REAL ESTATE ANNUAL INSIDE April 24, 2026
Texas’ Hunting and Fishing Newspaper Since 2004
Find the bait, find the trout Springtime specks currently transitioning
Real Estate texas 2026
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Volume 22, Issue 17
Coming into prime time
By Nate Skinner
For Lone Star Outdoor News Speckled trout have quickly transitioned into springtime patterns, and most are being caught along main bay shorelines in knee- to waist-deep water over stretches of sand with seagrass beds and scattered shell. Strong winds have dictated where anglers have been able to fish, with calm days few and far between lately. Plenty of solid specks in the 2- to 5-pound range have been brought to hand, with some larger, trophy-caliber fish mixed in. Rockport guide Capt. Josh Wagner has been targeting trout along main bay shorelines in the Aransas Bay complex. His focus has been wade-fishing shallow flats in knee- to thigh-deep water over sandy bottoms with large, isolated grass beds. “The most consistent speckled trout action has come from areas that are loaded with baitfish,” Wagner said. “If you can find concentrations of bait, there should be plenty of specks nearby.” Wagner said covering water has been the key with the rising temperatures, as the transition into springtime patterns continues to take place. Some wades have been producing solid numbers and consistent bites, while others have been a grind. “Overall, the trout bite has been pretty good,” he said. “We are consistently catching good numbers of fish in the 2- to 4-pound range. Some specks pushing 5 to 7 pounds have been in the mix, as well.” Wagner said some of his best days for both numbers and size have occurred during rare windows of calmer weather. During the few occasions that light Please turn to page 9
Anglers can expect good gar fishing this spring on the Trinity River. Photo by Conor Harrison, Lone Star Outdoor News.
Alligator gar fishing season here By Cory Byrnes
For Lone Star Outdoor News
Capt. Josh Wagner lands a nice trout on a recent trip along the Texas coast. Photo by Nate Skinner, for Lone Star Outdoor News.
If you’re looking to fight one of the biggest fish in North America, then now is the time. The fishing for alligator gar is quickly improving as the best time to catch one of these river monsters arrives. These fish grow to colossal sizes all through the Trinity River system. “It’s starting to get good right now,” said Capt. Bubba Bedre with Garzilla Guide Service. He and his clients have been targeting bends, eddies, sandbars, and deeper holes. “It all depends on river conditions. In certain river conditions, I’ll target different things. In low water conditions, I look for deeper pools. In high water conditions, I’ll target along the bank or Please turn to page 13
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID DALLAS, TX PERMIT 3814
Different colors Color variations common in wild Rio Grande turkey By Nate Skinner
Two Toms taken recently on a North Zone ranch had very different tail feather colorations, making the hunters wonder what species of turkey they had shot. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News. Sun, Moon & Tides . . . . . . Page 8 Grip & Grin . . . . . . . . . . . Page 10 Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . Page 12 Recipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 12 Fishing reports . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Datebook . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 18 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . Page 18
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For Lone Star Outdoor News Turkey hunters across the state have recently reported harvesting Rio Grande gobblers sporting various shades of tan, copper, and blonde-ish tipped feathers on their tail fans. Some of the birds that have feathers with light-colored tips have appeared to bear a strong resemblance to a Merriam’s turkey.
According to TPWD Wild Turkey Program Leader Jason Hardin, the Rio Grande subspecies of wild turkey is known for having a large variability in the coloration of its feathers, particularly along the tips of the feathers located in the tail fan. “The Rio Grande turkey’s scientific subspecies name is Meleagris gallopavo intermedia, meaning it is an intermediate subspecies between the Eastern birds and the mountain birds,” Hardin said. “They can have variability in coloration that can resemble Eastern turkey or Merriam’s turkey. It’s not uncommon to see multiple Please turn to page 12
HUNTING
FISHING
New man in charge (P. 4)
After the party (P. 6)
Jose Etchart takes over TPWD sheep program.
SPI fishing back after spring break.
Months late (P. 4)
Skinny water bass (P. 6)
Duck stamps finally arriving.
Largemouths being caught shallow.