Texas Tarpon & Flats Fishing

I love the Higher Calling Gulf Coast podcast. I listened to your flats fishing series parts 1 and 2 and was fascinated with the concept of the Flats Slam. With that said I have some questions. Obviously, we have tarpon in Texas, but are there any bonefish and permit? If they are, they must be rare. Also, if you had to create a Texas flats slam based on fish availability what would it be?

Walt Woods

Editor: Thanks for listening to the podcast. Since we debuted it last year (sponsored by Texas Fish & Game) we have had great response. There are tarpons and permit in Texas but they are super rare. There are only a few instances of each caught here. Actually, Capt. Brian Barrera whom we interviewed on the tarpon episode of the Flats Slam series had a client catch a bonefish and another a tarpon. I’m researching an article on the presence of both in the northern Gulf for a future article.

On the Texas Flats Slam, that would be hard. If we’re just sticking with game fish present on our flats, the tarpon from the real flats slam would qualify, but you would probably have to put in a redfish for sure, and then a black drum. You can sight cast to both on the flats in Texas.

I say we leave the real flats slam alone. I love reds and drum but there is no comparison in the fight department and elusiveness of bonefish and permit.

Crappie Vs. Flounder

Crappie and flounder will both “thump” a jig. It’s a very specific thumping feel. In your opinion, Mr. Moore, which has the superior thump?

Dane Sanderson

Editor: Both do thump, but I have found it’s only the bigger crappies that tend to give a “thump,” and all flounders do. I’m gonna go with flounder on this one. I’ve had some hit super hard. The hardest thump I’ve ever had however, was flounder fishing but it wasn’t a flounder. I had a curl-tailed grub tipped with shrimp working it along the bottom in Bridge Bayou on Sabine Lake and got a mega thump. I mean hard! I set the hook and at first it ran like a flounder but soon revealed itself to be a six foot alligator. It broke the line soon thereafter.

Hogzilla

We named this hog “Hogzilla!”  (pictured) Hogzilla lived in Lavaca County in Texas. He was captured on a game camera on June 20, 2020. I was happy to take him during the late muzzle loader season in January 2021.

Allen Larson

Conservation Commitment

I want to personally thank Texas Fish & Game for its involvement with CCA, National Wild Turkey, Ducks Unlimited and the other groups you promote on your pages. Thank you very much for a serious commitment to conservation. Others talk it, but as far as I see TF&G walks it. With that said, I know Chester Moore is a member of numerous groups. Would he mind listing the conservation groups he belongs to?

Kaci Dickinson

Editor: Thanks for your kind words. Roy and Ardia Neves have always been willing to partner with conservation groups and also let me push the envelope on those issues. I belong to a bunch of groups so, here’s the list.

The Wild Sheep Foundation, Texas Bighorn Society, Houston Safari Club Foundation, Dallas Safari Club, Ducks Unlimited, Coastal Conservation Association, National Wild Turkey Federation (including Montgomery County Chapter), Bonefish & Tarpon Trust, Trout Unlimited, Idaho Wild Sheep Foundation, Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation, Rocky Mountain Bighorn Society and Bear Trust International.

 

Email your comments to: editor@fishgame.com

 

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