HUNTING ANNUAL INSIDE August 8, 2025
Texas’ Hunting and Fishing Newspaper Since 2004
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DOVE DAYS A TRAVELER’S TALE | PAGE 10
CAJUN DOWN UNDER | PAGE 22
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Volume 21, Issue 24
Surf fishing sizzling By Cory Byrnes
For Lone Star Outdoor News Galveston area surf fishing “has been fire,” according to recent angler reports. “Anywhere really,” said Joseph Macias. The red fishing has been especially hot lately. Macias has been finding them cruising the guts. The bite has been best early in the morning at low tide. Other anglers are having success with cut mullet or ladyfish with a spider weight in the second and third guts. Trout have also been caught in good numbers in the surf. “I am just looking for schools of mullet. If there’s mullet there’s trout,” Macias said. He has been throwing Corky’s topwaters and Down South soft plastics for the best action. Keying on areas between the second and third sandbars has been the best bet for bait placement. In the Laguna Madre area, the fishing has also been good from the beach. “It’s been about two months since I’ve boxed a slot red. All the recent catches have been bull reds fishing at night,” said angler Gabriel Ramos. “I have a few captain friends that have been finding slot reds in Port Aransas and the Baffin Bay area.” Gabriel has had most of his luck from 6 to about 11 p.m. when it is a little bit cooler outside. He has been catching bull reds, trout, drum, and huge ladyfish using a live shrimp underneath a Speckanater Poppin’ Cork. “This is the time of year there is a lot of perch or croaker that take the shrimp. I have shifted to using live finger mullet, cut mullet, or live croaker,” Gabriel added. “The redfish love them.” On Padre Island National Seashore, “the fishing has been a little bit weird,” according to Nick Meyer with Breakaway Tackle. Normally, this time of year, the mullet run is in full swing. The rain from the last month is making its way to the Gulf, and “that cold water tends to switch the mullet on and off,” Meyer said.
Hunters can expect a good acorn crop, potentially limiting action at corn feeders early in the season. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News
The year to be a deer Best range conditions By Conor Harrison Lone Star Outdoor News
“Everywhere on your ranch is a bedding area.” That is according to biologist Macy Ledbetter, when asked about this year’s range conditions and potential acorn crop. “North San Saba County has a lot of acorns – they have a lot of everything right now,” he said. “We won’t be getting into helicopters to do surveys for another couple of weeks, but focusing locally, the trees are heavy. Oaks, pecans, a few hickories, mesquite beans in South Texas are above average. The spring was fairly dry, but we’ve had lots of rain in the early summer.”
Angler John Boehm holds a nice redfish he caught using a live mullet on the beach at Padre Island National Seashore. Photo by Conor Harrison, Lone Star Outdoor News
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PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID DALLAS, TX PERMIT 3814
Hit or miss West Texas summer bass fishing slow due to heat, rising water levels By Cory Byrnes
O.H. Ivie Reservoir has risen more than eight feet over the last month. The rising shoreline has covered new vegetation, and the water temperature is lower than
“There is a bunch of different stuff going on in the lake right now. As far as the oxygenation levels, thermoclines are different in different places on the lake, parts of the lake are turning over. It’s kind of a mess right now,” he said. “It will take a little while for it to settle down.” Smith and his clients are still finding fish on the lake, however. They are just spread out and not concentrated in one area. Smith has had success during the early morning, low-light
Bass fishing at O.H. Ivie Reservoir has cooled a bit this summer. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News
Please turn to page 15 Public Notice . . . . . . . . . . Page 10 Freshwater Fishing Report . . Page 12 Grip & Grin . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Sun, Moon & Tides . . . . . . Page 16 Saltwater Fishing Report . . . Page 17 Datebook . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 22 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . Page 22
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normal this time of year. This, coupled with fishing pressure, has the bass spread out across the lake. “The fishing is not as good right now,” said Dalton Smith with Dsmithfishing Guide Service. “There is a lot more vegetation, fresh salt cedar, and undergrowth on the bank. Whenever it fills up, that sours. The fish don’t get in there.” When the vegetation starts to die down, the fish will return closer to shore.
HUNTING
FISHING
Rams and a ring (P. 4)
Offshore action (P. 8)
Trophy aoudad and a proposal.
Billfish being caught in record numbers.
Deep Fakes (P. 4)
Young lure maker (P. 8)
Fraudulent websites tricking hunters.
12-year-old catches lunker with homemade lure.