Outdoors Digest

Calendar

Through May 1 – Texas South Zone Spring Turkey Season.

Through May 14 – East Texas spring turkey season (including Grayson, Fannin, and Lamar Counties).

Through May 15 – Texas North Zone Spring Turkey Season.

Through May 16 – Oklahoma spring turkey season.

April 30 - Madill High School Fishing Team Fundraiser Tournament. For information, call (918) 688-0453.

May 3 – Monthly meeting of the Red River Fly Fishers in the Rec Hall at Eisenhower State Park. For information, including the night’s speaker and fly tying schedule info, visit www.rrff.org .

May 4-6 - TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Central Regional at Oklahoma's Grand Lake. For information, visit www.bassmaster.com .

May 14 - Future Bass Trails Team Tournament out of Alberta Creek. For information,

call Joe Copeland at (580) 504-7320 or visit the website at www.futurebasstrails.com.

May 19-22 - Simms Bassmaster Elite Series tournament on Lake Fork. For information, visit www.bassmaster.com .

May 20 – ODWC Controlled Hunts application deadline. For information, visit www.wildlifedepartment.com .

June 7 -- Monthly meeting of the Red River Fly Fishers in the Rec Hall at Eisenhower State Park. For information, including the night’s speaker and fly tying schedule info, visit www.rrff.org .

June 25 - Future Bass Trails Team Tournament out of Alberta Creek. For information, call Joe Copeland at (580) 504-7320 or visit the website at www.futurebasstrails.com.

Notes

Looking ahead to this fall’s hunting seasons across Oklahoma? Then remember that ODWC’s Controlled Hunts Application Period is off and running, taking place from April 1 through May 20 this year. To apply, visit ODWC’s website at https://www.wildlifedepartment.com/hunting/controlledhunts...An ODWC news release indicates that the agency’s Aquatic Nuisance Species program confirms that Zebra Mussels are now present for the first time at Lake Shawnee and Ardmore City Lake. ODWC reminds Sooner State anglers that Zebra Mussels affect ecosystems that they invade by damaging boat engines, threatening native mussels, fish and wildlife by consuming available food, and damaging infrastructure by clogging water intakes and pipes. “Please remember to drain bilge water, live wells, and bait buckets,” notes the news release. “Inspect your boat and trailer when leaving the water, as well as scrape off any Zebra Mussels or aquatic vegetation found. Dry off your boat, trailer, and accessories.” Also, ODWC urges anglers and boaters to report any invasive species sightings to the agency and DO NOT return any aquatic nuisance species back to the water. As a reminder, and for more information on how to clean, drain, and dry, please visit the website at: https://stopaquatichitchhikers.org/aboutus ...According to an ODWC news release, the National Rifle Association donated $122,720 to ODWC toward the agency's required share of Wildlife Restoration Program funds. The NRA also gave an additional $25,000 supporting gun range construction at Packsaddle WMA… At its most recent meeting, the Oklahoma Wildlife Commission approved changes to the ODWC’s Controlled Hunts Program. The changes, which will be enacted for next year’s 2023 hunts, includes a hybrid application system that maintains the same hunt choice options as are currently allowed (up to 14 hunt choices across four categories for $5 application fee) while also allowing hunters extra choices at $3 per choice. Also, ODWC indicates that new next year, is that half of all once-in-a-lifetime permits (elk and antelope) will be drawn from those with 20 preference points or more, while everyone who applies will be eligible for the other 50 percent of permits…At the recent B.A.S.S. Open event on the James River, Kenta Kimura won the event with 65-pounds, maximizing his time by staying close to takeoff at Osborne Landing according to a Bassmaster news release. B.A.S.S. officials note that Kimura, who had never been to the James River before, admitted he wasn’t certain how the tide would affect the bite at the beginning of the week. But he certainly figured it out quickly, landing more than 19 pounds on Day 1, 23-10 on Day 2, and 24-11 on Championship Saturday last weekend… After an impressive sight-fishing performance on Lake Palestine earlier in the month, Tennessee angler Ott DeFoe continued his winning ways in Texas, capturing the General Tires Heavy Hitter event title on the East Texas water body near Tyler. DeFoe, the 2019 Bassmaster Classic champion who now fishes exclusively in Bass Pro Tour events, has an incredible record in the Lone Star State when it comes to BPT and Major League Fishing events. The Outdoor Channel TV show host (The Hunt for Monster Bass) and the No. 3 ranked angler in BassFan.com’s most recent world rankings, DeFoe also won the BPT Stage Three event on Lake Fork in 2020, the BPT Stage One event on Sam Rayburn Reservoir in 2021, and the 2021 Major League Fishing Heritage Cup in Waco…Incidentally, DeFoe won the recent Heavy Hitters event on Palestine when he made an in-tournament decision to abandon his shad spawn game plan early on, going to a spawning pattern later in the game. That was enough for him to win yet another bass fishing derby deep in the heart of Texas...Speaking of Texas, Lone Star State angler Alton Jones, Jr. of Lorena also cashed in big at this month’s Heavy Hitters event, capturing a couple of heavy fish that gave him a $150,000 payday. According to a BPT news release, during the Heavy Hitters Knockout Round, Jones boated an 8-pound, 3-ounce bass that earned him the $50,000 big bass bonus. The very next day, during the Heavy Hitters Championship Round, Jones earned the $100,000 big bass bonus with a 6-4 that he caught during the third period. All told, BPT says that the Texas native, and son of 2008 Bassmaster Classic champ and fellow BPT competitor Alton Jones, Sr., earned $165,000 for his two big bass bonuses along with the prize money for his fifth-place finish…Incidentally, Jones said both of his award-winning fish on Palestine came on a bait that will be released around ICAST this summer, a Geecrack Bellow Shad in the “AJ’s Juice” color…After the heavy rains last Sunday, area lakes have seen their levels rise, including Bois d’Arc Lake, the 16,641-acre impoundment now filling in northeastern Fannin County. According to WaterDataforTexas.org, the up and coming bass lake is now 33.4% full…

Hunting Reports

With the local spring turkey season opening up last week in Grayson, Fannin, and Lamar counties—by the way, the Eastern turkey regulation package season runs from April 22 through May 14 this year—there was a report or two of a local longbeard being taken. There was also a report or two of local toms being “henned up” and refusing to leave their hens…In North Texas, longtime Clay County turkey hunter Doug Rodgers indicates that the turkeys are scarce and tight-lipped as the Texas North Zone season continues for Rio Grandes through May 15…In southern Oklahoma near Waurika, North Texas Outfitters head guide Dakota Stowers indicates that the birds are gobbling and a number of good longbeards have fallen during the first couple of weeks of the 2022 Oklahoma spring turkey season. That includes a couple of birds with beard length measuring more than 10-inches and one sporting sharp 1 3/8-inch spurs. Stowers indicates that one hunter in camp took an Oklahoma Rio Grande, a trophy longbeard that capped a career turkey grand slam… Last fall, many hunters across the country were scratching their heads and wondering what happened to the rut in their local woods. And as it turns out, according to Dr. James Kroll—the Dr. Deer personality on North American Whitetail TV, a NAW magazine columnist, and professor emeritus from Stephen F. Austin State University, --there were actually some valid reasons for such thoughts. If you’d like to read his column, “What Happened to the 2021 Rut?”, visit NAW’s website at https://www.northamericanwhitetail.com/editorial/what-happened-to-2021-rut/459469

Fishing Reports

At Lake Texoma, water is stained; water temp is 63 degrees; and the lake is 1.03 feet low. Adventure Texoma Outdoors guide John Blasingame tells TPWD that sand bass are mixed in with the crappie in the creeks right now. Bass are good on points and rock piles. And striped bass have a good early morning and evening bite. For big stripers, anglers are focusing on shallow water while throwing topwaters. For box-sized stripers, Blasingame says that fish are schooling under the birds and anglers are using swimbaits, Alabama-rigs, and the slab. Incidentally, he says that Texoma’s slab is turning on…For Texoma regular Chris Bobo, it’s been a few good weeks of fishing action here in North Texas. Bobo, who is a longtime Matco Tools distributor, won the ABA DFW Division tournament a couple of weeks ago with a great day on Lake Bridgeport. He followed that up with a couple of solid days of bass action on Texoma. And then this week, to celebrate his 2022 birthday with angling buddy Hunter Murray, he pulled out a number of Texoma slab crappie for the fish fryer. Happy birthday Chris!...As Texoma continues to rise after 4-5 inches of rain fell in portions of Grayson and Bryan Counties last week, the fishing remains good on the Oklahoma side of the lake too. ODWC game warden Garrett Beam says that striped bass are good on live shad and shad-like baits fished along river and creek channels, in coves, out in the main lake, and over points. As for locations, he says that Texoma’s striped bass are feeding on live shad north of the Roosevelt Bridge and out west near the islands. Blue catfish are fair on cut bait, dough bait, goldfish, live shad, punch bait, stinkbait and sunfish fished below Denison Dam, in the lake along creek channels, and in Texoma coves, around rocks and docks, and over points. Blue cats are also biting juglines with goldfish and sunfish. The game warden says that black crappie are good on grubs, hair jigs, plastic jigs, minnows and nymphs fished around brushy structure, in coves, around docks and rocks, and around shallow points. Crappie are also taking PowerBait nuggets fished near brush piles and docks in 4-8 feet of water…At Lake Ray Roberts, water is stained; water temp is 63 degrees; and the lake is now 1.20 feet above normal after last Sunday’s rainfall. TPWD says that blue and channel catfish are fair on cut bait and punch bait when fished shallow on windblown points. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows around submerged structure and main lake brush piles. Largemouth bass are good in shallow spawning areas, along with rocky shoreline areas and grass lines for those using soft plastic baits. White bass are fair on slabs and jigging spoons…At Lake Fork, the water is stained, water temps are 61 to 68 degrees, and the lake is 5.89-feet low as work on the dam continues. Guides Marc Mitchell and Jason Hoffman tell TPWD that “Bass are good on windy points (for those) working shad patterned Chatterbaits, spinnerbaits, and squarebills in 1-4 feet of water. Pockets with timber close to points and channels (are also) good in 3-5 feet of water on big wood with Texas-rigs and Carolina-rigs. Best baits are craws or lizards in green pumpkin or watermelon gold.”…For anglers targeting Lake Fork’s big slabs, guide Jacky Wiggins tells TPWD that “Crappie fishing has been really good this past week. We are seeing fish scattered from 2-25 feet of water for the spring spawn. Trees along main lake creek channels in 9-21 feet of water are producing numbers and big fish. Reports of shallow fish being caught in 3-8 feet on stumps, brush and lay downs (are also occurring). Finally, (we’re) catching some spawned out fish, but we should have plenty more time before the fish head back out (to) deeper (water). Jigs will produce well this time of year, but minnows are still working.”…At Oklahoma’s Lake of the Arbuckle’s, ODWC reports that the lake elevation is two-feet below normal, water temperature is 65 degrees, and the water is clear. Largemouth bass are good on jerkbaits and spinnerbaits fished in the main lake. Largemouth also being caught on Ned-rigged Shakyhead worms. Crappie are also good in coves…At Oklahoma’s Lake Murray, ODWC says that the lake elevation is normal, water temperature is 65, and the water is clear. ODWC game warden Jaylen Flynn says that largemouth bass and smallmouth bass are fair on crankbaits, Flukes, jigs and spinnerbaits fished around brushy structure, flats, and main lake (points and shorelines). White bass are slow on jigs and minnows in the main lake…At Oklahoma’s McGee Creek, ODWC says that the lake elevation is normal, water temperature is 62°F a degrees, and the water is clear. ODWC game warden Jay Harvey says that largemouth bass and spotted bass are good on crankbaits, Flukes, jerkbaits, jigs, and spinnerbaits fished around brushy structure, points, and shallow shorelines. White bass and crappie are good on jigs and minnows fished along creek channels, in the river channel, and near standing timber…There is no ODWC fishing report for the Blue River near Tishomingo this week, but expect the river level to be higher than normal and water to be stained after last weekend’s heavy rainfall. As the rainbow trout season ends, expect to find a few stragglers hitting caddis dry flies, small streamer patterns, and the occasional nymph if you can find clear water…On the Texas Gulf Coast at Freeport, Capt. Jake Brown of Flattie Daddy Fishing Adventures tells TPWD that the “Deep guts flowing into the bay are full of shrimp (and) attracting fish. Redfish, trout, drum and sheepshead are showing up in good numbers (for those) free-ling live shrimp.”…At West Matagorda Bay, Capt. Charlie Paradoski of Captain Charlie’s Guide Service tells TPWD that after anglers have fought heavy winds the past several weeks, the fishing and the forecast are both improving. “(The) shrimp migration is underway and the fish are ready to feed. Redfish and drum are good in the ICW and (the) bay. Wade fishing with artificial lures is in order (too).”…At Baffin Bay, Gilbert Barrera of Baffin Bay Hunting and Fishing tells TPWD that “Weather conditions are improving and the fish are hungry. Nice sized (speckled) trout and limits redfish (are being reported) on live shrimp.”…

Tip of the Week

As the spring turkey hunting season continues and the April winds howl—the National Weather Service in Fort Worth recently said this is the windiest April since the mid-1990s and one of the windiest ever—hunters are getting a bit frustrated as they fight wary gobblers and conditions that make hearing and calling in a bird quite the challenge. But it can be done, particularly with a big boat paddle style box call that can really reach out and make some noise, even on a windy day. North Texas Outfitters guide Dakota Stowers confirms that, indicating this past week that NTO helped a group of clients tag out on solid longbeards after making some windy weather turkey noise. “(The) turkeys closed over 800 yards in less than two minutes after we hit the box call! Battled heavy winds, but we got it done!” If the winds are howling again this weekend, skip the mouth diaphragm call and reach for your trusted box call!

This article originally appeared on Herald Democrat: April 29 Outdoors Digest Calendar Fishing Hunting reports tip