Passport to Texas

Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

Next time you’re in the untamed outdoors, and want to attract native wildlife – kiss the palm of your hand.

[kissing sound] I can do that to a bobcat that’s sitting out there behind a bush at a hundred yards, and it’ll start him towards me almost immediately. It just sounds delicious.

Delicious like a rodent. Gerald Stewart is a consultant for Johnny Stewart wildlife calls. Gerald’s father, Johnny, created a business featuring recorded animal sounds.

Dad realized early on in the development of the business, that these sounds could be used by quite a wide variety of people. Photographers, nature lovers, bird watchers, hunters, researchers, or people that just want to simply show their grandkids [raccoon call] the eyes of a raccoon coming through the grass at night…just for the joy of being able to see something wild, literally a few feet away from them.

Screech owls are common in residential neighborhoods, and are a good animal to call when you’re with children.

[screech owl]

It’s easier to call screech owls with children around. Screech owls are a gregarious little bird, very social. And will put up with human presence. After a minute or two of being there, humans can just start talking and milling around and the little screech owl just sits in the tree.

Learn about native wildlife by logging onto the Texas Parks and Wildlife web site.

That’s our show for today. For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Sport Fish Restoration Program

A day of fishing is one of the simplest, most relaxing, and inexpensive outings you and your family can experience together. If your family’s never gone fishing before… and think it’s something you’d like to try…or if you used to fish, but haven’t been in a long time… and want to brush up on your knowledge…Texas Parks and Wildlife offers free fishing clinics at state parks during the Family Fishing Celebration.

It’s just been a wonderful program around all of these different state parks that are participating in our family fishing celebration. It’s been a wonderful experience for everyone.

Ann Miller, who oversees angler education, says the kiddos will find the clinics especially appealing because of added incentives.

They can win a first fish award if they are catching their first fish. Many of them will receive learning materials, such a fish identification cards. They might also even get a chance to win some pretty nice door prizes by becoming involved in these clinics. So, they’re a lot of fun. Kids will have a great time. They’ll come with probably some fishing gear to get themselves started with, too.

Visit passporttotexas.org for a list of fishing clinics around the state.

That’s our show…sponsored by the Sport Fish Restoration Program… funded by your purchase of fishing equipment and motor boat fuels…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti

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Passport to Texas from Texas parks and Wildlife and the Sport Fish Restoration Program

During spring break you got a taste of what it’s going to be like when the kids are out of school this summer. How will you and the kiddos fill the days on end of “free time” to come?

We at Texas Parks and Wildlife suggest a relaxing, entertaining, and low cost activity you and your family can take to the bank. It’s a little something we like to call fishing.

And all month long you’ll find free fishing clinics at state parks where you can hone your skills.

Even though we gear these clinics primarily for children…we’re, of course, encouraging parents to be there with their children. And what I think is really fun is to watch the parents become just as engaged at these clinics as the children are.

Ann Miller oversees angler education.

Once of the activities people will be able to participate in is learning about fishing regulations. A lot of people, we realize, don’t know when it is that you need to have a fishing license. So, they’ll be able to find that out. They’ll be able to find out about size and bag limits for different species of fish in the state, and at different locations. So, we’ll also be teaching about fishing safety. We want everyone to get out there and enjoy our resources… fish… have fun…and be safe on the water.

Visit passporttotexas.org for a list of fishing clinics taking place statewide.

That’s our show…sponsored by the Sport Fish Restoration Program… funded by your purchase of fishing equipment and motor boat fuels.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti

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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Sport Fish Restoration Program

Careful fisheries management by Texas Parks and Wildlife has created a healthy, abundant, and enviable largemouth bass population in Lake Fork in east Texas.

I’ll tell you what. The Texas State [largemouth] record is 18 pounds point 18 ounces. And I was with Dave Terry – an expert at Texas Parks and Wildlife who knows that lake very well… and asked him, Dave, is the Texas state record out there swimming in Lake Fork? And he said, Gene, there’s over a hundred bass in that lake that would smash that world record.

Gene Ellison is Executive Director of the Professional Anglers Association. April 13 through 14, 160 professional bass anglers will take part in the Toyota Texas Bass Classic at Lake Fork.

These anglers are coming to not only to fish this lake, they’re also fishing for a million dollar prize purse. So, there’s a lot of money at stake here. In addition, if we set a brand new state record during this event it means an additional hundred thousand dollars cash to that angler, plus a fully rigged top of the line bass boat.

But big money and big bass aren’t the only reasons to be at Lake Fork April 13 through 15.

There will be fun things going on all three days. We have six country western live acts, including Clay Walker and Tracy Lawrence, including four other well known country musicians. And this is free admission. So, there’ll be things to do all day long with the kids. There will be wonderful entertainment until dusk, and we want everybody to come out and have a great time with us.

Find more information at passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show for today…supported by the Sport Fish Restoration Program…funded by your purchase of fishing equipment and motor boat fuel.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti

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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Sport Fish Restoration Program

Bass anglers nationwide are anxiously awaiting the start of the Toyota Texas Bass Classic at Lake Fork in east Texas.

Boy, I’ll tell ya…as an avid tournament angler, we’re all drooling to go fish Lake Fork.

Gene Ellison is Executive Director of the Professional Angler’s Association. The tournament will take place April 13-15.

There are one hundred sixty of us coming down that have qualified to fish this event. And the population of bass in this lake is remarkable. Both in size and in volume.

Many of the lunkers – largemouth bass 13 pounds and over donated to the Sharelunker Program – came from this lake, and have been used as brood stock.

And these giant fish are going to be showcased by these 160 top anglers. The quality of the fish that they catch is going to be remarkable.

This tournament is unique for a couple of reasons: it’s the first time a tournament’s happened at Lake Fork, and anglers will have to work in four man teams…

We’re going to have two guys going out on the water, interpret the water they receive from the two men coming off of the water, and determine how they can best help their team. Also, every fish that’s caught during this tournament that’s less than 24-inches long, will be measured lengthwise, their weight will be recorded, and they will be immediately released. This has never happened in professional bass fishing before.

More on the Bass Classic tomorrow.

That’s our show for today…supported by the Sport Fish Restoration Program…funded by your purchase of fishing equipment and motor boat fuel.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti

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