Dr. Robert “Rocky” Rockwell, a biology professor at City University of New York and one of North America’s leading authorities on snow geese, thinks this season could be a “spectacular” one for according to a report from Delta Waterfowl (Delta).

    “This is a huge production year,” said Rockwell, who was concerned about nesting success after last year’s dismal production.

     “This was the most bizarrely wet year I’ve ever seen up there. The birds nested 9 or 10 days earlier than normal, and as a result nest success was very high.”

   Delta reported the translation is goose hunters are staring down the barrel of what could be a banner fall flight.

    “Predicting hunting can be a fool’s errand, and I never like to do it, but the upcoming season appears to be shaping up awfully well,” said Delta Waterfowl President Rob Olson.

    “My message to goose hunters is this: get ready. The migration could be packed with young-of-the-year birds.”

    Rockwell agrees. He says high nest success means lots of juveniles will be making the flight south.

    “We’re talking about juvenile to adult ratios of 1.5 to 1,” Rockwell said3 “which means those puppies are going to be sucked right into decoy spreads. Harvest always goes up when you have a high juvenile-to-adult ratio, so I think there’s good opportunity and I think it’s going to be early, because geese are already moving south.”

   Beginning next week we will have migratory bird (duck, geese and dove) reports with our weekly fishing reports so come check with us before planning your hunts.

   Now onto the report…

   North Sabine---Redfish are fair to good in the marshes and bayous on cut and live mullet. Trout are fair under the birds early and late on live bait and spoons. Flounder are fair on pink jigs tipped with shrimp fished along the Louisiana shoreline.

    South Sabine---Capt. Phillip Samuels reports fair trout are good on mullet fished on a free line or Carolina Rig around drop-offs along with a few redfish. Very few reports of flounder.

    Sabine Pass---Trout and redfish are good around drop-offs on the channel on live mullet fished on a free line. Very few reports from the jetties and offshore.

    Sabine River---Trout are fair between the Dupont Outfall Canal and Middle Pass on the drop-offs on live mullet. Redfish are good on mullet and dead shrimp. Very few reports of flounder.

    Calcasieu (Big Lake )---The Hackberry Rod and Gun Club reports trout and redfish are good on live mullet and shrimp fished under popping corks over shell and under birds. Very few reports of flounder.

    Sam Rayburn---Texas Parks & Wildlife Department biologists report largemouths are good on black/blue flake soft plastic worms. White bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows over baited holes. Bream are fair on nightcrawlers. Catfish are good on trotlines baited with live bait and cut bait.

    Toledo Bend---Guide Jerry Thompson reports topwater action in the morning has been fun for the first hour of daylight but after that it is out to the deep holes. White bass have been schooling late in the evening and taking slab spoons and tailspins. Very few reports of crappie and catfish.

    Lake Livingston---Texas Parks & Wildlife Department officials report largemouths are good on spinnerbaits. Striped bass are good but small on Rat–L–Traps and Zara spooks. White bass are good on troll tubes, pet spoons, and green Charlie slabs. Crappie are good on minnows. Blue catfish are good on shad. Yellow catfish are slow.

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LAKE LEVELS

TOLEDO BEND: Normal Pool Level: 172.0 Current Pool Level: 167.30 Was 167.58

RAYBURN LAKE: Normal Pool Level: 164 Current Pool Level: 158.43 Was: 159.47

B.A. STEIN HAGEN: Normal Pool Level: 85 Current Pool Level: 82.56 Was: 82.54

    Chester Moore, Jr. is The News Outdoors Editor