Jasper Co. Appraisal Dist. makes awareness of rollback taxes

The Jasper County Appraisal District sent out letters to various businesses who may deal with any kind of real estate transactions so they would be aware of some of the changes coming about.  As many of the area property owners have already noticed the county came in and re-evauluated all the properties around the lake to vaules that were closer to what the market had been showing.  It now seems that the county is looking at land that was originally ag exempt but since may have been sold and developed or now has a non-agricultural use.  In many cases the county has not realized the change nor has the owner reported the change.

Beginning January 1, 2009, the appraisal district began a stepped-up effort to enforce these rollback requirements.  Procedurally, once a change-of-use is determined, the land owner will be sent a Notice of Change Of Use.  Land owners may protest these changes but if the ruling stands, the county can recover taxes from the previous 5 years.  These taxes would be the difference from the fee set from the Agricultural exemption to what they are assessed after the Chang of Use has been delcared.

From the way I read it, it appears to say (example) if you purchased 20 acres 2 years ago and developed those 20 acres and never declared a change of use, you will still end up paying the back owed taxes for the last 5 years even if you only owned the property for the last 2 years.  This is unless you had a contractual agreement with the former owner that they would pay those taxes if this came about.

It appears that it would be in your best interest to to declare the change of use immediately upon any development of the land or any reason that would alter the land from being used for any form of agricultural use including farming, ranching, and timber use. 

Anyhow, I just want to point out these changes so that you may not be as shocked when you receive a letter from the county asking for more tax money.  If you have any more questions concerning these Change-of-Use rollback taxes, please contact the Jasper County Appraisal District.

James Strickland and T W Hardy win the Anglers Quest Super Team!

James Strickland from Jasper, Tx & T W Hardy from Sillsbee, fished the mid and south lake areas to cull to their limit of 5 bass casting red rattle traps to 3-5 ft deep grass edges and ended up with 24.45 lbs to finish in 1st place and collected $1,700.00. James also caught big bass of the tournament, a 8.90 lber to anchor their bag for the win and go home an additional check for Big Bass honors giving them a total of $1,930.00 for their day on the water

Chris McCall from Jasper & Pete Shivers from Kirbyville, Tx ran fished mid lake grass beds to catch their limit of 5 bass throwing red rattle traps to 3-5 ft deep grass edges and ended up with 21.76 lbs to finish in 2nd place and take home $1,200.00.

The Team of Charles Bebber from Willis, Tx & Keith Caka from Huntsville, Tx fished red rattle traps up on the north end of the lake today and put together 5 bass that weighed 20.51 lbs to finish in 3rd place and collect $800.00.

Top 5 Teams

PL	Boat#	SUPER TEAM/NAMES	#Fish	BB	Total Wgt.	$$$$ Paid
1	21	JAMES STRICKLAND & T.W. HARDY	5	8.90	24.45	$1,930.00
2	13	CHRIS MCCALL & PETE SHIVERS	5	5.17	21.76	$1,200.00
3	20	CHARES BEBBER & KEITH CAKA	5	0.00	20.51	$800.00
4	16	DAVID HARVEY & KRIS WILSON	5	0.00	20.07	$600.00
5	23	RICKY GUY & JOSH GUY	5	6.15	19.34	ZZ LURES

Real Estate market looks promising going into 2009

So far this year we have been closely watching all the avenues of traffic including web traffic, phone calls, emails, and walk-ins and we are very optimistic on what we are seeing.  It our early figures are any indications on what to expect for the year, we could be looking at a very stong market despite what is going on around the country.

For those of you who are looking to sell, this news should be encouraging.  From what we have seen, if your house falls into the desirable catagory and is priced reasonable, it will generally get activity fairly quickly and sell in a short amount of time.  That is as long as you have it listed with the right Realtor.  :)

What does all this mean for a buyer?  Well it means that there is still plenty of competition out there and you do not want to drag your feet when a good deal arrises.  You may not find as many steals out there like you would in California or Florida but we will probably not see as big of a jump in the home prices like we did over the last couple of years.  So far home values here around the lake seem to be holding on.

Only time will tell how things will go this year but here at Allman Company we are very optimistic.

Roger Bacon Outdoors fishing report Jan. 26th.

Date Fished: 1/28/2009
Water Temperature: 56
Water Clarity: 2-3 feet

1-28-09 Finally got Duck Season wrapped up, so it’s time to go fishing. I guess there are 3 words to describe Sam Rayburn right now. Low, low and low. Water level is at 157.87 which puts us about 6 foot below full pool. Not too good for running boats, but the fishing should be great. We had similar water conditions back in 2000 and it was some of the best fishing I’ve ever seen on Big Sam. I know that most folks think that springtime on Rayburn means flipping flooded willows and buckbrush. And granted, that is a lot of fun. But low water conditions will really concentrate the bass on off shore grass lines and shallow breaks. When this happens in the pre-spawn it can be awesome. Right now the lake is clear to lightly stained on the south end, temp is running mid 50’s, and the bass are starting to move towards prespawn funnel zones. It won’t be long before they really start to bunch up. Keep in mind that the larger females tend to head to the shallows with the first wave of spawners. You’ve really got quite a few choices of lures that will work during this period. My first choice would be a lipless crank in red, gold or shad pattern. Of course the old reliable Lewis Trap is the most popular, but there are lots of options to choose from. Lucky Craft, Strike King and Cordell will all get the job done. Next up would be suspending and floating jerkbaits in both hard and soft plastic versions. I tend to go with the Rogue in the hard versions and the Super Fluke and Senko in the soft versions. Chrome/Blue back or Black/Gold/Orange in the hard baits and watermelon or green pumpkin in the soft baits are about all I throw. I’m not a “Color Junkie”. I spend more time locating the fish than trying to force feed em a new color. Also, keep in mind that a lot of the crappie brush piles that are usually sitting in 20+ feet of water are now at the perfect depth to intercept pre spawn bass. 12-15 foot is a key depth and probing these piles with a Texas Rig, Carolina Rig or Drop Shot can load the boat. Once again, color is not near as important as location. Watermelon, Sour Grape, or Green pumpkin are all good choices. As far as areas go, I’ll be on the south end most of the time. Buck Bay, Needmore, Miller Creek and Five Fingers all have good grass and deep drains leading into shallow pockets that are traditionally good spawning areas. When you find a well defined ditch with hydrilla and standing pole timber, you’ll find bass. The crappie and sandbass run is on up the river on both the Angelina and Attoyac. I rarely venture up there, but it can be a lot of fun. Small cranks, Roadrunners and live shiners tightlined in the river bends will certainly fill a cooler. I’m already booking for summer crappie fishing. Won’t be hitting it till May, but if you want early summer trip, call soon as the prime dates are going fast. If you’d like to book a trip, or just talk fishing, give me a call at 409-379-3474. Set the Hook Hard.

Lynn Atkinson fishing report Jan. 25th.

 

 

Water Temp. 53

Water Clarity 2-3 feet

01-25-09

Sam Rayburn is at 157.88 ft the water temperature has been around 53 degrees. The water has been murky is some places from the winds that have been blowing for most of the week.

Well for the most part “Big Sam” has been holding it’s on with the water level. The fishing has been tough with a few fish moving up to staging areas. This is the time of year that the fish normally get on a Red Rat-L-Trap bite that can be just awesome.  For some reason that hasn’t been the case this year; not to say it isn’t going to happen; but it’s been slow. Fish act differently when things change and then they get hard to predict.   With the weather warming up last week we have seen some bigger fish moving to structure off points waiting to move in. These fish are in small groups and can be hard to find on a lake as big as Sam Rayburn. I have been working a Carolina Rig and Stanley Foot Ball Jig off the structure around the points and ledges to pickup a few good fish. We have been picking up a few fish in the deeper grass but it’s been spotty with no real pattern. On the shallow side we caught a few cruisin’ the shallow flats but they have been spooky. Weightless plastic baits like senko’s, flukes and wacky worms have been the best baits in this situation. I look for a big move to start this week with a few of them moving up trying to spawn on the warmer days.  Say what! Last year, we got on a pattern that you wouldn’t believe, unless you were there.  We caught about 35 fish, the biggest one went 7.20 lbs, had her tail worn down and bleeding, and was spawned out already. We started on a pattern that was doing pretty good; catching a lot of small keepers; when the bite just quit. Then it was back to the drawing broad. After a few different baits I got a pickup that came to the boat then dropped it.  I put it back in the same spot and it happened again.  She was gone before I got the line tight. We moved the boat to the side and tossed into the same area.  This time as she picked it up and ran to the side I set the hook. The other guy throws in right behind me and caught one from the same spot.  After moving the boat I watched the guy fish a place three times before he threw into a new spot.   I asked him if he was thru with that spot and he said “Yup, nothing’s there”. Well my first pitch pulled in a nice flat 4 lbs Bass.  We hadn’t moved 15 feet and I had put 3 nice chunky bass in the boat, these guys weren’t wasting anymore time and got busy changing baits. Its one thing to be catching fish; but if your not; you need to do something different.  Change baits, move to a different area, but do SOMETHING. If you get a bite check the area over good there maybe more just waiting to see what ya got.   

Remember this is the time of year that a lot of Trophy Bass are caught.  If you catch one make sure you take good care of her. Get her weight, measurements and pictures then get her back in the water. Having a replica made is the best thing to do.  It will last longer than the real thing and look just as good. Besides, now you can go back and try to catch her again next time you hit the water. If we don’t take care of the big fish we have now who will? 

Remember the Budweiser Sharelunker Program entries started on October 1 and run thru April 30th. If you haven’t heard, it encourages anglers who catch a 13 - pound- plus largemouth bass to lend or donate it to the TPWD for spawning purposes. There are some great benefits doing this, and one of them is getting a full color, life size, fiberglass replica of the bass. [b](October 1-April 30 only)  If your fish meets the requirements listed above, call their toll-free, 24-hour pager at 1-888-784-0600 or (903) 681-0550.[/b]Check out the Program rules and benefits at http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/visitorcenters/tffc/budsharelunker/rules/   

With the lake low there are a lot of stumps just under the surface so be extra cautious when you’re out there. If you should hit one and damage your boat you may want to take it to Toledo Fiberglass in Many La. They do some of the best work I have ever seen. If that’s not enough I know you’ve heard of the “Gorilla Hull” with a lifetime Guarantee.  If you haven’t you should check into it. You bust it they fix it. It weighs about 40 lbs and it is tough.      

We have been catching a few Crappie around the brush piles and around the bridges.   We are booking trips for the springs so don’t wait to long. Round up your friends and get your trip booked. We can handle up to 10 anglers on the pontoon. 

If you haven’t heard about The Bass Class on the Water check it out on the website and give me a call. Come on down and learn some cool tricks that will help you catch fish on any lake.   

Big D Outdoors is the place to get your boat ready for next season.  Don’t wait, give them a call 409-769-3700.   

God Bless
Lynn Atkinson
srayburn@rayburncountry.com
www.rayburncountry.com
Home 936-897-3400
Cell 979-220-0251
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Lynn Atkinson
srayburn@rayburncountry.com
www.rayburncountry.com
Cell 979-220-0251
Home 936-897-3400
 

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Rick Scott & Roy Ellison win the Bass Champs opener on Rayburn

“We had a contest between us for the first fish of the day” Roy explained. Rick won their contest, catching their first using a rattle trap. “We were also throwing spinnerbaits, and had an early limit.” Throughout the day they estimate catching a total of 18 keepers. “At the end of the day, we had a couple of three pounders in the livewell that we needed to cull. We caught a couple of four pounders to replace them.” Those last culls made all the difference as only ounces separated the top teams.

Top Teams:
1st $20,000+ 22.36 Rick Scott & Roy Ellison
2nd $ 5,000+ 22.04 Keith Caka & Charles Bebber
3rd $ 3,500 21.98 Bill Wilcox & Greg Christian
4th $ 2,500 21.90 Martin Elshout & Mark Price
5th $ 2,000 21.42 Randy Millender & Kenneth Nichols
6th $ 1,190 21.06 Greg Pugh & Bill Dominque
6th (tie) $ 1,190 21.06 Nathan Stroup & Eric Adams
8th $ 1,070 20.30 Doug McCain & Mason McCain
9th $ 1,060 19.68 Mike Michalec & David Ozio
10th $ 1,060 19.64 James Stricklin Jr & TW Hardy Jr
……..and last in the money…….
40th $ 600 15.76 Harold Allen & Albert Collins

Big Bass $1,000 8.46 Art Garza & Larry Lewis

*Pulled from BassChamps.com For full article  written by Patty Lenderman, see Bass Champs website.

 

Lynn Atkinson Fishing Report Jan 17th

Sam Rayburn Fishing Report 1-17-09 « on: January 19, 2009, 07:07:51 pm »   Reel um N Guide Service Owner Lynn Atkinson Water Temp. 52 Water Clarity 2-3 feet 01-17-09 Sam Rayburn is at 157.88 ft the water temperature has been around 52 degrees. The water has been murky is some places from the winds that have been blowing for most of the week. Saturday we got out with a couple of good guys that come down every year around this time.  They celebrate a birthday and try their luck on “Big Sam”. The first spot we pulled up to would tell us if these two anglers were up to the challenge today.   After a few casts and a couple of misses the hook was set and the fight was on.  After a few jumps the fight came to an end with a few pictures and the quick release of a chunky fish around 4.5 lbs. We moved to spot two and zeroed. Not even one bite.  Ok, on to spot three. Spot three was a little different, after about fifteen minutes the back seat let me know he was going to catch the fish that his son and I had left.  It wasn’t long before he set the hook on one that went 5 lbs. The next spot the son and I were still without a fish but we weren’t going to give up yet. The son hit first in our next spot to put one in the boat, then dad, and back and forth it went. Then I got my chance, boy I set the hook, the reel let out a whine, and the fish was gone. By the way always check the drag. I had just cleaned the reel and the rest, well it just got away. After catching about 6 fish we moved on.  We got five keepers but need to cull some of the small fish.  We pulled up on a grass edge in about 12 ft of water and started working down the edge.    I got a tap on the line and set the hook on a nice 2.5lb to replace one small swimmer.  Dad just couldn’t help it, he picked up one about 3 lbs to end the day. Not bad for a father and son outing. We fished Carolina and Texas most the day along with jigs around some structure, 3 to 14 ft was our best depth.  We also chunked around ledges and deep drops to catch our fish. We have been catching a few Crappie around the brush piles and around the bridges.   We are booking trips for the springs so don’t wait to long. Round up your friends and get your trip booked. We can handle up to 10 anglers on the pontoon. If you haven’t heard about The Bass Class on the water check it out on the website and give me a call. Come on down and learn some cool tricks that will help you catch fish on any lake.      Big D Outdoors is the place to get your boat ready for next season.  So, what are you waiting for?  Give them a call 409-769-3700.  God Bless Lynn Atkinson srayburn@rayburncountry.com www.rayburncountry.com Home 936-897-3400 Cell 979-220-0251

Low water on Rayburn, Good and Bad

After Hurricane Ike rolled through East TX Lake Sam Rayburn’s water level started dropping.  Rumors seemed to circulate and the most common was that they needed the water down south to help flush out the salt water intrussion.  I don’t know if that was true or not but it did seem to make a lot of since.

I was not to worried about it, it only takes a few heavy rains to fill this lake back up.  Then I started noticing that everytime we had some rains, the Corps. of Enginees would open the gates and let all that new water out.  This was concerning to both waterfront home owners and people like myself who try to sell waterfront homes.  Buyers don’t like to come look at a waterfront house that does not have any water behind it.  Just ask those realtors over at Toledo Bend who suffered 2 drought years in a row with record low lake levels a couple of years ago.

Most waterfront home owners really don’t care to see the lake this low.  I believe through this winter we have seen the lake a little over 7ft. low. Four to Five feet low has been about the normal low ever since they built the saltwater barrier down our of Beaumont.  As a real estate broker, I really don’t care to see it this low either.   The Corps. has supposedly closed the gates for good until the lake comes back up.  In the last week we have seen the lake come up 3 or 4 inches.  I am still very optimistic that the lake will be back up to normal levels within the next 4 to 6 weeks but in case it is not, there is an up side.

Having been a fishing guide for almost 9 years on the lake (before quiting to get into real estate), I know what low lake levels can mean to the fishing.  If the lake continues to remail low into March, “Katy bar the door!” the fishing will be fantastic.  With no places to hide, the fish will stack up in the backs of coves and shallow drains.  Fishing will seem almost easy going into the spring.  Now I know that many people will worry this may hurt our fishery but if people will do one thing, it will all be fine.  Let your big fish go!  If anglers release all thier fish over 5 lbs. then our fishery will stay strong.    We have had more springs with high water and good spawns than we have had with low water.

Remember, if you can enjoy our fishery while respecting the resources then we will all get to enjoy the fishing for years to come.  Home owners you might as well grab a rod and look for the good in this low water atleast until the lake level comes back up.

Getting a Masters in Bass Fishing

We recently had a tournament here on Rayburn that I felt some strong ties to. The Collegiate Bass Anglers Association (CBAA) is the sanctioning body of the national organization. On Dec. 21^st and 22^nd (Friday/Saturday) there was a CBAA tournament on Rayburn.  SFA hosted the Collegiate Bass Championship tournament and had teams from as far away as Oklahoma and Mississippi. As a former Co-Founder of the Stephen F. Austin Bass Club and its first president, I was excited to see the sport reach a level that we only talked about in College.

The Tarleton State University team of Chris Michels and Tanner Morgan took managed to beat out the local favorites to win the tournament.  They led on day one with 18 pounds 13 ounces which was the biggest bag of the event and had a 2-day total of 31.11 pounds. The top three teams used lipless crankbaits and spinnerbaits.

Congratulations to all those involved and good luck in the future with both your academic careers as well as your fishing tournaments.