June 12, 2026
Texas’ Hunting and Fishing Newspaper Since 2004
Volume 22, Issue 20
Open in federal waters Red snapper anglers taking advantage offshore By Tony Vindell
For Lone Star Outdoor News
The federal red snapper season is off to great start with strong catches reported from down south. Photo by Nate Skinner, for Lone Star Outdoor News.
The 2026 red snapper season in federal waters is now open. Beginning June 1, anglers can chase big red snapper more than nine miles offshore. “It’s a 147-day season,” said Capt. Roy Cagle. “It’s the longest one season
I know of.” Cagel spoke to LSON as he took about 40 anglers on The Thunderbird, a for-hire vessel docked at the South Padre Island Marina. The trip, expected to be a nearly 8-hour journey, ended two hours earlier thanks to the good weather and equally good catches. Each angler caught their 2-fish per day limit of red snapper, with the size ranging from 17 to 20 or more inches. The legal minimum length limit is 16
inches. Anglers Phil Roechrich, Victor Sanchez, Ricardo Antonio Gonzalez and Henry Oh were excited about how the day turned out. “I caught my limit really fast,” Roechrich said. “It was one of my best days. I was really happy with the fish I got.” In fact, his two red snapper were among the biggest ones caught on the trip. Please turn to page 15
Hill Country flying Fly-anglers catching numbers and species By Nate Skinner
For Lone Star Outdoor News Fly-anglers have been enjoying successful days on the water across Central Texas and Hill Country rivers. Guadalupe bass and largemouth bass have been providing the most consistent action, and some smallmouths and Rio Grande cichlids have been in the mix, too. Area lakes have also produced action for those chasing bass on the fly. A variety of poppers, as well as crawfish and baitfish patterns, have been working well. Chris Johnson of Living Waters Fly Fishing said the fly-fishing action on the San Gabriel River has been excellent lately on poppers and flies in a crawfish patterns. “The biggest key to catching fish on the fly on the San Gabriel and other Central Texas and Hill Country rivers has been matching your presentation with the prevalent food sources that Guadalupe bass and largemouths are feeding on right now,” Johnson said. “Matching your fly to what makes sense on the river or body of water you are
fishing will keep you hooked up.” Johnson said he’s been consistently catching Guadalupe bass and largemouth bass in the 1- to 2-pound range on the San Gabriel and other rivers recently. He said the fish have been feeding in moving water and around sunfish beds. “Any areas with shade or deeper pools have also been productive, especially during the middle of the day during sunny conditions,” Johnson said. “When it’s bright outside, the fish have been holding tight to cover.” According to Johnson, it’s a great time to flyfish our rivers right now. He said the fish are biting all day long, and there’s been a solid mix of Guads, largemouths, sun fish, and Rio Grande Cichlids willing to strike a variety of flies. Hill Country fly-fishing guide Pablo Torrez of the Grateful Angler said crawfish pattern flies, Clouser minnow flies, streamers, baitfish patterns, and poppers have been producing plenty of strikes from Guadalupe bass, largemouth bass, and cichlids on the San Marcos and Blanco rivers and their surrounding tributaries. “Poppers have been the ticket during the first couple of hours of the day, early in the morning,” Torrez said. “They have also been working well late in the evening as the sun sinks lower in the sky.”
Fly-fishing guide, Sean Polk, has been catching solid bass on the fly up shallow during the morning hours on Lake Fork and Lake Athens in areas where he's finding plenty of shad and baitfish. Photo from Sean Polk.
Please turn to page 11
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID DALLAS, TX PERMIT 3814
Asking again TPWD taking comments on limited rifle hunting in four NTX counties By Conor Harrison
TPWD will soon decide if a small number of properties in Grayson County will be allowed to rifle hunt. Photo by Conor Harrison, Lone Star Outdoor News.
Fishing reports . . . . . . . . . Page 12 Grip & Grin . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Sun, Moon & Tides . . . . . . Page 16 Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . Page 18 Recipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 18 Datebook . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 22 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . Page 22
INSIDE
CONTENTS
Time Sensitive Material • Deliver ASAP
Lone Star outdoor newS
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is once again taking comments on a proposal to allow rifle hunting on a small number of properties in Dallas, Rockwall, Collin and Grayson counties in North Texas. Of the four, Grayson County is the
only county currently with properties meeting the proposed criteria — a high-fenced property currently under the Managed Lands Deer Permits program. According to Blaise Korzekwa, the white-tailed deer program leader for TPWD, the proposal was submitted because of management issues on the high-fenced properties. Currently, all four counties are archery only for white-tailed deer hunting. “The last proposal was submitted back in 2021, and it was to open the entire counties up for firearm Please turn to page 6
HUNTING
FISHING
It’s here (P. 4)
Baffin producing (P. 8)
New World screwworm now in Texas.
Good trout and reds being caught.
Open for hunting (P. 5)
Bass deeper (P. 8)
Two new state parks coming online.
Largemouth moving out from shallows.