Author: Guide

Jig vs Carolina Rig:
A couple of years ago, my nephew (Chris) and I were fishing a tournament at Lake Jacksonville. He was using Carolina rig (CR) and I was using a jig and he was catching all of the fish! At that time I did not like the CR and considered myself a jig expert since I exclusively used a jig. Every once in awhile I would throw the CR, only to be disgusted with the results. How do I set the hook? Why can’t I feel the bite? IS THAT A BRUSHPILE or a little fish nibbling on my hook? Too many times I would pull the weight across a stump on the bottom of the lake, then the bait would touch it, and when I dropped the rod, the weight would drop down to the bottom feeling like something was pulling. Thus I would set the hook into the stump. Hey, customers do it all the time. They feel rotten, but I’ve been there.

Lake Jacksonville did not have a map that we knew of. Have you ever fished a lake without a map? It’s not easy, but if you read the bank you can find creeks everywhere at Jacksonville. We found a very deep creek coming down a steep hill from the bank. I followed it with the LCR out
about 100 feet from the shore, then it intersected another major creek running parallel to the bank.
I positioned the boat on top of the creek that ran parallel with the bank so we could work both the creek coming down from the shore, and the deeper creek. Fish were everywhere!

I asked Chris if he wanted the deep side, or the shallow side. He directed his CR out towards main lake into the deeper creek… I directed my cast onto the breakline where the bottom dropped from ten feet to eighteen. I pumped my jig, let it sit for a second, and pumped it again. It was absolutely slammed by an eight pound bass that took second place big bass, and second place big stringer. Too bad Chris took the deep side, ’cause I got some money from them Aggies!

Now, of all the things that need to be considered when trying to figure out why I caught this bass on this bait in this spot? Which one was the most important, and why? I’ll tell you later.

Jigs At Night:
Several years ago I had a client from Japan in my boat. I believe it was his first night trip, and he just had to throw a jig. We went (at my infamous 65 mph boat ride) to my favorite docks to fish. He wanted to use the light stuff. YUCK! “No good!” I told him. At the first boat dock I allowed him a couple of shots before I picked up my rod. I use the Castaway Mag 7 Series Extra Heavy for a quick hookset. I made the first pitch! Now believe it or not, I was just demonstrating “how to work a jig”. I popped it up one foot, let it sit. Popped it up again-three feet, and looked at his face. He seem astonished to know that I let the thing sit there. When I looked back at my line, it was moving toward deep water. The bass had grabbed it on the fall (AS USUAL), and was swimming off with it. I used my infamous “patented” toe dance, two step hookset and nailed her while almost knocking this Client out of the boat. And I’ve got a nine foot deck on my boat.

She was over eight pounds, and 24 pictures later (he went crazy) I figured out it was the biggest bass he had ever seen in his life….

Jigs In The Daytime:
This past spring I took Clients to an area that had been producing over the slot bass on a daily basis for over six weeks on a CR. I instructed them to cast parallel with the bank. A few minutes later they started catching bass. Rather than take their fish away using the same bait, I decided to
pick up my jig. I had never used a jig in this area, and thought it would be safe!

On my first cast, the Client in the front of the boat said his CR was hung, so I immediately handed
him my jig rod and took his rod (so I could get it loose). Then the funniest thing happened. We were looking eye to eye the second he took my rod. He raised the tip, looked me in the eye, and shook his head. I yelled “Set the hook!” There was an over the slot bass on it that had apparently
caught it while it was falling on the shady side of the stump. He won first place in the company tournament that he was in, and I still catch hell from his partner who insists that the fish was on it when I handed it to him. Trust me, I never felt a thing!

Jigs:
The only kind of jig I use is the Triple Rattleback. They have improved them over the years after hearing complaints about the rattles breaking. I have not had a rattle break this year. They have
extra large hooks in them that make them difficult to get through a bass’s mouth. (?sp) The weedguard is nylon so it is easy to spread out. I also believe they are easy to throw. The smallest jig in my boat is ½ ounce. I also use 25 lb. Trilene Big Game (moss green).

Trailers:
I use the Gene Larew hawg craw, a Zoom lizard, the Jawtec (looks like a centipede with a million legs), and my favorite is the Sandworm because it stands straight up. On all of these, I cut it off so that it sticks up when the jig is on the bottom about 4″-6″. I feel like if it is any longer, I miss the hookset and that just drives me crazy because I know that this is a Big Bass Bait! Of all the ten pound fish I have caught, they were all on a jig with the exception of my first one that was on a Zara Spook in a place Joe Axton of Axton’s Bass City took me to.

Colors:
Night: only black and blue. You need the silhouette against the moonlight.
Day: watermelon or pumkinseed. In the daylight, I try to match the colors to the forage.

The Knot:
Only a palomar. This is the strongest, non slipping knot that I know of, and it does not fray the line when you tie it. Always re-tie after every bass because their teeth always frays the line because they usually suck it deep. Also if you pull them out of heavy cover, they will wrap three times is a heartbeat if you are not careful.

The Method:
This is how I do it, perhaps not the best way, but the most effective way for me! The first thing a crawdead does when it is frightened is make clicking noises. The second thing it does is raise its claws up in a defensive position. So here you have a jig/craw with rattles. What do you do with it? First, you should spray it with Kick N Bass craw formula. Then cast or pitch it next to the biggest stumps and docks available. You can also work it in the hydrilla, or (my favorite) parallel to it. With the exception of the spawn, work the shade. During the spawn, give your buddy the shady side, because it’s not likely anything will be in the shade. They like to soak up the sun during the spawn!

Pitching/Flipping:
I use a Team Daiwa flipping reel with a 6.3:1 ratio for quick retrieve, but the best part is that a pitch or a flip can be controlled with the cast bar. You can also feed out more line, but have the anti spool controlled immediately with the cast bar if the reel is on flipping mode. I like to keep that bait as close to the water as possible to avoid spooking the bass. Always-land the bait in the water at least the same distance past the target as the water is deep. This will insure that the bait will be beside the target once it reaches the bottom.

Casting:
Casting is just as much fun! Be sure to make the bait land past the target as stated above… I will often use a cast taught to me by Takahiro from Japan. It is a “U” shaped cast with the rod near the water which achieves great distance…

The Pickup:
Here is the biggest problem that I feel exists while using a jig. When a bass catches the
falling jig, it always feels like it just landed on a treetop! Sometimes you can see her swimming off with it, but the bigger fish always seem to just sit there like they are chewing on it or something. Folks, this takes a lot of experience. I used a jig 90% of the time on over 200 night trips the first year I was at Lake Fork. And I can tell you for a fact that it is frustrating to loose so many of them. Always take extras! You will catch that stump if you are not careful……

When you are sure it is a bass, using a stout rod, use the old fashioned method to set the hook. Introduce her eyeballs to her tail! Set that hook and crank to get her away from every tree in the area. One mistake most people make is that once they see the fish they think they have to get her in the boat, but I feel like (on a good stick) playing them is the best way. Play them out until they just give up. Most of the big bass only have about 60 seconds of fight in them. I also do not believe in using a net because of the damage it does to their protective coating. I’ve even had clients try to lift the fish out of the water with their rods. This is an major NO-NO when you are using a rod that costs from $125 – $175.

So why have I caught the fish in these spots?
The bass on the break at Jacksonville was suspended on the break and heard the bait coming. The bass by the boat dock at Fork heard the jig coming. The bass by the stump at Fork probably saw it coming. I had the noise, the smell, and the bulk! The erratic motion of the jig going up and down probably makes the bass feel like the craw is running from something else, plus it is a great meal to a bass that only may be feeding once a day. Kind of like in the fall when they fill their bellies. The larger bass generally spend more time waiting for that meal, where the smaller (3 lbs) bass run all over the lake chasing shad. How many bass over eight pounds have you ever caught from a school? Here again, the larger bass are closer to the bottom waiting on the dead ones to fall into their mouth. They just don’t like to work at it. Kind of like me!

Patience:
I think another major important factor is patience. Give a choice of one rod to take fishing, and it will not be the jig! Sorry, but I’m sold on the Carolina Rig. I can use it all year long. All I have to do is change the length of the leader and I’ve got the fish. In the spring I use 3′, in the summer I like to use 6′ for a leader.

Read the area you are working. Look at it like this. If this were a highway, and the fish are out in deeper water, what road will they take. Will they come in holding close to the timber, will they come in from a creek, or a roadbed, or will they travel up from a creek to the end of the deep water point, then come in and hold by boat docks or standing timber nearby?

A secret?
This really works! Tie on a jig/craw, attach a swivel with a leader (2-3′), and tie a worm or
a lizard on behind it. One, the other, or maybe both may get bit.

Suspended:
Honestly, I still have a problem catching suspended bass. However, don’t give up hope. A buddy of mine has been in the boat with David Vance and has watched him catch bass after bass that were suspended with a white jig. To do this, you have to make the longest cast possible and yo-yo the bait all the way back to the boat. Start deep, then work the bait higher and higher off the bottom until you get into the correct strike zone.

Can we all “always” have a productive day?
There are certain times of the year when nothing seems to work. For the year, we have only been skunked two or three times. These are the times when they just don’t bite. If you doubt your presentation, change it. If you doubt your skills, check around and see how everyone else is doing. Hey, if we have a bad day, then I’ll bet you that everyone else is having a bad day!

Conclusion:
For a normal day on Lake Fork I usually carry the following equipment rigged and ready:
Two or three Carolina Rigs ready to go.
One deep crank, and one shallow crank.
One spinner bait.
One Zara Spook.
One Jig………………….

Always wear your PFD while running the lake, take plenty of drinks. Don’t forget about the new slot going into effect at Fork on September 1st. Good fishing to all of you.

Tracy Nix (Professional Guide)
Lake Fork Guide Service
Pager Number (214) 894-5489 – Lake Mohave

Jig vs Carolina Rig:
A couple of years ago, my nephew (Chris) and I were fishing a tournament at Lake Jacksonville. He was using Carolina rig (CR) and I was using a jig and he was catching all of the fish! At that time I did not like the CR and considered myself a jig expert since I exclusively used a jig. Every once in awhile I would throw the CR, only to be disgusted with the results. How do I set the hook? Why can’t I feel the bite? IS THAT A BRUSHPILE or a little fish nibbling on my hook? Too many times I would pull the weight across a stump on the bottom of the lake, then the bait would touch it, and when I dropped the rod, the weight would drop down to the bottom feeling like something was pulling. Thus I would set the hook into the stump. Hey, customers do it all the time. They feel rotten, but I’ve been there.

Lake Jacksonville did not have a map that we knew of. Have you ever fished a lake without a map? It’s not easy, but if you read the bank you can find creeks everywhere at Jacksonville. We found a very deep creek coming down a steep hill from the bank. I followed it with the LCR out about 100 feet from the shore, then it intersected another major creek running parallel to the bank. I positioned the boat on top of the creek that ran parallel with the bank so we could work both the creek coming down from the shore, and the deeper creek. Fish were everywhere!
I asked Chris if he wanted the deep side, or the shallow side. He directed his CR out towards main lake into the deeper creek… I directed my cast onto the breakline where the bottom dropped from ten feet to eighteen. I pumped my jig, let it sit for a second, and pumped it again. It was absolutely slammed by an eight pound bass that took second place big bass, and second place big stringer. Too bad Chris took the deep side, ’cause I got some money from them Aggies!

Now, of all the things that need to be considered when trying to figure out why I caught this bass on this bait in this spot? Which one was the most important, and why? I’ll tell you later.

Jigs At Night:
Several years ago I had a client from Japan in my boat. I believe it was his first night trip, and he just had to throw a jig. We went (at my infamous 65 mph boat ride) to my favorite docks to fish. He wanted to use the light stuff. YUCK! “No good!” I told him. At the first boat dock I allowed him a couple of shots before I picked up my rod. I use the Castaway Mag 7 Series Extra Heavy for a quick hookset. I made the first pitch! Now believe it or not, I was just demonstrating “how to work a jig”. I popped it up one foot, let it sit. Popped it up again-three feet, and looked at his face. He seem astonished to know that I let the thing sit there. When I looked back at my line, it was moving toward deep water. The bass had grabbed it on the fall (AS USUAL), and was swimming off with it. I used my infamous “patented” toe dance, two step hookset and nailed her while almost knocking this Client out of the boat. And I’ve got a nine foot deck on my boat.

She was over eight pounds, and 24 pictures later (he went crazy) I figured out it was the biggest bass he had ever seen in his life….

Jigs In The Daytime:
This past spring I took Clients to an area that had been producing over the slot bass on a daily basis for over six weeks on a CR. I instructed them to cast parallel with the bank. A few minutes later they started catching bass. Rather than take their fish away using the same bait, I decided to pick up my jig. I had never used a jig in this area, and thought it would be safe!

On my first cast, the Client in the front of the boat said his CR was hung, so I immediately handed him my jig rod and took his rod (so I could get it loose). Then the funniest thing happened. We were looking eye to eye the second he took my rod. He raised the tip, looked me in the eye, and shook his head. I yelled “Set the hook!” There was an over the slot bass on it that had apparently caught it while it was falling on the shady side of the stump. He won first place in the company tournament that he was in, and I still catch hell from his partner who insists that the fish was on it when I handed it to him. Trust me, I never felt a thing!

Jigs:
The only kind of jig I use is the Triple Rattleback. They have improved them over the years after hearing complaints about the rattles breaking. I have not had a rattle break this year. They have extra large hooks in them that make them difficult to get through a bass’s mouth. (?sp) The weedguard is nylon so it is easy to spread out. I also believe they are easy to throw. The smallest jig in my boat is ½ ounce. I also use 25 lb. Trilene Big Game (moss green).

Trailers:
I use the Gene Larew hawg craw, a Zoom lizard, the Jawtec (looks like a centipede with a million legs), and my favorite is the Sandworm because it stands straight up. On all of these, I cut it off so that it sticks up when the jig is on the bottom about 4″-6″. I feel like if it is any longer, I miss the hookset and that just drives me crazy because I know that this is a Big Bass Bait! Of all the ten pound fish I have caught, they were all on a jig with the exception of my first one that was on a Zara Spook in a place Joe Axton of Axton’s Bass City took me to.

Colors:
Night: only black and blue. You need the silhouette against the moonlight. Day: watermelon or pumkinseed. In the daylight, I try to match the colors to the forage.

The Knot:
Only a palomar. This is the strongest, non slipping knot that I know of, and it does not fray the line when you tie it. Always re-tie after every bass because their teeth always frays the line because they usually suck it deep. Also if you pull them out of heavy cover, they will wrap three times is a heartbeat if you are not careful.

The Method:
This is how I do it, perhaps not the best way, but the most effective way for me! The first thing a crawdead does when it is frightened is make clicking noises. The second thing it does is raise its claws up in a defensive position. So here you have a jig/craw with rattles. What do you do with it? First, you should spray it with Kick N Bass craw formula. Then cast or pitch it next to the biggest stumps and docks available. You can also work it in the hydrilla, or (my favorite) parallel to it. With the exception of the spawn, work the shade. During the spawn, give your buddy the shady side, because it’s not likely anything will be in the shade. They like to soak up the sun during the spawn!

Pitching/Flipping:
I use a Team Daiwa flipping reel with a 6.3:1 ratio for quick retrieve, but the best part is that a pitch or a flip can be controlled with the cast bar. You can also feed out more line, but have the anti spool controlled immediately with the cast bar if the reel is on flipping mode. I like to keep that bait as close to the water as possible to avoid spooking the bass. Always-land the bait in the water at least the same distance past the target as the water is deep. This will insure that the bait will be beside the target once it reaches the bottom.

Casting:
Casting is just as much fun! Be sure to make the bait land past the target as stated above… I will often use a cast taught to me by Takahiro from Japan. It is a “U” shaped cast with the rod near the water which achieves great distance…

The Pickup:
Here is the biggest problem that I feel exists while using a jig. When a bass catches the falling jig, it always feels like it just landed on a treetop! Sometimes you can see her swimming off with it, but the bigger fish always seem to just sit there like they are chewing on it or something. Folks, this takes
a lot of experience. I used a jig 90% of the time on over 200 night trips the first year I was at Lake Fork. And I can tell you for a fact that it is frustrating to loose so many of them. Always take extras! You will catch that stump if you are not careful……

When you are sure it is a bass, using a stout rod, use the old fashioned method to set the hook. Introduce her eyeballs to her tail! Set that hook and crank to get her away from every tree in the area. One mistake most people make is that once they see the fish they think they have to get her in the boat, but I feel like (on a good stick) playing them is the best way. Play them out until they just give up. Most of the big bass only have about 60 seconds of fight in them. I also do not believe in using a net because of the damage it does to their protective coating. I’ve even had clients try to lift the fish out of the water with their rods. This is an major NO-NO when you are using a rod that costs from $125 – $175.

So why have I caught the fish in these spots? The bass on the break at Jacksonville was suspended on the break and heard the bait coming. The bass by the boat dock at Fork heard the jig coming. The bass by the stump at Fork probably saw it coming. I had the noise, the smell, and the bulk! The erratic motion of the jig going up and down probably makes the bass feel like the craw is running from something else, plus it is a great meal to a bass that only may be feeding once a day. Kind of like in the fall when they fill their bellies. The larger bass generally spend more time waiting for that meal, where the smaller (3 lbs) bass run all over the lake chasing shad. How many bass over eight pounds have you ever caught from a school? Here again, the larger bass are closer to the bottom waiting on the dead ones to fall into their mouth. They just don’t like to work at it. Kind of like me!

Patience:
I think another major important factor is patience. Give a choice of one rod to take fishing, and it will not be the jig! Sorry, but I’m sold on the Carolina Rig. I can use it all year long. All I have to do is change the length of the leader and I’ve got the fish. In the spring I use 3′, in the summer I like to use 6′ for a leader.

Read the area you are working. Look at it like this. If this were a highway, and the fish are out in deeper water, what road will they take. Will they come in holding close to the timber, will they come in from a creek, or a roadbed, or will they travel up from a creek to the end of the deep water point, then come in and hold by boat docks or standing timber nearby?

A secret?
This really works! Tie on a jig/craw, attach a swivel with a leader (2-3′), and tie a worm or a lizard on behind it. One, the other, or maybe both may get bit.

Suspended:
Honestly, I still have a problem catching suspended bass. However, don’t give up hope. A buddy of mine has been in the boat with David Vance and has watched him catch bass after bass that were suspended with a white jig. To do this, you have to make the longest cast possible and yo-yo the bait all the way back to the boat. Start deep, then work the bait higher and higher off the bottom until you get into the correct strike zone.

Can we all “always” have a productive day? There are certain times of the year when nothing seems to work. For the year, we have only been skunked two or three times. These are the times when they just don’t bite. If you doubt your presentation, change it. If you doubt your skills, check around and see how everyone else is doing. Hey, if we have a bad day, then I’ll bet you that everyone else is having a bad day!

Conclusion:
For a normal day on Lake Fork I usually carry the following equipment rigged and ready:
Two or three Carolina Rigs ready to go.
One deep crank, and one shallow crank.
One spinner bait.
One Zara Spook.
One Jig………………….

Always wear your PFD while running the lake, take plenty of drinks. Don’t forget about the new slot going into effect at Fork on September 1st. Good fishing to all of you.
Tracy Nix (Professional Guide)
Lake Fork Guide Service
Pager Number (214) 894-5489
– Lake Mohave

Just a little over a one hour drive north of Houston lies sprawling Lake Livingston. A huge lake, 85,000 acres, r built about 30 years ago for flood control on the Trinity River Livingston has gone through many cycles of boom and bust both for the local economy and for fishing. In it’s first few years the lake was a great bass fishing lake. I lived on the lake during that period and remember many still days on the water when the thrashing of bass blowing up on shad echoed in nearly every cove and creek often throughout the day. What great fishing it was to chase the sound of the schooling fish through the trees in “The Jungle” then to come upon a small opening and see the water still rippling from the last bass that broke the surface and then to cast a top water lure out and before it even makes the surface a hungry schoolie crashes the surface to beat his buddies to my descending plug.

The good old days of that kind of bass fishing have been gone for a long time on Lake Livingston. Since the eradication of aquatic vegetation in the lake, bass fishing has steadily declined, until very recently when Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has taken an interest in restoring the bass population.

Texas Black Bass Unlimited, T.B.B.U.,. a conservation group, has raised funds to do a study on the lake for the restoration of bass habitat. With continued efforts of concerned citizens like those involved in T.B.B.U. and the renewed interest of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department bass fishing on the lake will soon rival it’s glory days.

White Bass, Stripped Bass and Catfishing are most popular on the lake now. Lake Livingston State Park offers an excellent way for the general public to affordably enjoy some of the fishing joys this great old reservoir has to offer. From the lighted fishing pier or 2 1/2 mile of shoreline you can try your luck at catfish, bass, bream, crappie and perhaps an occasional white bass. Minnows would be very productive for this style of fishing as they would have the broadest range of appeal to the various species that might prowl the shoreline. Bait is available in the park at certain times of year and at many local bait camps in the area. The park employees are very helpful in providing information on the best bait, times of day and location of bait and tackle stores.

If you bring your boat there are ramps in the park. Your first and main priority before launching is to watch the local weather forecast. Livingston, although very safe for the cautious boater, can be extremely dangerous for the careless ones. The water can go from dead calm to deadly 8 foot waves in minutes when one of our frequent spring and summer thunderstorms blows over the lake. Small boats, in particular, should stay close to shore and keep a wary eye on the horizon.

Offshore, however, lies the hottest white bass fishing in this part of the State. When the fish are schooling birds can bee seen diving on the shad the whites are running up to the surface. These diving birds are the signal, to the knowledgeable fisherman, that hot fishing action lies below the diving birds. When the schooling activity calms down it’s time to put a depth finder to work. Throughout the south end of the lake and generally out in front of the State Park lie several submerged hilltops and old river channel sand bars that are the favorite feeding areas, in the summertime, for whites. Locate the ones that top out in the 20’ – 25’ range and cruise them looking for signs of any signals on your depth finder that are between the bottom and the surface. Whether it’s bait or Whites and Stripers, chances are, you’ll get bit when dragging a spoon across the bottom, trolling a deep diving crankbait through them or still fishing a minnow.

White Bass and Striper fishing can be very exciting. They both tend to travel and feed in large schools and are ,pound for pound, the fiercest fighting fish when hooked in the lake.

Bank fishing for catfish, bass, bream and crappie can be very enjoyable as well. You might improve your success by stopping at the local fed store on your way to the lake and picking up a bag of “Range Cubes”. This cattle food is not expensive and when broadcast occasionally over the water your fishing will draw bait fish. Usually the predators you’re looking for aren’t far behind. Enjoy.
– Lake Mohave

Located an easy, interstate highway, 2 hour drive north of Houston on I-45 and a little over an hour south of Dallas lies a truly remarkable example of industry’s ability to exist in harmony with nature, Lake Fairfield and Fairfield State Park. This lake serves as a cooling water supply for the adjacent power plant and what makes it so remarkable is that much of the surrounding land was strip mined for Lignite to fuel the power plant and has been restored to a state even more pristine in appearance than before it was mined.

If you drive west, from Fairfield, on highway 488, past the park road exit, you will see a panorama of beautiful rolling pastures and stock tanks perfectly landscaped with scattered clumps of trees of trees and reeds around the tanks. It is hard to imagine that nature itself could have created such a beautiful landscape. Even harder to imagine that this land was laid open for miles to remove the fuel for the generators that provide the electricity for us to light and heat our homes.

Lake Fairfield is a 2350 acre power plant lake with a 24 mile shoreline. It has a healthy supply of largemouth bass, catfish, hybrid striped bass and as a special bonus red drum(redfish).

The lake has plenty of cover for largemouth in the form of natural standing timber, in some areas, reeds and aquatic vegetation. Being a power plant lake the water temperature will remain warm during the winter months making it more productive for fishing than lakes that don’t have hot water being discharged into them. On a recent trip to the lake in mid January the water temperature was in the mid 60’s where in nearby Richland

Chambers the water was a very cool 50. Of course the warmer water means more active fish.

Largemouth can be caught from the bank, power boat, canoe or john boat. There is plenty of shoreline in the adjacent State Park for bank fishing. The park has 135 campsites for those who like camping and would make their fishing trip a fishing camping combo.

Redfish offers a great bonus for freshwater anglers. These fish are normally found in salt water but have been stocked in a few lakes around the State that have water warm enough to support them. Many of the local anglers report furious surface schooling by 15-20 pound redfish and fantastic crankbait fishing for them. During the winter they will tend to stay near the warmer water of the hot water discharge from the power plant.

Hybrids can also provide a great reward to those anglers visiting Lake Fairfield. These fish are fierce fighters and are fairly abundant in the lake. They will also school on the surface, chasing shad, mainly in the spring and fall. During the summer they will go to the deep water near the dam and they can be caught trolling deep divers or casting jigging spoons.

A trip to Fairfield Lake would be incomplete without a short side trip through the park at dawn or dusk. It is full of white tailed deer that may be seen along the roadside about dark. Get off the lake before dusk on evening and you will enjoy a most fitting end to a great fishing tip as it seems that you’re are being escorted through the park by wildlife.
– Lake Mohave

Lake Baccarac, the best big bass lake in the entire world, was stocked in 1978 with a strain of Florida largemouth bass. The first fishing season was beyond most angler’s dreams and the lake has been improving every year.

The lake is approximately 25 miles long and 5 miles wide. It is nestled among green forested mountain peaks.

The fishing lodge is ideally located in the town of Bacubirito, an old gold mining town. It is best reached from Los Mochis by private or charter plane. The landing strip at the lodge is paved and 5,200 feet long.
The lodge is just 20 minutes from the lake and has all the modern comforts. Guests relax in air conditioned rooms surrounding a central courtyard with a charming patio area where they gather for Margaritas after a successful day of fishing. All rooms have hot and cold running water and good showers along with ice, purified water and setups for your convenience.

Lake Record Bass, 19.10 pounds, was caught by Mr. Bruce Knutson, in January of 1993. It is a record that includes all Latin American countries, including Cuba. We sincerely believe that the next World Record Largemouth Bass will be caught at Lake Baccarac, within the next couple of years, as many anglers claim to have hooked and lost fish well over 20 pounds.

The average angler can expect to catch, at least one, 10 to 11 pound bass.

Guests visiting our fishing lodge at Baccarac enjoy first class accommodations! Private rooms for single or double occupancy; spacious cabins to comfortably accommodate 4 to 6 anglers, air conditioning, ornamental tile showers, hot and cold running water, bottled drinking water and setups in every room.

The wing off our main dining room accommodates larger groups and it is available for that special conference. Satellite TV in the recreation alcove adjoining the main dining room will keep you informed of world news, sports and weather.

Our courteous dining room staff is at your beck and call. They are eager to serve and please you. And watch out for our Margaritas, they are on us!!!

Our 5,200 foot, paved landing field, is 110 feet wide and will accommodate Lear Jets and Citations. It is guarded by a platoon of soldiers 24 hours a day. Call ahead for instructions and circle the field before landing. Los Mochis, 30 minutes away is a good alternate. GPS coordinates of the field will be provided with your reservation confirmation along with your suggested itinerary and list of tackle and supplies that you should bring.

For information on booking your bass fishing trip of a lifetime call Bass Adventures – Lake Mohave

Texas Black Bass Unlimited is planning what is shaping up to be “The Event of The Year,” a fund raising event to place channel markers in the Trinity River on Lake Livingston from the Highway 190 bridge to the Highway 19 bridge. As many of you know running that area of the Lake can be treacherous, very hard on lower units and hulls, not to mention the danger of being thrown from your boat by hitting a submerged log or stump, which will sure ruin a good fishing trip every time.

The event will consist of a lavish banquet that will be held on Friday evening October 15th at The Woodlands Conference Center and Resort. This is truly a “World Class” Resort nestled in the serenity of the East Texas forest in southern Montgomery County. Just 40 minutes north of Houston and 20 minutes south of Lake Conroe, it boasts some of the finest golf courses in the Country, home of the prestigious “Houston Open.” The Tennis Facilities is also “World Class” and includes one of the most luxurious indoor facilities around. I can tell your from personal experience that after a candlelight dinner in the Glass Menagerie Restaurant, overlooking the Lake with the adjacent Country Club and Golf Course, you and your guest will have a most memorable culinary experience. Rooms will be available at the Woodlands Inn at special discounted rates for anyone participating in the event. Meet old friends and make new ones.

At the Friday evening Banquet an Auction will be held in which you will have the opportunity of bidding on a host of items including Fully Rigged Bass Boats, Trolling Motors, Depth Finders, Rods, Reels, and Guided Fishing Trips with Famous Fishing Pros all of which that have been donated by GALA sponsors. Not only will you enjoy a fantastic weekend in a Luxurious Resort but you will have an excellent opportunity to make a “great deal” at the Auction.

Boots Follmar Marine has graciously agreed to donate 50% of the proceeds of their Annual Super People Tournament to the Livingston River Marking Project. Follmar Marine hosts an annual tournament to show appreciation to their customers. This years event will be held at Stow-A-Way Marina on Lake Conroe. Boots, Alice, Vicki and Chris Follmar want to personally invite, all sponsors and the fishing and boating public, to participate in the Tournament and festivities. This is a family oriented event that includes a Parent/Child Division, a Husband/Wife Division as well as a Team Division and a Special Celebrity Division. At the Banquet the back seat of the Celebrity Boat will be auctioned off. You will have an opportunity of fishing with the likes of TV fishing show host John Hope as well as National Fishing Professionals. There will be many exciting things to see and do the day of the Tournament, such as, Sponsor’s Boat Displays, a Kids Casting Contest, Tackle and Boating Equipment Displays and Free Boat Rides, Refreshments just to name a few, not to mention the great giveaway items. Every year the Follmars and their Staff work very hard to get great giveaway items for their Tournament. There will be fishing rods, life jackets, batteries, outboard props, outboard oil and many other items too numerous to list here.

Stow-A-Way Marina, which is located on a calm protected cove on the north end of Lake Conroe, makes a great place to spend the day or entire weekend, for that matter. From their beautifully rustic log cabin style Grocery Store and Restaurant, Covered Pavilion, Campground with paved roads, hookups and hot showers, Beach Area to their shade tree covered spectator area for the Weigh-in Stage there is something to make your day comfortable and enjoyable. For information on Entry Fees and Rules contact Vicki Follmar at 713-649-2709.

TBBU, as many of you know, is an all volunteer tax exempt, non-profit, statewide organization that is dedicated, with direction, to
the protection and enhancement of the State’s fishing resources. They work closely with the Texas Parks & Wildlife and the States Legislature toward the positive achievement of their goals. TBBU believes in doing things to help provide a Drug Free environment for kids. Last year in Dallas the TBBU sponsored Conservation Fishfest Banquet and Celebrity Fishing Tournament rose over $31,000.00 that was donated toward the construction of the new State Super Hatchery.

Ticket sales to the GALA are off to a great start with over 11 Platinum Sponsor Tables already sold. Tickets will be sold on a first come first serve basis so get your order in early. Platinum Tables will seat 12 at the banquet and are selling for $1,000.00. Gold Tables are $750.00, Silver Tables are $500.00. Gold and Silver Tables seat 10. Individual Tickets are $50.00 and an Event Ticket is just $25.00.

For ticketing information call Bruce Schuler, who heads the Ticketing Committee, at 713-334-3346.

Anyone wishing to attend and or participate in the event as a Sponsor, Advertiser or Auction Item Contributor should call one of the following Steering Committee Members.

For Auction Items contact Rick Dixon at 713-875-0300 or Lonnie Hernandez at 713-783-2961.

If you would like to have a booth at the GALA contact Woodie Amos at 713-353-6031 or Ed Churchman at 713-648-3253.

For advertising information in the Commemorative Program, Inland Fisheries Magazine, GALA Posters or Flyers contact Pat McCarty at 409-856-8537.

Do your part to make Texas freshwater fisheries more productive and safer places to fish and boat. The lifeblood of any organization is it’s membership.

To accomplish these positive programs we would like to personally invite you to join TBBU and become a part of this worthwhile program. Help support TBBU in their effort to make Lake Livingston a safer place to boat and fish.
– Lake Mohave

The big game hunting season is over and the anti-hunting posters have dropped from the public limelight for now. Why would this be mentioned
in a fishing club newsletter? A brief understanding of the basic animal rights movement would show the relationship between hunting and fishing. These organizations and groups have a basic philosophy in which they believe that all animal species should be allowed to live indepen-dently of humans. Knowing this, it is easy to see why, in their zealous-ness, they protest the use of animals for food, medical testing, and sport hunting.

This protesting will take the form of picketing meat processing plants and university medical schools. As we saw in the fall of 1992 with the harassment of deer hunters in Michigan the issue landed in our backyard.

Media coverage is essential for their demonstrations. Using the deer hunter example, the group involved actually sent out press releases well ahead of the targeted date and an updated release days ahead of the pro-test. By doing this the televison camera crews and press writers and photographers would know exactly where to go and when. It seems that
there is nothing spontaneous about their rallies.

There are many similarities between the activites of hunting and fishing.

Both involve the ‘fair chase’ pursuit of an animal. Good hunters will study the habits and terrain of the animal they want. They will purchase or build the best equipment and accessories possible to make their trip
pleasant and comfortable. In the end, though, the successful hunt is knowing that the hunter did his best and that he enjoyed his time in the field. A good sportfisher learns to read the water and knows the feeding schedule of his favorite fish. He buys rods and reels because they are the best suited for a particular specie and makes his own lures. It is
the fishing trip in itself that will make or break the day and the catch ends up being incidental. An often used phrase is “A bad day of fishing is still better than a good day at work.”

Sportfishers cannot sit on the side anymore. The individuals who are protesting the use of animals in any form will not leave sportfishing alone. They started by arguing that trapping was cruel. Hunting became the next issue with the claim that this activity is cruel and inhumane.

Is fishing next? After watching a symposium on hunting and conservation at Montana State University in July 1992 a representative of Fund For Animals said: “We’re going to get fishing next.” – Lake Mohave

Founded by a Fisherman

The Fred Arbogast Company was founded in 1930 by a man whose first love was fishing. His interest in the sport began as a hobby and grew to be the focus of a successful business

Fred Arbogast’s to outwit the finny tribe was born one day when he was twelve years old. He and his father rode by horse and buggy to a lake near Akron where they fished all day, only to return empty handed. Young Fred felt dejected, yet determined that he would learn all he could about this challenging, and sometimes frustrating, sport of fishing. And he did.

After graduating from Central High School in 1913, Fred went to work for the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company in Akron. But his true love continued to be fishing. Night after night, Fred tinkered in the basement workshop of his home on Barwell Street developing and designing lure designs. Weekends and vacations were spent on the water testing his latest creations at favorite fishing spots.

In the late 1920’s Fred hit upon a lure idea that appeared to be a winner with bass. He designed an all metal minnow-shaped lure with a single upright hook, real glass eyes and a shiny, hinged metal tail. Fred christened it the Tin Liz.

In 1930 Fred purchased a house at 313 W. North Street in Akron where he continued to produce the Tin Liz and, at the same time, began to develop and market other unique lures.

1947
In 1947 the Arbogast Company moved into a brand new, two story building right next door to Fred’s original facility.

At the dedication, Fred proudly announced that, “now we have all the room we’ll ever need.” Demand for Arbogast baits, however, continued to grow steadily.
1965
A two story addition was built in 1965 on the adjoining property where Fred’s original facility had stood. The new area was put into use immediately for research and development.

1990
Dave Porthouse, Owner and President of Fred Arbogast Company, sought to ,implement the transition into the nineties with the appointment of Sonny Coody as National Sales Manager. The long commitment by the Fred Arbogast Company to produce quality lures made the transition to new and innovative products simple to accomplish.

ARBOGAST TODAY
The Fred Arbogast Company is still a family owned operation which has expanded from a single manufacturing plant in Akron, Ohio to a company selling products worldwide, distributed from 3 separate manufacturing operations.

The Fred Arbogast Company has been in the boat with the American fishing public for well over 60 years. The Company will continue to regard its special relationship with the fishing public as its greatest heritage.

For more information contact the Fred Arbogast Company at 713-952-4068. – Lake Mohave

Lake Conroe is a very popular Texas lake for boaters, jet skiers, and fishermen alike. Less than an hour’s drive from any part of Houston, it is a favorite getaway location for Houstonians. It is also a lake that has taken extra precautions in protecting those who use it.

Boating safety on Lake Conroe has long been an issue. In light of the boating accidents of recent years, steps have been and are being taken to make Lake Conroe a safe getaway as well.

Constable Don Chumley’s Office has operated a Marine Division on Lake Conroe for several years. The Marine Division operates three boats and is manned by three officers from the Constable’s Office. Sergeant Greg Gibson is in charge of the three-man division consisting of himself, Cullen Thomas, and Randy Sanson.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department also has a two-man squad that patrols Lake Conroe. This team is made up of Ken Henderson and Robert Schuster.

All of these officers are on the lake to protect its guests and keep the lake safe for everyone. The lake is seeing more boats than ever before this summer and there are also a tremendous amount of jet skis. Greg Gibson of the Constable’s Office says they are writing more tickets this year and “really checking out boats this year” in an effort to make Lake Conroe a safe place to visit. There are extra patrols on the docket including night patrols “Our goal is to make Lake Conroe have the safest year we’ve ever had before by teaching boaters about boat safety and educating boaters on the rules and regulations of boating and promoting the consideration of others. The safer the lake, the more people will be drawn to the lake.”

Greg’s predictions are already starting to show in the Lake Conroe area. Boat sales are up in Conroe and Greater North Houston and more houses are going up along the lakeshore.

A bill passed by State Congress in 1996 established a minimum age for operators of personal watercraft, which includes jet skis, water bikes, and boats. The bill says that no person can operate a personal watercraft under the age of 13 and all those under 16 must have passed an approved boating safety course if operating the boat alone.
The bill has been approved by the industry, says Tim Spice, a Voter Education Coordinator of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. Spice is himself a boater and feels that operating a boat is very different than operating an automobile. “We need education,” he says, “I feel education will save lives.”

The boating safety course authorized by the bill is called “Boat Texas” and it is offered by volunteers, the Coast Guard Auxiliary and the U.S. Power Squadron, two groups that offer education programs. It is also in a home-study course and can be ordered by calling (800) 460-9698. The TP&WD also offers the course on-line at www.tpwd.state.tx.us/edu/boated/boattx.htm. Or you can simply search for the phrase “Boat Texas”.

One thing stressed in the course is the wearing of personal flotation devices (PFDs). All users of jet skis and water-bikes and all children under the age of 13 are required to wear PFDs at all times. According to Spice, the statistics on PFDs are that 85% of people who drown would be alive if they’d had them on.

The Boating Trades Association of Texas is a self-governing organization dedicated to the interests of the boating industry and public of Texas. The BTAT is a strong promoter of education among boaters. Darryl Hurst of the BTAT said recently of the group, “We have no tolerance for illegal or inappropriate behavior on the water and we will continue to work for a more educated and informed boating public.”

Let’s try real hard this year to make Lake Conroe the safest lake in Texas, OK ya’ll? – Lake Mohave

Aquatic vegetation affects every fisherman in every body of water. It attracts fish seeking shelter and harbors food for fish. It generally serves to clear the water and improve the quality of the water.

I spoke to several fishermen, both professional and weekender fishermen, about aquatic vegetation, and got a variety of responses. Most of the anglers I spoke to praised aquatic vegetation and expressed the need for more of it in east Texas lakes.

Larry Newbury is a boater and fisherman from Houston. He would like to see more aquatic plantlife in the lakes he fishes, which includes Lake Conroe. He says, “aquatic vegetation is good for the bait fish and the small fingerling bass.”

Hydrilla is what most readily comes to mind when anglers talk of aquatic vegetation, but Newbury says there are other types, like coontail moss and duckweed, that are just as good for the fishing and can improve the water quality.

Newbury says he fished on Lake Conroe years ago, “when it was a good fishing lake.” He stopped fishing here eight years ago. “This is a party lake now.”

Geneva Carroll is an angler from Louisiana. She feels that aquatic vegetation has a value in the lake. She feels that “it can improve the ecosystem of a lake.”

Mrs. Carroll moved to east Texas in August of ‘93 and she’s sorry to say that Louisiana lakes has some better ecosystems to offer.

Woody Woodrow is a biologist working with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and he agrees with Mrs. Carroll. He says, “aquatic vegetation is important for maintaining biological diversity and aquatic ecosystem health.”

Woodrow is also a fisherman, and while aquatic vegetation can be a hindrance to fishing, he finds that he can almost always find fish there.

However, he says, “too much vegetation can cause stagnant water and low dissolved oxygen problems due to decomposing plant matter, and that’s not good for fishing.”

Waterhyacinth is one aquatic plant Woodrow points to as a problem plant. This plant tends to multiply into dense mats that completely cover the water’s surface. He says, “waterhyacinth impedes the transfer of oxygen from the atmosphere to the water. It also affects the amount of sunlight that breaks through, which affects underwater life.”

Lake Sam Rayburn seems to have solved the problems of these troublesome aquatic plants while preserving its ecosystem, according to Gary Brown of Conroe. He and his family like to fish Lake Sam Rayburn because “bass can find places to hide.”

This seems to be the greatest benefit of aquatic vegetation to the anglers I spoke to. David Covey, owner of Anchorage Marina on Lake Conroe, feels sure that there is an aquatic plant that can provide shelter for bass, while not becoming a nuisance to boaters.

Covey says, “I hear both sides. I understand the problems boaters have with the underwater plants, but I also understand the needs of the fishermen.”
Since the recent measures taken by citizens around the lake to rid the lake of Hydrilla, which Covey says in all fairness was becoming overgrown and a nuisance, Lake Conroe has developed other problems. Or so say the fishermen.

Apparently, all the plants in the lake were effectively eradicated, leaving no place for fish to hide or find food. The absence of aquatic vegetation of any kind has caused the water quality to become poor, says angler Jesse Garcia of Houston.

“Recreational boaters like [the lake] just the way it is,” says Covey, “but the water has never been so clear as it was with Hydrilla [in the lake]. Now you really can’t see more than a foot or a foot-and-a-half.” Covey wishes there was a happy medium between having Hydrilla and having no aquatic vegetation at all.

Bill Cannan is a fishing guide on Lake Conroe. He thinks we definitely need “some type of vegetation on Lake Conroe.” He says Little Lake Creek and Weirs Creek have vegetation in the form of waterhyacinth. This is the only form of aquatic vegetation he has found on Lake Conroe recently.

“The best kind of vegetation that I know of for fishing is Hydrilla,” Cannan says. “It filters the water (makes it clear), it gives the bait fish a place to hide and in general gives all the game fish a refuge. In most lakes it provides a successful backbone for underwater ecosystems.”

All in all, I think it’s fair to say that the fishermen of this area speak favorably of aquatic vegetation. But the recreational boaters tell a different story.

Tom Lee is a boater from Houston. He curses “the duckweed that fouls the intake filter on my outboard motor’s cooling system and prevents it from operating properly.”

I also spoke to a petroleum engineer with operations in the southern
Louisiana marshes. He says, “the biggest problem with aquatic vegetation like waterhyacinth is that it chokes off the canals and bayous and restricts or eliminates boat traffic. It affects not only recreational, but also commercial traffic.” – Lake Mohave

Nestled in the rolling hills of the farms and ranches near Brenham is a lake that offers a place to play and a place to relax just 90 miles from the hassles of Houston. Lake Somerville covers 11,460 acres and has 85 miles of shoreline. It provides water for the area and was constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the 1960’s.

A state park is located at this lake in two distinct units. The Birch Creek Unit is located on the north shores of the lake and comprises 640 acres. It offers 103 partial service campsites with water and electricity, four dump stations and 20 equestrian tent sites with water only. This unit also offers a Group Trailer Area with 30 water and electrical sites and a Dining Hall.

The Nails Creek Unit, 300 acres located on the southeast corner of the lake, has 40 campsites available with water and electricity, a dump station and 20 tent sites, 10 of those being equestrian.

The Birch Creek Unit offers three picnic areas and the Nails Creek Unit offers two. There is a total of 30 miles of hiking, biking and horseback trails throughout the park.

Fishing is excellent in both units, and the Birch Creek Unit provides an 80-foot concrete fishing jetty. Both Units offer an enclosed fish cleaning shelter. The Nail Creek Unit maintains the west bank of Cedar Creek where anglers can find good crappie fishing from January to late April.

The Birch Creek Unit has two two-lane boat ramps and the Nails Creek Unit has one two-lane boat ramp. Both Units offer volleyball courts. Both sand and grass are available at the Birch Creek Unit, while the Nails Creek Unit offers just one grass court. Lake swimming is allowed, but no lifeguard is on duty.

The two units are connected by the Lake Somerville Trailway where visitors can find 100 primitive campsites, four sanitary toilets and six shade shelters.

For something different, consider Nails Creek Unit for weekend hayrides. They even offer “Hayride Weddings.”

For more information about the two units, please feel free to call Russell Fishbeck at the Birch Creek Unit or Glen Korth at the Nails Creek Unit.

For bait and tackle near the park, the Birch Creek Unit Headquarters offers some basic supplies. For more extensive needs in the Birch Creek Unit area, try Big Creek Marina on Park Road 4 in Lyons for live bait, tackle, gas and a camping area and motel on the premises. Call Big Creek Marina at (409) 596-1616. Judy’s Grocery is located in the town of Somerville and in addition to groceries, offers bait, tackle, gas, a bar & grill, a pool room and dancing. Contact Judy’s Grocery at (409) 535-4030.

For fishermen in the Nails Creek Unit, bait and tackle can be found at the Checkpoint Trading Post at the intersection of Overlook Park Rd. and FM 1948. Bonnie and Steve Todee can help with your fishing needs, including renewing your fishing license, at (409) 289-4102. The Rocky Creek Store on FM 1948 on the south shores of the lake offers fishing supplies, boat storage and a restaurant. Contact Andy Holley at Rocky Creek Store at (409) 289-3426. Burger & Stuff, located on FM 180 in Burton is southwest of the Nails Creek Unit and has bait, groceries and liquor available. They can be reached at (409) 289-2466.

If you want to stay near the park but can’t camp, several motels are available nearby. The Big Creek Marina offers a motel in Lyons near the Birch Creek Unit with AC and kitchenettes. They accept Visa and MasterCard and the motel is located close to the marina. Surrey Inn is located in Caldwell, just 16 miles northwest of the lake, and has 24 rooms, a pool, cable TV, a cafe on the premises and takes major credit cards. Surrey Inn’s rates range from $32.00 for a single to $37 for a double, with a $4. charge for each additional person. The Varsity Inn, also located in Caldwell, has 63 rooms, a pool, cable TV and takes major credit cards. The Varsity also serves continental breakfast on the weekends. The rates here range from $37 for a single to $43 for a double, and $4 for each additional person.

If you need a fishing guide for the lake, Paul Place comes highly recommended. Place Guide Service can be reached at (409) 693-3017.
– Lake Mohave

The World Wide Web now has several new “pages” to offer you surfers of the ‘net. Outdoor enthusiasts can find information on some of the best hunting and fishing in the world!

Pat McCarty, who has brought The Texas Sportsguide to the world through the Internet, has been spending quite a bit of time in Mexico and South America researching hunting and fishing opportunities. He has created several new Web pages to show the world the excellent hunting and fishing resources Mexico and Venezuela have to offer.

Mexico has often been overlooked as a getaway location except for the heavily trafficked resort cities. Some of the world’s most beautiful natural scenic resources can be found here in its pristine state. Mexico has something for everyone from its tropical rain forests, rugged mountains, lakes and streams to its scenic deserts and white sandy beaches. Mexico is a hunting and fishing paradise where you will find a lack of hunting or fishing pressure and many out-of-the-way dream destinations.

McCarty has created a Web page where outdoorsmen can find just what they’re looking for in Mexico from bass fishing, sal*****er fishing or fly-fishing to scuba diving to eco-logical tours or ruin exploration to bird hunting or deer hunting or even exotic game hunting. It’s called Adventures in Mexico and can be found at www.texs.com/mexico/.

One resort you will find through Adventures in Mexico is Mexico’s Laguna Vista. This is the site of the best waterfowl hunting resort in North America. Over 300 species of birds can be found here and can be spotted year-round. Hunting, Fishing, Birding and Eco-logical Tour packages are available at Laguna Vista. For a taste of the REAL Mexico, investigate the Laguna Vista Web site directly at www.texs.com/mexico/laguna/.

La Marina del Rio has long been recognized for its hunting and fishing resources and is now becoming a popular destination for birding and ecological tours. Newly discovered Aztec ruins close to the resort are also worth exploring.

La Marina del Rio offers world-class bass and sal*****er fishing, ecological tours, bird watching, Blue Rock Pigeon, dove, quail, duck, turkey and deer hunting. Information on each vacation package can be found directly at www.texs.com/mexico/la_marina/.

Venezuela is a land forgotten by time with great adventures to offer the adventurer. Venezuela is by no means hum-drum. You have never seen forests so full of life or rivers so beautiful. Everything about Venezuela will be a new experience for you. Get ready for the adventure of your lifetime because you will never forget it.

All travel in the jungles of Venezuela is done by dugout canoe made locally and very sturdy. They provide a safe and easy method of transportation through the lush jungles and tropical beaches.

Image Builder’s Advertising, the Web page design company of McCarty’s, has created two new Web pages under the name of “Bass Adventures” to introduce the world to the natural resources of Venezuela.

Uraima Falls Camp is located on the banks of the La Paragua river deep in the Venezuelan jungle. Here, Payara fishing is the main attraction. Payara is a distinctive fish found in greater numbers in Venezuela than in any other place in the world. They are an aggressive fish and an average of seven will be caught in a day at this camp with an average weight of 17 lbs. per fish.

The jungles near the camp are full of wildlife and plantlife not to be seen anywhere else in the world. This promises to be the most interesting and adventurous experience of your life! Look for their Web page at www.ibweb.com/uraima/.

Pea***** Bay Lodge(see page 8) is located 100 miles downstream of the Uraima Falls Camp on the shores of Lake Guri. Combination tours of both camps are available.

Pea*****
Bay Lodge is well-known by Venezuelans for its Pea***** Bass fishing. Knowledge of its fishing resources is just now becoming available to North America through Image Builder’s Web “Bass Adventures” pages.

The Pea***** Bass is a beautiful and powerful fish and the average angler can expect to land 10 to 20 of these per day. More information about Pea***** bass and other jungle adventures of Pea***** Bay Lodge can be found at www.ibweb.com/pea*****/.

One other Image Builder’s Bass Adventures page that introduces the world to the exciting world of Puerta Vallarta, Mexico, can be found at www.ibweb.com/viva/, but that site is under construction at the present time. Check back with Image Builder’s soon, however, for information about the romantic Puerta Vallarta.

McCarty says of his Bass Adventures pages, “we will more than double our hunting and fishing lodges in Mexico and South America advertised on the Web in ’97.” These sensational hunting and fishing resorts mentioned here are still new and untouched by the masses, providing terrific opportunities for the outdoors enthusiast, whether it’s hunting, fishing, bird watching or ecological tours that interests you. – Lake Mohave

Michael Eugene Smith was an adult who felt it unnecessary to wear his life jacket on that final day on Lake Conroe. After all, the boat was only moving at seven to eight MPH and he and his friends were only about 100 yards from shore in their 12’ johnboat.

But Michael Smith was an epileptic. He had a violent epileptic seizure and fell overboard. Despite valiant efforts of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department, the U.S. Forest Service, a game warden, Sergeant Leldon Hamilton, and two members of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Bing Hastings and Diane Wharton, his body floated to the surface 46 hours later.

Smith was the needless victim of a drowning that could have been prevented through common sense. Personal Flotation Devices, or life preservers should be worn by all persons in a boat, whether it is moving or not. As a matter of fact, it is a good idea to wear one when you’re anywhere near the water. This goes for children, adults, experienced swimmers, and ESPECIALLY ANYONE PRONE TO SEIZURES, BLACKOUTS, DISORIENTATION, ETC.

The Texas Water Safety Act is written by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and applies to all persons in Texas waters. It states: “The operator of every Class A and Class 1 motorboat while underway shall require every passenger under thirteen (13) years of age to wear a Personal Flotation Device of the sort prescribed by the regulations of the Commandant of the Coast Guard. A life belt or ring buoy does not satisfy this requirement.”

In regards to personal watercraft, such as jet skis and water bikes, “Coast Guard approved Type I, II, III, or V must be worn by each person on or being towed by personal watercraft.” The different types of PFDs pertain to the weight of the person wearing it.

Greg Gibson, a Precinct 1 Deputy Constable assigned to Lake Conroe, says that children under the age of 13 also need the correct child-sized PFDs. A life preserver must also be available for all adults on board. They should be adult-sized and adults should have easy access to them. In other words, they cannot be under heavy equipment or stored in a lower cabinet.

Gibson adds that jet skiers, of any age, are required to wear PFDs at all times.

Gibson is a stickler on children wearing life jackets. He also believes all persons with mental or physical handicaps should wear them.

Deputy Sheriff Jim Ford was principally involved in the futile rescue efforts of Mr. Smith. He says, “anyone with common sense, especially if they have a physical handicap, would be wearing a PFD anytime they’re around the water.”

The subject of PFDs is a sore spot with Ford. He says he gets violations all the time with kids not wearing the required life saving equipment. “It’s the infrequent recreational boaters that cause most of the problems,” he says, “as far as PFDs or equipment violations.”

Robert Schuster is Dive Master of the Montgomery County Dive Team. These are the guys that retrieve the bodies of drowning victims in Lake Conroe and other area lakes. Schuster says he has pulled numerous children out of the water after playing on piers or near bulkheads, and GUESS WHAT? They weren’t wearing life preservers! Not one! When the Dive Team is called, it is after the child has been in the water too long for a safe recovery, in most cases.

Schuster says he has not had to go after one drowning victim in his ten year career with Montgomery County that was wearing a PFD, with one exception. The exception was a heart attack victim that the coroner says was dead before he hit the water.

The Boating Trades Association of Texas is self-governing organization of more than 650 boat dealers, manufacturers, distributors and marina operators. It is dedicated to the interests of the boating industry and public of Texas.

The BTAT mails a pamphlet titled the Commandments of Boating to every Texan that registers their boat with the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department,
according to Lee Couch of the BTAT. It is required that every boat in excess of 14 feet in length be titled with the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. Over 600,000 pamphlets have been mailed to Texas boatowners by the BTAT to date.

The first commandment listed to ensure boating fun and safety says, “Be sure to wear a life jacket (Personal Flotation Device). Even an expert swimmer is not safe without one.”

Recently, Darryl Hurst, President of the BTAT said, “we strongly support all efforts to increase enforcement…of…the entire Water Safety Code. While we were able to reduce our accident rate last year, there continues to beincidents of irresponsible boating. We have no tolerance for illegal or inappropriate behavior on the water and we will continue to work for a more educated and informed boating public.”

The BTAT is a member of the Boater Education Advisory Group. This group is comprised of representatives from the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, the Marina Association of Texas, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, the American Red Cross, the U.S. Power Squadrons, the Lower Colorado River Authority, the National Park Service and other organizations interested in promoting safe recreational boating.

The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department offers a course free of charge called “Texas Boating Basics” to boaters of all ages and experience.

At this time, it is not a part of the Texas Water Safety Act that all persons prone to seizures or otherwise impaired are required to wear PFDs, unless they are under the age of 13 and aboard a moving water vessel. Deputy Sheriff Ford says it’s “common sense” that should make someone with a mental or physical impairment wear a life jacket. Will it take an Act of Congress to enforce common sense?
– Lake Mohave

Jumpin’ Jahozephat!! You’ve found the fish! Just as fast as you can get ’em in the boat, you’ve got your limit! It only took you seven and a half minutes to land 18 stripers once you found the fish and now, at 8:15 AM, you’re through for the day. You haven’t even finished your first cup of coffee but you’ve had the most exciting 10 minutes of your life! Hmmm…. Looks like you’ll be coming back to Lake Texoma.

Lake Texoma is the best fishing lake in the country, according to Mel Stover who works on the lake as a fishing guide. He makes this claim for some very good reasons. Lake Texoma is one of three lakes in the country where the striped bass reproduce naturally (without restocking).No other lake can produce stripers o the size found in Lake Texoma, either. It is not uncommon to land a striper in excess of 25 pounds on Lake Texoma.

The striped bass, previously a sal*****er species, became a freshwater fish quite by accident. When the Santee-Cooper Lake was dammed and sal*****er was no longer allowed to empty into the famous lake, striped bass that were trapped in the lake adapted rather well to their new lake. Stripers were later stocked into several other freshwater reservoirs and they did well. Today, striped bass is regularly stocked in Lake Livingston, Toledo Bend, Falcon Lake and other popular fishing spots in Texas. It is a popular sportfish because it is very aggressive and will give the angler quite a run for his money. No, a striper catch is not just another catch. Die hard bass fishermen may never go back once they’ve mastered a striper.

Striped bass fishing alone brings about $25 million per year to the economy of Lake Texoma and fishing is the primary industry of this part of both states. The population of the lake area easily doubles or even triples during fishing season.

Two-thirds of Lake Texoma lies in Oklahoma, according to a map of the Red River Channel. This makes the lake only the third largest reservoir in the state of Texas, but it is easily larger than any other lake within the state of Texas. Located just an hour-and-a-half to two hours north of Dallas, the lake offers North Texans a convenient get-away set in beautiful rolling hills.

Lake Texoma also has huge catfish! Several catfish in excess of 35 pounds are taken from the lake every day. This is another fish that naturally reproduces in the 100,000 square acres of Lake Texoma.

The ecology of the Red River is unique. In the Panhandle of Texas and Western Oklahoma, there is an underground salt bed that dates back 220 million years. Many of the springs that feed into the Red River produce water that is almost pure brine. It is estimated that 3,600 tons of salt is emptied into the Red River per day. The result is that the Red River has a very high salt content that occurs naturally and is probably the reason that stripers thrive in Lake Texoma.

Another consequence of this high salt content is water that is unusable for municipal, industrial or agricultural purposes. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has devised a plan to remove 2,000 tons of the salt deposited in the river per day. Municipalities, large industrial users and farmers could benefit from a plentiful supply of water, but the reduction of salt deposited into Lake Texoma would only have detrimental effects on the striped bass population. Some experts believe that they would no longer reproduce naturally in the lake.

The project would also affect the flow rates of the river, possibly reducing it to 0, and the water will be murky virtually all the time. Selenium buildup in the brine lakes used for disposal of salt threatens all waterfowl and wetlands that are home to a number of endangered species such as the Bald Eagle and the Whooping Crane.

The project was initiated in 1957 and approximately 27% of the allotted funds for the project have been spent to date. Currently, 250 tons of salt are being removed from the river per day. A lack of funding halted the project in 1988, but a recent political push has released more funds. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has raised objections that have effectively halted the project to allow additional input from the affected wildlife agencies and the public.

What can you do, you ask? Call or write your Congressman! Now is the best time to be heard. Work is slated to resume within the year and, if nothing is done to stop it, the project will be completed in the year 2001 or 2002.

The Red River Chloride Project, as it is called, is a very real threat to Lake Texoma. This spectacular fishery could be destroyed for generations to come. We still have time to save it and preserve one of nature’s great wonders.

In the meantime, plan a trip to
the cooler climate of North Texas/Southern Oklahoma and try some of the best striper or catfishing to be found anywhere. You may never come back to bass fishing. If you need an experienced striper or catfish guide, call Mel Stover at (800) 315-8607. – Lake Mohave

Considered by many to be the best fishing reservoir in the South, Toledo Bend has a great deal to offer sportsmen from both Texas and Louisiana. Snowbirds from the Midwest and anglers from all points flock to the warm waters of the largest man-made reservoir in the state of Texas spanning 185,000 acres. The lake offers 1,200 miles of shoreline both in Texas and Louisiana and is 15 miles wide at its widest point. Toledo Bend offers possibly the best fishing in the country with an extimated 300.63 pounds of game fish per acre, including black bass, white bass, stripers, Florida bass, crappie, bream and catfish.

In addition to great fishing, Toledo Bend offers a laid-back, relaxed atmosphere that can only be found in the south. Texas’ celebrated friendliness coupled with Louisiana’s well-known hospitality guarantees the tourist a delightful vacation. Toledo Bend can become habit-foreming, so expect to visit often.

The Toledo Bend Project was conducted by the Sabine River Authority of Texas and the Sabine River Authority, State of Louisiana for the purposes of water supply, hydroelectric power generation and recreation. Both private and public recrestional facilities are available for swimming, boating, fishing, camping and hunting.

The reservoir is located 45 minutes northeast of Jasper or one hour due east of Lufkin on Highway 21. From Shreveport, Louisiana, take Highway 171 South two hours to Many and Highway 6 West to the lake.

Pendleton Bay Bridge crosses the reservoir at apprximately its midpoint. The Texas Highway that crosses this bridge is Highway 21. This becomes Louisiana Highway. 6 as it enters the state of Louisiana.

The Sabine River Authority of Texas operates a day-use park at the intersection of R255 and FM 692 on the southern tip of the lake. Another day-use park is located in Hemphill just north of Hwy. 21 and still another of the Texas SRA parks is located in Shelby County on the northern tip of the lake in the North Toledo Bend Wildlife Management Area.

The Sabine National Forest covers the entire western side of Toledo Bend. The U.S. Forest Service operates several recreation areas here. These include the Willow Oak Recreation Area, which is equipped with a boat ramp on Hwy. 87 near the south end, This park is open all year but, according to Dwayne Husband of the Sabine River Authority, provides no overnight camping facilities.. East Hamilton Recreation Area has a very nice boat ramp, according to Husband, and picnic tables for day use. It is located at the eastern tip of FM 2261 near Martinez Bayou.

Campers can find plenty of overnight camping facilities at the Lakeview Recreation Area. This U.S. Forest Service park lies at the tip of Housen Bay and has a boat ramp. This facility is open between March 1 and October 15. Indian Mounds Recreation Area is located just south of Hwy. 83. There is a boat ramp here that is open year-round and overnight camping facilities are available here Ragtown Recreation Area, located just south of FM 3184 in Ragtown Bay, is the last of the U.S. Forest Service’s facilities that provides facilities for overnight camping. It also has a boat ramp and is open from approximately March to October.

Approximately 34 private marinas are open for business on the Texas side of Toledo Bend. These marinas vary in price and facilities. Hemphill, which Hwy. 21 runs through on its way across the lake, is home to the majority of private marinas, including Harborlight Marina and Frontier Park.

The Sabine River Authority, State of Louisiana supports five public parks on the eastern shores of Toledo Bend Reservoir. These include, from the north, Oak Ridge SRA Park 2, Converse Bay Park 4, San Miguel Park 7-A, Twin Island SRA Park 11 and Pleasure Point SRA Park 15.

San Miguel Park sits on San Miguel Creek just north of LA Hwy. 6. Turn north on LA Hwy. 191. The park provides a total of 60 campsites, including 40 with RV pads. Twenty of these have full RV hook-up. Twenty of the campsites are for tent campers with tent pads. The park has 19 A-frame cabins available that sleep four each and are fully equipped with a refrigerator, stove, AC/H, cookware and bedding. San Miguel Park is the only SRA park that offers these A-frame cabins. The park has two boat ramps and 28 boat stalls.

North Toledo Bend State Park is the only state park on Toledo Bend Reservoir in either state. It sits across San Miguel Creek from San Miguel SRA Park 7-A on the Louisiana shores of Toledo Bend Reservoir. This park encompasses more than 900 acres of pine-filled lands available for camping, fishing,
hiking and picnicking. A total of 63 campsites and 10 vacation cabins and a group camp area are available for overnight guests. The park has a boat ramp on San Miguel Creek, a swimming pool, a nature trail, a pavilion and a camp store.

If you’re planning to visit the Toledo Bend area for some of the best fishing in the country or for any other reason, I hope this information proves useful. Wherever you fish this summer, good luck and keep those lines tight!
– Lake Mohave

The Texas Sportsguide has seen many a fishin’ season come and go and has remained the premiere fishing magazine in the state. Well, you don’t stay #1 for so long without making some changes.

The Texas Sportsguide On-line Edition made its debut in 1995 as the first magazine of its kind devoted to Texas fishing to appear on the World Wide Web. In the beginning, it was only a
six-page magazine, but with the increased coverage of area lakes and the peeked interest of
on-line users, the magazine now offers over 20 pages of solid fishing news stories and several pages of advertising, and it’s growing with every issue.

Pat McCarty is the Editor and Webmaster of The Texas Sportsguide On-line Edition. He is very happy with the attention his Web pages are getting. He says, “the World Wide Web is the future of advertising and the print media. As of the February 1996 issue, we’ve been getting around 10,000 readers per month and the number is increasing every month.” McCarty provides advertising services for both the On-line and Print Edition under the name of ImageBuilders Publishing and can be reached at (409) 856-8537.

The Texas Sportsguide On-line Edition has grown so fast, in fact, that it was necessary to obtain a Domain Name specifically for the magazine. A Domain Name is a short, easy-to-remember address or url. The adoption of its own Domain Name makes it easy for readers to gain access to the magazine’s Web pages. The Texas Sportsguide can be found on the Web at www.texs.com

But, alas, the World Wide Web is not yet in every home in Texas. It’s not on every boat, pier or in every marina. That’s where the print version comes in. The Texas Sportsguide Print Edition can still be found in local marines, marinas and tackle shops in the Houston, Dallas, Lake Conroe, Lake Livingston, Lake Richland-Chambers, Lake Fork and Lake Sam Rayburn areas. It can even be found in Waco and has subscribers all over the United States. Jim Binns serves as Editor and Outdoor Writer of The Texas Sportsguide Print Edition.

The contributors to The Texas Sportsguide include Jim Binns, a highly regarded tournament fisherman with an entertaining fishing story or helpful
tricks of the trade to share in every issue. Jim is a Houston business executive who finds time to fish whenever possible, and whenever possible is pretty often!

Julia Forney, an outdoor writer from the Conroe area, is a frequent contributor to The Texas Sportsguide Print and On-line Editions. She has been published in Bassin’ Magazine as well as Texas Black Bass Unlimited’s Inland Fisheries. Julia is an active member of Texas Black Bass Unlimited and the Texas Outdoor Writer’s Association.

Bill Cannan is a reputable fishing guide and tournament fisherman with experience on all the lakes that The Texas Sportsguide provides coverage as well as the Gulf Coast and sal*****er fishing in general.. The February issue of the On-line Edition even has a fishing article of Bill’s that is set off the Ivory Coast of Africa! Cannan’s fishing articles appear each month in both the On-line Edition and the Print Edition of The Texas Sportsguide.

Captain Bill Pustejovsky provides sal*****er fishing information for The Texas Sportsguide a little closer to home. Captain Bill is a full-time professional guide and the owner of the Gold Tip Guide Service that runs out of Matagorda Bay. He has been fishing out of Matagorda Bay all of his 41 years and has kept records of the bay regarding wind conditions, water depth, fish catches, etc., since 1975. Captain Bill knows his bay and provides guide services for wade fishermen and boaters alike.
Alan Richardson provides the Gulf Coast Fishing Report for The Texas Sportsguide Print Edition and is also a contributor to the Online Edition. Alan has been writing columns and freelancing fishing articles for six years. He is experienced with sal*****er fishing, having fished off the Galveston Coast since 1968, and he and his wife Terry own and operate the Fishing Tackle Resource Center in Spring. Alan has hosted outdoor radio shows for four years and has won awards all four years from the Texas Outdoor Writers Association, of which Alan and Terry are members.

Keith Warren is a contributor to The Texas Sportsguide Print Edition. Keith is perhaps the most visible outdoorsman in America. He is a regular guest on national outdoor programs and the owner and host of his own program, Texas Angler. He appears regularly in countless regional and national publications like Bass Masters Magazine, Sports Afield and Texas Parks and Wildlife. His 1994 award-winning video, “How to Catch Trophy Specks,” is touted as the number one selling sal*****er videotape of all time in Texas.

Sherry Ruslink is another contributor to the The Texas Sportsguide Print Edition. Sherry is an experienced tournament angler who fishes on the Bass’n Gal Tournament Trail. She has earned several awards for bass fishing including the coveted Texas Lady Angler of the Year Award for 1992 and 1993. Residing in Arlington, Texas, she provides coverage for Lake Fork.

A new page has just been added to The Texas Sportsguide On-line Edition that provides coverage for northern Mexico lakes and the southern United States. In it, Hugo Trevino will “share a few anecdotes and maybe a few tips” for bass fishing. Hugo is a television producer for several big corporations in Mexico. He is an outdoor writer who is very familiar with the fishing that Mexico has to offer.

Pat McCarty himself is a contributor to both the On-line and Print Editions of The Texas Sportsguide. Pat has been a tournament fisherman for 20 – 25 years and he has been a licensed guide on east Texas lakes for 11 years. He is an active member of Texas Black Bass Unlimited, a Texas freshwater conservation association.

Boots Follmar Marine is a big sponsor of The Texas Sportsguide. Boots has a fine selection of bass boats, both freshwater and sal*****er, and pontoon boats for the professional fisherman or the weekend angler. Boots’ dealership is in Houston and he can be reached at ( 713) 649-2709.

Other big sponsors include Pier 45 Marine in north Houston with their impressive lines of ProCraft bass boats and Voyager pontoons, (713) 999-5666, and April Plaza Marina on Lake Conroe. Look for the charity bass tournament there on March 2. Call Ron at (409) 588-1144. Red Wing Boat Company and Fred Lester’s lines of Stratos and Champion boats and Evinrude outboards, (713) 921-0656, Quantum Lures and Skeeter Boats all are sponsors of The Texas Sportsguide as well. In fact, Thomas Ferro of Skeeter Boats has a very informative article on Skeeter Boats in the February On-line Edition of The Texas Sportsguide.

Upcoming sponsors of The Texas Sportsguide include Keith Warren of Texas Angler, who can be reached at (210) 625-3474, Holt Taylor of the “Get Hooked on Fishing! Not Drugs!” campaign at (210) 534-4100, TBBU’s 96 Houston Gala (214)388-4724 and Bingham’s Check-It Stick.

The Texas Sportsguide is planning to increase its coverage of Texas lakes in the On-line Edition to include Lake Sam Rayburn, Richland-Chambers and others. If anyone is interested in sponsoring or submitting lake reports for other lakes, please contact Pat McCarty at anglers@texs.com or www.ibweb.com – Lake Mohave

Adventures in Mexico™ brings the excitement of the Mexican bass hunt to the homes of Web users around the world. The Web pages were designed by Pat McCarty to attract fishermen to the excellent resources that Mexico has to offer. Mexico offers the bass angler the finest bass fishing in the world and McCarty presents the very finest bass fishing adventure trips in Mexico. The pages can be found at www.texs.com/mexico/.

Lake Comedero is “Mexico’s Greatest Bass Fishing Hotspot.” Located 100 miles northeast of the popular resort, Mazatlan, the secluded mountain lake of the Sierra Madres offers the adventurous angler cool, clear water teeming with thousands of hungry black bass. Lake Comedero sees no “best fishing season” all year, averaging daily catches in excess of 100 bass per boat during any season.

Lake El Salto is called “the world’s greatest bass fishing lunker hole.” This is the newest bass fishing lake Mexico has to offer and is located 50 miles north of Mazatlan. El Salto has the largest population of trophy size bass of any lake in the world.

Lake Oviachic is known as “Mexico’s most accessible bass fishing hotspot.” It is located on the west bank of Mexico on the Gulf of California.

The Adventures in Mexico™ pages have information available on other Mexican lakes as well including Presa Espanola, Presa Los Mimbres, Presa Cuchillo, Cajon de Pena, and the famous Lake Guerrero, possibly the oldest and most popular of Mexico’s bass fishing lakes. Lake Guerrero is located just 165 miles south of the Texas border, just a three-hour drive from Texas.

Each lake is fully described on its own “page” and all the information needed, including lodging facilities, costs, best lures, transportation information, fish limits fopr each lake, weather, guide services, and other general information is listed for each lake.

Mexico has often been overlooked as a getaway location except for the heavily trafficked resort cities. Some of the world’s most beautiful natural scenic resources can be found here in its pristine state. Mexico has something for everyone from its tropical rain forests, rugged mountains, lakes and streams to its scenic deserts and white sandy beaches. Mexico is a hunting and fishing paradise where you will find a lack of hunting or fishing pressure and many out-of-the-way dream destinations.

Another favorite sportfishing destination of McCarty’s is Puerto Vallarta. A new Web page has just been completed that will introduce the world to the unbelievably picturesque Puerto Vallarta. Marlin and sailfish are popular sport fish here and Cajon de Pena, a lake nestled in the scenic mountains of the Sierra Madre range, offers excellent bass fishing. This page can be found at www.ibweb.com/viva.

If these fishing spots don’t hold enough adventure for you, try Pea***** Bass Fishing on Lake Guri in Venezuela. Bass Adventures, America’s leading international fishing outfitter has made all the arrangements and are just waiting to give you the adventure of a lifetime. You’ve never really fished for bass until you take on the Pea***** Bass of the Amazons! You can find more information on this fascinating adventure at www.pea*****trips.com .

Whatever type of fishing venture you’re in the mood for, let Pat McCarty’s web pages guide you to the best fishing experience available. – Lake Mohave

World’s Strongest Superline Enhanced

SPIRIT LAKE, IOWA – Now the world’s strongest superline is improved with better colorfastness and improved resistance to fraying. Berkley FireLine is the only superline to meet or exceed the rated test at the Palomar knot across all pound tests. The small diameter FireLine has the same high sensitivity and smooth handling as before and is the best superline for spinning tackle.

FireLine has top rated knot strength giving the angler more confidence for the hook set and fish handling. The strength of FireLine along with low stretch provides a more positive hook set with greater impact resistance. This non-braided superline is favored by both fresh and sal*****er anglers for its ease of casting, rugged durability and comfortable handling.

FireLine is available in smoke and flame green colors. With the improved formulation the flame green color is brighter and more visible to the angler than before. Line sizes of FireLine range from 4-pound test/1-pound diameter to 30-pound test/12-pound diameter. The suggested retail prices are $15.45 for a 125-yard spool, $29.95 for a 300-yard spool and $92.45 for the 1,000-yard spool.

For more information about Berkley or the location of the nearest Berkley retailer, call Berkley Angler Services at 1-800-BERKLEY or visit the web at www.berkley-fishing.com. – Lake Mohave

Spirit Lake, IA – Berkley Vanish Transition has been touted as hi-vis line ideal for fishing in clear water and when finesse fishing. But today’s major bass tournaments are seeing Berkley Vanish Transition being used by fishing pros known for using big fishing line and catching big fish such as Davy Hite, O.T. Fears and David Workman. Workman, of Ft. Worth, Texas, won the September EverStart Series Northern Division Tournament on New York’s Lake Champlain. His line was the new Berkley Vanish Transition. His technique was flipping a 4-inch watermelon with red glitter Power Bait Flippin Tube from Berkley into the thickest brush he could find in 8 to 12 feet of water. Not your conventional finesse fishing.

The four-day event found most of the tourney’s anglers seeking the great smallmouth bite, and Workman caught his share. But it was the bigger green fish not brown, that took him to the winner’s circle.

“I found my best fish in 8-foot and deeper water in thick mats of grass and heavy brush”, said Workman. “I had a great largemouth pattern for the week so I just stayed with it. I figured the last day I’d switch to smallmouth but the wind was too tough and my largemouth holes beckoned”.

“I did some Carolina rigging in practice using 20-pound Berkley Big Game with a foot or longer leader of 17-pound Berkley Vanish Transition. But during competition I caught over 50 fish during the four days of the tournament flipping with my Abu Garcia 4600C spooled with 20-pound Berkley Vanish Transition almost exclusively”.

Berkley Vanish Transition is such a popular item at sporting goods stores that finding replacement line has been difficult at times as stores reordered to restock their shelves. Workman was having the same problem. “I only had one spool of 20-pound Berkley Vanish Transition going into the tournament. As a result I used the same line without replacing it during the entire tournament. But I never lost a single fish and I was fishing some really tough areas with tight brush piles. On several occasions I was dragging fish over logs but my fishing line never failed me”.

Workman loves to flip into heavy cover with a tube or jig but this requires the ability to see the line and detect the slightest bites. “Watching my line for bites is the key but I’ve always had to strain to see my monofilament line. I’m sure I was missing bites. The gold color of Berkley Vanish Transition is so visible, no matter what the background. I now can see my line against the water, floating weed mats, timber, the sky, everywhere. Before I always had to strain to see my monofilament line. I’m sue I was missing bites and the best part of Berkley Transition is its clear underwater and virtually invisible to fish. A line that changes color – you gotta love it.” – Lake Mohave

AUSTIN, Texas – Six boat ramp construction grants totaling $2,104,024 were approved Nov. 3 by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission.

The grant program provides funds for the purchase, construction and maintenance of boat ramps, access roads and related improvements. Funds may also be used for capital improvements to existing state boat ramp sites. The grant program is administered by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and is funded by the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act and the State Game, Fish and Water Safety Fund.

Aransas County Navigation District 1 received a 75 percent matching share grant in the amount of $187,202 for renovation of a parking lot and loading ramp, a pollution prevention plan, and construction of a mooring pier, fish cleaning station, and signs. The facility is located at Cove Harbor South on Aransas Bay in Rockport.

The Brazos River Authority received $103,125 in 75 percent matching funds to renovate an existing single-lane boat ramp and parking area, and construct a courtesy dock, restroom and signs. The facility is located at the North D & D Public Use Area on Possum Kingdom Lake near Graford.

Hidalgo County received $500,000 in 75 percent matching funds to renovate an existing boat ramp, dock, fish cleaning station, and lighting. The facility is located at the Anzalduas Dam on the Rio Grande River adjacent to the Lower Rio Grande National Wildlife Refuge near Mission.

The Lubbock County Water Control and Improvement District No. 1 received $500,000 in 75 percent matching funds to construct a new 3-lane boat ramp and restroom, and renovate three existing restrooms at various locations on the lake. The facility is located on Buffalo Springs Lake near Lubbock.

The Mackenzie Municipal Water Authority received $33,697 in 75 percent matching funds to construct a courtesy dock, pier, and signs at two existing boat ramps. The facility is located on Lake Mackenzie between Tulia and Silverton.

Sheldon Lake State Park received $780,000 in 75 percent matching funds to construct a two-lane boat ramp, dock, dredging, roads and parking. These facilities will be located at Sheldon Lake Environmental Learning Center in Harris County.

All facilities except the Sheldon Lake project will be operated and maintained by the local government sponsors.

For more information about TPWD grant programs, visit the Web (http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/grants/). – Lake Mohave