Texas Hunting Forum

Lake Somerville Duck Hunting

Posted By: tinkerbell

Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 09/06/09 03:46 PM

Has anyone hunted flag pond in a year even close to this dry??
Since it's boat in only. Is it even possible to get a boat up there this year?? I haven't hunted there before but recently moved to the area and was wondering if it was even possible to get there with the lake conditions? Thanx

Posted By: Sniper John

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 09/06/09 04:14 PM

I was in the area end of last season, did some rabbit/squirrel hunting and general looking around. Flag Pond may or may not be part of the hunting area now. Everything was and I am sure still is very dry. The adjacent TPWD WMA is upland and not really anything conductive to waterfowl hunting. But you live there, go look at it, you never know. The Corps public waterfowl hunting area has changed too, shoreline only, and very small now.

Posted By: long450

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 09/06/09 09:05 PM

Originally Posted By: Sniper John
I was in the area end of last season, did some rabbit/squirrel hunting and general looking around. Flag Pond may or may not be part of the hunting area now. Everything was and I am sure still is very dry. The adjacent TPWD WMA is upland and not really anything conductive to waterfowl hunting. But you live there, go look at it, you never know. The Corps public waterfowl hunting area has changed too, shoreline only, and very small now.
What do you mean by " Corps public waterfowl is shoreline only" ?

Posted By: Sniper John

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 09/06/09 10:56 PM

One of the public day hunting rules was
"Hunting is restricted to the shoreline with no exceptions"

Also there is a rule that if the lake falls 6 ft below conservation pool, they close the hunting area.

Posted By: Yegua lab

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 09/07/09 12:30 AM

Flag Pond is big time dry! The hole WMA in the puiblic hunting book is dry. Only thing holding water is the lake. We need some rain!!!!! The Yegua is not even running! Sorry about the info, but it hurts my Woodduck chasing also. I think we need a good beer drinking party up stream.LOL

Posted By: pig out

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 09/07/09 12:46 AM

never been but was planing on going this year but obviously I'm not went to the lake a while back and it's bone dry.

Posted By: tinkerbell

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 09/07/09 06:29 PM

I figured Flag Pond would be dry. However when it is wet, would you recommend canoe to go up to flag pond from nails creek or a motorized boat. I can't really tell how far a paddle that would be. As far as the shorline hunting that looks terrible I went out there the other day and there is nothing food wise it would only be a loafing site at best and with such limited space you would be competing big time with other hunters

Posted By: TreeBass

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 09/07/09 06:34 PM

I receieved pics last season of FP, it broke my heart, totally dry. I have not been over there yet, but don't think I'll be hunting there this year either.

Posted By: wal1809

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 09/07/09 09:25 PM

I hunted flag a bunch some years back. If the birds are there then so is everyone else. It would be a long paddle at 1 AM. If you don't get started at 1 AM then everybody will beat you there and there is not a lot of room on Flag.

I went on opening day 4 years ago and hammered the snot out of the birds. It was a war zone. We left at 6:30 PM and got to the pond at dark. Disassembled the boat-motor-floor-gear-everything. Carried it all over and winched the boat over the levy. 2.5 hours of some serious work.

We parked the boat under a large tree by the pavilion and went to sleep on the boat floor. At 1:30 AM I could hear the winches from the army of boats coming to the pond. I spent the next 3 hours waking up to a boat(who could not see us under the tree) and shining them off. Lots of cussing that morning when they got shined off. 4.5 minutes and we were done with limits.

We ate breakfast and did all that work again getting out of there. Would I do it again? Nope
I would park my boat and travel light and walk the mile or two around the lake to hunt that spot. The problem is it is deep over there and you need a boat. On the other side it is not so deep.

Posted By: pig out

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/05/09 10:55 PM

Originally Posted By: Sniper John
I was in the area end of last season, did some rabbit/squirrel hunting and general looking around. Flag Pond may or may not be part of the hunting area now. Everything was and I am sure still is very dry. The adjacent TPWD WMA is upland and not really anything conductive to waterfowl hunting. But you live there, go look at it, you never know. The Corps public waterfowl hunting area has changed too, shoreline only, and very small now.
i was thinking about going there to hunt some squirrels and rabbits, did you have any luck?

Posted By: TreeBass

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/06/09 12:53 AM

Originally Posted By: WAL1809
I hunted flag a bunch some years back. If the birds are there then so is everyone else. It would be a long paddle at 1 AM. If you don't get started at 1 AM then everybody will beat you there and there is not a lot of room on Flag.

I went on opening day 4 years ago and hammered the snot out of the birds. It was a war zone. We left at 6:30 PM and got to the pond at dark. Disassembled the boat-motor-floor-gear-everything. Carried it all over and winched the boat over the levy. 2.5 hours of some serious work.

We parked the boat under a large tree by the pavilion and went to sleep on the boat floor. At 1:30 AM I could hear the winches from the army of boats coming to the pond. I spent the next 3 hours waking up to a boat(who could not see us under the tree) and shining them off. Lots of cussing that morning when they got shined off. 4.5 minutes and we were done with limits.

We ate breakfast and did all that work again getting out of there. Would I do it again? Nope
I would park my boat and travel light and walk the mile or two around the lake to hunt that spot. The problem is it is deep over there and you need a boat. On the other side it is not so deep.


now thats some hard work..I normally wake up around an hour before LST, have some coffee and then head out bounce

Posted By: wal1809

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/06/09 03:44 PM

It was some hard work and I just aint that mad at them anymore.

Posted By: No Choke

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/07/09 02:30 AM

Tink,
Call the Nail's Creek office. May have a bit of H20 in there now. You can be sure to hear an airboat or 2 the first few days up in there trying to find water....then blasting out and trying to find another spot. Happens every yr.

If there is enough H20, then will there be enough "duck veggies" to hold the birds? Doubt it.

Scouting pays off.

Posted By: TreeBass

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/07/09 03:20 AM

Originally Posted By: No Choke
Tink,
Call the Nail's Creek office. May have a bit of H20 in there now. You can be sure to hear an airboat or 2 the first few days up in there trying to find water....then blasting out and trying to find another spot. Happens every yr.

If there is enough H20, then will there be enough "duck veggies" to hold the birds? Doubt it.

Scouting pays off.


not any more loco

Posted By: wal1809

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/07/09 11:38 AM

I might be heading up there in the duck mobile/oral party wagon this weekend. If I go I will be taking the mud hogger and I will report back to you fellas on the h20 situation.

Posted By: TreeBass

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/07/09 12:35 PM

good luck, be interesting to see if there is enough water in there.

Posted By: wal1809

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/07/09 12:46 PM

I talked to my brother and he seems to think the recent rains we had didn't do enough. I tend to believe he is correct on this one because we had 4 or 5 days of rain. Some really heavy and some light but we got a lot of water. I still have cracks int he ground in my yard. I have never seen it that bad in the 6 I have been at this house. Been a while since I have seen it that dry on the coastal region here in Texas.

Posted By: TreeBass

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/07/09 01:02 PM

well, maybe we need to send some down your way. We are getting plenty of it. Still coming down

Posted By: TexasEd

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/07/09 02:32 PM

If you go to lake Travis or Buchanan you will see we don't have enough down here yet.

Posted By: garrett

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/07/09 02:35 PM

my duck blind at Travis is not even close to the water right now

Posted By: wal1809

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/07/09 02:40 PM

Send on the rains. The river behind my house is dry sand even after all we got the last week. My duck holes in the river bottom are weed meadows right now. If it fills up right before season then it will be on.

Posted By: drathe3112

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/07/09 03:33 PM

Corps showing the lake still 3 ft. below normal pool.
no water = no duck food = no ducks.

We shot both ducks we saw last year and this year looks no better.

Posted By: TexasEd

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/07/09 05:30 PM

I went 3 times last year with my cousin who has a draw spot.
Got 1 duck for 3 trips.

Posted By: wal1809

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/07/09 06:15 PM

I thought I heard somewhere we were going to have a wet and warm winter this year. So hopefully some rain hits and gets all back to plumpin speed before the season.

Posted By: TreeBass

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/07/09 06:35 PM

we can only hope, but I don't see FP being hot for another year or so..its that bad frown

Posted By: panama

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/07/09 09:43 PM

Somervile will come up to pool level or beyond this season just like most of the other reservoirs in the state iffin El Nino kicks into full gear this year. But that will only make things worse as it will be the usual 3 ring circus it has become over the years. It has been sad to see that lake become what it has become over the last 6-7years... you guys wouldn't believe me if I told you how good it used to be only to yield to todays 60-70 trailers at the ramps on a opener which started some years back. There may be ducks there before the season opens but when the skybusting, kazoo screaming Barnies come out of the gate at legal on the 31st, you can kiss what birds may be there goodbye. That lake gets absolutely no rest, even during the week. And the show in FP is comical...

Oh the good ol' days......sad to see they are just memories frown

Posted By: wal1809

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/08/09 03:21 AM

Oh it is still huntable but there is a very specific lake level that until it reaches that level I don't go. I just keep slobbering on the screen waiting for that number. I know you have probably hunted the same spot when it gets the right height. I just get there early and most of who can get there are pretty respectful. They will shine off when they see a light. I just try and get away from the butt clowns and they are usually concentrated in the flats outside of flag. I have a meadow that I go to, it is too small for another group.

Posted By: panama

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/08/09 03:53 AM

I've hunted/guided on Somerville since the early 90's. Ain't 1 square inch I don't know about at any water level. I can count on one hand how many times I've been out there in the last several years. Sad to see a great bottomland piece of water get destoyed by a bunch of wannabe yahoos. But if anything it has given all the idiots a new place to congregate and keeps them off of my other areas around the state, so it's a trade off. But I do miss the good shoots that USED to be had there though...

Posted By: wal1809

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/08/09 10:55 AM

I do believe I agree with you on the change up there. Used to be a great honey hole.

Posted By: Greg

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/08/09 01:14 PM

Sad. When I was at A&M back in the late 90's it was pretty good. I even got drawn for one of the spots out there. Lots of good memories.

Posted By: wal1809

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/08/09 03:03 PM

If you think about it and we are honest with each other then we should be able to conclude there are very few hidden spots left. With the sale of every mud motor, mine included, those hidden spots become more and more available to the next guy in the line.

I drew this conclusion 2 years ago when the honey hole down south got over run with Brney the butt clown. That hole just like Sommerville and all of the honey holes got a beatin and really no way to recover.

So I concluded this and thought either sell it all or change. I opted to change what I do and make the best of it. My only option was to go private which in my opinion is not an option, or a good one anyway. Pivate is good until you hunt it then it takes a lot of time for that spot to recover. Hunting clubs suck, so that is not an option.

Last option is what I chose. It is to do what most other duck hunter are not willing to do. Travel a long long way to get to the spots where Barney the butt clown doesn't have any desire to get too. I travel as much as 14 hours to go where he isn't. get as far away from the weekend metro kazooer as I can.

I haven't dialed it in yet but I will. I will also have a good time finding the new spot. the new spot will last for a few years and then word will creep out and eventually butt clown will eventually work his way there and it will be over too.

Hopefully by that time I will be retired and this a mute conversation because the bus and I will be in Canada for the opener every year.

Posted By: panama

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/08/09 03:50 PM

I completely agree. My buds tease me sometimes cuz I have sold alot of the mm's that now roam areas I used to hunt. But the way I look at it if I didn't sell it to them, someone else would have. They were gonna get one either way come heII or high water.

I'm like you though, WAL. I may chase a few teal here locally because Barney doesn't bother me cuz it's basically a "dove shoot" anyway. But as far as finding an area within 100 miles of where I live where I can find good birds and work them without being boom scouted or bothered, ain't gonna happen. Sooooo, I put many miles on my truck getting to where others aren't or are too lazy to put in the effort. I enjoy finding the acorn as much as ,or more than, the hunt itself. My mindset about hunting birds has changed over the years. I'm all about the chase, not so much the kill. I liken it to a guy deer hunting lookin for " that buck". While he may have 30 bucks walk within easy shooting distance, he passes until he sees "the one". I see it the same way with ducks. While there may be a few birds around my place, #1 they ain't mallards( sorry but I lean to the green), and #2 central Texas is loaded with Barney's that love to setup on each other, skybust and don't know a goose from a water turkey. So on the yellow brick road I go 8 out of the 12 weekends of the season, some weekdays, all holidays , most of my vaca days and even a few sick days.

This is what it has come to though, and you either deal with it or quit hunting all together. Well I still got a little pizz and vinegar left in my bottle and are mad at 'em just enough to stay on 'em. But I'm sure, if things continue on the way they are, I'll be giving it up for a few quality shoots in Canada, Idaho and Arkie each year and getting more sleep and less aggravated by public water idiots....

Posted By: wal1809

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/08/09 04:25 PM

I do believe we are seeing the same horizon. Your absolutely right about if you didn't sell it to them the next guy would. It would be like stoppingthe tide. I know better than using the stick your finger in the dyke cleche. eek2

Posted By: mallardmaster09

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/08/09 04:35 PM

Man you guys seem to know somerville pretty good, yall think u could tell me some good spots to go out there

Posted By: panama

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/08/09 05:11 PM

Originally Posted By: mallardmaster09
Man you guys seem to know somerville pretty good, yall think u could tell me some good spots to go out there


I know you are joking MM9, but true story........

Back in 2002, I had a feller in a shiny new G Trax with a MB 29 Kawa longtail walk up to me at the ramp as I was abou to launch and proceed to tell me that he had heard that this was a great lake for ducks. Then he goes on to ask me where should he hunt ....I knew the end was near for Somerville at that point and my thoughts were correct as it only got worse and worse and worse.........

Posted By: karhunts

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/08/09 07:09 PM

Originally Posted By: panama
Originally Posted By: mallardmaster09
Man you guys seem to know somerville pretty good, yall think u could tell me some good spots to go out there


I know you are joking MM9, but true story........

Back in 2002, I had a feller in a shiny new G Trax with a MB 29 Kawa longtail walk up to me at the ramp as I was abou to launch and proceed to tell me that he had heard that this was a great lake for ducks. Then he goes on to ask me where should he hunt ....I knew the end was near for Somerville at that point and my thoughts were correct as it only got worse and worse and worse.........


I miss the days of winching at flag pond.

Posted By: wal1809

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/08/09 07:11 PM

Originally Posted By: karhunts
Originally Posted By: panama
Originally Posted By: mallardmaster09
Man you guys seem to know somerville pretty good, yall think u could tell me some good spots to go out there


I know you are joking MM9, but true story........

Back in 2002, I had a feller in a shiny new G Trax with a MB 29 Kawa longtail walk up to me at the ramp as I was abou to launch and proceed to tell me that he had heard that this was a great lake for ducks. Then he goes on to ask me where should he hunt ....I knew the end was near for Somerville at that point and my thoughts were correct as it only got worse and worse and worse.........


I miss the days of winching at flag pond.


I miss those days I don't miss the winching

Posted By: airboat1

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/12/09 03:51 AM

All a bunch of yahoos

Twenty years ago there was just as many people at the boat ramp , with mostly john boats, but there was some air boats. The problem is two many idiots, that drink beer and sky blast, there are , and also after they hunt they proceed to lawnmower around and screww everyones hunt up. I have an air boat and a go devil, the only reason people dont like airboats because they dont have one. I see these guys out in the middle, or on the edges hunting out of there boat, pass shooting or shooting off of someone elses spreed.I laugh, because it would take me one time, even if I wasnt a duck hunter to use my brain, to say ha, we are in the open and we stick out like sore thumbs. Hum, that might be a clue, you should try something else. Maybe you wont screw something up for the people that take things serious. I have hunted summerville for 25 yaers and every year you see another thing that makes you say, Look at that yahoo, I havent seen anyone do something that stupid. Every year, its funny to think about it.

Posted By: bigreave

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/12/09 06:45 AM

i was in somerville sat running lines its still down low, and i gave up duck hunting it and even fishing it during the first two weeks of the season years ago way too many barnys. Nothing like having to call the warden cause some idiot is in your blind at daylight, haveing a guy work a plastic worm in the dekes or someone yuhoo rattle you blind cause they got and walked up the bank. My personal fav is the people that think can blow call and take pass shots at ibys or water turkys. Even during the week that lake is over run and airboat said it best around 930-10 when they get bored they ramble on over anywhere someone have dekes. The funny thing i saw last year was 4 college boys had a 12 ft flat bottom way over loaded luanch without the plug in the dark it took them aboud 3 mins to relize y water was coming in the boat almost sunk there boat in 3 ft of water The icing was when they tryed to winch the boat back on the trailer not just drag it on the bank and drain the water . They snapped the rope cause the boat had prob 8 inches of water in it , then they guy driving takes his foot of the brake while in nuetral to help and almost lose the truck too . classic

Posted By: airboat1

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/12/09 05:41 PM

The best was when I pulled down to the boat ramp, and the yahoos were pulled up, boat not unloaded, putting waiters on, and playing load music at 3 in the morning. Like they own the place.If you are going to luanch, put the boat in, and get out of the way. I proceeded to put my boat in, barely enough room, unloaded and then pulled my truck off. Then they tried to hurry up, while being in the way of everyone else still, and tried to pull out in front of me. Well, i hated to do it but, since I brought my airboat that day I couldnt resist. Wind in the face. Sorry, maybe if they had any consideration, I would too.

Posted By: Gacman

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/13/09 01:18 PM

I'm headed out to summerville for the first time this year. A buddy of mine was lucky to draw a blind. It sounds like the lake is overcrowded. I hope it's not as bad as you guys make it sound, but i'm guessing it is.

Posted By: panama

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/13/09 02:36 PM

Originally Posted By: gacman
I'm headed out to summerville for the first time this year. A buddy of mine was lucky to draw a blind. It sounds like the lake is overcrowded. I hope it's not as bad as you guys make it sound, but i'm guessing it is.


As much as it saddens me to say, it ain't worth getting out of bed for anymore.....

As far as the college kids at the ramp, if I had a nickel for everytime I saw a F250 pulling a 14 ft jonboat with a 9.9 Yammie back down to the ramp and 4 kids pile out along with a case of empty beer cans falling all over the place, I could retire!! I'm really surprised that no one hasn't gotten fatally shot out there yet with all of the drunk kids with shotguns! But I gots news for folks, Victor and Sofi are drawing the line this year...so if anyone thinks that hunting out there is just a continuation of the frat party they just came from you'd better think again... Some folks are going to jail this year cheers

Posted By: wal1809

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/13/09 04:17 PM

Who is Victor and Sofi?

Posted By: aghntr10

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/13/09 04:40 PM

Originally Posted By: WAL1809
Who is Victor and Sofi?


I believe those are the GW's out there

Posted By: panama

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/13/09 07:02 PM

Originally Posted By: aghntr10
Originally Posted By: WAL1809
Who is Victor and Sofi?


I believe those are the GW's out there



That would be correct

Posted By: wal1809

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/13/09 07:22 PM

Is Sofi the first or last name? nuts

Posted By: airboat1

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/13/09 08:54 PM

Bring your hard hat, You will be peppered, or bring your ear plugs, so that everytime you hear someone skyblasting, wont get mad. One more, maybe if your blind, cant hear, and need to be shot go there. If they got rid of the beer drinkers, and illegalls, we be set again.

Posted By: TreeBass

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/13/09 09:04 PM

Originally Posted By: airboat1
Bring your hard hat, You will be peppered, or bring your ear plugs, so that everytime you hear someone skyblasting, wont get mad. One more, maybe if your blind, cant hear, and need to be shot go there. If they got rid of the beer drinkers, and illegalls, we be set again.


good luck with the skyblasters on the levy, that always gave us a heads up that ducks might be heading our way clap clap

Posted By: pig out

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 10/13/09 10:52 PM

has anyone hunted the wma on the bank for ducks?

Posted By: DUAggie

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 11/18/09 10:17 PM

Originally Posted By: panama
Originally Posted By: gacman
I'm headed out to summerville for the first time this year. A buddy of mine was lucky to draw a blind. It sounds like the lake is overcrowded. I hope it's not as bad as you guys make it sound, but i'm guessing it is.


As much as it saddens me to say, it ain't worth getting out of bed for anymore.....

As far as the college kids at the ramp, if I had a nickel for everytime I saw a F250 pulling a 14 ft jonboat with a 9.9 Yammie back down to the ramp and 4 kids pile out along with a case of empty beer cans falling all over the place, I could retire!! I'm really surprised that no one hasn't gotten fatally shot out there yet with all of the drunk kids with shotguns! But I gots news for folks, Victor and Sofi are drawing the line this year...so if anyone thinks that hunting out there is just a continuation of the frat party they just came from you'd better think again... Some folks are going to jail this year cheers


Guilty!

Posted By: D.D.

Re: Lake Somerville Duck Hunting - 11/19/09 12:10 AM

Ive been killing them there since opening day. Teal, gadwall, spoonies and a few pintail. Are yall sure we are talking about the same place?

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