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Cedar Cove Ranch

Bryan Sheets enjoying some bass fishing with Luke on a crisp fall day.
Luke Clayton
Bryan Sheets enjoying some bass fishing with Luke on a crisp fall day.

This week Luke visits with Mr. Arlan Sheets, owner of Cedar Cove Ranch (www.cedarcoveranch.com).  Luke spent the day scouting for deer and hogs and fishing here this past week and ranks the ranch an ELEVEN on a ten scale! Situated near Purtis Creek State Park, the ranch is truly a sportsman's paradise. 

CEDAR COVE RANCH- A SPORTSMAN’S DREAM

by Luke Clayton

Eustace Texas- I’ve always said, long term friendships can be created faster in the outdoors when like minded folks get together than any other way I’m aware of. Through the years, I have made a great many friends while on story assignments. When I stop and give some thought to the reasons why, it’s pretty obvious; the people I find myself writing about and I have one thing in common that bonds us: A lifelong love of the outdoors!

A couple weeks ago, I was invited by owner Arlan Sheets to visit his Cedar Cove Ranch not far from Athens. The ranch consists of 700 acres of prime east Texas wildlife habitat and a very well managed lake that provides excellent crappie and bass fishing for guests that lodge on three well appointed cabins on the property. Arlan introduced me to his Dad, Bryant Sheets and from the get go, I could see another of those long term friendships beginning. Bryan and I are about the same age and we both are lifelong sportsmen with many of the same interests.  When visiting the ranch, Bryant is the one that personally sees to it you have an enjoyable stay and have everything needed to do so. 

“Luke, I’ll be wrapped up during the morning hours of your visit, but Dad knows the place well and he will show you around. Make sure and bring that 45 caliber ‘Texan’ air rifle you were showing me, it’s a good possibility yall will encounter a hog or two during your morning drive around the property. After a couple hours touring the ranch, it should warm up a bit and yall can catch a bass or two.” said Arlan the evening before my visit.

I met Bryant at the front gate of the ranch the next morning at the appointed time and he inquired as to what I would like to do first. “Want to use the electric ‘buggy’ and quietly drive the ranch roads? Chances are very good you can shoot a hog with that big bore air rifle!” quizzed Bryant. With plenty of fresh pork in my freezer and a desire to simply enjoy the day and learn all I could about this awesome piece of outdoor paradise, I replied with something like, “You know if we shoot a hog, then the work begins. How bout we just take it easy and soak up all the splendor the fall woods has to provide.

This was fine with Bryant, we had plans to begin fishing about mid morning and skinning and quartering a wild hog would severely cut into our fishing time.  As we rode slowly through the hickory and oak covered woodlands that were just taking on their fall colors, I learned about the ranch and the myriad activities available. Bryant knew I was all about hunting and fishing but many of the guests at Cedar Cove Ranch Resort come to simply get away to a very remote but comfortable place for a couple days.

“We have the grand lodge as well as a smaller cabin and also some hotel style lodging right on the water. says Bryant. We host a lot of weddings through the course of a year. Many couples desire a ceremony where they really ‘get away from it all’ and it’s hard to beat Cedar Cove for that. We also have folks that just come out to hike the trails and fish. We have a fully rigged bass boat that is available for rental and if folks wish to simply concentrate on catching fish and not handing the boat, I offer guided trips here on the lake. Anyone with basic fishing skills can catch fish here but I do know a hotspot or two, he kidded.”

As we drove the ranch roads that traversed the property, It was obvious the place was well managed for wildlife. Several food plots had sprouted green and feeders and stands that varied from double ladder stands to comfortable enclosed hunting blinds were well strategically placed along game trails and clearings. Along the trails we noticed several fresh whitetail rub lines and scrapes. The roads and trails were covered in hog and deer tracks. It was very obvious to me I was in great game country. I have hunted this section of the state in past years and have always been amazed at the terrain that varies from gently rolling to some downright steep hills.

As we broke out of some heavy woods, Bryant drove us to a state of the art shooting range that offered shots out to 200 meters. The shooting stations were covered and distances to the various targets well marked.

By mid morning, we decided to head back and do a bit of fishing before I had to leave for home. As soon as we launched the boat, the wind picked up and changed from the east to the northeast. Conditions were less than idea with an incoming cool front and we opted to fish again soon when the weather was more conducive to spending time on the water. I’ve fished lots of private lakes but never one as well designed as this. The depth finder near the dam plotted a bottom 50 feet below the boat. Private lakes and ponds with this kind of depth are all but unheard of. The same aquifer that Ozarka water uses feeds the lake and always interested in a fish fry, I quizzed Bryant as to the flavor of the fish caught from these pristine waters. His answer as just what I expected and I vowed to return and bring my fish cooker for a shoreline fish fry on the next outing.

I asked if fisherman come often and rent one of the hotel style rooms or one of the lodges and spend a day or two fishing. It seemed the perfect setting for a few friends or family to relax and fish a well managed lake for a couple of days. Bryant replied that yes, many of their clients do just that. I next quizzed him about the hunting. Day hunts for deer and hogs are available and he says night hunting for hogs using thermal scopes has become very popular.

The ranch is just a few miles from Purtis Creek State Park and about 1.5 hours from Dallas. If you have yet to lock in on a place to hunt deer of hogs this fall, consider giving Cedar Cove Ranch a call or you might wish to do some bass or crappie fishing away from the crowds. You can learn all about the ranch on the website, www.cedarcoveranch.com.

Email outdoors writer Luke Clayton via www.catfishradio.org

As KETR Operations Manager, Kevin Jefferies is responsible for making sure you hear what you’re supposed to be hearing on FM 88.9 and ketr.org.
Outdoors writer/radio host/book author Luke Clayton has been addicted to everything outdoors related since his childhood when he grew up hunting and fishing in rural northeast Texas. Luke pens a weekly newspaper column that appears in 34 Texas newspapers and is Editor at Large for Extreme Hog Hunter Magazine, Bowhunting Adventures and East Texas Outdoors Magazine and field editor for Dallas Safari Club "Camp Talk" publication. Luke is on the pro staff of Mathews Bows, Smokin' Tex Electric Smokers, and GhostBlind. Follow his columns and listen to his weekly radio show throughout the year and you'll surely get exposed to many facets of the outdoor life.
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