Author: Guide

The Sunshine Kids held their fishing tournament on Saturday, August 6, at Stow-Away Marina. The Sunshine Kids is a national non-profit organization for children with cancer. They offer a variety of activities to the children, their siblings and parents because they feel that all members of the family are affected by the disease and they all need the opportunities for diversion from reminders of the horrors of the disease.

Jennifer Knerr, the Activities Coordinator of the Houston chapter, says, “through the Sunshine Kids’ activities, parents, siblings and the Sunshine Kids themselves are able to find the support and encouragement they need to continue their fight against cancer from those who truly understand.”

There are over 200 active Sunshine Kids in the Houston area. The numbers change daily with the high mortality rate of the group and new members. Nationwide, the organization boasts over 1000 members.

“All the activities we provide are totally free of charge to the Sunshine Kids and their families,” Knerr says.

One of the activities is an annual fishing tournament and the first place winner in each division is awarded a cash prize.

This year, the Sunshine Kids were fishing for bass and bream. A Junior Division and Senior Division were selected for each type of fish. Fifteen Sunshine Kids competed in this year’s tournament and each participant received a “goody bag” full of special items to remember this day.

The Sunshine Kids and their families are not ordinarily typical anglers or boaters. It was necessary to provide boats for the kids to fish from, and several area guides and other fishing individuals were kind enough to donate their boats for the tournament. The organization wishes to extend a hearty “thanks” to Wayne Vinton, Tom O’Connor, Jeff Goetzman, Steve Smith, Billy Mills, Tex Bonin, Keith Kocurek, Mike Schneider, Mitch Lowman, Dave Banta, John T. Gillis, Mickey Geisler, Marshall Brown, Jack Edwards, Bill Cannan, Gary Watts and Bob Driggers for their kind support in donating their boats to this tournament.

“Our philosophy is living life to the fullest,” Knerr says. “We try to give the families a break from hospitals and treatments by giving them the opportunity to just have fun and be a kid.”

Houston F.I.S.H. (Femmes In Search of Hawgs), a local organization of women anglers, sponsored this program. This group was formed in 1978 and was one of the first clubs affiliated with Bass ‘n’ Gals, a national organization of fisherwomen. 1994 is the 13th year that Houston F.I.S.H. has sponsored the Sunshine Kids tournament and this is the second year it has been held at Stow-Away Marina..

The Sunshine Kids tournament was followed by a Take A Kid Fishing tournament organized by Houston F.I.S.H. Any child that wants to fish but may not have access to a fishing boat or fishing tackle can participate in this program nationwide. This portion of the day’s tournament was dedicated to Edna Mills, a Conroe resident and a former member of both the local group and Bass ‘n’ Gals who died in a boating accident recently on Lake Conroe.

B. J. Nix was the tournament director for this Take A Kid Fishing tournament. She had 40 child/adult teams. Children are paired up with parents or anglers who want to donate their boats to the event. Everyone had a great time on this beautiful, sunny day.

All the bream and catfish caught in both tournaments was donated by Houston F.I.S.H. to Conroe area charities. The average weight of a day’s catch of bream and catfish is 200-250 lbs. The bass catches are released after being weighed and a photo is taken.

After the tournament, Houston F.I.S.H. held an auction featuring merchandise like a custom-made gun cabinet valued at $400 and several fishing rods with $60-$70 cash value each. Fishing guide trips, both freshwater and sal*****er, and a variety of artwork and jewelry were also auctioned.

The total proceeds from the tournament and the auction came to over $5000 for Houston F.I.S.H., including a cash donation of $2000 from Budweiser.

It’s great to see this kind of participation on Lake Conroe, especially for such a worthy cause. Cheryl Boen, President of Houston F.I.S.H., wishes to thank all those involved in the tournament for making it a terrific success.

The Houston F.I.S.H. organization offers women an opportunity to learn to fish and operate a boat . The group gets together on the first Monday of every month, unless that day is a holiday, in which case the meeting is
held on the first Tuesday.(September’s meeting is planned for September 6.) It also offers female anglers a support group and an opportunity to fish from a boat, even if members don’t own a boat.

About half the group owns boats and they pair up with other members who don’t own boats. Tournaments are held once a month at area lakes for members and potential members. Cheryl Boen told me that women are allowed to participate in one tournament before officially joining the group.

For more information on the Houston F.I.S.H. organization, please call Cheryl Boen at
(713) 466-1893 or Jacquetta Owens at (713) 367-4499. – Lake Mohave

Fishermen everywhere see the need for aquatic vegetation. It provides food for fish, improves water quality of fisheries and it provides cover for bass fingerlings to hide from their prey, allowing them to grow into trophy-size adults. However, most anglers and water conservationists in our state agree that aquatic weeds, particularly Hydrilla, need to be controlled. The method used for their control is the source of a great debate in Texas.

Chemical companies and government agencies have influenced the Texas River Authority and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to mandate the pouring of thousands of gallons a year of toxic chemicals into our lakes and rivers, some of which provide public drinking water.

Others want to control the aquatic vegetation through total eradication. One popular method involves the use of “grass carp.” Grass carp have been described as “the least acceptable method of non-chemical control.” The grass carp is a fish that was introduced into Lake Conroe in Conroe, Texas, to eat the unwanted aquatic vegetation. The result was they ate ALL the vegetation, leaving the lake unhealthy and unsuited for the survival of fish. The lake is now undergoing a lengthy process of reintroducing “good” aquatic vegetation in the hope that the fish will return to the lake.

S.M.A.R.T. is a non-profit organization formed by Texas anglers, conservationists and industry leaders to protect and improve our fisheries. Their name stands for Smart Management of Aquatic Resources Team The founders of S.M.A.R.T. hope to educate government agencies and the news media to the hazards of chemical treatment and total eradication
in the control of unwanted aquatic vegetation. The organization also hopes to teach the future facilitators of our freshwater resources the perils of chemical control.

With the help of TV personality and renowned cinematographer, Glenn Lau, they have developed an educational do*****entary on aquatic herbicides. Lau is the creator of the award-winning epic, “Big Mouth Forever,” which is a do*****entary on the life-cycle of the largemouth bass and sequel to the first film Lau produced in 1973 called “Big Mouth.” Lau is also host of his own TNN television show, Quest for Adventure.

The do*****entary will focus on the environmental impact of aquatic herbicides and other aquatic management techniques on lakes and other water reservoirs nationwide. It is the objective of S.M.A.R.T. to promote the film to secondary schools in Texas. They hope that schools will develop a curriculum around the lessons presented in the film to teach young outdoorsmen about the place of aquatic management today in the future of our water reservoirs.

S.M.A.R.T. management programs use several means for the control of unwanted vegetation. One method they sanction is another non-chemical control device, the “mechanical harvester.” This machine reportedly can cut one acre of Hydrilla per hour to a depth of five to six feet. The machines have a cutting width of up to 10 feet and weigh up to 14,000 lbs. The harvester cuts the vegetation, squeezes the water from it, shreds it, then puts the shredded vegetation back in the water. The harvester does not hurt the fish population either, according to the Department of Natural Resources in Minnesota, where the harvester has been used for years. In fact, lakes in the north central U.S. say they have enhanced aquatic life in their lakes and the water remains clear and clean, and most report enhanced game fish populations. Mr. D. Heise of LaPorte, Tennessee, says, “The quality of fishing has improved [on City Lake since we started using the harvester], and the fishing areas are more accessible now.”

One of S.M.A.R.T.’s short-term goals is to raise enough money through contributions and fund-raisers to purchase a harvester for the TPWD, and they in turn will implement mechanical management of aquatic vegetation as the state’s method of control. To date they have raised $65,000, or 60% of the funds they will need to purchase the necessary equipment.

The next fundraising event is scheduled for June 19th in Arlington, Texas, at the Arlington Convention Center. It will be called “An Evening with Ray Scott,” and Ray Scott, the founder of B.A.S.S., will be on hand along with several other celebrities of the fishing industry. This is the second fund-raiser Scott has sponsored, his first being in Houston at the Hotel Sofitel Greenspoint on August 14, 1998. Scott’s guest speakers in Houston were such pioneers of the bass fishing industry as Roland Martin, a legendary angler and TV superstar, Bob Cobb, the 30-year pioneer with B.A.S.S. Bassmasters Magazine and Bassmasters TV, Glen Lau, renowned cinematographer and TV personality and Earl Bentz, founder of Triton Boats and 30-year innovator and pioneer in the quality and performance of bass boats.

Martin, Cobb, Lau and Bentz will also appear at the Arlington event. Dinner and drinks will be provided and both a live and silent auction will be held. The auction will feature a 1999 Triton Bass Boat and a Mercury Outboard. A 1999 Chevy Suburban will be raffled off to one lucky guest, and only 100 raffle tickets will be sold at $100 each, so guests will have a one in 600 chance of winning the vehicle, valued at $36,000. This event is open to the public and admission is free. Dinner tickets will be sold at the door for $15 each. A special treat at this fund-raiser will be the premiere of the new Glenn Lau film.

The long-term goal of S.M.A.R.T. is to establish similar water conservation organizations in other states so their efforts will become nationwide. They also want to ally themselves nationally with other fishing organizations, bass clubs and water conservation groups. If you would be interested in helping to organize chapters in other states, please contact S.M.A.R.T. at (713) 648-6152 or toll-free at (888) 588-8228.

The Board of Directors of S.M.A.R.T. include President David Stewart, Vice President Ed Parten, Treasurer Lindy Ellason, Secretary Bill Bales, Asst. Secretary-Treasurer Pat McCarty, Sergeant at Arms John Alexander, Parliamentarian Jerry Gold, and three Board Members-at-Large, Mike Woehst with a 3-year term, Mike Hastings with a 2-year term, and Randy Kindler with a 1-year term.

The Members of the Board are all giants in the bass-fishing industry. They include, Ray Scott, Earl Bentz, Ray Murski, a fishing industry leader, Harold Sharp, a past B.A.S.S. tournament director, Jerry Dean, editor/publisher of Honey Hole Magazine, Duane “Sparky” Anderson of Clean Water Action, Johnnie Davis of Anglers Choice, Terry Oldham of Oldham Lures, Jack Allen, President of Southeast Texas Oilmen’s Bass Classic, Neil Carman of the Sierra Club of Texas, Ed Churchman and Bruce Shuler of T.A.B.C., Bruce Goss, Bob Hood , a sportswriter for the “Fort Worth Star Telegram,” Sue Pittman of the Chemical Connection, Robin Richardson of H.A.W.K., Bob Sealy of “Sealy Outdoors,” and Ron Werner of April Plaza Marine in Conroe, Texas..

The list of S.M.A.R.T. Member Organizations reads like a list of all of Texas’ fishing groups. It includes Anglers Choice, Inc., B.A.I.T. (Better Aquatics in Texas), Bastrop Environmental Association, Catfish and Crappie Association, the Central Texas Association of Bass Clubs, Clean Water Action, Consumers Union, H.A.W.K. (Health Awareness and Water Knowledge), the Henry, Lowerre, Johnson, Boss & Frederick Law Firm, F.I.S.H. (Fishermen Involved in Saving Habitat), Honey Hole Magazine, L.C.M.A. (Lake Conroe Marina Association), the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Clubs of Texas, Metro Leagues of Bass Clubs, Pro Team Tournament Trail, Inc., Rayburn Bass Classic, S.C.O.T. (Sportsmen Conservationists of Texas), Sealy Outdoors, Southeast Texas Oilmen’s Bass Classic, T.A.B.C. (Texas Association of Bass Clubs), T.B.B.U. (Texas Black Bass Unlimited), Texas B.A.S.S. Federation, Texas Center for Policy Studies, The Chemical Connection, Texas Oilmen’s Bass Invitational and the Texas Sportsguide.
– Lake Mohave

Scientists in freshwater regions throughout Texas have been wrestling with the problem posed by an exotic, invading weed called Hydrilla. This plant is not native to Texas, but, according to biologists of the Louisville Aquatic Ecosystem Research Facility (LAERF), was probably brought here by compassionate aquarium-fish owners who wanted to set their pets free by dumping the whole aquarium into the lake.

One solution to the problems posed by this plant is total elimination. Attempts at eradication have included biological methods.

One such method involves the import of species to eat the Hydrilla. The problem with this method is that all the aquatic plantlife will be eaten, creating another serious problem. Fish need some sort of aquatic vegetation to survive. White amur, or grass carp, are commonly used at power plant lakes, but these vegetation-eating fish should be used with caution because, while solving the problem of overgrown Hydrilla, they have the potential to eliminate all plantlife in the lake.

According to Remmie Scarborough, the Manager of the Lake Conroe Division of the San Jacinto River Authority and a member of the Aquatic Management Society of Texas, Sonar was used early on in the eradication of Hydrilla from Lake Conroe. He is unaware of the effects of this particular chemical because shortly afterwards the Lake Conroe Marine Association and the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department decided to import a large number of white amur, or grass carp, to Lake Conroe to eat the Hydrilla.

The decision to use so many carp was for total eradication purposes and was the decision of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, Scarborough says. He believes that only four or five carp per acre would not have eaten all the vegetation. If a lake is considering using grass carp to control Hydrilla and not totally eliminate all vegetation, Scarborough recommends using only four or five carp per acre.

Grass carp are not considered a true biological control because they are not “host-species specific”, said the scientists at LAERF, meaning that they feed on other plants besides the problem plants. An example of a true biological control is the insect, hydrellia, that feeds on Hydrilla alone. Turtles are being studied at LAERF to see what types of plants they will feed on. Mt is a fungus that attacks Hydrilla. It is being studied for its use as a controlling agent.

All of these biological controls are still in the research stage and, according to Dr. Michael Smart of LAERF, “operational biological control of Hydrilla is still a decade away.”

Mechanical harvesting is another method of Hydrilla control that has been used on Lake Conroe, says Scarborough. It involves cutting Hydrilla much like a lawnmower and with the same results – it is only a temporary control. He thinks it makes the Hydrilla grow back thicker because in the process of harvesting it, “tubers” and “turions”
of the Hydrilla are scattered onto nearby areas where they root and grow new plants.

One interesting note about biological control: grass carp will not eat Eurasian watermilfoil, another problem exotic weed found mostly in the northern United States. They had no effect on the waterhyacinth or pond lilies of Lake Conroe either, says Blake Kellum, the Water Quality Supervisor of the San Jacinto River Authority. Waterhyacinth is another problem plant that scientists are looking to eradicate.

Other methods involve importing species to eat the Hydrilla. The problem with this method is that all the aquatic plantlife will be eaten, creating another serious problem. Fish need some sort of aquatic vegetation to survive. White amur, or grass carp, are commonly used at power plant lakes, but these vegetation-eating fish should be used with caution because, while solving the problem of overgrown Hydrilla, they have the potential to eliminate all plantlife in the lake.

The decision to use so many carp was for total eradication purposes and was the decision of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, Scarborough says. He believes that only four or five carp per acre would not have eaten all the vegetation. If a lake is considering using grass carp to control Hydrilla and not totally eliminate all vegetation, Scarborough recommends using only four or five carp per acre.

Grass carp are not considered a true biological control because they are not “host-species specific”, said the scientists at LAERF, meaning that they feed on other plants besides the problem plants. An example of a true biological control is the insect, hydrellia, that feeds on Hydrilla alone. Turtles are being studied at LAERF to see what types of plants they will feed on. Mt is a fungus that attacks Hydrilla. It is being studied for its use as a controlling agent.

All of these biological controls are still in the research stage and, according to Dr. Michael Smart of LAERF, “operational biological control of Hydrilla is still a decade away.”

Mechanical harvesting is another method of Hydrilla control used on Lake Conroe, says Scarborough. It involves cutting Hydrilla much like a lawnmower and with the same results – it is only a temporary control. He thinks it makes the Hydrilla grow back thicker because in the process of harvesting it, “tubers” and “turions” of the Hydrilla are scattered onto nearby areas where they root and grow new plants.

Several methods have been studied for the elimination of Hydrilla, but only a few have considered the positive aspects of this plant, particularly to fishing. Most fishermen like to fish where Hydrilla is abundant. Over a period of time, however, Hydrilla can do more harm than good to a lake. If it is allowed to grow unrestrained, it can choke the lake of oxygen and other vital nutrients, killing other aquatic vegetation and fish.

But the fact remains that Hydrilla provides good fishing because it offers refuge and food for fish while it’s still in its youth. Other plants can provide this service and do not monopolize the waters. These plants are native to Texas and can grow in Texas lakes if they are not threatened by a dominating plant like Hydrilla.

These plants are duckweed, muskgrass, horned pondweed and American pondweed. These plants can provide all the benefits of Hydrilla without the problems. The biologists at LAERF are currently studying ways to introduce these preferable plants so they can be given a fighting chance over colonizing plants like Hydrilla.

Lake Conroe currently has a problem with basically no aquatic vegetation at all. Steps should be taken to introduce the right kinds of aquatic vegetation and in such a way as to ensure they will thrive in our lake. Let’s work together to give Lake Conroe a fighting chance. – Lake Mohave

Lake Conroe is a popular lake for boating, fishing, camping and just relaxing. Eric Howard, a Game Warden of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department assigned to Montgomery County, calls the lake “Houston’s Playground” because it is located just an hour’s drive north of the city.

The popularity of Lake Conroe has created a need for the Montgomery County Marine Division, a law enforcement unit made up of two full-time deputy sheriffs. The sole responsibility of the Marine Division is the preservation of safety on the lake.

Officers Cullen Thomas and Jim Ford enforce the Texas Water Safety Act and the Rules and Regulations of the Lake Conroe Reservoir as mandated by the San Jacinto River Authority in the performance of this duty.

The Precinct 1 Constable’s Office also has a full-time officer assigned to the lake, Deputy Constable Greg Gibson, who works closely with Thomas and Ford.

The Marine Division spends a majority of their time on the south end of Lake Conroe. This is where the heavier boating traffic and boating novices are found on the lake. Thomas and Ford generally patrol as far north as the Walker County line, which crosses the lake just south of State Highway 1375.

The north end of the lake, Ford explains, is a minefield of stumps and a boater really has to know where he’s going. Mostly fishermen are attracted to the north end of Lake Conroe and, Ford adds, “we don’t have much of a problem with fishermen as a whole”.

In the enforcement of the Texas Water Safety Act, the deputy sheriff’s are very strict. Thomas explains that every boater is required by state law to know these regulations and the Marine Division will not hesitate to write a citation for a violation of this Act. A copy of the Texas Water Safety can be picked up at the Montgomery County Commissioner’s Office or at some marinas on Lake Conroe.

In addition to the state laws on boating, a boater on Lake Conroe should be familiar with the local rules and regulations of the lake. The Marine Division wants these rules adhered to, but they are more lenient when it comes to these regulations.

Several of the regulations deal with personal watercraft, including jet skis, water bikes and aqua planes. “No person shall operate …a personal watercraft…at a greater than ‘No Wake’ speed, within 50 feet of another vessel, personal watercraft or water skier.” Another regulation makes it unlawful for a person to operate any water vessel at a speed greater than ‘No Wake’ speed within 100 feet of a boat dock or an inlet being used for swimming. Banana Bay has been nicknamed “torpedo alley” by the sheriffs of Montgomery County because, as Deputy Sheriff Cullen Thomas contends, personal watercraft disturbances are very common there.

Another unique aspect of the local Lake Conroe regulations is the “Skier Down Flag Rule”. This rule requires a rear observer to be in the ski boat “who must hold up an orange flag…high enough to alert other traffic when the skier is in the water and no longer being towed.” Provisions are made in this rule so that operators without a separate observer may raise the necessary flag. Deputy Sheriff Thomas feels that this rule prevents many skiers from becoming victims of boating accidents and “mutilated in a boat’s propellers”.
The Texas Water Safety Act provides strict guidelines pertaining to the Boating While Intoxicated law. The Marine Division is quick to point out that Banana Bay is where most of these citations are written. The penalties for violation of the BWI law range from a fine of $100 to a sentence of five years in prison.

In some areas of the country, according to Deputy Sheriff Ford, peace officers are equipped with “portable intoxilizers” that give the officer at least a good idea of how much the boater has had to drink. Montgomery County is not equipped with this new technology, so it becomes necessary to keep the suspected boater in custody on land for fifteen minutes before the effect of “sea legs” is sure to have worn off and a sobriety test can be given. Deputy Sheriff Jim
Ford elucidates, “if you want to enforce BWI, you have to ignore everything else. It’s something you really have to target.”

Montgomery County is also favored with “a cracker-jack dive team” boasts Ford. The team is made up of a group of volunteers who leave their various jobs when they are needed on Lake Conroe. They have also been called to Walker County and Lake Somerville for their expertise. The group includes some reserve peace officers and they are very talented and well known for their diving skill, according to Officer Ford. The divers provide their own equipment and transportation and Montgomery County is very proud and lucky to have them.

The Marine Division was preparing for the Labor Day weekend when I spoke with them. Labor Day, says Officer Thomas, is less busy than the July Fourth and Memorial Day weekends. Though still busier than other weekends of the summer, the impending hunting season diverts interest away from the lake and “lightens the load on the lake”. Labor Day does attract its share of out-of-towners, however, just like every big weekend. On big weekends, the Marine Division spends a great deal of time “getting out-of-towners in compliance with local regulations”.

The Marine Division is an important part of law enforcement on Lake Conroe. Officers Thomas and Ford seem very fair and interested in keeping the lake a safe lake for everyone. This lake lover feels comfortable in knowing the Marine Division is on Lake Conroe. – Lake Mohave

Our supply of drinking water in Texas is under a serious threat of contamination by pollution from our cities and rural areas. Farmers use chemicals on their farmland that run off into nearby rivers and lakes and eventually contaminate drinking water.

Environmentalist Dr. Richard Walker elucidates the problem: “Toxic waste from industry, sewage from human settlements and excess fertilizers from agriculture are polluting rivers and lakes and poisoning water supplies; more worryingly, pollutants are seeping down into aquifers causing long-term and possibly irreversible damage to the water supplies of future generations.”

Pesticides, sewage, toxic waste, industrial gases, heat pollution, radioactive waste, oil seepage from refineries, oil spills and acid rain are all pollution threats to Texas’ rivers and lakes. The pollution created by chemical runoff from farm land accounts for 64% of pollution in the state’s fresh water supplies. These chemicals contain nitrates that have been blamed for several adult cancers and blood poisoning in babies. It can also cause eutrophication, the creation of an environment that is More suitable to plant than animal life. Raw sewage contaminating the water supply can reduce the oxygen level sufficiently to cause extinction of most forms of life. Not only does it destroy life, but it can get into the food chain threatening larger animals including man.

Another source of pollution in Texas’ rivers and lakes can be attributed to fisherpersons themselves. Some of these thoughtless sportspersons toss their monofilament fishing lines, allowing them to float downstream where they attach themselves to other debris. They then become a real hazard to Texas wildlife in the area such as otters, beavers, and other mammals and birds, according to Jess Ramsey, superintendent of Texas’ Purtis Creek State Park.

Several measures have already been taken to protect Texas, rivers and lakes. Toxic waste dumping has been banned near water supplies. Sewage treatment plants are treating sewage before release into rivers and lakes and waste water is now treated on site before it is released back into the environment. Stringent controls have also been enacted on industrial pollutants.

To assist in the efforts to protect Texas’ rivers and lakes, please contact:
Jerry Eller
Heart O’ Texas Bassmasters
808 S. 2nd
Killeen, TX 76541

Our groundwater supply is diminishing statewide, and the protection of our supply of safe drinking water in Texas needs to be a priority in future government legislation. – Lake Mohave

Darin Murphy is still the Prop Doctor, with 16 years experience repairing boat propellers and doing business in the Houston area. There are a few significant changes in his business this year, however.

First, his main location has moved. He is now on the west side of I-45 at 22303 I-45 North. You still take the Spring-Stuebner exit to get there, but now the Prop Doctor is right on the freeway and is easier to get to. The building is larger, too.

Darin’s younger brother, Sean, shop foreman, thinks the move was a very good idea. “We hope to increase retail traffic,” he says. “Our new location is much more accessible and it’s a bigger building to handle our increased workload.” The new building is more than 3000 square feet, which is twice the size of their former building.

Darin says one of the things he likes most about their new location is the Prop Doctor can be seen from the highway. “You can’t miss us.”

Another change in the Prop Doctor this year is their new location. It serves as a drop-off station for propellers and is located on 105 West next to Quality Marine.

At this new location, they are also starting a boat trailer repair business. Dickey Lightfoot, who operates their 105 store, has been repairing boat trailers for over 10 years. His business,
Rol-ex Trailers, Inc., works with the Prop Doctor to supply boaters with assistance. “My trailer repair service also supplies 24-hour road service for boat trailers,” says Lighfoot.

Darin started his propeller service business in Spring six years ago. He says the move to the Houston area was a very good idea. “Texas has been very good for me, my family and the business.” Darin and his wife, Kim, have seen the birth of their three children since their move to Texas, including a set of twin girls born during the January Boat Show of ‘92.

The Prop Doctor specializes in all types of boat propeller service and repair. The store stocks new and re-conditioned propellers for sale and performs aluminum boat welding, lower unit skeg repairs, prop shaft straightening and high polishing of aluminum, stainless steel and bronze. The propellers Murphy keeps in stock includes such names as Volvo, Mercury, Evinrude, Turbo, Power Tech, Stiletto, Force and Michigan.

The Prop Doctor does an equal amount of sales and repairs. He promises quick, quality work at low prices and backs this up with a 100% guarantee against any defect in performance or appearance.

Look for the Prop Doctor at the January Boat Show again this year. You can call the Prop Doctor at the Spring location at (713) 355-PROP (7767) or at the Conroe/Montgomery location at (409) 441-PROP (7767).
– Lake Mohave

Aquatic vegetation affects everyone who uses the lake. Anglers adore it for its use in providing refuge and food for sportfish. Recreational boaters abhor it because it gets tangled in their boat propellers and water skis.

However you feel about it, one thing is clear: aquatic vegetation must be controlled. If it is allowed to grow unrestrained, it does no one any good and can cause irreparable damage to the quality of a lake as a water resource.

Hydrilla is one form of aquatic vegetation praised by fishermen and cursed by boaters. It is an exotic plant brought over from Sri Lanka in the 1950s for use as a decorative aquarium plant. It found its way into area lakes by compassionate owners of goldfish who wanted to set their pets free.

This plant provides great fishing wherever it’s growing when it’s not overgrown. But when it is allowed to thrive unregulated, it creates a dense mat on the water’s surface and does not allow other underwater life access to sunlight or oxygen. When the underwater plants die out, fish cannot survive and the lake’s water quality becomes poor, according to scientists at the Lewisville Aquatic Ecosystem Research Facility (LAERF) located near Dallas.

One sign of a lake of poor water quality, according to Doug Hannon, “the Bass Professor” on ESPN, is dirty, brown water. Another sign is the buildup of dead plankton in coves resembling soap suds. These are both beginning to be familiar sights on Lake Conroe.

The problems created by Hydrilla have prompted state and federal governments to impose laws to maintain control of the weed. “Possession of this plant is a second degree misdemeanor, and punishable by a $500 fine and/or 60 days in jail.”

The scientists at LAERF outlined several reasons why Hydrilla must be managed. It can quickly fill waterways, affecting boating, wildlife use and flood control. It outcompetes native species of plants, reducing plant diversity, and it reduces dissolved oxygen levels, increasing the potential for fish kills. It also causes an increase in organic sedimentation, accelerating the lake’s aging process.

Hydrilla is most commonly controlled through the use of herbicides. These chemicals have proven to be the most effective and cost-efficient methods, but alternatives are continually being researched. Fluridone is presently the most commonly-used herbicide for the control of Hydrilla. This chemical is sold commercially as Sonar.

According to Remmie Scarborough, the Manager of the Lake Conroe Division of the San Jacinto River Authority and a member of the Aquatic Management Society of Texas, Sonar was used early on in the eradication of Hydrilla from Lake Conroe. He is unaware of the effects of this particular chemical because shortly afterwards the Lake Conroe Marine Association and the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department decided to import a large number of white amur, or grass carp, to Lake Conroe to eat the Hydrilla.

Sonar and Hydrothol 191 were both used to control Hydrilla on the lake until the white amur were introduced, Scarborough says. Hydrothol 191 is a chremical that burns Hydrilla down to a certain level, he says. This chemical is used as a temporary measure, much like mowing a lawn.

The effects of both Sonar and Hydrothol 191 on Lake Conroe’s Hydrilla problem could not be accurately determined, but Scarborough says he’s read of Sonar having positive effects where it has been used to control Hydrilla on lakes in Florida.

Waterhyacinth is another problem exotic plant. It was introduced to the United States from Brazil in the early 1900s as a decorative pond plant. It tends to grow in coves of a lake and can multiply at an accelerated rate to eventually choke off the cove from the rest of the lake.

Today waterhyacinth is the #1 aquatic weed problem in the world. The State of Florida spends $5 million a year solely for the control of waterhyacinth.

One of the ways waterhyacinth is controlled is with the herbicide Garlon. This chemical is manufactured by Dow Chemical and is only sold under research conditions. John Madsen, a research biologist at LAERF, says Garlon is about five years away from being released on the consumer market as an aquatic-use herbicide.

Another exotic problem plant, Eurasian watermilfoil, is being studied at LAERF. It is typically thought to have been brought over the Atlantic from Europe or western Asia as a decorative aquarium plant, like Hydrilla. It ranked #1 as the biggest problem aquatic plant below the Mason-Dixon line until Hydrilla pushed its way into first place. Today, it ranks #3 nationwide after Hydrilla and waterhyacinth as an exotic weed.

One interesting note about biological control: grass carp will not eat Eurasian watermilfoil, says Dr. Smart. They have no effect on the waterhyacinth or pond lilies of Lake Conroe either, says Blake Kellum, the Water Quality Supervisor of the San Jacinto River Authority.

A chemical known simply as “2,4-D”, or 2, 4 dichlorophenoxyl, is commonly used for the control of waterhyacinth and positive results have been seen for the control of Eurasian watermilfoil as well, says John Madsen of LAERF. The herbicide 2,4-D is being used by the TP&WD to control waterhyacinth in the state. It kills plants by disrupting the growth cycle.

The use of chemical poisons as a method of killing weeds is a relatively new development. A study of Carol Van Strum in the 1983 book, A Bitter Fog: Herbicides and Human Rights, says phenoxy herbicides, the most effective modern herbicides, were developed to stimulate growth of plants. Chemicals used for this purpose had the opposite effect when used in excess. In fact, the chemicals could kill selectively when used in overdose amounts. This attracted the interest of scientists in 1943 for their use in chemical warfare research.

Agent Orange, a chemical used in Viet Nam, is composed of 50% 2,4-D, according to Van Strum. This has spawned a great deal of research into the effects of 2,4-D on humans and wildlife and the amount of 2,4-D that could be used safely.

A study conducted by Bionetics Research Laboratories released in 1969 shows the effects of phenoxy herbicides on human health. Specifically, it shows 2,4-D “to be capable of causing birth defects at doses lower than lethal amounts.” It further lists 2,4-D along with six other pesticides under the heading “these should be immediately restricted.”

Dr. Ruth Shearer, a molecular geneticist and consultant in genetic toxicology from Washington state has been studying the genetic effects of 2,4-D and its relationship to cancer since 1979. She asserts, “2,4-D induces mutations in both animals and human cells in culture, and damages DNA….It causes developmental toxicity when given to the pregnant female animal. It causes fetal hemorrhage at a low dose in rats….2,4-D caused malformations and fetal death in the animals only at a high dose, but it caused various kinds of malfunctions and growth retardation at very, very low doses.”

According to an Environmental Protection Agency Pesticide Fact Sheet, “certain formulations of 2,4-D are highly toxic to fish and/or aquatic invertebrates.” In 1989, an EPA report stated that there was some potential of 2,4-D contaminating the groundwater.

A label from a distributor of 2,4-D lists safe handling procedures for the herbicide. Among several warnings, it reads,

“1) Do not contaminate water used for irrigation, domestic or spray purposes
2) Do not spray directly in water
3)Do not contaminate water by cleanup of equipment or disposal of waste”

In the areas that 2,4-D has been used, there have been many bad effects on humans and animals attributed to the herbicide and confirmed by scientific studies: swollen eyes, mouth and lips, rashes, urinary disturbances, renal damage, fatigue, nausea, anorexia, diarrhea, swelling and pain in the extremities, paralysis, serious irregularities of the heartbeat, neuritis and numbness in the legs, fingers and toes.

2,4-D is felt to be linked to an outbreak of muscular disorders reported in the Lake Livingston area where the TP&WD is using it to control the spread of waterhyacinth. However, 2,4-D is still a very common ingredient used in lawn care chemicals. It is an active ingredient in the consumer herbicides Rodeo and Roundup.

A study released by the National Cancer Institute in 1988 shows farmers who were exposed to 2,4-D for 20 or more days per year are six times more likely to develop non-Hodgins lymphonia (a type of cancer) than non-farmers. Farmers who mixed or sprayed the herbicide stood a greater chance of developing the disease.

2,4-D has never been used in Lake Conroe, according to Blake Kellum, the Water Quality Supervisor of the SJRA.

Today, Lake Conroe’s aquatic vegetation consists of pond lilies and some waterhyacinth, according to Kellum. The pond lilies tend to colonize the same area each year. They sprout purple and yellow blooms and are very attractive, Kellum says, and fishermen love to fish in them.

Waterhyacinth is not a problem on Lake Conroe right now, Kellum says, but it does have the potential of becoming a problem. “No one on Lake Conroe has reported a problem with waterhyacinth.
If it does become a problem, we don’t want property owners running out with a gallon of herbicide,” says Kellum. The public is not allowed to use any chemicals without the approval of the SJRA.

The scientists at LAERF are studying the largest number of plants available to any one of the research facilities under the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Waterways Experiment Station located in Vicksburg, Mississippi. They said that in a lake devoid of vegetation, like Lake Conroe, a colonizing plant is the only type that will grow. This can be good or bad. Hydrilla is a colonizing plant, but so are several native, preferable plants, such as muskgrass, horned pondweed and American pondweed. Once the native colonizers get going, other native stable plants can be introduced. All these plants need is clean water, time to grow and a chance to grow without being suffocated by Hydrilla or another exotic weed. Lake Conroe will only benefit from this strategy of plant introduction, and boaters and anglers alike will gain a new appreciation for their lake. – Lake Mohave

Aquatic vegetation has been dubbed many names. Some curse it because their boat propellers or water skis get caught in it. Leonard Ranne of Texas Black Bass Unlimited calls it “the salvation of our fisheries.” Many anglers share his attitude, but the truth is that some aquatic plants can lead to poor water, and hence, poor fishing quality.

Dr. Michael Smart is an aquatic plant ecologist of the Lewisville Aquatic Ecosystem Research Facility (LAERF) located in Lewisville, Texas. He has been studying aquatic vegetation for 20 years.
LAERF is one of four satellite research facilities of the U. S. ArmyCorps of Engineers’ Waterways Experiment Station in Vicksburg, Mississippi. The research taking place at LAERF is of national significance; the scientists are working on a variety of aquatic plant questions from different parts of the country.

Dr. Smart says, “basically, there are good plants and bad plants.” Plants that grow below the water’s surface stabilize deposited sediments and clear the water. Shallow water systems where no plants grow fall victim to wind and turbulence, creating dark, turbid water that is undesirable for many species of fish.

Another benefit is that aquatic plants take nutrients like phosphorous out of the water, Dr. Smart says. Too much phosphorous in the water makes the water turn green with excessive growth of microscopic plants
called algae. This condition, called an “algae bloom,” means there are too many nutrients in the water. Algae blooms can deplete levels of dissolved oxygen, sometimes resulting in fish kills.

Native aquatic vegetation also increases the water quality by reducing the water’s flow and increasing sedimentation, says Dr. Smart.

Aquatic plants provide habitat for aquatic insects and other invertebrates that fish feed on. They also provide habitat and food for waterfowl. Any sportsman worth his salt knows that his prey will follow its food and can be caught where it feeds. Fish also use underwater plants for shelter from predators.

Examples of “good” plants are all native species. Wildcelery is one of those plants. Dr. Robert Doyle, a research scientist of the University of North Texas who is conducting research at LAERF, says “we’ve really been impressed with this plant because it clears the water column, it provides food and shelter for aquatic life and growth is usually below the water’s surface so it doesn’t interfere with our use of the water resource.”

Another plant that the scientists at LAERF like is muskgrass. Dr. Smart says, “muskgrass stabilizes the sediment. It usually grows in a carpet and it clears the water column and provides food and shelter for aquatic life. This statement can be made of many native aquatic plants that we recommend for habitat enhancement.”

Hydrilla is what most often comes to mind when we think of aquatic weeds and it is the biggest culprit. Hydrilla is an exotic plant from China, brought over as a decorative plant species in aquariums. It has been found in Texas reservoirs since 1960. According to Bill Moore of the San Jacinto River Authority, it is a violation of the law to transport Hydrilla. Despite state and federal laws prohibiting the introduction of this plant, it is rapidly becoming the #1 problem in Texas lakes.

There have been reports of anglers deliberately planting Hydrilla in Texas lakes for “structure.” Their plan is to create a place for fish to eat and live so that they will be easier to find. Dr. Doyle stresses that this is not a long-term solution. This excessive growth of Hydrilla will damage the lakes almost irreparably and will cost taxpayers millions to eliminate.

Another plant that federal and state agencies are trying to control in area lakes is the waterhyacinth. This plant was brought over from Brazil as an ornamental plant in ponds around the turn of the century. It is a free-floating flowering plant with attractive buds, but it is historically the #1 aquatic weed problem in the world, according to Dr. John Madsen, a research biologist of LAERF. The waterhyacinth is another exotic plant that is illegal to transport, according to the San Jacinto River Authority.

To give you an idea of how seriously these plants can harm the environment, when the State of California finds Hydrilla growing in one of its lakes, it will immediately drain the lake and cover the affected area with concrete. On the opposite coast, Florida spends $8 million per year on the control of Hydrilla and $5 million per year on the control of waterhyacinth.

A third exotic plant that worries South Texas reservoir managers is waterlettuce. This plant also hails from South America and Dr. Madsen says it was “probably also brought over as an ornamental pond plant because it’s easy to grow and has an attractive leaf.” This plant has proven to be a problem in the entire state of Florida and all along the Gulf Coast.

Eurasian watermilfoil is a problem plant that affects primarily the northern states at this time. It has become a problem as farsouth as Tennessee, Kentucky, northern Alabama and North Texas. This plant was once the country’s #1 problem plant below the Mason-Dixon line.

The Eurasian watermilfoil is typically thought by scientists to come from Europe and western Asia and it was probably brought to the United States as an aquarium plant, just like Hydrilla.

All of these “bad” or exotic plants can completely cover the water’s surface in a canopy-like formation eliminating light below the surface and killing plants that grow beneath them.

A recent study performed by Dr. Smart and the others hoped to “provide a better understanding of the effects of aquatic plants on lake water quality.”

The researchers studied various factors and different species of both native and exotic plants. The results showed that “all aquatic plants exert certain influences on the aquatic environment by reducing water flows, changing flow patterns, increasing sedimentation, and altering chemical composition of the water.”

Dr. Smart says that Hydrilla, a canopy former, grows from the bottom of the lake to the water’s surface creating a “mat” that can be up to a foot thick. This mat, he says, prevents the movement of oxygen in the water leading to critically low levels of oxygen, especially in the early morning hours.

With the combined absence of oxygen and light below the surface, you end up with a single species of plant thriving in the water and low water quality, according to Dr. Smart. Waterhyacinth is the exotic plant that is blamed for restricting oxygen the most.
Surface mats also prevent the wind from mixing the water, so the water becomes stagnant and devoid of life.

All of these traits of exotic plants were cited as “contributing todegraded water quality conditions, although massive populations of any aquatic plant species, exotic or native, may cause diminished water quality and lowered oxygen availability,” says Dr. Smart and the others in their conclusions of the study.”

Another factor that contributes to the problems caused by exotic weeds is their rapid spread. Any little piece of Hydrilla stem can grow a new plant. Hydrilla also produces specialized stem buds called “turions” that fall off the plant in the fall and can spread the plant throughout the lake.

Hydrilla also produces “tubers,” Dr. Smart says, down in the sediment. Even if you kill the Hydrilla, the tubers will survive to grow again.

“Many of the things we build a lake for,” Dr. Smart says, “are destroyed by Hydrilla in the lake. There are plenty of native aquatic plants that provide benefits without problems.”

So the answer seems to be this: Don’t destroy aquatic vegetation, but replace problem plants with beneficial plants. Dr. Smart and the others recommend a mixed native aquatic plant community including plants like the American pondweed, southern naiad, sago pondweed, coontail, horned pondweed, wild celery and muskgrass.

This is a fairly new change in management philosophy. Up to now, governments and lake management agencies have used eradication to solve the problems caused by exotic vegetation. Finding that attempting to eliminate all vegetation often causes more problems than it solves, they are now trying more environmentally-friendly alternatives. – Lake Mohave

The wary days and nights are upon us again and night fishing is beginning it’s annual surge of popularity. From now until hunting season, nighttime traffic on the lake will be at it’s peak. Along with the increase in traffic the Lake Patrol will be receiving more callouts for nighttime accidents. If history repeats itself alcohol and lights will be the predominant factors. With safety in mind I’d like to review the laws and offer some suggestions for nighttime operation.

Vessels not at dock are required to display their navigation lights from sunset to sunrise. Although there is some variation in the lights required for different types and sizes of vessels, Class A and Class 1 vessels, into which categories most boats fall, require a red and green combination light for sidelights foreword and a white 360 degree light aft. The combination light must be red to port and green to starboard and be visible for 112 1/2 degrees from dead ahead. The white light must be high enough to provide unobstructed visibility for 360 degrees. Make sure that your lights are high enough to be seen throughout their required ranges: that your combination light’s lens is not upside down, putting the colors on the wrong sides(I know your brother-in-law changed the bulb, but it’s your boat and your problem); and make sure that you have spare fuses and bulbs aboard. Your bulb won’t burn out when it’s not on – it’ll burn out at night, while you’re using it. The purpose of the lights on your vessels are to make you visible to other vessels, and to reveal your direction of travel. If your lights do not operate as required you will be issued a CITATION and your vessel will be taken off the water until your equipment is in compliance.

PFD’s (Personal Floatation Devices) are especially important at night. If someone goes overboard, they will be much harder to locate in the dark. I strongly endorse the application of reflective material on PFD’s for boaters who operate at night, as it enables the PFD to be seen from several times the distance at night. Remember that the law now requires Type I,II,III or V(wearable) in Class A(under 16’) boats. Type IV(throwable) PFD’s are no longer acceptable as primary PFD’s. You are still required to have a Type IV PFD aboard Class I(16’-26’) vessels.

By law you must operate your vessel at a speed at which you can stop within the assured clear distance ahead. Unless you have an exceptionally clear night, I recommend running at substantially less than full trim. You will be able to turn much quicker and safer if sudden evasive action becomes necessary.

Prior to embarking on a nighttime excursion, you should familiarize yourself with the area by day. Take notes of landmarks and lineups you can use at night. Anything which stands out on the skyline will be the most visible landmark. A compass is an invaluable aid at night and I won’t own a boat without one. You may want to write down your Azimuths if exploring a new area; marking them on your map provides a permanent record for nighttime navigation. And speaking of maps, always know where you are. our dispatchers receive an awful amount of calls for us on the lake in which the caller has no idea in which creek arm he’s in. and the directions he’s giving are confusing. If I know you’re in Little Lake Creek I’ll find you. If all you can tell the dispatcher is that you’re “by an island” (yep we get lots of those), I have to check every creek and main lake area until I find the island near you.

A problem many night operators have is “tunnel vision” – they don’t scan when running. During the day your peripheral vision picks up vessels to your sides. At night, the effectiveness of your peripheral vision is greatly reduced, essentially with a background of numerous lights, as are found on many lakes. Tunnel Vision is responsible for a significant number of collisions. If you make a conscious
effort to scan back and forth constantly at light, it soon becomes second nature. A vessels navigation lights can blend in with a multitude of background lights. Bright lights ashore can make it impossible to see anything in that direction. Bright instruments at the helm, or a backlit graph, can destroy your night vision. Another night vision destroyer, and one that is often abused, is spotlights. If you must use a spotlight, make a pass with it and then turn it off. The same applies to the driving lights so commonly mounted on pontoon boats. Show a little consideration toward your fellow boaters – don’t indiscriminately blind everyone else on the lake. You’ll find that under most condition, you can see all ,around you better without a spotlight. With the spotlight on, you can see what’s in the beam, but everything outside the beam is harder to see than if the light was off.
you might consider a nighttime distress signal in the boat. if you break down, or come up on an accident, flares, a marine radio, or a cellular phone may cut short a long, lonely wait; it may also save lives.

When you finally get past the spotlights, shore lights, BOZOS without lights, and the fool running 70 MPH in the dark, and arrive safely at your “Honey Hole”, don’t turn off your white-all around light just because the glare is annoying. put a Styrofoam cup over it – it softens the glare but is still highly visible. just remember to remove it before you leave, so it won’t blow off into the lake.

Night fishing is an enjoyable, productive experience, but it requires a higher degree of preparation and awareness on a crowded lake. A nighttime wreck on the water is a terrifying way to become a statistic. If we all try to set an example, many of the novices will try to emulate us, making the lake safer for everyone.
– Lake Mohave

Who is responsible for water quality on Texas lakes? The Texas Parks &Wildlife Department puts blame on the river authorities and the river authorities point back to the TP&WD. Who is protecting wildlife, their habitat and even human health? The answer is, sadly, NO ONE.

The agencies that have been set up by both the TP&WD and the river authorities to protect us from chemical pollution in our waters are the same agencies we should be protected from. Texas seems to be having the same problem as the state of New York; “after four years of battling the NYS Department of Conservation and the Chatauqua Lake Association, Save Our Lake Environment (SOLE) stopped the lake application of the toxic herbicide endothall by pressuring the state to follow its own rules.” Endothall, which contains the herbicide Hydrothol 191, has been found to cause massive fish kills when applied to lakes and even bears the warning, “Do not use where fish are important resources.” It seems the state of Texas needs to be regulated itself if we are to have safe recreational and drinking water. The Health Awareness and Water-Knowledge (H.A.W.K.) organization states, “there are little or no laws in the State of Texas other than following the labeling for application guidelines. THIS IS NOT AN INDICATION OF SAFETY – THIS IS THE PROBLEM. THE EPA DOES NOT DO RIGOROUS TESTING.”
Out of the cooperative efforts of concerned citizens that halted the chemical poisoning of Lake Bastrop, Better Aquatics in Texas (B.A.I.T.) was formed. B.A.I.T. is a network of Texas sportsmen, conservation, health and environmental advocates, including Bastrop County Environmental Network, Central Texas Association of Bass Clubs, Clean Water Action, Fishermen Involved in Saving Habitat (F.I.S.H.) and Health Awareness and Water Knowledge (H.A.W.K.). The organization’s primary purpose is to improve the habitat of our freshwater reservoirs.

One problem Texans have in their lakes is the overgrowth of Hydrilla and other dominating plants in the lakes causing hazardous boating conditions, fish kills and related problems. The TP&WD all too often seeks to solve this problem with total eradication of the nuisance plant with the use of grass carp, which eat the problem plant AND all the vegetation in the lake, or chemical methods. One pesticide used by the TP&WD is called 2, 4-D. This chemical is easily absorbed by foliage and quickly distributed throughout the treated plant, which dies in seven to 14 days after treatment, but it has also been traced to incidences of cancer and birth defects.

Another toxic chemical that the TP&WD uses to rid Texas lakes of unwanted vegetation is Sonar. The ingredients of Sonar includes N-Menomethyl Formamide (NMF), which can cause birth defects, Teratoger, which can cause birth defects, and Hepatoxin, which damages the liver. Dr., David Marrack, a Houston physician who heard that the TP&WD and LCRA were considering the use of Sonar in Texas waters, specifically in Lake Bastrop, says in a letter to the TP&WD, “these facts which could and should have been known by Texas Parks and Wildlife And LCRA ought to have eliminated any consideration of the use of Sonar in this State’s waters….”

Therefore, the need for organizations like B.A.I.T. and H.A.W.K. are very real indeed! B.A.I.T. supports the use of non-chemical methods to control Hydrilla and other nuisance weeds in our lakes. They are also “further resolved that grass carp are the least acceptable method of non-chemical control and should be used in bodies of water from which they cannot escape and in the proper stocking rate to maintain the ecosystem.” They want to change the policies and the prescription-writing practices of the TP&WD for Hydrilla and other noxious weeds from total eradication to the use of non-chemical control methods.

B.A.I.T. relies on the generally accepted principles of Integrated Pest Management for protection of the environment. Integrated Pest Management is the “coordinated use of pest and environmental information with available pest control methods to prevent unacceptable levels of pest damage by the most economical means, and with the least possible hazard to people, property and the environment.” These principles include “1) strategies that rely on the best combination of pest management tactics that are compatible with human health and environmental protection, 2) the use of non-chemical management strategies whenever practical, and 3) the preferential use of least-toxic chemical controls when pesticides are needed.”

As a frequenter of Texas fresh waterways, I am very glad B.A.I.T. and H.A.W.K. are out there watching out for my health interests! The use of chemicals without
discretion is getting way out of hand and all of these organizations need our support! To contact B.A.I.T. and H.A.W.K., write to 728 Lake Placid Dr., Seguin, TX 78155, or call 830-303-4717. You can also e-mail the President of H.A.W.K., Robin Richardson at rrichar315@aol.com. – Lake Mohave

FOND DU LAC, Wis. Nov. 15, 2004 – Mercury Racing is pleased to introduce the all-new Bravo III XR drive. All of the Bravo One XR drive performance enhancements, once limited to racers and performance boaters,are now available for recreational sport cruisers. The heavy-duty XR components have been time tested in the world’s harshest environment – therace course.

The counter rotating, duel propeller drive features a new cone clutch and shift engagement strategy. SmartCraft electronic engine management makes shifting into and out of gear smooth as silk, making docking much easier with less chance of stalling. A sleek new shape and hot new graphics highlight the new Bravo III XR drive.

The Mercury Racing Integrated Transom System (ITS), available as an option, enhances drive height flexibility while making the transom more aesthetically pleasing and simplifying installation. The ITS features integral power steering cylinders. Trim and steering cylinders, multi-mounted to the heavy-duty gimbal ring, transfer stress loads back to transom, increasing strength and durability. A built-in, seven-inch setback improves boat running attitude in selected applications. Performance upgrades to the Bravo III XR drive includes a new rear drive cap with built-in, tie-bar attachment. The tie-bar attachment fixture, built into the new rear drive cap, eases installation of a tie-bar for multi-engine boats by eliminating the need to change drive caps. Multi-attaching points of the upper and rear drive caps enhance the strength and durability of the tie-bar attachment fixture as well.

The Mercury Racing Bravo III XR drive is available as an option with selected HP525 EFI engine packages and as an accessory.

Released: 11/15/2004-RM – Lake Mohave

For several years now, Lake Conroe’s supply of largemouth bass and crappie and its comeback as a major Texas fishery have been discussed by scientists of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and other biologists across the state. The Lake Conroe Restocking Association was implemented as a way to guarantee an abundant supply of game fish for the lake.

At a meeting held at Stow-A-Way Marina on May 7, 1995, Mark Webb of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department noted that the restocking program was successful in bringing back a dying population of crappie, but the restocking of largemouth bass had not been sufficient. Webb says the TPWD is “trying to put Lake Conroe back in as good a position as possible trying to maximize the fishery.”

To this end, the TPWD plans to assist the LCRA by stocking a total of 525,000 largemouth bass fingerlings in the lake in the Spring of ‘95 and again in the Spring of ‘96. In an effort to make the lake “a better open water fishery” and to give sportsmen another fishing target, the TPWD will also stock 210,000 hybrid striped bass in Lake Conroe. Crappie will also be monitored by the TPWD and the agency will advise the LCRA whenever more stockings are necessary.

Another problem that affects the fish populations on the lake was discussed at length. The problem, according to Webb, is the lack of aquatic vegetation in the lake. What Lake Conroe needs, he said, is “juvenile fish habitat on this lake.”

In the early 1980’s, landowners around the lake saw the over-abundance of Hydrilla in the lake as a hazard to recreational boaters and were able to convince the TPWD to put a supply of grass carp in the lake. The grass carp were chosen because they would eat the Hydrilla, but they also ate other native plant populations. This eliminated the chances of younger fish to hide from their predators and eliminated a major source of food for fish, subsequently reducing the numbers of all fish in the lake.

Webb feels the grass carp are dying or at least aging and not eating as much. He thinks now would be the time to re-establish native aquatic vegetation.

Also present at the meeting was Dr. Michael Smart of the U.S. Army’s Corps of Engineers’ Lewisville Aquatic Ecosystem Research Facility (LAERF). Dr. Smart is an aquatic plant biologist who has been studying aquatic vegetation for 20 years. He and his associates have been working on aquatic vegetation problems in other lakes throughout the country such as Lake Onondaga in New York, Lake Guntersville in Alabama and Lake Lewisville in north Texas. He agrees with Webb that the time is right to start re-vegetating Lake Conroe.

According to Webb, the TPWD will implement a program to re-establish aquatic vegetation in Lake Conroe with the technical advise of the scientists at LAERF. Funds for the program will be provided by the LCRA, who will also provide the manpower necessary for re-vegetation, and matching funds will be obtained by the TPWD from private and government sources.

Dr. Smart desires a diverse community of native plant species for re-vegetation in Lake Conroe. He hopes by establishing several non-problem native plants, he can reduce the incentive of fishermen to plant their own Hydrilla and starting the problem all over again. He recognizes the establishment of Hydrilla as a very real threat and warns the lake area of a need for a “Hydrilla early-detection system” whereby the plant can be found and quickly destroyed.

Hydrilla is an exotic plant that multiplies to a point where it can choke a lake, killing other native plants and whole fish populations. It also becomes a nuisance to boaters, water-skiers and swimmers. Developers despise it because it can make otherwise ideal lakefront property unappealing to potential buyers. Eventually, if allowed to grow unchecked, it can kill a lake.

The plant biologists of LAERF recommend a variety of non-problem plants to use in re-vegetation. These include wild celery, stargrass, the American lotus, muskgrass, American pondweed and cara.

A group that included Dr. Smart and Mark Webb were setting out to begin their plans for re-establishing the vegetation the following morning, starting with the north end. They were to look for desirable plant seed
and places to establish caged plots where the growth of the plants can be monitored. The entire process can take several years.

Dr. Robert Doyle is a research scientist from the University of North Texas who is conducting research at the Lewisville facility. He was on hand at the meeting and added, “nature herself could be relied upon to do the landscaping.”

Dr. Smart is confident that plants will grow in Lake Conroe. If the research group can get some test plots out this year, he says, they will know by the end of the year what will grow and what the next step will be.
Phil Durocher, the director of the TPWD Inland Fisheries Unit, was also at the meeting. He spoke in favor of the plan, noting that Lake Conroe was the first lake to use grass carp as a method of controlling the overgrowth of aquatic vegetation, so it should also be the first lake to take advantage of this habitat enhancement program. “This project is where we need to go.”

Now all Lake Conroe needs is the help of everyone who uses the lake to work together with the TPWD and these scientists. Someday soon, Lake Conroe can once again rank as one of the state’s best fisheries.
– Lake Mohave

On June 11th, Governor George W. Bush met with representatives of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA), the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA), and several conservation groups at Lake Bastrop to address the issue of treatment of aquatic vegetation.

Dr. Larry McKinney, senior director of aquatic resources at TPW, explains the dilemma. “Our research and experience, and that of scientists throughout the southern states, clearly demonstrates the positive benefits to both fish populations and sportfishing when aquatic vegetation is present. The difficulty arises when vegetative surface coverage becomes excessive, particularly when the plant is a non-native species like Hydrilla. Access to fishing, boating, swimming and other water-related activities can become a real problem when one of these exotic species gets out of control.”
Aquatic vegetation like Hydrilla can be a nuisance to boaters, swimmers and fishermen if it is allowed to grow unchecked. Several measures have been taken in recent years to eliminate this problem on Texas lakes.

Chemical control was once thought to be the answer and herbicides are still used today. However, chemical treatment of the unwanted vegetation has led to death or illness in humans and wildlife and will no longer be tolerated by a growing number of Texas citizens.

Mechanical methods have been used in several Texas lakes, but the results have been less than desirable. Grass carp were used by TPW in Lake Conroe and the unwanted vegetation was destroyed, but the cost in fish habitat and water quality was very high. Steps are currently being taken on this lake to restore the fishing resources of this once famous bass-fishing lake in East Texas.

Another mechanical solution to the abundance of noxious aquatic vegetation was introduced recently and examined on that day in June. The Mechanical Vegetation Harvester (MVH) that was presented to the government officials was on loan from the Tennessee Valley Authority and received unanimous support.
This machine reportedly can cut one acre of Hydrilla per hour to a depth of five to six feet. It cuts the vegetation, squeezes the water from it, shreds it, then puts the shredded vegetation back in the water. The machines have a cutting width of up to 10 feet and weigh up to 14,000 lbs. The harvester does not hurt the fish population either, according to the Department of Natural Resources in Minnesota, where the harvester has been used for years.

The harvesters have been around since about 1902, according to Pat McCarty of Texas Black Bass Unlimited. They were created from a need to knock down weeds so that clean ice could be cut from frozen lakes. These massive machines have evolved considerably in the last several decades. By efficiently cutting and removing Aquatic vegetation, harvesting offers an environmentally sound, cost effective and practical solution to the control of excessive plant growth.

Harvesters have been used extensively in the Great Lakes region and in the northeast, with some very positive results. Mr. B Rendan of Woodbridge, Virginia, is very happy with the harvester his community purchased. “Harvesting is selective for fish management – it leaves habitat available for fish.”
Mr. D. Heise of LaPorte, Tennessee, says, “The quality of fishing has improved [on City Lake since we started using the harvester], and the fishing areas are more accessible now.”

Mr. J. Wardlaw of Dewey Lake in Dewagiac, Michigan, has been using the Hydrilla Harvester for years. He comments, “We have bigger fish of all types now because of reduced cover.”

The Governor took the MVH on a test drive and he is reported to be pleased with his findings. Other Texas State officials were similarly impressed.

According to Robin Richardson, President of Health Awareness and Water Knowledge (HAWK), in a Board of Director’s meeting of the GBRA on June 17, approval of a Cooperative Aquatic Vegetation Management Contract between TPW, LCRA, GBRA, Friends of Lake McQueeney (FOLM), and the Sportsman Conservationists of Texas (SCOT) regarding a MVH was passed.

Richardson sees the MVH as the only viable means to rid Texas lakes of nuisance vegetation. – Lake Mohave

Capt. Kirk’s Marine is growing by leaps and bounds! Glenn Kirk has expanded operations to include the Stratos, Ski Centurion, Donzi and Reinell lines in addition to the Fisher line and Gambler line he had previously sold.

Stratos is a very good name in fishing boats. Kirk carries all sizes of this boat line from 15 feet, 10 inches to the 33-foot offshore fishing boat with the patented Stratos Deep Vee hull. The Deep Vee hull carries a five year warranty and is available on most of the Stratos line.

Ski Centurion is a tournament water-ski boat. It is designed for the competition water-skier who skis year-round. Five-time world slalom champion, Bob La Point, has assisted Ski Centurion in development of the new LaPoint Tru Trac. This tournament ski boat is available at Capt. Kirk’s Marine Service.

Kirk describes the Donzi line as “sports cars on the water. They are small, compact and REAL fast.” The Donzi also makes a luxurious 33-foot pleasure boat. But don’t let the elegance fool you; the Donzi 33ZX is all performance. With twin 502 MerCrusier power she’ll reach speeds up to 65 mph, with all the stability and tracking that Donzi’s are famous for.

Capt. Kirk’s line of Reinell boats include the family pleasure boats and the fishing boats. Reinell has been in the boat building business for over 70 years and carry with them a legend of unsurpassed craftsmanship. Reinell’s motto is “we’re in the water to stay.”

Kirk says, “we feel like we have a boat for everybody out there. If you like boats, come see us and we’ll put you into a boat that will fit your lifestyle and needs. We have the pontoon boat, aluminum bass boats, fiberglass bass boats, tournament bass boat, jon boat, jet boat, sport runabout boat, bow-rider, tournament ski boat, offshore fishing boat, offshore runabout boat, center console bay boat and cuddy cabin.”

Capt. Kirk has also made some staff changes. New to the staff are Randy L. Nichols, who joined the team in October of ‘94 as the Sales Manager, and Service Manager, Gary Bellman. Sally Grimes assists as the Office Manager, David Inman is the new fiberglass repairman and Paul Nordstrum and Mike Walker are new service technicians. Duane Blair still acts as Parts Manager and Troy Kirk, the Captain’s son, still assists Capt. Kirk as VP of Operations.

Expansion of the shop itself is another change that is currently underway. Kirk is planning to build a 4800 square foot showroom, five new sales offices, a 3200 square foot parts and accessories area, a 4000 square foot closed service shop area and a 6000 square foot open service bay area. The shop will basically expand to ten times its present size onto the three acres surrounding the shop. Kirk hopes to complete renovations by late spring of this year.

Kirk, who is still very involved in the tournament circuit, sponsors a pro staff team that welcomes Mike Metcalf, David Truax, Kirk McKenzie and Steve Cain as new members. Dick Clements and J.C. Evans are two members of the pro staff from last year.

Tournament fishing is going to play a big part in Kirk’s future. “In 1995, we see ourselves getting more expertise in the area of serving the needs of the tournament bass angler.” Capt. Kirk’ Marine Service is going to become more involved with the B.A.S.S. tournament circuit and through that they plan to learn how to best serve the tournament bass fisherman’s needs. “We have found that it is a constantly changing, hi-tech sport and we’ve found that it’s necessary to be out there on the front line so that we stay abreast of innovation.”

Captain Glenn Kirk, his wife, Donna, and son, Troy, along with the rest of the staff are working together to serve their customers with their boating needs.
– Lake Mohave

Club Exclusive offers the serious outdoorsman the hunting adventure of a lifetime. Located on Lake Guerrero just 165 miles south of the Texas border, this hunting lodge set in the unspoiled Mexican countryside offers terrific opportunities to catch trophy size bass and hunt plentiful whitewing dove, duck, geese, and quail.

Thanks to catch-&-release, the fishing that Lake Guerrero has to offer has proven excellent in the past and only promises more of the same for decades to come. Club Exclusive can even provide fully rigged bass boats with 48 HP outboards and trolling motors. Fishing licenses are issued at the lodge and if you insist on bringing your own boat, boat permits are issued here also.

Club Exclusive is the closest hunting facility to the Abasolo Whitewing Colony, the largest whitewing colony in the hemisphere. Mexico’s whitewing dove season runs from August 15 to October 30 this year. Morning Dove season begins on September 1 and runs through December 31.

Travel back in time to the days of NO POINT SYSTEM when hunting for duck in Mexico. Club Exclusive will even provide the decoys and duck blinds. Mexico’s duck season lasts from December 1 to February 28.
The converging flyways over Club Exclusive provide incredible goose hunting. Resident guides are specially trained in goose hunting. Goose decoys are supplied by the resort. Mexico’s goose hunting season is the same as duck season: December 1 – February 28.

Quail hunting is an untapped resource in Mexico. Club Exclusive offers 30,000 acres of leases for hunting quail and you’re welcome to bring your dogs. Kennels are available on the premises, but you are sure to bust plenty of coveys with or without dogs. Mexico’s quail hunting season spans from December 1 to February 28.

Transportation to the resort is provided from McAllen, Texas, but you can also fly directly to Club Exclusive’s sister lodge, Big Bass Lodge, which is located very close by and offers similar amenities. You can even drive all the way there on all-paved highways.

Club Exclusive Hunting Lodge provides combination hunting and fishing trips that include the use of their own shotguns. This will save you the expense of purchasing a Mexican gun permit for $350.00. Experienced guides, refreshment coolers, cleaning and packing of game and fish, hunting and fishing licenses, transportation to grain fields for bird hunting, and fully equipped 48 HP fishing boats are all included in the combo packages because Club Exclusive wants your trip to Mexico to be one you’ll repeat again and again. Gasoline is even available on-site and the lodge features a paved boat ramp.
For the traveling outdoorsman, RV campgrounds are available at the resort. Drive all paved highways right up to your lot.

Rooms at the lodge are modern with private baths and all are air conditioned. The rooms sleep two to four guests. Wake up with complimentary juice and coffee. The Palapa Bar offers card playing and a satellite TV. The open bar features nachos, margaritas, beer and soft drinks, and a game room with pool tables, darts, and Ping-Pong. The restaurant serves three meals a day and a swimming pool is available.
For a truly memorable hunting or fishing experience, Mexico is the place to do it and Club Exclusive or Big Bass Lodge can surely help make it the trip of a lifetime! – Lake Mohave

The training of dogs for hunting purposes requires a knowledgeable trainer with a firm hand AND a kind heart. Dogs are trained in Texas to retrieve birds, primarily duck and geese. Pheasants and quail are also birds of prey in Texas that dogs are very useful in hunting. Some even say it’s impossible to hunt quail without a dog because a bird dog is necessary to locate and flush the covey. It should be noted here that there are two distinct types of hunting dogs: the retriever that is used to retrieve the duck or goose that falls in the lake or marsh and the bird dog that is used to point to and flush quail. This article will focus on the training of retrievers.

I researched the training methods of several well-known trainers of retrievers. Although each had different ideas about small aspects of the training process, all share the same basic concepts about training a retriever to hunt.

The first question when training a retriever is, “What breed of retriever is best?” Richard A. Wolters, is the author of several books on hunting dogs and has developed techniques for training hunting dogs for the dog owner who wants to train his dogs himself. In Water Dog, he recommends potential dog owners to visit a field trial, where hunting conditions are simulated in a competition setting, and “watch the dogs work.” Each breed is different in certain aspects, he says, such as the dog’s coat. Potential breeders should pay attention to what breed is available with which to breed their *****es, he adds.

The big three breeds to look at, for retrieving, he says, are the Labrador retriever, the Golden retriever, with its long coat, and the Chesapeake Bay retrievers. “If you can find the flat coat, curly coat retriever or the Irish water spaniel,” he says, “don’t overlook them.”

Jeff Campbell owns and operates Katybrook Kennels Retriever Country in Hockley, Texas, located nine miles north of Katy. He specializes in training all types of retrievers for hunting in any bird season. Jeff will take a dog to train anytime after the dog is six months old. Prior to the dog turning six months old, the owner has a responsibility, Campbell says, to help develop retrieving instincts in the dog and let it become “a grand game.”

“A dog that has those instincts developed before the intensive training begins is much easier to train and becomes a better hunting dog,” according to Campbell.

Kerry V. Kern has written extensively on canine training and care. In his book, Labrador Retrievers, A Complete Pet Owner’s Manual, he recommends starting the puppy as early as eight weeks on some elementary retrieving exercises..

The training period for a retriever spans from four to six months at Katybrook Kennels, but Campbell also trains any breed of dog for obedience in a one-month course for which the dog is boarded for the month.

Jelly is Campbell’s Labrador retriever and she is extremely well trained. She is now 7 1/2 years old and has won two derbies, or field trials for dogs under two years, and has qualified all-age, which is a very high achievement for a competition hunting dog. Jelly’s father is a National Amateur Field Champion (NAFC) named NAFC Trumarcs Zip Code, or Cody for short. Her mother is Doc’s
Country Classic.

Jelly is a champion because she’s had good breeding and also because Campbell has shown her a firm hand AND a kind heart. He believes in not over-doing it with the reprimands. “In training retrievers,” he says, “ you must keep the dog’s spirit alive at all times. When making a correction, do not overwhelm the dog so that he has a hard time recovering.”

Campbell believes that the training should not end when the dog goes home. The dog’s return home should be the beginning of a new phase in the process. “The whole key to training is that when the dog goes home, the owner needs to follow up on the dog’s training and the dog will excel and the two will become a team.”

Most hunters have their dogs trained the summer before the bird hunting season begins. Some dogs receive refresher courses each summer. Texas summers can be brutal and Campbell warns owners to beware of heat stroke. He says, “have two large bags of ice on hand in coolers to cool down the dogs if they get too hot.” A dog’s normal temperature is between 100.5 to 102 degrees F (38-38.9 degrees C). When cooling off the dog with ice, Campbell says, be careful not to bring the temperature below normal because the dog may go into shock.

Arnold Boudreaux owns Schomer Kennels in Cut ’n Shoot, Texas, located northeast of Houston. He has been training dogs for over 30 years in Morgan City, Louisiana, and in Texas. He trains primarily retrievers and, in addition to basic obedience, he only trains dogs to hunt.

Boudreaux tries to train the dogs in water in the summertime. A well-trained dog, he says, should be trained on land and in water.

Boudreaux has some tips for the owners of hunting dogs: “I recommend that potential dog owners investigate the blood lines of the dogs before the purchase. Don’t just buy the dog because someone said it was a good dog. Go by what the mother and father are like to tell what your dog is going to be like.”

The 49th day of the puppy’s life is the day Boudreaux recommends taking the puppy from its litter. This, he says, is a theory developed over 30 years ago by the trainers of seeing-eye dogs, On this day, so the theory goes, the bond that has developed between the dog and its littermates can most easily be transferred to a human family, and not a day before or later.

On the other hand, Kern recommends that puppies wait until their eighth week to be separated from their littermates. He calls the first eight weeks of a puppy’s life “the canine socialization period” and he says that if a puppy is taken before the eighth week, “the puppy may not have fully learned the lessons of animal socialization.” The animal may grow to react aggressively to other dogs.

Labrador retrievers are excellent hunters and their owners are blessed with a breed that loves to learn. Dog hunting with a well-trained retriever is exciting and a reliable conservation tool. The dog can retrieve birds from places where most hunters can’t get to it or can’t find it and would otherwise leave behind.

It is vital that the owner also be a part of the training process. Each dog has its own idiosyncrasies that the trainer must identify and teach to the owner before the dog goes home. – Lake Mohave

The Emergency Medical Service Benefit Fund, Inc., held a benefit bass tournament at Lakeview Marina on May 7th, which proved to be a beautiful day, for the Alan Schlein family of Montgomery County.

Schlein was only 29 when he passed away, leaving behind a wife and young son. He served as a paramedic in Montgomery and Harris counties. He worked for the Montgomery County Hospital District EMS at the time of his death.

The EMS Benefit Fund, Inc., was organized shortly after Schlein’s untimely death “to raise funds to support EMS personnel in times of need or catastrophe,” according to Bobby McMinn, President of the organization. The corporation began with this benefit at Lakeview Marina and will continue with other benefits as they are needed.

The tournament was a success with 32 teams competing. All the funds raised were split in half, with half going to the Schlein family and half split among the winners, according to Stanley Mims, Secretary of the EMS Benefit Fund, Inc.

The entry fee per team was $60.00 with a $10.00 optional “Big Bass” entry fee. The “Big Bass” category had a 100% payback.

First place was taken by Joey Pizzini and Tom Dean with a total weight of 13.63 lbs. The first place team won 70% of the half of the earnings ear-marked for contestants, or $660.00.

In second place was Keith Yarbrough and Eric Chandler of Crosby with a single bass weighing 7.4 lbs. The second place team members shared $160.00 or 20% of the day’s winnings. Yarbrough, who actually caught the 7.4-lb. bass, was the big winner of the day because he also walked away with the optional “Big Bass” prize totaling $310.00.

Third place went to a couple that weighed in at 7.28 lbs. Third place won 10% of the winnings or $80.00.

Following the bass tournament, an auction was held at the marina. McMinn wishes to thank the cooperation of numerous businesses of Montgomery County in providing over $7000.00 of auction goods and services. Bar-B-Cue was also provided at the tournament by “numerous grocery stores,” says McMinn.

A total of $800.00 was received at the tournament for the Alan Schlein family.
– Lake Mohave

Family Boating Center has been doing business in the Houston area for about eight months. They opened their doors at the Humble location on January 2nd of this year and they’ve already captured a large share of the Houston boating market.

The boat dealer is the exclusive dealer of Tracker boats in the Houston area. Tracker boats are reputed to be the world’s #1 selling fishing boats. They offer a bass boat, the Bass Tracker, a pontoon, the Sun Tracker, and a high-performance bass boat called the Nitro. All of these boats Tracker Marine builds “to exceed your expectations,” and I know Family Boating Center will exceed your expectations, too. The boat dealer also sells Mercury outboard motors.

Clay Mills, the president of Family Boating Center, does not believe in high pressure, pushy salespeople. He wants to sells his customers only what they really want.

“We believe in letting the customer drive the boat before they buy it,” Mills says. “We’re so close to Lake Houston that we can let a customer drive a boat anytime they want to and they’re under no obligation to buy.”

Mills says other dealers are proud of their “demo weekends”, but Family Boating Center has a demo day every day.

Tracker Marine, located in Springfield, Missouri, sends their catalog of all their boats and boating accessories to thousands of customers each year, and James Julian, the sales manager of Family Boating Center, is proud to say all these same products are available at Family Boating Center for exactly the same prices. The boat prices are not marked up as you might expect.

Mills says they like to take the team approach to customer service at their store. Their goal is to have the customer’s purchase of a boat be only the beginning of a long and fruitful relationship. He likes to stress to customers that Family Boating Center will be there after the sale.

He backs this up with a top-notch service department that works on all Tracker products, whether purchased at his store or not. They also work on all American-made boat engines and keep Saturday hours.

Mills has been in and around the marine business for almost 20 years. Before opening Family Boating Center, he operated several Tracker Marine stores in other cities. Prior to this period, he worked with OMC in their Performance and Racing Division in Lake Hamilton, Florida.

All the experience and hard work of Mills and Julian and the eight other employees have paid off for Family Boating Center. The store was named 1994’s Top New Dealer for the U.S. at the recent Tracker convention. This is quite an honor and reflects the overall customer satisfaction of the store.

Family Boating Center and Tracker Marine are both proud sponsors of the pro-team of Brian Utecht and Curtis Thompson who each drive Nitro 190s. Utecht’s boat is a Nitro 190-DC and Thompson drives a Nitro 190-TF. Both boats are equipped with a Mercury 150 XR6 outboard motor and feature anti-feedback standard. The Nitro 190-TF boat, motor and trailer is available at Family Boating Center for only $16,995 and the 190-DC, with heavy-duty carpeting new for ‘94, for a paltry $17,295, plus freight and rigging.

Tracker introduces the all new 2000-TF in ‘94. This is the top of the line in Tracker high-performance bass boats and features the latest innovations, power options and fishing electronics. This boat offers “maximum performance for uncompromised fishability” and you can pick it up at Family Boating Center for only $18,295.

Family Boating Center is open at Highway 59 North and Beltway 8 from 9:00 to 5:30 Monday through Saturday, and by appointment anytime. In addition to the weekday hours, their service department is even open on Saturdays from 9:00 to 3:00.

Family Boating Center is there to assist you in the knowledgeable purchase of a boat and Clay Mills will not let you leave the store with anything less than what you want. Pay them a visit and experience why Tracker is the #1 fishing boat.
– Lake Mohave

The First Annual Friends of Conroe Golf Tournament was held on September 13 at Wedgewood Golf Course on Highway 105 W. According to Jo Ann Carter, Secretary of the Friends of Conroe, the purpose of the tournament was to provide funds to bring top-name bands to the Fourth Annual Conroe Cajun Catfish Festival to be held in October.

The tournament had 88 entries at $70.00 per entry. Trophies were awarded to first, second and third place team winners. A $50.00 cash prize was awarded to Don Carter for coming closest to hole #17. Mr. Carter donated the his prize back to the Friends plus $50.00 and it was auctioned. Mark Peters won the $50.00 cash prize for coming closest to hole #10 and he also won a $50.00cash prize for the longest drive on hole #18. Hal Griffin won the $50.00 cash prize for the longest hole on hole #18.

Fourteen door prizes were given away including two 24K gold putters donated by Smith Honda, six rounds of golf for four at area country clubs, stereo headphones donated by Home Entertainment, Inc., and a $50.00 gift certificate to the Wedgewood Pro Shop.

Drinks were provided to the players on the course by Silver Eagle and Coca-Cola. An excellent catfish dinner was served by Vernon’s Kuntry Katfish and prizes were awarded following dinner.

This was the first golf tournament of the Friends of Conroe and Jo Ann Carter was pleased with the turnout. “For our first tournament, it was better than wonderful. Our hope is that everyone had fun and is looking forward to next year.”

The Fourth Annual Conroe Cajun Catfish Festival will be held October 15, 16 and 17th in downtown Conroe. The goal of the festival is to provide funds for the beautification of Conroe and community projects, and ultimately to build a civic center here. The festival began in 1990 with this goal in mind, and according to Carter, “everyone said it couldn’t be done”. But that first festival had an attendance of 25,000. Last year’s attendance was 35,000 and this year-the sky’s the limit!

The golf tournament was successful in bringing in the necessary funds for the bands, so here is a line-up of scheduled bands for the three days:
Friday-Will LeBlanc and the Bayou Boys, Roddy Romero, Bert Wills and the Crying Shame, Miss Molly and the Whips and the Jim Ponder Band and Frenchy Burke.

Saturday-Lionel Stew, the Sam Brothers, Chubby Karrie, Zachary Richard, Global Village, Sisters Morales, Johnny Clyde Copeland, Jimmy Thackery, Rodney Lake, Shake Russell and John Saunders, Rio Bravo and Hickory.

Sunday-Bayou Roux, Joe Douglas, the KILT Band, Highway 101, the Fab Five and Hot Cakes.

Three days of continuous music on three stages is planned. In addition, according to Wayne Vaughan, Treasurer of the Friends of Conroe, there will be 18 food booths set up, each with different kinds of food for a total of 75 food items. Saturday at 10:00 A.M. a parade with floats will begin circling the downtown square. Sunday at 3:00 the Friends will holda dance contest. There will also be a carnival, hunting and fishing exhibits with a live catfish tank, arts and crafts exhibits and a circus village for children with clowns and a petting zoo.

The whole festival sounds like a whole lot of fun for everyone. Hope to see you there!
– Lake Mohave

The Guadalupe Basin River Authority (G.B.R.A.) manages the Guadalupe Basin, which flows from the heart of the Texas Hill Country to Lavaca Bay on the Gulf of Mexico. It supplies water to all of the local water suppliers like the Spring Hill Water Plant, which gets its water directly from Lake Placid, a lake formed by the Guadalupe River. The G.B.R.A. endorses random chemical treatment of hydrilla and other nuisance aquatic plants in the river and does not guarantee its water quality. This leaves the local providers the responsibility of ensuring the quality of the water they provide to the public for drinking.

Robin Richardson is the director of the Spring Hill Water Board in Seguin. She is also a conservationist, President of Health Awareness and Water Knowledge (H.A.W.K.) and founder of Better Aquatics In Texas (B.A.I.T.).

According to Ms. Richardson, the Spring Hill Water Treatment plant and the Canyon Regional Water Authority are not equipped to get all the aquatic pesticides out of the water in their water treatment process. She feels the G.B.R.A. should be responsible for providing quality water resources for drinking and recreation.

On June 1st, Richardson went swimming near her home on Lake Placid and saw where the G.B.R.A. had chemically treated aquatic vegetation in the lake – less than 20 feet from where her community gets its drinking water!

“I feel like the coyotes are guarding the chicken house and this has got to stop. I want the G.B.R.A. to warrant their actions if they’re going to endorse aquatic pesticides, and that means bringing the community into the decision-making process of how our raw drinking water should be managed,” says Richardson.

The most popular pesticide used in Texas lakes seems to be Sonar, which is strongly suspected in the onset of cancer-related diseases among people using reservoirs in which Sonar has been applied. Restrictions on the amount of the pesticide to be used in a specific area have not been clearly established among users. A permitting process would make clear the dosage for a particular size reservoir, which would alleviate part of the problem.

No governing body is responsible for the treatment of drinking water, she says, and she suggests the establishment of a permitting process for the treatment of aquatic vegetation. “This would be the key to protecting our drinking water.”

According to Pat McCarty, who was in attendance at the recent meeting in Athens of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, H.A.W.K., the Lower Colorado River Authority (L.C.R.A.) and several other state water-governing bodies, Larry McKinney of the TP&WD discussed setting up a committee to study whether permitting should be required for the introduction of pesticides into Texas lakes. “Results from this committee could strongly affect legislation.”

Richardson blames the G.B.R.A. for killing the submersed vegetation in Lake McQueeney. The Friends of Lake McQueeney, a local conservation group, and the G.B.R.A. both have come out in favor of Gov. Bush’s proposed hydrilla harvesters as a non-chemical weapon against unwanted aquatic vegetation, but Richardson says, “it’s just lip service.”

Richardson is a strong proponent of the mechanical hydrilla harvester. She was present at the recent meeting of Gov. Bush, the TP&WD, the G.B.R.A., the L.C.R.A., and others on Lake Bastrop where the mechanical hydrilla harvester was taken for a test drive. “I was in the boat with Ray Scott, Terry Oldham, Harold Sharp, a local fishing talent and true conservationist, and David Stewart. As we were watching the harvester operate, back behind the harvester and rising up was a bald eagle – I had never seen one! Around the bend, he dove for a fish And when he flew off, I thought to myself, ‘he could not have read nor understood the chemical restrictions had the lake been treated, making that fish too contaminated for consumption.’”
– Lake Mohave