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May 10, 2024
Texas’ Largest Hunting and Fishing Newspaper Since 2004
Volume 20, Issue 18
Freshwater runoff changes everything Anglers have been catching freshwater catfish alongside redfish and speckled trout in Sabine Lake and East Galveston Bay due to low salinities caused by significant freshwater runoff. Photo by Capt. Mitchell Stotts.
By Nate Skinner
For Lone Star Outdoor News Recent heavy rains and flooding events have inundated upper coast estuaries with freshwater runoff from rivers and tributaries. Salinities in portions of the Galveston Bay Complex and Sabine Lake have plummeted, and
large stretches of water have been churned into an off-colored, muddy looking mess. As a result, fishing tactics have changed. Capt. Billy Penick has been targeting the waters of upper Galveston Bay as well as those along the Houston Ship Channel near Baytown. He’s been having most of his success while fishing over
deep structure. “Some of the saltiest water we have right now can be found near the bottom of the water column, because saltwater is more dense than freshwater,” Penick said. “The freshwater runoff can be found floating on top of saltier water below it, and most of our fish are hanging tight to the Please turn to page 13
Birthday blackbuck By Nate Skinner
For Lone Star Outdoor News Louisiana native Mallory Morrow came to Texas for a hunt near Yancey with Lone Oak Adventures, in hopes of harvesting her first big game animal. The hunt was a birthday gift from her boyfriend, Jacob Mouton. After hunting hard for a couple of days with her guide, Dan Bristow, she was able to connect with a mature blackbuck. Prior to the hunt, Morrow had been whitetail hunting a couple of times, but had yet to harvest one. Her boyfriend had hunted exotics in Texas before and wanted her to be able to enjoy the same experience — which prompted him to plan the hunt for her as a birthday present. Morrow arrived for her hunt focused on pursuing a blackbuck. “I just really think the blackbuck is a beautiful animal, and de-
cided that it was the species that I wanted to hunt,” she said. On the first day of her hunt, Morrow said they spent quite a bit of time covering the ranch in search of a trophy blackbuck. “We were able to put eyes on a trophy blackbuck and made plans to go after him the following day,” Morrow said. The following two days involved playing a cat-and-mouse game with the blackbuck. “We tried several times to put a stalk on him after glassing him in a field from several hundred yards away,” she said. “He had some does with him, and each time we went to make a move to get in closer for a shot, those does would wind us or see us.” Morrow didn’t get discouraged, though. She and her guide had decided to try to hunt the blackbuck from a blind one evening, after seeing him earlier in the day, and
Mallory Morrow harvested her first big game animal, a blackbuck, on a hunt with Lone Oak Adventures that was gifted to her for her birthday. Photos by Emma Strickland.
were headed to the stand when they spotted him in a field. “As soon as we spotted him
we stopped, but he heard us and moved off out of sight,” Morrow said. “We waited a little while, and
my guide, Dan, felt like he had an idea of where he may have moved. Luckily we were able to make a Please turn to page 6
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID DALLAS, TX PERMIT 3814
Flooding impacts southeast, Central Texas
Hundreds of people and pets were rescued following floods at the beginning of May. Photo by TPWD.
Freshwater Fishing Report . . Page 10 Game Warden Blotter . . . . . Page 12 Heroes . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Sun, Moon & Tides . . . . . . Page 15 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . Page 18 Datebook . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 18 Saltwater Fishing Report . . . Page 19
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Lone Star Outdoor News Derald McMaster, of Big Time Whitetails and Exotics south of Livingston in Shepherd, posted photos and videos of flood waters racing through his facilities. Shepherd, downstream from Lake Livingston, was in the heart of the many flood warnings in early May. “It’s been a rough couple of
days,” he wrote. Areas near Lake Livingston received upwards of 23 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service. Some areas in northeastern Harris County, received a range of 6 inches to almost 17 inches of rain in that same period. First responders, sheriff’s departments, game wardens
and others conducted more than 400 rescues. Additionally, storms brought as much as 9 inches of rain in a span of six to eight hours in some areas from Central Texas to the DallasFort Worth area, washing out some roads west of Waco. In Johnson County, a 4-year-old boy died when he was swept away after the Please turn to page 6
HUNTING
FISHING
Quail eggs spotted (P. 4)
Catfish shallow early (P. 8)
Rio Grande Valley seeing nests.
Big fish scattered.
Licenses for guides? (P. 4)
Painting fish (P. 8)
Waterfowl outfitters seek accountability.
Youngsters recognized for art.