OutdoorVariety

Are you looking for some hunting from a blind or with dogs? Are you looking to stay in any particular area of the state?

Seems that redfish are fairly hot this time of year. I. Haven't made it that far up the coast yet, but if you drowned some croaker in the flats or intracoastal you're bound to hook up with a few 30 inchers.

The annual Poco Bueno Fishing Tournament was held this past weekend in Port O'Connor, Texas and Outdoor Variety was there to document the catch. The marlin up top weighed in at 493.5 pounds and was the big catch this year. Many more offshore fish were entered, like the nice stringer of dolphin, tuna, and wahoo below it. It is said that this is the biggest payout tournament in Texas, and I believe it. Big boats, big fish, good times.

Had a pretty slow day on the Texas coast at Port O'Connor last Friday, just a couple of speckled trout and a few small sharks fishing live croaker while wading. Regardless, a good time was had, and here is a photo of one of the trout.

Limb lining has been around as long as I've been out there. It requires you to tie up your own lines, and we usually fish with 1-3 hooks per line, with a weighted bottom. You can run and check them as often as you like, what we do is a morning run and rebait followed by noon and late evening runs. On this particular trip we used cut liver and live perch when available with some dead shad. If you are able to mix up a batch of soured maize, you'll be able to tear up the channel cats. While boat fishing, just pour a few cups of your recipe in the water and rod and reel fish over the spot. That should call them in. We have channel cats, blues, and yellow. Channel cats usually prefer dead bait like worms, liver, cut shad. Blues and yellows almost always prefer live perch, and if you happen to find some live crawfish, that's a safe bet. I have caught all three types of catfish on the above mentioned limb lines with the bait recommended. If you do make your own lines, I suggest circle hooks: the fish bite and stay on. I hope this helps a little.

Just a little 8 pound blue from Choke Canyon this past weekend caught on cut bait off of a limb line. Probably in 20 feet of water next to the Frio River channel.

More videos at HSOshow.com A film I created for a guide friend down on the Texas coast.

Caught this nice 13 pound yellow cat this morning off of a single hook limb line baited last night with live perch on the Colorado River. Pulled in two smaller cats as well. A full moon and a bum motor didn't dampen our spirits.

Just a little goose calling video.

Here's a Texas turkey hunt from a couple of years ago. We're going to see who we can call up this year. More videos at HSOshow.com[/hsoshow]

Once upon a time I messed up and taught this gal how to fish. Now, she can out fish me! I got lucky and ended the day with a few more than her, but only because I hit a few good spots and I knew I wouldn't be able to take the ridicule. I'd watch out, she gets cranky when she doesn't catch and someone else is....

This was yesterday. Got a report from a friend that went today, he got a 25 fish limit.

Plenty of crappie. There are decent amounts in the creek in which we fished yesterday, but I rarely tie into them for whatever reason. Choke Canyon (1 hr from Cuero) has a good crappie population, and I'm sure Coleto Creek Lake may have some as well. Regardless, I'm sure we can find you some. Meanwhile, below you can see some nice whites we caught yesterday, 14 in all. They were doing good on white grubs and off white shad lures. Had to work hard for them, though.

More videos at HSOshow.com[/hsoshow] Figured we should get a little Texas coastal fishing thread going since it's getting to be that time of year. So, in preparation, here's something from my 30th birthday party.

It's time to catch some whites in the creeks and rivers on their annual spawn run. Heading over to Yegua Creek which feeds Lake Sommerville this week to see what I can do. Plenty of reports coming out of full stringers of fish (crappie, too) so hopefully I'll have some photos and video to share soon.