By Danno Wise

With the arrival of spring, watertemperatures up and down theTexas coast have begun to warm.

As the water temperatures rise,speckled trout and redfish areenticed to spend more time in theshallows.

However, the seemingly never-

ending spring winds usually keepthe water just cloudy enough to pre-vent consistent sight casting.

When light tackle anglers plyingthe shallow flats find themselvesfacing reduced visibility, most oftenthey look for a means to draw thefish to their offering.

At times like these, utilizing a‘wake bait’ can help anglers cover

PRSRT STDUS POSTAGE

PAIDPLANO, TX

PERMIT 210

INDEXGame Warden Blotter Page 10Fishing Report Page 18Product Picks Page 16

Heroes Page 22Weather Page 20Wild in the Kitchen Page 20Outdoor Datebook Page 15

INSIDE

www.lonestaroutdoornews.com

Texas’ Premier Outdoor NewspaperMarch 23, 2007 �Volume 3, Issue 15�

AAnn aallll--nneewwWWeebb aaddvveennttuurree

aawwaaiittss yyoouu..

HUNTING

See WAKE, Page 12

Texas hunters will have theopportunity to hunt alligatorsfor the first time in springwhen the season opens April 1.

See Page 7

RIGHT ON TARGET: Bill Blount and his son Will, 10, celebrate after Will took his first turkey during lastyear’s season at Gentry Ranch in Jack County. Photo by David J. Sams.

To catch a thief ‘Some people, they see horns and they gotta shoot.’

— BUDDY TURNER

Program has public eye on poachersBy Mark England

Buddy Turner knows thatpoachers, like the game theysteal, come in many shapes andsizes.

“You have everyone from folkswho are otherwise upstandingcitizens who lose control in the

heat of the moment to peoplewith no regard for wildlife to peo-ple who are hardcore criminalsfor whom everything is aboutmaking a buck,” said Turner, whoheads Operation Game Thief forTexas Parks and Wildlife.

Sometimes the people poach-ing even surprise themselves. A WATCHFUL EYE: Signs along state highways remind fans of the outdoors to keep watch

for poachers and call Operation Game Thief if observed. Photo by TPW.

Youth on the huntYoungsters don the

camo for turkey timeBy Ralph Winingham

Full of excitement and covered in camouflage fromhead to toe, the 13-year-old girl was quiet, attentive andfocused as she sat beside her father during their first youthturkey hunt.

She was armed that morning with a full-choked .410shotgun – selected byher father because ofher slight stature – andwas softly but forcefullytold to “aim for thehead.”

Just 17 yards away, astrutting tom puffed upas big as a wash tub asthe youngster carefullytouched off a shot butfired at least a foot overthe head of the startledturkey.

Returning to thesame hunting spot thatsame day around noonand toting a 20-gaugeshotgun, the same love-struck tom pranced intothe same spot and thegirl let loose with another blast — also a foot high.

Late that afternoon, the same girl took the same shot atthe same turkey called into the same spot by her guide andthis time – the untouched big tom beat a hasty retreat intothe brush. Sometimes the third time is not always thecharm.

“She was just so excited that she couldn’t keep her headon the stock and just kept shooting over the bird,’’ said

Anglers wake up fish in flats

See POACHING, Page 12

See YOUTH, Page 21

Swim baits get attention stirring surface

Derek Remitz bested 107 ofthe world’s best anglers to winthe “Battle on the Border.”

See Page 8

FISHING

Texas Parksand WildlifeGame WardenJustin Hurst,34, of ElCampo, waskilled earlyMarch 18 after a pursuit thatinvolved Texas Parks and Wildlifewardens, Wharton County SheriffDeputies and Department ofPublic Safety (DPS) troopers.

Capital murder charges havebeen filed against JamesFreeman of Wharton County.

The one-hour high-speedpursuit occurred after a Texasgame warden spotted Freemanand suspected him of illegallyhunting from the road. When thewarden approached the vehicle,Freeman fled. Hurst was calledin as back-up to the first warden,and other law enforcementagencies responded as well. Aftera lengthy pursuit, Freeman’s carwas stopped by DPS and gunfirewas exchanged.

Hurst was flown to HermannMemorial hospital where he waspronounced dead on arrival.

Hurst was a graduate ofConroe High School and TexasA&M University.

He is survived by his wife,Amanda, and their 4-month-oldson, Kyle.

The Texas Rangers are headingup the investigation.

Gamewarden

slain

Justin Hurst

Rio Grande Turkey March 31—May 13

Youth SeasonMarch 24—25, May

19—20Eastern Turkey

April 1—30Check

www.tpwd.state.tx.usfor bag limits in your

county.

Spring Turkey Season Dates

Visitlonestaroutdoornews.com

Page 2 � April 13, 2007

April 13, 2007 � Page 3

Page 4 � March 23, 2007

NATIONAL

A Pennsylvania Game Commission studyresulted in some surprising findings.

Researchers from the Game Commissionand Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish andWildlife Research Unit at Penn StateUniversity recently completed the secondyear of a female white-tailed deer study thatfocuses on their survival, and the behavior ofdeer and hunters during hunting seasons.

“This study was designed to address needsin our deer management program,” said Dr.Christopher Rosenberry, Game CommissionDeer Management Section supervisor.

“Gaining a better understanding of deersurvival can improve our ability to track deerpopulations and to adjust their size throughthe issuance of antlerless deer licenses.”

Since the spring of 2005, field crews havecaptured more than 250 deer in two WildlifeManagement Units.

Researchers placed radio collars on femaledeer to monitor their survival and move-ments. During the firearms hunting season,researchers conducted aerial surveys ofhunter distribution and densities.

Preliminary results indicate non-huntingsurvival rates exceeded 80 percent in bothstudy areas. Outside of the hunting seasons,deer-vehicle collisions and deaths that couldnot be assigned a specific cause of death

accounted for most mortalities. Predatorskilled two adult female deer during the fall of2006, Rosenberry said.

“The predator kills represented about onepercent of the animals we were tracking dur-ing the fall of 2006, and less than one percentof all of the female deer we have followed overthe past two years. Clearly, predators havenot had a substantial impact on our radio-collared female deer on either study area.”

In 2006, hunters harvested 17 of the 141

female deer being monitored in the study.“This study seeks to improve our under-

standing of the relationship between femaledeer harvest vulnerability and various bio-logical factors,” Rosenberry said. “For exam-ple, establishing to what degree a deer’s ageinfluences its susceptibility to harvest willenhance our ability to monitor deer popula-tions.”

A Pennsylvania Game Commission report.

Commission focuses on female whitetail survival

Impact of ‘culling’

targeted

Bass fishing tournaments inwhich participants are allowed to“cull,” or sort fish, have a minimaleffect on fish survival when watertemperatures are low but can be aconcern when water temperaturesare warm, according to a recentreport on the impacts of such tour-naments in Wisconsin.

Less than 1 percent of bass caughtduring tournaments when watertemperatures were low died in thelive well or later after the fish wasreleased, but that mortality rateclimbed to 15.6 percent for large-mouth bass and 33.9 percent forsmallmouth bass when water tem-peratures were above 80 degrees.

“The studies confirmed much ofwhat we had seen from other statesand what we expected here inWisconsin,” said Mike Staggs,Department of Natural Resourcesfisheries management director.“The most significant result is thatregardless of the measures tourna-ment organizers have taken to dateto keep fish alive, some bass do suf-fer delayed mortality particularlywhen water temperatures are high.”

The study looked at seven eventsincluding the Bassmaster Elite 50 atLake Wissota; the FLW EverstartEvent on the Mississippi River nearLa Cross; and the FLW Stren Seriesin 2006. A Wisconsin DNR report.

SURVIVAL STUDY: A Pennsylvania Game Commission study targeted the relationship between female deerharvest vulnerability and various biological factors. Photo by David J. Sams.

Harvest vulnerability, hunter movement

among factors

Mortality rate climbs in warm waters

March 23, 2007 � Page 5

CONSERVATION

SUBSCRIPTIONOrder online via secure Web

site at www.lonestaroutdoornews.co

m or call toll-free (866) 361-2276

ADVERTISING

Call (214) 361-2276 or e-mail advertising

@lonestaroutdoornews.com to request a media kit.

Lone Star Outdoor News, a publication of Lone

Star Outdoor News, LLC, publishes twice a

month. A subscription is $25 for 24 issues.

Copyright 2007 with all rights reserved.

Reproduction and/or use of any photographic

or written material without written permission

by the publisher is prohibited. Printed in Dallas,

TX, by Midway Press. Subscribers may send

address changes to:

Lone Star Outdoor News, 9304 Forest Lane, Suite

114 South, Dallas, TX 75243 or e-mail them to

readercare@lonestaroutdoornews.com.

EDITORIAL OFFICES:9304 Forest Lane, Suite 114 South,

Dallas, TX 75243

Phone: (214) 361-2276 Fax: (214) 368-0344

Publisher/Editor: CRAIG NYHUS

Design Editor: DUDLEY GREEN

Associate Editor: MARK ENGLAND

Founder & CEO: DAVID J. SAMS

CONTRIBUTORS

MARY HELEN AGUIRRE

ALAN CLEMONS

JOHN FELSHER

BINK GRIMES

BRIAN HOLDEN

BOB HOOD

DIANA KUNDE

WILBUR LUNDEEN

PETER MATHIESEN

BILL MILLER

TODD NAFE

DAVID SIKES

WES SMALLING

SCOTT SOMMERLATTE

CHUCK UZZLE

RALPH WININGHAM

DANNO WISE

PETER YOUNG

The Agriculture and WildlifeWorking Group (AWWG) of theTheodore Roosevelt ConservationPartnership, a coalition of hunt-ing, fishing and conservationorganizations, released recom-mendations for the conservationprograms of the federal legislationcommonly known as the FarmBill.

“Through two years of closestudy, we’ve found a crystal-clearrationale for expanding Farm Billconservation programs,” saidDave Nomsen of PheasantsForever, a co-chair of the AWWG.“We’ve also identified a series ofbalanced, realistic, achievable andnecessary program improve-ments.”

The priorities of the Agricultureand Wildlife Working Groupinclude:

•Biofuels and RenewableEnergy — Research and develop-ment funding should promote thenext generation of biofuels andrenewable energy technology thatare consistent with fish, wildlife,soil, nutrient management andwater conservation goals.

• Sodsaver or Non-CroplandConversion — Any land thatdoes not meet the definition ofcropland that is converted fromnon-cropland status to croplandshould be made ineligible for anyfederal benefit.

• Conservation Reserve Pro-gram — Overall CRP acreageshould expand to 45 million acres.

• Wetlands Reserve Pro-gram — Increase America’s wet-lands restoration program to300,000 acres per year to improvewetlands conservation, mitigate

wetlands loss, provide migratorybird and fisheries habitat andimprove water quality.

• Grasslands Reserve Pro-gram — Increase to 2 millionacres per year.

• Wildlife Habitat Incen-tive Program — Graduallyincrease funding from $100 mil-lion to $300 million over thecourse of the 2007 Farm Bill.

“Few people realize just howmuch the Farm Bill matters forfish and wildlife,” said BartonJames of Ducks Unlimited, a co-chair of the AWWG. “Its impor-tance is huge — it’s the singlelargest federal investment in con-servation on private land, whichcovers more than half of the land-scape in the lower 48.” A TRCP report.

Seagrass that grows in the shallowsof coastal bays and estuaries is thefoundation of life in the Gulf ofMexico. But seagrass is in declinealong the Texas coast.

Over the past 20 years, studiesshow that shoalgrass, for example,has decreased by 60 percent. At thesame time, underwater areas thatlack vegetation entirely haveincreased by nearly 300 percent.

The declining quantity and quali-ty of these seagrass habitats repre-sent a threat to shrimp, fish andother species depending on them.Ducks and other birds, sea turtlesand crabs need seagrass to thrive.

A pilot program developed by TheNature Conservancy and partnerswill protect seagrass by identifyingpreferred access lanes for recreationalboating that will help reduce dam-age to seagrass from propeller scars inthe upper Laguna Madre.

New navigational signs in thewater between the JFK Causeway and

Pita Island will identify deep-waterlanes where boats can run whileavoiding the shallow water whereseagrass grows.

Outside of the boat lanes in theshallow water, boaters are asked to“lift, drift, pole and troll” to protectseagrass: Drift into the shallows, liftyour propeller, pole to get from placeto place or use a trolling motor to getaround.

Using the newly marked boatlanes in the upper Laguna Madre isvoluntary. About 10 miles of laneswill be marked, protecting about5,000 acres of seagrass beds.

Partners in the seagrass conserva-tion project with The NatureConservancy include the U.S. Fishand Wildlife Service, the CoastalConservation Association, theCoastal Bend Bays and EstuariesProgram, and Texas Parks andWildlife and its Seagrass WorkingGroup.A Nature Conservancy Report.

Coalition out to expandFarm Bill programs

Agriculture and Wildlife Working Group lists priorities

Pilot project to protect seagrass for sport fish

DU meets with agriculture

officialsU.S. Department of Agriculture

Secretary Mike Johanns, after aMarch 15 meeting with represen-tatives of Ducks Unlimited to dis-cuss challenges faced by agricul-tural conservation programs,directed the Farm Service Agencyto ensure that rental rates for CRPare on a level playing field andreflect the current land rentalmarket.

“We wanted to be sure that theSecretary and the White Houseknew of the science proving theeffectiveness of CRP for wildlifeand the risks to wildlife involvedwith the consequences of biofuelsdriving up rural land prices,” saidDon Young, DU’s Executive VicePresident. “We urged the admin-istration to ensure a level playingfield by keeping the funds offeredto farmers for CRP participationcompetitive with other marketfactors.”

A DU report.

Signs to show access lanes for boats

Page 6 � March 23, 2007

HUNTING

By John N. Felsher

The guide, the hunter and histeen-aged son cautiouslyapproached about 15 of the mean-est and most ornery critters outsideof grizzly country.

“Keep low and quiet,” saidShaine Nixon of World SlamOutfitters in Throckmorton. “Thehogs are about 80 yards in frontand quartering away from us. Theydon’t know we’re here.”

They moved forward a few feetbefore the teenager squeezed off ashot. The heavy bullet smashedthrough the side a 150-pound sow,dropping her instantly. The othersscattered.

Many people consider feral hogs,wild domestic swine, among themost vicious beasts in NorthAmerica. Bristling with sharptusks, a wild boar can inflict seriousinjuries. With a tough coarse hidecovering a thick “shield” of hard-ened flesh draped around its headand shoulders, an adult boar fearsnothing.

“All wild animals have the poten-tial of being dangerous, especiallywhen wounded or cornered,”wrote Rick Taylor in “The Feral Hogin Texas,” a Texas Parks andWildlife publication. “In a naturalstate, feral hogs prefer to run andescape danger. Extreme cautionshould be maintained when track-ing wounded animals or encoun-

Wild hogs often takehunt into the thickets

‘The hogs don’t generallycome to you. So you have to

go to them.’ — JOHN MCWILLIAM

When stalkinghogs, look for

signs, stay quiet

DANGEROUS DUTY: Hunters stalk into the wind and zigzag through available cover when stalking wild hogs. John McWilliam shows the result of a hog stalk, where hecrawled 100 yards on his hands and knees through thick brush to take the animal.See HOGS, Page 17

Few and far betweenSpring snow goose season slow; birds here and gone

ATTENTION-GETTER: A spring goose hunter flags while trying to work birds in Northeast Texas. Photo by David J. Sams.

By Craig Nyhus

The Texas Light GooseConservation Order season wasshort, if at all, in most of thestate.

Gene Miller, regional biolo-gist with Texas Parks andWildlife in the Panhandle, saidthere hasn’t been much activi-ty. “There have been a fewsnows around, but if there’s anyhunting going on, we haven’theard about it, and we’re all bighunters.”

A few Panhandle huntersreported some success. “In earlyFebruary, it looked real good,and then they were gone,” saidTerry Cook with Straight LineOutfitters. “A week later, eitherthey came back or some newbirds showed up. We had onegood hunt with five hunterstaking 71 birds, with a lot ofbirds coming to the decoys. Itwas one of those fluke huntsthat come along.”

Cook, who vacationed inColorado in late February, saidhunters he spoke with therereported excellent hunts.

Along the Texas coast, thesnows moved out early as well.

Brian Davenport with Fin andFowl Outfitters hunts thecoastal prairies. “We had a fewgood hunts early in theConservation season,” he said.“Some groups took 35 to 40birds, some others 10 to 12.Then the birds went north andeast.”

Davenport said east of theSabine River in Louisiana washolding late snows. “But wewere done several weeks ago.”

Near Matagorda, the springseason suffered. “We had guys

‘There havebeen a few snows

around, but ifthere’s any

hunting goingon, we haven’t

heard about it ...’— Gene Miller

See SNOWS, Page 17

March 23, 2007 � Page 7

CALL FOR A DEALER NEAR YOU — 817-723-1463CALL FOR A DEALER NEAR YOU — 817-723-1463

East Texas 903.692.2725

West Texas 325.659.1555

www.badboybuggiesoftexas.comBrush Country

1.888.631.6789 DFW

817.528.8002Hill Country

830.214.0144Houston

281.392.4609Texoma

469.693.5412

By Craig Nyhus

Texas’ first spring alligator season begins April 1. The new private-property-only season will allow one alligator

per hunter only in areas outside of the traditional alligator-hunt-ing zone.

The season will not take place in the 22 “core counties” wherethe fall alligator season takes place.

“We expect most of the hunting to be in Montgomery andFort Bend counties,” said Monique Slaughter, a biologist withTexas Parks and Wildlife. “The counties south of VictoriaCounty — which is a core county — also have expanded popula-tions, and we expect some hunting there, as well as in the resacasin the Valley.”

The American alligator was on the verge of extinction inTexas, and became a protected species in 1969. After the reptiles’comeback, it was removed from the endangered species list in1985.

Now, the population is expanding, as well as alligator habitat.“Some of these areas are developing so fast, and we are receivinga lot of nuisance calls,” Slaughter said. “We hope the spring sea-son helps curtail the nuisance calls, and it also provides addi-tional hunting opportunities.”

The spring season allows hunting during the breeding period,when the alligators are most active.

The alligator range has extended northward at least as far asHenderson County near Athens. “We think there are between600 and 800 alligators on our property,” said Jodie Thompson,who fishes and hunts at Coon Creek Club in Henderson County.

“We have 10 to 15 avid alligator hunters, but I’m not sure howmany will hunt this spring.”

The spring season also relaxes the rules, and will permithunters to shoot an alligator in open water, as opposed to catch-ing the gator with bait, hauling it in, and then shoot it at closerange. “They can free-swim shoot them,” Slaughter said. “But wedon’t recommend it since the retrieval success is lower.

“Also, the hunters don’t need a tag before they go on the hunt,but would need the hide to receive their tag after the animal isharvested.”

Thompson agreed. “Shooting them off the water isn’t a goodidea if you have conservation in mind,” he said.

Officials aren’t sure how much interest there will be in pursu-ing the spring gators. “I haven’t heard of anyone going out,” said

Amos Cooper, a Parks and Wildlife biologist. “Most of the peoplethat hunt them in the fall aren’t planning to hunt them thisspring. There’s not much of a market for the hides this time ofyear.”

The hunters at Coon Creek will use the traditional method.“We put a bamboo pole in the sawgrass, attach metal wire andclothesline clips which hold a 800-pound wire leader,”Thompson said. “We use a monster hook and rotten chicken asbait, and hang the bait about 12 inches above the water, so thesmall ones can’t take it.”

Thompson, who’s license plate reads “G8RMAN”, has bow-hunted gators, and has called them in as well. “You act andsound like a dog and splash in the water to draw them in. Gatorshate dogs — or love them — depending how you look at it.”

Gaming for

’gators

COMING AT YOU: For the first time, spring hunters will be able to bring in some alligator hides. Photo by David J. Sams.

Hunters set to spring into a new season

Page 8 � March 23, 2007

FISHING

On the fly – Texas style

HOOKED ON A THRILL: Phil Shook fights with a bass on Purtis Creek Lake. Fly-fishing Texas waters takes a technique different from tackling trout, but the objective is the same — to land a beauty. Photo byDavid J. Sams.

By Diana Kunde

ach time she staffs a fishing-showbooth for the Federation of Fly Fishers(FFF), Sheryl Knight gets this question:

“Where do you fly-fish in Texas?”The query comes from folks who learned

fly-fishing on a western trout stream. Tothem, fly-fishing equals trout, period —maybe on a Montana vacation once a year.

Well, get over it. You’re in Texas now,“I always say I’m not a fish snob, said

Knight, who is president of the FFF’s

Southern Council. “If there’s a wet spot, I’llfish it.”

Texas is full of wet spots, and with springbass season getting into full swing, theangling opportunities for fly-fishers areboundless. The thrills are at least equivalent,say veteran fly rod anglers.

The technique, though, is different — andbears getting used to if your idea of a great fly-fishing experience is a four-weight rod withthe lightest possible tippet on a mountainstream.

Rob Woodruff of Quitman guides fly-fisherson Lake Fork and on smaller East Texas lakes.

The casting style for bass isn’t that different,he said — but weight and distance requiresome adapting.

“We’re fishing to the shore,” Woodruffsaid. “You’re not having to deal with the cur-rent, but instead having to deal with thelength of your cast. A lot don’t have highlyhoned accuracy as far as distance.”

Setting the hook is another key difference,experts said. “When you’re talking about asize-two hook and a bass with a bony struc-tured mouth, you generally do a strip set,pulling with your line hand,” said Tim

Lone Star anglers tout technique for hooking up with bass thrills

E

WINNING WAYS: Bassmaster Elite Series rookie pro Derek Remitz celebrates after bringing in a four-day total of 111pounds, 7 ounces to claim the “Battle on the Border” championship. Photo by James Overstreet/ESPN Outdoors.

‘Battle on the Border’

Rookie Remitz casts way to top after 37th-place first-day finishOnly 24 years old and a Bassmaster

Elite Series rookie, pro Derek Remitzbested 107 of the world’s best anglerson March 11 by winning theBassmaster Elite Series “Battle on theBorder” with a four-day total of 111pounds, 7 ounces.

Remitz won the season-openingevent on Lake Amistad by nearly eightpounds over 2006 Bassmaster Angler ofthe Year Mike Iaconelli, who finishedsecond with 103 pounds, 11 ounces.

Iaconelli and Remitz were two of fouranglers to post a four-day total weightof more than 100 pounds.

For all four days of competition,Remitz worked a 3/4-ounce Omega

football jig on flats next to underwaterbluffs.

He said he found eight or nine pro-ductive areas during practice and exclu-sively fished those areas during thecompetition.

Remitz quietly moved up the leader-board after finishing in 37th place onthe first day of competition.

He posted three consecutive limitsweighing more than 29 pounds. Hisfinal-day weight of 31 pounds, 6ounces was the heaviest.

He earned $100,000 with the win,doubling his total BASS earnings. Therookie qualified for the 2007 Elite Series

See FLY-FISHING, Page 19

See REMITZ, Page 19

LURES GALORE: An assortment of poppingbugs are popular for bass.

March 23, 2007 � Page 9

LARRY SINGLEY817-992-9122866-992-9122

TOLL FREE

STORAGE CONTAINERSNew & Used

OCEAN FREIGHT CONTAINERS, INC. ARLINGTON, TX

A new and unique format, a first-place prize of$250,000, increased spectator involvement, andentertainment from top artists. With this formula,the Toyota Texas Bass Classic to be held April 13-15 has attracted a top-level field of 160 pro-fessional anglers.

“Our goal for thistournament is to createa premier fishing eventthat will support TexasParks and Wildlife’syouth fishing and out-reach programs. It isalso a tremendous wayto celebrate Lake Fork’s25th anniversary,” saidDan Friedkin, TexasParks and Wildlife com-missioner.

The concept of thetournament began lastyear when pro anglerKelly Jordan of Mineolafished Lake Fork with TPWCommissioner DonatoRamos, and discussedhow to hold a pro tourna-ment at Lake Fork with itsslot-limit requirements.Ramos contactedFriedkin, and the eventdeveloped.

The 160 contestants, allof whom are qualifiedmembers of theProfessional AnglersAssociation, will bearranged in four-manteams for the tourna-ment’s first two days onFriday and Saturday, withfive of those teams qualifying for the finals on thetournament’s third day. The four-man teams willconsist of two pairs of anglers, one pair fishing inone boat for four hours each morning and theother pair in the afternoon.

In the Toyota Texas Bass Classic, all fish caughtabove 14 inches will be weighed and the topfive caught each day credited to each angler. Fish

falling within the slot limit will be weighed in theboat by a certified and independent observer,then returned to the lake immediately.Contestants will be allowed to keep one fish larg-

er than 24 inches,which will be weighedat the dockside weigh-in scales, then turnedover to Texas Parks andWildlife for proper han-dling.

“Normally, tourna-ments on slot limit lakesturn into large-fishcompetitions becausethe slot limit minimizesfor all practical purpos-es the effect of enteringmultiple fish,” saidGene Ellison of thePAA. “In this tourna-ment, having the inde-pendent certified

observer on each boatand weighing the fish inthe boat means that eachcontestant will be able tohave five fish of varioussizes count towards theircompetitive total. We feelthis is the future of howfish will be handled intournaments across thecountry.”

The tournament’s for-mat is designed to appealto spectators, and includeskids activities, live musicand a Jumbotron showingcontinuous action to theaudience. While half ofthe anglers are on the

water fishing, the other anglers will be givingclinics, signing autographs and interacting withthe public.

The Toyota Texas Bass Classic is sanctioned bythe PAA with technical assistance and supportfrom TPW Inland Fisheries Division. Title sponsorfor the event is Toyota and the City of Lindale isthe official host city.

Culpepper brothers land tourney title

Brothers Jonathan and KrisCulpepper, of Houston, caught asix-redfish total weighing 45pounds, 14 ounces to win the Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series WesternDivision event in Lafitte, La., and$25,000.

“It took 700 miles over threedays, but we feel like we’ve reallyaccomplished something now,”said Kris Culpepper, who notched awin in 2006 at Port Aransas. “It’sgood to be one of the few guys withmultiple wins.”

The Culpepper brothers made arun of 115 miles west each day to aspot near Morgan City, La. Theteam targeted submerged marsh

islands and caught their fish onboth black and white 4-inchBerkley Gulp! Shaky Shad.

“We didn’t catch a lot of fish,”Kris Culpepper said. “The fish wefound in the duck ponds in clearwater were skinny, as well. So weabandoned that game plan and westarted blind casting.

This time of year you have a lot ofunstable weather, so we wanted tobe in a place where we felt comfort-able.”

Mike Patterson and Brett Phillips,both of Rockport, finished secondwith six redfish weighing 43pounds, 14 ounces.A FLW report.

WAL-MART FLW REDFISH SERIESShareLunkers

ADVERTISEMENT

Toyota Texas Bass Classic format announced

Angler of the Year Mike Iaconelli will fish the Texas ToyotaBass Class in April.

NO. 430: Nine-year-old Jesse Roberson of Goldthwaitecaught this 15.54-pound bass on a plastic crawfish from aprivate lake in the area on March 9. The fish was 27.125inches long and 21.5 inches in girth. Holding the fish isJesse’s father, Jim Roberson.

NO. 431: Dennis Weaver of Seguin caught this 14.478-pound largemouth bass from Choke Canyon ReservoirMarch 10. The fish was 26 inches long and 21.125inches in girth.

NO. 432: Michael Gray of Murphy landed this 15.32-poundbass on a white tube jig from Lake Fork on March 10. Thefish was 26.75 inches long and 22.5 inches in girth.

NO. 433: Oklahoman David Reavis traveled to Lake Fork tocatch this 13.24-pound largemouth March 10. The fishwas 24.25 inches long and 21 inches in girth.

BROTHERLY SMILES: Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series Western Division champsJonathan and Kris Culpepper took home $25,000 in winnings. Photo by FLW.

Friday, April 13 (FREE ADMISSION) Sponsor Expo & Family Fun Zone 7 AM - 5:30 PMFlight 1 Weigh-In 11:30 AM - 1 PMFlight 2 Weigh-In 4 PM - 5:30 PM

Saturday, April 14 (FREE ADMISSION) Sponsor Expo & Family Fun Zone 7AM - 6:30 PMFlight 1 Weigh-In 11:30 AM - 1 PMFlight 2 Weigh-In 4 PM - 5:30 PMLive concerts 1:30 PM - 3:30 PMLive concert with Clay Walker 5:30 PM

Sunday, April 15 (FREE ADMISSION) Sponsor Expo & Family Fun Zone 7 AM - 6:30 PMFlight 1 Weigh-In 11:30 PM - 1 PMFlight 2 Weigh-In 4 PM - 5:30 PMAwards Ceremony following Weigh-InLive concerts 1:30 PM - 3:30 PMLive concert with Tracy Lawrence 5:30 PM - 7 PM

WARDENS LOCATE MANIN A STICKY SITUATION

•Brewster County GameWarden Ray Spears assisted theAlpine Police Departmentsearch for a subject who called911 for help stating he was lost.He said he was intoxicated andgot lost when he left a local barand decided to walk to Sul RossUniversity. The man decided totake a shortcut back to the uni-versity and got lost in the darkin a pasture and fell onto a cac-tus. Responding officers wereable to locate the man in thedark by his screams as he lay onthe cactus. The man was trans-ported by ambulance to the BigBend Regional Hospital inAlpine.

AUTHORITIES RESCUE BOATERS IN 60 MPH WINDS

•Hood County Game WardenDanny Tuggle was contacted bythe Hood County Sheriff’sOffice about a boat on LakeGranbury that was in danger ofcapsizing in nearly 60 mphwinds. Tuggle and Brazos RiverAuthority Lake Ranger AllenGreer responded by boat toassist. The officers found fourteen-agers in a 12-foot Jon boatwith only paddles and a manand two small children in a pad-dleboat. All subjects werereturned to shore wet but safe.

CITATIONS FLOW IN WHITE BASS RUN

•Anderson County GameWarden Mike Pike and LeonCounty Game Wardens DannyFlores and Dwight Myers haveissued numerous citations onthe upper Navasota River inLimestone County where astrong white bass run is inprogress.

WARDENS SIZE UP SITUATIONWITH FILINGS

•Galveston County GameWardens JimBob VanDyke andAntone Jackson filed on threeindividuals for being in posses-sion of 28 undersize redfish, 1undersize spotted trout, 4undersize black drum, and 4undersize flounder. Casespending.

WARDENS RING UP CHARGESIN $50 DEER SALE

•Hardin County Game WardenMike Boone received a call froman informant stating a personwas attempting to sell a white-tailed deer that had been killedthe previous night. Boone,along with Jefferson CountyGame Warden Kirk Jenkins,responded to the man’s resi-dence and noticed blood splat-ter on the porch. The manreturned to his residence andthe wardens began interview-ing him. They were able toobtain statements that threewhite-tailed deer had been shotover two nights and one sold for$50 to a local store owner.Several charges have been filedwith cases pending.

ROADWAY VARMINT HUNTERSCAUGHT IN THE ACT

•Hunt County Game WardenDale Waters and Dallas CountyGame Warden Gary Millerworked a varmint hunt. Theycaught one vehicle huntingfrom the roadway. Three menwere in the back of the pickupand the wife of one of the menwas driving the truck. Theywould drive down the countyroad, call, spotlight and moveon.

ANGLERS REEL IN FISHING VIOLATIONS

•Williamson County WardenBrad Guinn was patrolling theGranger Lake area for fishingviolations when he observedtwo men fishing. When he gotto the men, one moved awayfrom the fishing poles. WhenGuinn made contact, the manhad no fishing license. After theman denied fishing, Guinnexplained he had been watch-ing them. The man also had

outstanding warrants for failureto pay child support in TravisCounty. The man was arrested,but when Guinn tried to turnthe vehicle over to his friend, hediscovered the friend did nothave a valid driver’s license, sothe vehicle had to be towed.Cases pending.

MEN ON LAKE BANK LAND DRUG CHARGES

•Warden Derek Iden ofAtascosa County, while check-ing fishermen at Calaveras Lakein South Bexar County, madecontact with two men in a truckat the bank of the lake. Bothmen were intoxicated, and Idenarrested them for felony posses-sion of cocaine and misde-meanor possession of marijua-na. They were booked into theBexar County Jail. One manhad several priors for sellingcocaine, resisting arrest, sexualoffenses and weapons charges.

WARDEN HOOKS PAROLE VIOLATOR

•Galveston County GameWarden Kevin Webb arrestedtwo men for trespassing onposted property and fishingwithout a license. One of themen was found to have a war-rant issued for his arrest for aparole violation on a felonyDUI conviction. He was placedinto custody and transported tothe Galveston County Jail.Cases pending.

SUSPECTED POACHER BAGGING CRYSTAL

•Ellis County Game WardenJeff Powell recognized a pickupdriven by a suspected poacherwith TPW warrants for deerhunting violations. The driverwas identified and placed incustody for the warrants. The

passenger became very nerv-ous, and a search revealed sixsmall bags of crystal methinside his drink cup. Variousother drug paraphernalia werefound in the truck. The passen-ger was also wanted on TexasCrime Information Center war-rants. Multiple charges arepending.

HIDDEN BOAT NUMBERREVEALS THEFT

•Washington County GameWarden Alan Lee and WallerCounty Game Warden KevinGlass seized a boat, motor andtrailer in Washington County.The boat had its HIN numberremoved, and the Yamahamotor had the cowling decalsstripped and replaced withSuzuki decals. The hidden boatnumber revealed the boat wasstolen out of Harris County.

ATV DRIVERS RIDE STRAIGHT INTO 16 CITATIONS

•Montgomery County GameWardens Brannon Meinkowskyand Dean Fitzpatrick patrolledSpring Creek near Spring onATVs for freshwater area viola-tors on ATVs. During threehours of patrolling, the war-dens issued 16 citations to ATVdrivers for operating ATVs inSpring Creek. A number ofoperaters were warned aboutoperating in the prohibited area(within the gradient boundary)due to a “water or wet sand”rule that is in place.

MEXICO VESSEL IN TEXAS WATERS NETS TROUBLE

•Starr County Game WardenJohn Palacios, Zapata CountyGame Warden Martin Oviedoand La Salle County GameWarden Ryan Johnson werepatrolling Falcon Lake for fish-ing and water safety law viola-

tions when they observed acommercial fishing vessel fromMexico in Texas waters. Theymade contact with this vesseland apprehended two menfrom Mexico fishing illegally inTexas waters. One boat andmotor and approximately 300feet of illegal gill net wereseized.

DEER CARCASSES DUMPED WITH PERMITS ATTACHED

•Live Oak County GameWardens Carlos Riojas and ClayPipkin discovered a pair of deerwith the heads cut off on a backstreet in George West. The per-sons dumping the carcasses leftMLD permits attached to thedeer. Waste of game chargespending.

MAN FISHING ON PRIVATE RANCHTHOUGHT OWNER WOULDN’T MIND•Tarrant County Game WardenChelle Mount contacted anindividual fishing on a privateranch in Tarrant County. Theman said he had no idea whoowned the property, but wouldhave asked permission if heknew who owned the property.He said he was sure if he keptthe property clean the ownerwould not mind him fishing.Mount, working with thelandowner, issued a citation forfishing without landowner con-sent. Case pending.

SACKS OF OYSTERS, BUT WRONG PLACE — GO STRAIGHT TO JAIL

•Chambers County GameWarden John Feist heard an oys-ter boat unloading, but wasunable to get to the location. Hecalled Galveston County GameWarden Robert Waggett andHarris County Game WardenKevin Mitchell for assistance.The wardens were able to locatethe boat, which was oysteringin a restricted area. The captainwas taken to jail and confessedto unloading earlier oysters thatwere taken from this samerestricted area. Fifteen sackswere returned to the reef. Casepending.

Page 10 � March 23, 2007

NAME

ADDRESS

CITY ST. ZIP

EMAIL

PHONE

� PLEASE RENEW MY SUBSCRIPTION� MASTER CARD � VISA � AMERICAN EXPRESS

CC# EXP.

SIGNATURE

NAME

ADDRESS

CITY ST. ZIP

SEND A SUBSCRIPTION TO A FRIEND

ISSUES FOR

DELIVERED TO YOUR MAILBOX

FOR ONE YEAR

032307

032307

MAIL TO: Lone Star OutdoorNews,

9304 Forest Lane, Ste. 114South,

Dallas, TX 75243FAX TO: (214) 368-0344

orFor Fastest Service, Call Toll-Free at

(866) 361-2276 or visit www.lonestaroutdoornews.com

Welcome to

Lone Star Outdoor News Texas’ Premier Outdoor Newspaper

We’re publishing twice a month so we can bring you the verybest of the Texas outdoors. And hunters and anglers by thescores are sending us their thank-yous, comments and sub-scriptions.

Every issue, we’ll bring you some of the state’s best outdoorphotography and stories. You’ll read about big game hunting,waterfowling, upland bird hunting, freshwater fishing acrossthe state and saltwater fishing all up and down the TexasCoast. Plus, you’ll get national news … conservation updates… weather report … wild game and fish recipes … and thelatest breaking news from state and federal wildlife agencies.

We Want toDeliver OurNewspaper

to You!

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

24

$25

You won’t want to miss a single issue

•Parker County GameWarden Randall Hayes investi-gated a hunting accidentinvolving two juveniles whohad been hunting from the

roadway at night. Followingthe hunting excursion, thepassenger in the vehicle wasattempting to unload a leveraction .30-30 rifle when it dis-

charged, striking the driver inthe inside heel of the left foot.The juveniles said they hadbeen hunting coyotes fromthe roadway.

COYOTE HUNTER SHOT IN FOOTGAME WARDEN BLOTTER

March 23, 2007 � Page 11

Turner recalled when a decoydeer was set out in the program’searly years on a road nearInterstate 45 in Houston.

“I was afraid there would be toomuch traffic for anyone to chanceshooting it,” he said. “Between 9in the morning and the nextevening, the decoy was shot 76times. One of the poachers was alawyer on his way to Houston. Hestopped his Mercedes, got a gunout of the trunk and shot it. Somepeople, they see horns and theygotta shoot.”

And for 26 years, OperationGame Thief has been around tohelp capture many of them.

More than 28,000 calls havebeen made to the program’s 24-hour hotline (1-800-792-GAME).Almost $200,000 has been paid totipsters, who can remain anony-mous and claim a reward of up to$1,000, and the state’s assessednearly $1.2 million in fines againstguilty parties.

Operation Game Thief’s earlyyears, however, were a struggle.

Three organizations — theDallas Safari Club, the HoustonSafari Club and the Port AransasRod and Reel Club — stepped upfinancially to help the program,which receives no state funding,get off the ground.

“The Dallas Safari Club hasalways supported their mission,”said Gray Thornton, DSC’s execu-

tive director. “Poachers steal fromall of us, whether it’s someonepopping a deer over a fence, a ringin South Texas taking huge deerout of the gene pool or a guy onthe coast netting redfish stock.Poachers give hunting and fishinga bad name.”

Operation Game Thief wasstarted to help trap thieves tryingto “commercialize” game fishalong the Texas coast, Turner said.The program gave sportsmen amechanism to aid law enforce-ment.

“It immediately became thevital link between the recreatingpublic and our game wardens,”Turner said. “And it’s evolved intoa stronger partnership every year.”

Calls to the program’s hotlinego through TPW’s law enforce-ment division, then to individualgame wardens. More than tips aresupplied, though. Money from itsfundraisers also ensure game war-dens are properly equipped.

“It not only gets the publicinvolved in apprehending viola-tors, it purchases equipment wewouldn’t be able to get other-wise,” said Col. Pete Flores.“Thanks to it, we have side-scansonars.

“It’s a sophisticated piece ofequipment that not only helps uslocate illegal fishing devices, butalso the bodies of people who havedrowned. We greatly appreciatethe program’s support.”

Operation Game Thief largelyended so-called market hunting.

However, fish thieves periodi-

cally still try to get rich illegally.Turner recalled breaking up a ringworking at Lake Texoma. It hiredanglers, including undercovergame wardens, to catch stripersthat pooled near the dam therewhen the flood gates were openedand baitfish poured through.

More than 900 cases weremade, including the snagging of aDallas market.

“A thousand pounds of striperswere delivered to the market onSaturday afternoon,” Turner said.“We went back Sunday morningso we could get the sellers and thebuyers and all the store had leftwas fish heads. It was an eye-opener for me to see that level oftrafficking.”

Although rewards are offered,many callers aren’t after money.

“What’s interesting to me isthat while about half the peoplewho call in ask for a reward, of thepeople who give us enough infor-mation to make a case, less thanhalf ask for a reward,” Turner said.“They tell us they just want to seethe dirty so-and-sos caught.Typically, they’re more emphaticthan that.”

Sometimes callers simply wantrevenge against a poacher, Turnersaid.

The most unique motive,though, goes to a woman whoused Operation Game Thief tostage an intervention of sorts andturned in her husband.

“She said, ‘I can’t go on like this— maybe this will help turn himaround,’” Turner recalled.

Page 12 � March 23, 2007

L O C ATED ON THE COLORADO RIVER IN MATAG O R DA

(979) 863-114 3 • (9 7 9 ) 47 9 - 5 4 5 5

f u l l s t r i n g e r l o d g e . c o m • c a s s a d y @ a i r m a i l . n e t

YourEscape from the Ordinary!

Come experience the finest coastal

hospitality in our well-appointed lodge —

perfect for family reunions, meetings,

corporate retreats or simply a gathering

with good friends, with plans to fit every

taste, from full-service to self-service.

INSHORE AND OFFSHORE FISHING • HUNTING

K AYAKING • BIRDING • SURFING • MORE

GUIDEDHUNTS REAL ESTATE

LLOONNEE SSTTAARR OOUUTTDDOOOORR NNEEWWSS RREEAACCHHEESS AA QQUUAARRTTEERR--MMIILLLLIIOONN RREEAADDEERRSS AACCRROOSSSS TTEEXXAASS..

SSHHOOWW TTHHEEMM YYOOUURR CCLLAASSSSIIFFIIEEDD AADD..Call (866) 361-2276

or e-mail: classifieds@lonestaroutdoornews.com

PoachingContinued from Page 1

plenty of water and get the atten-tion of any nearby fish.

In years past, some of the moresuccessful ‘old salts’ knew how toseductively wobble a gold or silverspoon just below the water’s surface.

While spoons will still accom-plish the task, there are a variety ofmodern baits that are even moreeffective for this type of fishing.

“With our swim jig, you can bend

the blade to make it do differentthings,” said lure designer LonnieStanley of Stanley Lures. “If youbend it forward just a bit, it willcome up and run about 2 inchesunder the surface. When it doesthat, not only does it wobble fromside to side, like a spoon, but it cre-ates a big V-wake on the surface.

“Plus, you’ve got the swimmingaction of the trailer. We’ve had peo-ple from Texas to Florida just tearingup redfish running that swim baitjust under the surface.”

Other anglers have taken to mod-ifying existing plugs to fit this

niche. “One of my favorite lures for red-

fish is a Cordell broken-back(Redfin),” said mid-coast guide andtournament angler Capt. JimmieDooms. “But what I do is removethe broken-back section and placethe hook onto the eye where the tailwas.

“It makes the bait shorter and alsocauses it to really move from side toside when you bring it in. I’ve seenredfish come with their eyeballs outof the water to climb on top of thatplug.”

Of course, as most Texas coastal

fishermen know, soft-plasticsaccount for more fish than anyother type of artificial lure. Andthere is absolutely no reason soft-plastic aficionados can’t ‘wake’ theirfavorite baits as well.

“I like using big, paddle-tail soft-plastics like the 5-inch WedgetailMinnow,” said Baffin Bay guideCapt. Jim Onderdonk. “You canreally use that bait on a straightretrieve. And, the thing is, that bigtail actually causes it to swim up. So,you can work it really slow in shal-low water.

“When it is moving just under the

surface, the wake makes it look justlike a finger mullet swimmingthrough the water. And, the vibra-tion helps fish find it when thewater’s not that clear.”

Whether it’s a traditional spoon,new-breed blade bait, favorite plugor a super-sized soft-plastic, virtual-ly any lure with a swimming motioncan be used to cause a surface distur-bance in shallow water.

And, when the spring windsblow, coastal anglers are welladvised to try a new technique and‘wake up’ the fish.

WakeContinued from Page 1

CASTING THE FLATS: When the waters are cloudy, anglers turn to ‘wake baits’ to attract fish. Photo by David J. Sams.

March 23, 2007 � Page 13

Page 14 � March 23, 2007

March 23, 2007 � Page 15

March 24: Amateur callersonly Turkey Calling Contestat Cabela’s in Fort Worthat 2 p.m., with registrationat the store from 9 a.m.until noon. Jakes divisionfor girls and boys under17, Hen division for ladies 17 or older, andGobbler division for men and women 18 orover. Great prizes! Call the store at (817) 337-2400 for more information.

March 27: The Texoma Chapter NWTF banquetwill be held at TanglewoodResort. For tickets andinformation, contact TomAkins at (903) 464-4442or takins@cityofdenison.com.

March 27: The UvaldeGuajolotes Chapter NWTFdinner will be held atUvalde Country Club. Contact Brad Farr at(830) 592-0742 for information.

March 28: The WestHouston DU chapter dinnerwill be held at ChateauCrystale at 2517 SouthGessner in Houston. Fortickets and information, callOliver Aldrich at (713) 464-9111 or e-mail oaldrich@sbcglobal.net.

March 29: The University of Texas DU banquetwill be held at Saengerrunde Hall in Austin.Call Dustin at (512) 470-8481 or e-mailcroberts@ducks.org for information.

March 29: The Colorado Valley CCA Chapterbanquet will be held at the KC Hall in LaGrange. For information, call (800) 626-4222or e-mail ccatx@ccatexas.org.

March 29: The Dallas DU Chapter’s 1st AnnualDU Raffle Night will be held at Eddie Deen’sRanch. For tickets and information, contactAndrea Hight at (214) 402-4197.

March 29: The Guadalupe County LongbeardsNWTF banquet will be held at the SeguinGuadalupe County Coliseum. For tickets and

information, contact Raul Davila at (830) 660-0074 or e-mail rdavilajr@sbcglobal.net.

March 29: The Palo Pinto County NWTFbanquet will be held at the Palo Pinto CountySheriffs Posse in Mineral Wells. Call RandyFornby at (940) 325-1542 for information.

March 30, 31: The Spring Challengebassfishingworld.com tournament will be heldat Sam Rayburn Reservoir. Entry fee is $80 perteam. For information visitwww.bassfishingworld.com or e-mailbassfishingworld@aol.com.

March 30: The MainlandCCA Chapter banquet willbe held at the NeslerCenter in Texas City. Forinformation, call (800)626-4222 or e-mailccatx@ccatexas.org.

March 30: The Pampa DU dinner will be heldat the Pampa Chamber of Commerce. Fortickets and information, call Brad Childress at(806) 663-9616 or e-mail jwhite@ducks.org.

March 30: The Hemphill DU dinner will beheld at Hemphill VFW Hall. Contact JonSchillings at (409) 787-3102 or jschillings@shelbysavingsbank.com for information.

March 31: The Sabine DU Annual Spring Shootwill be held at the Orange Gun Club. Five-manteams or individual shooters may participate.Contact Bill Mellow at (409) 313-2565 orlynsan@sabinetitle.com for information or toregister.

March 31: The Rice Belt DU Clay Shoot will beheld at 3 Amigos Sporting Range in El Campo.

Contact Curtis Molinar at (979) 332-8803 forinformation.

March 31: The 2 of Us Couples Tournamentswill hold its tournament at Lake Texoma,Lighthouse Marina. Entry fee is $70. Call (972)754-2458 or visit www.fishingworld.com/TwoofUs for information.

March 31: The Delta Waterfowl Symposium willbe held at Cabela’s in FortWorth from noon to 4:30p.m. Five speakers,including Delta WaterfowlPresident Rob Olson, willprovide information onducks, nests and duckproduction. Forinformation, visitwww.deltawaterfowl.org or call Matt Reitzell at(817) 714-3172 or Dennis Anderson at (817)291-5209.

March 31: Brazos River fly-fishing guide AndyMoreau will give a presentation at the DallasOrvis store. For information, call (214) 265-1600 or visit www.orvis.com.

April 3: The Hays County DU banquet will beheld at the Painted Horse Pavilion in Buda. Fortickets or information, contact Travis Hightowerat (512) 753-9448 or super_red_tx@yahoo.com.

April 5: The Corpus Christi CCA banquet will beheld at Bay Front Plaza. Call (800) 626-4222for information.

April 5: The Huellas/Cameron County ChapterNWTF dinner will be held at the Wild HorseSaloon in Brownsville. For tickets andinformation, contact Sam Manatt at (956) 541-5888 or fiveamigostx@sbcglobal.net.

April 5: The South Plains NWTF banquet willbe held at The Koko Place in Lubbock. CallMarty Sansom at (806) 789-6824 forinformation.

April 6-8: The Splash Dog Dock JumpingChallenge will take place at Bass Pro Shops inGrapevine. For times and information, visitwww.basspro.com or call (972) 724-2018.

April 7: The Dripping Springs Roost NWTFdinner will be held at Stone Mountain inDripping Springs. For tickets and information,contact Heather Ruiz at (512) 787-5129 orhruiz@austin.rr.com.

April 12: The Abilene Intercollegiate DUbanquet will be held at Lytle Bend Ranch. Fortickets and information, contact Kyle Onken at(281) 636-2748 or e-mail croberts@ducks.org.

April 12: The Texas A&M CCA banquet will beheld at the Brazos Center. Call (800) 626-4222for information.

April 12: The Rio Grande Valley CCA banquet willbe held at the Pharr Convention Center. Call(800) 626-4222 for information.

April 14: The Hood County Hooters NWTFbanquet will be held at De Cordova Bend. CallLee Overstreet at (817) 573-7700 forinformation.

April 14: The Wichita Falls NWTF dinner will beheld at the Knights of Columbus. Call GibbyGibson at (940) 855-1885for information.

April 14: The Dallas SafariClub Texoma Fishing Tripwill take place at LakeTexoma. Call (972) 980-9800 for information.

April 14-15: The secondannual Budweiser Duck Jam will be held at WolfPen Creek Amphitheatre in College Station.Bands include The Randy Rogers Band andReckless Kelly. Tickets are $20 in advance, andproceeds benefit Ducks Unlimited wetlandprojects. For information, visitwww.budweiserduckjam.com or e-mail CodyRoberts at croberts@ducks.org.

CLASSIFIEDS

1982 JeepScrambler:5 speed, re-movablehard top,Rhino linerfloors and truck bed, power steering andbrakes, air-conditioning, AM/FM CD player,fog lights, PIAA lights, bed lights, front- orrear- mounted 5K# winch with quickconnects. Don’t wait. Enjoy it this huntingseason. 117K miles. Call Anthony at (214)212-9292.

HUNTING VEHICLE! New Price $13,900

BASS FISHING1-4 — $750 EA.

5 & Up — $650 EA.9 Ponds • Room & Board

Boats & MotorsCatch 50-100 Fish/Day

Friday Noon - Sunday Noon

BBIILLLL WWHHIITTFFIIEELLDD221100--449944--66442211

WWWWWW..BBIILLLLWWHHIITTFFIIEELLDD..CCOOMM

OUTDOOR DATEBOOK

DOVES

QUAILFields — Water holes

Room and Board2-Day package

(940) 867-3223

HAVE AN EVENT? E-mail it to

editor@lonestaroutdoornews.com

Place your classified advertis-ing in the Lone Star OutdoorNews — reaching more than aquarter-million readers monthly— and experience the results ofa new look. The 2”x 2” classi-fied will get the attention nec-essary to say SOLD! $30 for twoeditions. Call (214) 361-2276.

NEW LOOK, BETTER RESULTS

3 1/2-INCH MAGNUM SHOTGUN: Remingtondescribes its new Super Magnum Max

Gobbler (Model 870) as a masterpiece oflong-range precision and shooting comfort.

The shotgun features a Knoxx SpecOps pistol-gripstock with an adjustable length-of-pull and state-of-the-art recoil-

dampening technology. Its 23-inch barrel is fitted with a William FireSights fiber-optic sight system. Available in Realtree APG HD camo, the shotgun costs about $800. For dealers, visit

www.remington.com or call (800) 243-9700.

Page 16 � March 23, 2007

PRODUCTS

STEALTH BOOT: Cabela’s Silent StalkSneaker boasts a Gore-Tex,Scent-Lok membrane forwaterproof and scent-blockingperformance. This huntingboot also features an updatedsole design that offersbetter traction anddampens sound as wearersstalk their prey. Made from900-denier nylon andleather uppers, the uninsulatedpair of boots weighs about 2.5pounds. Available in Mossy Oak Break-Up camouflage, the boots sell for $99.95 atCabela’s (www.cabelas.com).

A BETTER PREDATOR: Steinerannounces the newPredator C5 Series Binocularline for American biggame hunters. The seriesuses a new mirror andlens coating technologythat delivers higher lighttransmission and colorcontrast. The new series,offered in a 10x42 (315feet/1,000 yards) and a12x42 (276 feet/1,000yards) model, featuresshock and waterproofhousing to protect againstthe elements. Their “pistol-grip” checkered rubbersurface gives them asecure comfortable grip,even when wet. The newmodels cost about $700-$750. For information, call (800) 257-7742 or visit www.steiner-binoculars.com.

HUNTING KNIFE: Browninghas added the FalconSeries knives to itscollection of hunter-friendly blades. These integrallocking folding knives feature 3 1/4-inch AUS-8A stainless steel blades with asatin finish. They are available with stag(about $70) or walnut (about $60)handles. Both models have pocket clips. For retailers, visit www.browning.com orcall (800) 333-3288.

NO MORE BIRDNESTS: Angler, writer and inventor DougHannon (known as the “Bass Professor”) has introducedthe WaveCast Reel, a spinning reel designed to eliminateloops in the spool that lead to tangled line. The patented“wave” design works byallowing the line to skip frompeak to peak on each waveon the spool. Loops lieharmlessly down between thewaves and never engage the lineduring the casts, eliminatingsnatchback and birdnests.The WaveCast reel can beused with mono and super-braid lines. It has alightweight graphite bodyand rotor, stainless steelball bearings and amachined aluminumhandle. Its gear ratio is5.0:1. For information orto order, visitwww.wavecastsystem.com.

FLOATING PHONE:Anglers who can’tbear to be partedfrom their cellphones while theyare out on thewater mightappreciate theFlip-Phone Case byAquaPac. The caselets users take callsas they normallywould because thesound and signalpass through thematerial while theclear front and rear panelsalso allow for picture-taking.The case features foampadding and phones will float ifaccidentally dropped in the water.The case, which costs $35, alsokeeps dust and sand out. For dealers, visitwww.aquapac.net or call (866) 929-0639.

TAKES THE HEAT: Yamaha Marine Group hasadded a new warm-weather formula toits Yamalube line of engine oils,Yamalube 4-M 20W-40 FC-W. This oil’sheavier weight was formulatedto deliver improved start-upprotection and oil stability inwarmer climates plus superiorengine protection and wear resistancein high-load, high-heat conditions. Itis certified for 4-stroke enginetechnology. Its MSRP is $58.60 for acase of 12 quarts or $71 for a case offour gallons. For more information,call (800) 889-2624 or visitwww.yamahaoutboards.com.

EXTREME TRACTION: The new Shoat by Bite features arubber and felt outsole combination. Bite saysits lightweight and thinner profile makes this aperfect canoe/kayak fishing shoe. The Shoats,which are made from quick-drying Durahide andmesh, cost about $80. For retailers, visitwww.biteshoes.com or call (800) 248-3465.

SUPER JERKBAIT: The latest in the new super lure series by Yo-Zuri, the Jerk “O” boastsa patented weight transfer system for long casts: A tungsten ballrolls to the tail during the casts for added weight, which helpsachieve greater distance; on the retrieve, the magnet pulls theball back and locks it in place. The Jerk “0" has a sloping headthat causes it to dart back and forth erratically and suspend in placemimicking the frantic action of an injured baitfish. It is available in sixcolors and sells for about $13. For dealers, visit www.yo-zuri.com or call (888)336-9775.

March 23, 2007 � Page 17

tering females with young. Theirrazor sharp tusks combined withtheir lightning speed can causeserious injury.”

Because hogs can inflict suchinjuries, most Texans prefer to huntthem from stands near automaticfeeders. In open mesquite coun-try, many Lone Star sportsmendon’t think they can successfullystalk game. However, on manyhunts, nothing is seen fromblinds, though deer and hogs areoften spotted while stalking.

“My favorite method of huntinghogs is to spot and stalk them,”Nixon said. In cooler weather,“hogs are out moving and search-ing for food. They love the fields.In the early morning or just beforedark, I like to sneak along the edgeof a wheat field until I spot some-thing.”

John McWilliam of Kellerdescribed quite a different stalknear Normangy. “We had beendeer hunting, and some hogsmoved into a thick oak and briarthicket,” he said. “We could hearthem, so we crawled on our handsand knees through some nastystuff. Finally, a big blonde hogcame into view through the treesat about 60 yards, and I was able toget a clear shot.”

For stalking, hog hunters needto keep wind direction in mind,but hogs don’t spook as easily aswhitetails. Hunters can oftenapproach fairly close to wild hogsif they move slowly and deliberate-ly without making any major sud-den movements or loud noises.Stalk into the wind and zigzagthrough available cover, trying tokeep as many trees between theherd and the hunter for as long aspossible.

Hogs leave plenty of signs theyinhabit an area. They often wal-low in the mud to cool off and

because mud helps protect theirskin from bugs and sunshine,almost like applying insect repel-lent or sunscreen. People can usu-ally find wallowings in soft mud.People can also see “rootings,”where hogs plow up soil as theysearch for acorns, tubers and othermorsels. They also rub againsttrees like deer, often leaving hairsor other particles sticking to theobjects.

Hogs thrive just about anywherethat whitetails live with the high-est densities occurring in central,south and eastern Texas. Theymay be hunted all year long on pri-vate property. In some places, peo-ple may even hunt them at night,as long as they inform the localgame warden first.

Stalking hogs can often be theticket to a successful hunt. “Thehogs don’t generally come to you,”McWilliam said. “So you have togo to them. It’s a matter of movingquietly and slowly. It’s just persist-ence.”

HogsContinued from Page 6

here from California in early March,” said PaulMcDonald of Thunderbird Hunting Club nearMatagorda. “They said all the birds are gone.”

McDonald said the birds acted differently all season.“Usually, once they hit the roosts, they stay if theyaren’t disturbed,” he said. “This year, they would behere today, and the next day they would be gone.”

The special season, which began Jan. 29 and endsMarch 25, is part a program designed to help reducenumbers of snow geese that have destroyed much oftheir arctic nesting grounds. The spring season allowshunting for the wily birds with electronic calls,unplugged shotguns and no bag limits.

Generally, the snow goose migration north is wellahead of schedule, and even Kansas hunters watchedas the geese flew over the entire state.

According to waterfowler.com, the number of geesemoving into northern Colorado, South Dakota andIowa were so large they were visible on NEXRAD radar.

“I guess the people up north will get the hunts thisyear,” Cook said.

SnowsContinued from Page 6

SETTING THESTAGE: A springgoose hunterplaces decoyson a warm Texasday.

Page 18 � March 23, 2007

NORTH SABINE: Trout are fair togood on the Louisiana shoreline onCorkies and Catch 2000s.SOUTH SABINE: Trout are fair togood onthe Reefon redshad,plum,glow and fire tigersoft plastics.Flounder are good on chartreuse andglow plastics tipped with shrimp nearBlue Buck Point.BOLIVAR: Black drum and redfish aregood on crabs and shrimp at RolloverPass. Trout are a fair to good on LittleFishies and MirrOlures in Rollover Bayand near Little Pasture Bayou.TRINITY BAY: Trout are fair to goodwhile wading the east shoreline onglow and plumplastics. Redfish andblack drum are fair to good on crackedcrabs at the Spillway.EAST GALVESTON BAY: Sheeps-head, black drum, trout and redfish arefair to good in the channel live shrimp.Trout are fair to good at Yates Bayouon Bass Assassins, Sand Eels andTrout Killers.WEST GALVESTON BAY: Flounderand redfish are fair on the southshoreline on bright- colored jigs tippedwith shrimp. Trout are fair to good atConfederate Reef on live shrimp undera popping cork.TEXAS CITY: Oversized black drumare good off the dike on crab anddead shrimp. Trout are fair to good forwaders near the dike on topwatersand live shrimp.FREEPORT: Sheepshead, whiting andsand trout are fair at San Luis Pass.Black drum and redfish are fair at nighton crabs and shrimp in the Pass.EAST MATAGORDA: Trout are fair togood near Hog Island and BoilerBayou on topwaters and Corkies.Redfish are fair to good at St. Mary'son gold spoons and live shrimp.MATAGORDA: Trout and redfish arefair on the south shoreline on liveshrimp, Bass Assassins, Sand Eelsand Trout Killers. Redfish are good inOyster Lake and Crab Lake on liveshrimp under a popping cork.PORT O'CONNOR: Trout and redfishare fair to good in the back lakes ongold spoons and topwaters. Redfishand black drum are fair to good at thejetty on mullet and crabs.ROCKPORT: Redfish are good oncut-mullet onthe EstesFlats. Troutare fair togood on thereefs in Copano Bay on Corkies andCatch 2000s.PORT ARANSAS: Trout and redfishare fair to good on the East Flats ontopwaters and live shrimp under apopping cork.Trout are fair to good onthe grass beds on topwaters and liveshrimp.CORPUS CHRISTI: Speckled andsand trout are fair to good around theOso Bridge on live shrimp.BAFFIN BAY: Trout are fair to goodnear the rocks of Kleberg Point and atTide Gauge on live shrimp under apopping cork, Corkies and topwaters.Black drum are good on cut-bait andshrimp in the Land Cut.PORT MANSFIELD: Trout are fair togood on live shrimp at the CommunityBar. Redfish are fair to good whiledrifting the Saucer and Target Markerson topwaters.SOUTH PADRE: Trout are fair on top-waters and live shrimp at Laguna Vistaand Holly Beach. Redfish are fair togood on gold spoons and live shrimpat Unnecessary Island and the jetty.PORT ISABEL: Redfish are fair togood on shrimp and gold spoons atThree Island and Cullen Bay.

FISHING REPORTFISHING REPORT

HOUSTON COUNTY: Black bass to 9pounds are very good on watermelonseed/chartreuse tailed worms and brushhogs in 2 - 6 feet, and on chartreuseshallow running crankbaits along thesouth shores and over grass near theislands.BOB SANDLIN: Black bass are good onjerkbaits, Rat-L-Traps and shaky-headrigged finesse worms.TRAVIS: Black bass are good on silverspoons, perch colored crankbaits, andwatermelon red worms in 10 - 28 feet.WHITNEY: Black bass are good on char-treuse and watermelon red Rat-L-Trapsand spinnerbaits.

CANYON LAKE: White bass are verygood trolling shad #7 Shad Raps inbacks of creeks and excellent split-shot-ting minnows upriver all the way to therapids.CANYON LAKE: White bass are verygood trolling pearl Fat Free Shad andsplit shotting minnows upriver.STILLHOUSE: White bass are excellenton minnows at the gravel crossing.CEDAR CREEK: White bass are goodon slabs and minnows. Hybrid striper arefair on live shad and slabs.GRAPEVINE: White bass are fair togood on slabs around humps and points.

CALAVERAS: Channel catfish are verygood on frozen shrimp and doughbait.FAYETTE: Channel and blue catfish areexcellent on shrimp and liver.LIVINGSTON: Blue catfish are excellenton shad.WALTER E. LONG: Channel and bluecatfish are good on shrimp, night-crawlers, and punchbait.

CHOKE CANYON: Crappie are excellenton white crappie jigs tipped with live min-nows over brushpiles and standing tim-ber in 4 - 12 feet.TAWAKONI: Crappie are good on min-nows and jigs.HOUSTON COUNTY: Crappie to 2pounds are very good on live minnows.LBJ: Crappie are good on live minnowsand white Curb's crappie jigs in 1 - 3feet.O.H. IVIE: Crappie are good on minnowsand jigs.

CATFISH

HOT BITES SALTWATERSCENE

ALAN HENRY: Water lightly stained; 54 degrees. Black bass are good onsecondary points using crankbaits and slow-rolled white/chartreuse spin-nerbaits.AMISTAD: Water clear; 61-68 degrees. Black bass are good on spinner-baits, crankbaits, soft plastics, and both hard and soft jerkbaits. Channeland blue catfish are fair on cheesebait, shrimp, and nightcrawlers.ARROWHEAD: Water lightly stained; 59 degrees; 5.6' low. Black bass to10 pounds are good off rock points, and crankbaits or black/blue jigs 4-7feet deep near riprap. White bass to 17-inches are good on shad-imitationlures and white soft plastics off deeper points. Catfish are good alongupper west side on punchbait or juglines baited with cut shad or carp.ATHENS: Water clear, 57-64 degrees; 0.5' low. Black bass are fair togood on Rat-L-Traps and Texas rigged 7" black/blue worms. Catfish arefair to good on nightcrawlers and cut shad.BASTROP: Water stained. Black bass are fair on watermelon red andwatermelon/white soft plastics in 10 - 20 feet. Channel and blue catfishare good on fresh cutbait and frozen shrimp in 20 - 40 feet.BELTON: Water murky; 60 degrees; 5.96' low. Black bass are good onwhite and yellow Sassy Shad and minnows. White bass are good on min-nows at night. Crappie are good on minnows under lights at night.BOB SANDLIN: Water clear; 58-65 degrees; 7.53' low. White bass aregood on jigging spoons in 20-24 feet.BRAUNIG: Water stained; 64-78 degrees. Black bass are fair oncrankbaits and watermelon red soft plastic worms over grass. Channeland blue catfish are good on frozen shrimp, stinkbait, and nightcrawlers.BRIDGEPORT: Water clear; 57-64 degrees; 17.68' low. Whitebass are good on slabs. Hybridstriper are fair on live bait.Channel catfish are good onnightcrawlers and cut bait.BROWNWOOD: Water stained;57 degrees; 7.21' low. Black bassare good on small softplastics.Crappie are fair on Li'lFishies on the main lake overbrushpiles and under lights atnight.BUCHANAN: Water clear; 59-64degrees; 22.11' low. Black bassare good on white spinnerbaitsand suspending crankbaits alongbreak lines of flats in the deepestcreeks in 5 - 10 feet. Striped bassare good on white jigs, verticallyjigging Pirk Minnows, trolling Gizz4 crankbaits, and drifting live baitaround Paradise Point in 15 - 30feet. Crappie are fair to good onminnows over brushpiles in 10feet.CADDO: Water clear to stained;59-65 degrees; 0.47' high. Blackbass are good on flukes andSenkos.CALAVERAS: Water stained; 64-76 degrees. Black bass are fair on watermelon and pumpkinseed softplastics and crankbaits. Blue catfish are good on cutbait and liver.CANYON LAKE: Water stained in the main lake, murky upriver; 62degrees; 3.45' low. Black bass to 4 pounds are fair. Crappie are good onwhite Curb's crappie jigs tipped with live minnows around brushpiles andsubmerged trees off main lake points and upriver in 4 - 10 feet.CEDAR CREEK: Water lightly stained; 57-65 degrees; 1.7' low. Blackbass are fair on jigs and drop-shot rigs. Crappie are fair to good on min-nows and jigs.CHOKE CANYON: Water clear; 61 degrees; 7.62' low. Black bass to 7pounds are good on spinnerbaits and plastics in staging areas along pri-mary and secondary points in 5 - 15 feet. Channel and blue catfish aregood on Lewis King bait and shad gizzards in 6 - 20 feet.Yellow catfishare good on trotlines baited with hybrid bluegills and comets in 6 - 15 feet.FALCON: Water stained north, clear from Marker 11 south; 70 degrees.Black bass are good on watermelon red, pumpkinseed, tequila sunrise,and chartreuse Carolina rigged soft plastics and crankbaits. Channel andblue catfish are good on juglines baited with cutbait.FAYETTE: Water lightly stained; 70 degrees. Black bass are good onwatermelon and watermelon/gold Carolina rigged worms and Jig & Pigsover humps in 16 - 20 feet, and on watermelon and watermelon/gold Rat-L-Traps and Wacky Worms over grass.FORK: Water clear; 57-64 degrees; 2.03' low. Black bass are excellent onsoft plastics fished in the shallows, drop-shot rigs, and Rat-L-Traps - manyfish spotted on beds.GIBBONS CREEK: Water stained. Black bass are fair onchartreuse/green Rat-L-Traps and shallow running crankbaits. Catfish aregood on stinkbait, liver, nightcrawlers, and frozen shrimp.GRANBURY: Water lightly stained; 0.68' low. Black bass are good onwatermelon red soft plastics, spinnerbaits, and jerkbaits. Catfish are goodon stinkbait, liver, and shrimp.GRANGER: Water clear; 60 degrees; 4.34' high. Black bass are fair oncrankbaits up the river. White bass are good at Circleville and Dickerson'sRiver Bottom. Blue catfish are good on prepared bait.GRAPEVINE: Water stained; 57-63 degrees; 11.49' low. Black bass arefair on crankbaits, red Rat-L-Traps and Texas rigged watermelon candyZoom finesse worms. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs.GREENBELT: Water lightly stained; 50 degrees; 28' low. Black bass aregood on firetiger or brown crawfish colored crankbaits, white spinnerbaits,dark jigs and live bait. White bass are good on live bait and crankbaits.Smallmouth bass are good on firetiger crankbaits and live bait. Catfish aregood on cut and prepared baits.HOUSTON COUNTY: Water stained; 64 degrees; 0.69' high. Bream aregood on live worms off piers. Channel and blue catfish are good on trot-lines baited with cut shad, and on stinkbait off piers.HUBBARD CREEK: Water lightly stained; 53 degrees; 12.26' low.Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. White bass and hybrid striper aregood on crankbaits and live baits. Catfish are good on cutbaits.

JOE POOL: Water fairly clear; 58-64 degrees; 0.02' high. Black bass arefair on Texas rigged pumpkinseed finesse worms, jigs and spinnerbaits.Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers and cheese bait.LAKE O' THE PINES: Water stained; 57-63 degrees; 0.21' high. Blackbass are fair on jigs, Texas rigged worms and jerkbaits. Crappie are fair togood on minnows and jigs.LAVON: Water stained; 58-64 degrees; 7.31' low. Crappie are fair to goodon minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair to good on cut bait and stinkbait.LBJ: Water murky; 62 degrees; 0.26' low. Black bass are good on water-melon/red Whacky Sticks, Texas blue/white/chartreuse spinnerbaits, and3/16oz. finesse jigs. White bass are fair to good trolling Shad Raps.LEWISVILLE: Water stained; 58-63 degrees; 5.86' low. Black bass are fairon black/blue jigs with a matching trailer, spinnerbaits and Carolina rigs.Catfish are good on cut bait on main lake points and humps. Crappie arefair to good on minnows and jigs in 15-25 feet. White bass are good onjigging spoons in 20-26 feet.LIVINGSTON: Water murky; 57-64 degrees; 0.15' high. Black bass aregood on crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and soft plastics. Crappie are good onminnows.MACKENZIE: Water lightly stained; 43 degrees; 6.7' low. Crappie aregood on minnows and jigs. White bass and striped bass are fair on slabsand live bait. Walleye are good on slabs tipped with minnows.MEDINA: Water clear; 60-64 degrees; 37.06' low. Black bass to 4 poundsare fair on shad Norman crankbaits and chartreuse/white spinnerbaits onmain lake points. Striped bass are good trolling trout deep diving Red

Fins, and drifting hybrid bluegills andjumbo minnows at night. White bassare excellent on live minnows andtrolling chrome Bomber A's alongriver channels in 4 - 10 feet.MEREDITH: Water lightly stained; 43degrees; 32' low. Black bass are fairon chartreuse/black crankbaits,black/blue jigs and live bait. Whitebass are good on live bait andcrankbaits.O.H. IVIE: Water lightly stained; 56degrees; 21.52' low. Black bass aregood on live baits, white spinnerbaitsand orange crawfish coloredcrankbaits along secondary points.White bass are good on live baitsand crankbaits. Smallmouth bass aregood on crankbaits and live baits.Channel catfish are good on pre-pared baits.PALESTINE: Water fairly clear; 57-64 degrees; 0.24' high. Black bassare fair to good on jigs, brown/char-treuse crankbaits and Texas riggedworms. Catfish are good on night-crawlers and prepared baits. Whitebass are fair on Humdingers.POSSUM KINGDOM: Water clear;61degrees; 2.4' low. Black bass aregood in lower half of reservoir (espe-

cially Neely's Slough and Scenic Point) near docks and back of coves onheavy jigs or shad imitation crankbaits.PROCTOR: Water lightly stained; 58-63 degrees; 8.78' low. Striped bassare good on soft plastic worms with trailers. Crappie are good on min-nows and jigs early and late.RAY HUBBARD: Water stained; 58-63 degrees; 2.11' low. Black bass arefair to good on jigs, spinnerbaits and drop-shot rigs. Crappie are good onminnows and jigs.RAY ROBERTS: Water lightly stained; 56-65 degrees; 7.29' low. Blackbass are good on fork tail Yum Dingers and Houdini Shad. Crappie aregood on minnows and jigs in the creeks. White bass movement up therivers and creeks for the spawn has begun. Catfish are good on preparedbaits.RICHLAND CHAMBERS: Water fairly clear; 57-63 degrees; 5.43' low.Black bass are good on StrikeWorks jigs, Rat-L-Traps, Texas rigs andspinnerbaits. White bass are fair to good on white or chartreuse slabs.STILLHOUSE: Water murky; 60 degrees; 1.77' low. Black bass are fair onRebel worms and minnows. Crappie are good on minnows at LongBridge. Channel and blue catfish are good on minnows, shrimp, andstinkbait.TAWAKONI: Water stained; 57-64 degrees; 8.16' low. Black bass are fairon spinnerbaits, jigs and watermelon candy Brush Hogs.White bass arefair to good on white or chartreuse slabs fished close to the bottom.Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers and cut shad.TEXOMA: Water clear; 56-63 degrees; 2.28' low. Black bass are fair onred Rat-L-Traps, brown jigs and Texas rigged worms. Striped bass are offand on. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs.TOLEDO BEND: Water stained; 65 degrees; 2.20' low. Black bass aregood on spinnerbaits, Rat-L-Traps, Brush Hogs, and soft plastic lizards.Channel and blue catfish are good on trotlines baited with live bait andshrimp.Yellow catfish are fair on trotlines baited with live bait.TRAVIS: Water clear; 59-65 degrees; 31.41' low. White bass are fair onwhite jigging spoons, shad raps, and white grubs in 10 - 25 feet. Channeland blue catfish are fair on fresh cutbait and frozen shrimp in 20 - 40 feet.WALTER E. LONG: Water clear; 65 degrees. Hybrid striper are good onminnows and shrimp. Crappie are good on minnows.WEATHERFORD: Water stained; 57-63 degrees; 9.14' low. Black bass aregood around docks and on the rocky point. Crappie are good in the crappiehouse and boat slips on small minnows.WHITE RIVER: Water lightly stained; 57 degrees; 26.57' low. Black bassare good on live baits and neon soft-plastics along buck brush. Crappie aregood on jigs and minnows. Channel catfish are good on live and cut baits.WHITNEY: Water stained; 7.75' low. Striped bass are fair on live minnowsand silver/gold striper jigs. Catfish are good on live bait, stinkbait, andshrimp.WICHITA: Water clearing; 60 degrees; near full at spillway. Channel cat-fish are good in shallows along north side of the upper end of reservoirusing punchbait.

CRAPPIE

WHITEHYBRID

LARGEMOUTHBASS

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

NAME

ADDRESS

CITY ST. ZIP

EMAIL

PHONE

� MASTER CARD � VISA � AMERICAN EXPRESS

CC# EXP.

SIGNATURE

Get the mostcurrent hunting

and fishinginformation in print,including reports,

tips, features,product reviews andconservation newstwo times a month

032307

24 issues for $25

9304 Forest Lane, Ste. 114 South •Dallas, TX. 75243 • (214) 361-2276

www.lonestaroutdoornews.com

HOT SPOT

SAM RAYBURNWater clear; 61-65 degrees; 0.22' high. Black bass are good on spinner-baits, Senkos, Rat-L-Traps, soft plastic lizards, Chatterbaits, and BabyBrush Hogs. White bass are good on spoons in the flats. Crappie aregood on minnows and tube jigs along banks in 4 feet. Catfish are goodon live bait.

March 23, 2007 � Page 19

A Camp to Teach Young TexansHunting, Fishing and Outdoor Skills

June 3-9June 10-16July 15-21July 22-28

All activities taught by experienced Texas professionals

OUTDOOR TEXAS CAMP IS LOCATED 10 MILES NORTH OF COLUMBUS, TEXAS

www.outdoortexascamp.com

512-217-1587 • 830-562-3354

• Deer & Bird Hunting

• Rifle & Archery

• Shotgunning• Dog Training• Predator

Hunting

• Bass & Coastal Fishing

• Fly Fishing• Camping,

Survival• Kayaking &

Boating

OutdoorTexas

2007CAMP

DATES

Martin, sales manager atBackwoods in Fort Worth. That’sopposed to the quick raise of therod tip customary in trout fishing.

The retrieve is also a big part offly-fishing for bass, said DavidLeake, founding partner ofTailWaters Fly Fishing Co. inDallas, a travel company slated to

open a retail store in May.Frequently, the fly-fisher anglingfor trout will cast upstream and letthe line drift with the current. Abass angler must concentrate onretrieving the fly in such a waythat attracts a fish in still water.

Brian Gambill, of G&W GuideService — fly-fishing mainly out ofLake Fork — said his clients transi-tioning from stream fishing fortrout “are having to do a lot morework. They’re having to manipulatethe fly — your strips, your little

twitches, depending on which flyyou’re using.”

“Their casts are a little bit longerand might have to be more accu-rate,” Gambill said. “Sometimeswhen you’re six inches from astump — you’re 5.5 inches too far.”

Johnny “Red” Walker of FortWorth, who holds the water bodyrecord for a fly- fisher on Lake Fork(a 9.52-pound largemouth bass),calls the high quality of fly-fishingopportunities for bass in the LoneStar State still “a well-kept secret”

among trout aficionados. “It doesn’t appear to be as subtle

as trout fishing,” he said, “but basscan be as picky and cantankerousabout taking a fly. Trout fishershave it in their heads that theyhave to make a perfect presenta-tion and imitate what the troutare eating.”

“Well, bass are the same way,”Walker said. “They didn’t get thatbig by being dumb.”

Walker’s best advice for the first-time bass fisher with a fly rod is to

“get with one of the locals that flyfishes.” If you don’t know anyone,join a fly-fishing club.

A Lake Fork regular who boughthis boat “after I got chased out of acove on a kickboat by a gator,”Walker said he doesn’t have afavorite species to catch on a flyrod.

“I’m not a bass snob or a troutsnob,” Walker said. “I like to fishfor all of them, but simply becauseof access, yeah, bass is probably myfavorite.”

via his first-place points finish in the 2006Bassmaster Northern Tour.

A native Minnesotan, he recently movedfrom Hemphill, Texas to Alabama to bemore centrally located to travel to the 11Elite Series events in 2007.

“This is the way you want to start off theElite Series,” said Remitz, who scored thePurolator Big Bass on Sunday, an 8-11 lunk-er. “I guess this will sink in during the nextfew days, but it hasn’t hit me yet.”

Despite missing out on his sixth BASSwin, Iaconelli was satisfied with his runner-

up finish.“I did the best I could do in this event,”

the 2003 Bassmaster Classic champion said.“I just got beat. I’m pretty satisfied with myfinish, though.”

Iaconelli worked a Berkley PowerBaitBeast thrown to trees, and a swimbaitaround trees.

First-day leader Steve Kennedy of Auburn,Ala. finished third with 101 pounds, 10ounces. Todd Faircloth of Jasper, with 100pounds, 5 ounces, finished fourth, andKevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich. fol-lowed in fifth with 90 pounds, 13 ounces.

The 2006 “Battle on the Border” champi-on Ish Monroe of Hughson, Calif., finishedsixth with 87 pounds, 13 ounces.A BASS report.

Fly-fishingContinued from Page 8

COMING ABOARD: Tom Welfelt battles with a bass on an East Texas lake. Welfelt is one of a few Texas anglers that only fly-fishes for bass. Photo by David J. Sams.

RemitzContinued from Page 8

MAKING OF A CHAMPION: Derek Remitz holds the trophy he was presented at the “Battle on the Border.”Photo by James Overstreet/ESPN Outdoors.

Page 20 � March 23, 2007

ACROSS

1. A very large fish-eating bird

5. This leech-like creature kills many fish

8. Breed of dog good for pheasant hunting

9. Handy item to have in a hunting kit

11. A shoot target, clay ______13. Method of fishing from a

boat17. A fish species18. A wildlife’s favorite area19. Determining how old a

game is22. Largest species of the wild

turkey23. A sea duck24. A habitat weed growth fish

hide in26. Name for the rarest of the

trout28. An excellent bait for

crappies30. Name for a stream trout31. Term for an angler’s casting

method32. Light birdhunting gun,

_____ piece

DOWN

1. Ice fishermen wear these on their shoes

2. Very valuable fur bearer for trappers

3. A buck’s mating season4. The albacore6. Otter, beaver are classed as a

_____7. Whitetails rotate these to pick

up sounds10. Aiming devises on guns and

bows12. A species of goose14. Color worn by hunters for

safety15. An animal hideaway16. A species of deer20. Wild turkey food source,

wild _____

21. A member of the trout family22. The white weasel25. Number of game, fish,

wildfowl to keep27. A method of fishing29. A predator of wild turkeys

WILD IN THE KITCHEN

WEATHER

For crossword puzzle solution, see Page 22

OUTDOOR PUZZLER

• 3 Cups Chili Corn Sauce• Vegetable oil• 3 Cups Texas sweet

potatoes, julienned• 3/4 Cup cornmeal or “masa

harina” corn flour• 3/4 Cup all purpose flour• 2 Tablespoons Creole

seafood seasoning, divided evenly

• 36 Texas oysters

Chili Corn Sauce • 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil• 3/4 Cup Texas onion, julienned• 3/4 Cup Texas poblano pepper,

julienned• 3/4 Cup Texas red pepper,

julienned• 1-1/2 Cups fresh Texas corn

kernels• 1/2 Cup tequila• 1-1/2 Cups whipping cream• 1 Teaspoon ground cumin• 1 Tablespoon chili powder • Salt and black pepper

Directions Prepare Chili Corn Sauce;

reserve and keep warm.Heat about 2 inches of oil to

325° F in a deep fat fryer. Frysweet potatoes until crisp, drainon paper towels and reserve.Combine cornmeal, flour and 1tablespoon seafood seasoning ina medium bowl.

Season oysters with remainingtablespoon of seafood seasoning,

dredge in flour mixture, and fryin batches of 9 oysters at a timeuntil crisp. Remove oysters andsprinkle with a little extraseafood seasoning; drain onpaper towels on a rack. Keepwarm.

Ladle 1/2 cup Chili Corn Saucein center of each plate. Edgesauce with 6 oysters. Top thesauce with a mound of friedsweet potatoes.

Heat oil in a medium-sizedskillet over medium-high heat.Add onion, poblano and red pep-pers, and corn; sauté until vegeta-bles are tender. Deglaze pan withtequila and cook until liquid isreduced by half.

Add cream, cumin, chili pow-der; cook until reduced enoughto coat the back of a spoon.Season with salt and pepper.Reserve and keep warm untilready to use.

Recipe from the Texas Departmentof Agriculture, www.picktexas.com.

Chili Fried Gulf Oysters

Outdoor Puzzler, Wilbur "Wib" Lundeen

March 23, 2007 � Page 21

Robert Warren, who helps coordinateyouth hunts for the San AntonioChapter of the National Wild TurkeyFederation.

“That is what makes this a fabuloussport. It really makes hunters out ofkids and their parents because it is sointimate — a real hands-on in thewilderness,’’ he said.

Will Blount missed a Texas gobblerat age 9 — shooting underneath thebird, but last year’s youth season huntbrought better results. “We called thetom for about 30 minutes, and hecame close — to not much more than10 yards,” father Bill Blount said. Hisson dropped the bird with his 20-gauge. Blount, a native Texas living inCincinnati, praised the youth seasonand the results. “It’s the best father-son bonding experience you can get,”he said.

Youngsters, including those takingtheir first camouflaged venture intothe turkey hunting culture, will begiven an early opportunity to testtheir turkey hunting skills this springduring a special youth season March24-25. The regular season in 153counties begins on March 31 and runsthrough May 13. In addition to theseason for the more abundant RioGrande species, Eastern turkeys maybe hunted in 43 counties from April 1-30.

Texas Parks and Wildlife officialssaid that about 99,000 huntersbagged about 52,000 Rio Grandeturkeys last season, with more thanhalf of those birds brought in duringspring hunts.

Dry conditions in the fall and earli-er this year may have caused a reduc-tion in the number of young birds,but TPW biologists predict there willbe good numbers of older birds avail-able for spring hunters.

“Turkey hunting is often a biggerthrill than deer hunting,’’ saidCharles Klein of the San Antoniochapter of NWTF.

“It is not like sitting in a blind wait-ing for a feeder to go off. You have tofind the birds and get them to come toyou. When you have a big tom puffedup just 10 feet from you, that is athrill,’’ he said.

The difference in cost between aturkey hunt is also a factor, Klein said,pointing out that a trophy hunt for agobbler sporting a 10-12 inch beardwill carry a price tag of about $200 to$300, while the minimum for a tro-phy white-tailed deer is $1,500 to$2,000.

The NWTF is a longtime promoterof putting youngsters out in turkeyhunting situations and the SanAntonio chapter is organizing about ahalf-dozen hunts for this spring.

In addition, the group will conducta one-day “Jake’s Camp” on July 14 atthe YMCA Roberts Ranch nearComfort for about 100 youngsters.

Further information on the huntsand camp is available atwww.NWTF.org.

YouthContinued from Page 1

SEEKING TOMS:Youngsters —including thosetaking their firstventure into theturkey huntingculture — will begiven an earlyopportunity to testtheir turkey huntingskills during aspecial YouthSeason March 24-25. Photo by DavidJ. Sams.

Page 22 � March 23, 2007

Offshore and Bay fishing30' Stamas21' Shallowsport

South TexasDeer and TurkeyHunting10,000 Acres

Duck, Goose andDove Hunting

40,000 Acres

Capt. Scott Hickman3218 Coral Ridge Ct.

League City, TX 77573(281) 535-1930

Fax: (281) 535-1935www.circleh.org

It’s easy to advertise on this page — just send us your business card, and let us know how many weeks you want yourad to run. Purchase 12 issues of advertising and your business will be profiled with a photo in this section. OutfitterListings: $40 each issue. Please include either a check or credit card billing information with your order. Mail to:Lone Star Outdoor News, 9304 Forest Lane, Suite 114 South, Dallas, TX 75243 or call (214) 361-2276.

PheasantQuailDeer

CROSSWORDPUZZLE

SOLUTIONFROM

PAGE 20

HEROES

OUTFITTERSTHE LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS REACHES A QUARTER-MILLION READERS PER MONTH.

LET IT WORK FOR YOU.

PLACE YOUR ADVERTISINGIN TEXAS’ PREMIER OUTDOOR NEWSPAPER

CALL214-361-2276

FAX 214-368-0344

www.lonestaroutdoornews.com

SHARE AN ADVENTURE: Want toshare your great hunting or fishing photos with the Lone Star Outdoor Newsfamily? E-mail your photo, phone andcaption information to editor@ lonestaroutdoornews. com, or mail to:Heroes, Lone Star Outdoor News, 9304Forest Lane, Suite 114 South, Dallas, TX,75243.

PROFILEYOUR

BUSINESS

REACH A QUARTER-MILLION READERS

BIBI FLORES shot this 8-pointer at the Loma Linda Ranch.

ARTHUR TOSCANO, of San Antonio, holds a bass hecaught at a private ranch.

JACOB TILLEY, fishing with friends on the San AntonioRiver using drop lines and live perch, pulled in a yellowcat weighing more than 44 pounds and a blue cat at 23pounds.

JOHNNY WAGNER shot this 14-point buck at hissister's ranch in Victoria County.

JIM GALLEGOS and BILL BLOUNT enjoyed a day of shooting pheasants,chucker and quail at Joshua Creek ranch. LLOYD MATHEWS shows a Rooster fish he caught in Costa Rica.

March 23, 2007 � Page 23

Page 24 � March 23, 2007