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Fall Floundering Along the Texas Coast

Although many flounder are taken by rod and reel, “floundering” or gigging offers the best challenge for this Gulf species. The flounder’s habit of entering the shallow waters at night to feed makes the flatfish vulnerable to thin-water giging. Flounder fishing is best during the Gulfward migration from October through December. During this time, lanterns and spotlights can be seen in and around the pass areas as anglers wade through the shallows in search of the elusive flounder.

Gigs ranging from single-pronged to modified hay forks are often used to spear the fish. The fishermen wade quietly along the shallows looking for flounder lying flat on the bottom. Once the flounder is within the light from the lantern, normally it will not move, allowing the fisherman a chance to “gig” the fish. Although this sounds like a sure-fire method, many fish are missed because they go undetected until they swim away or because of inaccurate gigging by an over-anxious fisherman. Continue reading Fall Floundering Along the Texas Coast

Red Tide Watch Along Texas Gulf Coast

Red tide along the Texas Gulf Coast

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) personnel are being pulled in to assist with fish kill assessments this week, as TPWD continues to monitor and assess red tide on the lower and central Texas coast. The current red tide event began about 10 days ago, originating on and affecting primarily the southern coast but extending up toward Mustang Island State Park. It is possible that a cool front late last week reduced the current red tide on the central coast, and a similar front later this week could do likewise.

However, there have been new reports of dead fish on the southern coast, including the first confirmed report of red tide in the Laguna Madre near Mansfield Pass. The current bloom has been relatively mild compared with some larger events in past years, but it has caused dead fish to wash onto beaches and produced a mild to moderate airborne aerosol that can cause human respiratory distress. Red tide has no negative impact on migrating waterfowl. During a red tide bloom, TPWD posts daily Web updates each weekday that allow beach visitors and news media to track the latest developments. Continue reading Red Tide Watch Along Texas Gulf Coast

Toyota Texas Bass Classic Winner

Toyota Texas Bass Classic

Dave Lefebre won the Toyota Texas Bass Classic that was held October 16-18 on Lake Conroe. And the bass angler did so in dramatic fashion. The Pennsylvania native caught his last largemouth bass of the day with only 15 minutes left on the lake, which was all he needed to edge ahead of the pack. Lefebre caught only four ounces more than second place Andy Montgomery.The bass fishing tournament successfully wrapped up Sunday evening with the crowning of the inaugural Professional Anglers Association (PAA) Tournament Series World Champion.

The unique event focused on conservation and featured a catch and release program that highlighted the efforts of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). Prior to the final day’s weigh-in, tournament backers presented the TPWD with a $250,000 donation, to go towards youth fishing and outreach programs across Texas. Dozens of TPWD employees in various divisions were involved, from helping plan and promote the event to helping run outreach activities and otherwise assisting on site this past weekend. Chalk the Toyota Texas Bass Classic up as a hit. Continue reading Toyota Texas Bass Classic Winner

Warden Takes Kaufman County Monster Buck

Big whitetail harvested in Kaufman County

Texas has a handfull of gigantic white-tailed bucks harvested each year. The number of truly impressive bucks taken by bowhunters makes up a small amount of those big deer, but archers do get a few. While most hunters are trying or preparing to get their buck this season, TPWD Game Warden Eric Minter is all smiles. That’s because this past week the Kaufman County warden found himself as the lucky hunter staring down the buck of a lifetime! Yes indeed, Minter put his own tag on a whopper 27-point non-typical buck!

The buck has not been scored, but the multi-tined monster should score well above the 200-inch mark on the non-typical side of the scoring sheet. “I’ve been kind of leery of telling everybody just yet because I don’t know what he scores and I don’t want to guess and it be a lot lower or higher than I expected,” Minter said. “But this is unbelievable.” Continue reading Warden Takes Kaufman County Monster Buck

Whitetail Deer Catches Bucket!

White-tailed Buck with Bucket Between Antlers

White-tailed deer are amazing animals and they have adapted to live almost anywhere in the United States, from rurual to urban areas and anywhere in between. When it comes to wildlife management, deer have no problem increasing in numbers. In fact, the most important thing we can do is keep deer populations in check with their available habitat through regulated hunting. But that’s an article for another day.

With recent advances in technology, mostly motion-sensitive cameras commonly referred to as game cameras, humans can keep a close eye on what deer are doing out there in the woods. These simple game cameras are triggered by movement and then activate to take a photo. It really is a simple process, but the exciting part as the camera’s owner is never knowing what you will see until the pictures are downloaded. Continue reading Whitetail Deer Catches Bucket!

Five Year Old Boy Bags Texas Sized Alligator

Alligators in Texas can get BIG!

We all know that alligator hunting is not for the faint of heart, but one Texas boy got more than he expected. As in a huge Texas sized alligator! There are hunters who go a lifetime dreaming of that big kill. Then there’s Simon Hughes, who helped nab a beast of an animal on an East Texas hunt — while still in the first grade. The 5-year-old boy from Goodrich was part of a hunting crew that recently killed an 800-pound, 12-foot-6-inch alligator that has wildlife experts shaking their heads.

The reptile, whose size is at a state record level, is now at the taxidermist waiting to be mounted. Simon’s family, meanwhile, is fielding calls from CNN and Good Morning America to feature his exploits. Simon learned to drive all-terrain vehicles and shoot firearms when he was only 4. So he was primed and ready to go on an alligator hunt this past weekend with his father, Scott Hughes, a sixth-generation rancher, and hunting guide Chuck Cotton. Continue reading Five Year Old Boy Bags Texas Sized Alligator

Texas Gets New Crossbow Hunting Regulations

Texas now allows crossbows during archery season for whitetail deer

Thirty-four years after the first Texas archery hunting stamp was sold in 1975, archery hunting will be open to crossbow use by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) for the first time in the special archery-only open season that runs October 3 through November 6. About 650,000 people participate in whitetail deer hunting in Texas, and an estimated more than 80,000 use a bow and arrow. Until this fall, crossbows could not be used during an archery-only season except by people with an upper-limb disability. Recent legislative action gave the TPWD Commission authority to allow anyone, regardless of physical ability, to use a crossbow during the archery-only season, provided they have an archery stamp and valid Texas hunting license. Rules, however, are different for Grayson County.

Several outdoor newspaper columnists recently reported crossbow sales have been brisk heading into archery season. The department has been encouraging anyone planning to take advantage of the new crossbow opportunity to review the rules and definitions for crossbow hunting listed under “Means and Methods” in the current Outdoor Annual regulation booklet available at hunting license sales locations and on the TPWD Web site.