View Current Tournament Report TPWD Home TPWD Records-Lake Hunting Report Mexico Lakes Report TPWD Reports

To enter the Falcon Lake Tackle E-Store click here. Our on-line store has what is probably the most extensive selection of lures, gifts and marine supplies found in any privately owned site on the world wide web. New items are being added daily.

FLT Flash! Fishing Report

July 1, 2009: Rain everywhere.. except in Zapata.. Actually we could smell it yesterday, and it smelled good.. Kinda like standing outside Lubys.. But you can't go in. And as long as we continue suffering from Rain Deprivation Syndrome, it's not going to cool off any.

The fishing, however, has been decent if you can stand the heat. When you put on early in the morning, it is actually cool going across the water.. And try to remember that feeling after noon.

The Salanaias has been a bright spot as of late, and if you are familiar with heavy machinery you know where I am talking about. The creek with the bulldozer on the east bank has been putting out some good fish. Points and brush lines that end near the channel are holding fish. There are a couple of tank dams in there that are pretty good too. And for that matter, any tank dam you know of is worth looking at right now.

And I know I am sounding like a broken record, but it is still all about points and deeper ledges. Especially for the quality fish. There have been a lot of numbers caught shallow, especially early. And the top water bite has been decent in the early am.. And I mean early. After the first hour you can put it in the box.. Rattle traps in shad or baby bass or crawfish patterns will catch shallow fish in and around the shallow brush, and it is a good thing if you are near a rocky bank.

I heard from a few fishermen who fished with guides that they did real well fishing jigs, in a brown or crawfish pattern, on some deeper water humps. The Senko and the Mag Fluke are also working well. The Green Pumpkin Purple Dinger is my favorite right now. I hate a Senko.. But if it works, I'll throw it.. And I am a braid freak, but the heavy Fluoro will get you more bites. I hate it too..

Most of these fish have been pretty spot specific, and if you fish a point or hump for ten minutes and don't get bit, It's time to move on to the next one. And I don't see this pattern changing any time soon.

Falcon is sitting at 9.34 feet low a of this morning, and we are releasing about 1850 CFS. Amistad is still nine inches overfull, and they are releasing about 2225 CFS. And by the time that water gets here, most of it has been sucked out. But it has helped us to fall slowly, and we thank them for the water. Now let more out..

Water temps are right at ninety in the afternoons, and that is not likely to change anytime soon either. The forecast thru next wednesday is for highs in the 105 neighborhood. Makes 98 sound cool.

I hear thru the grapevine that the FLW Stren series IS coming back in January. And why not. I also hear of another big event in the early spring. More details to follow as things become more concrete.

June 28, 2009: The last weekend of June is about gone, and so are a lot of the old records for high temperatures in south Texas. Not so much us down here, but lots of places north of us have been smoking.

When you break a record in Zapata, it's really hot, and we haven't done it yet. And that high pressure is on us like Rosie on a Lazy Boy, and it takes something special to get it off. We need one of those Mezio-Convector thunderstorms to break out in west Texas and push this thing out of here.. I don't really know what that means, but I always liked the way it sounds.

And speaking of the end of the month, I was looking a the calendar and the Month of October is getting really busy. San Antonio Metro League of Bass Clubs is holding their championship here the weekend of the 3rd and 4th. Sun Country out of New Mexico announced this week that they will be holding their championship here at Falcon from the 14th thru the 16th. And of course OPEC is always scheduled for third weekend of October, which is the 17th and 18th. And to finish the month off, Texas Bass Federation Nation will be holding their championship the weekend of the 24th and 25th.

Sounds like I better fatten up before the fall comes. Cause it sounds like they're going to run us ragged around here.. Sounds like fun.

Atascosa bass club is here this weekend, and I hear that 29.87 is leading it after day one. Big fish was a 10.37 on Saturday. I hear that big flukes were the ticket for the big stringer.. They have been good. We'll have a full report tomorrow.

Craig White 29.87

David 24.00

June 26, 2009: I am not sure if the state of Louisiana is under a hurricane warning or what, but the second half of the states population is in Zapata this week. The first half came in January.. And I guess a lot of folks decided to stretch the Fourth of July holiday out a bit.. It's busy around here. But not to worry.. There is plenty of room for you.

Falcon has slowly declined to 9.17 feet low, and for this time of year, we are sitting way above what has become known as "normal." Amistad has caught about 1.5 feet of water in the last week or so, due to some big rains in their immediate watershed. Awesome.. They are back up to .89 overfull. I hope they'll share.

I just cannot tell you how excited I am about the coming spring, cause catching big numbers of small bass is going to be crazy. These babies are already eating baits the same size as them, and it is going to be nuts. We have a heck of a population of six to eight inch bass, and mark my words, they will be thirteen to fifteen inches in February. And about as fat as a pig. (Thought I was going to say Rosie didn't you?)

Most of the folks we talk to, especially the ones that have not been here before, always comment on how mean the fish are here. And short of a smallie, I don't think there is any meaner or stronger bass anywhere. When you catch your first three pounder here, you'll swear you've got a six on the other end. These fish have definitely not been to anger management class.

We have had a few days of low winds, and it has greatly helped the fishing. Open water main lake points have been fishable again, and a slow presentation of a big Senko of Mag Fluke has been very good. Paying attention to your line is a must, especially with the fluke, as the pickups have been very light. But when you stick em, all hell breaks lose.. And hopefully your line won't.

The rain south of us petered out before it got here this week, and we are still hot and dry. If you are headed this way, prepare yourself for the hot conditions. Drink lots of liquids and take all the sun protection you have with you. It'll make your day, and night, much more pleasant.

The Fourth of July Holiday is just around the corner, and it means different things to different people. For some it is just an extra day off, but for others it is much more. It is not just the day that our founding fathers declared our independence, but it is the day that we celebrate our freedom. The blood of many a better man than me has been shed to guarantee you and I the freedoms that we take for granted. Please remember all those that have given us these freedoms by their sacrifice, in the past, and those that are protecting our freedoms now. God Bless You All.. And Happy Fourth of July!

June 23, 2009: The wind has finally laid down for the time being, as a small wave from the gulf has approached the Brownsville area, and it would be a great day to fish. Partly cloudy skies are also inhabiting the area and that is helping keep the temps down a bit.. At least maybe we won't make the triple digits for a day or two.

I was at the ramp with a cast net this morning, and I took a pic of some of the baitfish we see a lot of. Of course two of the species I see often did not show in the net today. We don't have a lot of threadfin shad, but we occasionally see a few. And tilapia in the two to three in size are everywhere.. But not today.

The fish on the right in the pic is a common perch that we have tons of. And they get a lot bigger and we have several varieties that get down right huge. This species does not.

Second from the right is a shad that we have tons of, and is the most common one we see. They have a black dot right behind their gills, and a chartreuse stripe down their middle. Could be why the sexy shad pattern works so well down here.

In the middle is another common shad we have, and it has a distinctive black stripe in the tail and many of them have the stripe continuing to their mid-section. I often make a black stripe on a shad pattern crank bait with a sharpie marker and it does make a difference.

Fourth from the right is a minnow/carp looking critter that is common here, and he has a blueish belly and a pointy nose.. Not as common as the other two shad.. And not sure what you call him.

On the left is what I believe to be a baby Tilapia, and this one is about 1.75 inches long. When they get a little bigger, those bars get a little broader and they take on more of a perch shape.. None of the ones in the three or four inch size showed up today.. They have a distinctive barring pattern in their coloration. I'll get a pic of a bigger one soon.

Contrary to popular belief, we do not have a lot of Threadfin shad. Some, but not a lot.

So if you're throwing something that swims, looks, or tastes like any of the above, you might get bit.

June 22, 2009: I have been on the road for a few days, and I gotta tell you that Texas is getting no smaller. It's good to be home. And not a lot has changed since I have been gone. It is still hot, dry and windy in Zapata.

Falcon has dropped to 292.07, or 8.95 feet low. I'm not complaining.. Where are all those hurricanes they predicted? Until they can tell me when and where I think they can throw that early prediction stuff out the window. But I guess that would put a lot of folks out of a job.. "And in these tough economic times..."

Falcon is releasing slightly more water than Amistad, so the slow fall should continue. I drove across Amistad on the Hwy 90 bridge a few days ago.. It's as big as I've ever seen it.. And they caught me with my dynamite before I could get to the base of the dam.. I just had enough to make a small hole.. Don't know why they got so mad.. It does look good..

Fishing has remained a little tough on the fishermen here at Falcon. The weather is as much a factor as the bite, but neither is stellar. I'm gonna drop my rating to a 6.25.. There are still fish being caught, but we are not setting any records..

When you are staring through the windshield for hours on end, your mind starts to wonder. At least mine does. And I was thinking.. If we can change the genealogy of big bass to make them bigger, can we change the eating habits of buzzards? If we could get them to eat used tire parts we could really have something. Hell, they're already all along the highways, and they wouldn't have to be retrained. Think of the clean up costs we could save.. There are tire parts all over the place. Just a thought.

Well as soon as I figure out what I'm doing and digest a fishing report or two I will post the latest.. And next time I drive that far I better be pulling a damn boat...

Hope you had a great Fathers Day!

June 18, 2009: In keeping with my baby bass study, I thought I'd show you a pic or two of what is swarming the shallows. And if I had any sense, I'd have taken a pic of the shad and tilapia that are also in the mix.. We'll do it next week..

Fish on left is 3.5 inches long.. If only my taxidermist could paint like that..

This fish is 6.25 inches long.. And built like a ten pounder.

These fish are fat and sassy, and are eating shad like a kid eats cookies. It has been very common to catch a small bass, less that three inches long, with a two inch shad sticking out of its mouth. So it starts at an early age. Get ready for next spring.. Cause these fish will be eating everything in sight..

Happy Fathers Day!

June 17, 2009: Falcon has started a very slow decline in water level, with release rates from Falcon and Amistad being about the same according to the Aquastick Network. Amistad is .89 feet low, and Falcon is hanging in there at 8.76 feet low. Water temps here at Falcon are starting out around 83-85 in the morning.

We have been under the influence of a high pressure area that has pounded us with a strong southeast wind, and brought a lot of hot air up from the Chihuahuan desert. We need a front to head into Texas and push this thing somewhere.. I really don't care where.. Let someone else enjoy it for a while.

And it's a good thing that TV has gone all digital because all the antennas in Zapata are bent over.. Hope you got your converter box.. I was never so glad to see a campaign come to an end.. At least not since Johnson vs Goldwater.

The fishing has been a little tougher the last few days, and I am not sure if it is because the fish aren't as active as they have been, or because the wind is blowing so hard it is near impossible to fish any open water. And fishing most anything on the main lake has been a struggle. Big boats and Big weights required..

I heard a story this week about a cage in the lake that had several big bass in it. It was found by some fishermen and it appeared to be a old metal dog kennel. The fish were released I hear.. But I have not gotten proof of anything nor have I personally spoken to the folks who found it. But I am sort of a conspiracy theorist and if this is true I can only believe it was there for one thing. I hate freakin' cheaters.. More details as they become available.. And I'm working on it..

But for the most part, all remains the same as we head into the third week of June. Summer time is definitely here and deepwater fishing after 10:00 is the norm. Early on there is a bit of a topwater bite, but it usually disappears after the first hour.. Try a Spook or a Buzzbait near rocks or near brush lines in the shallows.

Big plastics still out producing most other baits.. And Jigs are catching more and more fish.. It's that time of year.

I have been continuing with my "Study" of the baby bass on the lake. In my cast net samples we are getting more and more bass in the 6" size, and none of the 2" fish we were catching a few weeks ago. Of course the net brings back plenty of fish in the 4" size also. I am not sure how long these youngsters will inhabit the shallows, but it is interesting to see the numbers and size of the fish we are catching. Many of these fish will not survive to adulthood, and I can tell you they are perfect Cormorant food right now. And we have plenty of Cormorants.. Now there is a good problem for TPWD to attack. I guarantee you that thousands of baby bass are getting eaten every day here on Falcon. I can see no benefit from these birds, and I'd like to see Noah come back and get the last two. This species is out of control in south Texas and it is time to do something about it. I rate them right there with mosquitoes or fleas. Wouldn't bother me if they went extinct. Now there's your nice thought for the day.. See you on the water..

June 14, 2009: There are a couple of bass clubs in town this weekend, and they are having decent success from the reports we are hearing. Uvalde's two top stringers were 28 plus and 26 plus we hear.. I have been at Choke for a couple of days so I missed the weigh in.. McAllen bass club is also fishing this weekend and they are weighing in at the state park.

Falcon is still hanging right around 8.5 feet from full, and there is still a bit of water in the pipeline. Amistad is still holding its own with a decent flow in the river above it. I'll have to admit that we have been pretty lucky in the water department this year.. We are used to seeing a lot worse.

The second annual "Whiskers and Tails" kids fishing tourney is scheduled for early next month, and I'll have all the details posted here this week. If you live around Zapata you need to get your kids and come on down. Some great prizes were given away last year, and we'll do it again.. It will be held at the County Ramp.. Look for more details soon..

Bob Stevens caught this 11-11 last week, and he said he had another one on in the same spot that was just as big.. Sounds like a good place to drop the anchor.

I fished a one day Club Tourney at Choke Canyon yesterday, and it was the first time I had been on Choke in at least two years. And I had heard that it has been crazy over there, and it's true.. There were boats everywhere. I hope the pressure doesn't kill it..

June 10, 2009: I was just looking at the forecast for the next few days, and Holy Cow! is is going to be hot. Highs are supposed to be in the 105 range with heat indexes off the scale. Seems we have a bit of this desert air from Mexico sitting on us for the next week.

I fished till one yesterday and it was pretty comfortable with the breeze blowing.. But if you are going to be out there till three or four you need to prepare. The sun down here will take your skin off like Bar B Qued chicken if you don't take some precautions..

The lake is holding level at 292.62, or 8.4 feet low.. And that is up almost a foot from a couple weeks ago. Water temps are an easy 85 in the mid days, so if you are fishing a tourney here this weekend, make preparations to take care of your fish.. It will take some attention to keep them alive. Do your best..

Every now and then you need to prove a thing or two to yourself, even though you know the answer in advance.. And I know the river above Hedieona has been pretty dead, but I had not been there in a couple months and I just know that one of these days it's going to bust loose.. Well I got news for you.. It hasn't busted loose yet..

We fished the Mexican side of Chapote Creek, and the Colondrina a good ways up the river.. Some awesome looking water if ever there was any.. And places where I have caught one million, two hundred eighty six thousand, five hundred and forty one fish in the past, were almost fishless. Oh, we caught a few, but it was still poor fishing. So we headed back to the Salado and caught a few fish in some of our spots that have been producing in the past few weeks. And sure enough they still did. The best fish we put in the boat was between five and six, and like always, The biggest one spit the bait after performing some aerial acrobatics.. But she was around nine to ten.. But I didn't hook it or I am sure it would have been guessed closer to eleven..

I was fishing with Doug Fett, as he got a new boat and I hadn't ridden in it yet. But it was a fun day and after all was said and done, there was more said than done.. But that's the beauty of fishing.. Always leave some for tomorrow.

And I know you know that I am always wondering about things that a lot of sane folks wouldn't consider. Like how come the faces of the Presidents on Mount Rushmore don't have any nose hair.. Or is Nancy Pelosi's or Jerry Jones' plastic surgeon better. Have you ever had one of those annoying Clown dudes making those balloon creatures right next to your table.. While they're twisting and bending and stretching those things I'm just sitting there waiting for them to pop.. Puts me on edge.. That's the same way I feel when either Jerry or Nancy is on TV.. Looks like their faces could pop at any second.. Gives me the creeps..

Anyway, I digress... But what I was wondering about was why can't TPWD catch their fish for Sharelunker with electro shocking? Maybe it is ineffective on bigger fish.. I dunno.. And if that is the case then all this is a moot point. But it would darn sure be more efficient. You could have your transport trucks right there.. Water tanks prepped and no long waits in livewells and minnow tanks.. Just go to a lake where all the monsters live and Zap em.. Then we could save millions on the Pomp And Circumstance of the Share Lunker program and still have all the benefits. "And in these tough economic times" a little belt tightening would be good. (BTW.. All license fees are going up 5% this year.. And be warned, TPWD says this will only keep them even.. Translation. Look for price increases again in the near future..)

But I don't look for any of this to happen.. As a matter of fact, I can't see why they don't helicopter to the long destinations to pick up the fish. It's only money.. And there's helicopters just sitting there..

I am not sure how to define success with the Sharelunker thing.. But I will have to admit it is one of the best publicity stunts to ever come along. And you can not look at the numbers objectively and tell me that it (Sharelunker) has increases the size of the fish we are catching today. And don't confuse the stocking of Florida strain bass with the Sharelunker program.

I guess my point is, "What is enough?" We can continue to spend millions on unproven programs and as long as it is in the name of "progress" who could be against it.. I am sure we will be putting a man on Mars in the near future.. While people are starving to death right here on earth.. But it's in the name of progress!!

The fishing is still doing pretty darn good overall.. I think if you don't mind the heat you will do just fine. Take lots of water or similar with you in the boat. And let us know if we can help you in any way..

P. S. We got in some of those W/M Magic and Green Pumpkin Magic Super Flukes and Mag Flukes.. You better hurry..

I feel better now...

June 8, 2009: I helped run the weigh in over the weekend for the API tourney, and I have to tell you that I am a little intimidated by the weights that were brought to the scales. I couldn't do it.. At least not right now. But lots of these guys figured it out and the top seven or eight teams had some awesome weights.

The winners are listed below, but here are a few more details from the event.

On day one, there were seven stringers over twenty pounds brought to the sales. That's out of twenty two teams. There were thirteen stringers over fifteen pounds.

On day two there were still three bags over twenty, including the heavy bag of the tourney that weighed in at 25.61 pounds. And keep in mind this is a three fish event.. There were eight bags over fifteen pounds weighed in on Sunday.

They paid out six places and if you had a 6.25 pound average for your six fish you did not get a check.. Get out of here.. I guess the fishing was pretty good. There are always some fishermen who figure them out, and a few who struggle, and I have personally been on both ends of the scale. But overall I have to say that the results were pretty damn good. There were very respectable weights three quarters of the way down the board.

And on another note, I happened over the final results for the Sharelunker for 2008-2009. Seems like every year there is a lake or two that turn out a mess of big fish. Seems like this year it was Conroe and Choke. Or at least that's the two I have heard most about.

But I had this great idea while channel surfing the TV the other day. If TPWD wants to grow a bigger fish, and eventually grow a new world record, we should quit messing with the Florida's.. That's right.. We need to use New Yorkers.. Extrapolate some DNA from Rosie and in a few years Whammo! New State record!

But I am not sure if Pizza and Fried Chicken will come out of the fish feeders at Athens.. We may have to get the legislature to earmark some funds for modifications..

It's going to be hot this week, but the fishing is getting the same way.. There are a couple of bass clubs headed to Falcon this weekend and they should whack em'.. Come see us..

June 8, 2009: Just a quick update on the API cause it is Sunday and I am basically lazy..

After day two, with six fish weighed per team:

1st Tom Haralson and Mike Bower 49.91

2nd Tim Griffin and Leopoldo Garcia Jr. 42.21

3rd Jim Parker and David Herzog 42.06

The average fish weight of the top three teams was 7.41 pounds.. Get outta here.. That's awesome!

Full report tomorrow.. I'm headed to Laredo to get some cigars..

June 7, 2009: I know this is not the tourney page.. But just a quick update on the API.. After day one:

1st Place: Terry Nunn and Mance Richardson 24.35 with a 11.29 Big Bass

2nd Place: Tom Haralson and Mike Bower 24.30 with a 9.07 Big Bass

3rd Place: David Herzog and Jim Parker 22.83 with a 8.13 Big Bass

Keep in mind folks this is a three fish tourney.. There are also several more stringers over 20 pounds and a lot of teens.. Will post final and full results tomorrow..

June 6, 2009: It was a busy Friday around these parts, with lots of fishermen in town, including Alamo Bass Club. They are fishing out of the State Park. The API tourney is running out at Beacon. I went over to the Captains Meeting last night and visited a bit, and it appears that the number of kitchen passes issued was lower than expected. There were twenty two teams entered as of last night, with a few more expected this morning.

I'm going to go help at the weigh in and I'll give an update on what's happening. I do believe that the organizers were expecting a little better turnout, but it is hard times in the oil business right now. And I'm talking about the folks who work everyday in the field.. Not the guys on Wall street. There are a lot of folks in our area that are out of work.. But don't worry.. I am sure Obamma is on it..

It is supposed to be around a hundred degrees today, with lots of sun, and a little breeze to keep you cool. And if anything, the wind has been less than predicted the last day or two. Now that's unusual. If you are planning a trip to Falcon this summer, there are a few things you must remember. And I am always talking about taking care of the fish, but I want to talk about taking care of you.. And I don't want to act like your Mamma, but boy you better pay attention. The sun down here can eat you up.

A big hat that covers your head in shade is a real plus. If it is breathable it is even better. If you are light skinned or not too used to the south Texas sun you need to get you a couple of long sleeved, light colored, light fabric shirts. Light Khaki pants are a good choice also. Blue jeans are a heat magnet. Get some loose fitting clothes in a light color and you will thank me later.

Sunblock is a must.. Apply a good quality sunscreen liberally several times a day. We've got some stuff here at the shop that is Falcon Tested.

Sunglasses.. Good ones.. Get em..

Stay Hydrated.. If the wind lays and it is gets hot you will loose your juice in a hurry. Water or a water based non alcoholic drink is best. (Gatorade, Propel, yada, yada..) Drink it even if you think you are not thirsty..

If you follow these few rules you can fish the hottest of days and survive with few after effects. I can't help you with those sore arms from fighting the fish.. You'll just have to sack up..

This Public Service Announcement is now over.. Now get down here and catch these fish or I'll have to do it..

June 5, 2009: Hot and steamy is the order of the day here at Falcon, and very light winds have been making it hard to stay on the water in the afternoons. We have been in the upper nineties most days this week, and the weekend looks like more of the same. So if you're headed out there, take and drink plenty of liquids. And beer don't count.

And I'm starting to think that a cowboy hat in a bass boat ain't a bad idea. The chin strap looks kind of funny though.

The lake is at 292.62, or 8.4 feet low. There is still more water coming out of Amistad than there is going out of Falcon, but it's not enough to make a big difference in the lake level. I went to Sugar this week, and when I crossed the bridge in Roma, it was easy to see that the water is way down from a month ago. Falcon is releasing about 500 CFS a second, down from 6000 to 9000 CFS a few months ago. A mere trickle.

The Valley has been getting hammered with some good rains in the last few weeks, including this week, and water for lawns and irrigation should be at a minimum for the near future.

The last couple of days here on Falcon have been a little tougher according to several fishermen I have talked to. But I have also heard some good things from a couple others, so I am not sure what to think. I have not been on the lake since last Sunday, and I hate to speak from second hand knowledge. But here is what I hear from a few folks I know well. Big Dingers in Green Pumpkin Purple are working well. Big worms, in a dark color, are doing good in the bushes in about 15-20 feet of water. And W/M Red Brush hogs are working well as always. So it sounds like more of the same. Long points are still the best place to start. Fish from the bushes you see till you get to twenty five feet and you will run into some fish. You can also catch these same fish with a crankbait, but you are going to loose a few along the way. And as always, keep your eyes open for chasing fish. They may show up anywhere throughout the day.

We'll see what kind of fish are caught tomorrow in the API tourney, and then we'll have a better idea of what is happening. It looks like they are going to have a pretty good turnout, and I plan on going to the registration this evening to see what's what.

June 2, 2009: It was announced yesterday that the San Antonio Metropolitan League of Bass Clubs has chosen Falcon for its annual championship tournament in October. The dates will be the 3rd and 4th, and October is shaping up to be a busy month here on Falcon. The annual OPEC tourney is scheduled for the weekend of the 17th, and the Texas Bass Federation South Division is holding their championship tournament on the weekend of the 24th and 25th. I better order some more stuff..

I can tell you that all the businesses in Zapata look forward to having you here. And of course we here at FLT will go out of our way to help you in any way we can.

Meanwhile the fishing on Falcon is doing pretty darn good. I'm not sure what the water level will be in October, but the last couple of years it has been close to or higher than it is now. But who knows what the summer will bring. Hurricane season started yesterday. And I know many of you do not like the higher water levels, as it has made the fish a little tougher to catch. We all struggled in January and February when we are usually whacking them. But it is a good thing in the long run, believe me.

You cannot throw a cast net anywhere in the shallows without catching a lot of baby bass. And what amazes me is that a three inch bass has the tail of a two inch shad hanging out of its mouth.. I've seen it a lot. I know that these bass are called Micropterus Salmonides, but I think they are Lovelace bass.. They can swallow some huge stuff.. (Sorry.. I tried to resist.) And they are growing at an incredible rate. There are a lot of the early hatch that are five and six inches long.. And a lot of the December bass are bigger and will be keepers in February.

These fish are so voracious, that it is a good thing that they do not get up to fifty pounds. If they did you could not let your kids go swimming. I had a friend who went skinny dipping the other day and he darn near got circumcised..

In any case, come see us if you can. I don't think you will be disappointed with the fishing.

June 1, 2009: Yesterday was a warm and muggy day, and about 6:30 it turned into a wet and windy evening. It rained.. Hard. We got an inch and a half in about forty five minutes, and Zapata county had a flash flood watch out for about an hour. Hope no one got caught on the lake.. It popped up in a hurry..

The lake has caught a bit of water in the last week, about four inches, and we are sitting at 292.27. And in the month of May, we lost a total of 2.07 feet. And in the last month we got about 3.2" or rain here at FLT. That's unofficial of course, but the country is looking pretty good.. It was sure dry for a while headed into May.

The API tourney is coming up this weekend, and it is limited to employees of Oil and Gas related businesses. But around these parts that does include a lot of people. All activities will take place at Beacon, and if you want more info call Jim Parker at 361-947-9800. I hear there are around forty teams pre-registered but that is hearsay.. We'll see pretty soon.

Harrison Schuhmacher caught this 10.57 pounder fishing with Jim Edwards last week. They had a thirty pound plus stringer to go along with her.. Of course that is a good start..

Brandon Law caught this nice fish while fishing with his Dad, Tommy. I think it was nine something.. Both of these fish caught on points.. With Brush.. You might want to check out some of those places if you make it down here..

Well, if you get a little time off, Zapata is a good place to use it.. I believe you can catch some fish about now. And if you don't have a hall pass, you can always do what I do..

And just in case you haven't heard.. Licence Fees Increase in O9.

May 31, 2009: There are few fishermen in Zapata this weekend, but most of them here have found the fishing pretty decent. I fished Friday and Saturday, and had similar results both days, fishing the same patterns in two different locations on the lake. On Friday I fished the upper end, namely the Salado and the Hedieona. Deep points with brush are still producing the best numbers and size of fish.

Yesterday I fished the Tigers and Goose Bay, and a few points on the way back to Zapata. Any deep point can have fish on it, but there are always some that are better than others. Duh...

I fished big worms, and had decent luck both days. But I never caught a fish over seven pounds in the two trips. I also caught a good number of fish on crankbaits, and the craw patterns with a lot of red in them are working well on rocky stuff. Shad or Bass patterns are working well also as there are fish chasing shad most everywhere. And if you can get a bait in the general area of a chasing fish within a few seconds, odds are that you are going to catch him. These generally are not big fish but once in a while you will get a nice surprise.

Deep rock piles and humps are starting to produce a few fish also. Many of these fish are larger, but their numbers are a little spotty. And you can fish a few without getting bit. Some of the guides here are doing real well, as they have a few spots where some bigger fish are congregated. I have a few pics to post and will asap.

But for the time being, long main lake and big creek points are still best. Get you a big dark colored worm and fish them out to twenty-five feet deep. The new Zoom Green Pumpkin Purple Gold Ol Monster is whacking them pretty good. That's a mouthful.. Any more flake and there won't be any plastic to hold the worm together..

If you have ever dreamed of hiring a guide and going to Sugar, then now is the time to sell that ten speed hanging in the garage and do it.. Lots of big fish and big numbers being caught there right now..

See you soon!

May 28, 2009: The monsoon season has arrived here in Zapata, and if you have been paying attention the last couple of years, you will remember that June and July have been some of our wettest months. And we have been enjoying some nice rains over the last few weeks. We have received about an inch of rain here at the shop in the last twelve hours. The Valley has also received a lot of beneficial rains which has reduced the need for irrigation water from Falcon. And for the last few days, Amistad has been releasing more water than Falcon. And with the local rains, Falcon has actually caught an inch or two of water in the last week. Last night Laredo and points north and west got some good rain, and we should see a bit of that in the river in the next 24 hours. It's all good. We are sitting at 291.91, or 9.11 feet low.

We have heard of lots of good catches, and a few great ones. Thirty plus pound stringers have been common, fishing with a lot of the guides here on Falcon. These bigger fish are starting to group up in a lot of places, and if you find one, you can catch some real quality in a little bit of time.

The common factor is still points with rocky bottoms, and a big worm like the Ol Monster, Bass Pro Shops Squirmin Worm, or anything similar have catching a lot of fish. Big crankbaits are also doing well, but you are going to loose a few while fishing these brushy areas. Any point, long or short, wide or narrow has the potential to produce some big fish. But of course, not all points are created equal. Deep ledges, or quick drops are great places to try.

I personally believe that the fishing on Falcon is as good as it has been for the last eight months. And if you have a day or two to figgure them out, you should be able to catch some good numbers of quality fish. All you need to do is get down here.

Jimmy Steed Caught this 11.8 yesterday, but he did not have a camera man along with him. He says he caught several eights also.

Todd Kreuger caught this 9.2 over the last weekend, another fellow with a Falcon personal best.

The big fish are on the bite. Come if you can.

I will be posting a report on Sugar and Las Blancas on the Mexican Lakes Page.

May 25, 2009: I hope you are enjoying your day off, if indeed you are not working. I know in this 24-7 lifestyle there are always people working. Including me.. But hell, when you love what you do it ain't too tough..

I was in the Tigers yesterday, and I couldn't believe how many boats were in there.. Like it was a holiday or something. And a lot of folks were catching fish, but as always, some more than others. I found a lot of fish on a couple of points, and it wasn't rocket science. If you keep your eyes open, many of these smaller fish will tell you where they are. They are chasing shad in lots of areas. And it is not unusual to see a lot of floating dead shad in areas where fish are feeding. I am sure that there is all kinds of carnage going on under the water that we do not see.. And all you have to do is look at a shad wrong and it's over.. They are the Weakest Link. And pretty much on the bottom of the food chain. Ever try to keep one alive in a bucket? It ain't easy.. Like keeping Rosie alive on three fried chickens a day.. Tough proposition..

As of this morning, according to the Aquastick network, Amistad is at 1116.88 feet, just a hair under full pool. And they have been nice enough to share some of their water with us. Thanks guys. We are down to 291.85, or 9.17 feet low, and in the last seven days we have lost only three inches.. Beats that foot and a half we were dropping a few weeks ago. And release rates from Falcon and Amistad are down..

But back to the fishing. Better fish are still coming from deeper water, probably in depths from 12-20 feet. I heard of three ten pounders over the weekend, and I have a pic of a couple. But one of them was caught in six feet of water. You can never fish too shallow on Falcon.. There are always shallow fish. And that's a good thing or I wouldn't catch squat..

Big worms are still king in the deeper water, weather you fish them on a rig or straight up. I am not going to tell you which one I caught them on yesterday.. You already know. But the method remains the same.. Find a point that tapers out towards the creek or river channel and fish the brush you cannot see. Many of these fish are suspended in the trees and will hammer anything you drag through there. When you feel your bait coming up a tree, let it hang out in there a moment and then slowly let it crawl out the top and then let it fall. Most bites are coming on the fall after exiting the tree. I love that kind of stuff..

Secondly,the crankbait bite has been awesome where the fish are schooling and chasing shad. I killed them again yesterday on the Slick in Deep Little N. The Lavender Shad has been great, and the Tomato Craw Red or Green is still catching a lot of fish anywhere there are rocks. Cause right now, Rocks=Crawdads.

Our Buddy Gene caught this 10.54 pounder on Friday. I am going to teach them to get the camera in the same county as the fish one of these days..

We have had very little wind for the last seven days, and fishing has been quite nice.. I forgot that you don't have to run the trolling motor all the time.. And it is nice to run the lake from top to bottom and not get foam in your Big Red.

Enjoy your day off if you got one.. Come see us when you can.. And don't forget to Thank A Vet!

May 22, 2009: Fishing remains fairly good here on Falcon, and some might say that it is awesome. I will have to say it is somewhere in between. There is no reason that you cannot come to Falcon right now and catch some good numbers of fish. And if you hold your mouth right, you just might get that pig you are looking for.

Kevin Skloss caught this 10-9 last weekend, but he did need supervision from his Dad.

Mike Stringer caught this ten plus beast last week.

And Daniel Elias Caught this 12-5 Hog a couple weeks ago..

Somebody is always catching a big fish around here..

It's Memorial Day weekend, and most folks just think of it as another holiday. A long weekend to fish, golf, relax, or whatever.. And while I don't rate it with Christmas or Thanksgiving, I do give it a lot of credence.. When you stop and think about all the things we take for granted in this country, you need to stop and thank a Veteran for providing all the freedoms and rights you have.

You can write anything you want on a piece of paper, make a declaration, issue a resolution; you can scream it from the rooftops. But till a Soldier put his butt on the line nothing ever happened.. Never forget the Sacrifice that so many thousands gave so that you can dye your hair green, protest in the streets, live your life in whichever fashion you wish, or just go fishing.. Make an effort to to say "Thanks". It's the least you can do..

It's all good down here. Have a great weekend..

May 20, 2009: If you're one of the lucky ones that is down here this week, you are getting some of the best fishing conditions that we have had in a month. Semi stable water conditions, highs in the 80's, and very light winds.. Definitely Chamber of Commerce weather. I have no idea why I am in the shop.

We have been getting reports of fifty or more fish being caught by several groups of anglers. And one thing has been common; long points. With rocks is better. Fishing the tree tops. Let your bait hang in the submerged bushes a bit, and when you pull it out you are likely to get bit. In these same areas, the Deep Little N in the Tomato Craw Red or Green has also been very good. I need to order some more.. When you catch a fish and they have crawfish tentacles or pinchers hanging out of their gullets it is a pretty good bet that they just might be eating some crawdads..

This fish was found dead floating with a steel leader hanging out of her mouth. Not sure if the hook got her or the triple meat Whataburger stuck in her throat did her in.. Thanks Chad Stephan for the pic..

Generally there is just not a pattern that will not catch fish right now. You should be here..

I got a few e-mails about Robert (Our Cat) and that got me to thinking about another pet story. When we were growing up, we always had projects going on around the house, and generally us boys were out with Daddy in the garage.. It beat cleaning toilets..

And one Saturday we were changing the oil in all the cars and my sister came out to the garage and said that Mom would not let her walk the dog because she was in heat. And not knowing what that meant, she came out to tell Daddy that, and see if she could get Mom overruled. And she said that Mom said that the dog had a certain smell and what was all that about. Well my Dad, being the nature expert he was, took some gasoline on a rag, and rubbed it on the dogs butt. He told my sister that would take the smell away and he figgured he would not have to do any more explaining. He told her to just go around the block once and come right back.

In about ten minutes my sister was back, but with just the dogs leash. My Dad asked where the dog was and my sister said, "She ran out of gas about half way around the block. But don't worry, cause now another dog is pushing her home."

May 19, 2009: I was just looking at the weather forecast for the next five days. Winds predicted to be 5-10 for the next five days? Highs in the eighties and low nineties? Fish are biting? It just might be time to quit your job and make a Beeline for Zapata.

While I stunk it up over the weekend, many fishermen did pretty well. And as I hear tell, a lot of locals did real good yesterday, including my brother, so you know the fish must be biting.

May 18, 2009: I have been trying to write a fishing report for three days.. But things have been a little busy around here and I just haven't gotter done. Tom was at Choke on Saturday at Bass Champs, My bass club was in town, We had house guests, and I fished Saturday and Sunday..

The fishing was a little tougher this weekend, and I haven't heard all the results from the clubs that were in town. But in our Club, we had a feller catch 21.eighty something yesterday.. Three fish.. Ouch.. We went to a three fish format due to the hotter water temps. I think it is a good idea. And even I can usually catch a limit.. He caught all his fish on a Watermelon Red Brush Hog.. Go Figure..

Crankbaits are still catching a lot of fish, and I have heard good reports on most anything in a bass or shad or crawfish color. And I can attest that the Tomato Craw Green in Deep Little N will catch em. My partner wore em out on it. And catfish like it too.. We also fished a lot of plastics, but the Plum worm was still the best producer for us.

On Saturday we received and inch and a half of rain in the afternoon and evening. And when it rained, it poured. And the early shower was just in time for 3:00 weigh in.. If you weren't wet from the ride in, it got you putting the boat on the trailer.. And I don't mean a drizzle..

That was the first appreciable rainfall in Zapata in months.. And boy it is nice not to have dust in the air..

The Valley also had the same showers track down the river, and I hope this will lessen the thirst for Falcon water. As of this writing there is still some water coming from Amistad, and Falcon has caught an inch of water. But my site on water flows is down, and right now I am not sure what is going out the gates here on Falcon. BTW.. It is 60 degrees here in Zapata this morning.. No wind.. Why am I in here??

Last Friday I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Jaime Gutierrez from Nuevo Guerrero. He was raised in the Old Guerrero, and he was the president of the association who raised funds and refurbished the old church in Old Guerrero. And he also shared some pictures with me of the old Plaza and I scanned them. This picture was taken from the top of the Hotel, the tall walls you see south and west of the church. And as you can see, this was quite a town in it's time. This picture is circa 1950.

If you look in the top right of this pic, you can see the Salado River edge in the distance. This really wasn't that long ago..

I'll have some results from the Bass Clubs posted as I get them. In the mean time, it's still 61 degrees.. I'm going outside!

May 15, 2009: There are Five bass clubs in town this weekend that I know of. SWRI, Rebel, Alice, Quality, and McAllen. So we should see some good fish caught over the weekend. And if you are not here yet, I can tell you that some of your clubmates are here looking around.. You better hurry up.

They are still letting a pretty good amount of water out of Amistad, and it is down to 1117.3. Still 3/10ths over full. And the drop on Falcon has slowed to about an inch a day. That's a good thing. So if you remember the last couple of years when we whacked them at ten feet low, you should retry some of your old haunts. As Jerry Jeff Walker would say, " Let me put myself back in that place again."

May 13, 2009: Some folks say that I have been on the water a lot lately.. And I'm not gonna mention any names.. But even my cat is looking at me funny.

I have been out there trying to rediscover what the lake looks like at about ten feet low. And of course I have been picking crankbaits off tree limbs like Christmas ornaments. There is not a lot to do in Zapata.. And I have also invented the ultimate shad keep em alive bucket.. It may look like a 16 gallon shop vac on the outside.. But only to the untrained eye.. Cause when I'm fishing a tournament, I don't want my minnows dying..

I have spent a lot of time in the Salado, a place I have avoided like the Plague for the last few months. And a lot of my time I have spent on graph watching looking at my old spots at this water level. Some of them are gonna be awesome any day.. That is any day that the wind will allow you to fish some wide open water.. And when people see me that far from the bank, they probably think that I am broke down.. I'm still trying to learn to fish water that's over my head deep. And you might not believe it but there are some fish out there...

Here's a pic I took the other day and when I put it on the screen I thought it was at Amistad.

And here's a pic of a tank dam that never really produced for me the way I thought it should. It's just SE of the Elephant Rocks..

I just knew when there was eight feet of water on this baby I was going to rewrite Moby Dick.. Not.. But I did crawl across the top last year before the lake crested the dam with a spinner bait. There were a lot of three pounders in that tank..

Main lake points are still where the majority of Bigger fish are coming from. In depths from 12 to 20 feet seem to be best. I'm still not fishing them.. Hell, anybody can go out there and catch a ten pounder.. I'm trying to do it in three feet of water.. That takes talent.. But so far I have not exhibited too much..

But Gabe Lugo put the smackdown on a whopper this week. This 10.5 is his personal best and I will have to say that at 12 years he beat me to the ten pound club by a long shot.. Good going Gabe!

There have been a lot of quality fish caught in the last few weeks. It is hot, but if you can stand the heat you can catch some fish. We have had several groups in town this week that have done very well. And a couple of them have never been here before.. But it looks like they'll be back.

One thing is for certain. The summer patterns are in full effect. There are fish from one foot deep, to thirty feet deep. Shad are all over the banks. Shady areas are holding fish. Ledgy areas are holding fish. The water temps are around eighty five and the fish are very active.. If you can find a rocky point or ridge, with a little brush on it, that runs on out to a dropoff or ledge, you will catch some fish there. I promise.. Pick your favorite bait and throw it..

Thinking about that cat reminded me of a cat we had when we were kids. He was a natural bobtail, Half Manx, Half Panther, and two thirds pissed off.. And while he loved us as kids, he had little tolerance for other cats or dogs. And we raised Brittany's and this cat would soon indoctrinate all the new pups as to who was the king around the house. And he loved messing with the dogs.. We had a low roof on the front porch, probably eight feet on the dripline.. And this cat would sit on the edge, and wait for one of the dogs to come by. He would jump off the roof, rake em' across the butt, and haul it up a tree.. And sit there smirking at them like he was thinking "Didn't see me up there did you, dogbreath?"

This cat used to walk down the top rail of a chain link fence like it was two feet wide. He fathered dozens of bobtailed kittens during his reign, and if there was another cat around, he was either going to whip it, or make love to it.. Or maybe both.

But the classic of all classics with Robert, (His name was Bob but we called him Robert for long) was the time he got into it with the neighbors dog.. They had two Irish Setters.. They were good at barking.. And Robert would strut down their fence line about two feet from the fence, while these two dogs would be going crazy. He never even gave them a glance as he walked along..

But one day, One of those dogs got out of the fence (they lived across the road). And of course what was bound to happen sooner or later happened. That dog saw Bob making his after school rounds and made a Beeline for him. And what happened next was something to see.. Most cats would have headed up a tree or jumped a fence.. Bob hunkered down like Dick Butkis and waited for the dog to make it through the A gap. And when he did, that cat Jack In The Boxed his ass and attached himself to the face of that dog. He had a mouth full of ear, two front claws full of lips, and two back legs diggin out red hair like it was going outta style. It was awesome. That dog never looked at that cat again.. You can't make this stuff up. I loved that cat..

But I digress.. There are a couple of Clubs coming to town this weekend, and I know Bass Champs is at Choke. And I heard a rumor that Bass Champs might move Falcon up on its schedule next year.. I hope so.. Please let me know if you have heard anything similar. Take plenty of ice and Catch And Release with you this weekend to Choke or Falcon.. The water is 85 over there too. Cool the water after you put your big fish in.. Slowly. Good luck out there and we'll see you on the water!

May 9, 2009: Happy Mothers Day!

Yesterday I asked my wife what she wanted for Mothers Day. And she said she wanted to go fishing. Well... Ok..

It was a bit windy, and we did not leave the store till 8:30. But we made our way across the river to the Salado, where we could hide a bit and maybe stand up in the boat. It wasn't too bad..

We threw crankbaits along the rocky shores, and we did pretty well. And it did help to fish the areas where there were transitions in the bank. Where the rocks tapered off on the ends of the points or rock lines, or where there were different kinds of rock, like where slabs of rock turned to gravel. We put 16 in the boat and were off the water at 12:30.

The Salado is full of these kinds of areas, and if you head I there and look around you will see what I mean. With the dropping water levels, these places stick out like a sore thumb. And if you ask me, it is about time the Salado turns back on. It has not been one of my favorite places lately.

The water color in the Salado is more like we are used to around here, beautiful... Slightly stained with visibility of about two feet. The Lower end of the lake is still clearer, but it is nothing like the clarity we had back in Jan and Feb.

In the last seven days, Falcon has dropped 1.15 feet, and we are at 8.29 feet low. If the water being released from Amistad continues, we should see the drop slow a bit this next week. They better get some water out of that lake.. Hurricane season will be here pretty darn quick.

And I was wondering how much water we have released this year compared to last year. So of course I requested the info for the months January thru April. And I was surprised to see that we did not release as much this year as last.

2008

Mexico 364,084 Acre Feet (Amount of water it takes to cover one acre one foot deep)

US 277,851 AF

2009

Mexico 324,415 AF

US 257,684 AF

And if you're interested, The Rio Conchos lakes that provided all this water last year, still have the potential to do it again. Luis Leon Reservoir is still at 149% of capacity, and Boquilla, the big lake above it on the Rio Conchos chain, is at 83%. One good Pacific Hurricane and we could do it again..

And just FYI, Sugar lake is at 72% of capacity, and Las Blancas is at 90. There is your math lesson for the day..

Now go call your Mom..

Happy Mothers day.. To all you mothers... :-)

May 8, 2009: The fishing on Falcon is definitely on the upswing. Fish are being caught all over the lake, and I mean all over it. The fish are eating shad and crawfish like Rosie eats cupcakes. Get a bait in front of em' and look out. I may have to increase my rating to an 8 pretty quick.

Many of the fish we caught on the rocky banks over the week had crawfish pinchers and feelers sticking out of their gullets. I think an orange or red crankbait would catch you some fish. But shad patterns are working fine also.. But next time I go out I will have a crawfish pattern tied on. I love diversity.

Fish are being caught on deep main lake points, and any rocky bank with wind blowing on it. Find the bait, find the fish. And it is not too hard to do..

The Laredo chapter of the API (American Petroleum Institute) is bringing their tournament back to Falcon after a long absence. It is a fund raiser and they give away all the money they raise in the form of scholarships to area kids on their way to college. It is scheduled for June 6th and 7th. There is a catch though. You must be employed in the Gas or Oil field, or have been in the last six months. (I spent 2.1 million on gasoline last year.. Wonder if I qualify.) If you have questions on eligibility or need an entry e-mail Jparker.1941@Yahoo.com. Or call them at 361-947-9800. It is a three fish, team tourney with a $200 entry fee.

You don't even need to have a boat to catch a whopper at Falcon. Edmundo Gonzalez caught this pig last week.

And Jesus Garcia caught this 10.7 this week also.

The summer heat is here, and it has the fish biting..

I went to Sugar yesterday, and we pretty much wore them out. I'll post a report on Sugar in the Mexican Lakes page later. But you need to try it..

May 6, 2009: It's been a little breezy for the last couple of days, but it has been fishable. And it has certainly been better than it was last week. The only factor being that the expected highs for the next few days are supposed to be around 105.. Summer has arrived in Zapata.

But fishing till one or two is no problem, just remember your Sunscreen, Lots of Water, and a good hat.. And of course Sunglasses are a must..

The mornings have been overcast till about ten or so, and it has remained partly cloudy through the day.. But is is HOT in the late afternoons.

I fished the last three days in a row, and I will have to admit with pretty good success. We caught good numbers of fish every day, (over twenty) and we were catching fish from two to seven pounds. And a lot of small fish mixed in. Some undersized yesterday. The wind was light on Monday and we flipped and cranked.. Yesterday the wind was a factor, and fished the Salado. We threw mostly crankbaits on the exposed rocky shores where the water was beating the bank.. Lots of shad shallow, and lots of bass chasing them. It was good.. We probably had thirty fish yesterday.. No whoppers.. But lots of good action and we found fish on most every rocky bank we fished. We got off the water at 1:30..

On Monday we fished the Coyote and the Benavides.. Lots of flipping fish on the points, and wherever you could throw a crankbait it would work also. Paralleling the trees on the points with a crankbait worked very well. I was throwing the Deep Little N in Slick and the Baby Bass. There are tons of fry and fingerling in the water. So any shad or bass imitator will work fine. But the Little N shape seems to work best. Lots of the guides are still throwing a lot of Senkos.. But the Plum Ol Monster was still whacking them too. Throw your confidence bait and you will do fine..

I know many of you do not like the hotter weather we have down here in the summer.. But you will find that the fish love it. Water temps were about 83 in the PM. We have dropped to 293.27 , or 7.75 feet from full pool. The water is still pouring out of Falcon and Sugar, and I wonder how long the valley can stay thirsty.. And this morning I finally notice that they are releasing some water from Amistad, somewhere around 3500 CFS. Hopefully that will slow the drop at Falcon. But who knows how long they will let it run..

But one thing is for sure.. The lower Falcon gets, the better the fishing will get.. And it's getting better all the time..

May 2, 2009: What a gorgeous day.. Light variable winds.. Sunny.. And from what I am hearing the fish are going a little crazy. Main lake points and brush lines are producing a lot of fish and some whoppers were caught in the last few days. I'm not telling you to quit your job just yet, but it may be coming soon. Lots of six pounders are showing up, and I have seen pics of about six fish over ten in the last few days.

Tommy Law had a trip yesterday, and they had had two over ten and one 11.6. And the guys that fished with him said they caught an easy fifty fish.. Main lake points. The brush line out to twenty feet. Big Flukes and Old Monsters and Senkos.. These pics are from a phone camera, and not the best..

Mike 10+

Tim Montz.. 11+

And Leroy Medford is at it again, with his another personal best with this 11.3 caught last week.

That's a good Pic..

I have some friends coming in to town today, and we will fish a couple of days (Mon-Tues) and I'll let you know if us amateurs can catch any fish.. Then we'll know if just anybody and can catch fish.

And Gary Harlan just called me from the water and said he had three fish over six pounds in thirty minutes on a chart/white Jo-Baby spinner bait. And he asked why in the hell wasn't I on the water.. And I said why in the hell didn't you call me..

I might make it out this PM and I will post a report on what I catch..

The Permian Bass Club is holding their club championship this weekend.. Three fish format.. Sixteen plus was leading it after yesterday, and it sounds like the numbers of fish have been pretty good. And most of these guys have not fished Falcon before. I'll let you know how they finish up.

The weather is supposed to be good for the next few days.. It will be nice to be able to wear a hat..

May 1, 2009: The wind that has plagued us the last few days has lessened a bit.. But you can still get your kite off the ground. And the predicted wind speed is about ten miles per hour less than the last few days. Maybe we will be able to fish again..

I checked the release rates out of Falcon this morning and they were still releasing about 9000 CFS. That is an incredible amount of water and I wonder just how long it is going to continue.. I am sure I could make a few phone calls and get an answer.. But I really do not believe anybody knows.. When they've got enough they'll quit I guess.. Nothing changes.. As of this morning, we are sitting at 294.32, or 6.7 feet low. Down over 1.3 feet in the last week. Water temps are around 80 degrees in the afternoons.

I got lots of e-mails on the birds I saw at Sugar.. And if you haven't heard, they are caller Roseate Spoonbills. They are small fish and shrimp eaters I heard. And someone told me that their color comes from eating a lot of shrimp. I should be turning pink any day.. And most folks think that pics of pretty birds are better than pics of Rattlesnakes or Tarantulas.. I agree. But those damn things sure are sure hard to pick.. I think they taste a lot like owl..

There are quite a few folks in town over the weekend. Permian bass club is holding their championship here this weekend, and I should have some good reports on what's happening soon. Most folks I talked to said they were doing pretty good considering the windy conditions. One group had an 11.5, and two tens in the last couple of days.. Two tens yesterday.. Pics coming soon.

The typical summer patterns of shade and rocks, not necessarily together, but good if you can find it, are coming into play. I am hearing more and more reports of schooling fish chasing shad. Good for your number count.

Occasionally I run around and throw a cast net a bit, just to see what is in the water. The shad are full of eggs and should be wallowing on the sandy, gravel banks spawning any day, and they are, in a few places.. Small bass are up there piggin out.. Keep your eyes open. And on any rocky bank the net comes back with LOTS of baby bass. If 20 % make it to keeper size, it's gonna be awesome.

The fishing is getting better.. Come on down!

April 28, 2009: As April draws to a close, and summer nears, we are finally starting to see a little of the warm weather patterns kicking in. And the fact is that the fish are cooperating.. If you can get to where you want to fish. The wind has been an ally when it is not too much to contend with, but a bear when it is howling. Wind blown brush lines are starting to concentrate some fish, as the shad and baitfish are pushed up against the brush. And the falling lake level has done nothing but help the fishing.

The lake is still dropping at a fast pace, and release rates are still high. We are at 294.96, or 6.06 feet below full pool. I crossed the dam yesterday evening and there was a good bit of water being flushed out of the bottom of the flood gates.. I guess the valley is still thirsty. I went to Sugar yesterday and they are releasing a ton of water out of that lake too.. And all the fields are standing in water.. It's that time of year and there has been no appreciable rainfall in the valley. Or here for that matter..

I'll have a report on the Sugar fishing on the Mexico lakes page.. And so far it does not look like I contracted the wild boar flu while I was there.. But I am craving a ham sandwich.. I know the Swine Flu is serious stuff.. Hopefully they'll get a handle on it soon.

But in any case, I saw some birds at Sugar I have not seen before. And I know someone out there knows what kind of birds these are.. I don't really care.. I just want to know what the bag limit is... (Just kidding.. Minimize that e-mail page..) They are very pretty and they can't be fish eaters with that bill. But I bet they could tear up a bowl of Guacamole..

There were a dozen or so of these feathered critters mixed in with a few thousand Cormorants and Egrets. If you know what they are, please let me know. I have never seen them around here before.. I wonder if they taste like chicken?? I have been trying to eat less beef as I hear it is causing my gout. I'd give it a try..

Sergio Herrera caught this whopper this week in the Salanaias. And a lot of other good fish were caught there as well. If I was going to fish a tournament, that's where I'd go.. It's been the best thing going as of late.

If you find a stretch where the wind is not supposed to blow, it would be a good time to be here..

April 26, 2009: Aeolus must be really angry with the fishermen here on Falcon. And I can't think of anything I did to piss him off. But somebody must have. I saw a kite fly over the shop earlier, and I am pretty sure that Charlie Brown was hanging on to the string.. Good Grief...

It's Sunday morning and with the wind like it is, things are pretty quiet around here. Gives a man a chance to get a little paperwork done, and surf the net for some interesting tidbits of information. I hated History when I was in school, but I have found that I am very interested in the local history of the area. And since the dawn of time, this area has been inhabited by man, drawn here by water, and a food supply of most animals and plants that still inhabit the area. But I am mostly interested by what I will call modern man. But for hundreds of years, I will guess that they were anything but civilized.

The wind laid down a bit on Friday afternoon, and I got out with a friend and we high tailed it to the Coyote. There are some fish in there.. The summer patterns are starting to come into play, and anything that is shady when the sun is shining can be harboring fish. Flip the denser bottoms of the tree bases. Let it sit an watch your line.. A lot of these fish were just swimming off with the bait. Of course the only picture fish we hooked came out of the water like a sub launched Tomahawk Missile and proceeded to throw the hook.. It happens..

Gold flake in any plastic seems to be the ticket.. Crankbaits in a shad or perch color are starting to work pretty well.. And there are more and more incidences of schooling fish all over the lake.. Keep your eyes and ears open..

April 24, 2009: If you drive thru Zapata today, be sure and be on the lookout for small cattle and Volkswagens being blown across the road.. Mother Nature has definitely got a bad case of the winds..

But I was just looking at the National Weather Service online prognostication page, and they have taken Zapata county out of the red flag warning area.. I am not so sure if they know what they are saying.. Last night the paint blew off several buildings in town.

The lake has dropped to 295.85, a foot plus in seven days. I may need to make a slight adjustment for the big south wind, but a foot is pretty accurate. I'd like to say that they're dropping it like Wynona would drop a Granola bar.. But it's not quite that fast..

When you can fish, the fish are actually biting. If you read this report a few days ago, then you know what is happening. But the weird thing is that lots shallow fish are being caught in a lot of areas.. Several of the better stringers from last weeks Bass Champs tournament were caught in water less than ten feet deep. And I for one like that kinda stuff..

But the usual deep ledge fish will show up pretty quick.. Our water temps are still not at eighty, and last year we were near 85 on a lot of late April days.. And when the water gets around eighty-five, things really start to get good.

There are no major tournaments coming to Falcon in the near future, and the lake can use a rest. The OPEC in October is next on the list, but who knows what may pop up during the summer months. An hourly Big Bass tournament would not be a bad thing.. But dragging around five or ten fish all day is a death sentence for the fish, especially if the water is 85 plus..

Flukes may be overtaking the Senkos as the best baits going, and anything with some Gold flake has been good. Baby Bass has also been working well, and W/M Candy and W/M Candy Red are also good choices. The W/M Candy Red Brush hog has also been doing pretty well.

But your favorite soft plastic will catch fish. Throw it and let it sit.. S-L-O-W is good.

See you later.. I gotta go put up some new flags..

April 22, 2009: I was just looking at my calendar and I see that it is Administrative Professionals Day.. And Hell I figgured I had the day off.. But I was quickly reminded that I am not a professional.. I should have toughed it out and finished the third grade.. But in my defense I did try twice..

You may have noticed that Zapata County is fairly flat land, and while it may make for some boring landscapes, it makes for some awesome sunrises and sunsets. And most mornings when I walk out on the deck there is something of interest in the sky. And this morning was no exception..

I know the pic is crappy.. You had to be there. But moon had this star right under it and it looked awesome.. Maybe some of you early birds saw it.. And astrologically I am sure this means something.. It could be someone's lucky day.. You could have a chance for advancement at work.. Your love life could take a turn for the better... Or worse.. Rosie could loose two hundred pounds...

But I don't believe in that crap.. I just think a planet or star was right behind the moon.. I am sure someone out there knows something about it..

I'll throw in this one from last week just for grins..

But this is supposed to be a fishing report..

I must admit that the fishing is improving, for numbers if for nothing else.. Points with rock still seem to be the best areas to attack. The jig bite is getting better and better, and there is a new bait around, (some places) that is really doing well.. Zoom is making the Mag Fluke in a few new colors, and the Watermelon Magic, and the Green Pumpkin Magic have been working very well.. In fact so well, that we can't keep them in stock.. If you see some somewhere you should pick up a few.. Till they catch up with demand it looks like they might be scarce.. They have some small gold flake in them and they are working.. And we are working on getting some more.. A lot more..

I went to Roma yesterday, and to Salanino, just south of the dam to check out the river and look for some giant bedding perch I have been told about.. But the river is still running very high, and the spots I tried did not work. Need more research.. But I did get a little more familiar with the area and I took a few pics that might interest you.. All in the name of Recon..

This is the Salanino boat ramp area... Of course you can't see it because it is under water..

And let me tell you that those ripples are not being caused by the wind.. That baby is rolling..

This is an old house on the road to the ramp.. Interesting construction methods..

Here is a view of the international bridge in Roma from the bird watching cliffs.. That is the town of Miguel Aleman across the river.. We cross this bridge on the way to Sugar Lake..

Tommy Law has been a busy boy and he has had a couple guys for a few days and they are doing pretty darn good.. Mike NoLastName caught this whopper a couple days ago.. They had a few over eight. (I am not sure if that first sentence sounds right)

And Curtis Tegler caught this fattie out of the secret spot in the Veleno..

The lake and the fish are resting up from last weeks episode of prop fever, and things are getting into the summer pattern around here.. I personally love the hot days.. Fish stack up like cordwood on the drops.. Jigs, big cranks, and Carolina rigs take over, and when you come down here you will feel a little bit like Steven Seagal.. Cause sooner or later, you know your gonna kick some ass..

I've gotta go read my Horoscope and figgure out what those alignments mean.. I might need to be fishin.. And Carrie Prejean.. You go girl...

April 20, 2009: The lake was just a bit busy over the weekend, as there were a lot of fishermen in town, and a lot of the Bass Champs competitors hung around and fished Sunday just for fun.. And the Federation tourney on Sunday had about forty fishermen in the fray and there were a couple of really good stringers weighed in there.. They fished a three fish format.. Good Idea.. Over twenty pounds was leading it when I left.

The Bass Champs results were about what we expected for the top spots, but overall the weights were down from last year. The last paid spot was a weight of 23.34. I am trusting my memory, and that is rarely a good thing, but last year I think it took 26+ to get a check.. A few years ago in a Championship tourney it took 28+ to get any gas money.. Just thought I'd throw that in, in case you thought I wasn't paying attention..

You can see the results from Saturdays tourney here..

The lake is still dropping, and many folks think that is a good thing, But I find myself wishing the lake was not dropping so fast. I know the high water has made the fishing a lot tougher, but it is a good thing in the long run. And next spring we will have a class of 14" fish that should be incredible.. There is already a ton of six to eight inch fish in the lake.. I am sure the Cormorants are having a fun time of it.. I am ready for an open season on them.. Their numbers are getting out of control around here..

According to the Aquastick in the Veleno, we are at 296.53 as of this morning, and that puts us at 4.49 feet low. Still a lot of water here, but that is down right at six feet from our high back at the first of the year. I am sure there will be some Masses scheduled for the church in Old Guerrero before too long.

Water temps were at about 75 degrees yesterday, depending on where you were.

Fishing is decent, with improving numbers being caught by more and more fishermen. I am still not saying that it is time to quit your job and head south. But if you have some time off, it beats cleaning the garage.

There are no major tournaments scheduled for the near future. OPEC is tentatively set for the weekend of October 16-18, but it is not set in stone just yet. But you might want to write that date in pencil on your calendar. I'll let you know as soon as the date becomes final. You'll enjoy it..

The crankbait bite is definitely picking up, and you need to keep one tied on and at the ready. If you do it is likely that you can add several fish to your catch numbers just by chunking at visible fish through the day. The Slick in a Deep Little N is still the hottest one going. Trust me on this one..

The Bass Champs weigh in went pretty good, and a lot of folks did not bring their fish to the scales if they were out of the money.. Good Idea.. And I heard that BC had a drawing for $500 for those not weighing any fish.. They did handle the fish in a quick manner.. Thanks!

I'll have results from the Federation weigh in posted later.

April 18, 2009: 11:00 AM We have rec'd about a half inch of rain this morning.. And I am sure there are some wet fishermen on the lake.. Very light winds.. So it ain't all bad.. 193 teams competing. Or at least fishing.

April 18, 2009: 6:00 AM Due to mitigating factors, I am not able to fish the Bass Champs event this go round, so here I sit in the early AM looking at a computer instead of tying on a bait.. Oh Well..

There is a bunch of rain north of us, but for the mean time the fishermen are getting a break on what could have been a very wet morning.. There is just a touch of moisture in the air.. We'll see what happens later..

We did get a little shower yesterday morning, and there were T-storms all around us last night, but the total rainfall has been about a quarter inch. But it is good to get the dust settled around here and see lightning and smell the rain.. I hear this happens in other places..

I hear there are around 200 teams entered.. I 'll let you know what I see later..

Hurry Up And Wait..

April 17, 2009: It is wet and clammy here this morning on the eve of The Bass Champs tourney tomorrow.. And it is predicted to get a little wetter as the morn approaches.. So bring your waterproof underwear and a camera.. Cause it never rains here..

Water releases are still high, at over 8000 CFS, and I don't know when they will back off. The lake is four feet below full pool, and that is down right at six feet from the high we had early in the year. And it is obvious along the banks and brush lines. Water temps have been approaching the 80 degree range, but with the cloud cover and possible rain it is likely that we will have water around the 75 degree mark this weekend.. We'll see.

Fishing reports are as rare as a good steak in Zapata. (You might think that is a play on words, but can get neither a good steak or a rare one in this town.. Stick with the chicken fried.)

But back to the fishing.. It is still the long rocky points that are producing most of the fish here on Falcon. Especially the quality fish. If you are moving your bait across some gravel you are in a good area. Gravel mixed with deep brush a double good thing.. Fish slow and thorough.. Don't move your bait very fast, and I seem to be doing better by dragging it than picking it up.

Football head jigs seem to be getting better and better, especially in the aforementioned areas. Pick your favorite color, but mine is a brown or red/brown color. But anything in a crawfish possibility is fine..

In the soft plastic line, Gold Flake has been a really good color as of late. The Zoom Mag Fluke in W/M Magic, or Green Pumpkin Magic have been a new item that has been pretty impressive. It has a lot of small gold flake it it and everyone to the last man that has bought them says they are awesome.. I like throwing a fluke almost as much as a senko.. So I'll just have to take their word for it..

But gold has been the common denominator for soft plastics for a while.. The W/M gold Brush Hog, The Mardi Gras Dinger, and the W/M Orange with Big Gold fleck Brush Hog have been working well for months.. Of course W/M red anything always works.. And the Plum Ol Monster will catch fish with any of these baits.. (I may be a little biased on that one.. But it catches fish)

Don't forget that the Texas Federation Nation tournament will also be held here on Sunday. And registration will be here at the store on Saturday evening. So while your in town you might as well hit em again on Sunday..

Sounds like it's going to be a busy weekend around here.. I better go clean the bathrooms.. Don't want our reputation as having Zapata's best out house going down hill..

BTW.. I went to Sugar yesterday.. Check Mexico reports later for an update..

April 14, 2009: Most of you that know me also know that I am not a fan of the Sharelunker program that is promoted by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. And when it was first introduced, I understood that it was intended to grow the next world record bass.. And it sounded good to me, cause hell, I'd like to catch one..

But that has not happened, and I have a few theories as to why it has not.

But before I get there, I also would like to address the hatchery that was built in Athens.. I am sure that a new hatchery was needed, or at least it was certainly an improvement over the old one.. I have not been to either. And according to the TPWD website, it was built without any taxes from Texas, and most all the money came from a Federal fund.. I guess that Texas did not contribute to that fund.... And what about that Texas Freshwater Five dollar fishing Stamp a few years ago that is now not mentioned in the cost of your license.. I always heard that money was earmarked for the new Hatchery.

You might not call it a tax, but if it is a cost levied by the government, It's a tax.. You call it what you want..

The city of Athens contributed approximately four million of the eighteen million, plus or minus, to the cost of the project. So around fourteen million was spent from taxpayer money.. I wonder where the city of Athens got the other four mil? I am sure it wasn't from the taxpayers..

So as far as the hatchery costing the Texas taxpayers nothing.. I say Baloney.

Now don't get me wrong.. If we're gonna spend a bunch of Tax money I say let's spend it all on fishing stuff.. I just want a little less bending the facts. I am sure the new facility is awesome..

So when the program was started in 1986, I understood that we were on a mission to grow a new world record. That mission statement seems to have changed to improving the quality of fishing in Texas.

The very first entry into the program was a 17.67 pound whopper from lake Fork, the undisputed big fish lake in Texas. And of course it was a new state record. And in the period of five Sharelunker seasons, 1986 thru 1991, there were four fish over 17 pounds caught. And we all know there's no way any of these were Sharelunker Fry. But they were all Florida strain bass..

In January of 1992, the current State record was caught, a pig that weighed 18.18 pounds, breaking the old record that stood since 1986. But this was no Sharelunker baby.. But it was a Florida strain bass..

In the period of 1992 thru 1996, there were no more eighteen or seventeen pound fish caught. There were four sixteen pounders, nine fifteen pounders, and a heard of thirteen and fourteen pounders.. As there were in 86 thru 91..

In the years 1997 thru 2001, there was only one sixteen pounder caught, and only one fifteen pounder caught. Also there were only 14 fourteen pounders caught, down 25 from the previous five year period.. What happened??

From 2002 thru 2006, the biggest fish caught was a sixteen pounder, and there were five caught over fifteen, up four from the previous five year period. And there were 19 fourteen pounders caught, five more than the previous five years.

From 2007 to the present, there has been 7 fifteens caught, most from Choke canyon, and 7 fourteens.. No sixteens, seventeens, or eighteens..

So since 1992 there have been only 6 fish over sixteen pounds caught.. And since March of 02, (seven years) there has been no fish caught over sixteen pounds..

Sharelunker doesn't seem to be working to me.. You cannot look at the data and tell me that we are growing bigger fish..

Do we have a better overall population of bigger fish? Have we improved the fishing in Texas? Yes, but it is due to the genetics of the Florida bass..

Have we improved or increased the size of fish in Texas? Without a doubt the introduction of Florida bass has had a phenomenal impact on the size of fish..

But neither of the aforementioned can be attributed to Sharelunker.. As a matter of fact, I believe that Sharelunker in itself is self-defeatist..

If we continue to remove spawning ready fish from our lakes, all in the thirteen pound class and above, and kill many of them in the process, it is not likely that we will break a lot of lake records. If your lake record is fifteen pounds, and every thirteen pounder caught leaves the pond, you are making it pretty tough to catch a new lake record.. And if you remove every fifteen pounder, then the state record may stand for a long time. Give a fifteen another year to grow and a belly full of eggs and you're knocking on the door.

And what better chance do you have of keeping that big fish's genes in your lake than if you kiss and release her? Right Then.. Her chance of survival goes up about 100%, and you can be sure her fry end up in your lake..

Here's a little graph for you visual folks..

Anyway, long story short, I believe that the biggest impact on Texas bass fishing has been the introduction of Florida strain bass, not the manipulation of any genetics by humans. Is Texas growing bigger bass faster than we were ten or fifteen years ago? I really can't say..

I believe that a Florida strain bass in South Texas, where the water is warm, the growing season is some of the longest in the country, and the forage base is awesome is about the best possibility to grow a new state record. Just like growing a monster buck, a fish has to live long enough to get to record size.. And that means her getting lucky.. Not getting caught.. Breaking some line along the way, (along with a few hearts), Getting released if she does, Not getting eaten by a gar, or tangled in a gill net.. Or any other possibility of death.. And then someone actually landing her, which will be no small task..

There are a lot of things that have to fall in place to catch a new state record.. I just hope I can handle the fame modestly.. :-)

Anyway.. That's my two cents worth.. If I catch a thirteen plus.. She's going back and I am getting a replica made.. And I'll call it Coulda Been Sharelunker # 1234.. Still Swimmin..

P.S. Thirteen pound fish were not used in the graph and in other numbers for the info for this article.. But FYI.. Here's the breakdown of how many 13's were caught in the same time periods..

86-91 52

92-96 98

97-01 49

02-06 74

07-Present 30

See You On The Water!

April 13, 2009: The Easter weekend has come and gone, and traffic on the lake over the weekend was pretty light. I did get out for a few hours yesterday afternoon, and when I came around the point back to the county boat ramp, I thought maybe NASCAR was in town.. There were campers, tents, tarps and BBQ pits as far as the eye could see. Easter is a big family day around here, and rightly so. Just wish some of these people would learn to clean up after themselves a bit.. Status Quo..

The release rates from Falcon have decreased a bit since last week, and they are currently at 7698 CFS. We are sitting at 297.70, or 3.32 feet low. And the dropping water is doing what it usually does here on Falcon, it is moving fish out to the points. And slowly fishing these long and short points can get you a decent sack of fish. Big Senkos like the 7" Yamamato or the Yum Dinger in W/M red are still catching a lot of fish, but if you have the budget that allows the throwing of some big crank baits, you can also catch some good fish. But you are going to loose a few..

The biggest factor here lately has been the wind. We have had some nice days, but we have had a lot of tough ones. And it makes it hard to fish a lot of the places I am talking about. Yesterday was beautiful.. Till I got on the water. If I would have had a three ounce jig I would have thrown it..

Reports from fishermen other than guides have been a little hard to come by, as a lot of anglers have lockjaw this week before Bass Champs. Must have been stuck by a rusty hook.

I'd like to congratulate the Navy Seal snipers for filling out three out of their four tags over the weekend. Pirates my butt.. These people are nothing but terrorists dressed differently. Bout time we sent them a message.. I would not have waited so long. And none of them looked like Johnny Depp to me. Aaarg!

Jeff Long with a fattie!

Kathy Land caught this fish on a spinnerbait. Puppie Power!

We are busying ourselves getting ready for the Bass Champs and Federation tournaments coming this weekend. And we will try to have anything you might need when you get here. I think it will take some thirty pound plus stringers to be in contention, even though Falcon has been fishing a little tougher this spring.. I would still like to see Bass Champs come earlier in the year, so we could mitigate the warm water problems with keeping fish alive.. Take precautions to keep your fish alive.. Cool your livewell water after your fish are in. And using some Catch and Release is a good idea too.. It works..

See you soon!

April 9, 2009: There have been a couple of great days to fish down here this week, with low winds and nice temperatures. And after a week of three cold fronts, it was nice to see. The lake is dropping fairly quickly, especially for this water level. Water level as of this Am is 298.35, and the release rate is still way up there at 8334 CFS.. That is a lot of water. I went to Sugar yesterday, (see Mexico reports later today) and all the fields along Hwy 2 were flooded with Falcon water.. Situation normal for this time of year.. But the Milo and Corn are looking good.. There will be no shortage of tortillas around here..

A few folks were looking for full results from the Falcon Lake Tackle Bass Blast! tourney.. I am basically lazy, so I just took a pic of the leader board and here it is..

The fish on Falcon are moving out to the long points on the main lake and the secondary points in the big bays.. Mexico still seems to be putting out the most fish, and from the usual places. Salanaias, Benavides, and Coyote have been the areas with the most boats in them, and for good reason.. There might be a few fish in there.

Watermelon red, watermelon gold and watermelon candy brush hogs seem to be some of the best producing baits. The senkos in W/M red are still a good choice if you are into that kind of self torture. Throw it out and let it decay.. Slow is good.. I hate that crap.. But the good news for you crankbaiters is that the fish are getting more and more active in the bait chasing department.. A Deep Little N is a good choice for schooling or chasing fish.. Keep your eyes peeled for top water activity and fan cast any area where you see a few fish in the same neighborhood.

Best depths on the creek edges and long points have been in the twelve to twenty five depth range. Carolina rigs are doing well also where you can drag along the edges.. A big watermelon red Lizard will get you bit. And like with the senko, fish it like granny moves..

There have been a lot of folks down here prefishing for Bass Champs and Federation, and it looks like it will take some pretty big sacks to get in the money.. Of course I could be wrong and thirteen pounds could win it... NOT..

I would sure like to see Bass Champs make Falcon their first stop on the south Texas tour.. Water temps will be near 80 degrees , so make preparations to take care of your fish. Get some Catch and Release and take some extra ice along.. And check your livewells for proper operation before you get here..

The Garcia Boys have been at it again and they are still whacking some big fish.

Mark Massey caught this 11.2 pounder this week.

This 9-11 was caught this week.. Not all the fish have spawned..

This pic is of Charlie and Mike.. Second place in the Bass Blast! Don't seem right does it.. Twenty three pounds for second.. Ouch!

April 6, 2009: The first annual Bass Blast tourney is in the books, and there were some pretty darn good stringers weighed in. It took about an eight pound average to win it, and there two stringers of 23 pounds or more weighed in. Tom Haralson and Michael Bauer had a sack of sisters, an they all were pageant winners. Their big fish went 8.15 so you can see they all ate at the same table. They received $1450 for their efforts. Their three fish limit weighed 23.92 pounds. Good way to kill a Sunday afternoon..

In second was another Haralson, and that would be Charlie. He fished with Dave Dobroski and they also had an incredible 23 pounds even. I am sure there was no sibling rivalry there.. They made a little gas money too..

In third was Ed Dancaren and Leroy Medford, and they had 18.52.. Slackers.. That's a hell of a three fish sack to finish third. This was a three fish tournament.. In fourth was the team of Carl Nelson and Nick Vawter. They had 18.25 and had the big fish of the day with a whale that weighed 11.21. It was a personal best for Nick and they were rewarded with a $500 big bass prize. This was his first tournament and he was just slightly excited.. And rightly so.

We paid back 100% of the entry money, and reportedly everyone had a good time.. We had two scales going, and the weigh in went quick and only four immediate casualties were obvious. Three were DOA, and the other one was a deep caught fish that we just could not get to go..

The BBQ on Saturday was top shelf, and I would like to thank all who helped make this thing go. There is a ton of work to be done, even with a small tournament like this one.. Of course feeding a crowd and coming up with about forty door prizes complicates matters a bit. But no one had more fun than us.. We paid ten places with the last receiving $350.. Tenth place had 14.69.

There were 109 fish weighed in, for a total weight of 476.33 pounds.. That's a 4.37 pound average per fish..

The big top was full of folks on Saturday night..

Thanks to all our sponsors!

Haralson and Bauer..

Haralson and Dobrowski..

Nick Vawter with his Big Bass... And a slight smile..

I would also like to thank all of you who participated.. We couldn't have done it without you.. And we'll try and do it even bigger and better next year..

The only thing that was disappointing was that Rosie did not show up to sing the National Anthem..

April 5, 2009: Just a quick note to tell you what transpired at the FLT Bass Blast!.. We had 51 teams fish, and things went as slick as I could imagine.. I wanted to post a note last night, but I was about out of gas.. And still am.. It took 23.92 pounds to win it.. Pretty salty for three fish.. Second place was 23 even, and third was 18.52.. Look for a full report tomorrow AM .. Oh by the way.. Tom Haralson and Mike Bauer won it.. Charlie Haralson and Dave Dowbrowski finished second, and Leroy Medford and Ed Dancaren finished third. Big bass was caught by the team of Carl Nelsen and Nick Vawter, and it weighed in at 11.21.. They also got the fourth place check.. Pics and details tomorrow.. I promise..

April 3, 2009: The wind was blowing so hard yesterday that I saw a chicken lay an egg three times.. The same egg.. And the waves were big enough to make Captain Bligh give the men a day off. It was nasty.. But today is a whole nother story, as the winds are more manageable in the fifteen to twenty range. Lately anything that doesn't begin with thirty has been pretty good.

David Fanklin caught this nice ten plus this week.. The Humpie Howie gang strikes again!

This youngster caught this ten pounder while fishing with John Williams, Falcons most seasoned(oldest) guide..

Things are shaping up for the FLT Bass Blast! tourney on Sunday.. Hopefully have all the bases covered.. It even looks like we'll have a few people enter.. We are weighing in at Oso Blanco, and you must be in line by 3:00 or you will not get weighed! You can come by boat or Trailer in. We have two scales and we hope to run you through in a hurry.. Our concerns are for your safety and the fish's survival.. But hopefully we can keep three fish alive in two livewells.. P.S. Catch and Release.. It works.. Use it..

We're registering you from now till 7:00 Sunday Morning, so if you need to enter on Sunday, you can do so here at the store on Sunday morning. We'll be open at 6:00 AM..

Saturday night we are going to feed you at 6:00, and we will give away a bunch of door prizes at 7:00. See you then!

April 1, 2009: The FLT Bass Blast! is only four days away, and the forecast calls for no rain.. But there will be some wind.. The wind is scheduled to change directions five times this week, and so far we have had three changes in direction.. Reminds me of John Kerry during the elections.. The wind has definitely been a flip-flopper.. I knew a girl once that was a flip flopper, and she could... Wait a minute.. I better not tell that one.. That damn PG-13 thing again.. Just once I'd like to bust out with some R rated fishing reports..

Tournament conditions should be good here over the weekend, and the eating forecast is also excellent. We are importing a crew of other squareheads from our home town to help with the cooking and fetching and serving and cleaning and all that other stuff that goes on behind the scenes during an event like this.. And let me thank them in advance for their help.. You guys know who you are.. I don't want to make you blush..

I went out for a couple of hours yesterday, and I headed up the river to try and hide from the north wind. Well it didn't work.. I lost two new crankbaits, one brand new spinner bait, my new custom FLT hat, and the speed control knob off my trolling motor.. And let me tell you that a needle nose pliers is a poor substitute.. I came in early and went back to work.. I hate the north wind.. But it did lay down in the afternoon, and it was fishable in the afternoon hours, and several people did pretty good on the main lake from Blanco to the Dam.. Points and secondary points still seem to be the best.

You may recall last year that I ran over the Easter Bunny on the way to the boat ramp.. And I am not sure if his apprentice is up to speed just yet so you might want to warn your kids that he may not be making an appearance this year.. And if I see him he won't be be with chocolate and candy.. He'll be with Taters and Carrots..

The candy commercials are cranked up on TV aren't they? They wouldn't dare mention Easter but they will sell candy bunnies and crap to rot your kids teeth left and right.. And if I hear one more commercial that starts with "In this tough economy.."

And speaking of the economy I see that the Euros are giving Obamma a warm welcome at the summit wherever they are.. We compared the video shot from Shadnick when Bush was there, and guess what. Same ignorant protesters carrying new signs.. Some just slapped a pic of Obamma over Georges face.. Too damn lazy to make a new sign.. No wonder they don't have a freakin' job..

So they have plenty of time to protest anything American. I saw one holding a sign saying "Capitalism isn't Working". Maybe they ought to give it a try before they judge it.. Or maybe they would like Communism better.. Then let's see if you can carry your sign..

And screw the world economy.. Fix the US economy and we'll drag the rest of the world up with us.. Happens every time... No one can make or spend money like Americans.. Just give us a chance..

Oh crap. Was I mentioning politics.. Please excuse me..

Now back to your regularly scheduled fishing report.... Points, Points, Points.. Fish them.. Near creek channels is the ultimate.. Secondary points inside the big bays seem to be the best.. But many main lake deep points and ends of brush lines have been very good.. Not all are created equal, but they are a great place to start.. Senkos are still the king, but brush hogs and spinnerbaits are still doing well.

Hope to see you this weekend for the Bass Blast!

March 30, 2009: If you wonder why big bass like big swim baits, this pic will help.. We have had lots of reports of this on Falcon this year, and many times like this time, both fish survive.

This pic was taken by Jesus Garcia of Rio Grande city of his uncle, Narisco Garcia, with this big bass with a big tilapia (named Jonah) in his mouth. I told you these fish are mean.. But someone needs to teach the tilapia to swallow the bass from the other end.. Both fish are telling their children about the adventure..

Water flow from Falcon has been increased even farther to over 9000 CFS. Here we go.. I guess the Gulf of Mexico is a quart low..

March 29, 2009: The fishing here on Falcon continues to slowly improve, as more and more folks tell us that they are catching good numbers of fish. But the double digit fish have been a no show for the most part the last few days. And most of the bigger fish are hollow bodies, as indicators of a concluding spawn. There are still a few fish that have not completed the process, but the number is dwindling. But there are a lot of fish shallow, as the baitfish are really active in the water less than ten feet deep. And these fish are usually actively feeding. Several groups have told me that they are still catching fish in two or three feet of water. I have not personally run into these fish, but I am not spending a lot of time there. Most of the fish I am caching are on points, or mini points within the bigger coves and cuts. And they are in water that is around eight feet deep, sloping out to fifteen or twenty. And a spinner bait like the SOB in Tilapia or the Jo Baby in Green Shad are great choices to find these fish. And after you catch a few in these areas, you can go back with a senko and catch a few more. Of course if you are a senko lover, you can throw it first. I'd rather pee on a spark plug than throw a senko, but the damn thing catches fish. Watermelon Red is still the best color for a senko or a big lizard.

If you like flipping the bushes, a Brush Hog in W/M Red, or W/M Gold is pretty hard to beat. Large flukes, and the senkos are working best if you throw them out and let them rot.. Pay close attention to your line. Lots of the bites are very subtle. And there is no doubt that Fluorocarbon will get you more bites than the braid.. Crankbaits in a shad pattern or perch color are working pretty well wherever you might run into some chasing fish.. Keep one tied on..

The lake is dropping like cheap hookers bloomers, as release rates are up over 8000 CFS. That's a lot of water, and if you are near the dam you can hear it roaring out on calm days. We have dropped to 300.67, and that is down over three inches in the last four days. They might be using the Old Guerrero church again sooner than I thought. The water temps took a little dive this week as this last front went by, but the water should be back to around 75 by mid week with the predicted temperatures in the next few days. Maybe sooner.

Some healthy winds came through Friday and Saturday, but today is very fishable. The American Bass Anglers had a heavy stringer around fifteen pounds yesterday, and the leaders of the Austin Bass Club tournament (10 fish, team format) had forty two pounds to lead it after day one.. I'll try to get the final results ASAP.

We have made arrangements to have a drive thru weigh in for the FLT Bass Blast! tourney this coming weekend at Oso Blanco. So you will have the option to come to the scales by boat, or to drive up. You may launch wherever you want.. But must be in line by 3:00.. NO exceptions! We will have two scales and we plan on running the quickest weigh in possible. Please help us achieve our goal, but be sensible with your bag of fish. Let's keep all of them alive we can.. I don't know if we will have twenty or five times twenty teams, but we are preparing to handle whatever we get. We appreciate your help and patience. You may register anytime at Falcon Lake Tackle, and I will post the rules on the site ASAP.. But there will be no surprises.. We will hold the give aways drawing at 7:00 on Saturday evening. You may register anytime before that.. We will eat around 6:00 PM.

Hope to see you then!

March 26, 2009: Finally.. We have water temps in lots of areas of the lake that are at 75 degrees.. And nobody is happier than me.. Except maybe a lot of these bass that are chasing shad in lots of places. If you are headed out on Falcon you need to have a shad pattern crankbait tied on a rod.. Preferably in the six to eight foot runner range.. My favorite is the Norman Deep Little N in Slick.. But any shad pattern will work.. I was in several areas yesterday where there were bass actively chasing bait on top of the water.. And damn, it is good to see.

I was on the water for a few hours yesterday, and it was a beautiful day to fish. Cloudy till one o'clock, with a light wind, and nice and warm. I had not been to the Benevides since January, and I decided I'd take a trip up that way on my way to the Salanaias. And when I rounded the corner off the main lake, I could see seven boats.. Figgured I must be in the right place.. Most folks were fishing the long points, or at least where the brush line disappeared into the deeper water. And that makes good sense to me. . Of course I headed as far back to the shallows as I could get. And I caught few fish up in water less than six feet deep.. But when I moved back out a bit, and fished the bushes in eight to nine feet of water I started getting bit. And most of my fish came on a spinner bait in a Chart and White color, with a streak of blue in it.. I also caught a few fish on the aforementioned crankbait. Keep it at the ready..

I moved down to the Salanaias at about 1:00, and I caught fish in the same creek where I have been catching them.. The one with the Bulldozer on one side and an oil rig on the other. It ain't rocket science.. Several fish came on the Ol Monster, and the rest on the crank bait.. Except for the biggest fish of the day.. Which bit a spinner bait that had been laying on the bottom for five minutes while I was picking an Afghan out of my reel. Guess I should slow down.. But I am just not very good at the slow rolling technique I AM a slow learner.. Last year I thought the Internet was a kind of stockings..

We have had two picture perfect days to fish, with light winds and great temperatures. Although some of the visitors from North of the Mason Dixon think it is a little warm. And that being said, most of the snowbirds are packing as we speak. And Zapata will return to its normal population. Whatever that is.

Lots of rain has fallen north of us, but none in the watershed, and none that will get to us.. But you could almost smell it in the air..

Not all the rattle snakes are great big here on Falcon, and snakes this size are easy to miss in the bushes.. Keep your eyes open.. We were wondering why so many rattlesnakes were on Falcon so we had one sent in for DNA extrapolation.. The one gene we were not surprised at was the Politicians gene, and that is the one that causes the forked tongue.. They also found the gene that is most common in Ambulance Chasing Lawyers.. That would explain the Snake part.. And then when it was about all said and done they came to find out that two Genome pointers were shared with Mark Spitz.. So that's why they're swimming around out here..

The water is leaving the lake in a hurry, as release rates continue at over 6300 CFS. The only thing that gets emptied faster than Falcon is Rosies Refrigerator.. And within 24 hours we will be back down below full pool.. It was fun while it lasted..

But the fishing is definitely picking up. I told you it would.. Come see us!

March 23, 2009: Sorry I have not written for a couple of days.. But my first grandchild was born on Friday, and I had to make a trip to San Antonio.. And while I have caught bigger bass, this one is definitely a keeper at eight pounds and eight ounces.. Welcome to our world, Elizabeth Reagan Bendele!

What in the hell is going on at Choke Canyon?? Four fish in one day over thirteen pounds? And five over fifteen in three months? We're thinking of opening a branch office... Just Kidding.. We've got all we can say grace over here.. But that is absolutely amazing and I say way to go Choke Canyon! But I am getting a little green around the ears.. Just goes to show that these south Texas lakes can produce some whoppers if you let them live long enough.. I hope this does not attract the meat hunters to Choke like they are here at Falcon. What we are seeing here is shameful..

But I do believe that we have a group of those fish here at Falcon.. I predicted a lake record here last spring and I am still trying to get the egg off my face.. Guess I am going to have to go out there and catch it.. :-)

I know a lot of other lakes have slot limits and special regs, and I would personally like to see TPWD put in place a three fish limit in January, February, and March on this lake. It would save a ton of our spawning adult fish (40%), from the stainless steel death that awaits them if they bite the wrong hook. And lower limits might keep some of the meat haulers away from the lake. These people get no joy from catching a big fish, their joy only comes from freezing them. And I say these people are ignorant.. Just plain ignorant..

And while I am wishing, I would also like to see more clubs go to a three fish limit during the warmer months, or better yet get everyone in the club a good digital scale and let them weigh their best when they are caught. More accurate than a paper tourney, and less hassle worrying about keeping your fish alive in the warm water.. And absolutely better for the fish.. And you'll spend more time fishing and less time baby-sitting.. Just a thought.. No true sportsman likes killing big bass..

The wind has decided to make itself known here the last few days, and today there is actually a wind warning up in our area. It is humming.. Tomorrow is supposed to be better and we have a little chance of rain on Wed and Thurs.. But the tradeoff is that the wind is supposed to lay quite a bit. And we'll trade the moisture for the six foot seas.

They have pulled the stopper at the dam and currently Bongo Joe is surfing below the dam on Falcon. Release rates are up to about 6400 CFS. I tried to do the GPH on my calculator but it only has ten decimal places.. That's a lot of water.. We are still about 5" overfull..

Water temps are up to around 70-72 most places, and the fish are getting a lot more active. There has been quite a bit of schooling activity in a lot of areas, and the little fish are giving the shad hell.. Once in a while you will get surprised by a good one in the mix. But by and large these are smaller fish.

The bigger fish are still coming from water deeper than ten feet. For best baits see the report below.. Nothing has changed..

Joe Duck caught this 11.9 pounder last week.. That's a pig..

Mike Fagg and Roy Fling caught this monster fishing with Charlie Haralson this week.. I am not sure who caught the fish.. It weighed 10-9 and was 27" long with a 18.5" girth. I dated girls with smaller waists.. (Junior High)

The American Bass Anglers invade Falcon this weekend, and registration for their tourneys is going to be held here at FLT on Friday Evening. They fish two one day tourneys and yes, you can fish if you join up.. No biggie.. Call George Kunkle for more info at 361-949-2380.

We are less than two weeks away from The FLT Bass Blast! tournament, and things are shaping up.. I guess a set of rules would be nice.. I'm on it.. But expect the usual.. Come hungry Saturday night.. We're cooking some vittles and we are planning on giving away a lot of door prizes after registration, around 7:00.. Don't want to make you stand around on Sunday afternoon when a lot of you might have a lot of road to burn.. We hope to run the most efficient weigh in possible and we hope to return the fish to the lake ASAP from the time they come out of your livewells. Your help and understanding will be greatly appreciated. We will have a camera ready for any big fish and we want them back in the water asap.. Please be kind to your fish and take into consideration how many folks are in line before you put them in the bag.. But we will do the best we can as fast as we can.. Thanks in advance for your help..

We'll see you soon!

March 19, 2009: It would be easy for me to say that the fishing here on Falcon is good, but I have to draw the line at fair.. There have been some groups that have absolutely had a fabulous time here, and there have been some groups that have really had a hard time getting on the fish. Most have fallen somewhere in the middle.

The midday bite is slow, but the mornings and evenings have been pretty good. Of course there are exceptions to every rule. Not a lot has changed in the best baits category, as Senkos, Spinnerbaits, and Brush Hogs are still the best things going. Watermelon Red and Watermelon Gold have been the hottest colors in the Brush Hogs. Watermelon Red and Mardi Gras in the Senkos have been the colors most in demand. In the spinner bait category, the SOB in Tilapia, and the Jo Baby in green shad have still been catching a lot of fish. But any pale or shad colored bait will produce. Chart and white has also caught its share of fish.

We have had four of the nicest days in a row to fish this week, with light winds, and mid eighties for highs. The stuff Zapata is famous for. And I planned to fish two days this week.. But alas, my plans did not work out.. I do not know if any of you have ever had the pleasure of experiencing a condition called GOUT, an arthritic inflammation caused by a buildup of uric acid in your joints, usually in the feet, and most commonly in the big toes. Thankfully usually only one at a time. Now this uric acid turns into tiny crystals and they are very pointy and they are attached to the nerves in the joints of your feet. And every one of those little bastards are attached to a ninety pound jackhammer running with two hundred pounds of air pressure.. And it don't stop.. So I did not fish. But I plan to tomorrow, Lord willing.. At least it is not my trolling motor foot..

The Vela family from Harlingen invaded Falcon this week, and they fished with Blake Barnett.. And Tomas caught the biggest fish of his life, with this spawned out nine pounder. They also caught a lot of other nice fish we hear. Can't think of a better way to spend some time with your kids..

And I know I have told you many times that the fish here on Falcon aren't sexist, and they will bite any well presented bait. Angela Mortineau caught this nice eight pounder last week while fishing with her husband. I hear tell that they had a great trip. Catching the biggest bass of your life can't hurt..

I see that some of the northern parts of the country are starting to thaw out a bit, and it won't be long till the fishing picks up. But if you were looking to court a lonely housewife then I'd head to Oklahoma. Cause half of the state is here, as they take fishing pretty seriously, and evidently, they ain't scared of a little road trip. And there have been some interesting conversations around here about Big 12 football. I'll let you guess at the details..

I am not sure how busy things are around the country, but we do talk to a lot of folks from all over the map. And of course we all share something in common; Fishing. And around here, we have been very busy. And we would like to thank all of you that have stopped in our store over the last year. We could not be here without you, and we really appreciate your business. We are in the middle of a little expansion project here and we are adding inventory like there is room to hang it.. We are trying to stimulate this sluggish economy by infusing tons of cash back into the system, upwards of a hundred dollars.. And I think we are starting to see a difference..

I am personally tired of hearing all the doom and gloom about Americas future.. This IS America and we have been through a lot tougher times than this. So keep busting your hump and we will all be just fine before too long. There have always been some slackers that just do not want to work, or expect someone else to do the heavy lifting for them. And they will get what they deserve.. And if you keep busting it, you will too.. So work hard, play hard, and fish often.. My Credo..

So there is your positive words of encouragement for the day..

Our business philosophy here is pretty simple.. Try to have what the customer wants, kiss his butt when he walks in the door, and thank him all the way out. And there is a pretty good chance that there might be some BS spread around (by both parties) in the mean time..

April 5th is coming fast, and the FLT Bass Blast! tournament is on the horizon. Hope to see you then if not before..

Thanks for visiting our site!

March 16, 2009: It's been a busy weekend here at FLT. Lots of people still in town, and we have undertaken a little remodeling/rearranging/wall expansion here in the store.. Remember the old days when you had to look up something and write down and then call in an order, and if the company had it you got it in a while.. Well now with all the supply companies having web-based ordering systems, where you just point and click, things have gotten a little out of control. We were getting crowed for shelf and wall space and I was having trouble finding places to hang all the new products. I think my brother is a click a holic.. I hope he doesn't discover E-bay..

But it is all good, and you'll see the difference when you come in next time. We are adding new products every week.

The fish here on Falcon continue the spawn, with fish going in all directions. There are fish that are finished and are roaming the creek channels and points, doing some resting an feeding up. There are fish on the beds, And there are fish on the way up. This is the screwiest year in memory. And while the river, which is usually my bread and butter, never did seem to really turn on, I got some great reports from there over the weekend. Including an 11.8 caught yesterday. I am going to have to go back up there and check a few creeks that are usually fantastic. But to date they have pretty much stunk.

I have still not upgraded my opinion of the fishing, and it remains at about a 6 to 6.5. There are days when it seems that things are really busting loose, and the next day all I see and hear is dismal reports. It is still a day to day adventure. But a lot of folks that have figgured it out have been having some very good days, with decent numbers and some grandes mixed in.

We are headed for a warm stretch again for the next few days, and that can't hurt anything. Our water temps are back to around 65 degrees, down from 70 or higher in the afternoons. But a few days of eighty to ninety degree afternoons should fix that pretty quick.

And one more tidbit of info that might help you if you are headed this way.. The crankbait bite on creek channel edges and points has started to come around. Try the Norman in Slick, Baby Bass, Sexy Shad, or any shad pattern you like and it will catch fish.

The lake has dropped to less than one foot over full pool, as we are currently sitting at 301.93, or .91 feet over full. The release rates have been pretty constant for a week or so around 3000 CFS and I imagine they are irrigating everything from Jalepenos to House Cats in the valley. But it is that time of year. The citrus trees here in Zapata are blooming like mad, and the sweet smell is filling the air all over town.

It's a great time to visit.. Come see us.. I'm going to find a pair of dikes and cut the cord off my brothers mouse..

March 13, 2009: This is the first time I can remember there being two Friday the thirteenths two months in a row.. I'm not saying it hasn't happened.. I just don't remember it.. Of course I don't remember a lot of things. I guess that's why people get married more than once.. Poor Memory.. But I digress..

It is a cold and wet and nasty and cold and frigid and yucky and cold morning here. And I'm betting it is the weather and not Friday the thirteenth that is keeping folks off the lake. We had a store full of time killers yesterday, and why not.. We love to visit. And of course everyone is wondering when winter is going to release its icy grip on Zapata. But it looks like Sunday before the sun is going to make its return.. We'll see. But meanwhile we have a lot of folks in town saying "This ain't normal, is it?"

No.. It's not.. And I'm gonna go out on a limb here and predict that we are entering an era of global cooling. I've got as much proof as Al Gore had predicting global warming.. And I am going to single handedly stimulate the stock market by investing all my extra money in antifreeze companies, the folks that make those insulator thingies to cover your outside faucets, and Snuggies.. I hope they are prepared to deal with this huge influx of cash.. Watch the market jump today..

We have received few reports in the last 24, and I don't expect too much to change today. But there are a lot of folks that drove a long way to get here and to a lot of them, this is not cold.. So I am sure we will hear something. The wind is supposed to be a lot lighter today, so it will be a little more fishable than yesterday. But I am not going out to find out today.

If you are planing on fishing the FLT Bass Blast, please do me a favor and send me an e-mail saying so.. No biggie if you can't make it later.. Just trying to figgure out how many of you we need to feed.. Should be fun.. You can also send it to NoWeighers@aol.com

I appreciate it..

March 11, 2009: Here we go again... Temps headed back into the freezer.. I guess we won't have to worry about our chocolate Easter Bunnies melting.. We are supposed to be in the low 60's for the highs for the next few days, and we are supposed to get some beneficial rainfall. I know a lot of you want to fish this weekend, but we need the rain. We have a family of Chihuahuan Desert lizards living in the lot behind our store.. And even they were drilling a well.. It's dry..

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department stocked Falcon with approximately 1.75 million white bass fry yesterday. I am glad to see see them making an effort to reintroduce the species, and they have made several attempts in the past. But it is a fickle thing to get a viable number of the fish going, especially with a lake full of fish that are out to eat anything. And the bass here will eat a small white bass quicker than a cat can lick his assparagus.. But maybe this time they put in enough to outnumber the predators long enough to reproduce.. Way to go TPWD.. If we can get the population of whites rebuilt then maybe these jackasses who cut the heads off every bass they can will target an easier fish to catch.

And if anyone tells you that they caught a white bass on Falcon in the last few years, they are blowing smoke up your skirt.. It ain't happenin'..

I got to to go fishing yesterday, and I spent seven hours in the Salanaias. I personally caught twelve fish. The first one on a spinner bait, the next eight on a Plum Ol Monster, and the last three on a crankbait, a Deep Little N in Slick. I am not the only one who is catching fish on the crankbait either. More and More post-spawn fish are on the creek and brush line edges feeding up after the ordeal of the spawn. And it is nice to see a few fish actively chasing some shad around.. That's what got me to throw the crankbait.. I'm dumb but I ain't stupid.

It is already raining in Del Rio, upstream of us a bit, and I imagine that the Elite series boys at Amistad are getting wet feet. Ought to be a wonderful weekend to fish. I think I am gonna make a big pot of soup.. Hopefully the last of the year.

Earl Jones, 11.2 lbs..

Earl Jones caught this whopper while fishing with Jim Edwards a few days ago. And that's not the only good fish they caught. They had a 35 pound plus stringer.. But when you start with a pig like that it does help get that weight up there..

Dr. Roman Lobodiak caught this spawned out whopper this week.. Head as big as a cabbage..

Those Falcon rods are bad ass.. This fish was also over 11 pounds. He was fishing with Gary Harlan.

I have been asked to stop posting snake pics on the site.. Making a few people nervous.. But I figgure it is a public service and it must continue.. But you might have to block our site on your wife's computer.. But I'm getting some boots made..

The FLT Bass Blast tourney is just weeks away, and we are looking forward to seeing you in Zapata on April 5th. We'll have you out of town early enough to have dinner with Mamma and all will be good. And I promise to have a full set of rules and an entry in place real soon. But you can expect the usual rules, with a tweak or two.. Our main concern is the survival of the fish and your safety. And I am not going to penalize you for registering on Saturday the day before the event.. If you are gonna fish it we will make every effort to get you registered, including early Sunday morning. Weigh in will begin at 2:30 and your chip MUST be in the can at 3:00.. NO Exceptions. We will weigh a big fish for you anytime if you give us a call. If your club is fishing a tourney on the same day we will return your fish. We will be weighing Three Fish Only.. Aunt Bea is cooking on Saturday so you don't want to miss it.. And we'll make Opey wash behind his ears just for the event..

And just prove that there some fish biting, I'm going to post this pic of a fish I caught yesterday. If I can catch em, anybody can.. BTW.. All the females I caught had not spawned yet.. But it is a full moon and many are doing it now..

That's a fat Florida Bass..

March 9, 2009: The fishing is heating up a bit here on Falcon, but it is not satisfying many of the fishermen that have invaded Zapata. While we have had many good reports, especially in the last few days, we are still receiving accounts of days spent without catching too many fish. But time on the water and persistence have gotten a lot of folks into some decent catches. I talked with several groups yesterday that had an awesome day, with some reporting over thirty fish for the outing. And several of them caught some really good fish. But being in the right spot, and throwing the right bait, with the right presentation is the key.. Sounds like fishin' don't it..

This 10.1 was caught in the Salanaias.

Right beside this 8.6.. That's not a bulldozer in the background is it?? That creek has been putting out the fish..

And as the air warms up, lots of critters are heading out to play. Like this friendly little snake, that dropped into the boat of some Cajun anglers..

Bout a six footer!

The story goes that they were pushing through some trees and heard a thump.. And guess who dropped in for a visit.. I can't put a handle on this fellers name, as my memory is also one of my short features, but he said he turned a 5000C into a 500D while dispatching this rascal. I think I'd of swam to shore.. And called home for some new underwear.. Be aware that there are a few snakes on the water these days as the weather warms.. And keep an eye on the trees as you rub against them. That might not be a branch..

Falcon has dropped to 302.17, as water releases have been increased to 3100 CFS, up about a thousand CFS in the last few days. That still leaves us at 1.17 feet over full pool. I know a lot of folks would like to see the lake a lot lower, but for the meanwhile,we will enjoy what we have. This don't happen very often, especially in the recent years, and it will be back down again soon enough.. But hopefully not too soon.

Water temps are crawling back up to the 70 degree range in some areas, and these are where the fish are most active. Senkos are still outperforming any other bait, but I have heard more and more lately that crankbaits back off the creek edges are starting to catch some post spawn fish. And this progression is only natural as the fish rest up and start feeding up after the spawn. Most of this action seems to be in 12-20 feet of water, but not far from the shallows.

The shad are finally making their way shallow, and it is finally common to see a bunch of them fly when your bait hits the water.. Bout damn time. But we are still not seeing much in the way of chasing fish. But if you do see a bass chasing bait, and you can get anything close to him within a few seconds, you're gonna get bit.. Mostly small fish.. But hell, I like getting bites.. And once in a while you will get surprised...

And if you think that being the smallest kid on the block when you were growing up was tough.. At least you were not a bass..

5.3 eats a 2.7.. But both swim off after being separated.. I saw the same thing happen with Rosie and a Half Gallon of Haagen Das.. Only one of them survived..

I was checking telemetry form the Shadnick this morning and updating the Aquastick network with a new BIOS.. And I thought I'd check on the Rio Conchos river in northern Mexico to see how the lake levels were doing. You remember.. The ones where all the water came from last summer.. Boquilla, the upper and larger lake is at 93.50% of capacity, and Luis Leon, down the Conchos, is still at 152.05%. A couple more Pacific Huricaines this year and we could see 2008 all over again. The Rio Conchos drains into the Rio Grande around Presidio in west Texas, above Big Bend. But we have not had to test the Flood Gates on Falcon in quite some time, so I guess it would not hurt to give them a test.. But I'm not holding my breath..

We've got a cool front heading our way again, and we'll see how cool it gets. It's getting a little late in the year for them to make it to us, but the way this year has gone it could snow next week.. Hopefully some much need rain will cover south Texas as we are dryer than a Hawkeye martini..

March 6, 2009: The next time someone tells you you, "Don't throw that away, you might need it!" I recommend that you totally ignore them and if they persist a pipewrench upside the head might be a good idea. At least if you ever plan on moving again in your life. I apologize for not writing sooner but I have been very busy with the above mentioned torture. See how good this new administration is doing? I had my house on the market for nine months and and as soon as Obamma takes over, Bam! Sold..

And speaking of Obamma, I hear he has hired half the old Clinton staff.. And he must have hired Monica cause the blow is on here at Falcon. It is not often that we get wind warnings here, as the wind is a way of life here in Zapata, but we have one for the next two days. And gusts to 30-35 are not too friendly to the fishermen. I cannot stress enough the danger that the high winds here present on the lake. Your rig or your safety in not worth attempting to cross the lake in this type of wind. Stay close to the ramp you launched at, and always take heed of the wind warnings. There are many new witnesses to the dangers Falcon can present during these high wind periods. And I'm not trying to sound like your Mama.. But be careful.

The lake is still dropping ever so slowly and today we are at 302.23, or 1.21 feet overfull. Water temps are hovering in the middle upper sixties, and we cannot seem to hold on to 70 degree water..

Of all the reports we have received, two patterns still seem to be the most effective.. Soft plastics in the bushes, and in the open water near the bushes, and spinnerbaits in the same areas, and out to fifteen feet slow rolled in the middle of the water column. Senkos and W/M Red Brush hogs are probably the most preferred baits by the fishermen on Falcon lately. I have little first hand experience in the last week, but I promise to remedy that this week. James needs some sunshine..

TPWD was here this week, conducting some electroshocking to test the lake. I was invited, but was unable to go along due to aforementioned commitments. But I will have the results shortly and I will post them here ASAP. Tommy went along yesterday afternoon, but he's no Clark Kent, as he took no notes or a cameras. But he did say that it was neat to see the fish respond to the 1.75 jigavolts.. They saw lots of fish but no whoppers, as a 7.5 was the biggest he saw.

I am still leaving the fish rating at about 6 or 6.5.. Not the usual for Falcon this time of year.. But it is what it is..

There are a lot of the Elite series anglers down here this week, as they are killing time waiting out the off limits on Amistad. Their event is scheduled for next week down there. It will be interesting to see what they catch. But I'll bet a nickel that it won't be like the last couple of years.

I've got some pics to post and a few things to check out and I'll write soon.. If I can get that damn trailer unloaded..

March 2, 2009: Another cold morning has greeted us here in Zapata, and I see on the national weather that the south and south east are getting hammered with snow.. All I can say is better you guys than us.. But we are in the 30's and that makes things a little cool at 60 MPH.

The water temps are still in the upper sixties, and occasionally we make it up to 70 or a hair above, but winter just doesn't want to let us go this year. I'm going to write Al Gore and ask him when this global warming stuff is supposed to kick in.. cause I am damn sure ready.. And I guess if man has caused global warming, then spoons are the reason Rosie is fat.. Whatever.. Just send me some south wind.. For more than two days at a time..

We did get up to 90 last Friday, but it was short lived as a tremendously windy cool front blew in here on Saturday morning. And a lot of fishermen heeded the warning and stayed away from the lake, and in turn only twenty one brave teams entered the TABC tourney on Saturday. Look for the final results in the tourney section in a bit..

But there were a few folks that got into some trouble on the lake on Saturday, and I hear that a couple of boats capsized in the Tigers. I also heard that someone lost their power, or had prop problems, and their boat got beat up on the dam.. Bad.. And I also heard that there was a pontoon boat that got washed up against the dam on the same day.. Folks, these were eight and nine foot waves that were inhabiting the open water near the dam. Not something to be taken lightly and it can be just plain dangerous out there when the wind gets up like it did. The winds were gusting up to forty miles per hour and on our gauge it was a constant thirty for several hours. Please heed the wind warnings here when you come. Stay close to the ramp in a protected area, or better yet, start up a poker game till the wind lays. I know a lot of you have driven great distances to get here, and I understand the desire to fish.. But it is not worth you rig or your life. Tomorrow is another day..

We are getting mixed reviews on the fishing, and after attending several weigh-ins this weekend, I'll agree that that's what I saw. There were two 28 plus pound stringers weighed in at TABC, and several others in the mid twenties. And a lot of teens. Most bass club weights were in the teens, and a few low twenties. But conditions were not the best.

As far as baits of choice goes, Flukes, Senkos, and Brush Hogs were the best soft plastics, but the winners of the TABC event caught the lions share of their fish on Mag Lizards in WM Red. Spinnerbaits are producing some larger fish it appears, but numbers seem a bit lower on the blades. But fishing slow is the common denominator.. Best water depths are a crapshoot, as I heard that fish were being caught from ankle deep to twenty feet. And I interviewed a lot of fishermen..

We have a nice SE breeze this morning, just enough to make the ride hard on Jim and the Twins.. And I hope the cold air has made its last visit to Zapata.. But I am not holding my breath. I could see it this morning..

February 28, 2009: Another month of fair fishing has passed, with no real flurry of of abundant fish. There have been those that have done well, but the majority of fishermen in February did not find or catch the mother load. But the last few days of Feb did leave us with some very warm days , and we were in the 90's several days this week. And water temps have warmed into the lower 70's in many areas, especially in the protected and shallow backwaters. And in the last week, we have seen and heard of many more new fish invading the shallows.

We were greeted this morning by some very stiff north winds, and as I write this, I hear that there are some rescue efforts going on for some fishermen in the Tigers. The wind is still blowing a steady twenty MPH, with an occasional gust to thirty. And there are some easy six footers on the open water on both ends of the lake. I decided not to fish. At least I made one good decision today..

We hosted the registration for the TABC South Texas Shootout last night, and I think that a lot of folks tabled their plans to fish it due to the predicted high winds. Can't say I blame them. Only 21 teams entered the event. And I am sure that many of them are done by now. (noon)

Rebel Bass Club and Southwest Research Bass Club are both holding their their monthly tournaments this weekend here on Falcon. I have talked with a few of them and they are tucked back in the creeks.. But it should be an interesting ride back to the ramp.

Cameron Wise caught his first big Falcon bass last week, and at over seven pounds he was pretty excited.. I reckon..

Gary weaver has been hunting a big fish for a few weeks, and this week he finally got her. This one weighed in at 12-3, and he joins the list of twelve pounders caught in the last few weeks.

I have been making my final move of personal possessions from Castroville to Zapata, and I feel like I have been beat with a tire iron.. Fishing is easy compared to moving. And I have lived in the same place for 25 years, and being German, we do not throw anything away.. It's a curse to be a junk collector, and I am paying for it now. But like my Dad always said, "When we kill a hog, the only thing we waste is the squeal." But I sure found some neat stuff I haven't seen in a while..

And in a sick and cruel twist of fate, the Bunny Ears people got me last week when I was at my old home place. I have no Cable or Satellite TV connected there anymore, and I knew that Channel 35 in San Antonio had the Spurs game on. And I knew I could get the game on my antenna. And wouldn't you know it that the only Freaking station in San Antonio that did go Digital was this one.. But the irony is that they were still broadcasting in Analog.. But it was a loop commercial telling me that they have gone digital.. What a crock..

I'm gonna head to a couple of the weigh ins this afternoon, and I will let you know what happens. But for now I am looking for some wind farm stock..

We received a giant care package from Lousiana this week.. It was awesome.. Mudbugs and Cold Suds.. Thanks Kerry.. I owe you a brisket.

Better weather tomorrow.. But for now I have to go get my Patio table out of the neighbors tree..

February 25, 2009: Falcon is still producing some decent numbers of fish, but many anglers are struggling to put more than a few fish in the boat. It does appear however, that a new wave of shallow fish are prowling the banks. Instead of hearing that a few fish were being caught shallow, most of our reports are saying that. And with the next few day heading into the 90's, there should be more and more fish heading there.. Not necessarily to spawn, but a few shad are finally starting to show up in the skinny water, and hungry bass will follow them there. The shad should be spawning very soon, and it is not uncommon to see them lining the bank in shallow sandy/rocky areas.. If you see a line of Egrets on the bank, and their heads look like typewriter keys,it is a pretty good bet that there is a good number of shad along the edge. And where there's shad...

The water is back up to about 70 degrees, and in a few sheltered areas it is warmer than that. But we have been having some very cool mornings.. I went back to Las Blancas on a little excursion on Monday, and as we were passing the State Park, our truck thermometer showed 34 degrees in some low spots.. Here's what it looked like. And it wasn't Santa passing out some Magic Dust..

You might also notice the Wild Olive blooming in the background. It's been a weird year..

And while I'm posting pics, here's a neat shot over the bow of the Arroyo behind the dam on Las Blancas.

Now I don't want you to think that I am ignoring Falcon. But to get a true day off around here, a man has to leave town.. But it is just as easy to leave the country... Told you the water is clear over there..

I did not hear of any monster fish yesterday, and over all the reports were fair at best. Some caught em, and some didn't. But like I said, the common denominator was shallow..

It is starting to sound like a broken record, but Senkos and brush hogs are still the best thing going.. A close third is the spinner bait, and probably the spinner is the big fish bait for now.

The TABC tourney is this weekend, and all the rules and regs are on their site. Go to the hot topics page for the scoop. There is no off limits I understand.. Registration is here at FLT on Friday evening.. We'll cook up something...

Fishing is still not great, but it beats cleaning out the garage.. But if you go fishing and your boat is out of the garage, it will be easier for your wife to clean... (just kidding ladies.. And I promise to leave the seat down..)

I have to run to San Antonio for a couple of days, but I will see you soon.

February 22, 2009: I may have misspoken yesterday when I said the best stringer caught in any of the club tourneys was around 22 pounds.. I heard later that there were a couple of nice stringers caught that were near 30 pounds, and one over. But I was not able to attend any of the weigh-ins. I was home alone but I will post any and all info I get in the near future in the tourney section.

I got a pic emailed to me this morning of a fish that Chad Staples caught in State Park Cove a few days ago. And while the picture does not do the fish justice, this is a hoss.. It weighed 14-2 on a Rapala Loc-N-Weigh scale, very similar to the Boca Grip. . and Chad is no small man, at six foot seven and 300 lbs.. But he was not weighed on one of the aforementioned scales....

They said she was spawning in the boat, and she was turned loose to finish her business. Thanks for turning her back boys.. and congrats on the big fish.. That probably made the ride home pretty bearable.

I made it to a couple of the Sunday weighins, and 40 pounds for two days has been about the best I heard of.. But all the data has not been tabulated..

Don't forget the TABC tourney coming up this weekend. Check their site for details, and we'll see you here at FLT for the registration.. We'll whip up a big pot of something to keep you from starving to death..

Not a lot of things have changed with the pattern here on Falcon. We have gotten some good reports, and some not so good, but the best thing going seems to be to keep moving, as most folks stumble on fish sooner or later. I know that is not what you want to hear, but that's what's happening. We had a night in the 40's again last night, and toady's water temps were back around 65 in the AM, and up to around 67-68 this afternoon. But I think I have to downgrade the fishing to a 6..

We have had a lot of positive response to our tournament coming up on April 5th, and we'd love it if you can make it down to fish with us. I will have an entry form on the site this week, Lord willing.. But you can be assured that the rules you are used to will be in effect. I think we might add one about anyone caught cheating will be shot. But I am not sure if we can get it past the rules committee.

I will update the tourney page ASAP with the weekends happenings.

February 21, 2009: I know it has been a while since I wrote, but I have busier that Nancy Pelosi's lips.. The entire town is full of fishermen, and to top it off, there are at least five bass clubs in town to boot.. Capital Bass lCub, Uvalde Bass Club, Universal Bass Club, Friedricksburg (Frittstown) Bass Club, and River City Bass club are all here..

And a lot of them prefished Thursday an Friday, and yesterday evening most of them came in looking like somebody pissed in their Wheaties.. (Please excuse the expression.) There goes my PG-13 rating..

I fished on Thursday and did not whack them either.. There are however some exceptions to the rule.. A few folks did well, and some did real well. But I did say a few..

Senkos are still the best thing going, and we have sold so many of them that there is likely to be a shortage of Coke bottles and grocery bags.. Plastic seems to be where it's at.

Falcon is still holding steady at 1.5 feet overfull, and Amistad is doing about the same as it was. Bass Champs is out there this weekend, and I hear that the North wind is blowing 30 plus as it is going on.. We have had two cloudy days in a row, and our water temps are hovering around 68 degrees.

There have been some quality fish being caught, and I just weighed a nine pounder in the parking lot. Still full of eggs and on her way back to the water..

I started writing this report at 10:00 this morning.. It is now 6:26..

Several of the bass club folks have been in and the biggest stringer of the day I can remember hearing was around 22 pounds.. There were a lot of wet fishermen, as the wind that hit Amistad early hit here about 2:30.. But I reckon that goes with the territory around here these days.. I am ready for the last of the Northers..

I had planned a long editorial on the benefit of eating fish sticks instead of bass, but that will have to wait for another day. So I'll close with a pic taken of a fish that was released two days ago..

John Beale, 13.1 pounds.. I think I'm gonna fish Oso Blanco cove this week.. Thanks for turning her loose John..

See you tomorrow..

February 18, 2009: The big fish are starting to show themselves a bit, as we heard of and saw a few nice bass caught today. I weighed a 10-5 for a feller in the parking lot this morning, another personal best. And I heard of a few more. But the cooler water temps have slowed the overall bit a bit is seems. But every day we hear of and see some nice fish. But like I have been saying, not everyone has whacked em..

The water is at about 68 degrees, and we had cloudy skies all day today.. The 90 degree weather we were promised topped out at about 78. We received a welcome one inch of rain this week, the first in a long, long time. It is good to have the dust settled, and I am sure we will be mowing grass before too long.

The lake is holding steady, and we are still about 1.5 feet over full.. I am still having trouble typing that.. Don't seem normal..

I am not sure what to tell you the fish are biting on, as we have sold every imaginable bait, in every imaginable size. I believe if you show up where the fish are, and they're in an eating mood (Wynona Synrome) then you can catch them on whatever you are throwing. But flukes, spinnerbaits, brushhogs, and senkos seem to be the biggest sellers.

Wayne Kyle got his ten pounder..

Chris Harrelson with an 8 plus..

James Orr.. School Bus

I went to Las Blancas yesterday with Gary Harlan and we caught about 40 fish.. No whoppers.. But a fun day.. I will be posting a report on the Mexico Lakes Page shortly, replete with some pics of the lake..

February 17, 2009: We have received almost 3/4 of an inch of rain here in Zapata in the last 30 hours, and boy has it been nice. We are bound to have a short reprieve from the constant dust that has plagued us lately. The fishermen here did not like it near as well as we did, and neither did the fish. Water temps were reported two to three degrees lower yesterday than the day before, with temps maxing out around sixty six or seven. What a difference a day makes. I did not venture outside the shop yesterday, as a light mist, rain was falling all day.

We did hear from a few folks that the spinnerbait and chatterbait bite was decent. Baby Brush Hogs and small Flukes are still doing well also. But we sold more rain gear than we have in a long time. I better get that restocked..

I am heading for Las Blancas today, as I have heard that there are a lot of small fish in the grass, and I want to help them get out.. Besides, I need to get some first hand information on what's happening over there. I'll give a report on it tomorrow..

We are headed back into the eighties for the next few days, and I expect to see the shallow fish right back where they were a few days ago. The reported numbers of fish has definitely increased over the last week. I look for it to continue.

Terry Bennett 11.3 lbs

Chad Huddleston.. Chatterbait.

February 15, 2008: Well if the Triskaidekaphobia and the Sarmassophobia doesn't have you hiding in the closet, and you survived the last couple of days, then it is time to make your way down to Falcon. If you don't have Hydrophobia.. Or Ichthyophobia..

Reports of lots of shallow fish are coming in left and right, and spinner baits are pretty much the rage this afternoon. Yesterday I took pics of a couple of 10 pound fish, and saw pics of several more. The Salado across from the church, and the Salanias everywhere, are reported to be the two hottest places going. Fish are being caught in every cove and creek, but these two are by far out performing all the others. There are a LOT of fishermen in town, and no doubt there are a few people who are struggling. But we are getting very promising reports.

Water temps did not max out as high as yesterday, as we had a weak cool front blow in last night. But the winds have been light, and fishing conditions have been very good. It drizzled enough last night to get the ground damp enough to make it possible to track dirt all over the house.. But it is gone now. It has been cloudy all day here and we got up to about 68 degrees. Tomorrow is supposed to be around 70, and then we are headed back to the middle eighty's for the next five days.. I love winter in Zapata..

If you decided to give up an honest living, and take up thievery for a pastime, I would head to Oklahoma.. Or Louisiana.. Because there is no body home in either one of those states.. They are all here at Falcon. And I still don't have a bag of crawfish..

I am upgrading the fishing here to a 6.75, and I think that it will get even better in the next week. I'm not telling you to quit your job just yet, but it may be coming..

Spinner baits, Senkos, Brush Hogs, and Flukes are all doing well. The lake is holding steady, and all we need is a little time..

You might start putting a few things in your ready bag..

February 13, 2009: The lake is holding steady at 302.54, or 1.52 feet above full pool. Amistad has actually caught a few inches of water in the last few weeks, so all is looking pretty good on the waterfront.. Release rates from Falcon are at about 2100 CFS, so it is not raging out of the lake..

Water temps are finally getting close to where they need to be to get the fish moving. I have talked to many folks that report seeing a lot of fish moving shallow, as in three to five feet. I saw a lot of fish in the Burro last week in about five feet of water. And when I say seeing, I mean seeing. The water clarity in many areas of the lake is fantastic, and visibility of six to eight feet in some protected pockets is not too uncommon. I have been in a few rocky creeks up the river where you could see a dime in ten feet of water if the sun was overhead.

We have heard from our customers varying reports on how the fishing is going. The Salanias is producing the best numbers of fish, and some of the biggest fish. There are a lot of folks fishing that end of the lake.

I fished the main lake yesterday for about four hours, in OPEC or Turkey creek, whichever you want to call it. And I fished a brush line in seventeen feet of water.. Seems damn ironic that the spawn is supposedly on; I am the proverbial shallow water fisherman; and I am fishing in 17 feet of water.. But I did catch fish doodlesocking the Huisache and Retamas.. Just dropping the bait to the bottom and playing with it.. I did have a couple of fish hit it on the way down , including the biggest, one around four and a half.. I did have a lot of trouble getting these fish out of the water, and I think it may be time to go to the eighty pound Power Pro.. In this situation I don't think the fish will see the line anyway, as it is a jungle down there.. But the 65 was not getting it done yesterday..

I caught nine fish, one on a spinner bait and all the rest on a big worm.. You can guess which one it was..

The wholesale fish market is back open here on Falcon, and lots and lots of people are here running a fillet knife through the biggest five they catch. Every Day. These are not fishermen, they're hunters. And the idea of them fishing for sport has never crossed their mind. I guess it makes them feel good to try and turn the Falcon into the lake closest to where they live.. Fishless.. Cause they have already raped it.. Wake Up People! This is not 1935!

There have been some good stringers caught lately, and a few really nice bass mixed in.

Joe Cerney with a nice 10..

Trey D'Spain with another 10..

And lots and lots of you have asked me what a Tilapia looks like.. And I have finally gotten a good picture of one from one of our game wardens.. Thanks Jake..

This is about a twelve incher, and the red on the bottom is from being stuck in a net. The smaller fish have a touch more purple in them. Note the vertical barring in the fish. We have heard of a lot of floating big bass lately with a tilapia wedged in their mouth.. Some dead , some alive.. Wonder why tilapia patterns are working..

Water temps nearing 70 in many places, and above in a few pockets.. See you on the water!

February 11, 2009: I know it has been a few days since I wrote, but we have been busier than a pigeon in a sidewalk decorating contest. Lots of ground to cover.. And the town is still full of out of state visitors.. I can find the birthdate on thirty six different states driver licenses in under 1.5 seconds..

I don't know where all this is going to end, but for the mean time, Falcon is getting a lot of attention. The fishing remains about the same, and the reports are as varied as the fishermen. Senkos and spinners are still the mainstays of most of the anglers, but we have heard of many different baits that have caught fish. Of Course none of them are loading the boat. A good day for two fishermen is fifteen to twenty fish. As a matter of fact, that is a damn good day. Although we have heard of some better numbers, but not too often. The Salanias is definitely putting out more fish than any other part of the lake. And it definitely has more boats in it than any other creek on the lake..

Water temps have jumped up to the high sixties in the afternoon in many places, and there are some spots where it is over seventy. Fish are surely more active in the warmer water areas.. Things are improving condition wise, and we'll see if the fish bite follows suit.

Today is a lovely day with light North winds and we are supposed to get to around 80 degrees again today..

Rocco Iusi 9.73 He fished with Jim Edwards..

Paul Lernout Nine Plus..

If things go crazy I'll let you know.. I'm sure ready..

February 8, 2009: Falcon continues to hold fairly steady as water levels are currently around 302.57, or 1.55 feet overfull. That is down about ten inches from the high we reached about a month ago. Water temperatures are still hovering around 63 degrees, with some areas a little cooler, and in some protected pockets, we have heard of water as warm as 69.. You would think that these fish would be going crazy.. But these Falcon bass just do not like cool water, and they have still not made major move to the flats. At least not in big numbers.

I know that a lot of fish have already spawned, but there are still a lot of fish that have not. And theories abound about why we have not had a major swarm of fish up in the four to six foot range. And us fishermen being the gossips we are, are bound to discuss every possible excuse we can think of as to why the fish are not cooperating. At least not the way we think they should.. But I am gonna stick to the facts..

By Falcon standards, the water is still cold. When the entire lake gets to around 68-70 degrees you will see things start to happen. Shad will invade the shallows and become visible again. And where the bait goes, the fish will follow.. There are just no baitfish above 10-12 feet..

So if there are any fish shallow, they are there exploring, spawning, or they are lost. But we are seeing some of these fish, and I must assume that they are doing one of the above. As I have said, no fish that is alive in the lake has lived in those areas.. Or if there is, she's probably a state record.. And the others seem content to live where they always have.. Deeper than twelve feet.

SLOW moving baits are working best because the fish are moving slow. When they eat a bait it has been gently most of the time.. Aggressive these fish are not. But when you get one on, mean they are..

The clear water is probably not helping anything either. These fish are not used to seeing you or your boat very often.

Watermelon Red Dingers seem to be the bait of choice for a whole lot of folks. But any dinger seems to be working as good as any bait. Spinners are a close second. And with the winds we have been experiencing, the spinner is about the only thing you can fish properly.. It is near impossible to keep in contact with your soft plastic bait, unless you are using a Die Hard for a weight.

Tomorrow the wind is supposed to take a break.. Let's hope so.. I've had to get my cat out of a tree three times this morning.. And she wasn't trying to climb one.

I'm out of excuses for now, but I'll probably think of a few more by next report.

Don't forget that the TABC is putting on a team tourney at the end of the month.. And of course the Falcon Lake Tackle First Annual Bass Blast is going to be held the Fifth of April. Come join us for some good eatin and some lie telling about fishing.. I am sure you will fit right in..

February 6, 2009: If any of you have heard the story about Hurricane Gussy, then you know what kind of wind we are having here at Falcon. If you have not heard the story, next time you come in I will tell it to you.. After all this report is rated PG-13.. But when I consider the fact that we have schools in some states teaching teaching junior high kids how to put a condom on a cucumber, I guess I wouldn't be too far out of line.. "It's in the name of education!" And so is this report.. Kinda..

I guess it figgures that just when we get a warming spell, we get a windy spell as well. We have a great forecast for the next few days temperature wise, but till Sunday, the wind is supposed to blow. We have issued our standard warning to new visitors to Falcon, but I am sure a few of them will still venture farther away from the ramp than they should. Predictions of winds up to 35 miles per hour are out there, and it won't be a pleasant ride in any direction in any area if that is the case.. But it makes the Bar-B-Que pit draft good, so I think we'll stay at the shop and cook a few briskets. I don't care if you have the QE-2, it's going to be rough..

The water temperature is getting up to the mid 60's in a lot of places, and I believe that in the next few days, we could get it up to 67 or 68. And if the usual happens then we should get a surge of active fish. Lord I hope so..

There have still been some good fish caught, and some good numbers as well, but I am going to have to move my rating back to a 6.5.. We just couldn't sustain that 7..

There are a lot of Man Hours being put in for the amount of fish being caught. Certainly more than the norm.

Chad Stephan caught this 10 pounder last Saturday on a Green Shad Jo-Baby.. Go Figgure.. And see how slick that water is in the background.. Not today.. Some of the spray is hitting the shop right now..

Senkos, Ol Monster Plum, and the New Plum Crazy Ol Monster, are catching some fish. Smaller baits are working as well as the Watermelon Red Fluke and the Baby Brush Hogs are also doing pretty well..

But we do have a lot of fishermen in town like I said, and with this much time put in to fishing, most every bait known is getting wet out there.. Just some get more results that others it seems.

I don't know if you have heard, but if you are one of the Bunny Ears people, you have gotten a stay of execution from the FCC.. Your analog signal will not be terminated until some time in June.. Oh freaking boy.. Five more months of hearing from every stuffed shirt that wants some TV face time that "You might loose your TV signal!" Don't want them folks missing Dr. Phil, Springer and Oprah.. How in the world could we continue the education of America without them??

And how could they find out what lawyer to call in case they get exposed to sunlight?? "Sunlight has been known to cause skin cancer.. If you or someone you love has been exposed to sunlight, call us and we'll Make the Bastards Pay.." I think I'm gonna be sick..

Oh yeah.. And Judge Judy.. At least she's skinny.. I gotta go before I get removed from the courtroom..

February 4, 2009: I was wondering if someone had declared war on south Texas, because the invasion is certainly underway. And to reference that I can show you my receipt book for non-resident fishing licenses. Most states in the southern tier are represented here in Zapata this week. I was at the ramp yesterday evening, and I think I counted nine different license plates. And if there was a football game in Oklahoma the stands would be empty..

We are headed for a nice stretch of weather, at least that is what is predicted, and I am optimistic that the water temps will be up in the middle sixties by the end of the week. And possibly a little higher shortly thereafter. And that is music to my ears.. If my kind of fishing is ever going to kick it up a notch, that is what it is going to take to get er' done..

The shallow bite is definitely improving, and there are more and more reports of better numbers being caught. I personally need a day where I catch more than twenty fish just to restore my fragile psyche.. I think I could do it but I think I would have to give in and fish deep, but so far I have been able to resist the dark side..

Flukes, Brush Hogs, Senkos, and Spiner Baits are all catching fish. And of course you can never rule out the Plum Ol Monster..

Bob Howard.. 9 something.

Brad Nicholson

William Hope 10-11lbs..

Don't forget the TABC South Texas Shootout coming up at the end of the month. . See the TABC website for details. Look in Hot Topics.. Registration will be here at Falcon Lake Tackle.

And speaking of tournaments, Falcon Lake Tackle is going to be hosting our own little tourney, on April the 5th. That's two weeks before Bass Champs hits town so maybe you'll want to come down and prefish and help us celebrate Falcon Lake Tackles 10th birthday and our one year anniversary as Owners of this little shop. We'll even feed you on Saturday night at registration. It will be a three fish, team event, reasonable to enter and we have a bunch of stuff to give away.. Look for more details very soon.

February 2, 2009: We have had a few really nice days to fish here lately.. Today is not one of them.. There is a steady north wind blowing somewhere over twenty miles per hour. The sun is out and high pressure is siting on us. Maybe tomorrow. There are a lot of folks here from all over the southern half of the US, and and about half of them are fishing the north side of the Veleno in past the bridge.. The other half have been standing around in the store wondering when the wind is supposed to lay. And if I was one of them I would be in the latter group.. I was outside a while ago and there were whitecaps in my coffee cup.. It is truly a day that will test your want to and your troller batteries..

Leonard Hughes with a whopper.

Ceasar Gomez with an eight plus.

Without making it sound like the fish are jumping in the boat, I think I will have to upgrade the fishing rating from 6.5 to a 7.. But you have to remember that the rating system in use is similar to the Richter scale.. For every degree of change there is a lot of difference. But we are still a long way from a 10.. More and more folks are telling me that they are catching more and more fish. And that has me guardedly optimistic. I fished yesterday and spent entirely too much time trying to catch some fish I could see.. Boy they look bigger underwater.. But in any case I was way up the river in the back of several pockets between the Burro and the Texas Chapote.. If I could draw it I could not make it look any better. But that has not gotten the fish's attention as they are still not there in any great numbers. Maybe they won't go there.. But they always have before.. I'm still confused.

Water releases from Falcon are still around 3000 CFS, and we are still about a foot and a half over full. I believe we could stay near full for the next few months. An inch of water at this level is a lot of water.. Let's hope they use it wisely..

Congrats to Jimmy Starr of Arkansas on winning the Superbowl Pot.. He will be the recipient of the FLT Super Fun Pack that consists of a one year free access to the Shadnick Network, a pack of reconstituted worms, and a key to the executive washroom here at Falcon Lake Tackle. We might even throw in a subscription to "Rosie" magazine.. And you know how those magazine offers are.. If you order one you can get another item free.. So we'll probably throw in that DVD movie "The Fat and The Furious." (No I didn't leave out an 's') (I'm Sorry...) Please accept my apology.

Actually Jimmy will receive a nice soft plastic bait assortment known to work well here on Falcon.. (At least most of the time.)

Fishing is getting better.. But don't sell the farm just yet to make it here.. I'll let you know.. See you on the water!

February 1, 2009: Are you kidding me.. January already shot to hell? And no new Lake Record yet?? We might as well catch one cause I know they are in here.. I think I've seen a couple of em.. I saw yesterday that Lake Conroes record was broken this week, and last week or so Choke Canyons record was broken.. So we might as well join the club. There must be something in the water.. (Literally)

I have not heard if the Conroe fish is still swimming in the lake or if she was removed. I haven't heard how the Choke Canyon fish is doing either. If someone knows, please let me know. But if you catch a fish on Falcon, and think she might have what it takes, call me. I'll meet you at the dock, in the back of Salanias, or five miles past San Ygnacio with a with a scale, a camera, and a tape measure. And we'll turn her loose where she came from.

I was just looking back in the archives of the Flash Report, and at this time last year the lake had lost five feet of water in the month of January. And the fish were just starting to bite.. Actually, the fishing was pretty awesome. Compared to now..

As of this morning, we are at 302.64, and that equates to 1.62 feet over full pool. They are releasing about 3500 CFS from Falcon, and about 750 CFS from Amistad.. Sounds pretty normal. At least the part about releasing four times as much water from Falcon as Amistad. But I guess I shouldn't bitch. For now anyway.

For the record let me state that I did not fish yesterday. But from what I heard the fishing seems to be improving. I heard of a lot of big fish being caught, and most of the patterns had one thing in common. Gravel.. Weather it be a road bed or on a natural slope. I still hear that most fish are coming from water deeper than ten feet. But I am hearing more and more stories of fish in four to six feet. Not sure how long this is going to last as we have a cool front headed our way tomorrow again. But we'll take it as it comes.. I heard of at least six fish over eight pounds caught yesterday evening. And I am optimistic that the fishing is improving..

Get your entry in for the superbowl prize pack.. (See Below)

January 29, 2009: It turns out that my pessimistic attitude towards the weather yesterday was a bit out of line, as the sun did come out mid morning and it turned out to be a beautiful day.. A bit cool but nice.. And we got into the middle sixties.

Most people we talked to had a fair day, but nobody really caught a lot of fish. Ten to fifteen fish per boat was doing pretty good, but there were a few better and a few worse. Deep slow moving soft plastic baits are working the best. Whether it be a senko, a brush hog, or a big worm. Very few fish are coming from the shallows, but we did hear of a few big ones caught on a spinner bait in about six feet of water. But the problem is that no one person caught more than one big one in any given area. The fish are scattered to say the least...

The best thing you can do is to fish the outside brush lines, especially if you find a small point or hump, and follow it out to the creek channel if it goes that far. I would not be scared to fish it all the way to 30 feet if it goes to the creek. And I am treating big coves just like the main lake. If a drop or creek bend comes close to the brush line, that is a great area to target. And if anything, I am fishing more creek mouths than anything else. Fishing SLOW is most helpful.. Stop moving the bait, and then slow down. It works. I hate it.. But it works..

Ramiro Garcia Sr. caught this fish this week.. Scale didn't work. Where's that rabbit when you need him..

You may or may not be aware that the Superbowl is this weekend.. Pittsburgh VS Arizona.. I don't have a dog in the fight but it will give me a good reason to Bar-B-Que something.. And drink some Big Reds..

So for a super prize pack from Falcon Lake Tackle, with a Minimum value of $5.00...

Send me an e-mail to: BassnWithBendele@aol.com

In the subject line ONLY include your choice of the winner, Arizona or Pittsburgh, Final Score, How many touchdowns scored, and how many field goals kicked. Hopefully that is enough tie breakers and we don't crash my mail server.. If we do all bets are off..

So your entry should look something like this..

(Subject line) Pittsburgh 24-17 5 4

Decision of judge(me) is final.. Other ties decided by earliest entry.. That should cover it..

Good Luck!

January 28, 2009: It's a gorgeous day here in Zapata.. On my way to work I ran over a freaking Polar Bear.. And I can only Figgure that they are moving here for the cooler climate. Their Ice flow must have drifted here from the north pole..

It is a winter morning here in Zapata, with cool north winds and temps in the forty's.. And just a hint of mist in the air.. Perfect for fishing.. I'd have to be really mad at em' to hook it up this morning. Not your chamber of Commerce type of day. But the sun is supposed to come out later..

And speaking of Polar Bears, Do you ever watch CMT? My brother has that crap on the TV all the time.. They have this commercial about the Polar bears on their way to extinction.. Just send your money and we can save them.. If I see that one more time I'm going to cry.. I'd really like a polar bear rug.. And by the way.. I know what country music is.. And that ain't it..

But back to the fishing.. We have gotten a wide variety of fishing reports. And the single thing I can pick out is that if you aren't in the right spot you just are not going to catch many fish. The shallows are devoid of any baitfish, and I have not seen anything flipping or splashing anywhere. And unless you are in 12 feet of water or more you are not apt to see any bait on your electronics. And in my travels I have not seen a single carp up on the bank. The vast majority of fish are being caught between twelve and twenty five feet. That's where the food is, and that's where the fish are..

But the good news is that January is almost over, and sooner or later the weather is going to warm up.

Our water temps this morning on the main lake are right at 60-61 degrees. But the sun has peeked out.. And maybe this thing will not be so bad.. But it ain't helping matters for sure.

An ESPN film crew is in town and they are shooting a show with Ish Monroe. I didn't know that they fished lakes without boat ramps.. But it is good to be prepared..

Scott Ecke caught a couple of whoppers this last weekend while he was at Falcon. Must be nice..

I had a weird thought the other day, (imagine that) and this is what I figgure. Fish are creatures of habit, just like people. And there is no bass alive in this lake that has ever lived in the top ten feet of water in the lake. There are some that have visited the new shallows, but very few have transferred their homestead there. So I reckon that it just might be a while till we see a bunch of fish make their permanent residence in the shallows.. Bad news for shallow water fishermen like me. Or it could be that they are just not going there till the water warms up. But the other day we dropped a probe down to 12 feet and the water was two degrees cooler than at the surface.. I'm really confused.. If only we could get some of the Polar Bear Money to research the issue... I know we could figgure it out.

January 26, 2009: Sorry I did not make it back to update the site yesterday evening.. I was so cold all I could do was type Brrrrrrr.. It was not a pleasant day to fish. The predicted highs in the 70's did not materialize, as it was cloudy, windy, and cold.. The sun finally burnt a hole in it at around 3:00 and when it came out it was like the feeling you get when your girlfriend tells you... I better stop right there.. But it was like opening the oven door.

We fished the back of the Salanias and there were a lot of boats in there. And I thought I was in the back.. But a lot of boats came out from farther back than I was. We fished the South side of the creek, as we wanted to fish the side with the wind blowing into it.. As it turns out, it probably did not make too much difference.. At least not a good difference.. We randomly caught fish from nine to nineteen feet of water, although we did find a little point that seems promising late in the day. I caught six fish, and didn't miss any.. Pretty tough. The water temp was 62 degrees, and I know that is not helping anything. And I can honestly say that I have not seen a shad or any other baitfish flipping around in the shallows in weeks. And I see no baitfish in less than twelve feet of water on my electronics. I wonder why there are few fish up very shallow?? They certainly are not up there chasing bait.. At least damn little. I do believe that the fish that are shallow are mostly Buck Bass, with the occasional sow mixed in.. And I'll expand my Hypothesis to to conclude that the only fish in the shallows are there to spawn.. Not to eat.

But I definitely see a correlation between the water temps and the amount of fish in the shallows... Duh...

My biggest problem is that I keep looking at the calendar.. And it clearly shows that we are in the last week of January.. We are supposed to whacking a lot of mama bass in less that eight feet of water Right Now.. But it just ain't happening..

My best fish was a 7.1, and of course I caught them all on a Plum Ol Monster.. I did throw a spinner bait and a hard, jointed swim bait but I got nothing to look at them. And we fished a lot of great looking spinner bait water.

The weather forecast calls for highs in the eighties for the next two days.. Accompanied by some nice light winds around 25-30 miles per hour. Then the high on Wednesday is supposed to take a 30 degree dive and top out around 56.. Global warming my Butt.. I'm calling Al..

I have a few pics to post, and I have to get some names for the faces.. There were no less than five bass clubs in town, and I will posting the results as I get them. I did not make it to the weigh-ins yesterday cause I was out there freezing as well.

The lake is still dropping just a bit a day, and we are at a comfortable 1.8 feet over full pool. All the local ramps are working well and for the near future we should continue to see a very slow drop in water levels. Amistad is holding steady and we are in the best shape going into the summer that we have been in fifteen years. It seems strange that the state is in a severe drought and we have two full lakes here on the Rio Grande. If you're not praying for rain now would be a good time to start..

See you on the water..

January 25, 2009: The cool front that was supposed to be here on Saturday evening showed up a little early, and caught a few fishermen off guard Saturday morning. And quite a few of them needed a change of clothes when they got back. And the way it sounded, some of them needed some new underwear.. The wind was probably gusting into the mid twenties about mid morning, and at this level, the lower lake was rocking and rolling. Not to say that the upper lake was not.

Fishing is still a little on the tough side, but there were a few folks that managed to catch some fish yesterday. I went to two weigh-ins yesterday afternoon, and a couple of guys said they could catch fish standing on their head.. Nothing to it.. So I figgured with the way my luck has been going I'd give it a try.. Still didn't help..

I will be updating the tourney report with a few pics.. I did see a couple nine plus fish yesterday, including a 9.97 pounder.. I'd a put a couple more drops of water in the bag and re-weighed her..

See you later.. Right now I'm going fishin!

January 23, 2009: The lake continues its very slow decline in level, and we are currently at 302.87, or 1.85 feet overfull. Current release rates are at about 3500 CFS, and at that rate we are seeing about a quarter to a half inch drop a day. Water temps yesterday afternoon in Blanco and Coyote were about 63 degrees, but last night was the first warm night we have had in the last five. And I expect to see the water temps come up to around 65-66 by Saturday evening, before this next front shows up. But hopefully it will not be to cold.

I am hearing some better reports on numbers of fish being caught, with a few that went over thirty in one boat. The Salanias seems to be putting out the Lions Share of fish, with some shallow water action reported there.. Also there have been some reports of lots of swimmers (Bass, not Illegals) in the creeks above Zapata, on both the Mexican and the Texas side. BTW, the Stren was won out of the Salanias..

There five bass clubs in town this weekend, so things are shaping up to be pretty busy. The clubs we know of are San Antonio Bass Club, Alamo Bass Club, Freedom Bass Club, Uvalde Bass Club, and Atascosa Bass Club. Sounds like a conspiracy.. I can see it now.. SURVIVOR ZAPATA: Battle At The Ramps... Now that's reality TV.. Where do they come up with that crap anyway.. If they want to make some good survivor stuff then let them lock one of those "contestants" in a Burger King with Rosie for 48 hours with only a weeks supply of food.. See if they come out missing any parts..

(I'm Sorry.. I apologize..)

Plus half the state of Oklahoma is here.. I guess Stoops is recruiting again..

And for those of you itching to fish a tournament here on Falcon, I have a press release for you.. The Texas Association of Bass Clubs (TABC) is going to be hosting an Open Tournament here on Falcon on the 28th of February. You do not have to be a member of a bass club to fish it, but you do need to join TABC with an individual membership. ($20) The format will be as follows: One Day Event, Two Man Team Tournament, Five Fish Limit. It is going to be billed as The South Texas Shootout. Entry fee will be $160 which will include big bass pot. (One Place) From what I understand no one guiding in the last 30 days will be permitted to fish. There will be a numbered start from Beacon Lodge, and weigh in will also be at Beacon. Registration will be at Falcon Lake Tackle on the Evening before (Feb. 27), from 5:00 till 10:00 PM. Late entrys will be accepted Saturday morning at Beacon before take off. Stay tuned for more details, and check out their Hot Topics page for tourney rules etc. Click Here

Looks like there is going to be one other Open Tourney on Falcon April 5th.. More details very soon on that one.

January 21, 2009: There are still a lot of folks in Zapata, some still hanging around after the Stren to fun fish, and just a whole lot of folks here to try to catch that personal best like so many have in the last year or so. It is certainly a fun time to be on the water, cause you just never know what the next cast might bring. We have had some nice days, albeit a bit windy with a persistent north wind.. Not that cold.. But I have never felt a warm north wind. And that has kept our nights cool, in the 40 degree range the last couple of nights. And that is not letting the lake water temps come up very much at all. Yesterday midday we were around 62.5 degrees in the Veleno. We are headed for a nice warm up, supposedly in the eighties for the next 5-6 days at least.. And nobody likes the sound of that better than me.. And if that forecast is correct, we should have some water temps in the middle and upper sixties in the next week. Hang on to your hats folks, cause this boiler is fixin to blow..

I am sure if you watched any of the Stren Tournament on the Web, you saw the egg laden condition of the fish here at Falcon. These fish cannot hold out much longer. And many of the fish are spawning now.

If you are into duck hunting.. Now is a good time to be here.. The river is Loaded..

Now I'm not much on eating duck, but I have eaten a few.. I prefer rabbits or squirrels. But I know a lot of you out there are Duck Nuts.. And I can see how it can get in a fellers blood. And I was talking to a gentleman the other day about being poor and having to eat a lot of what we hunted when we were growing up. And I was telling him this story about when I got this new pellet gun when I was eight or so, and I went down to the creek and I shot a nice young Cottontail.. Well being the great White Hunter I was going to go home and we'd have it for dinner. When I got there my mom was looking out the kitchen window and asked me what I was going to do with that rabbit. Of course I said I was going to skin it and we could have it for dinner.. Without batting an eye my Mom said "You take that SOB and throw it back in the creek where it came from."

At the time I did not realize that my Mom survived the Depression eating rabbits and squirrels. She says she has eaten her last rabbit.. So after that I only had rabbit when we had a neighborhood kids campout.. Along with some Field Larks, Pigeons, and the occasional Armadillo.. Armadillo on the half shell. Now that's good eatin!

Of course all the neighborhood Moms freaked out when they found out what we were eating when we invited them to come eat with us one summer night.. They outlawed the Armadillo.

But I was one upped when I was talking to the old feller the other day.. He said they ate so much squirrel when he was young that if he crapped in the woods the turd would take off and climb a tree.. (I apologize for the language but it was necessary to tell the tale)

Fishing is on the upswing.. But I am still not rating it over 6.5 on the ten scale.. But it is subject to change any second..

I'll let you know.

January 19, 2008: It was good to se the sun yesterday, and even better to feel it on the skin. We got up to the low seventies but we had a persistent north wind most all day long. Not making the lake un-passable, but uncomfortable. I ran down to the Tigers at sunup and it was a fairly gentle trip.. But when I came out it was a whole nother story..

I get phone calls everyday, asking "How's the fishing?" and I always tell them what I know. (Usually don't take too long..) But yesterday we got a lot of calls from folks telling us how good the fishing is. And of course I had to ask them where they got their information. And of course they all replied that it came from watching/hearing the weigh ins for the FLW Stren. And I will admit that a good number of the fishermen caught good numbers of fish. But you did not have to read too far down the list to see that not everybody was whacking em'.

The weights were very impressive for the top four or five fishermen, but they most always are on Falcon. Especially when you put two hundred good anglers on the water.. Some of them are going to find them. And Whack them.

I was at a lot of the FLW weigh ins, take offs, etc. Including the College fishing series that debuted here at Falcon this weekend. More on that later..

And I'll have to say that they made a very good effort to take care of the fish.. This trip they brought two release boats, which makes all the difference in the world. No fish survives very well waiting on a tank boat making a fifteen minute trip out and back while he is crowded in a bag with four others and a quart of water..

The only thing I could see that they could improve is when a fisherman is on stage, and he has a bag full of fish, no water, and they start rambling on about how and where, have a man grab the bag and put the fish back in the water.. Because there is already a man in line with his bag of fish with no water... And of course the fish that can take the least stress are the ones that get the most. Some of them will have more pics on the internet than Pamela Anderson. Put em back in the water.. I know it is all about the show, and showing off some big fish is what this sport is about. But this is an easy adjustment to make.. They did have good spacing on their flights and there was never a long line at the tanks. And Kudos for coming while the water temps are still low.

I have been accused in the past of being too persnickety about fish handling and care. Maybe so. But I'm doing it for a damn good reason.. I like to catch fish.. And every one we kill is one less we'll catch.. Not to speak of the hundreds of thousands of eggs she could lay. Like I said, They can get along just fine without us..

The College Fishing series held its first event on Falcon on Saturday. And it was interesting to see the anglers from many different colleges that came to fish.. I think some were just here for the beer, as they say, but many were die hard fishermen with intentions of going out and catching some Falcon bass.. And Some did.. Each fisherman could weigh no more than three fish. Some teams weighed six.. Some none.

They fished a team format, with a Pro from the Stren that did not make the cut. The Pro provided the boat and accompanied the anglers to their spots, and the rules say that the Pro may not share information on the lake with the fishermen. The College fishermen controlled the trolling motors also I hear, and there were some interesting stories after the event.. Let me just say that there were a few fishermen without a lot of experience.. This ain't exactly hook and bobber fishin. I'll try and post the winners of this event soon.

Oh by the way.. I did catch some fish yesterday.. I caught two on a spinnerbait and six or seven on a flippin bite.. Tried several baits.. But The Plum Ol Monster did it for me again.. Caught all the fish in about 6-8 feet of water on a flat close to deeper water.. All but one were buck bass. And the biggest was a four pound female in the same area. The weather is supposed to stay warm all week, and I can tell you that the big move to the shallows cannot be too far away.. We could have some water temps back in the high sixties by the end of the week. All flippin fish came out of green Retamas.. Could not catch a fish out of anything dead, and no fish came from Huisaches.. For whatever that is worth.. But it was good to catch some fish "MY" way..

January 17, 2008: Well they have kicked the big pole out from under the tent and all that's left is a few holes where the stakes used to be.. And just in time for the weather to take a turn for the better. But it did not appear that the weather played a very big part in the final outcome of the FLW Stren tournament.

Coming from seventh place with a with a huge sack of bass was Joe Don Setina, who brought 38.14 pounds to the scales on the final day. And he was just a little pumped up. When we talked to him this evening he said he thinks he won about 25K plus a new boat.. I'm pretty damn sure he is right. He finished with a three day weight of 92.02 pounds. That's about a 6.13 pound average.. Don't try that at home kids..

He was nice enough to stop by the store on his way out of town.. Congrats!

In second position when it was all said and done was day one leader Richard Cathey, who weighed a final day bag that went 29.11. He finished with 90.13, and that is a hell of a weight to come in second with. Local guide Charlie Haralson, who was in second going into day three, finished third with a total weight of 89.12. He weighed in a great limit that went 28.08. In fourth was Jerry Green, who had the second biggest stringer of the day, with 31.10, and his total weight was 86.11.

I had to post this pic.. I did not know that Cialis was sponsoring any of the local events..

It's late and I am tired and I will post a few thoughts on the tournament and what went on around here this week.... Tomorrow. It's all good.. And we had a great time meeting and serving the fishermen in town the last few weeks. Thanks for your business all of you who came by. It was our pleasure and privilege.. But don't look for anything too early tomorrow... cause I am gonna go and get it wet!

Day two, Part Two: The scales have closed on day two of the Stren, and there is a little movement in the top ten places, but many of the names remain the same. Catching the big stringer of the day, and moving from third to first, was Dan Schoonveld, with a great bag of fish that tipped the scales at 34.09 pounds. Still in second, is Charlie Haralson, who brought in another good sack also, and it weighed 27.09 pounds. Richard cathey slipped from first to third, but he still had a very decent bag of fish with 22.01 pounds.

Those fishing with the top three tomorrow will be Dicky Newberry, Jerry Green, Larry Peacher, Joe Setina, Ray Hanselman, James Stricklin Jr, and Jesse West. The the top three all have over 60 pounds in their two day limits.

On the Co-Angler side, Dean Kreuzer remains on top, as he brought in 25.14 on day two to remain in the lead. But second thorough tenth round out like this. Timothy Achee is in Second with 49.00, almost eleven pounds behind Kreuzer. In third is Keith Honneycutt, and in fourth is Chris Pennington. The rest of the top ten are as follows.. Kevin Slate, Ray Peace, Kenneth Pellerin, Robert Royal, Jeff Lobaugh, and Billy Rusher.

Congrats to all that are fishing tomorrow!

January 16, 2008: The nasty weather has not gotten too nasty here just yet.. No rain.. Temps in the high fifties.. And cloudy skies.. Light winds.. Similar to yesterday so I believe the good stringers will hold up. I hear there has been a bit of Drama on the lake over fishing holes. But that is to be expected with this many fishermen on the lake. Here's a few pics from yesterdays weigh in..

Shiny asphalt.... I hate winter..

Charlie Haralson with his thumb on the scale..

That's a happy fisherman!

This town still looks like a Chinese fire drill in process. And you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a bass boat.. Lots of the College Series anglers are hitting town today. And there are several teams from Louisiana and I still have not seen a crawfish.. I'm having withdrawal symptoms really bad.. At least they give the heroin addicts Methadone.. I think I need some crawfishcillin..

We'll have an update later, and we'll see who steps up, and who fades in the sunset.. Only 10 go on to the third day.. That's a tough cut to make. And you can watch the weigh in live at this link.

January 15, 2008.. Late.. The whoopin and hollerin is over for the day, and I will have to admit that the local boys have represented pretty well.. In the top ten, there are several local fishermen, and several others just back of that.. But in the lead currently, is Richard Cathey from San Antonio. He caught a huge stringer that weighed 39.01 pounds, and has about a six pound lead over local Pro and guide, Charlie Haralson. Charlies sack weighed 33.11. In Third, with 33.09, is Dan Schoonveld, who recently started a guide business here at Falcon also. Ray Hanselman from Del Rio is in seventh, Robert McFarlane from San Antonio who also guides on Falcon is in tenth, Speedy Collett is in eleventh, and Richard Cremo from Laredo is in twenty second.

In the Co-Angler division, there were also a few awesome stringers weighed in. As a matter of fact, there were four stringers over thirty pounds in weigh, with the heaviest going 34.03, and it was caught by Dean Kruezer. That's pretty salty for fishing some water that has been previously viewed.. In second is Kevin Slate, with 32.06. In third is Chris Pennington with a great bag that weighed 31.09, and to round out the thirty pound club in fourth is Kenneth Pellerin with 30.07.

And don't put that rain gear up just yet boys.. Tomorrow is supposed to be a real beauty.. Fifties for the high and rain.. And a nice 1-15 MPH wind to help keep you from overheating. Should be awesome. Stay tuned! Pics in the AM..

Jan 15.. Update: The weather has turned to... Nasty cool drizzle and light variable winds.. Not as bad as it could be.. But it is not a day you would pick to fish with your girlfriend. But if you've got a girlfriend it would be a good day for indoor sports..

You know, like Twister or Yahtzee..

We have finally had a little time to restock the shelves somewhat, and I am sure it will be a madhouse around here about five till closing.. Whatever time that might be.. Last night it was 10:30.. But I'm not complaining.. I rest next week.

We have sold a ton of Spinner Baits, so much that we have exhausted our small manufacturers supplies. We are expecting another shipment from SOB, including a bunch of Tilapia spinners. Should be here tomorrow. We can't get anyone to send us a 5" Mardi Gras Dinger.. So if you have some and are headed this way, it might be a good bait to throw.. Everybody here thinks so, anyway.. Hopefully our suppliers will have them back in stock pretty soon. I know these are good problems to have, but I hate running out of anything.

Weigh in only about an hour away.. We'll keep you updated..

January 15, 2008: Well the 2009 version of the Stren series here on Falcon is underway, with an over-full field of 203 boats. That's 406 anglers, all with different strategies and ideas, and all hell bent on catching a big sack of fish. We have talked with many of the fishermen, and I mean many, and some of them seem to have a good feeling that they will catch some decent weight. But a lot of others are not so confident. There is a lot of guessing about what it will take to make the cut, and make it to day three. Only the top ten move on to the final day I understand. And with two hundred fishermen, and a lot of good ones, and a few locals threw in to boot, I think you will see some pretty impressive weights this afternoon, even though the lake is fishing tough.

And I am going to take a WAG at the weight it will take to make the cut.. I think it will be somewhere around 57 pounds.. Give or take ten.. I know there will be some thirty something pound bags brought in, but time will tell if they can do it two days in a row. And I am not sure how many folks can.. I know the lake has the fish, but fickle weather and winds are going to play a big part in this one it appears.

Like I said, the BS is done, up came the sun, they fired the gun, and off they run.. But they'll be back this afternoon around three O'clock.. Last flight due in at 4:30. And we'll let you know what happened.. (And then maybe I'll have to adjust my estimate)

Or you can

Click here to watch the weigh in Live on your PC

Here's the story from the FLW

Cody Malone caught this one a few days early.. But the odds are that there will be a lot of her fat sisters at the ramp this afternoon..

January 13, 2009: The production end of the show has started to hit town, and the Stren Tournament is on our doorstep.. Parking at the county ramp is at a premium, and we have less than 48 hours till the BS stops and the green flag drops.. (I love NASCAR) And there are many others that are a lot more eager to get this show on the road than I am. And rightly so.. I'm just spectatin'..

The lake is dropping ever so slowly, as in 1/2 inch a day, and I don't think it will affect the fishing very much in the next few days. And as I mentioned before, I am not getting too much information that could be deemed totally credible. But I did get one pic of one of the fishermen here for the tourney.. And he was kind enough to share it with me.. And it's a nice one. Jason Weast caught this 12.4 pounder.. Does it look like this fish needs a diet plan, or could it be Rosies Evil Twin??

That fish looks ready to spawn to me..

I am going to tell you one more time that Zoom Plum Ol Monster worms are the real deal.. I have heard that spinner baits and senkos are still catching fish. And I hear that crankbaits bounced off the treetops are doing well also.. I have not fished since the South Texas Five tourney and I am getting a little itchy.. And I have no first hand info to pass on to you.. And until this tournament is over I doubt if I'll be getting very much sun.. But I'm damn sure thinking about it..

January 12, 2009: By my calculations, there is about seven million, six hundred and fifty thousand dollars worth of bass boats in Zapata county right now, and that is considering only the visitors that are currently here prefishing for the Stren event that is starting this Thursday. And my estimate might be a little low, but you know me.. Always conservative.. But I do part my hair on the left..

If I had to describe the fishing right now, I would have to say that it it is more like being squeezed out of a tube than being shot out of a cannon. No one that we are talking to says that they are just whacking them, but a few folks have insinuated that they are catching fish. And insinuation, subtle hints and guarded smirks are about the best we have to go on.. We certainly have not had a chance to get out and sample the fishing, as we have been busier than a one legged man in a butt kicking contest.. But we're not complaining.. We'll rest next week.

The NWS says that later in the week we are going to be treated to a real cold front, and it might make fishing a bit uncomfortable on the anglers.. I can't see it improving the fishing. Thursdays highs are supposed to be in the sixties, and on Friday and Saturday the mid fifties are supposed to be tops.. Oh Yeah.. There might be some real nice drizzle mixed in.. I knew there was a reason I quit fishing on a schedule.. Brrrr..

The January drawdown on Falcon is underway, and in the last 48 hours the lake has dropped about 2.75 inches, according to the Aquastick network in place on Falcon. Preliminary telemetry from Shadnick shows the river swelling below Falcon Heights and sand bars that were visible below Roma and stretching to McAllen are now covered with water.. We are currently negotiating with NASA to get a repositioning OK so we can better observe the lower Rio Grande. Our Geo-syncronous orbit is set on the northern periphery of the Hemisphere so we need a six degree Yaw rate in the decent angle in relation to the longdatudinal axis.. This should enable us to better view the river all the way to the gulf... (And you thought running a tackle store was easy..) We've come a long way from digging worms and catching crickets..

But some folks are talking a little.. Ralph Celadon caught this nice fish recently.. Of course he is not saying where either..

Ralphie with a nine pounder..

Chris Weaver caught this fish yesterday.. And he was real specific too.. He swears this fish came out of the lake..

9.8 pounds.. Sweet!

There will defiantly be some truth serum applied in a few days.. But I know a lot of these Stren fellers are catching them.. We'll see soon.

January 11, 2009: A lot of folks got indoctrinated yesterday morning here on Falcon.. Or maybe baptized is a better word.. The day started out overcast, fogy and fairly calm, with a slight south wind. But around eight thirty a lot of Yankee wind hit Zapata county, and it did not take it long to make the lake fairly choppy.. There were reports of lots of five and six foot waves in the open water, and these days on Falcon, there is a lot of it.. I warned you.. This lake can become nasty in a hurry.

And I see that the lake has dropped a half inch, but I think it was because a lot of the fishermen got back to their rooms and wrung their clothes out..

Actually the release rate has been increased to 3885 CFS, and I suppose that the water is headed for the fields and orchards in the valley. It is the middle of January, and we are due to start seeing our usual drawdown. I am just hopeful that the level of the lake will only drop a few feet this year being we are at a such a high level.. But you just never know with these folks.. I heard a rumor that the Gulf is a quart low and we need to fill it back up.. I did the math, which ain't my best subject, and I figgure the volume of water needed most years should only drop the lake about three to four feet at this level. You can scream at me in March when we are six feet low..

But back to the fishermen.. They ain't talkin.. And few of them spent a lot of time on the water yesterday.. We did see some interesting hair do's yesterday though.. And we did see the latest styles in winter fishing garb.. Hell it was like a fashion show for fishermen. And it's nothing personal, but some of our models weren't the prettiest.. Of course they fit right in around here.

We had wind gusts to 38 miles per hour here yesterday morning, and it stayed windy for most of the day. It was cloudy and cool all day long. The National Weather service, which is the best information your Tax Dollars can buy, says that today we will have light winds from the north, at about five to ten.. Mostly sunny with a high near 66. Sounds almost Balmy compared to yesterday..

The limited info we are getting is that spinner baits, and some crankbaits, fished over the tops of suspended trees, are catching some fish. There are also some shallow water fish, but mostly buck bass are being caught in water less that eight feet.. There are always a few exceptions to the rule.. But for the most part, the fish have not invaded the shallows..

We'll keep you up with what is happening.. If anyone will tell us.. (Plum Ol Monster.. You heard it here first..)

January 9, 2009: It's going to be another great day here on Falcon.. Probably get close to 88 degrees for the high this afternoon. We have a little cool front headed our way tomorrow, and lows are supposed to be in the forty's for the next week.. And the highs are predicted to be in the sixties instead of the eighties.. I think today is the day to fish..

There is an awful lot of fishermen in town, and this is as busy as I have seen Falcon in a long time. And these guys are covering more ground than Rosies shadow. The reports we are getting are a bit on the negative side, but I am not sure I can believe anything I am hearing right now.. Time will tell.. And soon..

You may remember these two young gals from last spring from our site.. I appears that they haven't lost their touch when it comes to catching fish, although they have not been practicing too much lately..

The Misses Kempf and Hagelin with some nice fish.. Show offs.. I heard they were last seen trying to buy their way into the Stren..

And Jack Moore finally figured out his Dingleberry Phone and e-mailed me a pic of this 11-2 pounder he caught last week..

Nice treads dude..

And as a public service I want to be sure and warn you that you might have your TV black out next month.. Just in case you did not know it.. I am sick of hearing about the "Digital Switchover".. I am sure the people with Rabbit Ears have it figured out.. The government is giving away something free to make your rabbit ears keep working.. And I am sure the Rabbit Ears folks have heard the news during the Milton Berle show and Walter Cronkite must have told them about it on the evening news.. Give it a rest..

And being I am bitching about TV you probably assume that I watch a lot of it. I do spend a lot of time in front of it.. But after 12-14 hours in the store I am usually asleep.. And the only time I wake up is when those blaring loud commercials come on telling me that my TV might go Black.. That might be a good thing.. At least the commercials wouldn't wake me up..

And that's the way it is..

See you soon..

January 7, 2008: We have been about as busy as we have ever been, and we are selling fishing licenses like we have the last ones made.. And let me tell you it is like we are getting wet roped every day.. I feel like I have been in a fight with Cassius Clay and Mohammed Ali all rolled into one..

I am not sure how many of the Stren Series anglers there are in town, but there is a lot of them. Most of the Co-Anglers are set to arrive early next week the way it sounds to us. I hear that the field is full, so that means that there will be four hundred fishermen participating in the event.. And on top of that there is the College Bass fishing tournament on the day after this one, and I hear there is going to be forty teams in that event. So needless to say, we have had little time to cook briskets, smoke cigars, and surf for Rosie porn on the Internet.. To put it bluntly, we have been busier than a three legged cat with diarrhea.

We had a slight cool front go through on Sunday night, and Monday was a cool and cloudy day.. The fish responded by not responding to most fishermen we talked to. But some, like always, caught some good numbers and some big fish.. Our Neighbor caught an 11-8 on a spinner bait in the Tigers during that beautiful afternoon, but I am not going to give him any credit till he e-mails me the pic..

Yesterday and today have been beautiful days, with light winds and temps around seventy.. Tomorrow and Friday are supposed to be in the eighties.. Winter in Zapata... Gotta love it..

I will have to say, that even though we are not catching big numbers of fish, there has certainly been some quality fish caught in the last couple of weeks.. I have a dozen pics to add to our Big Bass Page, and I am thinking about moving the qualifications up to eleven pounds. That page is getting pretty long.. And that would keep me from posting any pics of myself on there, and that is a good thing for all of us..

Hotel rooms this week in Zapata are as rare as hens teeth, so if you haven't make plans in advance, you will either be driving a long way or sleeping in your truck. But other than that you can rest assured that we are doing all we can to prepare for your visit. We have had more plastic delivered than a Toys R Us store, and we have a lot of things on the way.

And you'll be glad to know that the town restaurants will be well stocked with those huge Mexican plates and Cheese and Gravy covered Chicken Fried Steaks. If you get the large and finish it you are a better man than me. They are about the size of a saddle blanket.

Lake still holding steady.. Water back in a warming trend, for the meanwhile anyway.. Small front headed this way this weekend.. We'll see what the results will be soon enough.. See you soon..

January 5, 2009: All right you slackers! Back to work! The new year is here and along with it is the new work schedule.. And I'm not sure if you know it but we are supposed to be back in the swing of things today and working on getting this economy turned around.. Lets go get em!

Where do I start.. The first open tournament of the year was held on Falcon yesterday, and it took over thirty one pounds to win it. Look for a full report and pics in the tourney section later today..

The lake is holding dead steady at 303.57, or 2.55 feet over full pool. The water clarity is as good as I have ever seen it, and there are areas where you can see your spinner bait six feet deep when the sun is out. I was in a creek way up the river on Saturday and you can see the bottom in ten feet of water when the sun is overhead.. Just not that common on Falcon. And with the clear water, we have a lot of reports of fishermen seeing a lot of swimming fish, and stories of some monsters on the beds.. I have seen few fish personally, but I know that the stories are credible.

Until the cool front hit here yesterday evening, we had had five warm days of weather, and the water temperature was up to sixty seven degrees in many areas. And the fish are definitely responding. This little cool push is supposed to be out of here tomorrow, and we are supposed to be up to 72 in the afternoon, and in the 80's later in the week. We are going to see a major move to the beds in the next few days, especially if the water continues to warm as we approach the full moon on the 11th. I'm getting goose bumps just thinking about it.. And speaking of warm weather, we were in the mid eighties yesterday, and there were a lot of fishermen working on their tan base for the summer of 09'.. If you are shoveling snow I apologize.. But this is why we live in South Texas..

Best baits are probably spinners, with a close second going to Senkos, or something like em.. A big slow rolled spinner bait like the Jo-Baby 3/4 OZ in Green Shad, or the SOB Tilapia in 3/4 has been a killer. I am not saying other baits aren't working.. Just that these two seem to be high in demand. White baits are also reported to be doing quite well. The secret is to fish the blades through the tops of trees where fish are suspended around ten feet. Swimming it back seems to be the ticket. And they are jumping on it like a Bum on a Baloney Sandwich. So hang on to your rod..

Lightly weighted Senkos are doing quite well in the same general areas. Swimming them through the trees will get you bit. Of course I hate doing that so I just keep fliping my Plum Ol Monster.. And Catching fish.. And I ain't gonna quit throwin it till they quit eatin it..

If I was headed down here to fish the Stren tournament, I would be quite pumped up.. There will be a lot of folks who come down that will catch their personal best fish during the event. I guarantee it..

Hector Neira's first Cast of 2009 netted this 9.2.. Hell of a way to start the year!

Jeff Ellis visited Falcon with a few Buddies.. And He caught a 10.4 pound beauty.. And his friends felt obliged to send me a pic..

Darrell Reeves caught this 11.1 pound whopper on New Years Day too.. Are we starting to see a pattern here??

That is a Hawg..

And last but certainly not least is Jack and Bev Holingsworth who are here sampling the local fishery.. They caught both of these fish yesterday, and a lot more on Jo-Baby spinner baits.. Suspended in the tops of trees.. I'm telling you this stuff is working.. Bens fish was a 10-14, and Bevs fish was a 9-9. Said it was the best fishing day of their lives.. Reckon so..

I have a lot more e-mails to go through. And more pics to post and a lot on the way.. The big bass bite is definitely on the way up.. Supposed to be warm this week after tomorrow.. It's gonna be good... Check the tourney report page after lunch..

January 1, 2009: Happy New Year! Hope all of our customers and friends are still around and you brought in the new year safely. I was out light like light well before midnight. When you open the store at 5:30 it is hard to make it till the 10:00 news is over..

The fishing seems to be on a slight upswing, at least for several of the anglers we spoke to.. And one Father and son team really put the smackdown on them yesterday. They had over forty pounds, including the 11-10 in the pic below. I have not gotten the exact coordinates from them just yet.. But I'm working on it..

That's defiantly a toad!

Two of their smaller fish..

The The Father and son team of Jay and Ken Bohnert have had a trip to remember for sure.

Now everyone is not whacking the fish like these two guys are, but we have heard of some promising possibilities. More and more fish are being reported up shallow. There are a lot of Buck Bass in the flats from the top to the bottom of the lake according to several fishermen we spoke with yesterday. But to say that the fish are everywhere up shallow would certainly be an exaggeration. But you can find a few if you are in the right places.

Reanna Kinzler caught the big fish in this pic.. Although she was not too crazy about holding it.. It was a 9-14. She fished with her dad and brother and she said she really put it on em.. They had a 32 lb stringer fishing with Tommy Law..

See you soon..!