< Previous18 COASTMONTHLY.COM | NOveMber 2025 FEATURE that was the result of a successful hunt, it’s an extremely gratifying expe- rience. There’s something innate about it that speaks to the depths of our human nature. Sharing that experience with family and friends, and seeing them enjoy the wild game during fellowship around the dinner table, is incredible. Contrary to what many non-hunters may believe, most seasoned hunters don’t measure success by what was or wasn’t harvested. For many, harvesting an animal is just a mere fraction of what a successful outing in the woods or field looks like. These types of hunters evaluate their success by oth- er variables, such as how many deer they were fortunate enough to see, or how much fun they had hunting with others. For them, the harvest can be part of the experience, but it doesn’t make or break the entire experience. When it comes to deer hunting, there’s just something special about watching the majestic creatures in their own environment, especially when they’re completely unaware of your presence. Hunting for ducks and geese adds a different element in the mix because there’s often a gun dog or retriever in- volved to fetch downed birds. Watch- ing a hardworking gun dog retrieve on a waterfowl hunt truly makes the experience special. And the bond that hunters share with their gun dogs is unlike any other. Hunting is a passion and a way of life. It has provided unforgettable memories, and helped strengthen my relationships with friends and family, including my relationships with my two boys and my wife. The sport of hunting has taught me many life lessons, and I believe it will continue to do so. Hunting is about passing on tradi- tions, developing camaraderie among outdoor enthusiasts and bringing people together. (Clockwise from left) Boone, a seasoned gun dog, retrieves a duck out of an icy pond for his owner; hunting is about the entire experience, and en- counters with decoying ducks like this are hard to beat; white-tailed deer are majestic creatures, and close encounters with them can be breathtaking, especially when they are unaware of your presence. (Opposite) The bond between a waterfowl hunter and his bird dog is like no other. COASTMONTHLY.COM | NOveMber 2025 19MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL 2: CRUISING THROUGH ‘THE CHANGE’ ® SAT, NOV 22 | 3 PM & 7 PM All aboard, sisters! The hysterical sequel to the smash-hit Menopause The Musical ® is finally here! GET TICKETS! THEGRAND.COM JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA WITH WYNTON MARSALIS FRI, NOV 14 | 8 PM Enjoy an evening of unforgettable music from jazz greats like Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Thelonious Monk, Benny Goodman!22 COASTMONTHLY.COM | NOveMber 2025 HOOKED A NOVEMBER TO REMEMBER Cool fall weather means best upper-coast angling story and photos by CAPT. NATE SKINNER I t’s hard not to be thankful for the incredible resources up- per-coast anglers have in November. Fall patterns have set in among our estuaries and marshes. Each day begins with a cool, crisp sunrise and ends with a bril- liant sunset. The hours between hold some downright excellent angling opportunities. There’s no telling how many memories I have made fishing upper coast waters in November — too many to count. Many of them hap- pened during the Thanksgiving Holidays on fishing trips with family and friends. Our bay systems provide anglers with plenty of options to bend a rod this month. Upper Galveston Bay is one of my favorite areas to target speck- led trout and redfish during November. I’ve caught more chunky specks and reds over oyster shell reefs in that stretch of water during the fall than just about anywhere else along the upper coast. The key to finding good concentrations of fish in the upper Bay is focusing on stretches of water over oyster shell that are holding swarms of mullet. Casting there always produces plenty of bites. Look also for the flocks of seagulls and terns that will be hovering (Above) The reasons to be thankful as an upper coast angler in November are abundant, and redfish like this are proof of that. (Right) The colors of fall are best experienced on the water at sunrise and sunset. COASTMONTHLY.COM | NOveMber 2025 2324 COASTMONTHLY.COM | NOveMber 2025 HOOKED over schools of speckled trout and redfish in the upper reach- es of East Matagorda Bay, Trinity Bay and Sabine Lake. The birds will be diving and picking at the water as the fish down below chase shrimp to the surface. Working the birds can be a blast. It also can render a lot of bites from smaller fish, however, because speckled trout and redfish of similar size often school together. If you land on a school of small-fry, bounce around to different groups of birds until you find a school of keeper-sized fish. Choosing the right bait while working the birds also can produce bites from larger fish. Chucking a large, noisy bait like a topwater plug will coax the largest fish in the school into striking. This isn’t always the case, though, as soft plastics rigged on a jig head also will catch plenty of solid fish under the birds. With water temperatures continuing to fall, anglers can bet on decent numbers of hefty speckled trout stacking up along shallow flats and shorelines with stretches of scattered shell and mud. Those wanting to pursue trophy-sized specks will have the best luck wade-fishing these shallow areas and focusing on where the baitfish are active. Slow sinking and suspending twitch baits, along with topwater lures, are hard to beat while wading the shallows at this time of year. What about flounder, you ask? As many of you likely know, our flounder fishery is closed from Nov. 1 to Dec. 14, so anglers can’t legally keep flatfish in November. That said, some of the best fall flounder action across the entire upper Texas coast takes place along the edges of the Galveston Ship Channel. These fish will begin to stack up along flats, drop-offs and ledges near the edges of the channel as they begin their annual “fall run” this month. Even though you can’t keep them, they will be feeding aggressively and willing to strike soft plastics or live baits, especially as November wears on. I challenge you to get out on the water as much as you can over the next several weeks, especially around the holi- days when you’re surrounded by people you love. There’s nothing better than experiencing all that fall has to offer along the upper Texas coast from an angling perspec- tive. The weather is gorgeous, the fish are biting, and the reasons to be thankful are abundant. Hefty speckled trout will begin roaming shallow flats as water temperatures continue to cool off, and wade fishing with slow sinking twitch baits is a proven tactic for targeting them. COASTMONTHLY.COM | NOveMber 2025 2526 COASTMONTHLY.COM | NOveMber 2025 FEATURE ‘HERE TO SERVE’ Texas’ first female Land Commissioner has deep coastal connections story by LAURA PENNINO T exas General Land Office Commission- er Dawn Buck- ingham has had a deep connection to Galveston Island and the Texas Coast since she was a child living in League City. Although she’s based full- time in Austin, she travels often to the Galveston Bay area. A ninth-generation Tex- an, Buckingham hails from a family of public servants and community leaders. She leads an office with a stated goal of protecting and promoting “a vibrant and resilient Texas coast that supports and sustains a strong economy and healthy environment for all who live, work, play, or otherwise benefit from the natural resources and infrastructure.” Buckingham has held several elected and appointed roles, including serving on the Lake Travis Independent School District Board of Trustees from 2014 to 2017 and in the Texas State Legislature as a senator for District 24 from 2017 to 2023. She was elected as the commissioner of the Texas General Land Office on Nov. 8, 2022, making history as the first woman to hold this office in Texas. The Texas General Land Of- fice is the oldest agency in the state and one that works closely with coastal leaders and govern- ments in Galveston County. It was established in 1836 by the newly formed Republic of Texas Congress. At the time, the land office’s primary charge was to collect and keep records, provide maps and surveys, issue titles and manage the settlement of state lands. Unique among states, Texas retained ownership of its lands when it joined the Union in 1845. This meant Texas’ lands would continue generating revenue for the state. That’s why, in 1876, the land office was able to set aside a portion of state lands to establish the Permanent School Fund, which today is still a source of revenue for public schools, according to the land office. Since its inception, the Per- manent School Fund has grown to comprise more than $57 bil- lion in assets and will distribute more than $2.4 billion annually to Texas K-12 schools, accord- ing to the state. Buckingham has special COASTMONTHLY.COM | NOveMber 2025 27 Texas Land Commissioner Dawn buckingham, a League City native, made history in 2022 when she became the first woman Texans elected land commissioner. PHOTO: COU r T e SY T e XAS G e N er AL LAND OFFIC eNext >