TEXAS FISHING ANNUAL March 13, 2026
Texas’ Hunting and Fishing Newspaper Since 2004
Fishing texas ANNUAL 2026
BIG BASS GALORE PAGE 5
Advertising Section
Volume 22, Issue 14
Varying conditions Sheepshead and flounder provide action despite tide changes, wind By Nate Skinner
For Lone Star Outdoor News
Texan Brian Bird is the founder of World Bass Enterprises, which will host a $3M bass tournament in November. Photo from Brian Bird.
One true champion World Bass Enterprises putting on $3M bass tournament By Conor Harrison Lone Star Outdoor News
Leave it to a Texan to do it bigger than it’s ever been done before. Eastland businessman Brian Bird grew up bass fishing around his north-central Texas home, catching plenty of fish on the classic Mann’s grape-colored plastic worm. Getting dragged around while tube-fishing in area tanks ignited a lifelong passion in Bird. That passion would be rekindled in a big way after Bird sold his electrical business several years ago. While on a fishing trip to Minnesota, he and several good friends, a few of whom fished in Elite open tournaments, began to realize their wasn’t a true world championship for bass anglers.
Upper coast anglers are beginning to catch flounder consistently along main bay shorelines, the edges of shallow reefs, and the mouths of marsh drains and bayous as springtime patterns emerge. Photo by Nate Skinner, for Lone Star Outdoor News.
A transition towards springtime patterns has begun across Texas coastal bays and marshes. Despite varying conditions, including changing tide levels and gusty winds, anglers have been consistently catching sheepshead along rocks and jetties near channels and passes. Flounder have also returned to the shallows, and anglers targeting them have been rewarded. Upper Coast fishing guide Capt. Ryan Battistoni has been focusing his efforts around shell reefs and marsh drains in smaller, satellite bays like Chocolate Bay, Bastrop Bay, and Christmas Bay. He said flounder are stacking up along the edges of shallow oyster reefs and in the mouths of marsh drains and bayous. “The best flounder bite has been taking place when the tide is moving,” Battistoni said. “I prefer an outgoing tide when targeting flounder, but you can catch them during the incoming tide, as well.” Battistoni said live shrimp under a popping cork and scented soft plastics bounced along the bottom have been producing the most flatfish. Capt. Donnie Wood said the flounder gigging action across Galveston Bay is gaining momentum now that flounder have started returning to the shallows with springtime patterns emerging. Shallow flats along main bay shorelines and satellite bays with scattered shell and mud across Galveston Bay have been producing solid flatfish during his nighttime trips. He said more and more, flounder are pushing up shallow during the overnight hours with each passing day. According to Galveston Bay Complex fishing Capt. David Dillman, rocks along the Houston Ship Channel in Trinity Bay, Tabbs Bay, Scotts Bay, and Burnett Bay
Please turn to page 9
Please turn to page 9
TPWD Commission proposes changes for South Zone season By Nate Skinner
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission has proposed two changes for the 2026-2027 Migratory Game Bird Proclamation
CONTENTS
Time Sensitive Material • Deliver ASAP
For Lone Star Outdoor News
that, if adopted, would change the South Zone dove season date format that South Zone dove hunters have become accustomed to in recent years. These changes will be voted on at the TPWD Commission meeting in Austin on March 26. The first proposed regulation change is to move the South Zone regular dove season opening date to September 1. This
Freshwater Fishing Report . . Page 8 Grip & Grin . . . . . . . . . . . Page 10 Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 12 Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . Page 12 Sun, Moon & Tides . . . . . . Page 14 Saltwater Fishing Report . . . Page 17 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . Page 18
would eliminate the Special White-winged Dove Days, and institute standardized bag limits across all days in the South Zone (15 mourning, whitewinged, and white-tipped doves in the aggregate, with no more than two white-tipped doves per day). “If adopted, this change would also mean we would have a uniform opening day of Septem-
ber 1 for all three dove hunting zones in Texas,” said the TPWD Webless Migratory Game Bird Program Leader, Owen Fitzsimmons. “This is something that the public has expressed they are overwhelmingly in support of in recent years.” The second proposed regulation change pertains to the second segment of the South Zone dove season. At the comPlease turn to page 15
INSIDE
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID DALLAS, TX PERMIT 3814
Dove changes coming
Hunters could see a change of season dates in the South Zone for dove next season. Photo by Nate Skinner, for Lone Star Outdoor News.
HUNTING
FISHING
Toms over jakes (P. 4)
Spawn is on (P. 6)
Hunters set for good turkey season.
Bass moving shallow.
Delisted (P. 4)
Party offshore (P. 6)
Prairie-chicken taken off ESA.
Party boats catching tuna, snapper.