September 27, 2024
Texas’ Largest Hunting and Fishing Newspaper Since 2004
Volume 21, Issue 3
Summer returns to bass lakes By Cory Byrnes
For Lone Star Outdoor News
Deliberate methods and fishing early and late have been producing largemouth bass bites. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.
The unseasonal cool front at the beginning of September gave a bump to bass fishing, but it has since settled back into summer patterns. Drop-offs, ledges, the end of points and deep structures where cooler water is present have been productive. On Fayetteville Lake, an-
gler Brent Pool said deliberate fishing is the key. “You have to slow way down,” he said. “My buddy had slowed down so much he almost fell asleep.” Pool watched his friend’s rod bend over a couple of times before asking, “Are you going to set the hook?” The friend caught that 7 1/4-pound bass on a Carolina rig.
“The water is 91 to 92 degrees and near the outtake is hotter,” Pool said. “Deep structure and finesse rigs like drop shots, ned rigs and Carolina rigs are working. As long as you can get it in front of them, they will bite.” While on the water, Pool noticed quite a few dead fish and suspected the lake would turn over soon before it cooled down.
“As it gets cooler, and water temperatures come down on the lake the fishing will pick up,” he said. “I like this time of year, everyone is worried about dove and deer.” Michael McGuffy has been fishing the evening bite on Stillhouse Hollow Lake to beat the heat. He was able to find a couple of fish up shallow on a Texas-rigged senko and jerkbait before the sun Please turn to page 9
Twin 12-foot gators on drawn hunt
Long time buddies, John McClain, left and James Lofton both harvested alligators that measured 12 feet, 1 inch while on a drawn hunt at the Guadalupe Delta WMA. They are pictured here with McClain’s gator. Photo from John McClain.
By Nate Skinner
For Lone Star Outdoor News James Lofton has been applying for a Texas drawn hunt for alligators for the last 11 years. For most
of those years, he’s been applying with his buddy, John McClain, and this year, the duo was finally drawn for an alligator hunt at the Guadalupe Delta Wildlife Management Area.
Lofton and McClain had never pursued alligators prior to this hunt. They conducted as much research as they could on productive tactics and techniques, and gathered intel from some seasoned alli-
gator hunters. The WMA manager also provided them with some valuable tips. After a day of scouting, and baiting and setting lines, their efforts were rewarded. Lofton and Mc-
Clain each caught and harvested alligators that measured more than 12 feet in length. The reptiles looked like twins, and both measured exactly 12 feet, 1 inch. “From the information we
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID DALLAS, TX PERMIT 3814
Please turn to page 21
Bluewings scattered Numbers build as season unfolds By Nate Skinner
Duck hunters were met with mixed results for the opening weekend of the early teal season. The bluewings, most of which were adult drakes, were scattered across the coastal rice prairies and marshes, and seemed to have inconsistent flight pat-
Please turn to page 7
Freshwater Fishing Report . . Page 10 Game Warden Blotter . . . . . Page 12 Heroes . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Sun, Moon & Tides . . . . . . Page 16 Saltwater Fishing Report . . . Page 24 Datebook . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 26 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . Page 26
INSIDE
CONTENTS
Time Sensitive Material • Deliver ASAP
For Lone Star Outdoor News
terns. While most folks encountered a decent number of birds, some enjoyed better shoots than others. More and more teal continued to arrive with each passing day. In many areas, the hunting improved as the 16-day season wore on. Nathan Brooks hunted both mornings of opening weekend on the Garwood prairie, where he said he enjoyed some fun hunts with his dad. “It wasn’t a lights-out shoot on either
Reports from the opening weekend of the early teal season varied, as some hunters enjoyed barn-burner shoots while others experienced spotty action. Photo by Nate Skinner, for Lone Star Outdoor News.
HUNTING
FISHING
Saying goodbye (P. 4)
Crappie improving (P. 8)
Friends shoot ashes over dove field.
Structure holding fish.
Back-to-back bands (P. 4)
Stars buying saltwater teams (P. 9)
Hunter bags two jeweled whitewings.
Scheffler, Moss own SFC teams.