Anger Over Lake Naconiche Publicity Stunt

The Lufkin News reports some Nacogdoches County landowners and fisher folk are upset, and say they felt betrayed when county commissioners allowed a popular Texas bass fishing TV show early access to Lake Naconiche several days before the official opening date.

Lake Naconiche finally opened to the public for fishing and boating on Sept. 1, with a lottery designed to prevent over-crowding and cope with limited parking facilities.

No one complained, until it was learned that county commissioners had allowed the host of the Honey Hole All Outdoors TV show and some of his sponsors to fish the lake on August 29.  Commissioners said the idea was to generate publicity for the lake and attract anglers from outside the county.

Honey Hole host Bill Wilcox says he's planning two shows about Lake Naconiche later this month on the Fox Sports Southwest cable/satellite channel.