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I received this news release several days ago from the good folks at the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. It brought to mind a macro photo I took last summer of a ruby dragonfly, a beautiful insect that upon close inspection sent me and my good friend, photographer Mark Hall of CoastalPhotos.net, scurrying for our Nikons.

After getting back home from the trip to Lavaca County, I did a little homework and learned that the species we encountered, the Ruby meadowhawk dragonfly (S. rubicundulum) is a common species. When I subsequently discovered that the creatures possess a decided affinity for mosquitoes as preferred menu offerings, I decided that I really like these colorful critters. Just about anything that eats mosquitoes is my buddy. It was not surprising to discover that the spindly, long-legged insects we call “mosquito hawks” are essentially dragonflies as well.

Interesting dragonfly facts: The largest known dragonfly buzzed above the rainforests of the massive collective continent “Pangaea” over 270 million years ago, during the Carboniferous period and had a wingspread of 29 inches. That is one big honkin’ bug.

The Ruby meadowhawk is actually a species of damselfly (a type of insect well known to trout stream fly-fishers who tie various fly patterns to mimic the aquatic stages of the insects’ development. Brook trout apparently like to eat damselflies as much as damselflies like to eat mosquitoes.

Like a magnified version of a house fly, the head of an adult dragonfly is largely comprised of the compound eyes. Being a popular food item for various birds, it’s no wonder that … like wild turkeys … these creatures are built for super-wide-angle vision. The dragonfly’s mouthparts are adapted for biting and for scooping prey from the air as they fly about. The insect’s spindly legs are located on the far-forward portion of its body and enable it to firmly grasp a nesting spot such as a twig (or, in the instance Hall and I encountered, the ball-rounded end of a radio antenna extending from the hood of a Chevy Suburban).

Not surprising to learn, either, was the fact that the Ruby meadowhawk dragonfly is generally tolerant of close observation. Mark and I were both amazed when the insect, after being alerted by our a-bit-too-close photo work, returned to the truck antenna to rest on several subsequent occasions. Wind was no deterrent, either. Its legs, like those of most insects, are incredibly strong in proportion to the size of the creature.

Males like the one Mark and I observed are apparently very territorial creatures, which perhaps explains the dragonfly’s stubborn persistence in staking out and maintaining his location.

If you find any of this even remotely interesting (and forgive me if you don’t, but the older I get, the more I enjoy learning this kind of thing), you will no doubt enjoy the event detailed in the press release that follows. Just think of it this way: Next time you go fishing at your local pond and Junior gets bored, you can always steer him (or

Read: Dragonfly Days Weekend, May 15-18, Showcases Colorful New Pursuit »

One development, and one usage tip regarding CoastalAnglers.com …

We have added the Texas Parks & Wildife Department’s Weekly Fishing Reports to our links. These reports do not go into great detail as a rule; however, they do give you a quick and up-front look at coastal (and freshwater) angling developments and trends as they occur.

Secondly, a lot of folks are missing a lot of the photos available via the CoastalAnglers.com photo gallery. The trick to seeing the entire lot is to check the bottom-right-hand side of the page, where you will see “2″ and “3,” (and soon, “4,” “5,” and so on) indicating the availability of many more images on these additional pages. Click on these numbers after viewing a chosen page, and you’ll be able to check out the latest photos posted to the site.

Now is the time to safety-check your boat, motor and trailer.

It’s raining like the dickens outside the office window here in Seabrook, and has shaped up to be … well, to put it bluntly, a lousy weekend for fishing, weather-wise. Rain is forecast to virtually go away by tomorrow, and possibly, this evening. Still, weekend winds are going to set the scene for rough and dirty waters, especially on the Upper Texas Coast. Now is a great time to take care of the boat-related ”gotta-dos” that you have been putting off all spring.

Some things are very easily overlooked. Not the least are related to trailer … a device that doesn’t seem too important until it causes problems. First of all, check the air level in your trailer tires. It’s amazing how much pressure they can lose just sitting in place. If you haven’t added grease to the trailer hubs in a while, get it done for that extra measure of insurance while pulling your boat down the highway. Also, check the power levels in your trolling motors and charge as needed. Ditto for

Read: TPWD Fishing Reports Added; Photo Gallery Viewing Note; Spring Boating Reminders »

This just in from veteran Gulf charterboat skipper Capt. Charles Foster of Blue Chip Charter Services of Sargent, Texas. Capt. Foster has been running Gulf trips for 27 years, and for the past 15 has been headquartered out of Sargent.

Capt. Foster and his wife (and, for all practical purposes, “co-captain,” seeing as how she can out-fish most of the guys I know in the blue-water arena) are extremely knowledgeable. Like many Gulf of Mexico regulars who operate out of Texas, the Fosters are extremely concerned with the current situation regarding red snapper management in Texas offshore waters.

I spent a good deal of time interviewing Dr. Larry McKinney, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department Director of Aquatic Resources, about the ongoing controversy during the recently-held Texas Outdoor Writers Association annual meeting in College Station.

It’s a complex story … one that, as I collect more information, I will share with you and everyone at CoastalAnglers.com. Meanwhile, in a nutshell, the federal government’s assessment of Gulf of Mexico red snapper stocks out of Texas, and TPWD’s own carefully-compiled data, are, to put it mildly, “at odds.”

The federal data is largely gleaned from information garnered via snapper population surveys conducted on the Eastern Gulf waters of Alabama and Florida. It’s a whole different region with, according to TPWD, a wholly different situation in terms of snapper abundance. TPWD, I am proud to report, is holding firm in its stance against the feds’ questionable data and regulations. McKinney is currently in meetings with federal representatives, and again, as I gather more information on this controversial and complex scenario, I will pass it on.

Read: Red Snapper Town Hall Meeting Slated for April 25 at UH Clear Lake »

This just in from Rob McCorkle of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. For those who maintain (and usually, correctly) that “nothing is free,” TPWD’s no-charge state park fishing is a wonderful exception to the rule.

Free Fishing, Events and More

AUSTIN, Texas — In Texas, fishing and warmer weather go together like chips and salsa. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department wants those already “hooked” on fishing and newcomers to the sport to keep in mind that Texas state park waters offer ideal and economical spots for pursuing the family-friendly sport.
This year marks the fifth year of the Free Fishing in State Parks program that waives fishing license and stamp requirements within more than 50 Texas state parks. To capitalize on the program, which has been extended through Aug. 31, 2008, a dozen state parks are hosting “Free Fishing in State Parks” events where participants learn fishing skills, angling rules and regulations, have a chance to hook a fish and perhaps win door prizes such as rods and reels.
“Allowing free fishing in our state parks serves the dual purpose of reaching out to people who are not traditional fishing license holders by removing barriers to the sport and providing another incentive to visit a state park,” says state parks promotions coordinator Bryan Frazier.
“We’re getting good feedback from the parks and participants that this has become a popular program and something park visitors truly appreciate because it encourages a family activity like fishing,” Frazier says. “We’re happy to offer the opportunity that goes to the mission of state parks and our agency to connect people to outdoor activities, such as fishing, that brings families together.”
Statistics gathered last year by TPWD show that 44 Free Fishing in State Parks events reached more than 1,500 adults and youth. Of that number, 28 percent of the youngsters surveyed had never fished before and 43 percent of the adults noted they had never been to the host park before. TPWD hopes that will translate into future fishing licenses and equipment sales.
Thanks to various sponsors such as Gander Mountain, fishing event participants walk away not only with newly acquired fishing skills, such as learning how to tie and bait a hook, but also with freshwater and saltwater fishing guides, water bottles, lures, fishing photo magnets, visors, fishing rods and other giveaways.
Choke Canyon State Park fishing event coordinator Darwin Klontz tallied 34 kids and 21 adults at the park’s March “Reel Family Fishing Fun” event that he publicized locally through promotional flyers and a radio public service announcement. Three similar events are scheduled at Choke Canyon for April 19, May 31 and June 12.

Read: No-Charge Angling Privileges at Select Texas State Parks »

 They run in schools, but they don’t get nearly as large as their speckled cousins. They’re aggressive feeders, prone to feeding binges that will help an angler of any skill level collect a fair-sized freezer bag of fillets in very short order. Like speckled trout, they have onion-skin-thin mouths, and are pretty adept at throwing jigheads free when too much pressure is applied.
 People compare sand trout to speckled trout all the time, but there is really no reason to do so. The silvery little carnivores hold their own just fine; thank you.
 My brothers and I grew up fishing the Pelican Island and Galveston Jetty area with my dad, the late Bill Bozka, Sr. of Pearland. Dad knew what it took to keep kids interested in fishing … action, and lots of it.
 In turn, the hordes of sandies that occasionally roamed beneath the pilings of the Pelican Island obliged by providing us countless catches.
 What Cynoscion arenarius lacks in size, it makes up in quantity. (Just in case taxonomy is your thing, the speckled trout goes by the Latin moniker Cynoscion nebulosus.)
 The current state record stands at 6.25 pounds. I have seen, at the largest, sand trout that weighed almost half that much. Again, though, catching these prolific speedsters is not a matter of trophy-seeking, but instead one of sheer, productive fun.
 Sand trout fillets do not hold up well in the freezer, even when vacuum-packed. But for a family or neighborly fish fry, I’ll put fresh sand trout up against any fish that swims, especially when fried with a light coat of corn meal in a searing pan of peanut oil.
 On occasion… and when I am feeling particularly health-minded … I’ll take the fresh fillets, dredge them in olive oil, apply a moderate sprinkling of the ever-versatile Tony Cachere seasoning and drop them into a hot frying pan, leaving them on the stove just long enough to turn one side white, flip the fillet, and do the same with the other.
 That recipe, by the way, works equally well with not only speckled trout fillets, but also the fillets of virtually any edible fish. Using that process, I can have a trout cleaned, with an electric knife, in all of a minute (the sand trout is very easy to fillet, as like the speck, it does not have the large and much stouter bones of redfish, snapper and other like species).
 I rinse off the fillets, apply the olive oil, put them in the lightly-oiled pan … again, lightly seasoned (use whatever spice mix you prefer) … and have the fisherman’s version of

Read: The Feisty, Tasty Sand Trout is Well Worth a Cast »