Lone Star Outdoor Show

This week fly fishing blogger and renown fishing photographer Louis Cahill of Gink & Gasoline stops by discuss his recent piece

“Chug a Coke, Save a Bleeding Fish”. For years bass anglers have sworn that pouring a soft drink over a gill hooked bass can save the fish’s life. Is there any validity to it, or is it urban legend? Louis breaks it down for us. Also, he shares some valuable photography tips that can really help make the images you capture during your outdoor adventures stand out and pop! Great insight for folks looking to win one of our monthly photo contests… (Photo by Louis Cahill)

Next we get into an in depth whitetail discussion to help ease us through these dog days of summer. How much does moon phase play into when whitetails move during daylight hours? Afterall, that is the only time hunters have a chance to harvest a whitetail so understanding when and why they move is vital. This weekend we check in with longtime hunter, whitetail author and researcher Dr. Bob Sheppard. In over 30 years of research Dr. Sheppard has compiled data from over 400,000 deer sightings by whitetail hunters. You might be surprised at how the moon phase really does affect deer movement.

Then our longtime friend and catfish guide Greg Pavur of Pavur Outdoors makes his return to the show. We go “River Monsters’ on ya as Greg discusses where to find monster flathead catfish during the summer months. He talks about his setup as well, from fishing line to hooks and what bait flatheads are most likely to bite. How long will he sit at a particular log jam or river bend waiting for that one bite? Greg shares his expertise and also touches on the channel cat spawn and where to find big schools of hungry, post spawn channels. Great with a 40 plus lb flathead:

We wrap things up when Lone Star Outdoor News writer Steven Schwartz drops in to discuss barbed vs barbless hooks. He recently wrote an article on the subject and touched on a few recent experiments where anglers were randomly given barbed hooks vs barbless hooks. Was there a significant difference in the catch rate for the two groups? What about on conventional tackle vs fly rods? Longtime Lake Fork fly fishing guide Rob Woodruff shared his insight with Steven based on 35 years of fly fishing experience and Rob’s stance on barbless hooks for largemouth bass is definitely worth taking a listen to.

We get things going this week by talking coastal fly fishing with longtime Texas guide and Costa Del Mar Pro Captain Scott Sommerlatte. Scott specializes in sight casting to big bull reds in shallow water. He tells us what to look for when trying to locate early summer redfish as well as what fly patterns are most likely to produce a strike.

We also will give away a Costa Del Mar promo card during our visit with Captain Sommerlatte. Be listening for the Captain’s fishing related trivia question during our interview. Text in the right answer for a chance to customize your own pair of Costa’s! Thanks to our great sponsor.

Then we check in with longtime friend of the show and host of Meateater TV on Sportsman Channel when Steven Rinella drops in. We dive into the importance of quality optics for Western big game hunting. Whether you use Vortex Optics, like Steven and myself or you go with another brand, having quality binos, a spotting scope and rifle scope is paramount. Steven also talks about his methodical approach to glassing an area. How does he break up the landscape prior to glassing? This seasoned big game hunter has put in the hours behind the glass and he shares all his years of tips and expertise with us.

We also get into one of the more humorous and scary things ever seen on Meateater TV when Steven breaks down one of the biggest ‘Oh Crap’ moments of his hunting career. If you missed last season’s British Columbia moose hunt then you’ll want to hear what went through his mind when a wounded 1,000 lb moose comes barreling towards him! Scary stuff for sure but it makes for one hell of a hunting story. Steven right before he gets knocked to the ground by the wounded moose:

Anybody who has hunted long enough has been faced with a questionable rifle shot. You know, the one where you can make out the animal very clearly, but you have to shoot through a bit of vegetation, grass or brush. Do you take the shot? How much does a tiny bit of brush really affect the trajectory of your bullet? Outdoor Life Magazine Editor & Chief Andrew McKean recently conducted an experiment on this exact scenario where he analyzed how much deflection vegetation has on some of the more popular hunting rounds. We break down his feature “Brush Busters” which appeared in the June/July issue of Outdoor Life. Andrew with a beautiful bull moose!

Next up one of the most recognizable faces of the outdoor industry makes his return to the show when the always affable Bill Dance stops by for a couple of segments. We discuss some of Bill’s favorite salt water species to pursue from tarpon, to big bull redfish and even barracudas. Then we switch things up and talk low pressure systems and how they can affect feeding largemouth behavior and feeding patterns during spring and summer warm weather months. Does Bill prefer to fish ahead of or behind heavy precipitation and why? All that and a whole lot more with one of the 3 time Bassmaster Angler of the Year (1970, ’73, ’77) and host of the popular hit show Bill Dance Outdoors which has been on the air continuously since 1968!

We wrap things up this week when our good buddy and fishing guide Captain Len Girard joins us live from the Upper Laguna Madre for our Texas coastal fishing report. Have the big specks shown up in the shallows in good numbers? What is Captain Len catching them on and at what depth? Also, we talk big redfish like the ones caught by this recent group of clients. This one should leave little doubt that now is the time to head to the Texas coast!

All right all you waterfowlers out there, the dog days of summer are upon us…but up North ducks are doing their thing and making more ducks for us to chase next fall. This week we check in with our longtime friend John Devney- VP Of U.S. Policy at Delta Waterfowl. Delta’s headquarted in North Dakota- right in the middle of the all important Prairie Pothole Region where most Central Flyway ducks are hatched. John breaks down how this year’s moisture will affect the 2014 fall migration from a numbers standpoint.

We also discuss the unfortunate plight of one of my favorite ducks – the American Wigeon and why when other ducks species are thriving, this species continues to see a drop in numbers. Also, why have pintail numbers seen a decline the past couple of years? John breaks it all down for us. (Pintail hen nesting in North Dakota)

Next we are joined by one of the most successful anglers that pro bass fishing has ever seen when Arkansas native Mark Davis stops by. A three time Angler of the Year with a BassMaster Classic title to boot, Mark is chasing history on the Elite Series this season. At age 51, Mark finds himself in first place in the Angler of the Year standings with 2 events left. Mark last won AOY in 2001 and hasn’t won an Elite Series event since 2005, so at 51, how has he rediscovered the form that saw him dominate the mid 90’s thru early 2000s?

We also discuss Mark’s favorite technique for putting early summer toads in the boat. His forte has long been post spawn bass and fishing deep structure so his insight couldn’t come at a better time with most bass in the Southern part of the country well into that post spawn pattern. We finish things up by talking some bluegill fishing with Mark. I recently became aware of his affinity for summer blue gills when I stumbled across an article in the June/July issue of Outdoor Life Magazine where Mark discussed where to find big panfish and what kind of presentation he wears ’em out on during the summer. (Photo Bill Linder)

We wrap things up by checking in with Temple Fork Outfitters’ Trade Show and Social Media Manager Nicholas Conklin. Temple Fork has long been our fly rod sponsor and we are happy to now be using their conventional bass rods as well. Nicholas talks about the entire line of TFO Gary Loomis Tactical Bass Rods like the one pictured below.

Whether you like to crank, fish a drop shot, swimbait, pitch soft plastics or any other technique, TFO has a rod designed specifically for that technique. Also, remember to send us your June hunting/fishing photos for a chance to win a TFO Gary Loomis bass rod like the one pictured below. Special thanks to TFO for sponsoring our June 2014 Photo of The Month Contest!

This week we start off with one of the most inspiring tales of dedication that the outdoor industry has ever seen. Takahiro Omori left his native Japan for the U.S. at 21 with dreams of becoming a professional bass fisherman. He lived in a ’93 Chevy Suburban on Lake Fork for years, missing cut after cut in the tournaments he fished. But he studied the sport like no one before or since, after a missed cut he’d take his boat out and watch and photograph anglers like Rick Clunn, he’d take notes and then he’d study everything he observed.

Soon, Tak began winning and he reached in the pinnacle of pro bass fishing by winning the 2004 Bassmaster Classic. He since has built a house on Lake Fork with a swimming pool, but he doesn’t swim in it. He uses the pool to test new baits and see how they move underwater. Tak has been a mainstay on the pro circuit for years now and doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. He currently fishes the BassMaster Elite Series and Major League Fishing and has qualified for 10 Classics. He truly is living proof that the American Dream is alive and well!

Next we talk some whitetail management with industry leader Jason Shipman. His name is pretty much synonymous with growing big bucks in Texas. And if you’ve ever picked up a copy of Texas Trophy Hunter Magazine, then you’ve probably read some of his work. Today we discuss the technique of “stacking” age classes of bucks and how it can double or even triple the number of trophy quality bucks on your ranch or lease and what hunter doesn’t want to see more big bruisers on their place? This low fence Texas whitetail from one of the ranches Jason helps manage is proof that stacking is a viable tool when it comes to growing big deer:

Then our good friend and Army Bass Anglers founder Lt. Colonel Cody Roberson stops by to talk some fishing and give us the low down on what’s new with Army Bass Anglers. We discuss the hit show ‘Force on Force’ where teams from the different branches of the military square off against one another in an elimination bracket style tournament. Force on Force airs on the World Fishing Network.

We also discuss some new sponsors that Army Bass Anglers has recently signed. Lt. Colonel Roberson has been in the industry for some time and knows a thing or two about what makes a potential sponsor want to give you product or make a financial commitment to you. So for any young, aspiring outdoorsmen/anglers out there looking to recruit sponsorship- you won’t want to miss this valuable insight into how the industry works. Army Bass Angler Pro Staff Dale Hughes and friend of the ABA Randy Havard take first place at the TTZ Canyon Lake event, weighing in a 17 lb sack and taking home first place:

We round out the show by discussing live bait fishing with Texas Outdoors Journal writer Danno Wise. His recent Tackle Tips & Techniques piece sheds light on the various ways and applications to fish a minnow. Many anglers probably just hook a minnow the same way every time, likely the way their dad or grandfather showed them. While there’s nothing wrong with that, you can increase the number of fish you catch by changing up where you hook a minnow and how you fish them, from a Carolina Rig to free lining them, to using the traditional cork or bobber. Danno discusses when and how to do each. (Photo By Noel Stacey)

We start off talking free range aoudad hunting in the Texas Hill Country with Zac Bents of Droptine Hunting. I had the pleasure of hunting these amazing animals with Zac this past week outside of Bandera, Texas. Aoudad sheep inhabit the most rugged and unforgiving regions Texas has to offer, the highest elevations in the Hill Country and they also thrive in the mountainous regions of West Texas. You’ll spend hours glassing rocky ridges and ledges looking for that shooter ram and then trying to get into a position to execute an ethical shot. So if Western big game style hunting interests you then I highly recommend chasing Texas aoudad. Zac and I talk all things aoudad hunting and also how and when the species arrived on the Texas landscape. Me with my nice Hill Country ram that Zac put me on:

Next we talk some fishing with Bering Sea crabber Johnathon Hillstrand. You probably recognize him as the captain of the Time Bandit on Discovery Channel’s hit show Deadliest Catch which is now airing it’s 10th season! John gives us the best pranks the Time Bandit boys have ever played as well as the handful of times he’s truly been scared for his life while crabbing the Bering Sea.

Did the government shutdown really cost each boat in the crab fleet a significant amount of coin? What about John’s thoughts on the much anticipated return of the Cornelia Marie- captained by the late Phil Harris’ son Josh? John breaks it all down for us and then some so get ready for a good time with this bull and Harley riding crabber from the Bering Sea. Be sure to catch Deadliest Catch Tuesdays 8PM Central on Discovery.

Then, if you haven’t heard by now Huntington, Texas native and Elite Series Pro Keith Combs recently obliterated just about every record relative to the common 3 day, 5 fish per day format of modern day professional bass fishing. While fishing the Toyota Texas Bass Classic on Lake Fork two weeks ago, Keith turned in a 110 plus pound 15 fish sack that bested the previous 3 day record (set in 2000 by Byron Velvick) by over 26 lbs!!!

Keith talks about his key’s to victory that saw him average 7.33 lbs per bass weighed in! We talk deep water cranking and also discuss the less known technique of “strolling” that helped Keith land a couple solid 8 plus pound toads. This marks his 3rd Toyota Texas Bass Classic title in the past 4 years and it netted him a nice $100,000 payday. Keith with a couple Lake Fork chunks from the tournament:

We round things out by talking some fly fishing with the Texas Council of International Federation of Fly Fishers President Russell Husted. Not only do we pick this longtime fly fisherman’s brain on his favorite early summer flies for bass, but we also get into a one of a kind event coming to New Braunfels, Texas June 12th-14th. The Destination Texas Fly Fishing Expo will see expert guides, rod builders, fly tiers, and fly fisherman come together for a one of a kind expo celebrating fly fishing in the Lone Star State. Russell gives us the highlights and some of the big names from the industry who will be a part of this special weekend!

We start things off by talking redfish, trout and all things kayak fishing with Dustin Koreba- founder of the Lone Star Kayak Series. We find out what artificials the big redfish and hitting and discuss the advantages of kayak fishing the Texas Coast. Now in it’s 3rd season, The Lone Star Kayak Series is the Gulf Coast’s premiere tournament trail for the kayak angler. Dustin talks about the format and payout structure of this rapidly growing series. Check out their website for upcoming tournament dates. Photo from a recent Lone Star Kayak Series weigh in:

Next up- musician Josh Ward joins us in studio. One of my favorite Texas singer/songwriters and the 2013 Male Vocalist of The Year as named by the Texas Regional Radio Report, Josh has had 3 singles in a row reach #1 on the regional charts. We’ll take a listen to some great Texas music before diving into Josh’s other passions in life: big bucks and even bigger bass! Josh playing his hit song “Hard Whiskey” in studio with us:

A native of Conroe, Texas – Josh is a lifelong deer hunter and fanatic bass fisherman. We discuss bowhunting, antler restrictions affect on East Texas’ deer herd, his whitetail hunt in Kansas last fall and the biggest buck of his life. Then things get even more interesting when Josh recaps his 2011 Oakley Big Bass tournament win on Lake Conroe. This 9.98 lb monster took home first prize and a $25,000 Nitro boat. Interestingly enough, that boat was sold to help finance Josh’s latest record ‘Promises’. Josh with his tournament winning bass:

We wrap things up when Dallas Safari Club Executive Director Ben Carter returns to the show. We recap this year’s convention (the most successful to date- grossing over 7 million dollars!) and how DSC uses those funds raised to help further their advocacy of conservation and education. We briefly discuss how the hunting community rallied and defeated the firestorm that the anti hunting community brought on DSC and it’s members regarding the black rhino permit that was auctioned off for $350,000 at the convention auction.

But the thing that we are really excited to dive into today is the recently completed Water Guzzler project in far West Texas. By partnering with groups like the Mule Deer Foundation, Texas Big Horn Society, Texas Parks and Wildlife and Sull Ross University, Dallas Safari Club was able to help fund and construct the building of this guzzler that will collect 1,000 gallons of water for every inch of rainfall. Positioned between the Black Gap WMA and Big Bend National Park, a wide array of species will benefit- from desert mule deer to javelina, desert big horn sheep, coyotes, bobcats, birds and many others. Obviously water sources are hard to come by in that unforgiving region of the state and this project proves once again that hunting, at it’s core, is all about conservation. The team celebrating after the guzzler was completed (photo David Wetzel).

Renown whitetail hunter, researcher and writer Dr. Bob Sheppard joins the show as we get the ball rolling with some in depth whitetail talk to help ease us through the off season blues. Dr. Sheppard’s book “Whitetails” analyzes data collected from over 400,000 whitetail sightings from hunters on over 60,000 acres in Alabama. Today we get into the interesting relationship between a hunter and a mature buck – who is really patterning who? You might be surprised to find out how much a shooter buck learns about you long after you’ve left the woods for the day.

Next, a real treat when avid outdoorsman, good ‘ol boy and country music legend Charlie Daniels stops by. We all know that Charlie can play a mean fiddle but we reflect on some of his favorite outdoor pastimes, from squirrel and coon hunting with dogs to spring crappie fishing. We also dive into his latest record “Off The Grid, Doin’ It Dylan” which came out this spring. There’s never a dull moment with one of the all time greats!

Next up we talk trout, redfish and much more with our good buddy Captain Len Girard who joins us live from the Upper Laguna Madre for our Texas coastal fishing report. What are the fish biting, how deep are they staging, are GULP artificial baits really all they are cracked up to be? What water temperature should you look as a sign that the trout should be moving shallow? We discuss it all and then some with the always affable Captain! Nice sized speck (photo Scott Frederick)

We wrap things up by discussing one of, if not the most controversial issue facing the hunting community today- wolves. As elk herd populations continue to plummet throughout much of the Northwest United States, the common theme always ends up being this truly amazing apex predator. But when elk numbers in historically ideal elk country like Idaho’s LOLO Units are down over 90% of what they were prior to wolf reintroduction in 1994…well it’s clear there is a serious problem.

Since 1995 Idaho alone has seen a 20% drop in the number of elk talks sold. That’s alot of money being taken out of conservation to preserve one species at the expense of many others. Idaho Fish and Game Deer and Elk Coordinator Toby Boudreau stops by to talk some numbers with us. How bad is it really? Can hunters really kill enough wolves during the season each year to help the elk recover? And why should anyone in Texas even care what wolves are doing in Idaho, Montana or Wyoming? We break it all down with Toby on this week’s show. One thing is for sure- wolves prey on whatever is in front of them, not just the young, old or weak as the anti wolf hunters want us to believe. (Photo Michael Cohen)

Spring turkey in Texas might be winding down, but there is still plenty of time to harvest that last minute tom in the North and Eastern Zones. This weekend we start off by discussing some late season turkey tips with longtime outdoor writer Tom Carpenter. His recent article “Turkey School” was featured in the April issue of Outdoor Life Magazine. Today we break down some of those late season strategies. Bottom line though is that if there is a day left in the season and you have a tag- get into the turkey woods! Tom with a nice Minnesota gobbler from this season:

Next we check in with the man often referred to as the “Godfather of Progressive/Texas Country Music” when the great Gary P Nunn drops by the studio to talk some outdoors and play a couple classic tunes. From ‘London Homesick Blues’ to ‘Friends for Life’, ‘What I Like About Texas’ and countless others, Gary P Nunn has been a mainstay on the Texas music scene for the better part of 5 decades! We get an in depth look at the history of that scene as well as get into a Montana elk hunt and countless trips to the Texas coast for trout and redfish!

We wrap things up by covering the 2014 red snapper season, or should we say lack of a red snapper season after the Gulf Coast Fisheries Management Council released the dates for an 11 day red snapper season! For the 2nd year in a row the snapper season has been slashed in half. Down from 27 days in 2013 and all they from 180 days as recently as 2007. I figured we check in with a captain who has fished off the Texas coast for the majority of their life in order to get a first hand, on the water day in and day out perspective on the issue.

Captain Paul Eccleston has been fishing off the coast since the late 1970s. Not only does an 11 day season hurt plenty of Texas’ coastal fishing communities, but the recommendation seems to come completely out of left field without any regard to a sound scientific approach. Captain Eccleston breaks it down for us. (Giant schools of healthy red snapper are a common sight up and down the Texas coast)

We start this week by visiting with Pope and Young Club President Jim Willems. Founded in 1961, P&Y Club is one of America’s most influential and longest lasting hunting organizations. They have more than any other entity to promote the great sport of bowhunting. In this broadcast we get into the always controversial topic of high fences and there place in today’s hunting community.

I disagree with the club’s statement that all high fence hunting operations are “extreme examples of unethical hunting” and would argue that anyone who believes that is true has never chased whitetails on a 3000 acre high fence ranch. There is a common misconception among many hunters that folks in Texas just shake a feed bucket and the animals come running to you. Most Texans realize that is far from the case.

Jim and I discuss the reason for the club’s stance and you will hear why the Pope & Young Club has a long standing tradition of condemning all high fence hunting. Jim and I have a friendly discussion and also cover some other hunting scenarios that the club either deems acceptable or not. Whether you agree with the Pope & Young Club on this specific issue or not, it’s important to understand where they are coming from and that they have honest and good intentions for bowhunters everywhere. Jim with a beautiful buck harvested with traditional archery tackle:

Then, a real treat when the pride of Maypearl, Texas drops by the studio. Bart Crow burst onto the Texas music scene in 2005 and has since earned a reputation as one of the Lone Star State’s premiere singer/songwriters and live performers. Bart always has his guitar in tow so we’ll hear some great tunes and talk some hunting and fishing with this small town Texas native. Bart performing the title track and #1 single off his latest record”Dandelion” in the Lone Star Outdoors Show studio: