October 24, 2025
Texas’ Hunting and Fishing Newspaper Since 2004
Volume 22, Issue 5
Opportunity ‘nocking’ Anglers are starting to question whether or not posting photos of their catches on social media could have negative effects on the areas they like to fish. Photo by Nate Skinner, for Lone Star Outdoor News.
To post, or not to post? Coastal anglers ponder whether social media could be hurting their beloved sport By Nate Skinner
For Lone Star Outdoor News What’s the first thing you do after you land an impressive catch on the water? Take a photo, of course. It’s what follows next that some anglers argue could have serious implications. We’ve all been there — after catching and taking a photo with a fish that we are proud of, almost all of us are immediately inclined to send the photo out to all of our fishing buddies via text, and to post the photo on our social media platforms. With more and more anglers
Big bucks are starting to show up in front of Texas archery hunters. Willie Waldrip harvested this 202-inch buck on a portion of his family’s ranch in Sutton County. Photo by Monty Cain.
Persistent archery hunters getting shots at some mature bucks
while other areas have experienced sporadic daytime activity at best. Overall, traffic around feeders seems to be slowly picking up, and some hunters have been fortunate enough to let an arrow fly. Eleven-year-old Hunter Faas got drawn on standby for the youth archery hunt at Mad Island Wildlife Management Area. The youngster was hunting with a crossbow and was bound and determined to harvest his first buck. After two long days in the blind without a legal buck presenting itself, Faas decided to take a doe with only 20 minutes of legal light
By Nate Skinner
For Lone Star Outdoor News Despite the lack of significant cool fronts or drops in temperature, archery hunters continue to pursue white-tailed deer with stick and string throughout Texas during the month of October. Slightly cooler mornings have promoted increased deer activity in some places,
left on the hunt. He made an excellent shot, watched the doe fall, and successfully took his first deer with archery equipment. Lance Holloway recently successfully harvested his first archery buck while hunting his family’s property in Montague County. The deer scored just over 162 inches. Not only was this his first buck with stick and string, it also became his new personal best. “I actually missed the deer when he first gave me a shot opportunity,” Holloway admitted. “I was sitting in a saddle in an oak tree, and he showed up with about 35 minutes left of legal shooting light.”
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PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID DALLAS, TX PERMIT 3814
Brush, timber and structure Crappie bite heating up By Nate Skinner
Crappie are being caught in 10- to 30-feet of water over brush, timber, creek channels, and flats across our inland lakes. Photo by Josh Sikes.
Crappie are beginning to stage over brush piles, timber, channels, and flats in a variety of water depths across Texas inland lakes. The bite is starting to gain momentum, and anglers and fishing guides are catching good numbers of fish on both minnows and jigs. Areas with structure in 10- to 30-feet of water have been producing solid catches. East Texas fishing guide Josh Sikes of Bent Rods Guide Service said he’s been chasing crap-
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Freshwater Fishing Report . . Page 10 Grip & Grin . . . . . . . . . . . Page 16 Saltwater Fishing Report . . . Page 20 Sun, Moon & Tides . . . . . . Page 22 Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . Page 24 Game Warden Blotter . . . . . Page 24 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . Page 26
INSIDE
CONTENTS
Time Sensitive Material • Deliver ASAP
For Lone Star Outdoor News
pie on Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn reservoirs recently. On Toledo Bend, he said the early morning bite has been really good. “There seems to be a little lull in the action about mid-morning each day, but the first few hours of the morning have been excellent,” Sikes said. “The southern half of Toledo Bend has held the most action.” Sikes said main lake brush piles and brush piles along the sides of creek channels in 19- to 22-feet of water have been hotspots lately. Jigs in natural color patterns have been out-fishing minnows. Most of the crappie on Toledo Bend have been in the 10- to 12-inch range, with a few larger fish mixed in.
HUNTING
FISHING
Not just a dove hunt (P. 4)
4-for-4 (P. 8)
Families come together after tragedy.
Pronghorn steady (P. 4) Population down, but hunters still find success.
Father/son have a memorable day offshore.
Big bass on Fork (P. 8) Tournament produces big catches.