PORT ARTHUR — One of the greatest blessings of having this column for so long is that I get so much feedback from the readers.

The outdoors lovers of the Southeast Texas region are passionate about the subject matter and are always seeking more information or sharing their own experiences.

Every couple of months I will get a group of similar questions and enough interesting comments and anecdotes to share with everyone.

Here we go…

Q: Is there any truth to the rumor there was a speckled trout bigger than the current state record taken in an electroshock survey conducted in Sabine Lake?

A: Variations of this rumor have been around for nearly a decade but the short answer is “no”. Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) biologists use electroshock surveys at inland fishing destinations like Toledo Bend reservoir to survey bass and other fish. These types of surveys are not used in saltwater because it does not conduct electricity the way freshwater does. They do however use gill nets and to my knowledge there has never been a 15 plus pound trout caught in one of the local TPWD nets.

Q: What is the best bait for catfish in our local bayous?

A: There are a variety of baits that work for catfish. On trotlines cut mullet works best especially when fishing specifically for blues. For rod and reel fishermen chicken liver is hard to beat. Channel catfish in particular gobble it up, especially when fishing under a float.

Reader Comment: Longtime reader J.B. Arrington (of JB’s BBQ Fame) sent in an interesting note about dealing with rats eating grain. This can be problematic for anyone stockpiling deer corn or that owns a farm.

“Rats as big as yearling possums were devastating our barns by eating our livestock feeds. They chewed, gnawed and consumed electric wires on generators, tractors and electric lights,” he wrote. “Poison waters and baits of every kind including bananas, cheese, peanut butter, meats of every kind including barbecue were used to no solution. We had the help of Dr. Roy Stanford the Orange County Agriculture Agent. He researched through the Texas A&M and various sources.

“Finally after everything failed we tried the old-time remedy for a variety of problems. Sulphur was the answer. We set out several gallon buckets half full of sulphur in closed barns, lighted them, evacuated ourselves and dogs for the dense fogging. The remedy worked, due to Roy’s research and our action. Old-timers were smart.”

Arrington concluded it might also be applicable to flies, roaches and mosquitoes.

Q: Are buffalo (fish) and gaspergou the same fish? I have never caught either but hear about them all the time.

A: Buffalo are a type of suckerfish that grow to huge proportions. Bow fishermen at Sam Rayburn routinely shoot them up to 30 pounds and they grow even larger. Gaspergou are a freshwater drum that basically looks like the black drum caught commonly in local saltwater areas without the dark coloration. Think silver drum and you have the gaspergou.

Q: You write a lot about finding animals in unusual places like the axis deer you had in last week’s Critter Cam. Of your personal animal sightings what shocked you the most?

A: I once had a white elk show up on my game camera on my deer lease in Deweyville. In fact, I have been thinking about dusting that 10-year-old photo off and showing it as a retro Critter Cam or something. It’s cool. Honestly, however, I was much more shocked when the first animal I saw during my trip to fish Lake Guri in Venezuela was a whitetail deer. I was thinking how exciting it would be to see tapirs, spider monkeys and anacondas and I walked right upon a whitetail doe. That region is the southernmost part of their range.

(To contact Chester Moore, e-mail him at cmooreoutdoors@yahoo.com. You can hear him on “Moore Outdoors” Fridays from 6-7 p.m. on Newstalk AM 560 KLVI or online at www.klvi.com)