Real Estate Annual Inside April 26, 2024
Texas’ Largest Hunting and Fishing Newspaper Since 2004
Real Estate texas 2024
MAKE YOUR CAST HERE
Call for Offers on Sugaree Ranch PAGE 8
ADVERTISING SECTION
Volume 20, Issue 17
Fortune follows new turkey hunter By Tom Stephenson
For Lone Star Outdoor News
Michael Huynh bagged his first turkey at a hunt he won at the Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation’s Wild Game Night. Photo by Tom Stephenson, for Lone Star Outdoor News.
Good luck has been following Michael Huynh of late. First, he watched the raffle bin at the Beretta Gallery spin his way to win a turkey hunt sponsored at the Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation’s Wild Game Night. Next, he met up with premier turkey guide and caller Erik Waller.
Huynh, 39, is an avid outdoorsman and hunter, but he never had hunted for turkey. His pals told him to get ready to do a lot of walking and calling and quiet sitting, and not to expect much in the way of success early or otherwise. After being outfitted with gators to protect from rattlers and a full facemask, Huynh began a march with Waller, a National
Guard first sergeant, just 72 hours back from a 10-month deployment on the Sinai Peninsula bordering Egypt and Israel. In a family tradition set by Waller’s father, his son, Hayden, a sophomore–to-be and tight end at Brock High School, joined the stalk. The tall grass was a lush green as they stepped out with both fervor and caution. Along the
way, every 15 minutes or so, Waller warmed up his mouth call with a half yelp. No more than 30 minutes since leaving the truck, there was a cacophony of gobbles. The trio acted quickly. “We had to hurry and barely had time to set up a jake decoy,” Waller said. “We found a tree and just had to sit down and be quiet. The whole time, big turkeys and Please turn to page 6
Redfish moving with fluctuating tides, winds By Nate Skinner
For Lone Star Outdoor News Anglers have been battling the washing machine effect, as gusty winds from various directions and constantly changing tidal levels have prevailed. As a result, red drum are stacked up one day and seemingly gone the next. Rockport guide Capt. Jay Nichols said the reds have been scattered and hard to key in on at times. “On days when the wind has been howling and the tide has been low, redfish have been nearly impossible to find,” Nichols said. “When calmer conditions have occurred with normal tide levels, the reds have been feeding along their typical springtime haunts.” Nichols has encountered the highest concentrations of redfish in water depths from 8 inches
to 1.5 feet. “When they have been in the shallows, it’s been easy to spot pods of them because their backs have been sticking out of the water,” he said. “The reds haven’t been staying in one spot, though. I’ve been having to cover water each day until I find them.” Nichols’ anglers have been catching redfish on shrimp and cut mullet. Sizes have varied from undersized red drum to those in the midslot range. Capt. Collin Peterson has been chasing redfish from lower West Galveston Bay to Freeport along satellite bays and back lakes. His anglers have been catching upper slot redfish, as well as some oversized reds, when the tide levels have been normal. Peterson said the bite has been tough when extreme low tides have occurred. Lana and Jenn Shields recently fished with Please turn to page 11
Mikayla Wilson landed this redfish while fishing along the northern portion of the Aransas Bay Complex. Photo by Capt. James Regini.
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID DALLAS, TX PERMIT 3814
Anglers swarm to Bois d’Arc opening By Craig Nyhus
The opening of Bois d’Arc lake brought anglers to northeast Texas, where plenty of fish were caught on the first few days before a cool front arrived. Photo by Lance Vick.
Few things get bass anglers more excited than a new lake to fish. At Bois d’Arc Reservoir, which opened April 17, boats were lined up at the ramp in the morning, but tapered off during the day. Longtime Lake Fork and East Texas guide Lance Vick was on
Freshwater Fishing Report . . Page 10 Game Warden Blotter . . . . . Page 12 Heroes . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Sun, Moon & Tides . . . . . . Page 16 Saltwater Fishing Report . . . Page 19 Datebook . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 22 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . Page 22
the lake and gave positive reports, saying he plans to add the lake to his guiding schedule. “It’s awesome,” Vick said. “It’s gonna be a player.” Vick fished the northern end of the lake and said the lake appears to be a cross between Fork when it opened and the amount of cover that was in O.H. Ivie growing all its big fish. “We caught quite a few fish
on small swimbaits and weightless worms and frogs, and the biggest one was about 5 pounds. The cover is thick,” he said. “It’s a little bit murky up north.” Lone Star Outdoor News’ Mike Hughs fished the lake Sunday, April 21, following 2 inches of rain and a cool front. His group fished mid-lake toward the dam. “There was a lot of brush in the water on that end,” he said. Please turn to page 17
INSIDE
CONTENTS
Time Sensitive Material • Deliver ASAP
Lone Star Outdoor News
HUNTING
FISHING
More deer may die (P. 4)
Hitting the town pond (P. 8)
Two breeders impacted.
Catfish stocking begins.
Education and hunting (P. 7)
Tourneys adapt (P. 9)
Workshops bring it all together.
New trout regs bring changes.