Real Estate Annual Inside Texas’ Largest Hunting and Fishing Newspaper Since 2004
May 26, 2023
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OWN A CAPE BUFFALO HERD Listed by TT Ranch Group • See page 6
Advertising Section
Volume 19, Issue 19
Where anything flies Carp, bass and cichlids garner attention from Hill Country fly fishermen By Nate Skinner
For Lone Star Outdoor News
Axis bucks are beginning to rut in the Texas Hill Country and areas farther west. Photo by Lone Star Outdoor News.
Anglers on Central Texas and Hill Country rivers have been finding a variety of fish with their fly rods. Carp, bass and Rio Grande cichlids have been among the targeted species. Fly designer and owner of FishChaseFlies, Chase Smith, has been chasing carp on the Pedernales River. “Flats with shallow sloping banks that have a lot of mud, rather than gravel, have been the best areas for sight-casting to carp with a fly,” Smith said. “If you’re wading, it’s much easier to get closer to the fish if the river bottom is composed of mud. Wading over a gravel bottom will likely cause the fish to spook, as they will hear you coming.” Most of Smith’s success has come when he’s found carp cruising by themselves. “Sometimes you can catch a few fish out of the same pool in the river if the area is large enough,” he explained. “However, if they are all stacked up together, they are going to spook as soon as you hook one of them.” Smith is known for tying his signature carp fly, called the Scarpion. “Carp will strike a sinking fly that has a lot of bug-like features and lands softly in the water,” he said. “It’s all about getting the fly right in front of their face. If they are acting finicky, changing colors can sometimes make them eat.” Most of the carp have been from 25 to 30 inches. Inocencio Narvaez Jr., a sales associate and an instructor for Tailwaters Fly Fishing Company, has been targeting bass on the Brazos River this year. Fishing has been good, too, as he even topped his personal best twice in
Axis fired up early By Reis Ladd
For Lone Star Outdoor News For both experienced hunters and firsttimers, the roar of a rutting axis buck inspires hints of primal intrigue seasoned with an instinct to chase. To a new axis hunter, the raspy roars can sound more like a herd of Bigfoot hiding in the oak mottes. As the summer rut approaches, anticipation within the axis hunting community amps up. The hunting has been hampered the last few years due to drought and a hard freeze, but hopes are high this year. Willie Waldrip and a friend found themselves hunting near Sonora in midMay. The duo set out to chase big deer with their bows and found themselves in the mix all weekend. “We were in deer from sunup to sundown every day,” Waldrip said. “That first morning we started out sitting over feed but could hear six different bucks roaring. We picked the closest one and started chasing.” Please turn to page 6
Inocencio Narvaez Jr. landed his personal-best bass on the fly while fishing along the Brazos River below Lake Whitney. The fish weighed 7.5 pounds. Photo by Lawson Fish.
Please turn to page 11
By Nate Skinner
Significant rain and flooding events brought excessive precipitation to the upper Texas coast and the tributaries that bring fresh water downstream. The upper regions of the Galveston Bay complex, Sabine Lake and their surrounding marshes and satellite bays were inundated with freshwater inflows following these rainstorms.
Areas where anglers had been catching fish suddenly became unfishable, as salinities dropped and waters became churned up and dirty, forcing anglers to adjust their on-the-water game plan in order to achieve success. Trinity Bay guide, Capt. Bryan Maley, said the waters along the Houston Ship Channel and the San Jacinto River were just starting to produce consistent results, as a summertime pattern was slowly kicking in. Please turn to page 19
CONTENTS
Time Sensitive Material • Deliver ASAP
For Lone Star Outdoor News
Freshwater Fishing Report . Page 10 Game Warden Blotter . . . . Page 12 Heroes . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Sun, Moon & Tides . . . . . Page 16 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . Page 20 Saltwater Fishing Report . . Page 21 Datebook . . . . . . . . . Page 22
INSIDE
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID DALLAS, TX PERMIT 3814
Freshwater inflows plague coastal anglers
Tim Young found fishable water in shallow marshes and back lakes on the northwest side of Sabine Lake that were full of redfish following the heavy rains in the middle of May. Photo by Nate Skinner, for Lone Star Outdoor News.
HUNTING
FISHING
Deer management book (P. 4)
Heading offshore (P. 8)
Fifteen years of research detailed.
Conditions offer small openings.
RPQRF hires director (P. 5)
Fishing new water (P. 8)
Opens new headquarters.
Catfish in flooded shallows.