June 2019 Volume 21, Issue 6 Club Meeting Thursday, June 20 Northwest Recreation Center Jack Lehman’s grandson 6:00 pm Fly Tying and Social Hour Elliot with his first fish 6:00 pm Casting Practice 7:00 pm Capts Randy and Truett Cawlfield Fly Fishing the Lower Laguna Madre Charter Club President’s Message Shawn Riggs Lake State Park on the banks of Inks Lake Well the temperatures are clearly rising and formed from the dammed Colorado River. I can think of no better way to combat it then Don’t forget that a fishing license is not re- heading to your favorite local fishing spot to Officers: quired if you are fishing within the boundar- wade in the cool waters as you try to land an- President ies of a state park in Texas. I assume that other fish. For those new to the sport or to the Shawn Riggs most of our club members have a fishing Austin area that might not have a preferred license but this provides a good opportunity Vice President honey hole picked out quite yet you can’t go to take a spouse or non-angling friend to try David Gaines wrong with some of the local Texas State their hand at mending a line or roll casting Parks around the Hill Country and the fishing Treasurer without being out any funds on a license opportunities that they offer to anglers. Jim Robinson and you may even find yourself a new fish- Secretary McKinney Falls State Park is located within ing buddy after the experience. Buy a Tex- Phil Dopson Austin city limits and has beautiful Onion as State Parks Pass and you get unlimited Creek running through where you can cast at entry into all state parks for an entire year. Past President sunfish, crappie, and several species of bass. All of the parks I’ve mentioned also have Matt Bennett This park has tons of shade near the water abundant trails for hiking and opportunities and you can spend hours kayaking or wading for birding. There are often good trails for Conservation this Austin gem. biking, places for swimming and geocach- Matt Bennett ing has really gotten big at the state parks Buescher State Park is just a small drive from Education too. There are always good spots to picnic Austin near Smithville and has a 30-acre Mike Morphew and bathrooms available nearby. Go for lake to try your luck. This is where I recently the fishing but stay and enjoy all that these Merchandise camped with my kids over Spring Break and is Texas escapes have to offer. Scott Kerrigan a great place to target sunfish and largemouth bass. Most of the shoreline isn’t very friendly Membership Jon Creed to false casting but there are some spots near the boat ramp and damn with ample space Newsletter to cast. Financial Report Nils Pearson Pedernales Falls State Park is only about a by Jim Robinson Outings 30-minute drive west of Austin and has the 4/1/2019 to 4/30/2019 Dave Bush gorgeous Pedernales River running through Begin Bal. Checking 17,059.04 its boundaries. You can target bass, sunfish $ SKIFF Income: Dave Hill and even try your hand at landing a carp in its tranquil waters. Dues $30.00 Manuel Pena Merchandise $25.00 Webmaster The club has done several outings over the Total Income $55.00 Brandon Rabke years at Colorado Bend State Park. This park is about two hours northwest of Austin so it is Disbursements: Directors at Large a bit of a drive but when the white bass run is Speaker $150.00 Doug Kierklewski in full swing this park is hard to beat. Once Total Disbursements $150.00 Jeff Hoelter the annual spawning is on then you will find Net ($95.00) the Colorado River teeming with aggressive To contact officers: bass but be warned it can also be teeming Unencumbered: $8,483.69 [email protected] with anxious anglers lining the banks and Encumbered Funds: shallows to enjoy one of the best spawning Casting for Recovery $1,047.52 white bass spots in the state. SKIFF $7,377.83 Other reasonably close parks where fishing is Ending Bal-Checking $16,964.04 possible include Palmetto State Park with the San Marcos River found inside, Guadalupe River State Park, Blanco State Park and Inks November Vote on Amendment to State Constitution to Ensure that Sporting Goods Taxes go to State Parks by Shawn Riggs I wanted to bring up a topic that is very it meant every time a Texan purchased always receive the entirety of the col- important to me and it should be im- anything from a new fishing rod or shot- lected sporting goods tax. The joint portant to every Texan who enjoys the gun to a new bicycle or set of golf clubs resolutions passed both the House and outdoors in our great state. As many that the sporting good sales tax portion Senate and was signed by the Gover- of you know I previously worked for the charged would go to help support parks nor so now the proposed amendment Texas Parks & Wildlife Department as and historic sites throughout the state. will be placed on the ballot in the gen- a Revenue Manager and part of my This was a great accomplishment and eral election in November for voters to team’s job was accounting for Texas the intent was for the funding to be ded- decide and only requires a simple ma- State Park entrance and camping fees. icated to these parks and historic sites jority to pass. These activities bring in necessary dol- but unfortunately it was also subject to This is a momentous opportunity for lars to help sustain the infrastructure the discretion of the legislators. outdoorsmen and women to make and personnel at over 90 beautiful However, throughout the years that fol- their voices heard and ensure that all state parks across our state. These lowed an average of only 40% of the tax the funds collected from this sporting revenue streams are decent but I can instead of the allowed 94% was actual- goods tax actually goes towards sup- assure you that they don’t even begin ly allocated to Texas State Parks. The porting state parks and historic sites to address the financial needs of all the elected lawmakers used the rest of the like they were intended. Full funding parks especially those that have been collected funds to help them balance will ensure that deferred maintenance around awhile and need desperate re- the state budget. Well recently State needs are addressed and aging fa- pairs and upgrades to bring them up to Senator Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham cilities are upgraded for the millions a respectable level. and State Representative John Cyrier, of visitors who frequent these places In 1993 Texas lawmakers passed R-Lockhart collaborated on Senate Bill every year. This will ensure that they House Bill 706 that created the Sport- 6 and Senate Joint Resolution 24 which remain open and relevant for genera- ing Goods Sales Tax. This was not a will assist state agencies such as the tions to come. Please consider vot- new tax but allowed the state to carve Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and ing yes in support of the Texas Sales out a portion of the existing 6.25% state the Texas Historical Commission plan Tax on Sporting Goods Dedicated to sales tax to fund state parks and state for long term projects, much needed Parks, Wildlife and Historical Agencies historic sites. This legislation allowed repairs and even new designated state Amendment when it hits the ballot this up to 94% of the sales tax on sport- parks and historic sites. Their legisla- fall and help keep these local fishing ing goods to go to state parks with the tion aims to amend the Texas Consti- spots and all around Texas treasures remaining 6% designated to support tution to ensure that the state parks funded well into the future. historic sites across Texas. In theory division and historical commission will Kathi Harris hooks up carp at 2019 PerchMaster Tournament June Presentation –Kingfisher Inn and Guide Service Arroyo City Capt. Randy Cawlfield A native of Brownsville, TX, Capt. Randy Cawlfield grew up fishing and duck hunting the Lower Laguna Madre. At the age of 18 he left South Texas to pursue college and seminary degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and served as a pastor in several churches in Texas and New Mexico all the while chasing trout with a fly rod all over the west. After years of feeling the urge to move home to the Valley, Randy and Lydia, his high school sweetheart and wife of 28 years, finally returned home with their five children. In 2007 Capt. Randy took over ownership of Kingfisher Inn and Guide Services in Arroyo City, TX. One of Capt. Randy’s greatest pleasures is seeing new clients and novice fly fishers catch their first redfish on a fly rod. In addition to guiding fly fishers Capt. Randy loves serving his community as the lead pastor of River Church Brownsville. Randy and his son Truett are now working together as Kingfisher Fly Fishing Company. Capt. Truett Cawlfield Capt. Truett Cawlfield began seriously fly fishing at the age of 10. He was raised in the outdoors hunting and fish- ing in Texas and New Mexico from the time he could walk. Catching trout in high mountain streams and shooting ducks on the Lower Laguna Madre were all part of growing up.