Officials with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) have announced that an alligator harvest will be conducted on the Anahuac and McFaddin National Wildlife Refuges (NWR) September 10-20.

According to the Refuge Complex Project Leader Tim Cooper, the primary objective of the harvest is to maintain Refuge alligator populations while reducing negative effects on other wildlife species and protecting refuge infrastructure.

“Alligator hide tags per individual will be determined following quotas set by the State of Texas. Permits will be issued for the 2008 season, with possible extensions for up to four additional years. Hunters are required to have at least one helper and must trap every day during the refuges 10 day

season until tags are filled. Special regulations will be in effect,” Service officials reported.

Experienced alligator hunters, 18 years of age or older, interested in receiving a permit application and/or further information can contact the Anahuac NWR office in Anahuac, TX 409-267-3337 or the McFaddin NWR office, (409) 971-2909.

Applications are also available online at http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/texas/anahuac or http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/texas/mcfaddin.

Completed applications must be received at the Anahuac NWR office by 4 pm July 21.

Permits will be issued to individuals selected in a random drawing from the pool of qualified applicants at 7:00 pm on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2008 at the American Legion Hall located at Fort Anahuac Park in Anahuac.

Now onto the report…

North Sabine/Neches River — Capt. Mike Morgan reports trout are good on live bait and light colored plastics fished under birds and along the Louisiana shoreline. Redfish are mixed with the trout and are starting to school. Flounder are good on live shad and mud minnows fished along the Louisiana shoreline.

South Sabine — Capt. Phillip Samuels reports trout and reds are good on the main lake around schools of shad taking Gulp shrimp, Rat-L-Traps and a variety of soft plastics. Flounder are fair to good along the Louisiana shoreline on live mud minnows.

Sabine Pass — The jetties are good for trout on live bait fished under a popping cork and by drifting plastics in the Louisiana Pocket area. Redfish up to 40 pounds are good at the Texas rocks on live mullet and croaker. King mackerel and ling are good around the rigs along with large numbers of sharks.

Sabine River — Flounder action in the river has improved over the last week with some nice fish caught from the Port of Orange south to Middle Pass on chartreuse and pear colored plastics tipped with shrimp and shad. Bass are good on small topwaters fished in the bayous around water exchanges and schooling shad. Very few reports of catfish this week.

Calcasieu (Big Lake ) — The Hackberry Rod and Gun Club reports trout are good at night on live bait and glow-colored shrimp imitations fished under green lights. The short rigs on calm days are producing some nice trout on Gulp shrimp and a variety of plastics. Topwaters are taking trout and reds along the shorelines early and late. Redfish remain good on soft plastic shrimp and shad fished along the southern shoreline. Flounder are fair to good in the channel at Cameron on live bait on incoming tides and the first two hours of outgoing tides.

Rayburn Lake — Guide Roger Bacon reports good action for bass late in the evenings and at night on dark colored worms and spinners fished in six to 10 feet of water. During the heat of the day anglers are taking some nice bass on main lake points on crankbaits and Gulp worms on a Carolina rig. Crappie remain good on main lake brush on live shiners. Catfish are fair on nightcrawlers fished around baited boat docks.