Texas Fishing News & Reports
Angler Lands Toyota Share
Lunker 526 from Lake Austin
ATHENS—Lake Austin gave up the third Toyota ShareLunker of the season to Austin angler Brett Ketchum January 29.
The 13.0-pound bass is the thirteenth ShareLunker to come from the urban lake. Ketchum caught the fish on a jerkbait in 10 feet of 56-degree water while fishing in an Austin Bass Club of the Deaf tournament. He won big bass and placed second overall.
“She was a very good fighter,” Ketchum said. “Once she jumped, I noticed she was big, but I kept fighting her, and when she got close and I saw her I thought, ‘Oh, it’s big!’ I was nervous because I saw only one treble hook in her, and I knew I could lose her in a second. But I stayed calm, let her fight until she was tired, then reeled her close to the boat. My partner Sammy Oates, Jr., netted her beautifully. He and my son Braden were shaking when I bought her in.”....Read More
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2012 Toyota Texas Bass Classic Schedule Set
CONROE—Dates for the highly-anticipated return of the Toyota Texas Bass Classic (TTBC), the world championship of professional bass fishing and country music festival, were announced today with all of the action set to begin Friday, Sept. 28. The three-day event (Sept. 28-30) will feature anglers from across all major tours and some of country music’s premier artists with event proceeds benefiting the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and its youth outdoor programs.
“We are very excited to return to Conroe and bring together the best anglers in the world and offer amazing entertainment value each day,” said Tournament Director Lenny Francoeur. “The TTBC has become an annual community event that has generated over $1.2 million for the TPWD and the state of Texas and we are thrilled about what we’re putting together for this year.”
Daily tournament weigh-ins, outdoor expo and concerts will take place at the Lone Star Convention & Expo Center and the TTBC will offer a wide range of activities that families, outdoor enthusiasts and music fans will enjoy. The 2012 concert line-up will be announced this summer with previous year’s performers including Trace Adkins, Billy Currington, Pat Green and Blake Shelton....Read More
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Central Texas Zebra Mussel Forums Scheduled
Three forums will be held Jan. 18 and 19 in Kingsland and Marble Falls and Burnet to address the threat of invasive mussels in the Highland Lakes. The purpose of these forums is to raise awareness of potential consequences associated with zebra and quagga mussels in the Colorado River system.
Speakers from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Lower Colorado River Authority, Texas Parks and Wildlife, and the Inks Lake Dam National Fish Hatchery will present at the forums.
“Zebra mussels are one of the most prolific and destructive invasive species found in the US,” said Brian Van Zee, TPWD Inland Fisheries Regional Director.....Read More
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Boater's Ed Now Required for Operators Born after Sept. 1, 1993
AUSTIN – Anyone looking forward to operating a motor-powered vessel, sailboat or personal water craft on Texas public waters this year needs to have completed a state-approved boater education course if born after Sept. 1, 1993.
While the new law became effective last year, Texas Parks and Wildlife suggests starting off the new year with a boater education course to make sure you’re good to go when the water warms up and Texans begin heading to the state’s many lakes and streams for fishing or recreational boating. Prior to passage of the new law, only boat operators ages 13-17 had to take a boater education course.
The mandatory boater education law requires certification for anyone born after Sept. 1, 1993 who operates a vessel with a motor of more than 15 horsepower or a wind-blown vessel measuring more than 14 feet in length. While all boaters are encouraged to take boating safety education, those born before Sept. 1, 1993, are exempt from required certification.......Read More
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Season's Second ShareLunker Comes From Falcon Lake
ATHENS—When Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine publisher Randy Brudnicki planned a fishing trip to Falcon International Reservoir with his sons Jason and Dustin for the week after Christmas, he knew the time was right to catch a Toyota ShareLunker.
But the trio struggled for two days, catching only small bass mid-lake and near the dam. On Wednesday, December 28, the north wind shifted to the south, and that made all the difference. “I knew to look for places where the south wind would blow in to points,” Brudnicki said.
It was their last day to fish, and they wanted to get on the road early, so they put in at the county ramp in Zapata and began fishing around the city’s water intake structure. “After spending some time on the main point but only catching small fish, we moved upwind to a ledge,” Brudnicki said. “My son Jason, who lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, started throwing a Strike King 6XD crankbait, a Christmas present from his older brother, Dustin. The big girl hit right under the boat as he ended his retrieve. He set the hook and she pulled a little line. Dustin grabbed the net and in seconds the fish was in the boat.”... Read More
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Happy New Year's from Texas Weekend Angler!
As 2011 draws to a close, Texas Weekend Angler would like to wish a Happy & Safe New Year's to all of our readers and advertisers. January 2012 will begin our fifth year on the world-wide web. During that time, we have grown from a tiny start-up to the largest content-driven fishing website in Texas. Much of the credit for that accomplishment goes to our readers and advertisers for their support through the years. In the upcoming year, there will be many exciting new additions to Texas Weeekend Angler, but, as always, you can rely on us to provide up-to-date fishing reports, fishing news and how-to articles. Have a happy, safe and prosperous New Year. Be sure to visit Texas Weekend Angler often during 2012.
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Texas Anglers Alerted to Possible Coastal Freeze Events and Fishing Closures
AUSTIN — As Texas approaches the winter season and temperatures drop, many anglers continue to enjoy great fishing on coastal bays. However, when temperatures on the coast are predicted to fall below 32°F for three or more days, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) executive director has the authority to close some areas to saltwater fishing until the threat from the freeze event is over.
When a closure occurs, this doesn’t mean all fishing is closed. It simply means that a few deepwater harbors and canals may be closed to angling if freezing conditions warrant it. For a complete list of these thermal refuge areas subject to closure go to the TPWD Saltwater Freeze Events web page........Read More
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Conference to Teach Trophy Bass Management Techniques
ATHENS – Mark your calendar if you want to grow trophy largemouth bass in your pond or lake. An upcoming program set in Athens will show you how, said a Texas AgriLife Extension Service expert.
"Bass Tech: The Technology to Manage for Success" will be held at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center- Conservation Center, Farm-to-Market 2495, Athens, on March 24, to show bass enthusiasts just how to do so, said Dr. Billy Higginbotham AgriLife Extension wildlife and fisheries specialist, Overton.
A joint venture by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and AgriLife Extension, programming will include presentations starting with basic pond ecology, water quality, pond fertility, supplemental feeding, bass population assessment, aquatic weed control, controlling nuisance wildlife, bass genetics and managing for trophy bass, Higginbotham said.......Read More
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Low Lake Levels Allow for Habitat Improvements on Fork
ATHENS—Members of the Lake Fork Sportsman’s Association (LFSA) partnered with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s (TPWD) Inland Fisheries Division staff in making fish habitat improvements at Lake Fork on November 30.
Taking advantage of drought-induced low water levels that have exposed shorelines, teams planted 400 buttonbush plants at various sites. Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), a native woody shrub commonly called “buckbrush,” was chosen in an attempt to establish woody cover for fishes. When inundated by water, it helps provide great bass fishing........Read More
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Winter Trout Stocking Program Locations Announced
AUSTIN — Throw your rod and reel in the car and take the short drive to your local fishing hole, it’s time once again for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s annual winter rainbow trout stocking.
Each year TPWD stocks roughly 250,000, 9-12 inch hatchery-reared rainbow trout in more than 100 neighborhood and state park locations across Texas as a part of the annual stocking program. Locations such as Brackenridge Park in San Antonio, Bullfrog Pond in Austin, Bob Sandlin State Park in Mt. Pleasant and Arena Park Pond in Marshall are some of the locations used by the program in past years. The program occurs in the winter due to the cooler water temperatures in Texas water bodies.......Read More
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TPWD Sets Public Scoping Meeting Dates for Seagrass, Freeze Event Regulations
AUSTIN — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has scheduled five scoping meetings this winter, starting Nov. 30, about two possible regulation changes for 2012. The scoping items include consideration of a new state scientific area to protect seagrass in the Laguna Madre near the John F. Kennedy Memorial Causeway in Nueces County, and a clarification of emergency rules to protect fish during coastal freezes.
Dates and locations for the meetings are listed below. All meetings will begin at 7pm. Also, a Public Comment link will be placed on the TPWD website homepage to allow comments to be submitted electronically.
The two coastal items are part of possible statewide hunting and fishing regulation changes for 2012. After receiving input regarding these two issues, they may move to an official proposal after the January commission meeting, after which there will be more statewide meetings and comment opportunities before final rules are approved by the TPW Commission in March.......Read More
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Season's First ShareLunker Bass Yet to be Caught
ATHENS—Only the sound of running water fills the Lunker Bunker at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center. The 22 round, 1,500-gallon ShareLunker holding tanks are ready to receive fish.
So far none have arrived.
The Toyota ShareLunker season starts October 1 and runs through April 30 because Texas is so large that the spawning season stretches over many months. Over the 25-year history of the program, six 13-pound or bigger fish have been entered into the program in October, nine in November and 20 in December.
In a typical season, the action really picks up after the first of the year. There have been 55 entries in January, 119 in February, 224 in March and 85 in April.......Read More
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TPWD Seeks Input on Expanded Seagrass Protection
AUSTIN — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will hold initial scoping meetings and take online comments this winter about two possible regulations changes for 2012, depending on stakeholder input—a new state scientific area to protect seagrass in the Laguna Madre near the John F. Kennedy Memorial Causeway in Nueces County, and a clarification of emergency rules to protect fish during coastal freezes.
The two coastal items are part of possible statewide hunting and fishing regulation changes for 2012. They will not become official proposals until January, after which there will be more statewide meetings and comment opportunities before final rules are approved by the TPW Commission in March.......Read More
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Red Tide Update 4
October 31, 2011
To date, the red tide has killed 4.2 million fish since September. While significant, this number is a far cry from the 22 million fish killed during the 1986 red tide.
The red tide has caused recent fish kills in the Victoria Barge Canal near the State Highway 35 bridge; the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in a boat channel near the ICWW on the east side of the refuge; Goose Island State park between the island and the boat ramp; in Corpus Christi Bay at La Quinta Channel and Joe Fulton Canal.......Read More
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Red Tide Update 3
October 24, 2011
Matagorda/Lavaca Bays: Dead mullet were found at the Perry R. Bass research facility on Friday. On Sunday, TPWD staff found dead spot, flounder, redfish, and spotted seatroutnear Sand Point and along the eastern portion of Lavaca Bay. Discolored water and feeding seagulls were seen between Keller Bay and Cox Bay. Seagulls were also feeding on dying fish in Cox Bay near Weesatche Cove and buzzards were seen feeding on dead fish along the banks. Dead and dying gizzard shad were found in Keller Bay.
Espiritu Santo/San Antonio Bays: On Friday, TPWD game wardens observed stressed red drum and dead sand trout in the ICWW on the western portion of San Antonio Bay. On Saturday, TPWD staff noted older dead gulf menhaden, sheepshead and shrimp eels at the Shoalwater Flats Association boat ramp near Charlie’s Bait Camp. Others at the ramp reported breathing discomfort in the area on Friday.......Read More
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Red Tide Update 2
October 17, 2011
Calhoun County: TPWD Law Enforcement observed over the weekend that Espiritu Santo Bay had a very marked set of red tide patches measuring 100 feet across and 1/4 mile long stretching in bands across the bay. Numerous dead fish were sighted along the ICWW near Charlie's Bait Camp, including some legal-sized redfish. The game warden noted that larger fish are comprising more of the fish kill.
Port Aransas/Mustang Island: Conditions have improved along Mustang Island. No fresh dead fish are washing in and aerosols have diminished greatly. K. brevis cells are still being found at the UTMSI pier at Port Aransas. Mustang Island State Park has removed the dead fish along a stretch of their beaches in the pedestrian day area and along the first half-mile of beach camping. A fisherman called to report that he had fished all around Aransas Bay over the weekend and saw no evidence of red tide from the southern tip of Mud Island near the old shrimp boat wreck up to Paul’s Mott reef along the north side of San Jose Island, none at Treasure Island, and none in South Bay. He did report aerosols but no discolored water at the Port Aransas jetties.....Read More
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Red Tide Update
October 10, 2011
Aerosols have now been reported from the Corpus Christi and Port Aransas areas: the entire length of Padre Island National Seashore, Packery Channel, Newport Pass, Mustang Island State Park and Port Aransas. Water samples collected from the UT pier and marina both contained high concentrations of Karenia brevis. Biologists are investigating reports of lethargic fish in the Packery Channel area.
The South Padre Island area continues to have low concentrations of cells around the causeway, the San Martin boat ramp and the end of the Brownsville Ship Channel......Read More
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Are You Ready to Catch a 13-pound Bass?
ATHENS—Largemouth bass weighing 13 pounds or more are rare. Only 523 have been entered into the Toyota ShareLunker program in the last 25 years.
Therefore, finding one on the end of their line comes as a total surprise to many anglers. Panic usually ensues when the biggest bass the angler has ever seen breaks the surface. “Holy [unprintable]! What do I do now?” is a common reaction.
The first problem is getting it into the boat, especially for anglers fishing alone. Those with a partner but no net can have their buddy grasp the fish by its lower jaw and tail and bring it in. Ideally there will be a rubber net available for landing the fish. In either case the fish should not be allowed to flop around in the bottom of the boat. This removes the slime coat that protects the fish from infection and can also result in wounds......Read More
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Rare Piranha Catch Illustrates Need to Prevent Invasive Aquatic Species in Texas
AUSTIN – A rare catch of a red-breasted piranha in a community lake near Houston recently illustrates the need for prohibition of invasive aquatic species in Texas waters.
According to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department officials an actual piranha is a VERY rare occurrence in the wild—only 2 documented specimens in 30 years—and possessing and releasing live piranhas and dozens of other exotic, harmful or potentially harmful fish species is prohibited by Texas law.
Dave Terre, management and research chief with TPWD’s Inland Fisheries Division, said the 23-acre Tom Bass Park community lake in Pearland on the outskirts of Houston where the piranha was caught on Aug. 27 remains a great place to go fishing and is completely safe to go fishing there......Read More
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Federation of Student Anglers Organizing Clubs Across Texas
ATHENS—The Federation of Student Anglers (FSA) wants to hear from students in Texas middle and high schools who want to form or be on a school fishing team and from school administrators who are interested in starting a club team at their school.
FSA is expanding its two flagship programs, the Texas Middle School Fishing Challenge and the Texas High School Fishing Series, with chapters and club teams forming in and around North Texas, Houston, Austin and Tyler.
Student members fish every month of the year in on-the-water tournaments, online tournaments, in club and chapter outings and in the Summer Fishing Series that fishes one weeknight each week for the entire summer break. Club teams compete against other schools in their chapter for trophies, plaques, fishing and paddling equipment, boats, letter jackets (yes, you can now letter in fishing!), and most importantly, scholarships.......Read More
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New Fishing Regulations Affect Some West Texas Reservoirs
ATHENS — Effective September 1, some Texas reservoirs have different fish-harvest regulations. One is Lake Kirby, where the 12-inch minimum length and 25-fish daily bag limit for blue and channel catfish was changed to a NO minimum length limit and daily bag limit of 50 blue or channel catfish in any combination. No more than five blue or channel catfish 20 inches or greater can be kept.
The new catfish regulation will give anglers more harvest opportunities (i.e. anglers get to keep more fish and smaller fish) and will also provide more protection of larger catfish to increase, or at least maintain, numbers of larger catfish for anglers to enjoy (i.e. anglers can only keep five 20-inch or longer catfish)......Read More
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Bluegill Family Fishing Tournament Set for Sept. 24
ATHENS, Texas—The Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center’s annual Bluegill Family Fishing Tournament will take place this year on Saturday, September 24.
Numerous prize packages will be awarded, including an X-Box 360 with game, fishing equipment and gift cards from local businesses.
Sponsors of the event include the Lake Athens Property Owners Association, Aaron’s Sales and Lease Ownership, Best Western Royal Mountain Inn, Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites – Athens, WalMart Supercenter of Athens, Cole Air Conditioning and Appliance, Chicken Express and First State Bank.
Sponsors also include Cabela’s, Morrison Supply Company and Brookshire’s Grocery. Brookshire’s will provide free bottled water to contestants.
The tournament awards prizes for the heaviest stringers of sunfish, but the event is really about adults and children having fun fishing together......Read More
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Anglers Reminded of Changes to Texas/Louisiana Shared Water Regulations
AUSTIN – Louisiana and Texas have taken a big step to share consistent recreational fishing regulations governing their bordering waters. The new regulations are scheduled to go into effect on Sept. 1, 2011. Biologists from the two states have agreed upon regulations that are biologically sound and consistent on both sides of the boundary.
The two states share waters along most of their common border, supporting excellent recreational fisheries and attracting thousands of anglers each year. The line between the two states follows the state line boundaries and old river channels, so anglers currently must abide by two sets of rules......Read More
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Galveston Bay Oyster Restoration Expanding
HOUSTON – Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has hired Apollo Environmental Strategies of Beaumont to distribute more than 70,000 cubic yards of oyster reef building materials (called “cultch”) over six natural, publicly owned oyster reefs in Galveston Bay.
This work is part of ongoing efforts to restore oyster reef habitats which were severely impacted by Hurricane Ike-induced sedimentation in September 2008. Starting in August and finishing in October 2011, cultch materials (river rock and/or crushed limestone) will be spread over 178 acres of public oyster reef.
These “cultch plantings” will attract planktonic oyster larvae that will settle on the cultch and grow into adult oysters thus helping to re-establish previously productive oyster reefs. Oyster reefs selected for cultch plantings are: Frenchy’s Reef, Middle Reef and Hanna Reef in East Bay and Dollar Reef, East Redfish Reef and South Redfish Reef in Galveston Bay. Reefs were selected for cultch plantings based on the depth of overlying sediments, water depth, and proximity to oil and gas pipelines and private oyster leases........Read More
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Fishing Licenses on Sale
AUSTIN — Current year Texas hunting and fishing licenses (except year-to-date fishing licenses) expire Aug. 31, and new licenses for 2011-2012 went on sale Monday, Aug. 15.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department issues about 2.1 million hunting and fishing licenses annually through the agency’s 28 field offices, more than 65 state parks and at over 1,500 retailers across Texas. For a $5 administrative transaction fee, licenses may also be purchased online through the TPWD Web site or by phone (800-895-4248). Call center hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday — Friday. The online transaction system is available 24/7. A transaction receipt may be printed at the time of purchase for online and a confirmation number is provided for phone orders, and the physical license is mailed separately. Confirmation numbers will verify that a license has been purchased, which is sufficient for dove hunting, but will not allow hunters to take fish or wildlife that require a tag........Read More
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Toyota Texas Big Bass Classic Offers $100,000 for Biggest ShareLunker Caught on Conroe
CONROE — The Toyota Texas Bass Classic is proud to introduce the first-ever ShareLunker Club Tournament (SCT) on Lake Conroe, October 1 – 21, 2011. This unique tournament allows the everyday angler to compete like a pro for the chance to win $100,000.
To participate in the tournament, interested anglers need to register and become a SCT member, and then fish on Lake Conroe any time between October 1 – 21, 2011 (the “Tournament Period”). A $100 contribution is required to become a member of the SCT and only pre-registered members will be eligible for the $100,000 prize. The member that catches the largest Toyota ShareLunker from Lake Conroe, during the Tournament Period, will win a cash prize of $100,000. A portion of the proceeds from the program will benefit the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s youth outreach programs........Read More
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Summertime Fish Kills Affect DFW Area Lakes
Fort Worth— As daytime temperatures remain above 100 degrees, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Inland Fisheries biologist are getting more calls from concerned anglers and pond owners in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex regarding fish kills.
“Unless the weather pattern changes in the near future, we expect to see more issues with fish kills as August rolls in,” said TPWD Inland Fisheries biologist Tom Hungerford.
A fish kill has been reported recently at Kimzey Park in Colleyville, which is likely attributable to a combination of low oxygen as well as a blue-green algae bloom. Blue-green algae produce toxins which can kill fish. Also, an ongoing fish kill is occurring at Lake Ray Hubbard involving blue and channel catfish and freshwater drum. “Monday, July 25, we estimated 2,071 dead fish based on three transect counts between the dam and IH-30,” said Melissa Dudley, a Kills and Spills biologist with TPWD. Low oxygen is suspected but the investigation is ongoing.........Read More
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Drought Impacts on Texas Reservoirs Mounting
ATHENS—Following the drought of record of the 1950s, Texas built dozens of reservoirs designed to maintain an adequate water supply should another drought of equal severity occur.
That time has come, and the coming months will reveal if those reservoirs are equal to the task.
The outcome is anything but certain. As shown by the thunderstorms that swept across extreme North Texas in early summer and boosted water levels in lakes around Dallas-Fort Worth, one exceptional rain event can go far toward relieving an exceptional drought, at least in the short term.........Read More
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Texas Launches Mandatory Boater Education
AUSTIN – A new state law from the recent legislative session will require mandatory boater education for more people in Texas starting Sep. 1, a move supporters say will save lives and make crowded waters safer.
According to a legislative report by the state’s Advisory Panel on Boating Safety, the primary cause of boating deaths nationally is drowning, with 543 in 2009, of which 385 were not wearing lifejackets, usually in rough weather or on hazardous water.
Changes to Texas laws targeting boating safety include: mandatory boating safety education certification for anyone born on or after Sept. 1, 1993 to operate a vessel with a motor of more than 15 horsepower or a wind-blown vessel measuring more than 14 feet in length. While all boaters are encouraged to take boating safety education, those born before Sept. 1, 1993, are exempt from required certification........Read More
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New Catch-and-Release Alligator Gar Record Set
ATHENS—Joseph Williams of Cleveland, Texas, fishes the Trinity River below Lake Livingston dam about 30 weekends a year, trying to catch big alligator gar and release them alive.
In April he landed a 200-pound-plus monster that did not survive and became the rod and reel record for the Trinity, but he had a higher goal in mind: the state catch-and-release record, which requires that fish be photographed, measured and released alive.
On July 4 Williams succeeded, landing and releasing an 88-inch-long gar that he will submit for recognition as the new state catch-and-release record.......Read More
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Gulf of Mexico Shrimp Season to Open July 15
AUSTIN, Texas — The Gulf of Mexico commercial shrimp season for both state and federal waters will open 30 minutes after sunset Friday, July 15, 2011. The opening date is based on an evaluation of the biological, social and economic information to maximize the benefits to the industry and the public.
In making its determination, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Coastal Fisheries Division used the best available scientific information including samples collected by using trawls and bag seines in TPWD routine data collection.
The purpose of the closed Gulf season is to protect brown shrimp during their major period of emigration from the bays to the Gulf of Mexico until they reach a larger, more valuable size before harvest and to prevent waste caused by the discarding of smaller individuals......Read More
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Toyota Bass Classic Field Taking Shape
ATHENS—We’re into the final stretch for anglers to qualify for this year’s Toyota Texas Bass Classic on Lake Conroe October 28—30, and it’s going to be a showdown on all three tours.
This month has three major tournaments on the three tours that send pros to the annual TTBC: the Professional Anglers Association Tournament Series, the Bassmaster Elite Series and the Walmart FLW Tour. It’s getting to be crunch time!
Before we take a look at the tours and current standings, let’s look at the TTBC and qualification process. The event is set this year the final week of October on Lake Conroe northwest of Houston. It is the only unification event in professional bass fishing and brings together 50 of the best anglers from the PAA, B.A.S.S. and FLW circuits......Read More
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Anglers to Target Grass Carp on Lake Conroe
ATHENS—Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Inland Fisheries staff has partnered with the Texas Bowfishing Association (TBA) and the Texas BASS Federation Nation (TBFN) to conduct a grass carp removal tournament on Lake Conroe Saturday and Sunday July 9 and 10.
The TBFN will be hosting a rod-and-reel grass carp tournament from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Saturday, July 9, and be headquartered at Stow-A-Way Marina. They will be fishing from boats and limited shoreline areas lake-wide during tournament hours.
The TBA bowfishers will be fishing from 8:00 p.m. Saturday, July 9, until 8:00 a.m. Sunday, July 10. They will be launching and weighing in at Scott’s Ridge boat ramp. The bowfishers will be restricted to fishing only above (north of) the F.M. 1097 bridge. For bowfishers, several no-fishing zones will be in place adjacent to developed shoreline, and an idle-only area will be in place adjacent to Cagle Campground to reduce noise for overnight campers.....Read More
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Let Your Kids Brag About Their Huge Catch - And Have the State Record to Prove It
AUSTIN – Getting credit for catching a record fish in Texas is easier than you may think, especially if you’re a youngster.
Better still from a conservation standpoint, you can hang a nice Texas Parks and Wildlife certificate on your wall instead of a mounted trophy.
“With school out and plenty of time for fishing, the department would like parents to know the chances of their kid becoming a record holder are really good,” says Joedy Gray, who runs TPWD’s Angler Recognition Program. “The odds are in a young angler’s favor because there are a lot of bodies of water in Texas for which no one has applied for a record yet.”.....Read More
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Go Fish Summer Events to be Held Across Texas
Get your kids hooked on the outdoors this summer with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Go Fish! summer event series. Free fishing lessons for the young and young at heart will be hosted around the state at selected state parks throughout May, June and July.
Classes and demonstrations in areas such as basic casting, fish handling, fishing rules and regulations, and fly fishing are offered to beginners and seasoned anglers alike. Loaner rods and reels, bait and door prizes are provided at each event, but participants are encouraged to bring hats, sunglasses and water.....Read More
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Free Fishing Day Set for June 4
Texas is one of the best places in the nation for fishing and on June 4, you can wet a line anywhere in the state for free.
As part of Celebrate National Fishing and Boating Week, on Saturday June 4 local residents and visitors alike will be able to fish anywhere in Texas without a license. However, normal regulations concerning catch size and quantity still apply....Read More
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State Record Alligator Gar
ATHENS—When Joseph Williams of Cleveland went fishing in the Trinity River below Lake Livingston dam April 14, 2011, he was prepared to catch a big fish—a big alligator gar, the biggest freshwater fish in Texas.
“I was out for a big fish,” Williams said. “I caught several and lost several that day. I had some that I couldn’t turn that broke off. I think they were bigger than the one I caught—I have sure seen bigger.”
But Williams did catch a 7-foot, 9-inch monster so big it had to be weighed at a truck stop, where it was officially recorded as an even 200 pounds. “We did weigh the fish on uncertified scales we know to be reliable that showed it to be 230 pounds,” Williams said, “but the truck stop scales only read in 50-pound increments, so that was the weight we had to use for the record.”...Read More
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Texas Freshwater Fishing HOF to Induct Long-time TPWD Employee
ATHENS—David L. Campbell, a 45-year employee of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Inland Fisheries Division, will be inducted into the Texas Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame at a banquet June 4 in Athens.
Campbell is currently the manager of the Toyota ShareLunker program, an angler recognition and selective breeding program designed to increase the size and frequency of trophy (13-pound or bigger) largemouth bass catches in Texas.....Read More
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ShareLunker Winds Up Season
ATHENS—The Toyota ShareLunker season just concluded marked the 25th anniversary of the ShareLunker program. During that time 523 fish have been entered. The current season’s 19 entries was about two fish short of the long-term average.
Two entries set water-body records: a 16.03-pound fish from Lake Austin and a 14.94-pound fish from Lake Gilmer.
Nathan Peña-Alfaro’s 13.59-pounder from O.H. Ivie became the new junior angler state record largemouth bass.
Two entries were repeats. Toyota ShareLunker 522 this season from Lake Caddo was the same as No. 487 last season. Toyota ShareLunker 523 from O.H. Ivie was the same fish as No. 503 caught last year. Both fish were lake records when caught last season and still hold that distinction.......Read More
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Critical Texas Bass River Named "Water to Watch"
AUSTIN – The Llano River in Texas has been named one of 10 “Waters to Watch” for 2011 in the National Fish Habitat Action Plan. The watch list doesn’t necessarily indicate waters in trouble, but points to those that will benefit from strategic conservation efforts to protect, restore or enhance them, thus providing models for good work elsewhere.
The 10 “Waters to Watch” represent a snapshot of voluntary habitat conservation efforts in progress across the USA. Regional Fish Habitat Partnerships forming throughout the country are conserving these waters under the National Fish Habitat Action Plan, an initiative begun in 2006 to avoid and reverse persistent declines in aquatic habitats that are essential for fish, wildlife and people.
In Texas, the Llano River project aims to protect and improve aquatic habitats of the Guadalupe bass, the State Fish of Texas. By rallying support around this popular yet imperiled species, the project is bringing together a wide range of partners to conserve the entire Llano watershed, including tributary streams that feed into it, as well as the upland hills and riparian riverbanks that affect water quality.......Read More
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ShareLunker #523 Comes from OH Ivie Reservoir
ATHENS—Faron McCain of Sweetwater went fishing at O.H. Ivie Reservoir April 14 intending to catch a big largemouth bass on her spawning bed, and he did just that.
What he did not expect was to catch the same fish that was last year’s new lake record, when it was caught by Jerry Bales of Hico and became Toyota ShareLunker 503.
When Bales caught the fish last April 30, she weighed 16.08 pounds. When McCain put her on the certified scale at Concho Park Marina, an official Toyota ShareLunker weigh and holding station, she weighed in at 14.94 pounds......Read More
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Trophy Bass Survey Proves Lake Fork Still Prime Destination for Big Bass
ATHENS — Entries from Lake Fork into the Toyota ShareLunker Program have been overshadowed recently by reservoirs in other areas of the state, but the Lake Fork Trophy Bass Survey’s eight-year history shows that Lake Fork should remain on the list of any serious trophy bass hunter.
For the last eight years, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has been collecting information on catches of trophy bass seven pounds or greater or 24 inches or longer at Lake Fork. Through February 2011, the survey recorded 11,368 such fish. Anglers weighed 83 percent and measured lengths of 59 percent of these trophies. With an average of 1,421 fish over seven pounds every year, these numbers suggest the lake is still doing well. By comparing eligible fish encountered in creel surveys with survey results for the same days, biologists estimate fewer than 10 percent of actual catches are reported, making these results appear even more astounding.....Read More
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Texas Finalizes Hunting & Fishing Regulations
AUSTIN – The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission adopted hunting and fishing regulations for 2011-12 with relatively few changes. All amendments take effect Sept. 1, 2011.
Topping the list are regulation changes impacting turkey hunting, and potential alteration of some size and bag limits in waters shared with Louisiana.
Effective for the 2012 season, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is closing spring turkey hunting in the following 15 East Texas counties in response to low populations and harvest numbers: Cherokee, Delta, Gregg, Hardin, Houston, Hunt, Liberty, Montgomery, Rains, Rusk, San Jacinto, Shelby, Smith, Tyler and Walker.
Closing spring turkey seasons in these counties will enable biologists to reassess Eastern turkey restoration efforts in areas having suitable habitat, restock sites and provide brood stock protection. The agency’s goal is to reopen hunting once the Eastern turkey populations in the affected counties are capable of sustaining harvest.....Read More
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Texas, Louisiana Working to Standardize Boundary Fishing Regulations
ATHENS—A cooperative effort between the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) to standardize fishing regulations on waters shared by the two states is nearing fruition.
Waters affected by the proposed agreement include Toledo Bend Reservoir, Caddo Lake and the Sabine River from Toledo Bend dam downstream to the Interstate 10 bridge. The proposal would also redefine the Toledo Bend Reservoir boundary from the U.S. Highway 84 bridge upstream to where the river and the state line diverge.....Read More
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Gilmer, Caddo Produce ShareLunker Bass
ATHENS—Gilmer Reservoir sent a new lake record largemouth bass to the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center (TFFC) March 17, and the next day Caddo Lake sent the existing lake record largemouth to Athens for the second year in a row.
The Caddo fish is especially noteworthy since it was the biggest fish caught in Texas last season, and it moved into the lead again this year. At 16.07 pounds it tops a fish from Lake Austin that weighed 16.03 pounds. It takes over the number 20 spot on the Top 50 list of biggest bass ever caught in Texas and also ranks number 16 due to its previous catch, when it weighed 16.17 pounds.
Two fish caught this season now are on the Top 50 list, the Caddo fish and the Lake Austin fish, which dropped to number 23....Read More
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Texas Fish Records Program Sets Its Own Record
ATHENS—For many people, second only to the thrill of landing a trophy fish is seeing one’s name go into the record book for the catch.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Joedy Gray is the person in charge of making that happen, and with the cooperation and enthusiasm of Texas anglers, he was very busy in 2010.
“My number one goal when I took over the Angler Recognition Program in 2002 was to increase angler participation, especially among youth, and it looks as if that is being accomplished,” Gray said....Read More
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Spring Break Trout Fest
ATHENS—The Nature Center in Tyler has about a thousand rainbow trout that need a home on someone’s dinner table.
Each year trout are stocked into The Nature Center’s pond for fishing events in January, and they need to be harvested before water temperatures rise to the point the fish cannot survive.
During the Spring Break Trout Fest March 7—10, anyone may fish for free from 8:30 a.m. until 12:00 noon only. No fishing will be allowed after noon. Youth under age 18 must be supervised at all times by an adult. No fishing license is needed. Up to five rainbow trout and one channel catfish per day may be harvested. Anyone intending to harvest fish should bring a stringer or cooler....Read More
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TTF Acquires Jenny's Jigs
VICTORIA — TTF Fishing, a leading provider of inshore fishing tackle, today announced it has acquired Louisiana-based tackle manufacturer Jenny’s Jigs. Founded in 1998 by Bobby and Jenny Woodson, Jenny’s Jigs is widely known for their hand-tied crappie hair jigs and their innovative Shiney Hiney shrimp lure. Jenny’s Jigs joins Team Numark, Alameda Tackle Company and Salt Shaker Ventures under the TTF Fishing brand umbrella.....Read More
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Freeze Impacts Fish, Turtles Along the Texas Coast
AUSTIN – Preliminary assessments by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department coastal fisheries biologists suggest the damage from back-to-back freeze events that impacted marine life from Galveston to Brownsville could have been much worse.
Forecasts of prolonged sub-freezing temperatures along the Texas coast during the first week in February had biologists bracing for major fish kills the likes of which had not been seen in more than two decades. A second, less severe freeze wave hit the Texas coast less than a week later.....Read More
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Possum Kingdom Fishery Bounces Back
ATHENS—Possum Kingdom Reservoir appears to have largely recovered from the effects of an outbreak of golden alga that struck the lake in spring 2010, according to the latest fish surveys conducted by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) fisheries biologists.
“Largemouth bass came through the golden alga outbreak fairly well,” said biologist Robert Mauk. “The largemouth bass electrofishing catch rate was 53.5 fish per hour, which is slightly up from 49.0 per hour in the 2008 survey. Most bass were below the 16-inch legal size limit and were found throughout the reservoir. Stocking has not occurred since 2005, so the smaller bass were all naturally produced despite the occasional golden alga problems.”...Read More
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Falcon Produces Toyota ShareLunker 510
ATHENS—Falcon International Reservoir kicked in its 12th entry ever into the Toyota ShareLunker program January 31, a 13.22-pound fish caught by Ky Martin of Grandview, Texas. The fish was 25 inches long and 20.5 inches in girth.
Martin caught the fish about 2:00 p.m. and took it to the official ShareLunker weigh and holding station in Zapata, Robert’s Bait and Tackle, to await pickup. Martin was pre-fishing for a Bass Champs tournament when he caught the fish and is not releasing details on the catch at this time.
The fish became the fifth entry submitted in January, tying the current season for second in number of entries for the month with January of the 1991-92 season. The 1994-95 season saw the highest number of January entries ever, seven....Read More
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REPORTS
Salt Water
Fresh Water by Region
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It is a common belief among weekend bass anglers that visible cover is the easiest type of structure to fish. Since it can be seen, it is certainly the easiest type of structure to find. However, 5-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier Lonnie Stanley knows getting maximum productivity from visible structure can be deceptively difficult. As Stanley is quick to point out, success typically lies with what you can't see - even with visible structure
Valentine's Day is the first thing that most people think of when mid-February rolls around. Weather this time of year can be a bit brisk, windy and often times a little wet. Casual anglers don't think of fishing for another month or so. However, a select few Gulf Coast fishermen know that this is the time of year when our bay systems offer up prizes that are far more treasured than those found in a box of chocolates. 
Red drum, or redfish as they are commonly known, are among the most popular game fish in Texas. In fact, nearly as many anglers head to the Lone Star State in search of redfish as black bass. Additionally, thousands of resident Texans ply the inshore and nearshore waters along the Texas coast in search of these bronze beauties. However, you don't need to fish in salt or even brackish water in order to land a Texas red. 
During the first few months of the year, Texas sees boat and fishing shows staged across the state. Although many Texas anglers fish year around, there are plenty of 'bad weather days' in January and February when shows offer a nice alternative to spending a day on the water. And, as most fishermen know, shows are often a good place to pick up good deals on boating and fishing equipment. Here's a sample of some of the most popular annual events held during the winter months in the Lone Star State......
Most Texas light-tackle anglers love taking advantage of summer's excellent surf fishing opportunities. However, a great number of these same fishermen fail to realize winter also offers plenty in the way of beachfront bounty. Whether fishing from dry sand or using a granite jetty to extend their reach, surf fishermen have plenty of available options over the winter months. 
"If you want to catch fish this time of year, you've got to slow down your retrieve." That quote could be attributed to one of thousands of guides or anglers along the Texas coast. During seminars, in print articles and on television shows - everyone gives the same generic "work it slow" advice, generally leaving the angling audience wondering, "What the #@%$ does 'slow' mean?!" After all, slow can mean a lot of things and without a relative scale, it is almost impossible to determine exactly what someone means when they say "fish slow." 
From the moment it filled in 1965, the 114,000-acre Lake Sam Rayburn has held a prominent spot in the minds of bass anglers everywhere. Located just outside of Jasper in Deep East Texas, Rayburn became an instant legend. Over the decades, the legend of Lake Sam Rayburn only grew larger, helped in part by the legions of legendary anglers that began their careers there. Since its inception, the BASS tournament trail has been well populated with fishermen who cut their teeth on Big Sam.
Redfish are arguably the most popular saltwater gamefish in Texas. But, it hasn't always been that way. In fact, as recently as the 1970s, redfish weren't even classified as gamefish in the Lone Star State. Sure, they were popular among sport fishermen, but they were more popular among commercial fishermen. At the time, speckled trout were considered a more desirable light tackle target. 
Each year, as fall moves closer to winter, Laguna Madre area anglers are treated to a “run” of good mangrove snapper fishing. Although these feisty fighters are found year around in our waters, late fall is perhaps the best time to target them.
“Hot dang, fishin' them frogs is fun,” joked Lonnie Stanley. However, no matter how much “foolin'” he was doing when he uttered that sentence, Stanley is dead serious about frog fishing. In fact, for a man who made his professional angling and lure making reputation with jigs, Stanley sounds as if he's had some mid-life revelation.
Bass fishermen have long been known for experimenting with new tackle, tactics and techniques. Traditionally, saltwater anglers have been a little less experimental. However, in recent years, a growing number of Texas bay fishermen have been taking a page from the bass anglers' handbook - not just by developing their own new techniques, but also by outright borrowing some from their freshwater fishing brethren. Although it may strike some of the more traditionally-minded saltwater fishermen as odd, there are actually quite a few freshwater lures and techniques that can be quite deadly on speckled trout and redfish. Here's a few of the most productive crossover lures and techniques...
The majority of Texas inshore anglers are familiar with the 'Big 3' inshore species - redfish, speckled trout and flounder. Hands down, these three species are the most popular among Lone Star State saltwater fishermen. Catching all three in a single session is a feather in any fisherman's cap. October offers up the best opportunity to do so on a routine basis.
Up and down the Texas Coast, talk of the “Big Three” often dominate the discussion whenever and wherever bay fishermen gather. However, at the extreme southern tip of the state, the “three” consuming most anglers' thoughts are different than those referred to by fishermen north of the Lower Laguna Madre.
Redfish are among the most popular targets for fly fishermen plying the temperature salt waters of coastal Texas. Visions of 'tailing reds' on shallow flats often fill fishermen's minds as they make their way to the coast. However, during late summer and fall, an entirely different type of red drum fishing is available throughout the fish's range. 
For anglers in the Laguna Madre area, July signals the beginning of an incredible couple months of fishing opportunities. From now through September, inshore and nearshore anglers can realistically expect to hookup with everything from speckled trout to tarpon to kingfish. Granted, some years see this potpourri of saltwater game fish show up sooner than others. And, this year we had a pretty early jump on kingfish and Spanish mackerel. However, year after year, July marks the point at which all of these species will be consistently found in catchable numbers in and around the Laguna Madre......
When most anglers hear Corpus Christi, they think beach, bay and a host of inshore salt water species. However, just a short drive away from the city it provides water to, a freshwater impoundment provides a completely different angling experience. Though Lake Corpus Christi takes its name from the Sparkling City by the Bay, and though it is a short drive away from its namesake city, from an angling point of view, it is worlds apart.
Anglers know Texas heat can become unbearable during August. This heat wave is every bit as formidable beneath the waters surface as above. The key for fishermen routinely scoring good catches during the dog days of summer is finding pockets of cooler water. Depending on tides and time of day, these areas of 'agua frio' can be found in various areas of a bay system.......
Once the Gulf waters lapping against the dry sand on Texas beaches turn deep green and warm above 70 degrees, anglers get itchy to “go pluggin'” in the surf. In fact, probing the beachfront waters with metal and plastic artificial lures is a Texas tradition that dates back to the introduction of artificial lures into the saltwater fishing realm. And, since the ideal conditions for surf fishing in this manner are highly seasonal, this angling pursuit continues to have an aura of adventure about it.
Most every bass fisherman has encountered schooling bass on the surface of their favorite lake. More often than not, these encounters were memorable ones, with bass coming cast after cast. For most weekend anglers, these run-ins with schooling bass are welcomed, but unplanned, highlights of a day at the lake. 
Summer, more than any other time of the year, offers coastal anglers a variety of fishing options. Not only are there more species of fish available during the summer months, there are also more places and ways to catch them. Fish may be shallow or deep, in the flats or along the channel edges. And, this may change not just from day to day, but throughout any given day as the sun and temperature rises. Being versatile and capable of making a change in locale or technique from hour to hour can make the difference between catching fish all day and just catching them during a portion of the day.
For years anglers searching for fishing adventures full of trophy size largemouth bass probed a variety of Mexican big bass factories. From Lake Guerrero to El Salto, these south-of-the-border lakes produced an incredible amount of big fish during their prime. However, in recent years it has become evident that US fishermen heading into Mexico were passing up a pair of the best big bass lakes in North America.
Throughout late spring and well into summer, the otherwise glassy surface of back lakes and coves in various Texas bays will often explode with what appears to be tiny slivers of glass. However, these small shards are actually diminutive glass minnows leaping quite literally for the lives in order to escape hungry predators beneath them. 
There is a difference between general bay fishing and the more specialized discipline of flats fishing. Simply put, flats fishing involves angling pursuits in shallow water, usually three feet or less. Although this brand of fishing has become increasingly popular in recent years, many anglers are unprepared for the unique challenges presented by fish in shallow, clear water.
For decades, anglers from Texas as well as other Gulf Coast states have flocked to Lake Calcasieu, just outside Lake Charles, Louisiana, to sample its legendary fishing. Located a scant 2 1/2 hours from downtown Houston, Lake Calcasieu is close enough to be convenient, yet far enough to be 'exotic' for fishermen from the Lone Star State. Most often, Texas fishermen take their initial trip to Big Lake to "do something different." But, after that first foray, they are hooked and become regular Lake Cal fishermen.....
Choke Canyon, the nearly 26,000-acre South Texas reservoir a few miles west of Three Rivers, has been renowned as a world-class bass fishery. It has also seen the bottom fall out, quite literally, when the storied lake dropped to less than half its normal size during a massive drought some years ago. However, Choke's fortunes - and water levels - have been on the rise once again over the past few years.....
The old saying, "Big bait, big fish" does not always ring true. But, early spring is one time that it certainly does.
The group of fresh water sunfish species collectively known as panfish provide perhaps more hours of angling enjoyment than any other types of fish found in North American waters. This is largely because everyone from children and beginners right up to experienced fishermen are able to enjoy catching these feisty fish. However, though they are a `user-friendly' quarry, there are a few basic baits, lures and techniques that can help every angler increase their catch..... 
Rain, rain, go away. That's a popular children's refrain. In that same spirit, coastal anglers are likely to chant, wind, wind, go away. However, during April along the Texas coastal curve, that's a highly unlikely occurrence. The wind is going to blow this month, so you might as well get used to it. If you do attempt fishing in high spring breezes, you might do more than get used to - you might actually start liking it. In fact, more than one fisherman has been heard to utter the phrase, wind, wind, please blow today after having a few successful windy days on the bay.....
The old saying, "Big bait, big fish" does not always ring true. But, early spring is one time that it certainly does.
With its silvery sides, bright yellow chin and deeply-forked black tail, the Florida pompano is one of the more tropical looking species found in the Gulf of Mexico. And, despite its name, anglers don't need to travel to the Sunshine State in order to tie into this popular light-tackle quarry. However, relatively few Texas anglers take advantage of the well-established pompano fishery along the state's southernmost stretch of beach......
Valentine's Day is the first thing that most people think of when mid-February rolls around. Weather this time of year can be a bit brisk, windy and often times a little wet. Casual anglers don't think of fishing for another month or so. However, a select few Gulf Coast fishermen know that this is the time of year when our bay systems offer up prizes that are far more treasured than those found in a box of chocolates. 
Over the past few years, artificial shrimp such as the DOA Shrimp have become more and more popular among coastal fishermen. However, a number of questions always arise as to the best way to rig and fish artificial shrimp. Here are a few of the more popular and productive methods.... 