Sports 471
Rattlesnake Encounters While Fishing
If you spend enough time wade fishing or island-hopping along the Texas Coast, you’ll eventually encounter one of our most misunderstood yet dangerous neighbors—the rattlesnake. From Galveston southward, these snakes are part of the coastal landscape, and their numbers seem to grow the farther down the coast you go. The thickest concentrations occur from the
Marsh Restoration Happening Near Port Arthur
Deep in Jefferson County, Texas, something exciting is happening. The J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area (WMA), a sprawling 24,250-acre tapestry of fresh, intermediate, and brackish marshes near Port Arthur, is getting the restoration it desperately needs. These aren’t just any wetlands. They’re part of the legendary Chenier Plain, the westernmost reach of the Mississippi River delta
Lures & Tips For Texas Fall Flounder
When the first cool mornings of October touch the Texas coast, anglers know it’s time to start thinking about flounder. Few fish mark the change of seasons quite like these flat ambushers, and for many fishermen, fall flounder runs are the highlight of the year. The trick to consistent success is understanding timing, tide, and
Fishing Slicks Can Be Super Effective If…
Along the Texas coast, slicks are one of the most dependable clues an angler can use to locate feeding speckled trout and redfish. A slick appears as a shiny, oily patch on the water’s surface — created when predators regurgitate bits of baitfish or shrimp during a feeding frenzy. To the trained eye, these patches
Forgotten Super Speckled Trout of Texas
In the mid-1980s, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) undertook one of its boldest stocking experiments. Between 1984 and 1987, officials released thousands of orangemouth corvina (Cynoscion xanthulus) into Calaveras and Braunig Lakes—two San Antonio power plant cooling reservoirs. The intent was to create a new, exotic sport fishery alongside the already-thriving red drum stockings.
Texas Archery-Only Whitetail Season Opener
Whitetail deer hunters heading to blinds for the archery-only season should experience another great opener this year. Bucks during this time of year gather in bachelor groups and provide plenty of hunting opportunities before the rut kicks off. Texas began the growing season under drought conditions in March, but much of the state received abundant
Night Vision Gear for Boats: The Ultimate in Cool!
In the last blog we talked about fishing at night from your boat, and a while back we discussed the latest in night vision gear for boats. Well, hold the phone and stop the presses. FLIR has a new marine monocular that will be of interest to anyone who casts off the lines after dark:
Texas’s notorious Offshore Catches
Surprisingly, fishing the Gulf of Mexico off Texas is often a possibility. While the majority of anglers go fishing for the well-known red shrimp, king mackerel, or dorado, occasionally a boat gets into something unexpected. These captures are unique when they occur, but they don’t frequently. Here’s a summary of a few of the odd
Forecast for Texas’s upcoming harvest winter
Teal hunting season kicks off Sept. 20 and for the first time in nearly 20 years, Texas waterfowl hunters face a shortened early season. The Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and Canadian Wildlife Service in May of 2024 estimated the blue-winged teal breeding population at
Super-Easy Shark Fish
Who enjoys catching sharks? Everyone! Whether you’re a trophy hunter hoping to catch the biggest shark in Texas or a kid ready to tangle with an apex predator, there’s an excellent chance seeing a shark on the end of the line will trigger an adrenaline rush. And while the pros will certainly have some advanced
TPWD Hosting Suicide Awareness Ruck Hikes
Throughout September, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) will host Veteran Suicide Awareness Ruck Hikes at Texas State Parks and State Natural Areas, and all military, veterans, family and friends are invited to participate. “This will be our third consecutive year hosting these events, and it’s been growing,” said Nicole Mechler, TPWD military and
CCA Texas Makes Major Donation To Support Oyster License Buyback
Marking a major step toward reducing pressure in an overcapitalized oyster fishery, Coastal Conservation Association Texas (CCA Texas) was instrumental in facilitating the most consequential oyster license buyback round in the state’s history that will reduce harvest pressure and help restore balance to the resource. From March to May 2025, the Texas Parks and Wildlife
