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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