Pat

Rinker’s Boat World demonstrated its ‘95 line on February 25-26 at Del Lago Marina. The show was open to the public and boaters came from Houston, Dallas and New Orleans to see what the boat dealer is offering this year. Twelve of Rinker’s boats were shown from the...

The Lake Conroe Restocking Association, the Lake Conroe Marina Association, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Texas Parks & Wildlife Department are continuing their efforts to improve fisheries habitat at Lake Conroe. Working together, these organizations...

Wesley Russell was born a fisherman. His father, Don, gave him a rod-and-reel when he was born and destiny was fulfilled when Wesley recently became the Texas State Champion of Bassmaster Casting Kids at the age of six. The tournament trail began on Lake Conroe in...

Going from Winter to Summer without having much of a Spring seems to be a common subject among fishermen. The intricate patterns of Springtime fishing were blurred by the prevailing twenty to thirty-five mile per hour winds that blew from the end of February through...

Southern Bass Tournament Association is relatively a new around here and it sure has caught on to anglers in Texas and Louisiana. The association was introduced to the public at the Houston Summer Boat Show of 1993 and fishermen did not hesitate to join in the...

Ed Parten, Randy Kindler, Ray Scott and several other local fishermen recently held a telephone fundraising campaign to raise money for the Tennessee Valley Authority for the rent of their Mechanical Harvester used on Lake Bastrop to demonstrate the need in Texas for...

The Sunshine Kids held their fishing tournament on Saturday, August 6, at Stow-Away Marina. The Sunshine Kids is a national non-profit organization for children with cancer. They offer a variety of activities to the children, their siblings and parents because they...

Fishermen everywhere see the need for aquatic vegetation. It provides food for fish, improves water quality of fisheries and it provides cover for bass fingerlings to hide from their prey, allowing them to grow into trophy-size adults. However, most anglers and water...

Scientists in freshwater regions throughout Texas have been wrestling with the problem posed by an exotic, invading weed called Hydrilla. This plant is not native to Texas, but, according to biologists of the Louisville Aquatic Ecosystem Research Facility (LAERF), was...

Lake Conroe is a popular lake for boating, fishing, camping and just relaxing. Eric Howard, a Game Warden of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department assigned to Montgomery County, calls the lake “Houston’s Playground” because it is located just an...

Our supply of drinking water in Texas is under a serious threat of contamination by pollution from our cities and rural areas. Farmers use chemicals on their farmland that run off into nearby rivers and lakes and eventually contaminate drinking water. Environmentalist...

Darin Murphy is still the Prop Doctor, with 16 years experience repairing boat propellers and doing business in the Houston area. There are a few significant changes in his business this year, however. First, his main location has moved. He is now on the west side of...

Aquatic vegetation affects everyone who uses the lake. Anglers adore it for its use in providing refuge and food for sportfish. Recreational boaters abhor it because it gets tangled in their boat propellers and water skis. However you feel about it, one thing is...

Aquatic vegetation has been dubbed many names. Some curse it because their boat propellers or water skis get caught in it. Leonard Ranne of Texas Black Bass Unlimited calls it “the salvation of our fisheries.” Many anglers share his attitude, but the truth is that...

Lake Conroe is a very popular Texas lake for boaters, jet skiers, and fishermen alike. Less than an hour’s drive from any part of Houston, it is a favorite getaway location for Houstonians. It is also a lake that has taken extra precautions in protecting those who use...

Aquatic vegetation affects every fisherman in every body of water. It attracts fish seeking shelter and harbors food for fish. It generally serves to clear the water and improve the quality of the water. I spoke to several fishermen, both professional and weekender...

Nestled in the rolling hills of the farms and ranches near Brenham is a lake that offers a place to play and a place to relax just 90 miles from the hassles of Houston. Lake Somerville covers 11,460 acres and has 85 miles of shoreline. It provides water for the area...

The World Wide Web now has several new “pages” to offer you surfers of the ‘net. Outdoor enthusiasts can find information on some of the best hunting and fishing in the world! Pat McCarty, who has brought The Texas Sportsguide to the world through the Internet, has...

Michael Eugene Smith was an adult who felt it unnecessary to wear his life jacket on that final day on Lake Conroe. After all, the boat was only moving at seven to eight MPH and he and his friends were only about 100 yards from shore in their 12’ johnboat. But Michael...

Jumpin’ Jahozephat!! You’ve found the fish! Just as fast as you can get ’em in the boat, you’ve got your limit! It only took you seven and a half minutes to land 18 stripers once you found the fish and now, at 8:15 AM, you’re through for the day. You haven’t even...

Considered by many to be the best fishing reservoir in the South, Toledo Bend has a great deal to offer sportsmen from both Texas and Louisiana. Snowbirds from the Midwest and anglers from all points flock to the warm waters of the largest man-made reservoir in the...