Short Story Break....

Upcoming Duck Season is near with the following dates noted in the 2009-2010 Texas Waterfowl Digest:

• High Plains Mallard Management Unit - Regular Gun: Oct.24-25 and Oct.30-Jan.24


• North Zone - Regular Gun: Oct.31-Nov.29 and Dec.12-Jan.24


• South Zone - Regular Gun: Oct.31-Nov.29 and Dec.12-Jan.24

Note: Refer to the 2009-2010 Texas Waterfowl Digest for additional restrictions/guidelines on Mottled Ducks, Falconry Season, and Youth Hunter additional days.

FYI: While waiting for the Season to start, ran across a short story by Zeke Rutledge recently published on Associated Content:
Ten Minutes: Short Story About a Decorated Veteran's Return Home.

8 Bass on an Oliver Wooley Bugger.

Fished Bethany Lakes this evening. Caught eight Bass flyfishing a "guess" - an Olive Wooley Bugger. Gotta like it! Click-on COAF Fishing Leader Board to checkout top fish caught this year by our readers.

Two Little Bass on a Roadrunner.

Fished Bethany Lakes this evening. Caught two Bass using a White Roadrunner Curlytail Jig on spinning gear. Saw a few chasing the Jig but no solid hook-ups. Also, saw a Bruiser cruising the shallows! Click-on COAF Fishing Leader Board to checkout top fish caught this year by our readers.

Five Bass on a Roadrunner.

Fished Bethany Lakes this evening. Caught five Bass using a White Roadrunner Curlytail Jig on spinning gear. Fish were active and readily striking jigs bounced off the bottom. New pattern may be emerging with the weather changes. Click-on COAF Fishing Leader Board to checkout top fish caught this year by our readers.

Roadrunner and Wooley Bugger Rig.

Fished Bethany Lakes this morning. Caught one Bass using a Roadrunner and Wooley Bugger Rig on spinning gear. Had a couple more hits but no hookups!

Click-on COAF Fishing Leader Board to checkout top fish caught this year by our readers.

Rainy Day with more Ahead!

Forecast says rain and more rain. Did manage to stop by one of the ponds just off Luna Road and the George Bush Tollway. Had fished the pond several years ago and caught a few Bass and a Crappie then. This trip was a tough go with no luck using the Olive Wooley Bugger. Switched to a White Roadrunner Jig and had a couple of strikes but nothing solid. Kept casting but ended up breaking the line and losing the Jig. Even worse, it was the last one in the tackle box. Tried other lures but did not get another strike. Did see fish active off one point and something large was breaking/splashing on the surface frequently. Need to try the pond again; it looks promising. Click-on COAF Fishing Leader Board to checkout top fish caught this year by our readers.

No Luck This Morning.

Fished Bethany Lakes before the rain hit this morning. No luck on the Roadrunner. Better luck next time. Did post a couple of HubPage articles for our partner site - Duck Hunting Field Notes.

• Duck Hunting Texas - Public Lands FAQ#1
• Duck Hunting Texas - Public Lands FAQ#2

Check them out some time!

Six Bass On A Roadrunner.

Fished Bethany Lakes this evening. Caught 6 Bass and lost another while landing it. Used spinning gear and a White Curly Tail Roadrunner. Looks like it worked today! Click-on COAF Fishing Leader Board to checkout top fish caught this year by our readers.

Cool Temps with a Bass and Bluegill Caught this AM

Fished Bethany Lakes and caught a little Bass and a Bluegill on an Olive Wooley Bugger. Fast retrieve worked again this morning. Cooler temps in the high 40's/low 50's. Click-on COAF Fishing Leader Board to checkout top fish caught this year by our readers.

September 27, 2009 - One Duck in the Flock!

Made it out to the lake for the last day of Early Teal Season. Teal were moving in the early morning but only one came within range and buzzed the decoys at first light.

Watched others skirting the trees along the shore with one flock heading to a group of hunters. From the shots, it sounded like they connected.

Well past light, a flock of five Teal came out of nowhere, eyed the decoys, and then cupped their wings and came into the set in line with the Roboduck. Managed to bag one - a Green Winged Teal!

Had several more chances but was too slow, not accurate, moon and stars were not aligned. Bottom-line: Shoot one duck in the flock....