EXOTIC HUNTING ANNUAL INSIDE May 23, 2025
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Texas’ Largest Hunting and Fishing Newspaper Since 2004
AN N UAL 2025
JOINING THE EXOTICS MOVEMENT PAGE 8
Volume 21, Issue 19
Quick trip to the lease pays off
Anglers are finding bass out off the banks as their post-spawn patterns gain momentum. Photo by Nate Skinner, for Lone Star Outdoor News.
Post-spawn patterns dominating By Nate Skinner
For Lone Star Outdoor News Although there are still some late spawning fish up shallow, most largemouth bass are beginning to transition into a postspawn pattern. Anglers and fishing guides are finding fish in various water depths, using a variety of techniques and lure presentations. Covering water and focusing on areas with concentrations of baitfish seems to be working well for most. Guide Duster Craven has been spending most of his time on Champion Creek Reservoir lately, where he said the bass are in a post-spawn pattern and chasing schools of shad.
James Meissner was surprised when he had a shot at a personal best axis buck during a quick trip to his deer lease in Kinney County. Photo from James Meissner.
By Nate Skinner
For Lone Star Outdoor News When a late season cool front coincided with a window of free time, James Meissner made a quick trip to his low fence deer lease in Kinney County. He had low expectations other than to enjoy a couple of sits
with his bow in a tripod under what would likely be the last cool conditions until fall. To his surprise, a mature axis buck gave him a perfect, broadside shot opportunity at 25 yards. “This was just one of those situations where I happened to be in the right place at the right time,” Meissner said. “I didn’t
have any cell cameras running, so it’s not like I had been patterning this axis buck and had plans of hunting for him or even seeing him. I just thought it would be nice to get away for a night out at the ranch, and figured I might as well take advantage of the cooler weather and make a couple of hunts
between filling feeders and setting trail cameras.” Meissner chose to hunt an area that typically holds herds of axis during the late spring to early summer months. He stealthily walked into the area and got set up in a tripod shortly after arriving to the ranch in the afternoon.
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PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID DALLAS, TX PERMIT 3814
Surf options getting better By Cory Byrnes
Jason Makepeace, Patrick Hays and Derek Deyo worked the second gut at Jamaica Beach with twitch baits and soft plastics. Photo by Cory Byrnes, for Lone Star Outdoor News. Freshwater Fishing Report . . Page 10 Outdoor Blotter . . . . . . . . Page 12 Grip & Grin . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Sun, Moon & Tides . . . . . . Page 16 Saltwater Fishing Report . . . Page 19 Datebook . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 26 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . Page 26
INSIDE
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Time Sensitive Material • Deliver ASAP
For Lone Star Outdoor News It feels like summer on many days, and with it, the surf-fishing from the Texas coast is picking up. At Port Bolivar, some recent conditions have been excellent with a light northern wind laying down the surf, and the Sargassum grass from the last month has cleared somewhat.
Patrick Hayes, who fishes on Jamaica beach, said it’s still a few weeks early for surf-fishing for redfish, sharks and jack crevalle, but said it’s better to be early than late. On Galveston Island beaches, the trout haven’t been as active. “The water temperature is still a little low,” Hayes said. Red drum and shark fishing have picked up the slack on soaked baits. Please turn to page 11
HUNTING
FISHING
Big desert bighorn (P. 4)
Elites come to Texas (P. 8)
French hunter comes in a hurry.
Events at Fork and Sabine River.
Fearing New World screwworm (P. 4)
Hungry reds (P. 8)
Parasite moving from the south.
Anglers finding fish coastwide.