Night Fishing

While many competitors in the annual Winter Polespear Tournament choose to hunt their quarry during the day, competitor Tom Pope prefers to brave the San Marcos River after dark to remove invasive species. Immersing his waterproof flashlight in the river, Pope prepares to go under to search the crevices and caves around the Rio Vista falls for suckermouth catfish and tilapia — both invasive species — during his time slot. Daily Record photos by Denise Cathey

After an hour of hunting, Pope places two of the suckermouth catfish he’s speared on a rock shelf at the river’s edge.