Sunrise: 6:33a Set: 8:40p Moonrise: 5:35a Set: 8:18p AM Minor: 4:57a Set: 11:12a PM Minor: 5:26p Set: 11:41p Moon Overhead: 12:55p Moon Underfoot: 12:26a

Sunrise: 6:33a Set: 8:40p Moonrise: 6:33a Set: 9:17p AM Minor: 5:55a Set: ----PM Minor: 6:25p Set: 12:40p Moon Overhead: 1:56p Moon Underfoot: 1:25a

Sunrise: 6:33a Set: 8:41p Moonrise: 7:37a Set: 10:11p AM Minor: 6:57a Set: 12:41a PM Minor: 7:27p Set: 1:12p Moon Overhead: 2:57p Moon Underfoot: 2:26a

18

19

20

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

PRIME TIME 3:00 am 10:18 am 5:02 pm 10:59 pm

0.29 ft 1.29 ft 0.47 ft 0.97 ft

PRIME TIME

Low Tide: 3:57 am 0.63 ft High Tide: 10:37 am 1.24 ft Low Tide: 5:53 pm 0.16 ft

12:00 — 2:00 PM

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

1:30 — 3:30 PM

PRIME TIME 1:05 am 5:11 am 10:51 am 6:42 pm

1.08 ft 0.94 ft 1.22 ft -0.11 ft

2:00 — 4:00 PM

Sunrise: 6:33a Set: 8:42p Moonrise: 1:16p Set: 12:53a AM Minor: 11:56a Set: 5:44a PM Minor: ----Set: 6:09p Moon Overhead: 7:25p Moon Underfoot: 7:00a

Sunrise: 6:33a Set: 8:42p Moonrise: 2:19p Set: 1:26a AM Minor: 12:22a Set: 6:34a PM Minor: 12:46p Set: 6:58p Moon Overhead: 8:13p Moon Underfoot: 7:49a

Sunrise: 6:33a Set: 8:43p Moonrise: 3:24p Set: 2:00a AM Minor: 1:08a Set: 7:20a PM Minor: 1:33p Set: 7:45p Moon Overhead: 9:03p Moon Underfoot: 8:38a

25

26

PRIME TIME

27

5:30 — 7:30 PM

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

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 6:46 am 1.54 ft Low Tide: 10:30 pm -0.53 ft

High Tide: 7:19 am 1.49 ft Low Tide: 11:10 pm -0.45 ft

5:00 — 7:00 PM

Sunrise: 6:35a Set: 8:44p Moonrise: 9:10p Set: 6:37a AM Minor: 5:58a Set: ----PM Minor: 6:24p Set: 12:11p Moon Overhead: 1:29a Moon Underfoot: 1:55p

Sunrise: 6:34a Set: 8:44p Moonrise: 8:23p Set: 5:41a AM Minor: 5:06a Set: 11:20a PM Minor: 5:33p Set: 11:46p Moon Overhead: 12:36a Moon Underfoot: 1:03p

PRIME TIME

PRIME TIME 7:48 am 1:18 pm 2:36 pm 11:47 pm

1.43 ft 1.27 ft 1.27 ft -0.34 ft

7:00 — 9:00 PM

Sunrise: 6:35a Set: 8:44p Moonrise: 9:51p Set: 7:34a AM Minor: 6:51a Set: 12:39a PM Minor: 7:16p Set: 1:03p Moon Overhead: 2:21a Moon Underfoot: 2:46p

PRIME TIME

PRIME TIME

SYMBOL KEY

New Moon

First Quarter

Full Moon

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Last Quarter

PRIME TIME

Good Day

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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

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Shark Largemouth LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Shark Cove GPS: N32 55.149, W95 39.118 SPECIES: largemouth bass

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

BEST BAITS Yellow Magic, Zara Spook, Torpedo CONTACT: Michael Rogge, microg@texascellnet.com, 903-383-3406, www.lake-fork-guides.com TIPS: Bass are in their summer pattern, so early-morning and late-evening action will produce the most bites. During the day, move to the edges of the grass and fish wacky worms, stickbaits, or lightweight Carolina rigs. You can’t go wrong with anything that is green.

LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Boardtree Creek GPS: N32 52 12.87, W95 39 51.09 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS Yellow Magic, Zara Spook, Torpedo CONTACT: Michael Rogge, microg@texascellnet.com, 903-383-3406, www.lake-fork-guides.com TIPS: Bass are in their summer pattern, so early-morning and late-evening action will produce the most bites. During the day, move to the edges of the grass and fish wacky worms, stickbaits, or lightweight Carolina rigs. You can’t go wrong with anything that is green.

LOCATION: Lake Texoma HOTSPOT: The north end

GPS: N33 52.072, W96 41.672 SPECIES: Striped bass BEST BAITS: topwater lures, slabs, jigs CONTACT: Bill Carey, bigfish@striperexpress.com, 877-786-4477, www.striperexpress.com TIPS: The striped bass have finished their annual spawn and are grouping up in large schools, roaming the lake in a feeding frenzy. During early mornings, cast topwater plugs on shallow banks with deep water nearby. At mid-mornings, tie on a 1 1/2ounce chartreuse, chrome or white Slab.

Locate the large schools in the river channel and main-lake area. Drop your slab, let it free-fall to the bottom, and reel it up quickly. Stay in contact with your Slab. The fish will hit it on the fall. By mid-month, look for the traditional surfacing topwater action in the same areas.

BANK ACCESS: Washita Point and Texas Flats LOCATION: Lake Waco

COVER STORY Continued from Page N2 between the engine and passenger compartments) on the driver side. It has a reservoir with MIN and MAX marks for brake fluid.

Some reservoirs are see-through and can be checked without removing the fill cap.

Remove the fill cap from an opaque reservoir and check the fluid level. Add brake fluid—and nothing else—until the level reaches the MAX mark.

HYDRAULIC CLUTCH FLUID: Many trucks and some cars equipped with standard (stick) transmissions use hydraulics similar to the brake system to engage and disengage the clutch. The clutch master cylinder is a smaller version of the brake master cylinder and usually mounted somewhere near it on the firewall. The same N6 |

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check and add procedure and same brake fluid is used unless otherwise specified by the manufacturer.

WASHER FLUID: The windshield washer fluid reservoir is usually mounted on one of the fender wells. Most are transparent with MIN and MAX marks. Refill as needed with washer fluid—never water, which can freeze and damage the system.

TRANSMISSION FLUID: You check automatic transmission fluid level the same way you check engine oil, with a dipstick, but it is a bit more involved. Most vehicle manufacturers recommend the vehicle be at operating temperature and that you cycle through all the gears before checking. Some have other requirements. Consult your owner’s manual or a mechanic for the propF I S H

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er procedure for your vehicle.

CAUTION: If in doubt, ask someone qualified to guide you through the procedures mentioned here. If you put in the wrong fluid or overfill a system, your warranty as well as your vehicle is in jeopardy.

Space precludes delving into fluid and filter changing, basic tune-ups, lamp replacement, and other light routine maintenance. If you want to get your hands even dirtier, Haynes Publications produces an excellent series of manuals covering every make and model on the road. Instructions on simple routine maintenance up to complete engine overhaul are meticulously detailed and illustrated with art and photographs. Available at any auto supply store, or order directly from Haynes Publications Inc, 1-800-2424637, www.haynes.com.

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HOTSPOT: Old Highway 6 (submerged) GPS: N31 33.096, W97 14.820 SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: chrome, blue, black/blue RatL-Traps and shallow-running crankbaits CONTACT: Jimmy D. Moore rayado@earthlink.net, 254-744-2104, www.bigtroutman.tripod.com TIPS: Work the Old Highway 6 roadbed where it turns south across the main lake.

Use electronics to locate the roadbed. The roadbed is flat on top and slopes off quickly on either side. Watch for the birds and “jumpy” water. This is your alert white bass are chasing shad close by. Throw lures into the whites and hold on.

BANK ACCESS: Reynolds Creek Park for largemouth bass. There is plenty of parking areas and shoreline to fish.

LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Cobb Creek

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GPS: Cobb Creek, N32 05.00, W95 27.30 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Grape Mister Twister Thunder worms; shad-colored crankbaits; spoons CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff, ricky@rickysguideservice.com, 903-5617299, www.rickysguideservice.com TIPS: The south end of the lake in Cobb, Chimney, and Saline Creeks should provide the best action. Fish the boat docks and points at 6-10 feet deep.

LOCATION: Richland-Chambers HOTSPOT: Lily Pad Cove near old Clear View Marina SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Tru-Life swimbait, XPloded Toad, topwater; Watermelon-red, Watermelon-gold Kicker High Tail worm CONTACT: Steve Schmidt, steve@schmidtsbigbass.com, 817-929-

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0675, www.schmidtsbigbass.com TIPS: Start just before daybreak in Lily Pad Cove east of old Clear View Marina with a top-water lure or buzzbait and work the pads about mid-way back. After sunup, fish the northeast side of Hickey Island north of Highway 287 bridge, concentrating on roadbeds and points. Then fish the points and stock tank dams on the southeast side of the lake with Carolina-rigged worms on 3/8 or 3/4-ounce Tru-Tungsten weights on windy days. I use 25-pound Seaguar line with a black swivel and 8mm Force bead.

On calmer days I use an 18-inch leader with 5/0 wide gap Gamma hook and 15-pound test line and the lightest weight to make the bait as lifelike as possible.

BANK ACCESS: Oak Cove Marina LOCATION: Lake Whitney HOTSPOT: Mouth of Big Rocky Creek GPS: N31 42.795, W97 23.682

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SPECIES: Striped bass BEST BAITS: live gizzard shad CONTACT: Randy Routh, teamredneck01@hotmail.com, 817-822-5539, www.teamredneck.net TIPS: The stripers are in their post-spawn patterns and the big fish bite is on. Anchor up and use live gizzard shad on a Carolina rig. Drop the shad to 24 feet. Quick limits will come early and late.

BANK ACCESS: Walling Bend

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trolling from 24 to 36 feet deep. Live shad can work, too, but artificials will pay off better if the fish are active. Keep a lookout for active fish and see what size bait they are chasing to “match the hatch.” Sometimes a smaller bait will catch more fish than larger offerings. Once you catch a fish, pay attention to the depth and try to duplicate what put that fish into your boat.

LOCATION: Lakes Graham-Eddleman

HOTSPOT: Water intake SPECIES: hybrid striped bass BEST BAITS: Rat-L-Trap, slabs, jigs, topwater lures CONTACT: Dean Heffner, fav7734@aceweb.com, 940-329-0036 TIPS: Check the water outlet to see if the fish are congregated there. If they are not there head to rough the cut between the two lakes into Lake Graham and fish the humps near the dam during the early morning or

LOCATION: Lake Aquilla HOTSPOT: Deep Humps GPS: N31 54.075’, W97 11.945’ SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: 1-ounce chartreuse Slabs CONTACT: Randy Routh, teamredneck01@hotmail.com, 817-822-5539, www.teamredneck.net TIPS: White bass are staging on main lake humps by the dam. Use your graph to mark schools of white bass on and around humps. Position your boat above the schools, drop a Slab down, lift, and drop it to the bottom maintaining contact with your Slab. The bite often occurs on the fall. If the school moves, I use a rubber mallet and tap on the side or floor of my boat and the light knocking noise will draw the white bass back under boat.

Stripers on Patrol LOCATION: Possum Kingdom HOTSPOT: Broadway GPS: N32. 52.572, W98 31.723 SPECIES: striped bass

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

BEST BAITS: slabs; jigs with Mister Twister trailers CONTACT: Dean Heffner, fav7734@aceweb.com TIPS: The fish should be back in the main-lake area following the older riverbed near Broadway at the end of the peninsula.

Work jigs with trailers vertically or, if you see surface activity, cast into them and bring the lure back at high speed. This also is a perfect time to be downrigging with one-ounce jigs with six-inch Mister Twister trailers and A L M A N A C

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while under cloud cover. Live bait always is best but trolling Rat-L-Traps and crankbaits from two to 15 feet will work, too. Go to smaller lures if you see the shad the fish are feeding on are small.

LOCATION: Lake Palo Pinto HOTSPOT: Power Plant Outlet SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: jigs and slabs CONTACT: Dean Heffner, fav7734@aceweb.com, 940-329-0036 TIPS: Start at the outlet to see if the fish are congregated there. After that, look for them at mid-lake close to flats or humps near deep water early or on cloudy days. Live bait is best but trolling shallow-running crankbaits or working jigs and Slabs from two to 15 feet deep works well, too. The fish might be keying on fry so small Fle-Flies and similar small baits might work best at those times.

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Go Deep for Bass

Dead Man Stripers

LOCATION: Falcon Reservoir HOTSPOT: Piercen Cove GPS: N26 44.02, W99.12.64 SPECIES: largemouth bass

LOCATION: Amistad Reservoir HOTSPOT: Railroad Bridge @ Dead Man’s Canyon, Pecos River SPECIES: white bass, striped bass

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

BEST BAITS: deep-diving crankbaits, Carolina-rigged soft plastics with 3/4- to 1ounce weights.

CONTACT: Robert Amaya, robert@robertsfishntackle.com, 956-7651442, www.robertsfishntackle.com TIPS: The bass are moving to the humps off the river channel in their normal summer patterns. Concentrate on the edges of the channels where fish are eager for baitfish.

BEST BAITS: perch-colored Rat-L-Traps, Bomber Model A’s CONTACT: Larry Scruggs, fisherofmenlrs@hotmail.com, 210-789-1645 TIPS: Troll Rat-L-Trap or Bomber Model A in the main channel close to ledges.

Brown’s Whites LOCATION: Toledo Bend (North) HOTSPOT: Brown’s Bend GPS: N31 42.259, W93 48.605 SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: slab spoons, tail spinners, Rat-L-Traps, shallow-diving crankbaits

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

CONTACT: Greg Crafts, gregcrafts@yahoo.com, 936-368-7151, www.toledobendguide.com TIPS: White bass will be holding along the old river channel sandbars. A slab or tail spinner can be very productive. Watch for the whites schooling along the river channel, boat roads, flats, main lake points and at the mouth of the coves. Rat-L-Traps and shallow diving crankbaits work great. Also, keep an eye open for gulls feeding on baitfish.

Usually, the whites have pushed the baitfish to the surface and the gulls can be a good key to locating the whites.

LOCATION: Sam Rayburn HOTSPOT: Hydrilla & Lily pads GPS: N31 14.650, W94 17.890 N10 |

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SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: black-chartreuse and Watermelon, Red Pearl belly plastic Ribbit Frog; buzzbait CONTACT: Don Mattern, Sr., donmat@windstream.net, 903-478-2633, www.matternguideservice.fghp.com TIPS: Fish the plastic frog over hydrilla and lily pads. Buzzbaits and poppers work well in the same areas in the openings in the vegetation.

BANK ACCESS: Powell Park Marina for largemouth bass, striped bass, catfish, and white bass.

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Worms rigged Texas style with 1/4-ounce Tru-Tungsten weight. Fish the entire point to the entrance of Canyon Park.

LOCATION: Granger Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake Brush Piles GPS: Entire Lake SPECIES: crappie BEST BAITS: chartreuse jigs CONTACT: Tommy Tidwell, crappie1@hotmail.com, 512-365-7761,

www.gotcrappie.com TIPS: Fish vertically over the brush in 4 to 12 feet of water, lowering the jig until it contacts the brush and then raising it slightly.

Hold the jig still and wait for the bite. If you don’t get bit, move around the brush pile until you do. Use a 1/16-ounce jig in murky water and a 1/32-ounce jig in clear water.

The color is snot that important.

BANK ACCESS: Wilson Fox Park provides the only bank access for this pattern.

LOCATION: Lake Livingston HOTSPOT: Pine Island GPS: N30 39.686, W95 03.822 SPECIES: striped bass BEST BAITS: Zara Spook CONTACT: David S. Cox, dave@palmettoguideservice.com, 936-2919602, www.palmettoguideservice.com TIPS: Look for schooling stripers southwest of Pine Island at sunrise.

BANK ACCESS: Beacon Bay Marina

Fle Flicker Bass LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Potter’s Creek GPS: N29 54.08, W98 15.59 SPECIES: largemouth bass

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

BEST BAITS: Texas-rigged creature baits, 7-inch Berkley Power worms, Tru-Tungsten Flea Flicker jigs, Crème Scoundrel worms CONTACT: Kandie Candelaria, kandie@gvtc.com, 210-823-2153 TIPS: As the weather warms, the bass will move out. Fish along the ledge edges at 8 to 15 feet depths with 3/16-ounce Tru-Tungsten Flea Flicker jigs with Watermelon-red Crème Scoundrel worms rigged whacky style. Concentrate on main-lake points with Cotton Candy or Watermelon-purple Texasrigged creature baits with 1/8-ounce TruTungsten weights. Make your way left to the flooded timber and fish it slowly with either Motor Oil-red or blue fleck Berkley Power A L M A N A C

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Toppers for Trout LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Sydney Island GPS: N29 58.590, W93 49.433

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CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio, 281788-4041 TIPS: Make long drifts keying on mullet activity and slicks.

with 1/8-ounce leadhead CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz, 281450-4037 TIPS: Wade-fish the grass beds on south shore.

Upper Lag Specks Green Apple Trout LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Compuerta Pass GPS: N27 29.792, W97 23.914

BY TOM BEHRENS tbehrens@fishgame.com

LOCATION: Gulf of Mexico HOTSPOT: Boca Chica Beach GPS: N26 2.493, W97 9.151

SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: soft plastics in natural colors, chartreuse tail, sparkle (clear water); chartreuse, Lemon, Morning Glory (stained water); topwaters CONTACT: Capt. Bill Watkins, 409-7862018 TIPS: We should have lost our incoming freshwater flow from the rivers and the north end of Sabine Lake should be salty.

SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live croaker CONTACT: Capt. Dan Filla, 361-2152332 TIPS: Free-line the croaker in 3-5 feet of water, working grass beds.

LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Hannah’s Reef GPS: N29 28.783, W94 43.784 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Corky Fat Boy in pink or chartreuse

LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Pipeline GPS: N28 32.024, W96 10.367 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: topwaters early, soft plastics as the sun comes up; Black Magic Sand Eel

by TOM BEHRENS tbehrens@fishgame.com

by CALIXTO GONZALES cgonzales@fishgame.com

SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: large live shrimp or mullet; soft plastics in red/white, chartreuse/white, Green Apple CONTACT: Captain Allen Salinas, 956943-3474 TIPS: speckled trout roam the surf starting in June. Fish the first gut early in the morning, and move to the second and third gut later in the morning. Cruise between the jetties and the mouth of the river and watch for any changes in the sandbars.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: South Jetty GPS: N26 3.846, W97 9.082 SPECIES: snook BEST BAITS: live shrimp, finger mullet; soft plastics, swimbaits CONTACT: Captain Allen Salinas, 956943-3474 TIPS: Early morning is a great time to try for a snook or two along the South Brazos Santiago Jetties. Boating anglers can fish the edges near the broken rock along the last third of the jetty, or back off of the point and fish the suds. Shorebound anglers can fish the surf side, where plenty snook love to hang out in the rocks, waiting for hapless prey to get tossed into range by the surf.

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Contraptioned Wheels HEN I WAS A KID, NEIGHBORING ranch urchins and I spent our free time crafting ways to amuse ourselves in the absence of TiVo, Six Flags, and Game Boy. Common pastimes included building “contraptions”-Rube Goldberg-type constructs usually designed to provide gravity-induced thrills.

Leaping off the hay barn into a manure pile takes you only so far. More elaborate machinations produced a roller coaster made from sheets of tin placed on the slope of a gully, and a four-wheel furniture dolly.

It didn’t last long after my grandfather discovered where we got the tin.

Another nifty contraption produced many hours of near-death experiences after we found several lengths of cable someone carelessly abandoned atop some old electricity poles. The guy from the electric company tried to tell us the cable wasn’t aban-

W

doned and threatened us with big words like “electrocution” and “prosecution” and “fried like a chicken,” but we knew he was just joshing. We joshed him back with commentary on his dubious ancestry and sexual habits.

We then found a large snatch-block pulley left carelessly atop the gin poles on the back of an old electric company truck. This we suspended from the cable after stretching it over a wide gulley between two large trees, thereby creating a Geronimo line, a.k.a “zip line.” The guy from the electric company later came around to josh us some more about the pulley, but we zipped away to safety on the Geronimo line.

For some reason, word spread through the ranching community like lard in a hot skillet whenever we started construction on a contraption. My grandfather would telephone neighbors: “Put up your cows and

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chickens and lock the tool shed--the boys are building a contraption.”

We always figured stories about hens not laying, cows not giving milk, and rancher’s wives succumbing to the vapors was just the grown-ups joshing us kids. Grown-ups love to josh kids.

As I grew older, my penchant for contraptionizing did not wane but morphed to more adult-oriented pursuits.

The workover derrick I made from oilfield pipe, a pulley (the same one we had on our Geronimo line, by the way), and juryrigged cathead winch mounted on the front of a tractor whereby to pull my submersible well pump for repair, amazed passersby, frightened neighbors, and contributed to at least two highway accidents. A sheriff ’s deputy later joshed me about it.

Some of my finest work has involved vehicle modifications and add-ons. To the

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best of my knowledge, I am the only person in America if not the world to build a bumper-mount winch from an old gas-powered washing machine wringer, a lariat rope, and a hayhook. I once designed a forkmounted gun carrier for motorcycles, but abandoned the idea after several bent gun

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barrels and assaults with intent to kill painfully and slowly.

Although I still use my contraptionbuilding skills, when it comes to vehicles I find it usually pays to go with commercial products; let somebody else assume the risks and pay the hospital bills.

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Whether racks for an ATV to transport gear and game, specialty lighting, or a brush- and Zaidle-proof bumper for a pickup, somebody out there makes it for your ride.

One thing I learned along the way is DIY engine fluids and additives are not a good idea. (Take my word that creosote does not make an effective crankcase flush.)

Leave such things to professionals such as Life Automotive Products Smart Blend Synthetics. The company’s line of engine, fuel, transmission, radiator, power steering, differential, brake, and ac/heating fluids and additives help prolong systems life and minimize maintenance headaches endemic to all wheeled things.

I suppose I should be grateful to the makers of Sure Grip Gun and Bow Racks, but instead I harbor resentment. Had the company introduced its never-fail gun and bow retention system about 30 years ago, it would have saved me a lot of beatings and threats thereof. As it is, all I can do is send anonymous notes to my antagonists (many of whom still harbor grudges) to try the Sure Grip product in hopes of dissuading them from shooting out my porch lights.

If you have ever worked on a vehicle inside a barn to escape inclement weather (hasn’t everybody?), you know a tin barn does not help with three-digit ambient temperatures. I often wished for some way to air condition a barn, and somebody finally came up with one. GEM Cooling of Texas provides a variety of portable cooling systems, including the Kuulaire PACKA15 evaporative cooler that services spaces up to 750 square feet. Stack a few hay bales to enclose the work area, fire up the Kuulaire, and work on your truck, tractor, or brotherin-law’s lime-green Cadillac in comfort.

Some vehicle accessories positively demand professional reliability. One such area is firefighting/search-and-rescue. As a volunteer firefighter and EMT, I know lives literally depend on properly equipping a truck or ATV for wildland fire suppression or rescue. When part of your equipment fails due to poor construction or materials, things can get mighty “hot” in more ways than one. Likewise, the last thing an injured person needs is to fall from a failed vehicle-

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Kimtek’s Firelite and Medlite ATV bed inserts.

mounted basket stretcher rack.

One company, Kimtek Research (888-546-8358, kimtekresearch.com), offers solutions to both needs.

Equipped with more than 100 feet of hose reel-deployed firefighting hose, drafting ability, water reservoir, and independent gasoline powered pump, the skid-mounted slide-in Firelite design quickly converts any pickup truck or utility-bed ATV/UTV into a mobile fire-control machine. A fire-suppressant foam option extends the unit’s control and containment capabilities.

ATV Firefighting When things get out of control for any reason, the Firelite’s integrated stretcher deck facilitates rapid evacuation of injured persons.

Landowners and hunting lease holders know the benefits of planned, controlled burning for habitat improvement. Obviously, a successful controlled burn requires “control,” and that is what the Firelite is designed to do.

For larger scale operations such as ranches and rural fire departments, the Kimtek Medlite skid unit provides purpose-built medevac capability with the same rapid

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mobile deployment versatility as the Firelite.

All Kimtek skid units feature aluminum diamond plate, aluminum tubing, and stainless steel construction to make them strong, lightweight, and durable.

Speaking of firefighting, our department’s brush trucks are equipped with bumper-mounted, remote control water cannons. That gave me an idea: I have an old semi-auto shotgun, a record player turntable, and some wire out in the barn and... ...never mind. I’m just joshing.

--Don Zaidle

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Okuma Serrano Baitcasters Get Low SERRANO LOW-PROFILE BAITCAST REELS FROM Okuma are designed for smooth performance in both fresh and saltwater environments.

Built upon a rigid die cast aluminum (ALC) frame, Serrano reels are made to handle all types of freshwater species as well as inshore brutes such as calico bass, redfish, permit, and more. The aluminum right sideplate keeps all of the heavy duty, machine cut Dura brass gearing in perfect alignment, while the graphite left sideplate reduces weight and is easily removed for access to the adjustable 8position Velocity Control System. The Dura brass gearing featured in the Serrano reels are stronger and more durable than traditional baitcast gears.

The Serrano reel’s smoothness comes from 10 ball bearings incorporated throughout the reel, in addition to the Quick-set anti-reverse roller bearing. Precision Japan-

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size, these reels still dish out 11 lbs. of drag, all while providing a 6.2:1 gear ratio for increased line pick up.

Additionally, all Serrano reels undergo Okuma’s Corrosion Resistant Coating (CRC) process which features a coating of Corrosion X HD to the inside housing of the reel. This coating actually bonds to the metal parts and creates a protective barrier against corrosion.

Other features include a micro-click drag star for precise drag settings, Zirconium line guide inserts for use with braided line, an A6061-T6 grade machined aluminum, anodized spool, and an ergonomic handle design that allows cranking closer to the body.

Despite using a rigid ALC die cast aluminum right sideplate, the Serrano still weighs in at only 7.2 oz., while other companies have gone to graphite right sideplates to reduce weight.

To top it all off, all Serrano reels are backed by Okuma’s 3-year warranty program.

For more information: (909) 9232828, or www.okumafishing.com

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“LEADER” IS DEFINED BY WEBSTER: “TO BE superior, to have the advantage over…”

All Fluorocarbons are not equal. Ande is 100% Fluorocarbon with all the properties you would expect from a Fluorocarbon line—good knot strength, abrasion resistance, low stretch, doesn’t absorb water, sinks quickly and is totally invisible underwater. Its Ande quality at a very reasonable price. And remember Ande is on a 50 yard spool.

Ande has been awarded the Best Line in the World for the Eight year in a row by the IGFA for both fresh water and salt water. Ande is the only line ever Voted

Ande fluorocarbon leader matrial in 50-yard spools

ese ABEC-5 bearings are featured on the spool for ultimate casting and freespool.

For a strong, smooth drag system, Okuma utilizes a Carbonite greased drag system. Despite the Serrano’s compact N16 |

Ande Fluorocarbon Leader Material

Okuma’s new Serrano low-profile baitcasting reels.

Okuma

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“Best Line” by the IGFA for both fresh and Ande Line salt water.

Ande has also been voted “Best Fly Fish Tippet” six times.

Ande, “The Line of Champions.”

Ande Inc., 5409 Australian Ave., West Palm Beach, FL. 33407 (561) 8422474, Fax (561) 848-5538.

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Cheeca Shades SOPHISTICATED PERFORMANCE MEETS aggressive sport style with Costa's new Cheeca sunglasses. Available in retail outlets and Costa's online store now, Cheeca features a large, classic wrap fit with a stylish mid temple mounting.

Named for Cheeca Lodge, one of the best places in the Florida Keys to fish for bonefish, tarpon and permit, Cheeca comes in tortoise and black frame colors, as well as new color combinations white/tortoise and black/coral. The nylon frames feature Costa's new

The X10 has twin 36-lb thrust electric motors.

the way they fish.

The Twin Twin Troller Troller’s patented digital foot controls operate twin 36lb thrust electric motors to offer unmatched positioning on the water and a zero degree turning radius. The sleek hull design with its recessed motors allows the boat to work effectively in as little as 6 to 8 inches of water allowing you to get over submerged trees or other underwater obstacles to catch those trophy fish Costa’s new revoluyou have been after. Your fishing will Cheeca sunglasses be much more productive when the tionary anti-rocking hinge, the most Costa del Mar your hands are free to cast and not advanced spring hinge struggling to maintain position on the available today. In addition to providing water or worry about underwater obstacles. an even more comfortable fit, the anti-rockThe 10-foot Twin Troller X10 weighs ing hinge significantly increases durability approximately 175 pounds and can be easand virtually eliminates movement between ily loaded into a truck bed, or towed by the frame front and temple. any size vehicle. The total weight capacity The sunglasses are available in the is 585 pounds and offers extreme stability Costa clear 580T lens technology. for 2 persons.

Costa's 580 lenses block yellow light, The Twin Troller X10 is a product of and are superior in cutting glare, enhancing Carolina Electric Boats, Inc. in Benson, vision and protecting against harmful UV NC. Visit them at CarolinaElecrays, so outdoors and angling enthusiasts tricBoats.com or call 1877-882-0099 for can see more clearly. more information.

As part of Costa's ongoing commitment to protecting the Earth's fisheries, a portion of proceeds from sunglass sales this year will benefit the Bonefish Tarpon Trust's Project Permit, an initiative to tag 6,000 permit this year in Florida and the Caribbean for research and scientific study.

Cheeca retails from $149 to $249 depending on lens selection.

LANDOWNERS AND Visit www.costadelmar.com or call 800hunting lease 447-3700. owners know the

Equipped with up to 100 feet of hose reel-deployed firefighting hose, drafting ability, water reservoir, and independent gasoline powered pump, the skid-mounted slide-in design quickly converts any pickup truck or utility-bed ATV/UTV into a mobile fire-control machine. A fire-suppressant foam option extends the unit’s control and containment capabilities.

When things get out of control for any reason, the Firelite’s integrated stretcher deck facilitates rapid evacuation of injured persons.

For larger scale operations such as ranches and rural fire departments, the Kimtek Medlite skid unit provides purpose-built medevac capability with the same rapid mobile deployment versatility as the Firelite.

Both unit types come in a variety of configurations to meet application-specific requirements, and with available options makes configuration virtually limitless.

All Kimtek skid units feature aluminum diamond plate, aluminum tubing, and stainless steel construction to make them strong, lightweight, and durable. Darley Davey pump, hose, and reel components provide the reliability critical for bringing control and order into otherwise chaotic situations.

For more information, contact Kimtek at 888-546-8358 or visit the company website at www.kimtekresearch.com.

Firelite converts pickups or ATVs into firefighting vehicles.

Personal Fire Engine

Twin Troller CAROLINA ELECTRIC BOAT’S TWIN TROLLER X10 provides unmatched stability and maneuverability that will allow fisherman to increase their catch and ultimately change

Kimtek

benefits of planned, controlled burning for habitat improvement. Obviously, a successful controlled burn requires “control,” and that is what the Kimtek Firelite is designed to do.

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Thumb-Dinger Vision Slider YOU’RE FISHING IN A BASS TOURNAMENT AND you need every edge you can get. It would be nice to have a secret weapon that would get lethargic largemouth to start feeding, but that’s impossible—or is it.

What if your reel had a small “finesse” wheel placed strategically near your left thumb that worked like the scroll wheel on a computer mouse to let you turn the spool manually and micro-manage your retrieve?

You’d be able to creep that plastic worm along the bottom in slo-mo and gather up

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slack with

fast 7.0:1 gear ratio, and the SYF10X I tested weighed in at 8.1 ounces and holds 120 yards of 12pound-test. The anti-backlash system New Vision Slider worked well and the multi-disc drag is as baitcaster with the flick of a smooth as they come. “finesse” wheel. finger. It’s a neat idea, I found the finesse wheel had an addiand I wish I could tional advantage above and beyond the abiliPinnacle take credit for it, but I ty to creep baits at micro-slow speeds. Since can’t. Pinnacle gets that honor. The new it allows you to take in line with your left Vision Slyder reels have that finesse wheel thumb, it comes in handy when you want to right where your left thumb rests on the reel. reach for a drink or work your boat’s elecThe Vision Slyder has assets above and tronics in mid-retrieve. You can spin the beyond the finesse wheel, too. It’s a smooth, wheel quickly enough to maintain lure speed six ball-bearing reel with infinite anti-reverse, using your left hand while your right hand is precision-cut brass gears, graphite body, and free to do whatever you need. machined-aluminum spool. It has a blazing—Lenny Rudow

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High Voltage Voltaeus Rods YOU WANT A FISHING ROD THAT’S NEARLY indestructible. Up to now, that meant choosing fiberglass over graphite, which also meant you were stuck with a heavy, slow-action, flimsy, low-sensitivity rod. Shimano set out to change that with the Voltaeus series, and this month I had the chance to test out a 6-6 Medium Voltaeus rated for 12- to 30-poundtest line.

Since this rod’s supposed to be tough, I started by dropping it carelessly into the bed of my pickup with piles of other gear. Then I made a six-hour road trip to a friend’s boat, and spent all the next day fishing for bluefish, snapper, and flounder. The rod’s action is fast, its sensitivity is excellent, and most surprising of all, it’s as light as any graphite rig. I made sure I dropped the rod, banged it on the gunwales, and generally abused it— without causing more then a few scuffs.

The reason the Voltaeus is so tough is, naturally, its construction. Shimano’s “unifiber” construction chemically bonds three different composites, including carbon and T-glass. Guides are stainless steel without the usual ceramic inserts. That leaves the potential for more line wear later down the road if they get nicked or scratched. But it also means you don’t have to worry about guide liners, which are a common weak point on most rods.

The Voltaeus is available in a wide variety of lengths and sizes, ranging from a 4foot, 6-inch ultralight designed for 1- to 4pound-test, to a 7-footer that can handle 20to 40-pound-test in both spinning and casting versions. One- and two-piece models are available.

—Lenny Rudow

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forced by union rules to pay a man $30 an hour to sit and paint one side of it red.

Salaries and overhead grew until it eventually got to the point where Winchester was losing money on each Model 94 and Model 70 sold. At that point, they made the decision to close the doors on the plant that had been open since 1936.

As I said, that didn’t surprise many of us. Neither did it surprise us when a year later it was announced that Winchester

would reintroduce the Model 70.

I just received a test sample of the newest Model 70 Featherweight. In outward appearance, it looks almost exactly like the Featherweight that was introduced in the 1980s, being different only in that the bolt is now controlled round-feed rather than the push-feed of its predecessor. It is a goodlooking gun, with very well done checkering CONTINUED on Page N21

The Newest Model 70 Winchester WHEN WINCHESTER CLOSED ITS NEW HAVEN, Connecticut, plant in 2006, it surprised few.

The truth was that it had become impossible for Winchester to make a profit under the conditions that prevailed at that facility.

Rumor has it that when Winchester began to put safeties on the Model 94, they were A L M A N A C

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Time for a Change?

OW IS THE TIME TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT practice. I am sure you have heard before that the more you practice the more proficient you will be when the moment of truth arrives. However, I have a suggestion. Before you spend countless hours out there flinging arrows, spend a little time to think about last season. Where you happy with your gear? Maybe while you sat there in your tree stand you thought about possibly changing a few things on your bow setup. I know I have.

After years of shooting the same broadheads and using the same sight, for some reason I thought that it is time for a change. At that time, I also thought about changing my arrow rest as well. Why? Who knows. I guess

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I just wanted to try the “new and improved” model. As hunters, we are all drawn to the hunting section of any store we go to. It makes no difference if it is a store that specializes in hunting gear or a supermarket. Somehow, we will find something in the store that we feel we can use in the field. I admit that it is a sickness among hunters. My wife would agree.

If you are like me, and a change is in the forecast, the time to try a change is now, before you start your diligent practice. Changing broadheads sounds simple enough, but not so fast. You might find that the new broadhead does not group as well as the ones you are used to. Is it the broadhead itself, or something else that is causing you to be inconsistent with your shooting? A mechanical broadhead is supposed to fly like your field tips. The key word here is “supposed.” I always have to adjust my sites a little to accommodate any hunting broadhead I use. That is not the case with some of my hunting partners. I think the reason for this is a combination of the smooth release, or lack of, and a very steady bow hand. It ends up being a matter of personal

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preference and what works best for you.

There is nothing wrong with my old sight.

I just wanted to change and try a new one.

Not only does this involve taking the time to set it up for your bow, but you should also leave some extra time for practice so you can really fine-tune this sight. Whatever sight you choose, as long as you take the time needed to set the pins correctly, it should be no problem at all when opening day arrives.

I have learned through my years of bow hunting that the smaller the tip of your sight pins are, the more accurate you will be. I often think of the line in the movie “The Patriot.”

Aim small, shoot small. So it is with your sight pins. If you use a large sight pin, your target will be covered and you will not be able to pick a precise spot. The smaller the better.

Most sight pins come with a thickness of .029.

I choose the .019 size, but now they even offer one that is .010 thick. That is small. I am not even sure if these old eyes could see that.

You can pick and choose which colors work best for your sight pins. Again, it is a personal preference thing. The human eye seems to be able to pick up green better than any other color. I have no reason why... but I can tell you that it is that way for my eyes.

Consequently, I use green tips on all of my sight pins.

If you decide it is time to use a different arrow rest, then make sure you give yourself enough time to research some of the top arrow rests on the market. In the archery world, there are pros and cons to just about any rest out there. Personally, I have two components that I feel are necessary if a rest is put on my bow. It has to have the ability to hold an arrow in place while my bow is hanging on my bow holder. More importantly, it has to be quite while you draw your arrow back.

If you choose a rest that does not hold your arrow in place, you risk the chance of your arrow falling off the rest and landing on the shelf of the bow. This also might be the time to cover the shelf with a piece of moleskin to help keep things quiet.

If your arrow makes any noise at all while

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TEXAS TESTED Continued from Page N19 and floral work on the stock, brightly blued metalwork, and jeweled bolt housing.

My test gun is in .30-06, the All-American Caliber. I mounted a Weaver 3-15X SuperSlam scope with Weaver rings and mounts, grabbed a few boxes of Federal .30-06 ammo, and headed to the range.

The trigger was a little hard for my tastes. It scales over 5 pounds on my Lyman digital trigger pull gauge. I took the rifle apart to see if the trigger was adjustable. It is enclosed completely in an aluminum housing and the adjustment screws were covered with epoxy. I assumed you draw your bowstring back, you will immediately put the deer on alert and your chances of success are diminished. Either way, you will soon find out why they are called whitetails.

Some arrow rests come with a piece of rubber that covers the metal prongs of the rest. If you practice as often as you should, you soon will discover that the rubber has worn away from the friction of your arrow. It needs to be

there are adjustment screws under the epoxy, but I did not go further. Still, even though it is too heavy to suit my personal tastes, I must say that the trigger is shootable as it is, and I assume that it can be lightened without much difficulty.

At the bench, the rifle performed well.

With the various Federal factory loads of 150- 165-, and 180-grain bullets, the rifle managed three-shot groups in the 1- to 11/2-inch range. It was rather surprising given the light barrel. In fact, it shoots better than any Featherweight I have ever shot.

The little Winchester has a 22-inch barrel and tips the scales at 7 pounds. Add a scope and ammo and it will come up to

over 8 pounds.

The new Model 70 comes in nine different versions. The flagship is the Model 70 Super Grade, with superior wood and metal finish. The sniper version is called the Stealth, and the predator model is Model 70 Coyote Light. The standard grade is the Model 70 Sporter. There is also a Model 70 Extreme Weather SS. This newest incarnation of the Model 70 is a very fine rifle, true to the Winchester tradition.

replaced before you head out to your tree stand. If this is not fixed, then you will be pulling your arrow back on a piece of metal and it is a sure bet that your arrow will sing as it draws back on the rest.

Trying new equipment every once in a while is a good thing. You might find something you cannot live without. It might be something that boosts your confidence level.

In any event, at the end of the day, it still is fun to do, and by trying new things, you will be paying more attention to your setup. Your diligence will pay off come deer season.

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E-mail Lou Marullo at lmarullo@fishgame.com

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The Power to Heal HE IMAGE WAS VIVID AND LASTING: EIGHT empty wheelchairs parked haphazardly at the edge of a lake and eight anglers, some of them double amputees, paddling away in brightly colored kayaks. I sat mesmerized, listening intently to Jim Dolan recall the story of one of the outings that Heroes on the Water held last year to help wounded veterans relax, rehab, and reintegrate with society.

Dolan and I met for lunch last month to discuss Heroes on the Water and the organization’s philosophy of using kayak angling to help wounded veterans and their families.

“There is something unique about The image of empty wheelkayak fishing,” said Dolan. “There is a chairs is unforgettable sense of individualism you don’t get Heroes on the Water on the Water and their when you are fishing in a powerboat. close friends in military support organizations It is very liberating.

“Many veterans come home with post to persuade veterans to participate in outings. traumatic stress disorder. Even though there He joked that one young Marine in the Dalisn’t anything harmed on the outside, there is las area had to be ordered out of his house by on the inside. A lot of my guys stutter and take a Gunnery Sergeant.

“That young man didn’t want anything to a while to process information.

“We have found that getting people do with us in the beginning, but he quickly felt involved in outdoor activities has a very posi- the support of his fellow vets,” Dolan said. “It tive effect on them. Fishing from a kayak gives has helped the healing process and he can them a sense of empowerment. They are total- now occasionally forget some of the terrible things in his past. The Gunnery Sergeant ly relaxed and can do their own thing.

“When we have a group outing, every one confided in me that it was the first time in six splits up and paddles their own way, but at months that he had seen him smile.”

Heroes on the Water is a non-profit orgasome point during the day, everyone rafts up, away from everyone on the shore, and the vets nization and Dolan is the heartbeat that keeps just talk amongst themselves out in the lake or the organization moving ahead.

“The kayak industry is tremendously supbay. It might be about life events, family problems, or medical problems. They find a lot of portive of our efforts,” he said. “The paddling community has also been very supportive, but comfort in each other’s company.”

Many of the veterans Dolan has interfaced it is tough to keep them engaged. This sort of with are in a dark place and desire to keep outreach requires a lot of devotion, but the their own company. It is common for Heroes results are overwhelming.”

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The U.S. Military takes a much different approach dealing with soldiers returning from combat than it did several decades ago. There are Warrior Transition Battalions at every major fort in the country, and soldiers coming back from combat duty spend time readjusting. The military’s philosophy is to get the soldier healed while they are on active duty.

Dolan’s goal is to see Heroes on the Water integrated into these battalions.

Heroes on the Water sponsors events throughout the year, mostly on private lakes.

“We usually get together for 4-6 hours, with some sort of lunch afterward. We provide the kayaks and gear and make all the arrangements. Most of the lakes we fish in are 15-20 acres in size. This gives everyone plenty of room to spread out, plus we don’t have to worry about water skiers and boaters zooming around.”

When a solider is wounded, their families also suffer. Heroes on the Water encourages families to participate in kayak events, allowing them to heal as well.

“Last month, I got to witness a dad that had lost both of his legs being able to paddle his daughter around the lake in his lap while she fished. Is his daughter’s eyes, he wasn’t disabled anymore,” Dolan said.

“The best testament of our success came when one of my guys called me after a year in the program and asked me to go fishing with him instead of the other way around.”

I salute Jim Dolan and the rest of the volunteers at Heroes on the Water for their tireless devotion to helping our wounded veterans. They have clearly demonstrated the kayak’s power to heal.

Email Greg Berlocher at kayak@fishgame.com

On the Web www.HeroesontheWater.org

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The 30 Best Boating Tips, Ever!

F YOU READ THIS ENTIRE PARAGRAPH, THEN your attention span is longer than that of most Americans. The digital age has us breaking down data into tiny tidbits that blip from here to there to everywhere.

While 50 years ago people preferred to read 1500 words at a clip, today, 150 is a stretch. We multi-task, we change topics, and we don’t digest information—we devour bits and pieces of it. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? I have no idea. But it has forced writers to re-think the way we communicate information, and one tactic we

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often use is simple tips. Tips are awesome; they let you put knowledge into an easy to understand, easy to read format that’s so short people might actually read the whole thing and get something out of it. Through the years, I’ve had to put together a lot of boating tips, probably hundreds, maybe even thousands. Here are the 30 I’ve found most interesting and useful. You can read them one a day or one an hour, or if it suits your brain, read the whole bunch in one sitting. Either way, I’m betting you’ll take the time to digest them.

Maintenance Tips 1. Apply canvas waterproofing treatment to T-tops at high noon; do it early in the day and dew might be in the fabric, which will prevent the waterproofer from working. Do it late in the day, and dew might form before the waterproofer has time to dry completely.

2. You popped an engine belt at sea, and don’t have an extra. Pull a strap off a life jacket, use a fishhook to clip the ends togeth-

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er, and sub it out for the belt.

3. Smear your transducer with Vaseline before bottom-painting your boat. Then if any paint gets on your transducer by accident, it’ll be easy to remove.

4. When changing your lower unit oil, look closely at the oil color to get a read on the condition of your lower unit. Black might look bad but it’s the normal color; gray or silver means minute metal shavings in the oil, and you have potential gear damage; milky colored oil is bad news--you have a water intrusion problem.

5. One of your gauges has started working intermittently. Before you replace it, try cleaning all of the connections at the gauge and at the sender. This is usually the root of this problem.

6. Your outboard’s telltale isn’t putting out any water, but your engine isn’t overheating. Insert 50-pound-test monofilament fishing line into the hole, run it as far as possible into the motor, and spin it to ream out the clog.

7. A grommet ripped out of your boat cover. Ball up a sock, push it under the cover so it makes a bulge, then tie your line around the bottom of the bulge.

8. When running a bead of caulk or sealant, always push the tube along instead of pulling it. Pushing will make a smoother line every time.

9. To get a long-lasting gleam on your gel coat, use paste wax made with bee’s wax for an initial protective undercoat, and carnauba-based liquid wax for a shiny top coat.

10. Always roll—never fold—clear vinyl curtains and Isinglass to prevent creasing.

11. When drilling into gel coat, run the drill at top RPM. A slow-moving drill bit causes more cracking than one that’s spinning quickly. Reduce cracking even more by placing a piece of tape over the spot before drilling.

12. To get a tight knot out of a mooring line, soak it in warm water with fabric softener and it will loosen up.

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Safety Tips 13. When shooting flares to signal a boat in the distance, shoot two of them spaced 10 to 15 seconds apart. If they see one flare it might leave questions in people’s minds as to whether there’s an emergency or someone’s shooting fireworks, or performing a test. The second one leaves no doubt.

14. When night-fishing, have everyone aboard attach a Cyalume light stick to a belt loop with a rubber band. If someone goes overboard, they have a visible way to signal in the darkness.

15. If something in your boat’s microwave catches on fire, do not open the door. Just turn it off and/or pull the plug. As soon as the fans shut off, the fire will smother in the confined space.

16. When someone is hypothermic and needs body heat fast, fill a zipper-lock bag with hot water from your outboard’s telltale.

Then place it in the victim’s armpits and groin to warm their blood. (Editor’s Note: This seems like a good source of warm water to relieve jellyfish stings.)

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clutter your fish-finder screen, suspect electrical interference. Isolating the transducer wire from all other wiring (particularly the engine harness) will usually end it.

24. Maximum range for any radar is commonly limited not by power or capability, but by the height of the antenna. Here’s the formula to determine actual range: 1.22NM x square root of the antenna height, x 1.22NM x square root of the target height.

25. To estimate distance to shore, remember that at about one mile individual tree trunks can be seen with the naked eye.

At half a mile, individual branches can be distinguished.

26. If you have a chartplotter with a trackball, you might have noticed it became jerky with age. To get it working smoothly again, wipe it with isopropyl alcohol and roll CONTINUED on Page N26

Trailering Tips 17. If your tandem-axel trailer sways a little, try dropping 3-5 psi in the front tires.

This will transfer more of the load to the rear tires and help stabilize your rig.

18. If your boat doesn’t self-center when you drive it onto the trailer, try pulling the trailer up the ramp a foot or two. This problem is usually the result of submerging the trailer too deep.

19. To figure out your trailer winch’s power ratio, multiply crank length by gear ratio and divide the result by 1/2 the drum diameter.

20. Always unplug your trailer lights before you launch the boat. Otherwise, when the cool water hits the hot bulbs, they are likely to pop.

Navigation & Electronics Tips 21. When you see purple lines on a contour map, don’t assume they’re accurate.

Purple means they come from photos and haven’t been verified by personnel in the field.

22. To figure your reverse compass bearing, add 180 to bearings under 180 degrees and subtract 180 from bearings over 180 degrees.

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Bream Basics MUST ADMIT THAT I’VE DONE YOU AN INJUStice.

Over the past few years that I’ve been writing this column, we’ve gone over rigs for catching just about anything that swims. I’ve covered conventional and a few off the wall rigs, and hopefully you’ve picked up tips on how to catch everything from bass and catfish to redfish and gar. However, the one fish I seem to have ignored is probably the most sought after fish in the state, the lowly bream (sunfish).

Redear, longear, warmouth, bluegill, green, and redbreast sunfishes all swim in just about every lake, pond, creek, ditch, or puddle in the state. While these species are not considered game fish and are basically the swimming food source for the more popular fishes we chase, they are still fun to catch and a great way to get new anglers interested in fishing. Think back to when you were a kid (longer ago for some of us than others) and I’d be willing to bet that the first memory you have of fishing involves a sunfish. My kids still prefer to go down to the lake and catch bream to just about any other type of fish because of the

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ease of rigging for them and their willingness to bite.

So, this month, we’re going to cover how to catch the diminutive bream. Most of you already know how to do this, so this isn’t for you. This column is for the person who picked up their first outdoor magazine and wants to know how to catch something, anything, just to see what it’s like.

Bream fishing is a simple endeavor. This time of year, you can find multiple sunfish species hanging near the bank in just about any cover, including grass, brush piles, and boat docks. Basically, if you find cover you’ll find sunfishes.

There are a few hybrid species of bream that can be measured in pounds instead of ounces, but sunfishes in general do not grow very large. Catching one the size of a grown man’s hand is something to brag about, so your fishing gear does not need to be stout to chase them. Ultralight spinning gear loaded

with 6-pound monofilament is all you’ll ever need to manhandle even the largest bream.

On the end of the main line, tie on a small long shank bream hook. The small size and long shaft of the hook each serve a specific purpose. Even a world record bream has a small mouth, so the small hook allows them to easily get the point of the hook into their mouth, increasing hook-ups. The long shank

helps the angler get the hook back out, because the fisherman can grasp the long shank outside the fish’s mouth instead of trying to get a finger in to pry out a hook that got a little too deep.

Put a bobber (float) on the main line above the hook. When choosing a bobber, think small. The point behind the bobber is to indicate a strike, but it has to do this without deterring the fish from biting. Small bobbers offer less resistance, so they will go under easier and not pull the bait out of the fish’s mouth or scare them off by casting a large shadow.

The traditional red and white plastic bobber works fine if you use the smallest one possible. However, long, thin, balsa wood pencil bobbers are easy to see, are pulled under easily, and don’t throw a large shadow, so keep those in mind while making your selection.

On the main line 3-4 inches above the hook, crimp on a split shot—again, think really small. The purpose of the split shot is to

keep the buoyant bait from floating up, putting slack in the line between the hook and the float. Any slack in the line allows the fish to bite without moving the bobber, so you are not aware of the strike.

E-mail Paul Bradshaw at freshrigs@fishgame.com

TEXAS BOATING Continued from Page N25 it around for a few seconds.

27. Your radar sees “ghost” returns.

Structures in line with your radar antenna are often the cause. Move other antennae, masts, and anything in proximity to the dome or array.

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General Tips 28. Old masking tape won’t rip up easily. Rub cooking oil over it to eliminate the stickies.

29. Craving a hot meal on an outboard-powered center console. Put a can of soup, ravioli, or spaghetti into a bucket, then fill it with hot water from the out-

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board’s telltale. Let it sit 10-15 minutes, and enjoy.

30. Saltwater brine will cool fish faster then plain ice. Add a 5-gallon bucket of saltwater per 40 pounds of ice to maximize the chill in your fish box.

E-mail Lenny Rudow at boating@fishgame.com A L M A N A C

ILLUSTRATION BY PAUL BRADSHAW

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with more seafood seasoning before serving.

The claws should be boiled in water until they turn bright red and float to the surface.

Barbecued Crab REMEMBER CRABBING ON BOLIVAR ISLAND with my parents and grandmother. My grandmother was from Mobile Bay, Alabama, and loved crab. She taught me many great recipes, but this one came from Beaumont, Texas.

Barbecued crab was invented at Granger’s in Sabine Pass, Texas, during the late 1940s, when one of their cooks seasoned a crab and then deep-fried it. The rest is history.

Contrary to the name, these crab are not barbecued. The name comes from the barbecue-like seasoning. Theses crab are full of sweet, rich meat and spiced with Texas Gourmet’s Sidewinder Searing Spice, which will have you keeping a cold drink close by.

Deep-Frying Tips If you are undeterred by possible health risks or are treating yourself to an occasional deep-fried delicacy, here are some techniques and safety tips to keep in mind:

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1 large pot (12 qt. minimum) with a basket for frying 1 gal. peanut oil 8-10 large blue crab, cleaned and chilled (remove lungs and insides using heavy water pressure) Texas Gourmet’s Sidewinder Searing Spice Start with live hard-shell blue crab, discarding any that are dead. Place the live blue crab in icewater for several minutes to stun (it is best to use a large cooler for this purpose). Once immersed in icewater, the crab will become dormant. After several minutes, they will be “asleep,” then you can easily handle them with your bare hands.

Remove the carapace (top shell) from each crab by grasping the legs on one side and prying the shell off, using the sharp spines for leverage. This kills the crab instantly.

PHOTO BY BRYAN SLAVEN

Turn the crab upside down and, using a knife or other sharp object, pry up and remove the “apron” that is folded up under the body.

Turn the crab right-side up. Using your thumb and index finger, grasp the mouth parts and twist off to remove. Remove the spongy gills from each side of the body and the entrails from inside the main body cavity.

Rinse clean.

Remove the two large claws and reserve.

Do not remove the legs. Break each cleaned body in half.

At this point, you should have two halves, each with four legs still attached.

Each body half should be completely clean and consist of nothing but glistening white shell with meat inside.

Boil the crabs for three minutes prior to seasoning and frying. This technique helps prevent the meat from sticking to the shell.

Dredge each body half in seafood seasoning (see resources below) to completely coat.

Place the seasoned crabs in the refrigerator for 1 or 2 hours to allow the seasoning to penetrate into the meat.

Heat oil in a deep-fat fryer to 350 and drop in a few crab. Deep fry until they turn red and float to the surface, approximately 57 minutes. Repeat until all of the crabs are cooked.

Serve immediately while steaming hot.

Optionally, you can sprinkle the cooked crab

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- Choose your cooking oil carefully.

When the oil starts to give off continuous smoke, you have it way too hot. Oils with high “smoke points” are best, such as peanut, safflower, sunflower, and canola oil.

- Choose a deep, very heavy skillet to fry with. Add oil to the cold pan, leaving at least two inches at the top of the pan, for the oil to bubble up as the food is added.

- Heating a lot of oil can take a long time. Deep-frying should be done with the oil at 365 degrees F (185 C). Use a candy thermometer to monitor the oil’s temperature.

- When breading with a moist batter, use cornmeal, cornstarch, or flour to make it stick to the food. Be sure to shake off the excess batter or breading before frying.

- Always place food in the fryer away from you to prevent splashing and burning— do not throw it in!

- Avoid crowding the deep fryer with food, which will lower the oil’s temperature.

- Maintain the proper frying temperaturel. If it is too hot, the coating will burn before the food cooks; if it is not hot enough, oil will reach the food before it’s fully cooked and make it greasy.

- Watch the food carefully as it cooks and do not leave the fryer unattended.

- Flames from a pot of hot oil can be 2-3 feet high. Be sure to have a real non-liquid fire extinguisher on hand and ready to use.

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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or Classified Rates and Informatio call Dennise at 1-800-750-4678, ext. 5579.

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LAKE AMISTAD

SPOTLIGHT: SPEC-TACULAR TROUT ADVENTURES David Dillman is the owner and operator of Spec-tacular Trout Adventures, a year-round full time fishing guide service. Spec-tacular Trout Adventures was founded in January of 1990. They fish all of the Galveston Bay Complex for speckled trout and redfish, utilizing live natural bait and artificial lures.

From May through September, David guides out of Eagle Point Fishing Camp in San Leon, Texas. From October through April, he guides out of Jamaica Beach on Galveston Island.

Spec-tacular Trout Adventures offers both half and full day trips. For more information visit his website www.spec-taculartrout.com or call David (409) 632.0924.

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4r caught this mons of Tyle nd, outHunter Clem dparents’ po an gr s hi in pound bass e grandson of . Hunter is th side of Athens Clemmons of Athens. y nd Jack and Ca

Peyton Usof f of Victoria, Texa to reel in this 23-inch redfis s, was thrilled h while fishing Port Lavaca. in

Bill Stewart of Beaumont ca ed this 28-in ught and rele ch hybrid strip aser in the mar south of Sabi sh ne Lake. He was fishing fo fish with live r re mullet. Photo

by Greg Brow dn.

on ot this buck of Tomball sh grandis th at e Caleb Barber is just after sunr dina. opening day Me w Z Ranch in parents’ Arro

dthis keeper re ughan caught a Carol Rose He Texas, while fishing with rt, er fish in Freepo orning topwat e red was a m chug bug. Th bite.

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Ty Chumley, his dad Bobb y, time friends, Eric and Carl, and two longwith specks redfish from an a trip with Ca ptain Ryan of d Busceme’s Bl ack Dog Fish Guide Servic e.

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Isabella Soriano, age 7, of Corpus Christi, Texas, caught this 25-inch speckled trout while surf-fishing the National Seashore with her dad, Joel. It was her best catch to date.

Keith Miller, of Robinson , Texas, caug 1/2-pound, 23 ht a 6-in fishing at Trad ch largemouth bass while inghouse Cr eek Reservoi r.

acktip is 38-inch bl ger caught th Myles Marbur ng with his granddad, hi tty. shark while fis at the Galveston North Je ld, ed. rm Charles Arno ha un ed as s rele The shark wa

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2g caught this n of Rosenber fishing with his Cody Shelto ss ba th rgemou Cody 1/2-pound la Hungerford. . mily pond in use curltail jig dad in the fa tre ar ch k/ ac th bl was fishing wi

Five-year-old Reagyn Pyfe r of North Ri land Hills, Te chxas, caught this 8-pound at Joe Pool La carp ke. Submitted dad, Darren. by her proud

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Jennifer Klei n, age 13, of Dallas, Texas, caught her fir st “keeper� re dfish while fis ing with her grandfather, Tony Pustejov hat his home sky, on Sargent Be ach.

Kthe time, of Mc rnik, age 5 at Christian Piva ught his largest fish, a 22 ca nite inney, Texas, tfish, using a d channel ca inch, 8-poun wne Lake. crawler on To

speckught his first k of Vidor ca l Beach, while Luke Sodola ta ys Cr at rf e su Pa. led trout in th little brother, dad and Pa ait. his ut with cut-b fishing with tro ch -in /4 -3 e 19 He caught th

Wiley Webb took Liberty Hill, Te this buck while hunting in xas, in Willia mson County Webb shot th . e buck at ab out 150 yard s.

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ows Woodlands sh nnett of The in ht ug ca r, Mary-Kate Be de ss, a 6-poun ds. off her first ba rk Lake in The Woodlan t Pa . ss Shadow Poin ba d ht a 2-poun She also caug

Four-year-old Ja deer with a 22 gger Lechler shot his fir st Ho dad, Derek, on rnet while hunting with his the Braun Ra nch in La Pryo r.

a a shows off y of Lago Vist ot in the CCA David Barcla sl 8 e th d se mis the trout that just while fishing ment, caught .

STAR Tourna tty je ur th rt Ar surf east of Po

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Collin Rayburg, age 5, caught this 23-1/2inch redfish in Rockport, using his Zebco 33.

He cast his bait, set the hook and reeled it in on his own; his dad helped to net the fish.

nded this 4.5Spicewood la O.H. Ivie.

Colt King of ng at hi fis ile wh pound bass

Brenyn Burk holder, age 8, of caught her fir st redfish wh San Antonio ile fishing wi dad and brot th her her in the ba ys off the Pa Channel, alon ckery g the Texas coast.

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e n, age 6 at th alls of Housto off John David W first trout while fishing his time, caught s in Port Mans over the light the dock and ry proud! ve field. He was

Taylor Sims of Cypress la nded this 22 redfish while -inch fishing on th e Lavaca Rive with her brot r her Ryan and dad Kerry (p tured). She ca icught the red on her first ca st.

ught this 6.5of Bellville ca hing Mark Zapalac trout while fis ed kl ec sp ch pound, 27-in in Sargent.

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GREEN

CCA Funds Cove Project THE CCA TEXAS STATE BOARD RECENTLY APPROVED A $20,000 GIFT TO AID IN FUNDING TO THE GALVESTON BAY FOUNDATION’S (GBF) SNAKE ISLAND COVE HABITAT RESTORATION AND SEAGRASS PROTECTION PROJECT. THE FUNDS WILL BE USED IN PHASE II OF THE PROJECT AND WILL ADD CLOSE TO 1000 MORE LINEAR FEET OF GEOTEXTILE TUBE BREAKWATER TO THE © CANSTOCK PHOTO

From Water to Waffles

THE COVE. THIS IS YET ANOTHER PROJECT BEING UNDERTAKEN BY THE CCA TEXAS HABITAT TODAY FOR FISH TOMORROW (HTFT) PROGRAM.

HOW MANY GALLONS OF WATER DOES IT TAKE TO PRODUCE $1 WORTH OF SUGAR, DOG AND CAT FOOD, OR MILK? THE ANSWERS APPEAR IN THE FIRST COMPREHENSIVE STUDY IN 30 YEARS DOCUMENTING AMERICAN INDUSTRY’S THIRST FOR THIS PRECIOUS RESOURCE. The study, which could lead to better ways to conserve water, is in ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology.

Chris Hendrickson and colleagues note in the new study that industry and agriculture long have been recognized as the biggest consumers of water in the United States. However, estimates of water consumption on an industry-byindustry basis are incomplete and outdated, with the last figures from the U.S.

ALREADY 4100 LINEAR FEET ALREADY PLACED IN

Census Bureau dating to 1982.

The researchers used a computer model to estimate water use among more than 400 industry sectors from finished products to services. The new data show that most water use by industry occurs indirectly as a result of processing, such as packaging and shipping food crops to the supermarket, rather than direct use, such Continued on page 36 T E X A S

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“This is another major step for HTFT and we are proud to partner with the Galveston Bay Foundation in their efforts,” commented HTFT Director John Blaha. “These sorts of projects are a vital tool in maintaining and restoring key habitat areas. The loss of habitat in the Galveston Bay system over the years has been dramatic and it is crucial that we continue to work to conserve the habitat we have left in Texas’ largest bay system.”

CCA Texas’s contribution of $20,000 to this project brings the completion of securing funds for Phase II closer to an end, and GBF hopes to begin and complete this next Phase by the end of 2010.

Once completed, this project will protect 200 acres of existing estuarine inter-tidal marsh complex and create approximately 75 acres of protected calm shallow water habitat conducive to the re-establishment of seagrass within the cove.

—Staff Report TG G A M E ®

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GREEN

‘Put Democracy on Hold’ Over Global Warming A LEADING GLOBAL WARMING PUNDIT, JAMES LOVELOCK, RECENTLY TOLD A BRITISH NEWSPAPER THAT DEMOCRACY SHOULD BE “PUT ON HOLD” SO GOVERNMENTS CAN TAKE UNIMPEDED ACTION AGAINST “CLIMATE CHANGE.” “We need a more authoritative world,” Lovelock said in an interview in The Guardian. “We’ve become a sort of cheeky, egalitarian world where everyone can have their say.”

Lovelock cited war as justifiable cause to squelch free speech, and likened global warming to war. He also called for centralized authority to act, saying: “It’s all very well, but there are certain circumstances--a war is a typical example--where you can’t do that. You’ve got to have a few people with authority who you trust who are running it.

“But it can’t happen in a modern democracy. This is one of the problems.

What’s the alternative to democracy? There isn’t one. But even the best democracies agree that when a major war approaches, democracy must be put on hold for the time being. I have a feeling that climate change may be an issue as severe as a war.

It may be necessary to put democracy on hold for a while.”

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(UEA) Climatic Research Unit (CRU) in Great Britain, the world epicenter of global warming research, wherein scientists engaged in deception, data manipulation, and conspiracy to promote the notion of anthropogenic (human-caused) climate change.

Subseqyent investigations have uncovered dozens more instances of flawed, incomplete, and flatly wrong claims about alleged climate change.

Lovelock also candidly admitted that the “science” involved is grant money-driven: “You can make mistakes; they're helpful. In the old days, it was perfectly okay to make a mistake and say so. You often learned from it. Nowadays, if you're

dependent on a grant–and 99 percent of them are–you can't make mistakes as you won't get another [grant] if you do.”

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Cows & Global Warming: Not LIVESTOCK, LONG BLAMED FOR CONTRIBUTING TO GLOBAL WARMING WITH THEIR FLATULENCE, COULD ACTUALLY BE GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT ACCORDING TO A NEW STUDY PUBLISHED IN NATURE, FINDING THAT CATTLE GRAZED ON THE GRASSLANDS OF CHINA ACTUALLY REDUCE THE ALLEGED GREENHOUSE GAS NITROUS OXIDE. Klaus Butterbach-Bahl, of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany, carried out the study in Inner Mongolia in China. He found that grassland produced more nitrous oxide during the spring thaw when sheep or cattle have not been grazing. This is because microbes in the soil release nitrous oxide, commonly known as “laughing gas.” When the grass is long, snow settles, keeping the microbes warm and providing water. But when grazing animals cut the grass short, the ground freezes and the microbes die.

Dr. Butterbach-Bahl said the study overturned assumptions about grazing goats and cattle.

Estimated nitrous oxide emissions from Inner Mongolia, the United States, Canada, Russia, and China account for as much as 1/3 of the annual worldwide total.

—Staff Report TG

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Feral Cats a Major Problem Catch-and-release is a familiar concept in fishing but is more complex when it comes to cats. To deal with feral cat populations, some advocate a trap-neuter-release approach, wherein wild cats continue living freely with food provided for them.

A study of feral cat populations con-

Continued from page 33 as watering crops. Among the findings for consumer products: It takes almost 270 gallons of water to produce $1 worth of sugar; 200 gallons to make $1 worth of dog and cat food; and 140 gallons of water to make $1 worth of milk.

ducted on California’s Santa Catalina Island reported in the Journal of Mammalogy confirms that feral cats, neutered or otherwise, threaten sensitive ecological regions and significantly impact wildlife.

Cats, including free-roaming pets, compete with wild predators for available

“The study gives a way to look at how we might use water more efficiently and allows us to hone in on the sectors that use the most water so we can start generating ideas and technologies for better management,” the scientists noted.

—Staff Report TG

resources and account for large numbers of songbird deaths annually. With no protection from disease or parasites, the cats are susceptible and can transfer these illnesses to wildlife, humans, and pets.

The study authors said the feral and stray cat population on Catalina numbers in the range of 600 to 750 animals, and even with a high rate of sterilization, it could take more than a decade for the colony to become extinct. Rather than trap-neuter-release, the study authors suggest trap-and-remove followed by adoption or euthanization at a shelter.

—Staff Report TG

PHOTO BY DWIGHT SMITH

GREEN

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Toxic Effect of Eating Gar Eggs Remains a Medical Mystery COMMON FISHING LORE SAYS THAT ALTHOUGH GAR MEAT IS EDIBLE, GAR EGGS OR ROE IS POISONOUS

by to formulate treatments for symptoms, which can include: - projectile vomiting - explosive diarrhea - diaphoresis (cold sweats) - chills - paresthesia (odd sensations) - hallucinations

AND SHOULD NOT BE EATEN. BUT SCIENTISTS HAVE NOT ISOLATED THE TOXIC COMPONENT NOR IDENTIFIED THE SPECIFIC PATHOLOGY INVOLVED, WHICH MAKES TREATING POISONED VICTIMS DIFFICULT. The recent poisoning of an Arkansas ing at about 1:30 a.m. Russell and Darwin family after eating longnose gar roe illussoon were sick, too. All three family memtrates the difficulty physicians face. bers recovered after a few days.

Tiffany Aaron said her husband, DarBecause so little is known about the win, and brother-in-law, Russell Aaron, toxic effects and there is no known antitook a long-nosed gar while spearfishing at dote, physicians are often stymied as to Greers Ferry Lake on April 5. They prehow to treat gar egg poisoning. pared the eggs that evening, with Darwin Texas Fish & Game has researched and Russell Aaron eating some, along with available literature and compiled it into a Darwin and Tiffany's 10-year-old son, single source to help physicians quickly Carson. Carson was the first to start vomitaccess what information is available where-

Some research suggests a protein might be the toxic element, whereas others suggest a molecular pathogen. In animal studies, the toxin caused dose-related second degree atrioventricular block, with high concentrations producing cardiac arrest.

For the full compilation of available data and research, see fishgame.com/gar_egg_toxin —by Don Zaidle TG

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Sam Callaway 13.34 lb.

OH Ivie Reservoir April 9, 2010

No. 500

Carl Clark

Steve Hand

15.13 pounds Lake O’ the Pines March 26, 2010

13.22 pounds O.H. Ivie Reservoir April 3, 2010

No. 491

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Mark Worthington 13.68 pounds Lake Fork April 3, 2010

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BURGI PHOTO COURTESY ANGLERS LODGE; MCDANIEL PHOTO BY DAVID CAMPGELL; ALL OTHER PHOTOS BY LARRY HODGE

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BY CHESTER MOORE Joseph Burgi

Jim McDaniel

13.34 pounds Lake Amistad April 4, 2010

13.01 pounds Lake Austin April 11, 2010

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WHEN ROBERT LAIRD caught the 13.19 ShareLunker that shattered the Lake Livingston largemouth record last February, East Texas anglers started talking. Then Caddo Lake saw its record broken, followed by Lake O’ the Pines (LOP) and then a few days later, the LOP record was bested yet again by a genuine monster 15.13-pounder.

Excitement over East Texas’ trophy bass production reached fever pitch and has yet to wane.

Add to these events the amazing fishing happening at Amistad, Falcon, Choke Canyon, O.H. Ivie, and, of course, perennial lunker favorite Lake Fork, and you have a genuine fishing phenomenon.

To get to the bottom of what is happening in East Texas and beyond, I spoke with Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) Inland Fisheries Region 3 Director Craig Bonds. What started as a simple quest to find out exactly what is going on with Texas’ bass fisheries, turned into one of the most informative interviews I have ever conducted.

Chester Moore: Has TPWD seen increasing overall size on the upper end of bass in Caddo, Livingston, and LOP? Craig Bonds: We have not observed increases in our data. Livingston is habitatlimited for largemouth bass. It is a main-stem impoundment of the Trinity River and most of the main lake has experienced significant

habitat degradation as the reservoir has aged. The best largemouth bass habitat exists outside the main reservoir and within the backs of feeder creeks. We target these areas when stocking largemouth bass fingerlings. The Livingston Toyota ShareLunker was actually a surprise to us. It just reaffirms our belief that almost any lake in Texas has the potential to produce a 13-pound-plus largemouth bass.

CM: Is it difficult to quantify if a lake is going to produce trophy-sized fish?

CB: It is very difficult to evaluate the “upper end” of a bass population. The largest individuals are rare and under-represented in electro-fishing samples. Electrofishing effectively samples largemouth bass between 6 and 20 inches. Fish smaller and larger are occasionally collected, but are captured in numbers under-representative of their true abundance. We use fisherydependent information [i.e., creel surveys, volunteer trophy bass surveys, bass tournament results, Toyota ShareLunker entries, etc.] as a barometer for the “upper end” size

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category.

CM: Are you seeing any trends on Caddo and Lake O’ the Pines, and if so, what are the contributing factors?

hydrilla on 19 percent of the lake, and American lotus is prevalent.

CM: What about forage species?

CB: Forage is abundant on both.

CB: We are not surprised trophy largemouth bass are being caught at Caddo and Lake O’ the Pines. Caddo had Florida largemouth bass (FLMB) stockings in 1998-2000, 2006-07, and 2009; and LOP in 1998, 2000, and 2009. It takes as little as six [very rare] to 10 years [more typical] to grow a largemouth bass to 13-plus pounds. Notice the stockings conducted in years 98-00; surviving female fish from those cohorts are capable of attaining sizes large enough to become Toyota ShareLunkers.

CM: Is habitat a major factor?

CB: Yes it is. Caddo has hydrilla on 23 percent of the lake along with American lotus [lily pads]. Other invasive aquatic plants [e.g. giant salvinia and water hyacinth] offer no habitat value and are very problematic to boat access. LOP has

CM: On these water bodies, how do the regulations come into play in bass production?

CB: Caddo has a 14-18 slot, which helps. Some angler harvest of fish smaller than the slot is actually a good thing, as it keeps smaller, more numerous bass from becoming over-crowded and helps remaining bass grow more quickly. There is a high incidence of voluntary catch-and-release of trophy bass at Caddo. Bass Life Associates’ trophy replica program has contributed greatly to these angler actions. Both reservoirs have experienced relatively stable water levels since 2006.

in the direction of producing mega bass?

CB: Not necessarily in the same geographic region, but the other pleasant surprise this year has been O.H. Ivie in West Texas. This reservoir has contributed four Toyota ShareLunkers this season and leads all reservoirs in total entries for this season.

This reservoir was stocked with Florida largemouth bass in 99 and 01 [among other years, but these two years are most relevant to producing ShareLunker fish this year].

CM: On lakes that have had ShareLunker offspring stocked into them, has there been any effort to trace those fish via genetic markers?

CB: All Toyota ShareLunker donor reservoirs receive stockings of Toyota ShareLunker offspring in the year in which they contributed fish.

CM: How do you monitor these fish?

CM: Besides the ones we have discussed in East Texas [Livingston, Conroe, Lake O’ the Pines] are there others that are trending

CB: All ShareLunker fish receive PIT [passive inert transponder] tags, which are

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OH Ivie Produces ShareLunker #500 To date, Lake O.H. Ivie has produced nine largemouth bass that were entered into the 2010 Toyota ShareLunker program. Sam Callaway of Corpus Christi collected $500 per pound for his catch—$6670 total.

Callaway caught Toyota ShareLunker No. 500 at 9:20 a.m. April 9 on OH Ivie using a Zoom Magnum 8-inch lizard in Watermelon/red color. The 13.34-pound fish was immediately taken to an official ShareLunker weigh and holding station, Concho Park Marina, where it was held for pick-up by ShareLunker program manager David Campbell.

Callaway’s $500/pound reward continues the practice of rewarding centennial catches of entries into the ShareLunker program, which began with Jason Baird’s catch of ShareLunker 400 from Lake Amistad on February 28, 2006. That fish paid the Gypsum, Kansas, angler $400/pound.

Callaway also received a rod and reel package from G. Loomis and Shimano valued at $650. —CM

capable of providing individual fish identification upon re-capture. Some ShareLunker fish have been entered into the program more than once. One fish from Alan Henry Reservoir has been entered into the ShareLunker Program three times. All ShareLunkers are genotyped using a multiple microsatellite loci marker panel [regions within DNA where short sequences repeat].

Each recaptured adult ShareLunker offspring can be traced back to their ShareLunker parents. This program is serving as a trial program for eventual hatchery broodfish marking. We have the technology to mark all hatchery broodfish, but it will take a while due to manpower limitations.

CM: What percentage of larger fish sam-

pled have been shown to be of ShareLunker offspring?

CB: We cannot answer this question specifically, but I can provide some alternative information that we find very interesting. Over the past six years, we have determined that 59 percent of ShareLunker entries have been comprised of pure Florida largemouth bass, and 41 percent have been Florida-native intergrades. However, pure Florida largemouth bass are relatively rare [typically 3 percent in wild populations].

Pure Florida largemouth bass are way overrepresented in the ShareLunker program relative to their proportion in wild populations. We speculate that many of the donated ShareLunker fish were reared at our hatcheries and stocked as fingerlings. Our aspiration is to one day be able to link ShareLunker fish directly to their hatchery parents. We have the technology to do that, but we lack the manpower to accomplish this right away. But, we are working on it.

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INSET BASS BY ERIC ENGBRETSON

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They may be as gaudy as all get out, but big California swimbaits catch monster largemouths

by Matt Williams

BACKGROUND PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

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MANUEL SALAZAR was raised deep in the heart of the Sierra Madre mountains of Old Mexico, where he cut his teeth working as a fishing guide on a host of south-of-the border workhorses known for kicking out whopper size largemouths. I shared a boat with him last June at Lake Baccarac, and he wasted no time in pointing out that he is a big fan of Hollywood bass baits.

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Like a kid digging in a candy jar, Salazar rummaged through my sizable collection of swimbaits until he found one that suited his taste.

“Buenos,” Salazar said, displaying a 6inch California-made Optimum Titan.

“Grande bait catch grande piscado.”

Salazar quickly secured the six-inch, 23/4-ounce soft plastic lure to the line and instructed me to loft it toward a waning ripple where a giant bass that had mauled a juvenile tilapia moments before. Two casts into the gin-clear water was all it took to make me a believer. Gaudy as they might appear, big swimbaits catch monster largemouths.

Golden State anglers have been chanting that mantra for nearly two decades, and many have assembled convincing track records to support the claims. Perhaps the most impressive of all belongs to Mike Long, a well-known swimbait guru from southern California who has caught and released nearly 400 bass in excess of 10 pounds.

Included in the mix are more than 50 over 15 pounds and 3 topping the 20-pound mark.

PHOTO COURTESY SPRO-SPORTS PROFESSIONALS

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While a handful of Long’s trophies were caught on live bait, the majority fell to swimbaits—some measuring close to a foot long and weighing nearly half a pound.

Long’s assessment of Hollywood bass baits is short and sweet: “They work,” he said.

The observation stems largely from the belief that a big bass would much rather satisfy its healthy appetite by eating one or two large meals than by expending the energy required to chase down a bunch of little ones. A jumbo swimbait is tailor made to fit that bill.

“You might not get as many bites on a big swimbait as you will a smaller lure like a spinnerbait or Senko, but I can just about guarantee the quality of fish you will a catch

on a swimbait will be substantially better,” he said.

Although the swimbait craze has been slow to catch on in Texas, the foothold is much stronger now than it was just a few years ago. One of the main reasons is due the amount of success they have generated on some Texas waters in high stakes bass tournaments.

Jasper, Texas, bass pro Todd Faircloth is a swim-

Don’t expect a lot of bites with outsized “Hollywood” swimbaits—just one big one.

Hollywood Bass Lure

bait convert who got his first real taste of success with the oversize lures in March 2007, when he finished fourth in a BASS Elite Series event at Lake Amistad with slightly more than 100 pounds caught over four days. In a matter of 15 minutes, Faircloth caught a

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It’s a bass-eat-bass world, and huge largemouth-mimic baits garner as many strikes as lifesize bream imitations.

limit of bass in the third round averaging more than 7 pounds apiece. Each fish grabbed an Osprey Talon, a 7-inch soft plastic that weighs a whopping 2-1/2 ounces.

“I had fished it a little in the past, but that one day was really an eye opener to me as far as what a big swimbait can do,” Faircloth said. “A lot of people won’t throw one because they simply lack the confidence to try it. But I tell you from experience that when the conditions are right—clear water with some wind—it can be almost like magic.”

Faircloth contends that big bass are

attracted to magnum size swimbaits more out of sight than anything else.

“They are more inclined to come over and take a look when they see a big bait swimming overhead or passing by as opposed to something small,” he said. “It will draw big fish from a distance.”

As earlier mentioned, the swimbait craze originated out West, where many of the deep, clear impoundments are stocked with protein-rich rainbow trout that big bass love to munch.

Companies like Castaic and Huddleston were among first players to capitalize on a ripe market driven by demand for king-size baits that closely simulated the hatcheryreared rainbows. Some of the earliest lures

w e r e hand-carved from wood and reportedly commanded price tags of $150 or more.

Swimbaits have been on a roll ever since and the market has grown large enough to support dozens of other companies scattered across the United States and beyond. Not surprisingly, the increase in competition has resulted in a broad range of high quality lures fashioned from soft and hard plastic as well as wood. Although some models are still pricey in comparison to the cost of a spinnerbait or 10-pack of plastic worms, today’s swimbaits in general are more affordable than those of the past.

Like other families of lures, swimbaits come in assorted styles, shapes, and colors.

PHOTO COURTESY CASTAIC SWIMBAITS

Hollywood Lures

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hand carved or poured one at a time.

Many soft plastic swimbaits have a bootshaped tail that thumps or wiggles wildly as the lure moves through the water. Others have tails, fins, and gill plates intricately

The Price of

S u cc e s s

molded to achieve an amazingly realistic appearance both in the water and out. Hard plastic and wooden swimmers are typically held together in joints and sport airbrushed finishes that vary in detail.

Not surprisingly, there are swimbaits suited to perform under just about any condition imaginable. Some float or wake the surface.

Others have internal buoyancy chambers to help them suspend, or weights to make them sink at varied rates. The rate of fall is usually addressed “ROF.”

Most major tackle outlets stock an assortment of Hollywood bass baits designed to resemble all sorts of forage ranging from rainbow trout to threadfin shad. It is always best to choose a bait that simulates the locally dominant forage species. As a rule, bluegill, shad, baby bass, crappie, and tilapia patterns are best bets for fooling bragging-size bass on Texas waters.

Everyone knows they catch big bass, but how much damage can a Hollywood bass bait do to a pocketbook?

That depends. Prices can vary immensely from one manufacturer to the next, usually in accordance with the amount of effort, detail, and materials used in production.

While there are a few custom hard baits like the Jerry Rago Super Raptor that command upwards of $100 apiece, most are priced in $20-$50 range. The baits are available in varied sizes and ROFs. One of the primary advantages to the hard bait is durability.

Soft plastic swimmers are usually less expensive than hard ones.

One of the more pricey is the

Castaic Swimmin’ Rago Swimbait Cisco, an action-packed 10-inch shad imitation that sells for around $30. The bait is equipped with Castaic’s InnerArmor fiber skeleton to enhance durability.

Mid-size paddle-tail swimbaits hand poured with premium plastic range $10-$20 each, depending on length. Mass production models like the 6-inch Storm Wild Eye Swim Shad are more moderately priced at around $5 for a threepack.

PHOTO COURTESY JERRY RAGO

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by Reavis Z. Wortham THERE IS NO DOUBT that we love our vehicles, almost to excess.

They are an obvious necessity for modern life, and we sometimes find ourselves depending on them way too much. They are invaluable at times, too, because of our love for gear.

As a society, we also believe in our comforts: taking along an ice chest large enough to transport a sectioned deer; or a twohand tackle box, chairs, tables, and radio; or the items necessary to prop up a line of poles; or to carry a lightweight canoe or johnboat.

Sometimes, a destination is simply too far to walk for a day’s angling.

Then there is simple convenience, like when you already have all the aforementioned gear in a truck and three or four folks want to drive to the shore or beach for an afternoon.

Our story begins down on the Texas Gulf coast. The Knagg brothers and I loaded a truck with gear and drove from our hotel down to the beach, seeking a relatively secluded spot away from swimmers and other anglers.

We had no more than hit the beach when a member of the local constabulary pulled up beside us, gesturing through his open window with a great show of irritation.

“Huh?” Elder Knagg responded.

“Y’all can’t drive on the beach down here,” the officer said, gruffly. “This part of the beach is closed.”

I looked across the hood of his truck to the speed limit sign,

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and pointed.

“The beach is closed! You can’t drive here. You have to stop way back there at those posts in the sand. That’s what they’re there for.”

“Are those the posts with another speed limit sign and no notices of beach closure?” I asked.

Twenty minutes later, after an extensive conversation with the several quickly summoned reinforcements, we drove back to the other side of the posts, set out our rod holds and caught nothing.

The point: Know the local laws of when and where you can use a motorized vehicle to access your destination.

ATV owners love to ride trails on public and private lands throughout the state. A quick web search reveals a number of private “mud” trails on lands adjacent to lakes, rivers, and creeks. Most of the time, trail riders joyfully jolt, bounce, slide, and roar along these rough tracks for the sheer fun of it, but the trails are also portals to esoteric fishing locations. Those looking for a unique angling experience can strap on a rod, stick a minibox full of lures in a shirt pocket or daypack, and fish where the masses have not.

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Though we’ve had more than enough rain these past few months, ATV owners can always look forward to lower water in the summer months as lakes draw down due to evaporation or municipal usage. Where legal—and you have to check your local ordinances for access—many adventurers find they can ride their vehicles along the exposed shoreline to fish a variety of likely spots. (According to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department website: “ATVs cannot be ridden on State Wildlife Management lands or on leased Type II Permit lands unless the ATV operator has a current handicapped license plate or handicapped hang placard. If the ATV operator has a current handicapped license plate or hang placard, the operator may ride the ATV directly to and from their place to hunt or fish.”)

Access to these venues is often near a bridge where automobile anglers simply drive up, back in, and set up a lawn chair.

Based on personal experience, the majority of recreational anglers stay within 100 yards of their truck. Anyone with the desire to get a little exercise can find untapped waters 200 yards away. These unmolested and unexplored locations can provide plenty of excitement and a stringer of fish.

Owners of two- or four-wheel vehicles designed for off-road travel often find decaying roadways leading to abandoned bridges that are excellent locations to fish. Following decommissioned railroad tracks to a bridge crossing is another excellent avenue to unfished banks and shores. Kids have known this for years, and there is usually a trail paralleling the abandoned tracks.

Caution: Just because a railroad track looks unused, it is still private property.

Staying on the easement rather than the actual tracks is frequently overlooked by officials.

I have a friend who loves his bicycle. In his younger days, he would strap on a pack and ride from Dallas to Houston. Years of therapy later, he is over that, but now he rides in to fishing locations accessible more easily by bicycle than by four- or twowheeled motor vehicles. He also can follow hiking trails on his bike to quiet spots on lakes and streams.

These options are somewhat limiting to the amount of gear one can transport, but this is a new frontier anglers accustomed to all the trappings of modern fishing. A rod, backpack, and a few lures are all you need.

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Camp Table Timber Creek Compact camp table from Academy Sports and Outdoors www.academy.com

Utility

Ice Chest Engel 65-quart high-performance rugged ice box. www.engel-usa.com

Perishables Storage Kayak Trident Fishing Kayak from Ocean Kayak www.oceankayak.com

Something to Float ATV Yamaha Grizzly ATV www.yamaha-motor.com

Something to Drive Actually, this “back to the basics” of fishing is a new literal and mental “destination.” To those who wish to experience a different kind of fishing trip, a sectioned cane pole, bobber, and can full of worms makes for an outstanding trip.

Once again, do not overlook the simple courtesy of an old-fashioned visit to a landowner with your hat in hand. Tell him you have a four-wheeler (or bike) that you would like to ride across their property to access lakes, creeks, or rivers. With assurances that you know how to close and lock a

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gate behind you, some landowners will allow access to waters that are not usually fished from the bank.

Several websites offer interesting options for those who wish to pursue this type of angling. It seems strange to include this new technology in an old-fashioned way to fish, but like it or not, it is here. See On the Web for more info.

Remember: Leave no tracks and carry out more than you carry in.

PHOTOS COURTESY INDIVIDUAL MANUFACTURERS

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Hunt Texas

by Bob Hood | TF&G Hunting Editor hog litter is six—but nine survive.”)

The estimated annual feral hog damage tab is $52 million. That’s a big blow to landowners, and some hunters don’t like them either because they create mud holes around feeders and bully deer, turkey, and other game animals away. Nevertheless, feral hogs are attractive to many hunters. They ERAL HOGS, BE WARNED: YOUR SENSE OF can be a challenge to hunt and their meat is smell is keen and you use it well, but very tasty smoked, fried, grilled, or sautéed. your nightlife has gained a new audiBecause feral hogs are often nocturnal, ence. many tactics have been used to take them at That’s the message people like Clark night, including using only the brightness of Osborne have for one of Texas’ most prolific a full moon to stalk them; locating and shootand damaging invaders of private and public ing them with hand-held spotlights; sitting lands all across the state. The usually noc- beneath game feeders illuminated by modturnal feral hog has found itself in a “green- ern-day LED “hog lights”; and more recenter” pasture—literally. ly, finding and shooting them while using Night vision goggles and scopes as well night-vision goggles and scopes, and handas thermal imaging scopes and hand-held held thermal imaging units that turn the thermal devices (just like the ones being used night into a greenish but very visible day. by military jet and helicopter pilots, ground There are four “categories” of nighttroops and snipers) are putting a new—and vision optics. The first, Generation 0, was introduced by the German army in 1939. Generation 1, 2 and 3 optics followed, each with improvements over its predecessor. Today, night-vision scopes of all kinds are available to citizens in the U.S. market, with the lower generation models selling at the lowest costs.

Using tactical gear Few people have gone at night adds a to the lengths new dimension to green—light on the battle to lessen Osborne has to help hog control. feral hog problems. And the problandowners tackle feral lems with hogs are huge. hog problems. He and his Feral Warfare Trying to estimate the feral partner, Jed Derher, own Tachog population in Texas is like trying to esti- tical Hog Control, a Madisonville-Centermate the coyote population. Plainly put, it’s ville company that goes after hogs on more a bunch, although conservative estimates than 50,000 acres in their area. place the hogs at more than 2 million and Osborne is quick to point out that his growing rapidly. That’s because feral hogs operation is not a hunting operation. His is are so prolific. (Extension Service guru Dale a hog eradication operation, and he uses the Rollins once quipped: “The average feral highest technological night vision and ther-

Tactical Tuskers

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PHOTO BY BOB HOOD

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mal imaging equipment available. “It is the same night vision sights and thermal imaging units used by our military,” Osborne said.

What began as a way to reduce hog populations on his own ranch and then his neighbors’ ranches has evolved into an 8- to 10-night hunt per month operation, where a guide takes two to three people out just after sundown to attempt to reduce hog numbers.

Osborne’s equipment shows just how far some people have gone to reduce the hog population. Each hunter is equipped with helmet-mounted Generation 3 Aviator’s Night Vision Imaging System goggles, the same as used by our military jet and helicopter fighter pilots. They are supplied with AR-15 and AR-10 rifles in .223, .243 Winchester Super Short Magnum, and .308 calibers. The rifles are topped with Generation 3 Raptor Night Vision Weapon Sights, the same as used by our ground and sniper military forces.

Hunting hogs at night with this type of high-tech equipment demands strict safety measures and much more. Osborne’s quest for hogs is simple: (1) locate hogs using night-vision goggles or hand-held units and scopes with thermal imaging; (2) plan the stalk with safety such as surrounding backdrops in the equation; (3) make the stalk; and (4) set up and make the shot(s).

Many landowners care little about what happens to the hogs once they are shot. Feral hog meat, however, is considered a delicacy by many, including myself. Osborne said he encourages his clients to bring ice chests so their skinned-out hogs can be packed away properly.

While hunting hogs at night is legal in Texas, just as is hunting coyotes, it is not legal in many other states, nor is the use of night-vision equipment. Anyone in Texas who plans to take hogs at night by any means, especially with spotlights or nightvision equipment, should make their local game warden aware of their plans ahead of time.

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Open Season

by Reavis Wortham | TF&G Humor Editor

How to Tye Flies OOK AT THIS ARTICLE,” I TOLD Cousin as we sat on Granny’s porch one sunny spring morning in 1966.

He took the Field & Stream magazine and studied the pictures. “They’re tying flies. We don’t have trout here.”

“We have bass.

I think we could have some fun tying big old bass flies. Uncle Bill showed me how to cast a fly.”

“Where are we going to fish? No one will take us out to the lake,” Cousin argued, still looking at the pictures.

Knowing my limited casting abilities, I had just the solution. “The pool.”

Also known as a stock tank, the muddy puddle about the size of a municipal swimming pool was always an option.

“It says here we need animal hair, large hooks, a vise, thread, and hackles.”

“We have all that right here,” I said, excited.

“We have hair?” Cousin asked.

I pointed at the highway. “There’s a dead squirrel right there, and I bet we can

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find something else between here and the creek if we need it.”

“What’s a hackle?” he asked.

“Feathers. They’re the ones from around a rooster’s neck,” I answered.

“How do you know that?”

“I read the entire article instead of just looking at the pictures.”

“You’re not thinking about killing Granny’s rooster, are you?”

We knew the repercussions could be painful. “Nope, we’ll just catch him in the chicken house this evening and while you hold him, I’ll pull out a few hackles. We don’t need many.”

The plan was coming together. Cousin brought the magazine along as we trotted down to the highway. Most of the squirrel was flat, but the tail still had some fluff. I gingerly pulled on a few hairs, and the whole squirrel came off the concrete like a flattened cartoon character.

The smell washed over us and I threw it

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back down. “They won’t come out.”

“Just a minute,” Cousin said and ran back to the house while I guarded our squirrel. A car came by and mashed it a little flatter, but didn’t hurt the tail. Cousin returned with Granny’s scissors. “Cut them with these.”

We tailored the squirrel for a while, gathering a good supply of tail hair with some other parts thrown in for good measure. You never knew what part of a squirrel would come in handy tying flies.

Cousin quietly returned the scissors to their proper place by the sewing machine. I put the hair on a plate and left it on Granny’s table.

Then we went looking for a tying vise. After digging in the smokehouse for an hour, we finally located the treasure we knew would be there.

“Huzzah!” Cousin shouted and held aloft a greasy work vise. We carried it back inside and, using the handy turn screw on the bottom, affixed it to the kitchen table beside our other fly tying materials, which, other than the hair, included some of Granny’s thread, a couple of sequins from her sewing room, and a bottle of glue.

“There,” I said. “This is starting to look like a fly tying table.”

“What’s that smell?” he asked.

“Aged squirrel, but I bet the bass will like it.”

“What next?”

I looked through the screen door.

“There’s the rooster by the chicken house ILLUSTRATION © PAUL ORESENDE

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Open Season right now. Let’s get those hackles.”

The wise old bird fixed us with an evil black eye when we approached. To throw him off the track, I picked up a couple of discarded white feathers from the ground.

Not buying the ruse, he ran into the chicken house through the small side door with us in hot pursuit.

I slammed it shut, locking him inside.

“All right! Now, when I open the big door, you run in and grab him. Then I’ll...” I looked at the magazine and read, “...carefully stroke a few of the loose feathers from his neck.”

Cousin rushed inside.

Shocked that he agreed with the plan, I looked through a crack in the door as he chased the rooster across the fragrant floor six inches deep in chicken fertilizer. He made a running dive and grabbed the bird.

The rooster immediately swelled up to the size of a large turkey.

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A beak slashed.

Screams.

Flashing rooster spurs.

Feathers fluttered.

Wings flapped.

Blood and hair flew.

Cousin hit the floor on his back. The rooster popped free like a fumbled football, resumed its original size, and charged me just as I opened the door.

Cousin stood, shaking and wobbly.

“I hope you got us some hackles,” I said watching the rooster run across the pasture.

He held out a handful of neck feathers.

I whooped with joy, started to slap him on the back, and thought better of it. When we returned to the kitchen, we were met by irate parents. Screams. Feathers. Hair flew.

Later that evening, after a thorough scrubbing, we found our fly tying materials had been burned.

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“I think digging worms might be easier,” Cousin said, standing in the living room and rubbing his recently paddled rear end.

“It’s your fault for using Granny’s scissors,” I accused, and used those same recently washed scissors to cut out the fly fishing article for use at a later date.

You never know when you might want to start tying flies again.

E-mail Reavis Wortham at humor@fishgame.com

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