March 25, 2013

National Tartan Day Set at Abilene State Park

TUSCOLA—The Celtic celebration lives on for weeks past Saint Patrick’s Day during the upcoming Second-Annual National Tartan Day Festival, scheduled for Sat. April 6 at Abilene State Park.

March 21, 2013

54.3-pound Blue Catfish Sets New Mark for Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center

ATHENS—Jordan Rethmeier of Garland and his father often fish in Lake Zebco, the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center’s stocked casting pond. They’ve caught some big catfish, but Saturday, March 16, produced the biggest yet, a new water body record blue catfish.

Louisiana Angler Lands Latest ShareLunker

ATHENS—Donald Deville of Ville Platte, Louisiana makes regular visits to Lake Fork with friends and family to fish for big bass, but he had never landed a double-digit fish.

March 20, 2013

Whooping Crane Migration Watch Gets Under Way

AUSTIN — Heralding an early start to spring, whooping cranes began breaking camp at wintering grounds in Texas sooner than usual and are making their way back north.

Get Ready for Summer Fun at Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center April 6

ATHENS—The annual Outdoor Fools Day event at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens has two goals: To let you know what’s out there to enjoy, and to teach you how to do it.

Lake Amon G. Carter Produces Toyota ShareLunker 546

ATHENS—Once again an angler has proved it’s not the size of the lake that counts, it’s the size of the fish in the lake—at least when it comes to catching big bass.

March 15, 2013

Learn to Mountain Bike and Camp Like a Pro

SAN FELIPE—Staff at Texas State Parks began the Texas Outdoor Family (TOF) program a few years ago to encourage more people to get outside and enjoy the sights and sounds of the Texas Outdoors—teaching entire groups of people the basics of camping and outdoor safety.

March 14, 2013

Lingering Aftereffects of Drought Could Impact Turkey Hunting

AUSTIN — Turkey hunters can focus their attention on coaxing old boss toms during the upcoming spring season, with relatively few gullible two-year-old birds available, but will also have to contend with curious jakes, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife biologists.

Possum Kingdom Fish Survey Results

ATHENS — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Inland Fisheries office in Wichita Falls recently completed fall electrofishing and spring gillnet surveys on Possum Kingdom Reservoir. Fisheries biologists use information from these surveys to develop plans for managing fish populations.

March 12, 2013

Smartphone App Now Available for Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center

ATHENS—More than 50 percent of Americans depend on mobile devices to communicate, navigate and recreate, and the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center now has an app for that.