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May 15, 2012: I gonna go out on a limb and say that the weather predictors that said La Nina conditions would exist and that South Texas would be dry this spring are full of crap. And that is about how much I trust long term weather prediction. If you think they can tell you how many hurricanes are coming in a season then I guess we are on different pages. And every year when their predictions come out it is front page news.. What a waste of time..

Why don't they talk about something important.. Like the Kardashians or something..

What is gonna happen is gonna happen.. And the only thing for sure is that they aren't..

It has been wet around here.. Two inches over the weekend, and another inch last night. Plus the rain from last week. And the good thing is that after they dropped the lake ten feet, the valley got a lot of rain and they have greatly slowed the water releases from Falcon.. And they are still letting a bit out of Amistad.

We have caught about ten inches in the last week.. And that don't sound like much.. But it is good to see it moving up instead of down..

We are sitting at 270.45, or 30.75 low.

And strange as it sounds, even with the falling water, these fish have been shallow. And some quality fish shallow as well. Actually lots of em..

And you can throw any bait you want, but a spinner bait in white or chart/white has been catching a lot of fish. Especially in the stained water on the top end of the lake. And who doesn't like shallow fish..

Rocky points with trees are the real deal, and like always, some places are better than others. But it is always about rocks.

I expect to hear of a lot of good stringers coming out of shallow water this weekend during the Bass Champs tourney.

And unless you are living under a rock, or fishing under one, you know that BC is going to a three fish limit in this tourney. And although it is late in the year, and the biggest fish are not carrying eggs, I still think there is a real possibility that someone could crack thirty pounds.. I have never seen it done before, but it could happen. There are an awful lot of good fishermen that will be on the water.. We'll see..

It seems that most of the fish are still in shallow water, less than ten feet. And that is not just my thinking, we are hearing that from a lot of folks. And whether you are throwing a rattle trap, a spinner bait, or a square bill, you can catch fish in the skinny water. And any flipping bait will work as well..

We'll see what happens soon enough..

But rest assured, if you come down here, you are going to catch some fish.. And likely some good ones.

And don't forget to prepare for some warm conditions, with higher than normal humidity around here..

Parks and Wildlife turned loose a few SL fry last week, and I am not sure of the number. Several thousand for sure. They were released in the Veleno. And we are on schedule to be stocked with some 250,000 Pure Floridas in June, or early July.

Only two of the thirteen fish turned into SL spawned this year.. Seems like a lot of commotion for a minimum of results to me.. Have I said that before?

Results from spring shocking surveys indicated that we are still in good shape fish wise, with lots of juvenile fish. We should catch a lot of numbers in the next few years.. Just like I been telling you..

It is pretty quiet in Zapata this week.. I'm headed for the water..

May 10, 2012: Believe it or not, we have received three inches of rain here at FLT in the last three days.. It is nice not to have the dust in the air..

Big water releases are still going out of Falcon, but releases from Amistad and local rains have us just dropping 2/10 of a foot in the last 24.. Better than the six to seven inches as of late..

Fish are shallow everywhere it seems, and yesterday we whacked them on spinnerbaits in white or chart white with a little split tail trailer on them. Caught some flipping as well, but numbers on the spinner..

Rocky points with bushes... SOS..

You might have to dodge a few rain storms around here this weekend.. But the fish are biting..

Any shallow moving bait will probably work, and I talked to some fellows that whacked them on square bills as well..

Water color on the top of the lake is dark, and that is why I think the Spinner bait is working well. If you head up the river, take it slow, as there are a lot of floaters and stumps to be found. South of the Veleno is not too bad, water color wise.. But stay in the channel and don't skirt the banks running the lake down to marker eight as there are a lot of big hardwoods on the river channel edges.. It is not a minefield.. But better safe than sorry.. If they ever shut down the dam maybe we can catch a little water and get rid of this problem for a while..

Lots of rain in the upper water shed.. I hope Amistad catches some..

Happy Mothers Day! Don't forget to call your Mama!

May 7, 2012: It's hot and humid around these parts.. The hot is not unusual.. But I think that the high humidity sucks.. And I ain't the only one..

I have tried for years to figure out the system used for water planning on Falcon and Amistad, but I think I am going to officially give up. There is no telling what these crazy bastards are going to do. After dropping us like a girlfriend with an overbite, The IWBC has decided to release some more water from Amistad. And some of it is on the way.. And I hate to sound redundant, but why in the hell can't they pass on some water while they are letting it out.. They did this same crap a few weeks ago..

Of course I have no idea how much water they are planning on sending us, and they probably don't either. But we'll take whatever they will give us.. Of course it would help if they ever finished blanketing the Valley with more water than we can even conceive of..

I read an article in the local paper recently that fishing/recreation is sixth on their list of priorities.. I think they need to rethink the economic impact of the fishing industry round these parts.

Of course we are working off a water treaty with Mexico that was signed by Santa Anna.. The same one that says that the Rio Grande is a navigable river and gives the Coast Guard authority here.. And of course the Mexicans have used their copy for toilet paper, as they never abide by it anyway when their allotment has been used up.. And I don't think the coast guard knows the definition of navigable.. Also see riparian..

We are sitting at 270.73, or 30.47 low. Lowest we have been since June of 2007.

Water temps are right around eighty..

If you plan on running the river above Salado, be advised that the old bridge abutments are in play, and the one in the center of the river, just below the Hedieona, is about two feet out of the water. Stay close to it and you will be fine. The river above White House is about three feet deep.. As of this morning.. I don't recommend running on plane above that point.. And it is a muddy mess.. And it will probably get a lot dirtier when the river starts rising in the next day or so. I hear that the river is already rising just a bit on top of the lake..

I have also heard that the topwater bite is coming around, and of course it lasts a bit longer on the cloudy mornings. I have not thrown one, but I will be next time I get out there early. Around rocky points of course.. There is zero grass in the lake.. And no weed.. Unless a smuggler lost some..

Yesterday I stopped in the Veleno on top of the old Hwy 83 bridge. There was a bout 7-8 feet of water over the rails, and about 12 feet of water on top of the road bed. I am not sure whether we will be dropping, or rising.. So that is just FYI..

Sandy Huntsinger caught this 11-7 over the weekend.. And you can see what the bank looks like.. Two feet of water I hear..

If we drop another eight feet or so, the only wood left in the lake will be John Holmes. (Big Hardwoods)

There were some good results reported over the weekend.. But I didn't have any.. All I can catch is babies..

There are already several groups down pre-fishing for Bass Champs. But then it is less than two weeks away. And the following weekend the Bud Light Trail Open will be happening.. I reckon it will be busy for the near future around here.

What else is happening..

The NBA playoff are in full swing.. And of course you know I am a Spurs fan.. They're gonna win it..

It was good to see Mark Kuban crying in the bleachers again the other day.. Along with Captain Dirk.. That broom had some stiff bristles..

And speaking of the NBA, Marv Albert is back in full swing doing the announcing on a lot of the games.. I bet he is still running around in his motel room in silk panties with a hard-on.. Bet you thought I forgot.. I guess his two year sabbatical is all behind him now.. It is amazing what celebrities can get away with..

But he is "From Way Downtown!"

And why is it that every commercial on TV has an announcer with a foreign accent. And no I am not talking about some body from Bawston..

I guess the ad men think that people with foreign accents sound smarter than us, and we want to be perceived as smart, so we are bound to buy their product.. Or eat their Kangaroos.. Or whatever..

Just put someone on there that I can understand.. If I want to hear some un-intelligible english I'll call tech support..

I am sick and tired of all this internationalism.. This is America. Get on the bandwagon or get run over by it.. Screw all the other wanna be countries that are dragging us down.

I'm tired of supporting them, and tired of policing them. If they want to wallow in the mire that they have created, that's fine by me.. And don't try to guilt me into believing that by and large Americans don't get what we deserve. Whether good or bad.. We earned what we have here..

Or at least most of us have.. There are a lot of no working, lazy son of a bitches out there that are just sucking on the tit.. And it is time to wean all of them..

I feel better now..

I gotta go find my Secede Texas! bumper sticker..

Buy American!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

May 4, 2012: The wind has finally settled a bit down here the last few days, making last weekend just a bad memory.. Not that it is dead calm, but the last few days have been fishable. And of course with the lower water levels, at least the top half of the lake can be somewhat managed with a good wind anyhow.

We have lost about two feet of water in the last eight days, and we are currently sitting at 272.78, or 28.42 feet low.. And if you are fishing near the dam, you can hear the same sound that Niagara Falls makes.. And just about as much water is going out it seems. I have asked the IWBC when they plan on slowing it down.. Seems nobody knows.. I guess when the land is covered by two feet of water they might stop.. We are currently releasing over 10,000 CFS of water..

Amistad is holding pretty steady.

Fishing is still pretty good, with some folks reporting fantastic catches.. And some folks struggling.. Sounds like fishing.

There were a lot of reports of very shallow fish the last few days, and knee deep water has turned out some hogs. But if I was looking to pick up a big fat bitch, I would would hang out around ten feet of water, and fish the edges of some rocky, gravely, ledges or steep slopes. Or in the Green Rooms of some daytime talk shows..

Crankbaits with some blue backs and chartreuse bellies or sides have been whacking em, and I caught some fish on it yesterday. And the big worm, twelve inch size or so, has been good. The Mitee worm from Yum has been real good on a ball and chain or giant shakey head setup.. Or a giant Senko will work in the same scenario.

Of course if you like the skinny water, the square bill will always catch fish. There are still some areas that have some schooling fish on the points.. And if you find the right spot you can have some fun that is legal..

We have a few tourneys coming up the last half of the month, and I reckon there will be a few folks here the next couple of weekends doing some prefishing. But the traffic on the lake during the week has been light.

Mark Wasson caught these two DD's on the same trip.. Busted the ten pound mark for the first time twice..

10.15

10.58

And his partner Marcus Sykora caught this one as well.. I think they'll be back..

11.90

And Roy Nagy caught this 12-7 last week as well..

Since the Bassmaster article came out last week, the phone has been ringing off the hook around here. I Guess there were still some folks that had never heard of Falcon. Make your reservations for next spring now.. It is gonna be nuts I am sure.. But join me in praying for some water for Falcon in the near future. We're gonna need it..

I have been guilty lately of being on the water a lot.. And a lot of it has to do with having a new boat. And I have spent a lot of time touring the lake and playing with the electronics and such. It is always fun to have a new toy. Somebody saw me the other day and said what in the hell are you doing in those trees with that brand new rig.. And I told em that it won't be broke in till it has as many scratches as Tigers back.. I'm workin on it.. Hardwoods is Heaven to me..

Hope yall have a great weekend.. I gotta go turn my briskets..

April 29, 2012: I don't know if the wind has been blowing in your neighborhood, but it sure has in ours.. And I mean blowing.. 25-30 for the last four days.. And that has made it hard on the fishermen..

I think we need a bigger boat...

But it hasn't kept them all off the lake, as there are three or four tournaments going on around here this weekend.

The Bass Federation is holding their fourth tourney of the year, and their second on Falcon this weekend.

Rebel Bass Club, Quality Bass Club, and Big Sandy Creek Bass Clubs are all in town.

Bass Federation and Rebel are both fishing a three fish format..

I hear that about twenty three pounds is leading the Rebel event. And some stringers around thirty in the other two.. That's pretty good for the conditions.. It has been tough.. I have been stuck in the shop for the last four days.. At least the wind is blowing.. Or I'd really be pissed..

The lake is still in freefall, and all the correspondence I have had with the IWBC says is that they are irrigating in the Valley.. Really... Hopefully they will finish up soon.. It is the Mexicans that are taking the vast majority of the water.. What else is new..

We are down to 275.02, or 26.18 feet low.. We were about three and a half feet lower in January.. But we are headed back there pretty quick.. I was hoping that the water we got in February and March was a replacement for water they took out.. Not water they were fixing to use.. As it turned out..

The last two weeks have been pretty busy around here, and I reckon we will be a bit busy the next few weekends as we approach the Bass Champs tourney, and several others.

We also have a first time circuit coming to town next month. The Bud Light Trail is going to hold an open tourney here on May the 26th and 27th.. It will be a two day team event, with registration to be held here at Falcon Lake Tackle on the evening of the 25th. This will be a three fish event as well.. And the Bud Light Trail will also be bringing Falcon into their San Antonio division for the fall, with two tourneys scheduled here on Falcon, one in September, and one in November. Info will be on the tourney page shortly.

And remember that Bass Champs is going to be a three fish event this go round as well. We commend both organizations for going to the reduced creel.. And the fish appreciate it as well..

I catch a lot of hell about some of my opinions, and I hope you found the last post I put up interesting if not informative. And people can bitch all they want but those are the facts.. Pure and simple.

And the first thing they say is that if I am so concerned about the fish, why am I always promoting tournament fishing. Because tournament fishing is about as hard on a fish population as any other factor.

And I agree.. To an extent.. Poor Tournament Fishing is about as hard on a fishery as any other factor..

But here's another fact.. Tournament fishing is not going away.

And the only way I can influence many of the tournaments, is to get directly involved. To push for the best available care of the fish in and out of the boat, at weigh in, and in the tanks both before and after the scale. And of course to push for, fight for, argue for, and insist on a three fish limit, especially in the summer months when the water is so warm.

And any time I am needed, if it is possible, I am there at the weigh ins, working the fish, and trying to help others learn how a good weigh in goes, and how to care for the fish once they arrive.

You might be surprised how much influence you have by setting a good example for others, and speaking up for the fish, when you see poor fish care practices.

I know we can't save them all.. But let's make the best effort we possibly can. This is what we love to do, so it should be second nature to protect the most important part of our passion..

You can have all the goodies and gadgets there are.. But if there ain't no fish...

Summer is setting in as well around these parts, And we have had our first two days over 100° this week. But by this time last year we had already had about fourteen days over the century mark.

And with the warmer temps, fish are getting set up in our usual summer pattern around here. It won't be long till most of the better fish are grouped up offshore on deeper structure. And fishing Falcon in the heat can be pretty awesome. Summer time provides some of the most consistent fishing of the year.

But you need to be prepared as well. Lots of water, sunblock, good head cover, and some quality sunglasses are a must. It does get pretty western around here..

I'll post results from this weekends tourneys when I get it..

See you on the water!

April 23, 2012: It's been a hell of a year around fishing camps across the State of Texas, with some of the best and some of the worst conditions known to man. Extended drought, low water levels, and recent flooding have all played a part in our fishing adventures.. And I guess they always will.. This is Texas after all.. And the only thing for sure about the weather is that it is going to change.

Here at Falcon we have certainly seen plenty of change in the last six months. We are actually very close in water levels right now as to where we were when the Sharelunker season began. And we had an eight foot drop, a ten foot rise, and about an eight foot fall to the present. And we are currently dropping about 15" a week.. That's pretty scary heading into the summer..

The Sharelunker season is winding down, and it is getting a bit late to catch a big fish that is still carrying eggs. Most of them are long done with the spawn, even in lakes much to our north. I'm not saying that every big fish is through, but there can't bee too many left.. As a matter of fact, I do not think that there are even very many.(Thirteen's)

I believe that there are just not that many fish out there that weigh more than thirteen pounds. I know a lot of you think that they are plentiful, but are just very hard to catch. And while they are older, and maybe a bit smarter than a juvenile fish, they do not have the ability to reason. And they are going to eat on a regular basis. I believe that overall we give the fish way too much credit.. Maybe an excuse for us cause we can't catch em..

But let's look at what makes a thirteen pound fish. And we'll start with the obvious..

Luck.. Do all Florida fish have the genetics to grow to thirteen pounds? Who knows.. So far no one has taken a bunch of them, put them in individual tanks, and fed them all they can eat for eight or ten years to see what would happen. But we do know that Florida genetics are key to growing bigger fish faster. That much I think we pretty much all agree on.

But back to the Luck part. A fingerling gets stocked in a body of water. Under normal conditions, he, or she, is about 1.5 to 2" long. And of all the fingerlings produced, who could tell how many are male and how many are female. But let's say that they are 50-50.. And I think we all agree that no male bass will ever get to thirteen pounds. So half of the production could never get to SL size.

So if we put 250,000 SL fry in a lake, in any given year, we are down to 125,000 females. And let's keep in mind that these fish are living in a highly predatory environment. When you are 2" long, you are about as low as it gets in the food chain. If two percent make it to sexual maturity, that being about two years old, we are down to 2,500. What percentage of these fish will live to be ten years old? Your guess is a good as mine. But it would be a very small number I think we will all agree..

But much more important than luck, is where these fish get placed. Rosie didn't get that big on a 2000 calorie a day diet.. And these fish aren't going to grow big and fast if they are spending a lot of energy chasing lunch.. They must be in an environment that will allow them to gorge themselves easily. And the bigger the bass, the more plentiful and larger sized the food stock needs to be. Big bass rarely spend time in the shallows chasing a 2" shad. They are looking for a substantial meal that is easy to catch.

And the kicker is that these conditions have to exist for a long period of time. And we all know how conditions change in our Texas lakes from year to year. And it takes some more of that luck to keep the buffet line open 24 hours a day for ten years in a row.

We have seen over and over again the results of drastic water level drops on our lakes. And here is the part that a lot of folks just don't want to believe. When water levels fall, the first thing that happens is that we have a lot more fish in a lot less water. And when the water falls, we remove most of the grass and shoreline vegetation from the lake. Less ambush opportunities for bass, and certainly the fish will see a lot more baits than when the lake is full of cover.. And this, I believe whole heartedly, leads to the big catches of big fish the first year or two after the lake drops. And then the ball starts rolling..

Folks hear of six, eight, ten Sharelunker's caught out of one lake.. And the flood gates open.. The lake gets pounded to death, and we end up with Amistad, Conroe, Choke Canyon, Alan Henry, Ivie, and Lake 26.. And several others I did not mention..

And soon to be Falcon..

Too much of a good thing is not a good thing.

I do not claim to be an expert on lakes other than Falcon. And expert is probably not a good word choice to use here. But I am a keen observer of trends and history, and I have studied this lake for the last thirty years. And what we are witnessing right now is the perfect storm. Extended low water conditions around the turn of the century, and volatile swings from near full to over pool level are what made this lake what it is today. Dense, impenetrable cover on several occasions with high water levels gave us some year classes of fish that are incredible.. And we have had three consecutive spawns previous to this year that were even better than the years that have produced the big fish we are catching today.

What will happen in the future? It is hard to say. But the next few years should be fantastic. At the end of the day, it all depends on water levels. If we can catch a bunch of water again, and who knows, we may be just scratching the surface.

Another factor in the growth rates here is the long feeding season these fish enjoy. While many other lakes see fish that take several months off from the dinner table, we seldom see long periods where the fish are not in an eating mode. But I can tell you that Falcon fish hate cold water, and if the temps fall into the 50's for any length of time you might as well stay at home and watch Captain Kangaroo..

Another thing that Falcon has going for it is the incredible amount of Tilapia that inhabit the lake. They are really easy pickins when the water is cool, and these big fish think they taste like candy.. It is very common to find a floating, and many times dead, giant bass with a pound and a half tilapia stuck in their mouth. Many have been rescued by fishermen, many more die..

The absence of the once incredible White Bass population has done nothing to hurt the shad population in this lake as well. Small bass' diet consists of this and smaller crawfish primarily.. And it is very common to have a caught fish puke up some of either when you catch em.. And most everyone has seen a pincher sticking out of the gullet of a fish.. Happens all the time.

There are also no Stripers left in the lake, and that is not a bad thing. I have heard of only one caught in the last five years.. Maybe longer. We all know that a striper is an eating machine..

The crappie have made an incredible comeback, and eight out of ten bass agree that a crappie is a tasty morsel.. Add one more entree to the table.. Not to mention the wide array of aquatic small fish that also inhabit the lake.

The Sharelunker program was started 26 years ago, and to date it has not produced one thirteen pound bass. Nor have SL fry been stocked in any of our lakes till recently, and it will be at least four years till it could even be possible for one to reach thirteen pounds. And they will have to overcome the odds that were discussed above.. I'm not holding my breath. A SL fingerling is nothing but a pure Florida bass, and whether it makes it to thirteen pounds will be 99% Luck, 1% because she is a Florida..

And what aggravates me is the amount of disinformation that is out there about the Sharelunker program. People actually think that when the Sharelunker folks put out a news release about someone catching another thirteen somewhere, that the Sharelunker program is actually responsible for that fish's existence..

BS.. A little more straightforwardness from the SL folks would be nice.. We were also promised data on all the SL fish that have been turned in since the start of the program, but that still has not happened..

I, for one, would like to know how many fish died, how many were pure Florida's, how many spawned, and how many fry were actually produced each year, and what happened to the fish in the end..

So far this year thirteen fish have been turned in to the program. One of them had been caught and turned in before..

Of the thirteen, six have been integrates, or not pure Floridas, and were returned to their home lakes. Of the remaining seven, only one has spawned, producing only some 44,000 eggs, more or less, according to the TPW website.. And this late in the year it could be that no other fish spawn. It is not uncommon for the fish to never spawn in the tanks at Sharelunkerville..

Lots of commotion for a little bit of return..

What happened to all the fry produced in the first twenty years? Where did they go?

The Sharelunker program has not produced any bigger fish in the state of Texas.. More than likely, it has contributed to the decline in the numbers of the very biggest fish. When every thirteen pounder has a price on its head, it is going to be hard to break many lake records, much less a state record..

My point being, quit spending copious amounts of dollars on the SL program, and use that money to purchase additional pure strain Florida Bass.. We will get a lot more bang for our Buck.

Here's another thing to think about.. Many of you say that we are not catching many 13's because they are smart and very hard to catch.. They have lived a long time and have seen every bait known to man.. And fish.. I don't agree with this of course, but if that it the case, why in the hell are we trying to grow them.. Being we can't catch em anyway.

Here's a recap of the SL program since it was started.. This info comes from the TPWD Website.

What this table does not show is the numbers of other giant fish caught early on in the program.. So here is this graph I made years ago.. And updated now..

It is not hard to see that the very biggest of our fish have declined. And in the 07 to present bar it is highly skewed by the low water factors that exposed these fish to hooks that they would never see.. Choke Canyon specifically.. And it has not spit out a SL since 08-09, when it yielded six total, and three over fifteen.. And not a peep out of her in three years..

Amistad has not had one in two years..

Lake 26, the greatest lake on the planet, has only two this year, but that's 100% better than last year..

O.H. Ivie has turned in two this year.. Down from seven last year.. And eleven the year before.. The first time the water got really low.. And it had none in the year previous to the eleven fish season.

It is all about year classes that get exposed to the right conditions.. When they're growing, and when we're catching..

Keep in mind also, that several of these fish in the last few years are retreads, four I think, and one of them is the 16 pounder from Caddo.

And from what I see, the re caught fish have quit growing after their first go round with SL.. Maybe the adventure puts a stunt in their life cycle.. There are not that many of them, but that seems to be the trend..

In any case, there is not one iota of help that the SL program has done for the fishing in the state of Texas. The Sharelunker Program Has Not Produced One Sharelunker Fish! Has it brought more people to Texas to fish.. Without a doubt. It is surely the best publicity stunt ever pulled off by any government agency.. Save for the Obamma administration..

And in the long run it has probably done more harm than good, for the sustainability of our Texas lakes.

Like I said.. Some times too much of a good thing is a bad thing..

April 23, 2012: It was a pretty busy weekend around here, as my tournament count was a little bit off.. There were four tourneys going on around here, although there were no giant ones.. Austin Bass club and Elite Bass Club joined the aforementioned groups that had a fishing contest over the weekend.. Results were decent, not awesome..

I don't have the final results from the ABA tourney just yet.. But there were a couple of thirty's I heard on Saturday. I'll post in the Tourney section when I get final results.. I do have Helotes' results and will post later today..

The lake is still dropping like a rock, and we are down to 276.54, or 24.66 feet low. With no sign of stopping. That 's over a foot in five days.. Here we go again. Amistad is releasing just enough water to keep the river flowing.. Hope hurricane season gets started early this year..

Fishing is fair to awesome, depending on who you ask. If you find a group of fish, you can whack a good sack of em in a hurry.. But several folks I talked to struggled to catch much size during the course of the day.. It is time to get off the bank some and slow down. Deeper is surely where most of the bigger fish are.

I fished three of the last four days, four hours at a time or so. And I have found the fishing to be a bit of hit and miss. I have caught a lot of fish, but they do appear to be a bit scattered.

Right before the front hit on Friday, I murdered em in the Diablo in six feet of water flipping the trees. The day before on Thursday, I caught a bunch of schooling fish in the Tigers on rocky points.. And yesterday I fished from the back of the Salanaias to the Veleno and never really got on a pattern of any kind.. Just here and there.. Of course I was fishing a lot of water that I had not seen in a while.. I had a six and a seven yesterday, and they were twelve miles apart..

I caught most of my fish on a brush hog.. W/M Green Orange.. The Mag Fluke and the Square Bill are still great to have on the deck..

Jimmie caught this 13-2 a week or so ago.. And I lost the pic for a week or so.. Sorry..

Tim Ritchie caught this 10-4 first fish of the trip.. Great way to start..

Michael Wright caught this 11-2 last week as well..

Working on a few things around here, and certainly will have to interject my opinions on this years Sharelunker program.. It is about to wrap up for the year.. Thankfully.. But it looks like I am going to win some decent money from SL Believers..

It looks like I will will loose one bet though.. I certainly thought we'd break the lake record again this year.. And there are only eight days left.. But I'll take the same bets with all of you guys next year.. If you're willin..

April 19, 2012: Things have finally settled down around here some, and we have the place pretty well cleaned up and everything back in place.. Kind of.. Close enough anyway..

I have fished the last two days, albeit only about three hours at a whack.. I find the older I get, the less time it takes to get things done.. I must be getting really proficient at everything.. And who needs to have sex for three hours when I can get where I'm going in ten minutes.. To sleep.. I love being efficient..

In any case, both days were similar, but different. One day I fished in the Salado, and one day I fished in the Tigers. In the Salado, I had to fish a while to get into the fish. But when I found a bunch of them I caught em good.. Gravel banks near deep water on the North side of the creek.. There's gravel and ditches everywhere in there.. Fish the sloping banks, and don't be afraid to get skinny if it is easy to get to the bank.. Big fish of the day was about a four.. Did not weigh him..

And yesterday in the Tigers, I once again got on a mess of schooling fish and tore em up for thirty minutes. None of these were over three pounds, but they were a ton of fun.. You can drive around the Tigers looking at windblown banks and find some of these fish on most occasions.. If the bank is covered with egrets that is not a bad sign either.. Big fish of the day was a 7-1.. But pulled like a Cummins and I was sure I had a DD on till I saw her.. These fish are jacked up in this warm water..

I am still in love with the square bill, and while I am throwing the sexy shad pattern, I really don't think it matters when you are in the schooling fish. You could probably throw a Banjo Minnow out there an catch em.. But both days my bigger fish came on a W/M Red Mag Fluke.. Go figure..

Now that describes the way I am fishing.. People who are catching bigger, and more bigger fish, appear to be concentrating on water in the ten to twenty foot range. Jigs, Flukes, deep cranks and Carolina rigs seem to be the order of the day.. And of course rocks are critical in most any good fishing on Falcon as of late.. And not so late.. It is still about long points and rocky humps and ledges.. It always is..

But us bank beaters are having a really good time..

The Mexicans are sucking water out of the lake in a big way again, and we are dropping about three inches a day. We are sitting at 277.64, or 23.56 feet low. Water temps are in the upper seventies to eighty or so..

It is a damn shame that the rains that fell from just south of the lake to Corpus all landed too far south and east to do us any good.. Some of those areas got over a foot of rain.. I guess it keeps the ocean full..

Falcon is still cranking out good numbers of fish, and some good fish mixed in. We are settling into our summer pattern, and things should remain similar for the next few months. So some of the reports in the near future will probably sound similar. Again.. But if you can't catch any fish around here.. Maybe golf is a good choice..

The fish killers are still at it around here, and the killing of big fish just makes me scratch my head. I guess I am just dense.. And the locals are whacking them on shad like it is going out of style. And all of these end up in the pan I am sure.

Speaking of dead fish, it is only fair that I report on the mortality of fish from our tourney. We had four confirmed dead fish at the weigh in. And we scoured the Veleno banks on Monday morning and found no floaters. I am sure that there are a few that we did not see.. But overall I think that the fishermen did a very good job with their fish in the boats. And our crew did a great job on the bank fizzing those that needed it, and got all of them back in the water ASAP when we were sure they were ready to go. There are too many helpers to mention them all, and thanks to all of you that helped.

The Spare-A-Lunker program has ended for the year, and congrats to Ty Blackshear. His 10-4 will be replicated for him courtesy of FLT. Call me Ty..To see pics of all this years entry's check out the SAL page.. Link on front page..

Killing a big fish to mount is crazy in our opinion, but I am sure you know that. Whether you agree or not. A good skin mount will last about ten years while still looking good.. Maybe. Fiberglass is forever.. And I don't see killing a big fish for a mount as justifiable homicide.. We're not driving Model T's anymore either.. Progress.. Ain't it great.

This weekend finds the Helotes Bass Club, and the American Bass Anglers both at Falcon. Weigh ins for both will be at the the county ramp I believe. Bass Champs South is at Amistad this weekend, so there will be plenty of room on the lake round these parts.

What else..

I guess that the Republicans have settled on a candidate for the election coming up. And that is a good thing.. Maybe at least Texas will be spared the TV commercials that a lot of other states have had to endure. But get ready.. The big boys will be jamming commercials down out throat soon enough..

But we should be spared for the most part.. Texans have enough sense to vote Republican over all.. Although we do have a few spots where socialism is very popular.. I live in one.. But I think that Obamma will concede the Great State of Texas to the Right Wingers..

I also heard that the liberals have decided to help with the venereal disease and pregnancy problems that have become so prevalent in the last few decades. They are going to start putting Chastity belts on the youth of America.. It is going to be paid for under the EPA.. The bureau of Wetlands Protection..

It is hard to believe that we have a government that passes out condoms to Jr. High kids, says that it is fine for you to pick which sex you are, and that we as a society and parents have no right to discipline or correct youthful thinking. Which has been known to be less than intelligent.

I guess in the near future when a baby is born, you doctor will no longer be able to say, "Congratulations! You have a fine new son!" I guess that will be replaced with, "It has a dick.. But we'll see.."

Socialism is a disease that is spreading like a cancer across the country. And when you have more people getting money from the government, than are paying money to the government, it just can't last.. And I fear we are headed down that path.. Check that.. I know it..

Pull your head out of your ass America.. It's getting serious..

On a lighter note..

Maybe the economy and the crappy situation with government is a good thing.. At least for the fishing industry.. It is a known fact that fishing is some of the best therapy on the planet. If only you could afford the gas to get to the lake and back.. Damn it. There I go again..

Anyway the end of the world is coming in December, so don't worry about it too much..

We'll see how it all works out..

April 16, 2012: Sorry I did not have a chance to get you an update on the tourney till now.. But I have been a little busy the last few days.. And while I am always glad to see it coming.. I'm always glad to get it in the books, pass out the cash. And sit on my ass.. I told you that getting old ain't for no sissies..

We had and even fifty teams fish the tournament, less than I expected but with the weather forecast I can see why a few folks decided to pass. But Sunday actually was a nice day, and at 1:00 you could have paddled across the Veleno in a peanut shell.. But it did get hot, with highs right around 100°.

And if you didn't make it you also missed some good eats, and lots and lots of good door prizes.. Eighty one to be exact.. I guess brisket sandwiches will be on the menu around here for the rest of the week..

Despite his absence from Falcon as of late, I reckon that Charlie Haralson and his Dad Bubba still remember where some fish live. They brought in the top weight of 26.75, with a ten mixed in.. But not big enough for Big Bass.

We actually had a tie for second, a first in our event, and it was the teams of Doug Fett and Scott Emory, and Leroy Medford and and Ed Dancuse who split second and third place money.. They both had stringers than went 26.12.

In fourth was Garrett Nies and Kenneth Fairly,with 26.02, and in fifth was Wayne Tauer and Malcom Kitchen with 25.73..

Of course these were all three fish limits..

Big Bass was caught by the team of Fett and Emory.. It weighed 11.76.

Doug Fett.

There were only two DD fish weighed in..

See you soon. I'm going to go take a nap.

April 13, 2012: Some of you may not even turn on your computers today, fearing the worst, as your triskaidekafobia totally consumes you.. But I have always thought that Friday the 13th was just another day.. Which it is..

And what a better day to throw a bunch of brisket on the pit, gettin ready to feed the fishermen at the fourth Annual Bass Blast! Which is just about here!

The wind has been huffing around here the last few days, but it looks like we might just get a break on Sunday. Although a slight chance of rain has been added to the mix.. I really don't think that the weathermen have a clue.. We'll get what we get.. And I'll be able to tell you a lot better on Sunday morning..

It's been assholes and elbows around here getting ready, and there are still a lot of things that just can't be done till the last minute.. But it'll all get done, no matter how much I obsess about the details before it happens..

The meat is on the pit.. Come hungry..

P.S. I got twelve 12 pounders this morning!

April 11, 2012: It's Wednesday morning and I am going over the make ready list for this weekend.. Guess I got about everything done that I can.. Till we light the fire..

The forecast is for a bit of wind this weekend, but it does not sound like a red flag warning. They're calling it breezy.. Not windy at least.. Of course the difference between the two might be subtle.. With one your trolling motor comes out of the water.. With the other the waves keep your feet wet..

Better have you a spot that is a little protected.. Just in case..

I did not think that I would be able to get out at all this week, but I slipped out for three hours yesterday mid-morning.. And before I put the boat on plane I caught an 8-1 and a four right across the creek from the boat ramp.. Square bill of course.. They are on that thing like Oprah on a Twinkie.. And it ain't just me that's sayin it..

So after a few Veleno fish I headed to a brush line in the Diablo.. And I had not fished a Mag Fluke in a while (due to my recent infatuation with the lizard) so I hooked up a W/M Red one.. Of course.. And I proceed to kick their ass for the next forty five minutes.. And at my age a forty five minute orgasm is about all I can stand.

Getting old is not for pussies my Dad always said.. And I have to agree.. We had a family baseball game on Easter Sunday at the ranch. I went three for four.. And while I did not hit for the cycle, I did manage to pull a hammie legging out a double.. So if you see me limping around this weekend you'll know why.. But the trainer says I'll be fine for this weekends game..

Numbers of fish are really good on Falcon right now. You can run around throwing a crankbait on anything rocky and catch a mess of fish. And there will be some good ones in the mix. But if you are targeting bigger fish, you have to get off the bank a bit, and fish some rocky points and humps.. Just like always..

I am not sure what it is going to take to win this thing, but it will take a decent sack for sure.. Last year we had four sacks over 29 pounds.. Not sure if that can be repeated or not.. And if you are wondering, we have never had a thirty pound sack weighed in here in a three fish tournament..

But last year's winning weight was 29.96.. That's pretty close..

I was thinking yesterday, and that can be dangerous, but anyway, I was thinking that this is more than a bass tournament. Yes Sir, this event symbolizes what America is all about.

Getting out with your buddies.. Drinking a few cool adult beverages.. Spreading some BS and and then getting out there and trying to back it up.. And along the way eating some Bar-B-Que and visiting with some new and old friends..

Yessir it makes the river of pride run right through ya..

And only by the grace of God are we here and not sleeping with a camel somewhere, digging sand out of our orifices..

Anyway.. The fish are biting, and we are having a tournament.. Get your ass down here..

April 6, 2012: Happy Good Friday to you! Hope you have the day or at least part of it off.. Evidently a lot of you do.. Cause I have seen a lot of folks this morning.

I, however, am stuck here in the shop today, but I did get out for a few hours yesterday morning. And BTW, the fish are still biting.. Good..

And if you are a bank beater like me, it is a good time to be down here. Lots of active fish on the windblown points eating shad.. And square bills.. Or whatever.. It has not been uncommon to pull up on a point and whack a dozen fish in as many casts. And these are not all rats either.. Lots of four to six pound fish are up there reliving their childhood as well. As am I..

Out a bit deeper, the jigs and deep cranks and Carolina rigs are also doing well. And if you are going to get into a pile of bigger fish, this is where you are going to find them. Lots of the old foundations and crumbled houses are holding fish along the river channel as well.

Most of our spawn is over, but we are still seeing a few Rosies in the mix. But big heads and skinny bodies are pretty common. But these fish are back on the gravy and biscuits and before long they will be fattened back up.

The lake is still dropping slowly, but not as fast as it was last week. we are sitting at 279..93, or 21.27 feet low. Water temps are a solid eighty in most places. And that spells active fish.

We are still bustin ass getting ready for the Bass Blast! next weekend, and things are starting to shape up. We have a pretty big pile of stuff to give away, and I still have a few items coming in. If you are in Zapata this week, you can stop by the store and register if you don't want to wait till next Saturday. We are not accepting credit cards for the entry's, just cash and checks. So keep that in mind.

We're cooking about 225 pounds of brisket, so come hungry.. Of course we'll have all the trimmings to go along with it.. If you want to have a cold adult beverage, bring your ice chest.. Stocked of course.. And maybe throw in one for me.. Well, just set it in there.. I hate foamy beer..

Here's the latest bigguns I have received pics of..

Sorry.. Lost the name!

Carl Self caught this 10-9.

Dennis Weaver, AKA McCloud caught this eleven pound beastie..

Edgar Rodriguez caught this ten..

Jeremy Bawkum caught this 10.12..

Joe Cerney caught this 11.1...

Mark Patterson caught this 11 as well.

Ross Simms caught this 11 plus as well..

I gotta go.. See you on the water.. Boy these Easter Eggs are giving me gas..

April 4, 2012: There are a few times a year that I tell you to quit your job, stock the house with cereal and frozen pizzas for the wife and kids, and get your ass down here to Falcon. I said it about this time last year.. And I am saying it again now.. And if the old lady gives you any crap, remember that there are divorce lawyers everywhere.. But if you get home, and she is already gone, she could already be here..

Water temps on Falcon are right around eighty degrees, and you know what that means to these Falcon bass. They are in the eatin' mode, and many areas are starting to have some schooling bass. I talked about it a bit last week, and since then I have heard the same from lots of other folks. And they ain't all just little fish either. It is not uncommon to catch a bunch of two to three pound fish, but in that same school there can be some sixes and sevens. It's the kind of stuff I live for..

But if you are not a fan of the fish that are slashin and crashin, there are still a lot of deeper fish out there. Typical of the summer down here, where you will find them on rocky ledges and humps, and on the ends and sides of long points.

And for you flippers, get in the trees from five to ten feet on rock points and gravel bars and have you some fun.

Your style of fishing is working right now.

I'd like to recommend a few baits, but I am not sure where to start.. I'd have to name most of the store.. Crankbaits, lizards and brush hogs, jigs and spinnerbaits are all catching fish.. It is on..

I have been out of town for a few days, and my e-mail is full of big fish pics. I will post a bunch of them very soon..

I fished a tournament at Amistad over the weekend, and while it was fun to see some different water, I did get tired of seeing the same fish over and over.. I caught a lot of keepers, but big fish were hard to come by. Sure does make me appreciate what we have here. I will say that they have us beat in the scenery department though. That is one beautiful lake.

While I was there I tried to get the flood gates back open.. But it didn't work out.. I tried to use the Jedi mind trick on em.. Maybe I wasn't close enough..

So we are still stuck with slowly falling water levels, despite the rains in the valley last week. We are sitting at 280.09, or 21.11 feet low. All in all, a lot better than we could be.

And while you are thinking that I have been screwing off, it's just not true. The next ten days are some of my busiest times of the year, getting ready for the Bass Blast! next weekend. I used to get mad at people that are really anal about everything, but I have found that I have become one of them. Especially when it comes to putting on a tournament.

If you haven't heard, we will be holding our registration and meal at the newly completed pavilion at the county ramp. I think you will be impressed with the new park, and it should be perfect for just this kind of event. We will be serving dinner about 5:00, and we will discuss the tourney rules and give away some door prizes about 6:30. It might not hurt to throw your folding chair in the back of the truck..

We will weigh in down on the point near the boat dock on Sunday. We won't be hard to find.. Please make preparations to take good care of your fish, because I am sure you are going to catch some. I am not sure if we can best the top weight from last year, but it should be good.

In any case, you better get your ass down here, even if you are not fishing the tourney. Before I soremouth all the fish in the lake..

See you soon..

March 28, 2012: It's getting where I can actually see the top of my desk. I have piled up crap for two months but I am finally getting to the bottom of it.. If I owe you money, don't worry.. I just found your bill..

As you know, I have talked for years about the new park that has been under construction for thirty six years here at the county ramp. It may not have been that long. I am glad to announce that they have finally handed the keys to the county.. It's a done deal.. And it IS damn nice I will have to say.

And what better way to break it in than to have the dinner and registration for the Bass Blast! under the new pavilion. And that's what we are going to do. Maybe all of us can be in the shade this year..

As usual we will eat around 5:00 and give away some goodies about 6:30. We will register from 5 till 7 but you can eat any time in that time frame.. I'll pass along more details as we get closer. You will also be able to register at the shop on Sunday morning the day of the tourney, for those of you who will not be spending the night in Zapata. We will weigh in down on the point near the boat ramp on Sunday.

Fishing continues to be good, although the wind has started blowing a bit again. We had a sprinkle again this morning, but for the last six weeks, we have been pretty dry.. It would be nice to get the dust settled..

Traffic in town and on the lake has slowed quite a bit, and you can actually find a place to stay and a place to fish that does not have three boats on it.. The good spots may still be in a high occupancy zone.

I have finally updated the tourney page, and if you sent me a report in the last couple of weeks, you will find it there. I have no knowledge of any club tourneys the next two weekends.

We got in those long sleeved T-shirts a lot of folks asked for.. So call me if you are still looking for one.. Of course now it is summer down here.. We are supposed to be around 100 on Sunday.. Bout damn time.. The fishies like it hot. And so does Jimmie.. (I just love talking in third person..)

A lot of the Snowbirds are heading out this week, and a lot already have. Soon I'll have the lake to myself again.. And the crappie may get a chance to catch their breath.

Mark Nordstrom caught this 10-12 out of a Yak..

And Rodney Lamar caught this 13.6 last week as well.. Was he in Blazing Saddles??

And Bobby Vice caught this 11.15 pig the other day.. Less landscape.. More Bass..

I am still hearing of DD's every day.. But I think that they are becoming a mundane occurrence around here.. "Oh you caught a 10-4.. That's nice.." I still think a six pounder is a good fish.. There is no doubt that we are about as spoiled as we can get..

The lake is fishing pretty good from the top to the bottom.. Now that the water is getting warmed up, it's fixin to get good..

March 26, 2012: It appears that my fishing report has become a weekly thing, instead of a Flash Report as advertised. Maybe I have seen too many flashes.. I shouldn't have looked at the pen that Tommy Lee Jones was using in that cockroach movie.. Maybe that's what skewed my memory..

But you don't have to worry about Falcon being a flash in the pan, at least not right now.. It is still crankin em out, despite the pressure, and the knives..

I fished Friday morning, and Sunday afternoon, and put the smackdown on em both times. Of course having heavenly weather was quite a boon to the fishing. I was thinking to myself yesterday, that when I am old and laying on my death bed, right before my ol lady smothers me with my pillow, that I would think of days like that.. A fish in every other bush, five MPH winds, and eighty five degrees.. Those kind of days can make a man empty his prostate..

We have had four days in a row with absolutely fantastic weather. And fishing wherever you wanted was no problem.. I think that has a lot to do with all the good reports I have been hearing.. And it didn't hurt my luck any either..

I stopped at the tree line on the entry into the Tigers yesterday, and I think I could have caught all the fish I wanted if I stayed right there.. Around eight feet deep. The water is about as pretty as it ever gets on Falcon, and you could see down about four feet in that area. And when it is sunny with clear water, you just can't beat a watermelon red bait..

I was flipping a lizard in the trees, like a lot of folks have been doing, and it is working about as good as any flipping bait right now.. And better than most..

But I couldn't stay there, because on Friday I found some fish on a long rocky point, that was holding a bunch of schooling two to four pound fish.. With an occasional five or six pounder mixed in. So I just had to go..

First cast I caught a four, with three more of em trying to get the bait away from him.. I love it when a plan comes together.. I don't know how many I caught before I soremouthed em all.. But I'll guess at about a dozen or so. And right quick too. I am sure I could have hung around for a while and caught a few stragglers, but I headed to a deep hump in the Big Tiger. And I caught a four on the first cast with a Carolina rigged lizard.. And missed and hung up a couple. And they quit the rig so I picked up a XD in CSX Shad and on the first cast I hung a whopper.. I turned it three cranks, she grabbed it and after that the string was all going the other way.. Never slowed her down, and she knitted me an onion sack in the bottom of a tree. We played see-saw for a while but I felt her pull off and I did get my bait back.. Another near miss. I think she was just playing with me.. For the first ten seconds you don't have these big fish.. They have you..

I finished up on a rockpile near School bus, and caught a few decent fish, but my heart wasn't in it after the big fish debacle.. Besides I had to get back to watch Tiger get his first win in like 9000 days.. And speaking of getting a nut.. I thought the announcers were going to.. I am sure he is now the favorite at the Masters..

The lake is dropping just a bit a day.. But just a bit.. Amistad has closed the sphincter on the water, and we are letting out a little more than they are..

We are sitting at 280.88 or 20.32 low. Amistad is at 20.36 low.. Equality at last.. And I hear that the Coast Guard is having their fun at Amistad at present.. I'm taking up a collection for their lodging in Del Rio..

Who knows what will happen to water levels in the near future.. But as crazy as the weather has been, both lakes could be full in a few weeks.. Glad to see the east Texas lakes get some water.. They were overdue.. Toledo Bend is less than a foot from pool, and Big Sam is only two feet from full.. Praise the Lord..

I am not sure if there is a bait that will not catch a fish on Falcon right now.. And in the right spot, you can catch a boatload. But lizards, deep and shallow cranks, and most any big soft plastic will get you bit.

And with the slowed releases from Amistad, our water on the top of the lake is clearing up.. A Lot.. I haven't seen the Veleno look so good in ages.. And a lot of big fish have been coming out of the home creek here lately.. Bait all over the bank..

I am sure you heard by now that Bass Champs has moved their tournament scheduled for Choke to Falcon.. That will be on May 19th.. I hear that they have decided to go to a three fish limit on that one, due to the warm water temps that will certainly be here about that time.. Some surface water has been very near eighty degrees already. Some of you may not like it, but I think it is an idea who's time has come.. Of course I am always lobbying for three fish formats.. All of the time..

And speaking of three fish tourneys, the Bass Blast! is almost here.. And I have been working my ass off getting ready. Less than three weeks to go.. Stay tuned for more details soon.. Rules can be found on the tourney link at top of page.. That just means I am too lazy to put a link in right here..

I am not sure how many we will have, but we are making arrangements to feed all of you, and hopefully have a place for all of you to sit at dinner.. If you plan on attending, please drop me an e-mail so we can kinda-sorta get a guess.. Last year we had 68 teams, and top prize was $2K. All entry money will be paid out.. We are also working out the details to have some Skeeter Real Money cash in the pot..

And speaking of Skeeter, I am really enjoying our new boat. Haven't had much time to talk about it, but we got the 21i with the 250 SHO on the back.. And I am not sure which one I am the most impressed with. That motor is a beast and it will flat out throw that big son of a bitch on top of the water right now.. Midrange is awesome.. Two fellers, fifty gallons of gas, half a tackle store in the boat, and I had it at 72.3 on the GPS.. And I ain't really tried to make it fly just yet.. Still breaking it in.. I know you Allison and Bullet guys are laughing..

Anyway, sorry it has been a week.. I'll do better this time.. And I have a bunch of pics for you as well..

P.S. The new boat has taken up a bit of my time..

March 19, 2012: Getting to the computer here lately has been near impossible. And it is not that it is as busy around here as it has been, but I just have a lot of irons in the fire. Some of which consists of getting ready for our tournament next month. Oh.. And we got a new boat last week.. And that has taken a lot of my time here lately..

We spent a day and a half rigging it, and then of course there is always that testing it thing.. And brother let me tell you that we have had some optimal testing it weather here lately.. And I guess the fiberglass is cured, cause if it was going to break, it would have done it on Saturday.

I ran down to the Tigers from the county ramp, and it did not seem that bad on the way down going into them. But the wind gods dialed it up a notch or two in the mid-day, and there were some good four footers coming back. Oh Joy..

But I got to see how it handled the bigguns and I was quite impressed, although I would have rather been at home watching Captain Kangaroo. Maybe one day the wind will give us a break and I'll get to mash it and see how fast it will go.. Maybe..

I had a couple of buddies come down Friday, and we fished as hard as the weather would allow. But it was not the kind of conditions that you hope for when you want to get out there and fish hard.

And while we did not kill them, we caught some fish, with the biggest going 8-3. I heard that a lot of folks did a lot better, but they were evidently madder at the fish than we were.

We caught fish on most every kind of bait, but the most consistent bite was on a lizard, in W/M Red, or W/M Red Magic. And lots of other folks have been whacking them on the lizard as well. We also caught some fish on the KVD 2.5 in Sexy Shad, and on a white spinner bait. There were lots of shallow fish, mostly small, but the big fish was caught on a rocky, windy point on the square bill. Three feet of water..

A LOT of folks are dragging a heavy Carolina Rig across and along points, and I reckon in this wind, it's about as good a tactic as a man could employ. A lot of the biggest fish have been caught this way as of late.

We are probably three quarters of the way through the spawn by my guess, and a lot of the bigger fish these days are floppy bellied and hollow. There are still a few fatties showing up, but most look like Rosie wearing a Halter top.. Lots of flabby skin.. And the big fish that you catch today weighed a pound or so more a month ago.. But they are on the groceries. I think the bite is good.. If you can handle the wind.

The lake has slowed its rise, and from the info I am getting from the IWBC, Amistad has slowed their releases down to slightly less than ours. There is still a bit of water in the pipeline, but we should quit rising soon.. Unless they decide to do something different in the near future.

The river above the Veleno is starting to clear up some, and I for one am damn glad to see it. Most of the water I fish a lot has been looking like Iraqui bath water here lately. Full of sand and stinky..

And with the slowing of the current, some of the creeks above the Salado are starting to look fishable. And a lot of shallow fish have come out of many of those creeks the last month. There is finally enough water in some of them that you can actually get in there without dragging bottom.

But the hot spot on the lake has been the Tigers, with more big fish being caught there than any other place on the lake according to reports received here at FLT. And lots of those fish have come on the Carolina Rig, as previously noted..

The big cranks are still catching fish, and jigs are catching their share of fish as well. Like always it is more about getting the bait in front of a fish than anything else.

But if you are not fishing around some sort of rock, then you are wasting a lot of time in water that contains 80% less fish. Isolated humps, ledges, and rockpiles are holding the lions share of fish, as they have been for months. Rocky points with trees is good stuff.. In short, Rocks Rock!

The fish Nazis are still hard at work, exterminating fish at an alarming rate. Head down to the state park and sit in front of the fish butchering station for an hour or so. I have never seen so many ignorant bastards in my life. And the same thing is happening here in Zapata as well. No lake can take this abuse for the long haul..

Please join me in educating these geniuses when you get the chance..

The Mr. and Mrs. bass club was in town last weekend, and they had sacks in the thirties on Saturday to lead the event. The Permian Bass Club was also here, holding their annual championship. I do not have final results from either, but if you are involved with either, please pass along the wining weight. A lot of good fish were caught despite the tough conditions.

Wally Watts, the man that has nailed more tens than Tiger Woods, caught this 12-2 last week..

And Derek Chambliss caught this 10.48 as well.

I have also updated the Spare-A-Lunker page with a few new pics that you may have not seen.. Link at top of page..

Hopefully things will settle down a bit around here, and I'll be able to post a little more regularly. But rest assured that so far they have not killed all the fish in the lake, and odds are that you can still catch a few..

The lake level is sitting at 281.19. or 19.83 feet low, and the water temps are a solid seventy degrees most anywhere you go, and higher in a lot of places. That spells active fish on Falcon. And the hotter it gets, the more fish we are going to catch.. I promise.

If you want to catch some numbers, find some egrets lining the bank on any windy shore.. Throw the square bill or a white spinner bait.. It won't take you long to run into some fish.. Sometimes there are some good ones mixed in..

If the wind ever quits blowing... The store may be closed..

March 12, 2012: Things have finally slowed down a bit around here, but there are still plenty of fishermen around. It's just not the circus that it has been for the last two months. And I finally have a little time to get this last batch of fish pics posted. Well.. It never seems to be the last..

But here's Boyd Nall with the new lake record crappie.. 2.21.. Sorry Boyd but we weighed and certified a bigger one on Saturday evening..

There are a lot of bigger ones out there.. Just seems that not too many folks take the time to get them certified..

Here's Calvin Hudson with a 12 even..

Ceasar Juarez caught this 12.36 last week.

Calvin Steindl caught this 11-7..

Clint Groover caught this 10-2.

Dave Krantz caught this 10.97..

D. Williams caught this ten even last week as well.

Eric Tauer caught this 11.25 a couple days ago..

Gene Clements caught this 12.0 last week.

Matt Jackson caught this 13.60 pound whopper as well..

And Ruben caught this DD.. I lost the weight.. But it's a biggun!

Tim Montz caught this 11.24..

Tom Goin caught this 10-8..

And Tom Smithey caught this 11.81.

This is turning into work..

I fished yesterday afternoon, and caught a dozen or so fish in a few hours, but did not bust it too hard.. Once I got out there I realized I was tired.. It's hell to get old.

So I came in and watched some TV.. Golf to be exact.. And I saw that Tiger broke/sprained/strained something.. And they had a aerial shot from the helicopters of him getting in his car.. And then driving down the highway.. He wasn't in a Bronco though. He was in a Caddie.. Probably has $20K in the glove compartment as well.. I'm just speculating.. Couldn't help but flashing back to O.J... But there weren't any cops after him.. But I thought I did see a woman in a fur coat flailing a sand wedge in the parking lot.. Probably just my imagination..

I am sure you have seen the Bass Champs results by now from Saturdays contest.. There were some tough conditions out there, and overall I think the results were about to be expected..

Thanks to all of you who stopped in over the weekend..

March 10, 2012: BC Update.. For the first time in a while, it took less than 40 pounds to win a Bass Champs event here on Falcon..

And I don't have all the details but I hear that Alton Jones Jr. won it with 39 pounds and change. I was at the weigh in for a while and I saw a lot of thirty-plus stringers.. But nobody busted forty..

The money line was twenty nine and change.. If you are paying attention then you can see that the top weights and money line were both lower than in January.. Of course the spawn is about mostly done.. But there will be a few late bloomers for the next month for sure.. Also there were about thirty less teams than last time around. And of course the lake has been beat like Rodney King here lately.. All factors I am sure.. But this is the first time in a couple of years that it took less than forty to win one of these..

What does it all mean?? Hell if I know.. But I'll pass my thoughts along on it later..

Still a hell of a tournament.. And you ain't gonna do it nowhere else but Falcon..

March 10, 2012: It's Saturday morning down here, and it is cool, misty, and kind of a nasty day to fish.. But hey, the wind ain't blowing.. And that's what the 200 teams in the Bass Champs Part Two anglers are facing this morning.. One of those mornings where you can stand in it all day and not get wet.. But are cold to the bone.. This is the kind of crap that broke me from fishing on the calendar.. I'm too old for this stuff..

And as cool and clammy as it is, I am sure a few of the boys will whack a big bag.. And I am sure it will take forty something to get it done.. But we'll see soon enough..

In the last week we have been plagued with some tough conditions here on Falcon. And it seems that every full moon this spring has been fraught with some with some meteorological phenomenon.. Like a bitch of a cold front.. Or winds that would ground the hunnert and first.. We just have not had the combo of warm water, light winds, and a full moon cycle any of the last three months.. But we have had some dandy fishing in between.. There's always April..

It is 45° here this morning..

We have never seen the number of fishermen in Zapata that we have seen this spring. And with record numbers of fishermen, we have also had record numbers of idiots killing big fish. Both to mount, and to chop the heads off.

I just can't understand the idea of eating a seven pound bass.. Especially when there are so many fifteen and sixteen inch fish that are much better table fare.. And eating a few of the smaller fish is probably good for the lake. But taking out near trophy size fish, (and certainly trophy sized to many) to butcher is pure lunacy.. Go to your home lake and eat all of your big fish .. Oh.. You probably already have..

And there is NO reason to kill a big fish to have it mounted.. Replicas are cheaper, look better, last longer, and is a painless operation to have done.. No hauling a fish, freezing a fish, delivering a fish.. It's a no brainer..

And while Falcon is a bit of an anomaly, in it's ability to spit out huge numbers of fish, and some really big ones, it is not sustainable if the current fish killing and poor fish care continue.

I understand a lot of you come here from all over the country to catch the fish of a life time. And we want you to. But there is no reason that the joy you experienced when you caught your monster can't be experienced by another angler. With the same fish.

This is not like getting a virgin bride.. While you might not like it if some one has shown your girlfriend the salami before, does it really matter if you love her? Does it really matter if you catch a twelve pounder that someone released back when she was a ten? How would you know.. And that replica on the wall is not going to break down and cry some night and tell you that she had already been caught by your best friend Bubba..

Please respect the fishery..

I have about two terabits of pics to post, and I am in the middle of processing them. And I have your submissions to the Spare-A-Lunker about ready to post as well. Bear with me.. I haven't forgotten you..

And in the middle of all of this I am hard at work on getting prepared for the Fourth Annual Bass Blast! coming up in just over a month. Hopefully the day of the tournament will be a little better than today.. It should certainly be warmer..

The rules for the tournament have been posted on the site, and you can find them here.. And there is a link on the tourney page as well..

Of course we are planning on feeding you and giving away a bunch of goodies again this year. It should be fun, so join us if you can.. And remember, this is a fun tourney, so leave the macho at home.. And of course anyone caught cheating will be shot..

I'll post those pics tomorrow.. I hope..

March 7, 2012: Sorry it has been so long since I posted anything.. But I have been a bit busy.. Tom has been gone for a week, and there just ain't enough of Jimmy to go around.. And I took a side contract job plucking Rosie's back hairs and I way under estimated the time needed to get er' done.. I recommending electrolysis treatment for her.. And a psych evaluation for me..

Bass Champs rolls into town this weekend, and if the wind lays down enough to launch a boat it should be good.. Water temps are up where they ought to be and it should be a good one.. If these idiots cleaning fish haven't killed all of the son of a bitches yet.. Water at about 70° by the way..

I almost told you to quit your jobs last week.. But then the wind started blowing.. So it is hard to get a handle on what is actually happening out there.. But last week it was on..

And the wind is still blowing today.. As a matter of fact it is turbo charged.. And the water is a bit wrinkly..

And if you are one of the many that have sent me pics to post, don't panic. I haven't forgotten how.. Just have not gotten to it.. But you'll see your smiling face soon.. There have been a lot of twelve's caught these last few weeks.. Evidence soon..

But if you see the wind quit blowing.. You won't see me in here..

February 29, 2012: 2012 is a leap year, and that can be good and bad.. If you are on salary the bastards are getting an extra day of work out of you.. But you get a free day of living out of your house payment.. I guess..

In any case February has certainly been one of the busiest months in Falcons history. And the maids at the hotels have visited more beds than Bill Clinton. And at least when they left the sheets were clean..

We have had to oil the hinges on our door as well, as we have certainly enjoyed the busy times so far this year. Things are a little slower this week, and it is the first time I can say that it has slowed down in the last two months. And while I love being busy, I don't really like being swamped. It doesn't give us much time to screw with all of you who visit our shop like we'd like to..

And if you were one of the many who were in the store on early mornings and thought it looked like the crowd at a five dollar whore house all I can say is thanks for your patience.. And if we didn't get to thank you properly during the rush, let me say it now.. Thanks!

While I was off at the Bass Masters Classic over the weekend, a lot of folks caught some nice fish. I have a ton of pics to post.. See below.. And if your's did not show up please resend it to me.. It has been a little crazy around here..

There's a lot of highway between here and Shreveport, and that's a lot of time looking at asphalt. I saw more skid marks than a Chinese Laundry.. But it gave me a lot of time to think up a bunch more crap to use on the site.. Someone told me yesterday that they liked my political jokes.. I told him those aren't jokes.. But it hurts too much to cry so we might as well just laugh..

And speaking of skid marks.. Did you see the Daytona race? I hear that they're making a movie called Crash II.. Starring Danicca Patrik.. I told you that ANYONE can drive as good as her.. Put me out there in a Volkswagen and I'll lap the chick.. And everyone thinks she is so good lookin.. I'd have to have a sixer of Hineys to rate her an eight..

And how bout Juan Pablo?? Is he from Tijuana? Last time I saw a wreck like that.. That's where I was.. Signs were posted all around the track that said no Bar B Queing inside the loop...

Anyway, this is supposed to be a fishing report..

The water has warmed to the near 70 range this morning. And where I fished I found the fish very cooperative. Of course I was fishing shallow, and catching a lot of small fish. But I hadn't been yanked on in a while so I did not venture off looking for bigger fish. I fished the Salado and the Hedieona, and caught fish in both creeks. There were still a lot of folks in both arroyos.. And I saw quite a few other folks catching fish as well. I was throwing a mag fluke of course..

But I hear tell that the same ol baits are still working just fine.. Everything from Baby Brush Hogs to Jigs are still catching fish. It is certainly more about where you are fishing than what you are throwing.. Ain't it always.. So lets address the latter..

Isolated rocks, or long rocky points, or rocky humps are still the best bet for getting bit. Mix in a few trees and bushes and you have what you are looking for. Ledges with a bit of depth change, and it doesn't have to be a lot, can hold a pile of fish. Long gravely banks with bushes have a lot of buck bass on them, and I believe we will have a lot more fish in these areas as the water continues to warm..

If you are paying attention you will understand that all the areas where the best and most fish are being caught all involve rock..

Now you have the secret..

Well I started this report on the 29th. But now it is the first of March.. It is still a little crazy around here.. And most everybody I talked to this morning and yesterday evening caught a lot of shallow fish. Big fish were mixed in, but lots of fish in water less than six feet. Water temps are approaching seventy degrees, and after tomorrow, we should be there easily..

The lake continues its slow rise, and we are sitting at 279.50, or 21.70 low. We have been catching about an inch a day, give or take..

These three fellers from Wiskonksin all caught an eleven pounder on the same morning.. Same boat.. Where's my coords?

11.6

11.14

11.00

Ron Moore caught this 12-3..

Albert Torres caught this 11.25.

Audrey McQueen caught this whopper as well..

Gene Persyn caught this 11-8.

Kelly Cockrell caught this 11-11..

Leroy Keating caught this 10-7.

Leroy Medford caught this 12 even..

Mike Murphy caught this 11.78..

Mike Sanders caught this 12-3.

And Alex Harp caught this 12.12..

I have a lot more pics to go thru.. And limited time as I am home alone for the next week.. But the fishing is about to go off.. Specially if this warm weather holds..

February 25, 2012: It's saturday afternoon here at the Classic, and it has been a zoo at most of the venues.. I went to the Expo yesterday, and it was a bit crowded.. But I heard that today was a zoo.. It was certainly a zoo around here at takeoff this morning. And at the time the boats were coming off the water..

I took a million pics and need to sort thru em, but here are a few from the this afternoons landing.. Of course I am pulling for a few Texans.. I did not get to talk to Keith, But Alton says he will be fishing tomorrow and that he has about 17 pounds today.. Depending on when I get this posted, and when you read it, you may hear it here first..

And of course Ike has his army wherever he goes..

February 24, 2012: Yesterdays south wind has been replaced by a strong cool front up here in Shreveport.. The kind of day you wish you did not have to fish.. But that's why they pay these guys the big money..

It is a bit of a circus around here, but probably not as big as I expected this morning at takeoff.. But it is Friday.. And it is cold..

Here's a couple of pics from this AM..

Alton Jones and KVD are fishing the cove right next to the launch area..

I'm headed to the tackle show downtown.. If I can figure out where to park..

Oh BTW.. I hear the fishing on Falcon is a lot better than here on the Red.. But we'll see what these guys come up with this evening..

February 23, 2012: Well I finally made it to the land of crawfish.. Seven hours from Devine to Shreveport. That's haulin ass.. And that is with a stop at the The Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center In Athens.. Just to check on the Sharelunker boys..

The Red River is well named right now.. I thought the water was funky on Falcon on the top of the lake.. These guys will need a filter on the livewell systems..

Here's a couple of pics.. This feller hangs out at Falcon from time to time.

This is the clear water..

More soon.. There is no bandwith here.. It is band skinny.. I'm headed to the casino!

February 21, 2012: There's an old saying that says that idle hands are the devils workshop.. I must be living a Godly life this last couple of weeks.. My hands have not been this busy since the first time I found a Playboy in the bottom drawer of my Dads nightstand..

I have been hanging around Falcon for Forty some years, and I have never seen the amount of boats in town that are here now.. We were busy last February, but nothing like this. And if Falcon has never had any pressure, it is getting it now. There were 109 rigs at the county boat ramp yesterday morning at ten O'clock.. And that's a Monday. I heard that that there were a lot more than that at the state park as well.

As my Dad would say, "You can't swing a dead cat without hitting a fisherman."

The lake is still on the rise, and as of this morning we are sitting at 277.20. That is 23.82 feet low. Up about five feet from the low point, give or take..

Amistad is sitting at 1100.79, or 16.21 feet low.

As of this morning, Amistad was releasing 4650 CFS, and we were letting out about 500 CFS. I am not sure how long this will continue. But we'll take it as long as they will give it..

Water temps are back up to around 65-66 in the afternoons, and that has a lot of fish back in the shallows.. And this is first hand info as I have fished about three hours each of the last two days.. Enough to get a little sun, and get out of the store for a bit. I could have stayed in and worked on a fishing report.. But I am sure you understand.

The weather the last three days has been exquisite.. And the rest of today and the next few look awesome.. Supposed to be around 90° tomorrow.. That should make some stickers peck out.. These fish are ready.

But that does not mean that there are no deeper fish. Reports of a lot of big fish in the ten to twenty foot range are still coming in. So they are still from dirt to thirty. But lots of friendly fish are in the bushes, and that is where I like them. A day without flippin' is like a day without sunshine..

The crankbait bite is still going strong, and chartreuse is a key on any crankbait you throw.. Shallow or deep. The Norman in Chart Sexy Shad is a good one, as is the XD in the same color. But there are a lot of baits that will catch em.. As long as there is some chartreuse on it..

And my favorite bait, at least for now is the Mag Fluke.. There's a surprise.. But those fish are hating it and I am loving pissing them off. Throw it in a bush and hold on.. But be on your toes as these fish are biting as light as a feather.. If you loose contact with your bait you better be setting the hook.

Of course the jig and a plethora of soft plastics are working as well.

The Coast Guard is back in town, insuring your safety, so be sure and have all your safety equipment in order.. Which you should have anyway.. Your odds of getting checked are higher than Charlie Sheen..

This weekend is the first Falcon stop for the South Texas 5 tourney circuit. Info can be found on their site, and there is a link to it on or tourney page. There will also be a few clubs in town as well.. But if you are looking to fish a tourney here on Falcon, here's your opportunity.. Bass Champs will be back in about three weeks. And the Bass Blast! is approaching fast, and it will be on April 15th.. I better get to work!

But before I start bustin it again I am going to screw off for a few days as I am headed to witness the Bass Masters Classic in Shreveport.. And if I have any Wi-Fi around there I post some pics of some halter top wearing bass groupies. I mean I'll post some bass related stuff.. I have never been to one before and I figure it will never get any closer.. And I heard a rumor that there might be some casinos around there..

And in the spirit of the Superbowl pot, I am giving you another chance to win a fabulous prize pack from FLT.. Pick the winner of the BMC and his total weight by placing in the subject line only your entry.. And as always send your e-mail to BassnWithBendele@aol.com

The first time this gal went bass fishing she caught this 11.24.. Sorry I lost the name.. This stuff must be easy.. I told you that Falcon likes the ladies..

And our old buddy George Riddell caught this 10.75.. Finally got that DD. He was guided by Hump Franklin..

Phil Beach caught this 11.87.. Nice Fish!

And Wade Abadie caught this 11.12 as well..

I have heard of a lot of good fish caught the last few days.. Warm water works for more than making your drunk buddy piss his pants.. And we should have water temps in the seventy range in a couple of days..

I was just wondering.. Why do the Coast Guard boats all have Honda motors.. We have all kinds of unemployment problems in this country, and we don't even support our own.. How can we get Americans to buy American if the American government won't? I wish somebody would put me in charge of some of this crap.. I can fix it.. And you can guess which Motel the Coasties stayed at of course.. The most expensive one..

And I was thinking the other day. Which usually turns out bad.. But anyway.. I have always said that if you take away a persons incentive to work, half of them will quit quicker that a pup can lick his pecker.. And about half of em have.. But here is the dangerous part.. Those of us that have decided to work for a living are now having our incentives to work taken away as well.. If a man busts his ass and does well, he is rewarded with higher taxes and a responsibility to provide all sorts of benefits for employees and yada, yada, yada. Burdens that were not in the game plan from the get go.. When all these people say they've had enough, the end will be near.. And we are getting closer every day..

There's a good thought to close on.. See you In Shreveport. And if I ask to borrow a hundie.. Don't give it to me!!

February 14, 2012: Happy Valentines Day! I hope you get equal value for whatever you bought your significant other.. Even if it takes a few nights..

And I know I missed out on marketing another of my new products.. Valentines day would have been the perfect opportunity to bust it out.. It is a replacement product for Viagra and Cialis.. And you don't need no freakin' bathtub with this stuff.. It is going to be called Petrify.. And if you try it you better be sure your gal is into rock climbing..

Just waiting on FDA approval.. You have to snort it and they are having some heartburn with that..

It has been busier than a mustard paddle at a weenie roast around here, and it sounds like it is going to be for the next month or so.. With good reason..

Finding a motel room around here on short notice is about impossible, so if you intend to come on down in the next 45 days you better get on the horn.

I have a lot to talk about, but I have had extremely limited time as of late. And I have not been on the water since all this cold and wet has set in on us. It was supposed to clear off about 10:00 this morning, but the clouds and fog have hung in till mid afternoon.. But the temps are a lot nicer, even if senor Sol has been hiding behind the clouds.. Slacker.. Tomorrow is supposed to be better.. And warmer..

I have been inundated with big fish pics as of late, and here are a few of the latest..

Jason Gibsons caught this 13.2 this week.. Good Pic!

And Chris Ruiz caught this 11.5.

Crawford caught this 10-10..

Jerry Wood caught this 11 even Fork style, fishing for crappie.. But not on a crappie..

J.S. Johnson caught this 11-12..

Nicolas Mueller caught this 11-11..

Pam Barnes caught this 11-3 during the SAPD club tourney last weekend..

And Aaron caught this whopper as well.. Sorry I lost the weight!

Victor Perez caught this Rosie..

And Wade Knight caught this new PB at 11.33..

There are still a lot of folks fishing, regardless of the crappy weather.. And the fishing has been decent, but far from awesome.. We need some sun on the water to get em back in the shallows.. Water temps today are reported at about 62° this PM.. But I think it is on the way up for the next couple of days..

Water levels continue to rise as well. And the lake is looking a lot better.. A bit of algae bloom is still in the top half of the lake, but not too bad..

I talk to you soon.. Make the sun shine!

February 10, 2012: It has been a miserable week here on Falcon.. At least weather wise.. I mean it sucks.. Cold and wet has been the order of the day.. Make that days.. We have sold a lot of water proof panties in the process..

But through it all there has been a lot of people on the water. And those that have hung in there have caught some fish.. In spite of us loosing ten degrees in water temp in just seven days. No sun on the water and cool days have done us no good.

But a few folks have managed some whoppers.

Paul Dupleshan caught this thirteen even last weekend.

And Ricky Kinsey caught his 13-3 earlier in the week.

There have been a few twelve's caught as well, and I'll post some more pics when I get time.. We have been very busy around here, and thanks to all of you who have stopped by the store. And I'm not mopping the floor till this crap is gone and the sun has shone for two days..

I have a bad case of Sunlight Deprivation Syndrome..

We are supposed to warm up and actually see the golden orb before too long.. God I hope so.

The lake is still on the rise, and the gates on Falcon have been lowered some and as of yesterday we were only letting out about 1000 CFS. Amistad was still releasing about 6000 CFS and it depends on who you talk to about the matter, but some say they intend to let it run for a while.. Who knows.. But we'll take it..

The valley and southern Mexico have been getting hammered with rain the last week, and maybe they have been satiated in their water lust for a while.. They should not need to irrigate for a time.. But that may or may not have anything to do with the water releases from here.. I have seen some strange things happen to the water.. I've seen magicians make elephants and jet fighters disappear.. But these guys can make a whole lake disappear.. In a hurry..

We are still rising three to four inches a day..

The crappie and catfish are going nuts..

Bass fishing is fair for some, and great for others.. And we still have a lot of folks fishing. A lot..

See you later.. I gotta get out of here.. Anybody know where the sun is shining??

February 7, 2012: The lake is still on the rise, and we are still getting about 4000 CFS more than we are letting out.. Minus what they suck out of the river before it gets here of course.. Saturday night we got a good general rain across south Texas, and got a bit over an inch here at the shop. And it was one of those storms that would make Toto hide under the bed.. But we did wake up here in Zapata the next morning..

We are sitting at 275.05, or 25.97 feet low. That's up and amazing 1.81 feet in one week. And while the folks out at Amistad might want to fall on their swords, we down south think it is awesome.. Naturally. But I know how fast they can let it out. I'm just hoping we can get enough rain in the valley to avoid some irrigating..

I was all excited about the full moon this month, and I was hoping for some nice weather to go along with it.. Not.. Rain for the next few days and chilly.. So I won't be chasing any fishies till it warms up a bit. I hate winter.. Like I said, February always has some cold and wet for us..

The cool has not stopped the big fish from biting though.. There have been three fish over thirteen caught that I heard about in the last five days, including a 14.85.. And a plethora of ten plus pound fish to boot. But here is my standard caveat.. There are a lot of hooks in the water..

Bigger fish still seem to be coming from water about ten to twelve feet deep. And if you ain't around some sort of rocks then you ain't fishing in the right spot. Any crankbait with some chartreuse on it is a good choice.. Still..

And a plethora of soft plastics are still working well..

And being the crankbait bite is so crazy around here, we at FLT have started our own crankbait line.. Or at least we are thinking about it..

And being we are crazy about women, we have decided to name them all after women..

Our shallow baits will all be in the Paris Tilton line.. And believe me this bait is hot.. Choosing this bait is really a no brainer..

Our mid-depth bait will be called the Ellen.. It has a tight little wiggle with a slender body, but it has been known to go down.. I believe this bait will really lick the competition..

And our big bodied deep diver just has to be call the Rosie.. I know that a lot of other bait companies talk about how their baits wobble, but ours actually waddles.. It has a sensual side to side shimmy that big sows just can't resist. It also has a deep diving tongue that penetrates the wetness faster and comes through thick cover no matter how hairy..

We're still in the developmental stages.. But let me know if you want in on the IPO..

I gotta go stoke the fire.. It's cold down here..

February 5, 2012: It has been a while since I posted any pics.. So I guess I better catch up.. It's rainy and cool down here this AM.. But the some good fish were caught before the front.. Including this 12-4 caught by Bennie Elam..

Charles White caught this 11.1 this week..

Don Hauk caught this 12.8 earlier this week..

Dustin Hobbs caught this 10.31..

Gary Swenson caught this 10-3 as well..

Harry Marak landed this 10-1..

Mike Underbrink caught this DD as well.. I lost the weight.. Again..

Paul Majors caught this 13.82.. Another nice landscape..

Steve Fulps caught this 11-4..

And Tyler Fulps caught this 11-2 as well.. These guys tore up the big fish..

And Wendell Brown caught this 10.08..

Man these pictures are a lot of work.. I forgot how many I had piling up.. Seems I am always forgetting something.. But none of it is as bad as the time I forgot to clean the back seat of Mom's car before we went to church on Sunday Morning.. I heard about that for months..

The lake is still rising, and it appears that the murky water has subsided a bit on the top of the lake. But we are seeing a good algae bloom in the top half of the lake in some places.. Doesn't bother the fish as much as the fishermen.

Crankbaits and jigs and big flukes are still catching a lot of the bigger fish. Rock, as always, is the key to finding some good groups of fish. You can, and people have, caught bigguns in water from one to twenty five feet.

I looks like we are in for some unsettled weather for the coming week, with maybe a couple of good days in the middle.. But I guess we'll have to wait and see.

I am optimistic that we will see some really good fishing in the next couple of weeks, especially if we get a warming streak of three or more days. We are seeing some fish that have spawned out, some that are moving both ways, and a bunch that are lurking in the drains and channels close to shallow water.

Water temps were right at 70° on Friday afternoon, but have cooled back to the middle and upper sixties the last two days. The cloud cover we have seen has let the water cool a bit, and it is my guess that the surface temps will be back around 65 or so by Monday. It is that roller coaster time of year.. And the fish are riding it as well.

It is already February, and the time is flying by. And before you now it it will be time for the fourth annual Bass Blast! tourney, scheduled for April 15th. Of course we have the second go-round of Bass Champs in March to get through before that one. And the South Texas Five circuit brings their show to town on the 26 of February as well.

We have a few new sponsors for our tourney this year, most notably Wohali Rods.. And we should be giving away some of their new flipping sticks. If you or your company would like to donate a door prize we will be glad to get it into the hands of a fisherman.. With our thanks. Last year we gave away over $6,000 worth of goodies, and we plan on besting that this year.. Lord Willing..

There is only one rule change this year for our event, and that is this.. Anyone that has ever failed or refused a lie detector test at a bass tourney will not be allowed to fish. Seems simple enough.. And of course all decisions of the TD are final.. And we reserve the right to bar anyone for any un sportsmanlike behavior.. This is intended to be a fun event, and I hate drama.. So don't bring any..

And it is probably best if you all get laid right before you get here so the testosterone levels are not too high.. Good luck with that as she knows you are leaving for the weekened..

We will once again be serving BBQ'd brisket with all the trimmings.. If we can afford it.. Three dollars a pound for brisket is a little crazy.. Maybe we'll have T-Bones..

And I know I have promised it before, but I am pretty sure that Rosie is going to make a guest appearance at the shindig on Saturday.. Get in the food line early.. But I did hear that she has lost a lot of weight since Hostess filed for bankruptcy.. Probably just stress..

It is also possible that the remaining candidates for president might stop by.. So bring your babies if they need to be kissed.. I've already got something they can kiss..

Damn it.. I wasn't going to talk about politics..

I wonder how many more years it will be till all of those who do not want to work outnumber the ones of us that do? Can't be too long.. Spend your money now, before they take the rest of it away..

Is there a way we can divide the country into parts one and two.. All of the hard working folks can come south, and we'll send the rest of the porch sittin' SOB's to DC.. I thought of sending all the hard workers North.. But I couldn't take the cold. So you'll have to join me down here..

Enough of that.. I'm getting a headache.. Get your ass down here and catch some springtime bass..

February 1, 2012: The lake continues it slow climb, and as of this morning we are sitting at 273.75, or 27.27 low.. We are always glad to get any water we can, but I can never figure out the thought patterns of those who govern the water releases from either Amistad or Falcon. And here's a thought for you..

If they were going to give us some water out of Amistad, then why couldn't they release some while we were dropping so fast a few weeks back? Do you think they just woke up one morning and said "Let's let some water out of Amistad.." I guess the thought of balancing or at least minimizing the drop would be out of the question.. But then a lot of things controlled by the government are hard for me to understand..

And other than porking the secretary or an intern they have no idea what the term "Spawn" means..

Now I am educated to the fact that Falcon was built for a lot of other reasons, with fishing and recreation being way down the list. It was built for flood control, irrigation, municipal use, and power generation before a thought was ever given to fishing. And actually fantastic fishing is a bit of a by-product. In 1950 there was not a lot of thought given to the possibility that fishing on Falcon would become a multi million per year business. The times have changed. But policy has not. We are still working off a treaty we have with Mexico that is older than air travel. And it needs to be updated.. But it won't.. It is the same stupid treaty that says that the Rio Grande is a navigable river and gives the Coast Guard some sort of authority here.. What a crock.. But I am not here to bash the CG.. At least not today..

I have pissed a few people off the last month by refusing to weigh their fish. Because they wanted to kill them.

Let me reiterate our stance here at FLT.

We want you to come to Falcon and catch the fish of your lifetime. Maybe more than one if you get lucky.. But we also want you to turn her loose when you're done, with a minimum of handling. So someone else can have the same experience that you did.

We go to great lengths to share and post the best reports we can, as accurately as we can. And of course that is intended to help you catch fish, and hopefully a whopper.

There is a limited number of giant fish, even in Falcon. Please don't kill our fish.

And please don't haul them around all day in your livewell. Get them back in the water ASAP..

You will not see pics on our site of people holding up a limit of fish.. Or hardly ever two for that matter.. And don't tell me that it doesn't hurt the fish to haul them around all day.. I have been to too many tournament weigh ins.. Do the right thing and put that fish back in the water quickly..

Please respect the fishery..

Water quality on the top end of the lake is still poor, but the middles of some creeks are not too bad.. The river sucks.. All the way down to Diablo.. It starts to clear after that and by the time you get to marker seven, it looks good. And down south near the dam it looks fantastic..

I fished from the Veleno to the dam yesterday, and fished a lot of spots that looked good, but were less than that. I fished ten spots that I had not fished in months. Of course these places bore no resemblance to the way they looked the last time I fished them. I did not catch a fish over four pounds and many of the places I fished I caught nothin..

I did hear of some folks that did well yesterday.. And they were throwing jigs, carolina rigs, and deep divers.. Isolated rocks and long points.. Same old song and dance.. I guess I just did not pick the right ones..

Last week I was Superman, whacking them wherever I went.. Yesterday I got demoted to toilet scrubber..

But I'll be back..

January 28, 2012: We have been on a bit of a wind roller coaster this week, with a switch in direction every twenty four hours. And if you are out there during one of the brief lulls, it has been pretty fishable. But overall the last few days have not been as good as the warm stretch that preceded the previous cold front.. Not that it got cold.. But cool and windy..

And of course the rain that swept over most of Texas earlier in the week tailed out just above Zapata.. Status Quo.. But it was good to see a bunch of east Texas get some healthy rains, and I did see and hear that some of the lakes in NE Texas caught some water.. Praise the Lord..

We have another little front hitting town this AM, but not a lot of temperature drop is predicted. We should be back in the seventies by Monday.

I was out on Thursday, and even after the frontal passage we saw water temps in the 68 degree range. I don't think this one will do much to lower the water temps either..

Most fish are being caught from fifteen inches to fifteen feet.. Most of the the better fish are still closer to the increment measured in feet.. But there are some good ones shallow.

The spawn can be some of the most unpredictable fishing, and this year is no different. Where I whacked them a week ago there were few biting fish on Thursday. Some of it due to pressure I am sure, but I am also sure that a lot of these fish are on the move. But timing is certainly an issue as well.

We finished in the same place we started, and while the first stop there yielded nothing, the last stop produced three nice chunks, the biggest being a 7-10. Same bait, same rocky ledge.. Shallow of course.. Hell if I know.. But I am sure if you sat on it all day, you could put a nice sack together..

The lake continues to rise at a slow pace. And no one living on water front property is getting nervous. But we'll take what we can get. I have heard several stories about the why's and how comes' the water is flowing out of Amistad.. But I figure it is because the IWBC hates Fisherman.. The Everstart tourney is at Amistad next weekend and I reckon they are doing it to screw with the fish over there.. And the Fishermen..

As of yesterday Amistad was releasing about 4000 CFS a second more than we are.. We'll see how long it persists. We are sitting at 272.85, or 28.17 feet low. Up over a foot since the rise began..

The crankbait and jig bite is probably the best for bigger fish, still out in deeper water. And a Carolina rig is also catching some good fish. Think points and edges close to deep water.. And throwing up in three feet of water and fetching it back to fifteen is a good thing.. I am not doing that.. As I said, I am committed to the spawn, even if the fish aren't..

There have been a good number of good fish caught this week, despite the tough conditions. And here's a few pics..

Dave Cherry caught his first DD on Falcon last week..

And Terry Hoffman caught this behemoth this week as well. 12-10..

That's a Rosie for sure!

Terry Green caught this big cat in the Catfish Babes tourney last weekend..

Jeff Jorde caught this 10-2...

Jorge Rodriguez caught this 12-5 last weekend..

There have been a ton of tens that I have heard of in the last few weeks. But as I have said in the past, there have been a lot of hooks in the water.. And will certainly continue to be for the next couple of months.

If you plan on coming to Zapata any time soon.. You better call for a room now..

As you know, there is a football game coming up next weekend. And due to popular demand, I am bringing back the pick the winner and the score contest for this years SB.. Here are the rules..

I will accept e-mail entries only.. And only to this address.. BassnWithBendele@aol.com

Your entry should be in the subject line only.. So it should look something like this.

New England 27-13..

You must pick the winner to win. And the one with the score closest will win.. In the event of a tie, the one with the earliest entry will win. All entries must be in by noon on game day..

The winner will receive a FLT prize pack valued at upwards of seven dollars..

How can you refuse..

See you on the water!

January 24, 2012: It's that time of year again in Zapata.. Big fat bitches frolicking in the shallows, and making love in the shade of the Huisache trees.. I just love spring.. And yes, it has been spring down here for the last couple of weeks.

And no I don't feel bad that the Yankees are getting all the cold and snow.. It's hard to believe, but they do choose to live there.. At least they still have football..

But I have been around here long enough to know that winter is not through with us yet.. February usually has some wet and cold in store for us, and I am sure this year will be no different.

Falcon has caught about ten inches of water in the last week, give or take. And as of yesterday Amistad was releasing about 3000 CFS more than Falcon is releasing.. We'll see how long it lasts, but looking at the scheduled releases it is going to continue for the rest of the week anyway..

And it seems that the fish are comfortable with the semi steady levels, and a good number of them are doing their thing in the shallows.. But it is early, and what is going on should peak in another two or three weeks if we remain warm.. Of course we will have some spawners into late March for sure..

Good quality fish have been caught at most every depth, so there is really no wrong place to fish. As long as you are around some rocks with bushes.. And actually I have been catching a lot of males on sandy/dirty banks with wood on them.. A lot of em.. And every tenth fish or so is a fattie, but I have not caught a DD in any of the trees I have been flipping.. But a lot of other folks have..

Yesterday I got into them in two different areas, both about six feet deep. And on my last stop it seemed that there was a fish in every tree.. Or every other tree anyway.. My kinda stuff.. Jimmie like..

And I know you think I am crazy, but when I was really whackin em, I was flipping a Mag Fluke in W/M Red.. Go figure.. First time I ever threw one.. They hate that bait and one fish that went 6-9 almost de-sticked me.. Made my funny bone hurt.. God I love this stuff..

I did also catch a few on the W/M Green Orange brush hog, and it has been my go to in any water that is fairly clear..

But I am in the minority on bait choices, as many folks are still throwing shallow cranks and spinners.. And every kind of jig and soft plastic known to man.. Your favorite will work.

I am not telling you to quit your job yet, but it might be time to put in your two weeks notice.. That should be just about right.. And I'll try not to sore mouth all of em before you get here.. But I do have a lot of help these days..

And you might think that the frequency and length of my fishing reports have been a bit on the thin side here lately.. I have fished seven out of the last nine days.. And while it is tough, I don't mind doing the research for you..

Now mind you I have not been hitting it from dawn till dusk, as most of my trips have been four or five hours or so.. Those that have put in the long days have been rewarded for the most part. Some have really killed them, and a few have struggled.. But that's just fishing..

I am moving the rating up to an eight (8).. And I don't think it will stay there for long.. And I don't anticipate it going down.. I believe we are on the threshold of some incredible fishing..

The river is still a muddy mess, and those of you who love the river will have to learn to love the lake a little farther south. There are still some fish coming from above the Hedieona, but there is not a lot of water left in the creeks past Oscars, and what there is looks like a double cappuccino half milk decaf choco late'.. Fuggly...

But once you get south of the Veleno it starts to clear up a bunch, and the midlake is very pretty.. Especially off the river influence..

The pictures have been stacking up on me, so here is a few of the latest Rosies..

Calvin "Quail Man" Hudson caught a PB with this 10.78.

Gary Weaver caught this 10.00 pound sow as well..

Brian Fielder caught this 10-8.

And while we are on Bryans, Bryan Cotter caught this 10.57. If your name is Bryan or Brian you better get down here..

Harold Kelley caught this 12-7.

And John Owens caught this 12-12..

That's a nice landscape shot.. Note to photographers: Get some slime on the lens.. :-)

I have heard of dozens more big fish.. And more every day.. And I heard of another 13 plus but do not have a pic just yet.. Can't believe no one has caught a fourteen or bigger.. Maybe I should say landed..

The bite has been very light in most instances here lately.. But when you stick em, these bastards are going ballistic. Many times the bite is undetectable unless you are really on your game.. So if you can't find your bait, or it just gets mushy, you better be setting the hook. And a lot of these lip biters are just moving the bait as well.. So be on your toes..

What else.. The Superbowl teams are set.. And I could give a rats ass if they cancelled the game.. I hate all four teams that were in the games last weekend, and I hoped that they would all play to a nothin nothin tie and they'd cancel the whole deal.. But it was fun to see San Francisco give that one away.. I can still see Merton Hanks doing his Chicken Impression a few years ago.. There you go Mert.. Your team laid an egg.. Squawk!!

Governor Perry finally saw what we all could for the last month.. But I am not too pumped about a president that would be named Mitt or Newt.. Sounds like ingredients for a witch's brew..

But at least these two were born in America..

Ron Paul, who has seen more booger than any other president, (Well.. except maybe Clinton.) might as well hang it up as well. Doesn't he know that we are a country too stupid to live by The Constitution anymore? It's getting too hard to read anyway as the government has been wiping their asses with it for years..

And what can you say about Rick #2.. Santorum sounds too much like sanitarium.. And we already had Jimmy Carter.

But I'll take anything over what we have now..

I'll take one more year of Political commercials for a thousand Alex..

Have yall heard of these people called the Cardashians?? I hadn't either.. Weren't they on Star Trek?? Somebody told me they were famous.. I said that to be famous usually someone had to have some talent or do something that would make them famous.. But not in America.. I guess they are just more talentless hacks in the same genre as Paris Hilton, Vanna White, Ed McMahon and the entire royal family. Just in the right place at the right time.. I can't understand this country's fascination with celebrities.. They fart in their panties just like the rest of us..

I guess it is too bad that I wasn't born rich.. But it is probably for the better.. The last thing the world needs is another drunk with a shotgun, a fishin' pole, and a Leer jet.. But I believe I could have made it work..

When we were kids we were so poor that if we didn't wake up with a hard on on Christmas morning, we didn't have anything to play with..

Anyway.. It's too nasty and windy to fish.. But not tomorrow! See you on the water!

January 22, 2012: I am not sure whether or not to say that it is "ON" or not.. But it appears that at least Mother Nature has her hand on the switch.. Reports from yesterday and the day before were pretty damn good..

I fished Friday with a partner and we had an easy thirty by 1:30 and I can't tell you how many we missed.. Tommy and a buddy fished yesterday and they whacked them as well.. And if we're catching fish...

Lots of the fish are just picking up the bait and moving it off.. Sneaky Bastards.. There were plenty of blanks fired though, I can assure you that.. Of course we were flipping shallow bushes.. It is that time of year..

Yesterday we did hear of every method known to man used to catch fish.. And it appears that most of it was working.. Heard of some real nice fish too.. But there are certainly a lot of buck bass in the shallows right now.. With a few Pot Bellied Pigs mixed in..

And it is time for my annual reminder to you to please expedite the speed, and maximize the care when it comes to taking pics and recording the data of a big fish. Fish do not breathe air.. At least they do not get oxygen out of it.. Be prepared.. And don't drag her all over the carpet damaging her slime coat.. And quit hauling around a bunch of big fish all day to take a group picture.. Do you think that moving a fish a mile from a possible bed, or a staging area might disrupt her spawning cycle.. I think it might.. Get em back in the water ASAP.. Your ego can do without it.. Photo Shop.. Try it..

I have never seen so many guides from so many different lakes, and states, here on Falcon. But I guess that everyone wants to fish what many feel is the best lake in the country.. It might be hard to get a guide on some north Texas lakes about now..

And let's all remember to use our manners out there.. This is South Texas after all..

In any case, it appears that the fish are on the move.. And they're not heading deeper..

And speaking of deeper, we have caught a couple of inches of water the last few days, and we are about dead level with last Sunday.. If we could just get them to plug up the leak on the south end we would be doing a lot better.. I have no idea what they are doing with all that water..

I plan on getting back out there in a little bit and see if I can continue on the success that I have had the last couple of trips.. And I don't plan on doing anything different.. I love dipping them shallow trees. You should give it a try..

Take care of those big Spawning Fish!

January 19, 2012: For the first time in months, well at least it seems like it, Falcon is catching a bit of water. It would probably be more accurate if I said that we were holding steady.. In either case, I'll take it.

According to the IWBC, yesterday Falcon was releasing about 4700 CFS, and Amistad was releasing about 5300 CFS.. Not a lot of gain. But I did hear from some fishermen that the roar of the water leaving the lake has subsided near the dam.. We'll see if todays release rates slow from Falcon.

And a steady water level can't possibly hurt the fishing, at least not in my book..

As I write there are a lot of staging fish on the creek channel mouths and edges. And there are a lot of fish roaming the shallows in search of love.. Or at least that's what I think they are doing.. And some of them have decided to eat a bit while they are there..

Reports of decent numbers of fish caught yesterday have been coming across the counter. And I am optimistic that the warming trend that is upon us is about to get these fish in a very horny mood..

I was in Pierces Cove two days ago, before this last little cool snap, and I saw water in the 64 degree range. That was up about three degrees from the day before.. If we get a few sunny days, with the warmer nights that are predicted, something is gonna happen.. If it ain't started already..

Square Bill baits have been a hot item the last few days, along with anything you can retrieve in the shallows. Spinner and Chatter baits have also caught a few fish.

And then you have the other side of the coin..

Many folks are still fishing the depths, throwing deep diving cranks and jigs. I am committed to the spawn, even if the fish haven't, and I am whipping the shallows into a froth. Of course when I was younger I had a deep diving crank....

I have fished four out of the last five days, but took yesterday off to rest.. Besides it was cool.. And while my fishing consists of three to five hours at a whack, I think I am starting to get a sense of what is going on.. Of course I thought I knew something about Algebra, until I took the test..

In any case, there is certainly a lot more fish in the zero to four foot range than there were ten days ago. And being I only have six feet of string on my rigs I am doomed to haunt the shallows.. But that is the way I like it.. Hanging your worm on heavy braid and dipping it into the hairiest bush you can find is some of my most favoritest way to fish. Doodlesocking.. Pitching.. Flipping.. Full contact fishing.. It truly is my time of year..

There are three bass clubs coming to town this weekend that I know of. SAPD, Helotes, and Uvalde bass clubs are all headed to Falcon for their January events. And it looks like they are going to have a beauty weekend to fish..

And speaking of tourneys, if you are looking for an open to fish in the near future on Falcon, there might be one or two that interest you. The Bass Federation will hold their first of the season at Falcon on the 19th of Feb. Of course you have to be a member to fish, but you can join on the spot.

On February 26th, the South Texas 5 makes their first appearance here at Falcon.

And Bass Champs makes it second visit on March 10th.

And of course the fourth annual Bass Blast! is scheduled for tax day this year..

There are a lot of big fish being caught down here now, but keep in mind that there are a lot of fishermen down here as well. Not everyone is whacking the monsters, but if you get down here during some decent weather and get out there and bust it, odds are that you are going to catch some good ones. I do think the fishing is improving right now.

We are sitting at 271.34, or 29.68 feet low. The last time we were at this level was in May of 2007. We'll see what we catch out of this release from Amistad..

I am optimistic about the near future.. I think it is fixin to be on!

January 17, 2012: Things have finally quieted down around here a bit, but yesterday was a busy day in the store and on the lake. I guess a lot of you took advantage of the holiday, as there were at least 75 rigs at the ramp. But I do have to remember that a lot of the local snowbirds are using the county ramp these days as well, due to the fact that their ramps at their parks are non operational.. You park owners need to hear some "Beep, Beep Beep..." That's south Texas for a concrete truck backing up.. Time to extend those ramps boys..

And speaking of snowbirds, these guys are putting the smackdown on some of the biggest crappie you have ever seen. The smell of hot oil fills the evening air in the RV parks, and the new favorite color around here is golden brown.. Hard to beat some crispy crappie.. "You don't need no nakins' cause it's finger lickin' good... "

An old man told me that at an east side San Antonio BBQ restaurant a hundred years ago.. Well.. Either that or I heard it during a porno movie.. I can't remember..

The Bass Champs tourney, as I am sure you all know by now, had a really good turn out, and there were some pretty impressive sacks of fish weighed in.. Forty five pounds of fish is incredible I don't care what lake you are on. And it took almost thirty one pounds to get a check.. And I think the lake is fishing tough.. Maybe I am just not that good a fisherman.. For full results you can click here..

I fished Sunday afternoon, from three till five thirty.. That was strategically timed between football. All I did was flip trees in the six foot range.. Just off the river channel. I missed a couple and put seven in the boat, including a couple of big fours and a 8-2. And got back in time to see the second half.. Caught em all on a W/M Green Orange Brush hog.. That has been a good bait for me lately..

Yesterday I fished a lot of rocky points in the midlake with a big fluke.. Did about the same with a big fish that did not weigh five..

A football Jig caught this 13.44 yesterday afternoon.. Congrats to Michael Yoder..

Heliodoro Perez caught this 11 pound monster last week..

And Kevin caught this 10.5 this last weekend.

There have been a lot of other big fish caught lately, but there are still a lot of folks fishing down here.

My overall rating of the fishing is still somewhere around a 7, on a scale from one to ten.. It is certainly not lights out.. But there is no doubt that there are many, many staging fish, and more and more spawning fish moving to the shallows. We have a little front that is supposed to be in here today, and then a five day stretch in the eighties.. I'm getting all chicken skinned..

I have a lot more to talk about. And will soon..

If you don't find me in here.. You know were I am..

BC Final update.. 5:30 PM

Ok.. I think I have it straight..

1st Buitron and Oldham 45.52

2nd Leonard and Bronder 43.80

3rd Day and Day 42.09

4th Meza and Jiminez 40.47

Last check was was for 30.61 I hear..

BC Update 4:30 PM. Well there was a little problem with the total board at the weigh in.. So I am not gonna say who the winners are.. Cause I am not sure.. But I believe their weight was 45.52. There were three stringers over forty.. If I get the confirmation I will post.. Sorry for the confusion.. But I don't want to start any rumors.. Money line was just above thirty pounds.. The 12.80 held up for big bass.

Update: 3:30 PM. Weigh in is under way, and so far 36.97 is leading.. Or it was ten minutes ago.. There are a bunch of sacks in the thirties and big bass so far is a 12.80, weighed in by the team of Sims and Sims..

I will give a final report after the scales close at 4:30..

January 14, 2012: There is a lot of fiberglass on the water today.. And yesterday was a busy one around here for sure.

There are approximately 225 teams fishing the Bass Champs tourney today.. Give or take a few.. And I'll post some pics from the weigh in this afternoon. Here's a couple of shots I took this AM..

January 13, 2012: We're a day away from the first big tourney of the year here on Falcon, and the boats are rolling into town. And I will have to admit that expectations are high. Falling water levels may affect some of the spots that have been productive the last couple of weeks. But reports have been decent as to what has been caught.

But tomorrow the BS stops when the green flag drops.

The weather has taken a turn for the better, or so it looks, with highs now predicted to be in the upper sixties. Winds are forecast to be out of the SW at 10-15 MPH.. Sounds a lot better than a few of the BC openers that I have been to..

I have a bunch of new pics to post, as there have been some good fish caught during the week, despite of the windy and cold conditions. We were as cool as we have been all year last night, as we hit a low of 32°. But it is just freakin lovely outside right now. The Bass Champs folks have their set up in place and it is down on the point at County similar to the location they used in October at the championship.. Minus the giant tent.

See you there!

January 10, 2012: That sucking sound you hear presently is not the the US congress, but rather the water being released from Falcon. They're letting out water so fast the dam has been bent into a V.. You can damn near hear the roar from Zapata..

We have lost 4/10ths of a foot in the last 24 hours.. Amazing.. And we are getting no replacement water from Amistad.. We are sitting at 273.22, or 27.8 feet low.. Who knows how low it will go before they back off.. The whole state of Tamaulipas should be under water by now.. I guess they have switched over to growing rice.. And they're only taking a pittance out of Sugar.. Back to their old ways..

In any case, it is not hurting the fishing, other than relocating a lot of them to deeper areas. But I imagine if a big old sow went to sleep at the base of a tree, she could find herself on dry ground when she woke up.

There are still some good fish being caught, but reports have dried up a bit in advent of Bass Champs. It should be interesting.. And speaking of Bass Champs, I hear they have scheduled their championship for the south region back here at Falcon again this October.. Let's hope we are fishing at a higher elevation come the fall. So start praying for a gentle giant of a hurricane this summer..

I have also heard of another championship that has been scheduled for Falcon in the fall. Anglers Quest, an outfit that I a not too familiar with, with be holding a tournament here the same weekend in October.. That is the weekend of the 27-28th.. Should be interesting..

It's not like we have not seen the lake at this level before.. If you have been around here long, you know that this is not unusual. But it is still not very popular.

In the short term, fishing should be incredible when the water warm just a bit. Some folks would say it is now. And a lucky/skillful/hard fishing few have really smacked the crap out of em.. But I am still giving the fishing a 6.5 or a 7.. Although I did whack the snot out of em on Sunday afternoon.. In shirtsleeves..

And while I did not catch any big fish, I did get o the best numbers bite I have seen in a month. And I think I set a personal record for one tree.

I found a bush that I caught twenty two fish out of, or right around. And I missed and broke off ten more.. It was a gnarly bush and it was full of fish.. Some I couldn't get out.. And it did not matter how I mangled the tree trying to retrieve my bait/fish.. Next flip in there and it was on.. I would have loved to have a shock boat and pull up to that bush.. Cause there had to be hundreds of fish around there. Six feet of water..

And I would move off twenty yards and catch a few scattered around the area, and then I would go back and catch some more.. More fun that watching a Rosie Porno.. Except the characters were not as big in my movie..

None of the fish I caught were over five pounds, but a bunch of fun three and four pounders.. I wasn't goin nowhere..

It is a bit cool down here this morning, but the rain that was predicted stayed north and east of us.. And looking ahead for the weekend, cloudy and highs in the sixties are on the menu.. But I think we will be in between fronts from either direction.. I hope.. But bring your coat.. It's gonna be cool in the early am..

I was out punching a few coords in my machine the other day, and I was wondering why this is such an archaic process.. Why don't the manufacturers have a wireless receiver in the machines.. Or an e-mail or phone number of their own.. That way I could edit or add new info from my computer and just text it to the SOB.. Something to think about.. I hope to see it in the 2013 models.. And that way I could hack into yalls machines and find out where you are catching all those fish..

I saw a commercial on the "O" network last night.. And like usual they were soliciting donations for needy children. One of those that make you tear up and open your checkbook. I am usually pretty hardened to these types of commercials, and try to do my charity work here in the US and thru the Catholic Church.

And let me tell you that any organization that begs from you, and then gives ten percent of what they raised to their alleged cause, is a bunch of sorry bastards..

But I just couldn't take it when I saw these kids.. The Sumo Ballerina Academy.. Ripped tights.. Hoof Shoes.. I mean toe shoes the size of Shak's with holes in em.. Living in the squalor of all those McDonalds and Marie Callendars bags strewn about.. Going to bed with less than a half a cheesecake for desert.. Appalling.. I hope my donation of two hundred gallons of Blue Bell will make a difference..

I am also shifting my crew that was going to work for Habitat for Humanity to volunteer their time to reinforcing the stage floor.. It really got to me..

And speaking of Pigs.. Here's a few.. (That might be my best Segway in months..)

Jim LaGrone caught this 11 even a few days ago..

Mike Grimes whacked this 12.60..

And Donnie Luker caught this 12-8..

We have been bustin it this week getting ready for your visit.. Hope to see you soon!

January 8, 2012: To say we have been busy would be an understatement.. And you mix in a bunch of nice weather and you don't find Jimmie behind the computer too much. It is hard to stay off the lake with January temps in the eighty degree range, and a few days before the full moon. It's fixin to hit the fan down here.. And I don't mind if some of it lands on me..

I have had a couple of decent days lately, but the biggest fish I have caught has been about a seven.. That was yesterday in about two and a half feet of water on a giant flat in front of School Bus. I flipped about two thousand trees in a three hour period, and would not recommend it to any one. Yet.. But it is gonna happen before too long.

But odds are that we won't be catching them on this particular flat cause at the rate they're taking water out of the lake it is going to be a prime arrow head hunting area before too long.. We have lost two and a half feet of water in the last seven days.. Are you kidding me?? It is hard to watch.. The Mexicans are the ones releasing all the water, supposedly pre-irrigating.. I can't figure it out.. I saw the same rains down there that we had up here..

But none of this is unusual.. I know it is hard for some of you Falcon Newbies to believe, but this happens all the time.. When we filled up in 08, it had been close to fifteen years since it had happened last. All things cycle and the drought is catching up with us as well.. But there is still LOTS of water to fish.. And I think the fishing is fixin to go nuts..

And while we are apt to have a big spawn this year, survival of the fry is going to be minimal.. There is no small cover in the lake. Still lots of bushes, but nothing you could call real protection for the hatchlings. So the class of 2012 is going to be few.. But we have had three fantastic years in a row..

Not a lot of small fish are showing up these days.. The dozens of fish we are used to catching between whoppers has certainly been on vacation.. And two months ago you could catch fifty fish between two and four pounds before lunch.. Where did they go? Lots of questions and not too many answers..

Now don't get me wrong, we are still catching some of these fish. And it has not been unusual to hear of a few boats that really whacked the numbers. But it is certainly not the standard..

And while I am apologizing for the fishing, I have another apology to make.

Last month when the Coast Guard was down here, I was on their ass pretty bad.. Most of it deservedly, but I have been corrected on an issue I wrote about.

I was telling about how they detained a fellow at the State Park for having a gun in his truck. After talking to one of the Border Patrol Supervisors, I have come to find out the the fellow in question was a convicted felon.. That does change things as convicted felons are forbidden to possess a firearm.. Much less in a state park where firearms are not permitted. I officially apologize to any and all LEO's that I may have offended during that rant. Thanks for doing your job.

But note to Coast Guard.. We have plenty of LEO's down here and we do not need the feds down here at the present time. We'll call you if we do.. Better copy that Memo to Perry as well. He should be home before too long as his chances of getting the Nomination are about as good as mine winning the Bass Masters Classic..

And we do not need those ridiculous Highway Patrol boats on our lake either.. What a freaking waste of money.. If we actually break out in a war down here, I am sure the military has plenty of toys they can launch.. 580K apiece.. What a wet dream..

Bass Champs rolls into town this coming weekend, and we're not sure what to expect. It is the first tournament of the year, and as far as I know everybody is still in the hunt for Angler of the Year..

But if half of the boats fish the tournament that we have seen since Christmas, it could be big.. We'll see in about a week..

And speaking of tournaments on Falcon, the South Texas Five circuit is back and under new management this year. I have added their Falcon dates to the tourney page. They also have a website this year and you can get all the info for their upcoming events there. Their first event here will be on February 26th. Here is a link to their new site.

Info has been a little short the last week or so from the fishermen that are planning on fishing the Bass Champs tourney. But I know for a fact that a few of them are on some big piles of fish.. And I guarantee you that there will be several huge sacks of fish brought to the scales.. Don't be surprised to see several forty pound sacks again, even though I am saying the fishing is fair at best.. Somebody always does it, and it is possible that that 47 pound sack weighed in last year could be eclipsed.. We'll see what the weather does between now and then.. We have a couple of fronts blowing in between now and then, but neither of them are predicted to be tomato killers.. But it looks like sunny and a high in the mid sixties for next Saturday.. But that is a long way off and the NWS is not too good at anything past yeaterday.. Well see..

But I don't see anything coming that will totally run the fish out of the shallows before now and then. Except for falling water levels.. The trees you fish today will be two feet shallower next week at this rate..

Crankbaits are still all the rage around here, and I have been scurrying to keep the rack stocked. And it ain't been easy.. Jigs are number two, and the spinnerbait bite is almost worth mentioning. It should get better as spring advances.. A Carolina rig has also been reported to be a good option.

And speaking of rigs, I have not talked to anyone who has done any good down here on an Alabama rig.. Please let me know if anyone has a different report.

10:45 AM: Gotta take a time out.. Headed to the ramp to weigh a fish...

I'm back.. You might remember this guy from last year.. He caught a SL here on Falcon.. He just caught another one..

Ky Martin.. 13.40 on certified scales as well.. I did a little better with the pic this time..

But there have been a lot of other good fish caught as well..

Here's Bob Ridder with his first ten pounder.. 10-7 to be clear..

And Bradly Nowls caught this 10-8..

Gary Foster caught this 10-3..

And Mike Braley caught this 11-8 last week as well..

Lots of fishermen.. Lots of big fish.. Should be fun to watch the weigh-ins this week..

See you on the water!

January 6, 2012: It has been a bit crazy around here.. But I wanted to get a pic of this fish caught today on the page, and promise to update soon..

Soda Popp, No BS, I have seen his drivers license for three years, caught this 13.40 this afternoon in one foot of water on a 5" senko..

Rosie style!

January 2, 2012: The lake is dropping like like Newts ratings.. Down a foot in the last week.. Why, I don't know.. Maybe those salt water fish need some fresh water in the gulf.. The valley is wet so I know they don't need the water to irrigate..

In any case I need to post a few more fish pics..

Ruben Islas caught this 11.0 last week..

Ivette Esparza caught this 11.11 as well..

Coeta Butcher caught this 11.98..

I told you that Falcon is nice to the ladies..

And her husband, Terry Sr. caught this 11.08 the same day..

And I heard they had a 50 plus sack yesterday.. Yikes!

And John Odom caught this 10.09 over the weekend as well.

We're not all catching big numbers, but the big fish bite has happened to a lot of folks.. Some boats we have talked to said they have caught fifty fish or more, but it ain't the majority for sure..

But if you find a big fish, fish the hell out of that spot.. Likely more than one of em around there..

New Years Eve Update.. Here I was minding my own business when I got a call to bring the certified scales to the ramp.. Was just about to make a drink..

Anyway, Mike Helle caught this near miss.. 12.98.. I tried.. And my pic sucks.. They said they also had four around ten off the same spot the size of your kitchen table.. That's the way it's been.. That's a good un!

December 31, 2011: There's no more pages to rip off the calendar, as another year comes to a close here in Zapata, and across the planet. And what a year it has been.

Falcon saw a twenty year old lake record fall, when Tommy Law caught a 15.63 pound fish in January. It was only the second fifteen pound fish documented that has been caught here. It replaced the old record that weighed 15.12 pounds, which was held by Scottie Deaton. I don't expect this record to last near as long.

Falcon is coming into a three or four year window where some truly giant fish should be caught. I am not saying that we will break the current state record, but we should see some true giants get caught barring any catastrophes.

This years spawn survival will probably be poor, but the last three years have been phenomenal. And these fish will carry us a long way for the near future. And when these year classes make it to whopper size, we should see another spike in monster fish. Not that you could not catch one anytime you have a line in the water here on Falcon.

And that is a lot of the draw about Falcon.. Any cast, at any depth, with any bait, on any day you could catch the fish of a lifetime. That's what keeps me going out there..

This week was a bit crazy around here with tons of fishermen, and lots of big fish being caught. But there were a lot of man hours put in for the fish that were caught, I can promise you.. I still believe that fishing is fair, but if you get on the right rock you can have an awesome day. But not everybody is doing it..

We also saw some incredible stringers of fish weighed in at Falcon tourneys as well. Bass Champs spring event saw a 47 pound plus stringer weighed in. Our little tourney, The Bass Blast!, a team three fish event, had a winning weight of 29.96. And four stringers over 29 pounds.. And the Bass Champs South Division Championship saw a winning weight of over 86 pounds for two days of five fish fishin.. All three incredible.. We may never see anything like it again.. But I'll never say never about Falcon.

This week saw Falcon spit out three fish over thirteen pounds.. In two days. And I don't know how many over ten pounds that were caught.. And a bunch of elevens and a few twelve's.

I have written in previous posts that I thought Falcon would erupt with teenagers this year. And while this spurt may not be causing the lava to flow down the mountain, the mountain is certainly rumbling.

And of course we heard several stories about the giants that did not make it to the net. But that's Falcon, and you are not going to get the majority of these biggest of beasties in the boat. It's just the nature of things down here.. Nature being the meanest bass swimming, and trying to remove them from a jungle. But it sure as hell is fun trying.

2012 should be a great year as well, but we have some stepping to do to improve on 2011. But I think it is gonna happen.

2011 saw the start of our new facility at the county ramp, and it will be nice once it is completed.. But I'm telling you that me and three junior high kids would have been done by now. But that's Zapata.. Where Manana don't necessarily mean tomorrow... It just means "Not Today.."

And sometimes that bothers me as I am a get it done type of guy. I hate beauracracy, politics, ass kissing, and excuse making. We have the potential to be a lot more than we are.. But I guess you could say that about any town.

Here at FLT we are doing our best to do our part, and we are passionate about the lake and protecting the resource that we have. So forgive me please if every so often I go off on something or someone that I feel is detrimental to the lake or the fishing. But in my defense, I do do my homework before I go crazy.. And will continue to do so.

I am sure a lot of you are making some new years resolutions, and I have a suggestion for you.. If you plan on fishing a lot of south Texas tournaments, get an oxygen system for your livewells. It costs less than a high end rod, and I promise you that it will make all the difference in fish survival after a day in the boat. TPWD has tested it extensively, as have I, and a few others, and I guarantee you that you will love it after it is in your rig. You can pay for it with one more live fish at the weigh in.. But that's not why I want you to install one. You may need a pair of gloves when retrieving your fish from the livewell though.. Those bastards will be lively..

I haven't really considered any new years resolutions.. Other than to maybe smoke a few less cigars.. But better ones..

Every year I resolve to fish more.. But it never seems to happen.

I do promise to pick on any politician or pop culture idiot that needs it..

And I am going to be nicer to Rosie.. Being she sent me a full color calendar in the mail.. A few of those close ups are amazing.. I mean alarming... Especially the one with her and her new husband, or is it wife, on the 3/4 ton moped.. Thanks RM..

Naw.. On second thought.. I'll still probably give her a lot of print.. It's hard to find good material sometimes..

There was a rumor going around that she had expired, but to my relief I found out it was not true.. Word was that they found her face down in Ricki Lake..

My wife hates that one..

And what would the year be without a tribute to our great president and all his accomplishments in the last year..

He cleaned out the least producing employees from every company in America. And a lot of good employees that were just a victim of his circumstances..

I really hated George Bush.. And his economics.. Let's see.. When the Democrats took control in 2006, the stock market was at 14,000 plus, and unemployment was under 5%.. Yeah.. He sucked..

And I guess all those One Percenters really hit Wal-Mart, K-Mart, and Target this Christmas season.. Looking at the sales results.. Being no body else has any money and all..

At least Obamma got those unruly college kids out of their parents houses for a month or so.. Wonder what it will cost to fix and clean our downtowns.. It will probably cost two billion just to replace the shrubs that are turning yellow..

Those were some nifty tents some of em had.. I wonder how they recharged their I-phones and tablets..

I got a tip for em.. Shave off that eighteen hair goatee, pluck that fender out of your eyebrow, cover up that Tattoo on the side of your neck, pull up your pants, and someone might hire you.. Give it a try.. Really.. But that degree in Poly-Sci might not do you too much good..

It probably has never occurred to you, but you might have to make a living using your hands for a while. A lot of us did it.. And it won't hurt you either..

If you can pass a drug test, and I doubt it, we are dying for some good help in the south Texas area of the Eagle Ford Shale. Google it.. Come get dirty.. Make good money.. But it is the oil business.. Oh I forgot.. You hate Oil Companies.. More of those One Percenters..

Aw crap.. I gotta go stir my Black Eyes..

Thanks to all of you who e-mailed during the year, those of you who called, and all of you who have spent your hard earned dollars with us. We could not be here without you, and if by chance we failed to say "Thanks" when you were here, let me say it now. Thank You! and Happy New Year!

We wish the best for you and your family for the coming year.. Lets all bust ass to make America what it once was, and we'll see you on the water!

December 30, 2011: Gee Willikers.. Where to start.. Someone asked me at the ramp if Rosie ate my computer.. But in my defense I have been on vacation this week.. I have been hunting "The Ghost" at the ranch.. One of them "Now you see him, now you don't" bucks.. Sneaky Bastard.. And I don't think he has ever stopped moving.. But I did fish the last couple of days.. Not that I have had the success that a lot of folks have.

I still think that the fishing is fair at best. But there has been an outbreak of big fish the last few days. Including three thirteen pounders that we know of. And yesterday we weighed a few nice fish for some folks..

Seemed like the Sharelunker season was off to a slow start, and then on Wednesday a crappie fisherman at fork caught the first one turned in of the year. And then on Thursday Jason Runic caught the second one of the year here at Falcon. Here's a pic of his fish, but I am sure you have seen it by now.

13.36

And then yesterday, there were two more caught here on Falcon.

The first one we heard of was caught by Joe Landry and it weighed 13.37.

And shortly after that we heard of another.. It was caught by Chris Thorn and it weighed 13.40.

Congrats to all three.. The second two were released after weights, pics, and measuring.. Thanks.. And in case you are keeping count, that is a total of five here on Falcon that I know of since the start of the SL season.

And Nicolas Herzinger caught this 11.66 on Thursday as well.. Couldn't get rid of that smile with a can of Comet and a steel brush..

Joe Dee Cycus caught this 11.14 on Wednesday I think..

And we have heard of so many big fish the last two days it is hard to believe.. But we are on Falcon.. And it is that time of year..

How bout a Tripple?

All Good uns..

We are having a bit of and Indian Summer this week, and as I write it is about 80°.. I turned on the AC about an hour ago.. Told you this can happen when it turns warm all of a sudden.. But I know that winter ain't through with us yet..

And what have I heard about techniques you ask?? It kinda runs the gamut but most of the bigger fish have been caught on Crankbaits. Deep Divers.. And they need some Chartreuse on em.. Kind of a yellowey brownie has been good. Of course I have heard of fish caught on a lot of different colors. But if you are not hooked on one then start in that vein.. The XD in Chart Sexy Shad and the Norman in Chart Sexy Shad have been hot sellers.. And good catchers. As are the standard Sexy Shad baits.. I am still having good luck with the Bumble Bee or the Chart Baby Bass in a Norman bait.. I'd throw the Chartreuse Killer but I am out.. Damn rocks..

Jigs are still working on the fish that won't chase a bait as eagerly. Your favorite on the south end of the lake.. A dark color up the river.

And we have heard of fish being caught from San Ygnacio to the back of the Salanaias.. Find you a rocky ledge or hump and go to work. Isolated is always better.

There are A LOT of fishermen in town this week, and I hear that Motel rooms are at a premium. As is space on the water. And I have heard from a few folks that everyone is not playing nice out there. This is south Texas boys and girls.. Let's use our manners..

There are always some soft plastic fish being caught around here, but it is not the topic of most conversations when what's working is being discussed. The spinnerbait is catching some fish as well, but it ain't at the top of the heap either.

Big fish have been caught in water from three to twenty five feet this week. And it is my belief that we are seeing just a speck of the shallow fish that are sure to follow in the next few weeks.

The lake is back to dropping a bit, and it looks like we have lost about three inches this week. But that is by a stick measurement, and not scientific. Water reports have been scarce with the holidays.

Water temps are at about 55 in the early AM, and get close to 60 in the afternoon. And maybe a bit warmer today. The two weeks of cloudy and cool dropped us a bunch in the previous two weeks. But if it stays warm for a few more days it could be on.. We'll see..

So get out your crankin sticks and get your ass down here. There's always room for one more boat..

And I promise I won't take the next week off..

Happy New Year!

December 21, 2011: It's been strange week around here.. I guess you could say that we have been having a winter mix.. Not sleet and snow, but days of kinda cool, and kinda warm.. But no extreme either way.

And in both cases, neither has done any wonders for the fishing. But it has been consistent.. Consistently so-so..

There have been some folks that have whacked em, and some folks that have done poorly. And most of them in-between..

And it is hard for me to get excited about fishing when the mercury won't climb the tube.. Some of you guys are a lot madder at em' than me..

Yesterday was a nice day as far as December goes.. A bit of wind but fishable, with bluebird skies after mid-morning and temps that made it to seventy.. And it was surely the nicest day of the week. And the nicest of the next few, the way it looks. Next Wednesday, Thursday and Friday look good.. Here comes my Christmas vacation..

And speaking of Christmas Vacation, FLT will be closed on most of Christmas eve, and all Christmas day. But I will be in the store in the morning to get you whatever you might need at the last minute..

And we will be open bright and shiny on Monday morning. And from the sound of it a lot of you will be headed down the week between Christmas and New Years. We look forward to seeing you. There's still a chance for you to break your PB in 2011. And I guarantee you some of you will.. Like young Zachary Young did this week with this nice 8.10.

Or like Falcon first timer Mike Hill who caught this 11.40 yesterday..

His boat partner also caught his PB.. But it was a paltry eight something..

Most of the guides around here are not fishing this week, but appear to be pretty booked up next week. And I imagine that after the first of the year it is going to be "on" around here. And if any of your fishing requires a pick axe, and auger, or dragging a house that does not float out on to the lake, you might as well head down here as well. I promise that we will not be parking on the lake..

The crappie fishermen are also doing well around here. Of course most of the action is under the Hwy 83 bridge. But as of late I hear that a lot of fish are being caught out of the bushes in the Veleno as well. I can tell you that the crappie are all over the lake. I whacked them in OPEC creek last summer, and we have caught them at the dam by the bucketfuls as well.

My only problem is that I am not much of a crappie fisherman. If they are on the concrete, I can catch em.. I am not so good at catching them out of the trees.. But I know some of you are, and I am telling you that we have some of the biggest and prettiest crappie you have ever seen.. Two and a half pounders are very common. And when it comes to eating fish, it just don't get much better.. I look at a crappie fillet like Rosie looks at a dozen doughnuts.. Yummy..

And while we are talking about species other than bass, we might as well talk about the species that out populates all other game fish around here.. The catfish.. You cannot drop some shrimp, stinkbait, or cut bait in the water and not get bit.. This lake is loaded with blues.. All sizes..

Most of the bass I have heard of caught here lately, are still coming on jigs. It seems to be the most consistent if there is such a thing. Fishing it slow seems to be the best thing. Dark colors up the river, and greens and browns in the mid to south lake areas. Some orange in the skirt is a good thing in the clearer water..

It is hard to concentrate around here, being I am so excited about the arrival of Santa Claus. I am sure he is going to slide his fat ass down my chimney and leave me a new fishing stick in my stocking. Last year he raided my refrigerator and left a bunch of Shiner bottles on my coffee table and the big screen still had the Playboy channel on when I woke up. This year I am crunching up a bunch of Viagra in the cookies.. That fat bastard is not getting out of the house without paying for the beer..

We hope all of you have the bestest Christmas ever, and keep in mind the reason for the season. Jesus Christ died for our dumb asses, and I believe it is best that we take advantage of his sacrifice. I don't think I need to explain it to you.. But I'll be glad to if you do..

God Bless you and your Family. And from all of us here at Falcon Lake Tackle,

Merry Christmas!

December 19, 2011: It's good to be back in the land of sand and water after a few days at the ranch.. In the mud and the muck. But it is good to see some damp ground, and a bit of winter greenery for a change. Even if you have to take your shoes off every time you walk in the house.

And it hasn't been much different here in Zapata as of late. Clouds, drizzle, rain, cold, and fish that are less than wildly enthusiastic.

But for the first time in at least ten days, the sun is shining and we have clear blue skies. Spring is in the air.. At least for a day or two.. It is easily in the seventies with a little more south wind than one would like. But a hell of a lot better than what we have seen for the last week.

The lake is still holding steady at about 277.66, or 23.36 feet low. Just about where it was last time we talked..

Not a lot has changed, (again) when it comes to the fishing. Maybe a few more reports of some spinnerbait fish than has been the norm. Still some quality fish being caught, but the numbers are still less than we are used to. If we couldn't bitch what fun would it be..

It sounds like a lot of you are headed this way the week after Christmas, and the long term weather is predicted to be fairly decent, with some rain possible early next week, but temps that will be bearable. Let's hope so.. I'm ready to get this spawn started. But that is a week away, and accuracy is not the policy of any forecasters more than a few days out.

There still has not been a Sharelunker turned into the program as of yet this season, and I only know of one that has been caught here in the last couple of months. Of course I don't hear about everything. There have been some near misses caught that went over twelve pounds, but nothing in the teenager category as of late. And believe it or not, there are some locals that do not make a big deal out of catching a big fish around here. And maybe that is out of self defense.

There are some very good fishermen who retired here, and they fish a lot. And catch a lot of big fish. And I have to pry their jaws open on occasion to get any info out of them. But if any of them catch a thirteen, I am sure I will hear about it sooner or later. Lots of these guys no longer take a picture of ten pound fish. That's still a whopper to me. And as strange as it sounds, a DD is expected pretty often by a lot folks who live here. I think our perspectives are out of whack. We are definitely spoiled.

I still think the number of Sharelunker sized fish will be down this year, and I have spoken of this in the recent past. And I believe that it will be statewide. And Falcon will be no exception. I do believe we will see a lot of big fish caught when the girls take a notion to spawn. But we will see how many over the magic thirteen actually get put in the boat.

I have no real evidence or data to support my thinking, other than a study of patterns that have occurred over the last few years. But water levels, fishing pressure, and lake cycles all play a part in my hypothesis. And it is my belief that there are just not that many thirteen pound fish in the state.

But I do believe that we will start to see a few here on Falcon in the next month. Last year I had credible evidence of about a dozen that were caught on Falcon. Not sure if we'll do that again this year. I kind of doubt it. But I do think that a few true giants will get caught. It should be fun to watch.

Of course when January and February roll around, we will have ten times the amount of hooks in the water that we have now. And catching big fish is surely a numbers game.

Brian Young caught this 10.20 this weekend. Looks like another deep water fish that moved up some.. That's a nice Christmas present.

Hope you have all your Christmas shopping done.. I better get started!

December 15, 2011: I have to keep reminding myself that it IS winter down here.. And that every few days we are going to cool off.. And maybe get wet.. But it sure is nice wearing shorts and having the windows open.. And we have some rain predicted for this weekend as well. This week has been a bit breezy, but nothing that would keep you from fishing if you want to.

And although there is not a lot of folks fishing the midweeks this time of year, there is still enough to get a feel for what the fish are doing. And the general consensus is that a lot of the fish are suspended.. And I can tell you that the Mexican netters sure think they are.. They have their nets floated out in the middle of the river and the Salado looks like a giant slalom course for water skiers.. Jugs everywhere.. Most of the nets are deep enough to drive over out in the deeper water, but use caution when your in amongst em.. They're everywhere.. Thicker than two day old red eye gravy..

I can also tell you that there are a lot of fish that are definitely getting ready for the spawn. We have seen some pics of some river fish that look as if they are ready to explode. Their skin is stretched tighter than a gnats ass stretched over a doorknob. For some of these fish, it won't be long. Especially up the river.

And speaking of the river, it is a nasty looking color in most places. But that does not mean that the fish are not there. A blue and black jig or a plastic in black neon are good choices if you are going to do some riparian fishing. I was in Oscars yesterday and the water looked like the Amazon during monsoon season. Ugly.

Here's a pic of a real Rosie that was caught on Tuesday. Tom Knox added his name to the list of folks with personal bests from Falcon with this eleven pound, one ounce beauty.

Sooie!

A lot of the fish in the river are definitely Caucasians, and they are white as snow.. Almost. Deep water fish moving up I assume.. Besides the fact that they are living in water with four inches of visibility. All signs of imminent spawning in my book.

Water temps are right about sixty in the AM, and climbing to around sixty two or three late in the day. The lake is still rising, although it is barely noticeable. And for the first time in months, Amistad was releasing more water than Falcon Yesterday.. But not much.. We are sitting at 277.54, or 23.48 feet low.

I know I am sounding a little redundant, but Jigs and Crankbaits are still the best thing going. But I did have a little luck with a chartreuse spinner bait in the muddy quagmire yesterday. The same cast of characters apply when thinking about colors, especially down the lake. Water quality on the south end is still good.

The new park is taking shape at the county ramp, and I actually have hope that it may be completed some day. It is going to be nice.

I can't believe that Christmas is only ten days away. And we hope that you and yours have a great one. And keep in mind that it is not all about what's under the tree.

Somebody asked me what I wanted for Christmas.. I had to think about it, but I have a list compiled..

I want someone to make a trap big enough to catch those giant rats on the Kia Soul commercials. I want some one to drop an anvil on the Travelocity Gnome, and I want some one to spray the Geico Lizard with diazanon.. That should get it.. Oh yeah.. And I want all beer makers to start using the Miller Light Vortex bottle.. I am so sure it makes a difference in the taste of the beer..

That and new lake record would do it for me.. And I am pretty sure I am going to catch her in the next few months..

See you on the water!

December 13, 2011: It's been a wet and cool stretch down here the last four days, and we have had just a shade over three inches of rain since last Thursday night. And although it might interfere with some fishing time, you won't hear us bitch about the precip, at least not when it is actually rain.. But I have been known to bellyache about a heavy mist.

This morning it is so foggy that John Holmes couldn't see the end of it.. But it is supposed to burn off about mid-morning and be around eighty.. Sounds good to me..

And through all this winter wetness, there have actually been some fish caught. And I'll have to admit that the fellows that have been out there are a lot madder at them than me. I am a fair weather fisherman for sure. But today does hold some promise..

I have been talking about jigs and crankbaits for so long that it seems I may never be able to change. And I still cannot. I would love to tell you that Plum Ol Monster was tearing them up, but worms are a distant fourth or so on the preferred list right now.

We are starting to hear about and see some pre-spawn fish that are really bellied up and should be the first fish on the beach as soon as the water warms a bit, or whatever happens that sends them shallow. Most of these hens have been caught in water around ten feet deep, near a creek channel, near some flats.

The full moon in January is somewhere around the eighth, and if there is any kind of warm weather around then it might be hard to find me in the store.. I've seen this movie before..

The lake has caught about four inches of water in the last couple of days. And while local rains never make much difference in our level, the good rains in the valley will mitigate the need for any heavy releases from Falcon for the next few weeks. And there is another wet weekend in store according to the folks in charge of guessing at the weather. And on a side note, Saturday Laredo broke an all time record for the most rainfall in a single day in December. It was just under three inches that fell last weekend. These guys keep more stats than the NFL.

Did you know that the Cowboys have scored less points on field goals than any other team in the last ten seconds of the last quarter in the second half of the season after once being behind when Romo has thrown for two or more touchdowns?

And I don't even know why I care anymore.. Even if the Boys limp into the playoffs, they are going to get their asses handed to them. Their secondary has more holes than Papa Gallo's in Nuevo Laredo.. I don't think I can watch it anymore.. Dammit...

But back to the lake.. We are sitting at 277.49, or 23.53 feel low. And you will have to go back to April of 2008 to find water at this level on Falcon in case you were wondering. I keep a page where I record the lake level by month and the rainfall in Zapata in case you ever wonder what the lake level was back when. You can find it here.

The Coast Guard is still here violating your fourth amendment rights if you let them. And the fun part is that they are doing it on multiple occasions. If they want to do a safety check that's fine. But stopping a boat two or three times in a day, and five or six times in a week is ridiculous. And searching your boat for no reason is just an outrage. I'll be glad to show them my safety equipment and comply with Texas law.. But that's it..

I don't know what is up with the shakedowns. And they'll all tell you that there is nothing going on. It just aggravates me that honest fishermen are being assumed guilty of "something" when they go to launch their boats. I am breaking no laws. Hell I don't even take any beer in the boat anymore. And I am certainly not hauling any kind of contraband. I just wanna fish in peace and be left alone. Is that too much to ask?

If they want to do some good then they need to get them selves out on the lake and patrol the markers. Not stand around the docks and stomp mud in peoples boats.. This crap needs to stop..

I have no problem with "Probable Cause." As long as there is some. But I can't see launching a boat as a reason to search someone's boat.. Do you?

Kenneth Walker caught this 10-1 a while back. And will be the latest entry in the Spare-A-Lunker contest.

There have been some good fish caught lately, but the numbers are still down. We'll see what happens today with the warmer weather.. It cain't hurt!

December 10, 2011: Yesterday was one of those winter days that Zapata is famous for. Very light winds and highs in the middle seventies. With some reports of biting fish.

But the pendulum has swung the other way this morning and it is a cool, wet, miserable day to fish.. It's days like this that have broken me of fishing any kind of circuit.. I just ain't doing it.. But there are plenty who do.. And are..

Yesterday seemed to be a bit better in the fishing department, or maybe it was just the ideal conditions that had the fishermen and the fish happy. But I heard a lot of good reports yesterday evening.

I am not about to say that the fishing is great, but it appears that yesterday was not too bad. Several folks I talked to said that they caught some nice quality sized fish. And through this slow period we have been experiencing, the big fish have never stopped biting.. But it seems that the numbers are just not what they should be..

I realize that we are about as spoiled as we can get down here. But the fishing has certainly not been up to Falcon standards as of late..

Jigs and crankbaits are still the predominant baits from all accounts, so I guess not a lot has changed.

The Tilapia colored jig, in either Jo Baby or Oldhams seems to be very popular. If I am fishing the Jo Baby I will trail it with a Rage Craw in the Big Tex color, and If I am fishing an Oldhams I will put a Rage Craw in Hard Candy on it.. Either of them should get you bit..

The XD Strike King crankbait in Chartreuse Sexy Shad, or regular old Sexy Shad is still catching some big fish. There is nothing wrong with the Norman in similar colors as well. But some folks swear that the XD will go a bit deeper..

The south end of the lake still appears to be fishing a lot better than the north end, and water clarity is much better on the lower end.

Water temps are in the 60° range this morning, and we are almost twenty four feet low.. And very slowly falling..

There are a few fishermen out there this morning, and SAPD Bass Club is also here this weekend as well. So I'll let you know what I hear later..

But today I am glad I am inside..

December 6, 2011: The fishing remains a bit on the unpredictable side, but I guess you could say that anytime about fishing.. You never know what's going to happen. But I can tell you one thing, the weather has not been our friend here lately. If it ain't blowing from the north, it's blowing from the south.. Whatcha gonna do?

There have been a few folks that have got on em pretty good lately. But I ain't one of em..

There were a couple of tournaments here over the last weekend. San Antonio Bass Club weighed in at the state park on Saturday, and at the county ramp on Sunday. And while I did not physically attend their weigh in on Sunday, I was coming out of the water about the same time that they were weighing.. And I saw some sacks full of fish.. And the damage to my psyche would have been irreparable if I had to see all the fish they caught knowing that I can't catch squat.. Hope to have results from their tourney soon..

And there was a tournament put on by some fellows from Mexico, and it was HQ'd at their park on the Mexican side of the lake in the Salanias. I heard that thirty something pounds was leading it on Saturday, but did not hear the final results after Sunday. I will let you know what I find out.. But I can't say I have a phone number for those guys..

There has been an extra large presence of law enforcement on the lake lately. And a lot of them at the county ramp and at the state park. And this also includes the coast guard.. What the hell we need them here for I don't know. In any case, be prepared to be cavity searched before you get your boat off the trailer. It's in the name of national security, after all.

And you should always have all of your safety equipment in order before you hit the water anyway. And your papers.. You must have your papers.. Starting to sound like 1941.. "And vhat is da nature of your trip on Falcon today? Eh heir Bendele?"

You know that I really do not hate authority figures.. And I understand that they are just doing their job. But they need to remember who they serve.. And I hate to be considered a criminal at first glance just because I like to fish. Or because I want to put a boat on a lake. Or because I live near the border.. This IS still America..

And remove your guns from your truck before you enter the state park. Because they will consider you a criminal if they catch you with a gun in there.. I heard they took about three hours out of someone's day yesterday..

There has been a lot of activity on the Mexican side of the lake as well, especially around the Salado. The helicopters are back, and there has been quite a bit of military presence on the banks as well. The Salanias has also seen its share of military around as well. But everything has been cool. I actually like the Mexican Military being around..

When I launch the boat, I head straight for the Mexican side.. And usually stay there till I come back to the ramp.. Especially when the Gestapo is in town..

Anyway, when it comes to the fishing not a lot has changed.. Some good.. Some bad.. Crankbaits and jigs are still the best things going.

A customer just came in and asked me where I'd fish today if I went out. I told him I don't know, as I have not been out on a day like this since 1984. I am not sure he believed me.. But I wasn't lying.. It is cold, cloudy, damp, and windy.. Jimmy not like.. And I don't fish in this crap.. And I've got a big pot of soup on the stove..

It would be a good day to get liquored up and spend the day in a cheap motel with a $50 hooker.. Not that I condone this sort of activity.. But it would be a good day for it..

And here's another news flash.. Rosie is engaged.. Guess I will never get my chance now.. But she is not engaged to anyone with a dangler.. She's engaged to another carpet muncher..

And just in the nick of time NASA has discovered two new giant black holes. And this has nothing to do with the story reported just above.. These holes are bigger than any other black holes previously discovered.. Do you know what this means?? Do you have any idea how significant these things are??

Me neither.. Who gives a crap.. Quit spending my tax dollars on things that do nothing for mankind.. Make that mankind here in the USA.. Take that money and use it to develop some energy producing system that will actually make a difference.. And quit trying to shove electric cars up my ass.. This is Texas and I need to pull a boat.. So start thinking outside the box. Take that UFO you found at Roswell out of mothballs and make me a motor like it has and fit it in a Ford Pickup.. I'll be waiting..

I don't know why I am worried about any of this crap anyway.. 2012 is just around the corner and we are all going to see the end of the world.. And how do I know this?? Cause the Mayans ran out of chisels and rocks when they got to 2012..

If they were such geniuses, where the hell are they..

Let's see.. What else.. Herman Cain decided to go Tiger Woods on us.. Too bad.. I was liking a lot of what he was saying.. But don't worry Herman. Tiger won a tournament last weekend.. So I know you'll be back.. Seems like both of em had more skeletons in their closets that a haunted house.. I keep waiting for Hillary to say she had an affair with him too.. It could happen.. What? Which one? Either one.. Tiger likes blondes..

Our governor has about run out of steam in the race for the nomination as well.. He should save his and our money and drop out now. Before it gets more embarrassing.. But then again we could find out that Newt is trying out the Kama-Sutra with Nancy Pelosi and that could jet-a-pult Perry back into the race..

The Cowboys still suck..

LSU will play Alabama again for the National Championship.. Yawn... Get us some playoffs!

It's cold, damp, cloudy, and windy here in Zapata.. And that's enough to piss me off.. Maybe I've got a case of SDS. Sunlight Deprivation Syndrome.. I need to call a lawyer.. There's gotta be somebody I can sue..

Well.. That ought to have about everybody offended.. I need to get this out of my system cause one of my New Years resolutions is not to speak disparagingly about anyone else.. That's gonna be a bitch..

Kevin Karmel caught this monster last week.. 11.7 lbs..

And look at this short fattie.. That's a Rosie if I ever seen one.. Eric with a 10-1..

Hope I didn't offend anyone.. Have a great day!

December 2, 2011: If you like flying kites and hang gliding then it has been a pretty good last couple of days down here.. But for fishing.. Not so much.

And while it has not been blowing a gale, it still makes it pretty tough to fish much open water. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday were nice.. But here comes the weekend and here comes the wind. Or at least it is predicted with the approaching front. And some precipitation is likely as well. There is actually rain in our forecast for the next four days.. We'll see. Monday is supposed to be wet with highs about 50.. Sounds like a day to choke a couple of chickens and make some noodles..

I'm still not sure what to think about the fishing. It has been either good or bad, depending on who you ask. So I am going to call it spotty. There have been some quality fish caught this week, and a few groups have had some great stringers. But not everybody is doing it.

One thing that I am not crazy about is the water color here on the north end of the lake. Even the Veleno, which usually has some nice water color, is very stained. Not sure what is causing it, other than the winds that have plagued us lately.

You have to get south of marker ten before it clears very much, and the farther south you go on the main lake the better it looks. I did hear from several folks yesterday that the Salanias is off color as well.

And the better fishing seems to be from the middle to the south end of the lake.

And hate it or love it, the crankbait is still catching more fish, and bigger fish, than anything else. And in the course of the day, you are gonna do a lot of chunking and winding between fish. That is till you find a pile of em.

The jig is still catching some fish as well, and there have been a few fish caught on a spinnerbait as well. But I threw a spinner in the Veleno for a while in the dirty Veleno yesterday without a bite. Evidently I was not in the right area.

If conditions were right, I would fish the mid lake south, and fish a lot of the points on the main lake and in major creeks. Of course rock is critical, whether it be natural or man made. And when you do find a group of fish that are cooperative, you can catch a bunch of them in the same spot.

Make some long casts, and when you feel the bottom, or the top of the rock pile, slow it down and tick it off the rocks. I have been throwing some suspending baits, and they seem to stay down a little better, especially when you are just creeping the bait along. But I can tell you that Norman suspending baits still float. But they do not float as fast.

The baits I talked about in my last post are still catching fish. The Bull Brem in the Norman is also doing well.

But it is all about covering some ground, making a lot of casts, and finding some biting fish.

Jim Behnken found another Falcon bass with Rosie like eating habits.. I wonder how many times they have found Rosie flopping around on the floor with a whole chocolate cake stuck in her throat..

Nicolas Muller caught this 11-11 last week over the Thanksgiving holidays.. The dam has put out a lot of big fish this year.

And I don't have the name of this young fellow who caught a whopper as well. This one went 11-4.

I do not think that the number of big fish being caught has slowed that much. But the usually friendly fish in the three to six pound range are certainly not as active as they were in the summer. I keep looking for that to change, and I'll let you know when it happens.

Water temps yesterday morning were down to around 65°, and sooner or later these fish have to get the message that winter is coming. That's twenty degrees cooler than it was not that long ago.. They better hurry. My patience is wearing thin..

November 29, 2011: The last couple of mornings have been a little cool, but nothing close to ice.. And the dust has finally settled from Sundays blow job that moved most of northern Zapata county to the south.. Glad I had the tarp on the boat..

Yesterday was a beautiful day to fish.. Sure.. Right after everybody leaves town.. But don't feel too bad.. I went fishing for you..

The reports were still mixed yesterday, but the common denominator of most of the good fishing was crankbaits. And most all of the fish were caught off rocks. Or bushes on rocks..

I hear all the time from folks who are down that they are catching a lot of six to eight pound fish but they just can't catch any big fish.. I usually ask em what a big fish is where they come from.. Because I still think that a six to eight pound fish is a good one.. But I understand their quest for the Rosies, cause all of us like fat bottomed girls..

And while it is true that Falcon Hype is all over the place, and expectations are high, it is still fishing and you still gotta catch em.. And I understand that I am personally responsible for some of the hype, but I am just reporting the facts. And if reporting the facts is hype.. Then I am guilty..

But I always try and give an honest assessment of what is going on around here..

A while back I was complaining that it had been months since I had caught a DD, but that streak finally came to an end yesterday. I got close about six weeks ago with a 9-13, but yesterday I finally got one in the boat that made the scale use a few more digits. As a matter of fact I had a really good afternoon. I had a 10-6, a 7-14, and a 6-8. Throw in a couple of four pounders that I did not weigh and that makes an easy 32 pound stringer, and by far the best day I have had in a while.

Of course I had no camera and there was no one around, (That might be a good thing). And pictures of me are not necessarily a good thing anyway.. But I had a great time..

I know I have been fishing a lot less than I'd like to lately, and this fall was a busy time for us here at the shop with all the tourneys and goings on. Seems like there is always something to do.. And I am not very good at sitting still and I'll usually invent something to do if I am stuck here in the shop. And I am sure it is sounding like I am bitching about my limited fishing time, but when I think about it I have had a decent summer/fall..

Typically my fishing is limited to a couple times a week, usually for a four or five hour period. Sometimes more.. Sometimes less. But it is rare when I take a full day to hit the water. But living here does give me the opportunity to cherry pick the days I fish. And that never hurts. I do fish a occasional tournament from time to time.

And while I have been thinking that my fishing has been poor as of late, I guess it has not really been that bad. I can think of four eights, several sevens, one nine, one ten, and a bunch of sixes that I have caught in the last three months..

I guess I need to quit bitchin and and maybe review MY expectations.. But the fact is that this lake has me as eat up as any of you guys..

I caught all of my fish yesterday on a DD-22, in Glo Perch or Bumble Bee.. And it was a weird bite.. Two thirds of the fish I caught did not have a hook in their mouth. And I had a good number of hits that did not result in a hook up. Most of the fish had the bait stuck to the outside of their head, and it appears to me that they were pissed at it but not necessarily wanting to eat it.. Hell if I know.. Maybe I was not throwing exactly what they wanted.. Kinda like when Rosie slaps the waiter cause he brought her broccoli instead of a Ding-Dong.. Just a reaction strike..

In any case I didn't care as long as they stayed hooked up.. But I can tell you that a 10-6 hooked behind the gills can pull like a freight train..

Do you realize that Christmas is less than four weeks away? Where the hell did this year go.. And if you can't think of anything to get your wife, a FLT Gift Certificate makes a good stocking stuffer.. And I promise you when you come to our store we will not Tazer you and the odds of you getting trampled by the crowd are not too high.. Did you see some of the Black Friday crap??

I just can't see myself getting to a store at three in the morning to buy the latest version of some Chinese junk that will break in the first week you own it.. And then having to duke it out with some other liquored up idiots that haven't been to bed yet. I don't think so.. I heard sales are way up from a year ago.. I guess that stimulus money is paying off.. Let's get that government money back in circulation so we can tax it again..

There have been some good fish caught lately.. Like Barry Panfil who caught two tens the same morning..

And who Allen Logan who caught this 11-2 last week..

And then there was Raymond Balcerwicz who caught this 10-14..

And our old buddy Ralph Celadon got quite the surprise when he pitched his brush hog into a bush in four feet of water and latched onto this forty one pound blue..

Never a dull moment around these parts..

Hope to see you down here when you can make it.. Only 47 days till Bass Champs... What??

November 27, 2011: The red flag is flying in Zapata today.. And I'm not talking about anything you can cure with Midol.. The wind is howling.. And supposed to get worse later in the morning.. It's just not gonna be a good day for it fellers.. I am sure that there will be a lot of folks headed north this morning.

There is a little tournament going on today with a group out of Laredo.. Good luck boys..

And speaking of tournaments... If your club has your schedule for the new year, or for the short term decided, please let me know when you are heading to Falcon so I can add your event to our tourney page. It does help other clubs and trails decide when to come, and it can also tell you when Motel rooms may be at a premium.. Not that a lot of our hotels are premium.. But they will keep the dew off of you..

The wind was a bitch yesterday as well, and if you were on land, as most of us were, you got a good skin exfoliation from all the sand in the air.. And if you wear contact lenses, it just wasn't your day..

But the few lunatics that did brave the water yesterday had some success, especially early, before the wind got up. And it was actually quite nice till about 10:00.. But after that Mother Nature pissed in the cherry basket..

Crankbaits were the thing, according to most fishermen, and looking at my Norman rack I gotta believe it.. I gotta work on that..

And through all the high winds, big waves, lost lures and turkey sandwiches, there were some big fish caught. And some good numbers caught. But certainly not by all..

Tomorrow this gale from the north is supposed to be over, with winds turning back to the southwest between five and eight.. But today might be a good day to rustle up a poker game..

November 25, 2011: It appears that the Jekyll and Hyde fishing continues here on Falcon, with one group reporting some good action, and the next saying that the fishing stinks.. But I reckon a lot of it boils down to timing and location. And if you happen to be where the fish are biting when the fish are biting, you can do pretty good. But overall I'll still have to say that the fishing is fair, no better.

From the sound of it, the early morning bite is the best thing going. And the last hour ain't too bad either if you are still out there. But be prepared to go thru some slack times between bites.

The wind is also going to be a factor for the next couple of days, with a front approaching us tonight, and a chance of rain for tomorrow. The south wind is blowing pretty good right now.

The folks that did good yesterday, and yesterday was a good day to fish, caught most of their fish on jigs. And there were some good ones caught as I talked to several folks that caught double digit fish yesterday.

The best depth was still inside of fifteen feet according to reports.. And keep in mind all of this I am passing on to you as second hand info. I can't even remember where my boat is parked.. But I intend to remedy that this week.

The lake has been holding pretty steady for the last week or so, and today we are sitting at 277.63, down only about a tenth of a foot in the last week. Water temps are still right around seventy degrees, a few degrees above what is usually going on around here this time of year.

The boys from TPWD Inland Fisheries were down here last week doing their fall shocking survey, and without doing all the math, if sounded like results were similar to last fall, with good numbers of fish being found. And shocking up fish is still a bit of a hit or miss proposition, but so far it is still about the only way to take a random sampling from a lake. As long as it is done consistently it can at least give you some numbers to compare year to year. And this year they are doing an aging study on fish from thirteen to fifteen inches long. In the past, these fish have been from twelve to fourteen months old.. They do grow fast around here..

I hope all of you had a good Thanksgiving, and got plenty to eat. I know I did. And it was a tough drive back down here yesterday evening after gorging myself on all things turkey related. It's that damn triptofan..

I have a bunch of pics to post, and will ASAP.. But it's crazy around here..

November 21, 2011: You know there have been a lot of times that I have told you to quit your job, sell your house, and get your ass down here.. Well this ain't one of those times. If there is such a thing as tough fishing on Falcon, then I would have to say that this is one of those periods.

I am not saying that you can't catch fish.. But we certainly aren't killing em..

Of course the last few days have been about as windy as any spell in recent memory, and that does not help things any either.

There have still been some good reports, but they are far outnumbered by reports of folks saying that they only caught a few fish.

And this is supposed to be a big numbers month.. Hell if I know..

Fish are as scattered as Nancy Pelosi's thoughts, and there is just no telling where you are going to run into fish. They are everywhere, and nowhere.. Damn frustrating..

I know a lot of you are planning on being down here over the Thanksgiving weekend, and I hope things turn around a bit before then. We'll see.

And speaking of Thanksgiving, We'd like to thank all of you who have visited our store throughout the year. We certainly could not be here with you. Thank You!

And while we are on the subject, don't forget to thank God that you live in the USA, the best invention since gunpowder.. We may not be perfect, but we're a damn sight better than anything else that has ever been tried..

If you do go fishing, I would take a few jigs, a white spinner bait, and a big fluke. Throw that spinner in some skinny water near the rocks. That has been the best thing I have here lately. But I have made many casts with a lot of different baits lately, for few fish.. But if you get out there and bust it, you will still catch some fish. But for me it has been pretty slow by Falcon standards.

There were a few giants caught over the weekend, as I saw pics of several elevens, and a handful of tens.. But there were a lot of fishermen on the water..

We will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, and early on Wednesday.. Ain't either one of us going to miss Mama's Turkey and Dressing.. But we'll be here early on Friday to get you whatever you need..

Have a great holiday..

Happy Thanksgiving!

November 17, 2011: It was a cool and breezy morning here in Zapata, but the north wind has laid down a bit and it is pretty darn nice around here this afternoon. And although it was a bit cool this morning, we are supposed to be in the seventies this evening, and headed for a weekend of mid-eighties.. You gotta love winter in Zapata..

We had some good reports on the fishing yesterday evening, and a few of the guides we talked to really put the whack on em with some stringers nearing fifty pounds. Big fish reportedly bit early on crankbaits, and jigs later in the day. Deep diving baits in Bull Brem by Norman and Sexy Shad in most bottom scrapers will get it done. And I continue to hear good things about the XD baits from Strike King..

I hate fishing that deep stuff.. But the good news is that I have been hearing more reports of decent numbers of fish being caught on spinner baits in the flats with brush near deeper water.. It's about time. Maybe even I can catch some. And I plan on throwing some if I ever get out of the store.

There are still a lot of fish being caught in the bushes, especially after a cool front blows through. Seems like these fronts will put these fish tight to the cover on a lot of occasions. Chunk a jig or a big soft bait in the middle of a thicket and see what happens.. At least sometimes..

From all the calls and e-mails we are getting it appears that a lot of you will be headed our way before you get your turkey digested. Sounds like a plan to me.. We used to do it all the time too.

And I know it is just the middle of November, but around here thoughts have already turned to pre-spawn fish. At least for a few of us Whackos.. I know what you are thinking.. He's finally lost it.. But it ain't far away I promise you. A few years ago we were catching fish on beds the day after Christmas.. And no it's not like we saw em down there on their Perfect Sleepers, but what the hell else are a bunch of big, fat fish doing in six feet of water glued to the trees..

Our spawn usually starts up the river and works its way down the lake. And I hear that is common in a lot of lakes. But last year it seemed that the entire lake went into spawn mode about the same time. If you remember last year, we only had about two weeks of winter down here, and when the water warmed just a bit it was on.. I love global warming..

No one knows for sure what we have in store for the next couple of months. And our water is still right around 70°, give or take from day to day. And in normal years, we get in the middle sixties and a bit lower, and in cold years we get in the fifties. And one thing I can tell you for sure is that Falcon fish do not like water in the fifties. And if the water stays in the fifties for an extended time, these fish will do their best Rosie impersonation. They'll just sit there fat and lazy and chew their cud.. I've see it too many times..

There was some site fishing to be had last spring, with the water up in the green trees, and that seemed to filter the water a bit and give us some good visibility. But that is not happening this year as we have a lot of exposed banks and the wind has done a good job of keeping a lot of color in the water, especially on the north end of the lake. I'd call it downright ugly in the river for the last two months. Of course the southern end of the lake has some of that famous Falcon green water with visibility down to about three feet in the right places.

Lots of fish have still been caught in the ugly water, but something in my mind makes me hate it.. Black and Blue jigs caught a lot of fish the last few months above Beacon. And there are still a lot of fish in those big willows on the river channel..

If there is such a thing on Falcon, we have had more fishing pressure on the lake than ever before. I'm not talking about Fork style pressure, but there have been a lot of folks down here this fall. And from the sound of it there will be a lot of folks down here this spring. Can't say I blame em..

Cause there won't be a better place in Texas where a feller will have a better chance to catch a double digit bass..

And I still believe that a new lake record will be caught during this spawning season.

We have a great year class of fish that came from the spring of 2004, and that is where most of these twelve and thirteen pound fish are coming from that have been caught lately. And 2005 was no slouch either.

When the Elites were here in 2008, there was a thirteen pound fish caught in the tournament. It didn't make it, and that fish was aged by TPWD at seven years old. And I think there will be a good number of fish in that age group that are going to be caught in the next four or five months. And in this period from 04 till present we have had some excellent conditions here. It should be fun to watch.

And I can think of no three year periods like we have just had that were as favorable for fry survival since the early nineties. The next few years should be fantastic, if the damn cormorants didn't eat em all.

That's a problem that we do have, and it sounds like no one really cares about it.. Except the fishermen.. But it is going to affect a lot of Texas lakes if the powers that be don't open their eyes to the problem.. It already is.. And saying that we can't do anything about it here in Texas because it is a federal law that protects them ain't getting it for me.. It has to start somewhere, and I think it is time we all start bitching.. Do you know that we have a treaty with Canada and Mexico protecting them?

Besides I have twenty cases of steel shot magnums I need to shoot.. And that would cost me a lot less than another trip to Argentina..

Still no Sharelunkers turned in this year, and while it is early, I personally believe that it is going to be a down year. I have heard of one thirteen caught here on Falcon.. But only one. And if I was Barry St Clair, I would go ahead and get that replica repainted, because I think it will be the state record for a good while longer.

I am not sure if Falcon can grow a state record, but if it is ever going to, it ought to happen in the next few years. 18.18 just don't happen in Texas.. Well at least not in the last twenty years.. But like I said, I will be fun to watch..

November 15, 2011: It's the time of year when you can wear out the mercury in your thermometer, as one morning it is cold, and the next afternoon it is hot. And this morning is actually a bit wet.. We'll take what we can get.

The weather folks have missed the last couple chances they had at predicting rain, but it looks like all of the ground between Zapata and Del Rio are getting at least something out of this one.. Although it looks like it is going to tail out right above us.. Again..

I haven't been on the water in about six days, but there were plenty of other folks who tried their luck here on Falcon.. And while some did well, I'm still not hearing of people going out and crushing the numbers. Sure there have been some big fish caught, as always, but those fish represent a lot of man hours on the water. But no one has told me that they have just gone out there and kicked their ass.. So the report that I am trying to relay to you is that the fishing is somewhere between fair and good, but certainly not great.

Not a lot has changed in the way of lure selection, and the crankbait bite is still good I hear.. And one of the favorites is the XD series in a shad pattern.. They must be throwin this SOB in another time zone from where I am fishing cause I can't catch a stick on it.. Yet people talk about it every day.. Maddening.. The deep Norman baits are reportedly working well also.. Shad patterns, or something with some green or chartreuse..

I do know that the soft plastic bite is still as good a bet as any, because when the fishing gets tough here on Falcon, you can always flip your way to a smile.. And if you target the trees in the six to twelve foot range, and throw your bait right in the middle, between the bark and the sap, you are gonna get bit. Sometimes a lot.. Sometimes not.. But it has been the most consistent thing going for me for a long time.

I am always bragging about how good the fishing is here, and I try not to stretch the truth too much. But when the fishing is less than awesome I'll tell you that too.. And it has been less than awesome as of late.

This time of year we should be catching big numbers of fish in the backs of creeks and pockets on spinnerbaits and shallow running cranks. But from all reports the spinner bait bite has been slow.. But I know it will turn around before too long.

John Dick caught this 10-5 last week..

And Johnnie Nowell caught his first Falcon DD as well with this fish that went 10-5 as well

Kevin Liggett caught this 10.04.. More Crankbait fish..

And caught Todd McClure caught this 10-2 on a crank as well.. He said they also caught several others over eight on the crankbait as well..

Most of these fish were caught off rocky points and outside brush lines. SOS.. And the same patterns have been producing fish for months.. Just seems that you have to cover a lot of water sometimes to catch many fish..

I have been at the ranch for a few days, and I think I shot my rifle more times than I have in the last five years.. And I wasn't shooting at a target either.. I killed a doe, a cull buck, a Turkey, a coyote, a fox, and an armadillo.. I don't usually mess with the armadillos but this one had been tearing up my Mom's yard..

Plus I killed three possums with a hoe handle.. I guess I killed the South Texas Grand Slam..

The sausage and jerky are made.. Time to get back to work.. And back on the water..

November 10, 2011: It's a bit cool this AM, and it's one of those mornings where wind chill will save you some gas money.. But we are headed for a nice weekend and near record high temps here in Zapata. It should be around eighty eight on Sunday.. I love fall in Zapata..

Yesterday was a tough day to fish, but the fish cooperated with a lot of the fishermen, who were brave enough to fish during the frontal passage. But it was one of those days that will make a man swear off tournament fishing.. And we had a nice cold shower about four O'Clock to cap it off. It measured less than a tenth here at the shop.. But it did settle the dust for a bit..

I'm headed out to the ranch to whack a nanny or two, and make some sausage. You know how us Germans are.. But before I leave I wanted to send out a little note to all the Veterans who have served our great country, and the men and women that are presently serving. I can guarantee you that your service and sacrifice has not, and will not go unnoticed buy all of us here at FLT.

Thanks to all of you who have given so much so we can live without fear and pursue all of our dreams in complete freedom.

And if the crap ever hits the fan here in America you know that there are millions of us rednecks, from Carolina to California, that have your back and we'll be right there with you.

Thank You, and God Bless You!

Happy Veterans Day! Now Go Thank One!

November 8, 2011: Well if there is such a thing as fall in Zapata, it must be here.. Cause we are at least getting a change of direction in the winds every week or so.. And another is on our doorstep as I write. Lows are supposed to be in the forties on Wednesday and Thursday mornings, but we are supposed to rebound quickly into the eighties by the weekend. At least they have been rolling in during the week.. And it looks like this one won't produce any rain either..

We usually do not get any rain that helps the lake level much during the winter, with the exception of a freak storm every now and then. And I'm not ruling one out, but it does not look good for the near future. And if it doesn't rain in the early spring, and keep the valley wet, things are going to get ugly around here about March.

We have had a ton of Snowbirds hit town the last couple of weeks, and they all want to know where the water went.. I tell em it has gone in the gulf, and stayed in Amistad.. And not that I put much stock in it, but the weather gurus are predicting another dry year to come. I reckon we'll see.

But we have been living in a dream world as far as water goes for the last three years.

I don't have to tell you how good we have had it compared to many other Texas lakes, with the low water levels in many across the state. Some are unusable, and many are down right dangerous if you do not know the ropes. We are still able to travel Falcon without too many hazards and obstacles, and I will let you know of any new areas to avoid as I hear about or see them. But if you are on the lake and see anything that needs to be brought to light, please let me know and I'll pass it on.

As the water continues to fall, we will start seeing more and more of the giant hardwoods that inhabit the banks of the old river channel. Many of the old ones are made out of anvils, and they will reshape your prop and the bottom of your boat. If you don't know the lake well then be sure to stay in the channel when you are running the lake, especially if you are headed north of the Veleno. The channel is the deep part between the trees.. :-) Keep an eye on your GPS..

Fishing has been good and bad, depending on who you ask. Everyone is catching a few, some are doing good, and some are whacking them.. I have been somewhere between the first two..

On Sunday afternoon, I tied on five different crankbaits, all deep divers, on five different rods. And I went to the Salado. I was in an area where I have been catching some decent numbers of fish, and an occasional big one. I have been hearing so much good stuff about the hard baits that I just had to give it a try.

In two different spots I threw each one of the cranks ten times each. That's 100 casts without catching a fish.. So I picked up a rod with a worm on it and chunked it into a tree.. Thump.. Man I like soft plastics..

So I stuck with the Ol Monster and the Mag Fluke and managed a few fish, with another 8-13 mixed in. But I did not kill em.. But I only fished about three hours, in my defense..

The last three big fish I have caught have all weighed 8-13 on my scale. So I was starting to get a bit suspicious. So I came home and weighed a gallon of paint, a window weight, a bag of ice, and a used condom vending machine from the old Texaco station in Castroville.. (Still trying to get my change out of it..)

In any case it all seemed to be in order.. I had done some twins before back in high school, but this is the first time I ever did a set of triplets..

But in any case, I'll sell you all the crankbaits you want, but I am gonna stick with the soft plastics.. But I am still hearing crankbaits, crankbaits, crankbaits..

Two good choices I hear are the Jelly Bean in the Norman DD-22, and also the Bull Brem. Also the XD series from Strike King in the Sexy Shad or something with that bluie gray color..

But the Big Fluke is still catching fish as well as the Big Senko..

I truly believe it is a lot more about being around the fish than it is about the bait.. But it usually is..

The Fourth Annual FLT Bass Blast! date has been set, and this year it will take place on the 14th and 15th of April. Not a lot will change from last year, other than clarifying a few rules about eligibility. And a full set of rules will be available before too long.

Last year we had sixty-eight teams and I think everybody had a good time.. Of course we will feed you again on Saturday evening at the Captains Meeting, and we will again give away a truck load of door prizes.

So put it on your calendar now..

I'm working on a story about the decline in numbers of the monster bass in Texas. And of course I am talking about fish over fifteen pounds. And it is my gut feeling that we will see a low number of Sharelunker bass this season, for a variety of reasons. But mostly, I believe, that there just aren't that many..

Typically, in low water years, I believe the big fish get caught a lot more. But it is my belief that we are over the hill and headed into the valley on a lot of lakes, and it is going to take some time and some good conditions, and some policy changes, to ever get back to where we have been when it comes to giant fish.

Of course this is all speculation, but speculation with a lot of research. And I would love to get proved wrong.. But we'll see about the end of May.. And if I'm wrong, you can rub my nose in it.. I won't mind..

I am sifting through the data from the last few years of recorded big fish info, and while I find a few bright spots, there are a lot of poorly illuminated ones as well. And I am afraid that a few of the bulbs are about to burn out..

November 5, 2011: For the first day of deer season, we sure have a lot of folks down here fishing.. Not that I didn't sell a lot of hunting licenses today.. But there's a lot of folks fishing.. They're thicker than Rosie's chest hairs..

And it appears that the crankbait bite has taken center stage, with lots of fish being caught on deep and midrange hard baits. Shad and perch colors, a lot of them with some purple in them, have been a hot item the last couple of days.. And most folks are crankin' rocky drops and outside edges of brush lines, and preferably a combination of the two.

Here's a crankbait fish from yesterday caught by Will Reeves.. They thought it might make 13.. Near miss..

12.44.. No worries.. She's back in the lake..

And here's another fish that is a lot more uncommon.. Caught at the boat ramp area..

This is the fourth smallie I have seen/heard of this last 12 moths.. Reckon they surfed here out of Amistad during the flood.. Man.. I'd like to see a flood again.. We are 22.96 feet low.. What the hell did they do with all that water..

Water temps down to around 71 this morning I hear..

Good fishing has been reported yesterday and today.. Today is a bit windy, but very pleasant.. Good numbers and some big stringers have been reported.. I heard of another twelve a few minutes ago but no pics just yet..

So I don't know about my fishing rating being at six.. Maybe it is just me.. But I might have to bump it up a bit..

I was watching the news last night.. Why? I don't know.. Just a touch of Masochism I guess.. And they said that the Greeks barely saved going broke with a vote of confidence for their President/Prime Minister/Ruler dude.. What the hell.. He's probably part/most of the problem.. And they say that this will only stretch out their solvency for a few months.. Why not get it over with.. That way we can see how we will be before to long..

Besides.. Money ain't money anymore these days.. Just because you have a digital number in a computer somewhere you are rich or poor.. Last I heard was that only 8% of US money is in actual currency.. And that is just paper..

Maybe it is time to sell out, move to the ranch, plant some taters and guard the fences.. I like eating deer anyway.. And Possum.. Nothin like possum innards on a cold winters day..

And how bout these bunch of young idiots that don't have a clue about life or making a living, camping out in the major cities across America.. Never spent a day without electricity, running water or a computer.. Maybe this is the first time for a lot of em.. Maybe it will be a learning experience for some.. " Mom! It was terrible.. I had to pee behind a tree!"

They ain't got a clue as to what hard times are.. Basically a bunch of Pussies.. Pull your heads out of your ass, go get a job at McDonalds for a while and if you are the genius you have shown to be on TV, then certainly one of the Fortune 500 companies will scoop you up before too long..

Just thinking about these dumb bastards pisses me off.. Idiots..

I better quit on that subject before someone gets the impression that I think they are stupid.. I'd hate to damage their Psychies..

Any way.. Get down here and throw some crankbaits.. Just heard about another twelve..

November 3, 2011: Well it's that time of year again.. Time to dig out that turkey baster, make some deer sausage, chop some firewood, and talk about the 2011-2012 Sharelunker season.. Which is underway, by the way..

And although there have been no fish submitted so far this year, I am sure there will be. Last year the first fish was not submitted till December fifteenth, which is later than usual.. And back in 2008, there was not one turned in till January thirteenth.. In 2009, the first fish was turned in on the twenty eighth of September, actually a couple of days before the season actually opened.. So I reckon that one could be turned in any day..

With the closure of Falcons only holding station for Sharelunker, I am not sure what it is going to mean for Falcon's thirteen pound fish that get caught. At first I was all smiles about it.. Until I thought about it. Because on the surface one would think that if there is no holding station here, certainly no one would keep a giant waiting on a truck that would be at least five hours away. There would be a pretty good chance that the fish would die. At least that is what I think.

But odds are that some will still call for the truck.. We'll see..

If I knew, or even thought, that the Sharelunker program was growing bigger fish, or even growing fish faster, I would have a holding tank here at FLT. But neither of these two theories have been able to hold any water. As a matter of fact, the numbers of our very biggest fish have declined quite a bit since the inception of the Sharelunker program. I have documented this a few times in the past.

It seems that everyone, well, not everyone, thinks that the Sharelunker Program is responsible for the big fish we have in Texas. Nothing can be farther from the truth.

But while the meat and potatoes of the SL program have made no difference in the fishing in Texas, it has certainly been a great marketing strategy for getting fishermen to come and fish in Texas.

So much disinformation exists about the SL program that it has become a self perpetuating phenomenon. Congrats to TPWD on a great campaign.. But if you look at the facts, you will find that like most political campaigns, what gets promised rarely gets delivered.

And here is the one thing that really sticks in my craw.. Every time a fish is turned in to the SL program, a big media release is put out saying "Texas Produces Another Sharelunker!" And lots of people think that that fish was in the water because of the SL program.. Nothing can be farther from the truth.

That fish is simply a Texas grown bass, more than likely with a lot of Florida genetics. And its existence in the lake had NOTHING to do with the SL program.

And TPWD has done little to get the facts out there.. Only in the last year have they started telling us about how many of the fish are Floridas, how many die, and how many actually spawn. Actually you won't find any of this info in a press release. You'll have to find it on their website. BTW.. The last two years only four fish have spawned each year..

How can you be so sure about all of the above, you ask? Because the introduction of SL fingerlings into public waters in Texas lakes did not start occurring till 2006. That's twenty years after the first Sharelunker was turned in..

What happen to all the fry during all that time?? Makes you wonder, don't it.. I am sure a lot of people assumed that we had been catching them for years..

In any case, no lakegrows fish faster than Falcon, especially under the fine conditions we have had for the last six to eight years. And the fastest documented fish that has grown to thirteen pounds was eight years old. And I would say that that it is a bit unusual for fish to grow that fast..

So of the miniscule number of SL fingerlings that have been stocked in public waters, it will be at least three to five years before a true Sharelunker Sharelunker could even be possible.. Don't hold your breath..

So, yeah.. You can tell me that the SL program works.. It does, at getting people to come fish Texas.. But it has Squat to do with the big fish we are catching in Texas.. But you already knew that. You might not want to accept it.. But you know it is true..

Only the introduction of Florida genes, mild climate, and lakes that have the forage it takes to grow em, has produced the incredible fishing that Texas has today.. It's not magic.. Don't be afraid to look behind the curtain..

Here's a list of Major Lakes that have rec'd SL stockings.

Fork: 4,800 in 06. 2,897 in 08. 2,220 in 10. And 39,872 in 2011.

Amistad: 4,519 in 2006. 2,614 in 08. And 2,081 in 2010.

Falcon: 2,842 in 2008. 2,091 in 10. And 30,488 in 2011.

Ivie: 8,143 in 2010. 34,064 in 2011.

Sam Rayburn: 2,604 in 2008.

Toledo Bend: 4,592 in 2006. And 2,604 in 2008.

Caddo: 3,408 in 2009. 2,166 in 10. and 32,037 in 2011.

How bout Lake Naconichie?? In 2009 they got 173 adult fish, and 95,389 fingerlings.. That's not a typo..

There are a lot of other lakes where a tiny number of SL derived fry have been stocked, but that is probably just more for show and a news release than anything else. Because most lakes just can't produce bass that weigh thirteen pounds. I ain't saying it can't happen.. But it is just very unlikely..

Here's the link to TPWD's stockings page so you can check out your lake.

Keep in mind that if two percent (2%) of these fish survive to maturity it will be a wildly successful stocking. Of course nobody knows for sure what percentage of fingerlings survive when being stocked in the wild.. But you do have to start somewhere.. And every lake's predators differ.. But I can tell you that Bass think Baby Bass are tasty..

You may have read in the past that SL fish grow faster than "wild fish." Well that might be.. And I am sure they do.. As wild fish are not pure Floridas like their SL cousins.. That's why we brought Floridas to Texas in the first place.. They grow to be much bigger and grow faster..

And after some discussion, (with some from me and much in the fisheries department) TPWD is going to start an experiment that compares growth rates of SL fingerlings against Pure Florida fingerlings. So we will finally see an Apples to Apples test. But don't get in a hurry for the results.. The experiment hasn't started yet and it will run from four to six years.. We'll all have to wait on that data.. But I've got a hundie that says the growth rate differences between these two fish will be negligible..

I acquired all the info used in this post from the TPWD website, and from talking with folks from TPWD.

And as always I welcome your e-mails with your comments or questions.. I just love talking about Sharelunker..

November 3, 2011: This has to have been the shortest year in history.. Can you believe it is November? Christmas commercials mixed in with all the political ads.. What a bonus.. And I am surprised that there is even room for the Christmas commercials.. Being the Lawyers have bought up all the air time..

"Have you ever been exposed to sunlight? If you have you may be entitled to financial compensation.. Call us at the office of Rapem and Fleecum and we'll make somebody pay!"

Aaah, The Holidays.. At least if it was the shortest year in history, it happened during the Obamma Administration.. There's a small plus..

No doubt the fall season is upon us, and currently we have a north wind blowing, and last night we had some gusts that were pretty stout. And we are supposed to be breezy all day today, but a quick recovery and light winds and nice temps for tomorrow and the weekend. Saturday and Sunday temps are supposed to be in the eighties.. Now that's nice fall weather in South Texas.. You'll be able to wear shorts in the deer blind for the opener this year.. Again..

And with the cooler air temps and the lessened hours of daylight, our water has cooled into the lower seventies, and most main lake places I was yesterday the surface temp was about 73 degrees. And with the cooling temps the fish should be getting the message that it is time to put on the feed bag before winter truly arrives. But in my estimation, they haven't gone Elvis on the groceries just yet..

I fished a bunch of main lake creek mouths yesterday, and a bunch of rock piles. I had one bite on the rock piles.. And I did not do much better fishing the open water creek edges either.. I found plenty of bait on my machinery.. But evidently the fish were not interested in eating at the places I was fishing.. At least not very many of them..

In my defense I did not fish any places that I had fished in a long time. Just out there looking around. Research.. Or at least that is what I call it..

We heard from several folks yesterday that caught some good fish, and most of them were caught on deep diving crankbaits. And that has been a popular lure here lately.. The DD-22 and the Strike King XD series are doing well, as are the deep diving Bombers.. So if you like the deep crankin baits, your ship has come in.

There are still a lot of fish in the bushes, and flipping trees in about ten feet of water will most always get you bit.. But sometimes you've got to flip a lot of bushes to find what you are looking for.

I am not going to say that the fishing is stellar right now, as this is not a period when you have to hide behind a tree to bait your hook. You are going to catch fish, but you might have to work a little harder than usual.. I'm gonna give the overall fishing a rating of 6.. And it has been a while since I regarded it that poor.. But this is Falcon and next week I might be telling you it is a 9.. We'll see..

There is one hazard I need to tell you about.. And it is the old concrete bridge abutment in the middle of the river between the Salado and the Hedieona. This thing is between three and four feet underwater as I write, depending on the wave height. You need to avoid this thing with your boat.. Here's the Coords for this one..

N 26° 52,702

W 99° 19,593

Cody Johnson Caught this 11-03 last month.. That's a biggun..

We have had a shop full of people all morning, with a lot of foot shuffling and staring at the floor.. It's nasty windy out.. There's always tomorrow..

But if I set up a poker table in the back I bet we would have a full house..

October 31, 2011: Happy Halloween! If you are into that kind of Debauchery.. Too scary for me.. But I did once feel a witches tit inside a brass bra.. And I really can't say that I didn't like it.. But I wasn't sure what she had planned for that broom and I bailed.. Guess I watched the Wizard of Oz too many times when I was a kid..

The Texas Pro-Am wrapped up yesterday afternoon, and although the turnout was disappointing, the results were excellent.

Saturdays second place team became Sundays best, and Pat Starnes and Bobby Peek took the top spot with a two day total of 49.65 pounds of fish. Let's see.. Divided by six my math says that that's about a 8.28 pound average.. Not too shabby neighbor..

In second was the team of Charlie Haralson and Darrell Denton, with 41.64.. Slackers..

And in third was Tim Griffin and Jason Golihar with 40.61..

Big bass of the event was a 12.10 caught on Sunday by the team of Wade Hobaugh and Dean Alexander.

I will post full results in the tourney section shortly..

It's a beautiful day in south Texas.. You should be here.. Cause it looks like there are still a few bigguns left to catch..

I gotta go finish my Halloween costume..

October 30, 2011: Pro-Am update.. Just came back from weigh-in.. Top three weights are:

Tim Griffin and Jason Golihar. 24.03 with a 8.71.

Pat Starnes and Bobby Peek. 23.09 with a 9.48.

Charlie Haralson and Darryl Denton. 20.56 with a 7.29.

Sorry no pics but I had my head in a fish tank..

October 30, 2011: It's about as pretty a day as a man could ask for around here today.. Very light wind, a low about 50 and headed for 75.. What the hell am I doing in here..

The Texas Pro-Am is underway, albeit with a very low turnout.. Only about twenty boats in the tourney.. But it is what it is and weigh-in today will be at three.. I'll let you know what happens..

I am not a big fan of fishing right after a big front, but the conditions are about perfect.. But cool fronts are going to be a fact of life for the next few months.. Like about five.. If I was fishing today, I would be flipping a lot of bushes, right down the middle of em.. In about eight feet of water.. Oh.. Wait a minute.. That's what I always do..

I fished Thursday, and had a really good time of it. It was a bit breezy, with a south wind, but the fish were on some sloppie, gravely, drops, with trees mixed in.. And the fish were in the trees. And some of them I hooked are still in the trees.. Most of the fish I caught were in the three pound range, with a five mixed in and one unknown that tried to turn me into a water skier. But being I did not have my life jacket on I broke her off.. I am sure she was between three and twelve pounds though..

I was having trouble getting bit, so I went back to basics.. I was throwing a Mag Ol Monster in Plum, and they were eating it up. And when I ran out of them I went to the Plum Ol Monster and they bit it just as well. And when I ran out of those I found a pack of the BPS 12" squirmin worm in plum and they liked it just as well. I think they wanted plum that day.

Yesterday was a tough one to fish, as the North wind persisted till well after dark. And reported results were not the best.

I did hear of the first thirteen caught this fall, and a pic of it is on the Spare-A-Lunker page. And in the near future I reckon most of the big fish pics will be on that page.

The water is starting to cool, and we are just starting to see some balls of bait starting to stack up on the mouths of creeks. Good place to throw a crankbait, and in these open areas you may actually get it back to the boat without loosing it. Water temps this AM are about 73-74 degrees. And the lake level is down to 278.45, or 22.57 low.

Lots of the Snowbirds that are showing up are a little freaked out by the contrast of water levels from when they left town in March of April.. I guess I am too. They have been pulling water pretty hard the last ten days.. Not sure what they are doing with it.. Guess the gulf is a quart low.. I keep telling them not to fill above the hashmarks..

I am a little bummed out after watching the World Series' last two games.. What the hell happened?? I had the foil off the champagne bottle tops.. Bet they did too.. Congrats to the Cardinals.. They are a resilient bunch. I think they used the Rope A Dope move on the Rangers.. Next year baby..

At least we still have the Cowboys.. Wonder what the over/under on showing a cheerleader is this week..

There has been a lot of talk about the new Alabama Rig that Elias used in the Elite tourney last weekend. And while we don't plan on stocking any of them, I decided to make one of my own and give it a try. So far I am 0 for twenty casts.. But it does look pretty cool in the water.. I will give it a try around some schoolies when I happen on some.

I'll let you know what happened in the tourney later..

October 26, 2011: Fishing may have toughened up a bit the last week for some, but a few folks have had some really good days. I fished the south end of the lake yesterday in a hurricane, and only managed a few fish on crankbaits.. Maybe because that was the only bite I could feel.. Today is windy as well.. I figure tomorrow morning before the front should be awesome.. Maybe.. But I'm gonna give it a try..

Kevin Richard (Pronounced Ree-shard) caught this whopper yesterday.. It went 11-6..

And Lynn Moore caught this 10 even as well..

And you may have already seen this pic of Cody Johnson.. Second BB in the Bass Champs tourney.. 11.29.

As my old girlfriends would say.. "That's a long train..." Scared a few of em so bad they got the hiccups.. But I digress.

There is no longer a Sharelunker holding station here at Falcon, so we have started a program here at Falcon Lake Tackle to take it's place.. Toyota is not funding it so we don't quite have the budget we would like.. But here is how it goes..

If you catch a ten pound plus fish here on Falcon, and bring/send us a picture of it, and we believe it could weigh ten pounds, then we will put your name in the hat for a free replica, courtesy of FLT. Of course the fish has to be released right after it has been documented.. We'll trust your scale in the boat.. Long as the pic looks credible.. We still believe that a ten pounder is a mount worthy fish..

This little raffle shall be known as the Spare-A-Lunker program.. Second and third place winners will get a FLT prize pack valued at upwards of seven dollars.. How can you say no.. But I'll see if I can't get a vendor or two to donate some goodies for the give away.. The winner will be drawn around April 15th, at the Fourth Annual FLT Bass Blast Tournament.

P.S. I had nothing to do with the fact that there is no holding station here.. Honest.. But now more than ever it is important to turn those teenagers loose.. Those fish will not survive the six or more hours it will take to get a TPWD truck here..

If the store is not open tomorrow morning early it will be because we got all liquored up celebrating the Rangers World Series victory.. It could happen..

I watched the game a couple nights ago, and damn if I didn't see the same old commercials.. The stitches on my wrists are starting to itch..

October 24, 2011: It was a busy weekend here on the lake, and finding a parking place at the county ramp yesterday mid-morning was interesting.. There was plenty of room to park, but you did have to walk a ways.. I shoulda gotten there earlier.

And as the lake continues its slow but steady fall, and the winter migration of Snowbirds continues, we are going to see a busy year at the county ramp. Because most of the RV parks' ramps are not functioning at this level. Or they are on secondary ramps with limited parking and some tough maneuvering.. Nobody likes that.

But the county ramp will serve us for a long time to come, so no worries.. And although there are two more secondary ramps at the county, I personally never want to see them again..

And speaking of the County Ramp, the new park is starting to take shape.. Maybe they'll be finished by the end of the year..(2013)

In any case, it is going to be nice whenever they get through.

Fishing was reported as good, but not fabulous over the weekend. But early returns from the Bass Federation tourney on Saturday saw three or four stringers between twenty and twenty four pounds for three fish.. I call that pretty good. I hope to post full results later today..

I got out yesterday from 11:00 till 3:00, and boated sixteen fish. No monsters in the batch and I certainly missed a bunch.. But I think it was the fish and not me.. I was throwing a jig, and fish would nock the paint off it, but not eat it.. Maybe I was just too slow on the uptake, but I was really having trouble hooking many jig fish.. And you're probably tired of hearing it but I switched to a W/M Red Mag Fluke and started catching fish. Of course my confidence level in the Fluke is higher than Charlie Scheen.. I love that bait..

And although it was a beautiful day, and I mean beautiful, I got off the water to watch the Cowboys..

I fished ISOLATED trees all I could yesterday.. The last ones in a line or the last one you could find on the end of a point. And on the ends of the points I was looking for trees under the water.. Even if it was a twig.. It's attached to something bigger, believe me.. The fishies is in them trees..

Water depth on the ends of the points was from seven to fourteen feet deep, and the better fish came out of around ten to twelve. This pattern is working in any creek on the lake.

Water temps are down to 75 -76 in the afternoons, and that is down ten degrees in the last few weeks. I hear we have another big cool front headed our way on Thursday.. But we have 90's till then. Better bust it this week.

We are down to 278.86, or 22.16 feet low. With a slow fall continuing.

And speaking of the Cowboys, they actually won a game.. Of course they were playing the winless Rams.. And during the entire game I never saw one close up shot of a cheerleader.. And as of late that has been the only redeeming factor about watching the Boys. I'll admit that I did nod off a bit in the second quarter.. But other than that I never saw a quarter inch of Cleavage.. Maybe they got a new producer in the truck.. And maybe it was bring your daughter to work day.. Or maybe he just got laid and wasn't into it.. Hell if I know.. But that ain't gettin it done.. Maybe Jerry has an evil plot to get more folks into the Jerrydome.. If you want to see a Dallas Cheerleader then you have to come to the game.. It's like a Cheerleader blackout.. You won't see em on TV unless they have 101,000 folks squeezed in the dome..

And another note to the man in the truck.. Quit putting those stupid graphics on top of the cheerleaders when you do get them on camera.. Put the graphics on those old hags you have doing sideline reporting.. That should be a no-brainer..

And after the Rangers got a a severe ass kicking on Saturday, they came back and shutout the Cards in yesterdays game.. So it was a good day for Texas sports.. I haven't checked but Perry's ratings probably even took a jump.. Aahhh.. Maybe not.. Whoever wins tonight is going to win the series.. Call your bookie.. And BTW.. It was good to see Bush 43 get that slider past Nolie..

And note to Fox.. Please, Please put in a new batch of commercials in tonight's game.. If I see that freakin robot get thrown into the stove again I am going to puke.. Get rid of the the giant Imperial Walker that is tearing up Duane's stuff, Get rid of the car that can read your handwriting, and tell Budweiser that yes.. I'm ready.. And If I see that slimy green Lizard one more time I'm liable to go postal..

My Dad was a master at the mute and previous channel buttons.. He couldn't type or text but he could shut that sound off faster than a cat can lick his ass..

In any case it is high times in Texas.. The Rangers are gonna win the series.. The weather has finally cooled off. The fish are biting.. And even though the economy is in the dumpster, we still have plenty of baits available.. Seems like the fishing industry is doing OK.. Better get you one of them Alabama rigs..

Will post tourney results later today if things go as I have planned..

Thanks to all of you who stopped in the store this week.. See you on the water!

October 21, 2011: Ever have one of those periods in your life where there is just too much to do and not enough time to get it done? Seems like the last month has just been kickin my ass.. I guess I am getting old.. Or too involved.. I think I see an extended hunting trip in my near future..

We have certainly had a lot of tournaments here at Falcon in the last month or so, and in the next ten days, nothing is going to change. Tonight we are going to feed the fishermen that are fishing the Bass Federation South Championship. And then there are a few other clubs in town to boot.

Next weekend is the Texas Pro-Am tournament, put on by the C.A.S.T. folks, and I am not sure how many folks we will have in town for that one.. It is going to be a draw team tourney. Planned to be a five fish limit but I'm pushing for three.. We've killed plenty of fish lately..

If you are interested in fishing the tourney, you can give John Watts a call at 281-796-7486 and he can give you more info.

Yesterday was a banner day for some, and for others it was a bust. But in either case we had some gusty SE winds, with more predicted for the next couple of days as well. Not a red flag warning or anything, but winds up into the low twenties..

There are some semi-new football wobble head jigs on the market these days, and most feature a jig head with two connection points on them. One for the hook, and one for your line. And they let the bait move around while it is connected without moving the head.. And most folks say that it does not hang up as bad as its counterparts. And they seem to really catch fish.

There are several manufacturers out there, and one of the biggest names that is making them is Gene Larew, and their effort is called the Hardhead. There are many Mom and Pop shops making them as well. And Paydirt is making a big one that really looks good. And they all look good. We have heard many a good report of this type of jig catching a lot of fish here on Falcon.. I tried them last Sunday and did real well with the myself.. Great.. Another thing I have to have in the boat..

But day in and day out, the conventional jig is catching a lot of fish here on Falcon. Greens and browns.. Same old thing. The crankbait is really kicking some bass right now as well, and colors that are working run the gamut from fuchsia to spaghetti sauce red.. But I'm sticking with a lot of shad patterns and something most would call firetiger colored. Of course I am up to three fluke rods laying on the deck..

Well I gotta get out to the patio and light a fire.. There's just something bout the smell of chicken on charcoal that makes the stomach growl..

See you on the water! Soon I hope!

October 19, 2011: Our second cool front of the year blew in here on Monday night, and what a difference it has made in the daytime temps. Of course it blew the bark off most of the trees around here yesterday. And that equated to not too much fishing going on yesterday as well.

But what a beauty we have here today. It's about 75 degrees this afternoon, with a light north wind.. I'm not too crazy bout the north wind, but it is damn pleasant.. It is mid October after all..

There were some good results from last weekends tournaments, and I will be posting them ASAP.. Mondays results were also reported good, in front of the frontal passage.

I have been out of town for a few days, and yesterday I was in Austin at the Freshwater Fisheries Advisory Board meeting. Lots of things were discussed, and the hottest topic was the low water levels at lakes across the state of Texas, and what it is doing, and has done to our fisheries as a whole.

I don't have to tell most of you about the drought that has plagued Texas for the last year, and many of you that have fished Falcon as of late have been here because there is no water to fish safely on many of your home lakes. And if we do not get some water in a lot of lakes soon, we are going to have a very poor year for new bass recruitment. And some lakes have lost most of what they had. The picture is not pretty.

The odd thing about it is that Amistad and Falcon, the two lakes that have the most volatile water levels, both have a decent amount of water in them. A fact not lost on the folks at TPWD. Amistad is currently sitting at 1109.81. or 8.19 feet low, and Falcon is at 279.22, or 21.8 feet below pool. And while we are twenty plus feet low, it is not at all unusual for this time of year in the long run. But we too are below the level where we have a dense jungle in the shallows for the fry to hide in.. But while I write, the the shoreline habitat is growing full steam.

And whether we like it or not, the wild water fluctuations here on Falcon are what make the fishing so good. Although it is cyclical. And while the water levels are down, we are going to see one of the best springs for numbers of fish in history. Thanks to the past three years of high water levels and tremendous survival of the fry. And with those huge numbers of fish, a lot of them are going to be whoppers.. I promise..

Fresh water licence sales in Texas are down 16% overall from last year, and there is no doubt the low water levels in lakes across the state have a lot to do with it. Combine that with the huge budget cuts that TPWD had to make this year, and it is not a pretty picture for the guys in the green trucks.. They have a tough row to hoe for the next couple of years. And when these lakes do catch some water, some serious stocking is going to be needed..

Some good news is that the new hatchery, near Jasper, will be coming on line in the spring. This thing is a whopper, and it will be able to produce a lot of fish. Looks like we are going to need em..

In any case, don't stop praying for rain.

And in the next week or so we will be announcing a slight twist in the Sharelunker procedures for Falcon. I can't tell you any more about it just yet.. I just threw that out there to piss you off.. But you'll hear soon.. And it's something that even I can support..

I told you that I caught some nice crappie last week, and so have a lot of other people. I mean some slabs.. Two pounders have been common, with an occasional monster mixed in. Also the cichlids, AKA perch, bream, panfish, and bluegills, have been going crazy under the bridge as well.. And I felt like I should show you a pic of one I caught last week. This one weighed right at a pound, and was about 10" long. Now that's good eatin..

And Ace Hernandez caught a whopper last weekend.. 12.2..

Randy Wright caught this 10.97.. On a Jig.. Go figure..

And young Tieler Folger caught this new PB that weighed eight plus. I told you Falcon likes kids..

Not a lot has changed in the where's and how's when it comes to the fishing.. Jigs and soft plastics with some crankbaits mixed in are all working.. It's been good.. And it's gonna get better..

I have a few more pics to post that I can't find.. But as soon as I shake the sand outta my shoes I'll get em done.... I did get my oats planted at the ranch.. Come on rain!

October 14, 2011: It's been a fairly quiet week here in Zapata, except for the phones and the e-mails asking if Bass Champs weights really happened.. Yeah.. They did. It was pretty awesome..

I have no clue as to how they caught all those fish.. Just some good fishermen I reckon.. As I have been struggling as of late. I am going to blame it on the full moon I guess.. I fished yesterday and stunk it up again..

Maybe I should get back into golf..

So I went under the bridge and caught some whopper Crappie and some huge perch (Bream..) Made me feel better at least.

A lot of the folks I talked to this week said that they were catching some quality fish, but no numbers.. Seems reversed from what was happening a couple of weeks ago.. I was catching fish everywhere, with an occasional good one mixed in.. And I will be the first to admit that I am a numbers fisherman. If they are biting, I'm not leaving to find something better.. Figure I'll catch a good one sooner or later.. But my last couple of trips have been less than stellar this week.

There was a good north wind blowing yesterday, and that never helps.. Man I can come up with a lot of excuses. Mostly I am just not too good at fishing I guess..

But it is a beautiful day here this morning, with lows in the fifties. Almost make you want a jacket.. Very light east wind.. Great day to play golf..

There are a couple of bass clubs in town this weekend, namely Uvalde and Guadalupe Bass Clubs. And they are here in force already. Some of them may have gotten a slow start this morning due to Early Anticipation Syndrome.. But they were having fun yesterday evening.. And after all, the anticipation is half the trip.

The lake caught a total of four inches of water, and it appears that it has maxed out. And the hurricanes that were headed to northern Mexico fizzled out, so as of now there is no real help in sight.. But we'll keep hoping for some crazy rain event to bring us some water.. I might have to break my piggie bank and head up to Del Rio and try to bribe the watermaster.. Wonder how much water I can get for $20.49..

I threw a jig for two hours yesterday, and when I lost the third one I gave it up.. Caught a few on a fluke, and a few on a crankbait.. And I mean a few.. But I don't think that there is a better bait going than either of these two from what I hear.. That should get you pumped up..

Here's a pic from the SA Metro weight in on Saturday, about ten days ago.. Note my nice new tent in shambles.. What a storm.. Ron Creech with a whopper from day one.. And yes we actually did have some mud that day.. Lots of it..

Hopefully I will have some better reports to post in the next few days.. I need to go find my Moonglasses..

October 11, 2011: Well I am sure you have heard by now that the fellows who fished Bass Champs caught a few fish.. With a few goods ones mixed in.. And I'll have to admit that the winning weight was about ten pounds more than I thought it would be.. Eighty six pounds is pretty impressive, even for Falcon.

And the next few places were no slouches either..

When you catch thirty pounds of fish a day, and don't get a check.. Well that is bordering on ludicrous.. Welcome to Falcon.. Congrats to all the fishermen on a fine showing..

Here's a link to the final results, if you have not seen it already..

We were spared any rain during the Bass Champs event, although Sunday afternoon a big thunderstorm blew up in northern Zapata county. Fortunately all we got was a bit of wind, but it was pretty much a non factor. But yesterday morning we got a half inch of rain here at the shop. And thanks be to God for the widespread rains that covered most of Texas over the weekend. It was awesome..

The river is on a bit of a rise above Falcon, and I see that there is some water hitting the lake as I type. Looking at the flows from Del Rio to here it looks like we will catch six inches of water or so before it is over.. Maybe a bit more if they don't let it all out..

There are a couple of tropical storms out in the Pacific that are headed towards Mexico, and potentially our watershed. What remains to be seen is if they will make the move to the north once they hit land, with enough energy to run some water off the Mexican Mountains.. We'll see in a few days.. It would be great if we could get some water back in Falcon before we head into next spring.. Things will get ugly about March if we do not get some water back in the system before they start really sucking it out again.. We'll see..

We are sitting at 279.21, up about 7/100ths in the last twenty four, but the bulk of the water that is on the way will hit the top of the lake today and tomorrow.. We'll see.. I was on the water yesterday afternoon and observed that the water temps were right at 80°, down about five from a week ago.. Clouds and rain and cooler highs are finally having some effect on the water temps.. When the water cools to the low and mid seventies it is going to get nuts around here.. Squat and watch..

The fall migration of Snowbirds has begun, as we are starting to see more and more of our old friends showing up. It should be a great year of fishing, although you crappie fishermen are going to have to take numbers to fish under the bridge. Not near as much water under there as last year, but the number of crappie in the lake is astounding. They are regularly showing up all over the lake, and a lot of bass fishermen are catching them by accident.. If I do they might accidentally end up in the livewell.. That's some fine eatin.. I have not chased any of them lately, but I hear that there are still a bunch under the 83 bridge..

From the sound of it, Jigs and Flukes and Crankbaits were the ticket for most of the fishermen over the weekend, so the same old same old is still working. I caught them on a Fluke and Senko yesterday afternoon.. But I guess if that is all you throw sooner or later you are going to catch some fish on them.. I also caught a few on a DD-22.. The crankbait bite has been good for me as of late..

We fished the Salado and Hedieona, but did a lot better in the Salado.. The water color in the Hedieona is black and blue from being beaten so bad.. It might be a while till the fish don't run when they hear a boat coming.. And speaking of water color, look for the river and creek mouths up there to be chocolate for the next week.. It was pretty off colored already..

There are no big tourneys in town this weekend, and that will give the lake and us time to lick our wounds. Next weekend will see the Texas Bass Federation Nation Championship here on Falcon. But I reckon that there will only be about twenty to thirty fishermen in that one. The following weekend will see the Texas Pro-Am tourney it town.. Not sure how many fishermen it will draw, as it is a first time event.. But you can fish it if you would like.. Contact info on the tourney page..

I have a few pics to work on and will post them tomorrow..

I have been thinking about organizing an "Occupy Zapata" event, but I think the last three weekends pretty much took care of that.. I have a lot of thoughts on the "Movement" that is taking place across the country.. And I am going to share some of them with you soon.. Whether you like it or not.. But this is an e-mail I received this AM and I thought it was just about perfect.. And Hilarious.. And unfortunately somewhat accurate.. I am sure some witty person made this up.. But it could be real.. This IS America, after all..

The  Americans With No Abilities Act (AWNAA)
 

Washington, DC – October 6, 2011 - The Obama Administration is urging Congress and the Senate to pass sweeping legislation that  will provide new benefits for many Americans: The Americans  With No Abilities Act (AWNAA) .  President Obama said he will sign it as soon as it hits his desk.

The AWNAA is being hailed as a major legislative goal by advocates of the millions of Americans who lack any real skills. or ambition.

“Roughly 50 percent of Americans do not possess the competence and drive necessary to carve out a meaningful role for themselves in society,” said California Senator Barbara Boxer. “We can no longer stand by and allow People of Inability to be ridiculed and passed over. With this legislation, employers will no longer be able to grant special favors to a small group of workers, simply because  they have some idea of what they are doing. We are legalizing another protected class of Americans.”

In a Capitol Hill press conference, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) pointed  to the success of the U.S. Postal Service, which has a  long-standing policy of providing opportunity without regard  to performance. Approximately 74 percent of postal employees lack any job skills, making this agency the single largest  U.S. Employer of Persons of Inability.

Private-sector industries with good records of non-discrimination against the Inept include retail sales (72%), the airline industry  (68%), and home improvement 'warehouse' stores (65%). At the  state government level, the Department of Motor Vehicles  also has an excellent record of hiring Persons of Inability  (a whopping 83%).

Under The Americans With No Abilities Act, more than 25 million 'middle man' positions  will be created, with important-sounding titles but little  real responsibility, thus  providing an illusory sense of  purpose and performance.

Mandatory non-performance-based raises and promotions will be given so  as to guarantee upward mobility for even the most inept  employees. The legislation provides substantial tax breaks  to corporations that promote a significant number of Persons  of Inability into middle-management positions, and gives a  tax credit to small and medium-sized businesses that agree  to hire one clueless worker for every two talented  hires.

Finally, the AWNAA contains tough new measures  to make it more difficult to discriminate against the  Non-abled, banning, for example, discriminatory interview  questions such as, 'Do you have any skills or experience  that relate to this job?'

'As a Non-abled person, I  can't be expected to keep up with people who have something  going for them,' said Ken Cox, who lost his position as a  lug-nut twister at the GM plant in Flint , Michigan , due to  his inability to remember 'righty tightey, lefty loosey.'  'This new law should be real good for people like me,' Cox  added. With the passage of this bill, Cox and millions of  other untalented citizens will finally see a light at the  end of the tunnel.

Said Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL):  “As a Senator with no abilities, I believe the same  privileges that elected officials enjoy ought to be extended  to every American with no abilities. It is our duty as lawmakers to provide each and every American citizen, regardless of his or her inadequacy, with some sort of space  to take up in this great nation and a good salary for doing  so.”

That's some funny Ka-Ka right there.. See you later..

October 9, 2011: The wind is a blowing again this morning.. Maybe not quite as bad as yesterday. Still no rain right in our area.. But some around.. Bass Champs let the fishermen trailer again today due to the winds.

Some big stringers weighed in yesterday.. Here's a link to the day one results..

October 8, 2011: Weigh in update..

It is a windy son of a gun at the ramp, and weigh in will be running from 3:00 till 4:30.. And there is enough dust in the air to make me decide to miss the second half of it..

There have been a whole lot of mid twenties stringers weighed in.. A bunch of thirty somethings.. And three stringers that I heard about that were over forty.. So far.. But my guess is that the fellers with forty plus bags probably weighed in a bit early.. But who knows for sure.. Forty three and 70 is still leading.. Although there are a few close..

If I get a report before they post it on the BC site I will update.. But lots of good bags of fish are hitting the scales.. Lots of eight to ten pound fish..

October 8, 2011: Bass Champs update.. Story is that a 43.70 something stringer has been weighed in around noon.. Stay tuned..

October 8, 2011: There are a few less teams fishing the Bass Champs tourney than I anticipated, and the count I got was around 165.. I was expecting 200 or so.. You just never know..

But I may have to adjust my guess on the winning weight.. At 9:30 this AM there is a team that has already weighed in three ten pounders.. And a couple of other tens have hit the scales as well.. So eighty pounds may not be out of the question.. Hell, it may be low.. There are some damn good fishermen on the water. But you do have to catch em two days in a row..

We have a little wind to contend with this morning, but it is not blowing the gale that was mentioned as a possibility. There is a pretty steady fifteen MPH wind blowing as I type. And there are some showers around and there is a good chance that we will have some damp fishermen this afternoon. And as dry as it has been I am not going to start praying that the rain will go away..

I hope they have better luck with their tent than I had with mine last weekend..

In any case I reckon we will know soon enough what kind of fish the rest of the field is on.. But so far it looks like there will be some big bags..

I'll let you know later what the leaders are doing..

We had a busy day at the store yesterday, and Thank You to all who stopped by.. Hope to see you down here soon!

October 7, 2011: The Bass Champs invasion is well underway here in Zapata, and you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a bass boat around here.. And just in time for the tournament we are expecting some stout winds and some possible precip.. We'll see about the latter.. But it is already breezy.. Somebody in the store said this morning that if you want to see some wind, just follow the Bass Champs trailer around.. It happens..

But none of that has dampened the spirits of the fishermen. We have seen quite a few the last twenty four hours, and most of them are on the water checking on fish.. Or trying to find some more.. We had some good reports from folks that fished yesterday.. But the BS will stop tomorrow about three O'Clock when the scale lights up.. Should be fun.

Expectations are high, and some folks we have talked to said they are on some big fish. Of course that is always the case. But it is fun to talk to so many folks who are just excited to be here.. Kind of like the first time you find out what a hardon is for..

Many of them have come from areas where there is just about no water in their lakes.. Seems funny that Falcon has some water and east Texas lake are so low.. Sounds a little backward to me..

And speaking of water, we are not in the the best of shape.. As of this morning we are sitting at 279.25, or 21.77 feet low.. And you have to go back to April of 2008 to find water at this level.. So we have definitely been on the above average side of things for the last four years.. No complaints here.

James Bell caught this 12.51 fishing off the bank.. That bridge looks familiar..

There have been a ton of big fish caught in the Veleno lately..This fish was released, but unfortunately many of the bigguns caught by bank fishermen here in town get turned into skeletons..

I was watching the Yankees get beat by the Detroit Tigers last night on TV.. And it breaks my heart to see the best team money can buy get ousted from the playoffs so early.. I better go get a Kleenex..

So it appears that Detroit will be the next victim of the Rangers.. As long as they play by baseball rules.. I just heard that Detroit is the most dangerous city to live in in America.. Can't believe they beat out Chicago..

And after all this time of listening to the news about how horrible things are here on the border, we didn't even get an honorable mention.. Instead of sending troops to the border, maybe we should send them to Detroit..

But then on the other hand.. I see all the Chrysler commercials saying that Detroit is where it's at.. They're number three but they're still trying harder.. Whatever..

Then I see a commercial for one of these memory foam mattresses, developed by NASA for use in outer space.. Isn't there zero gravity out there in space?? What the hell do you need a mattress for? Can't you just plug in your relief tube and kind of float around while you sleep? But on the other hand.. There are now a lot of female space goers.. And maybe you need the mattress if you want to use your Deep Space 9. Kind of gives a whole new meaning to the word Bulkhead..

Instead of spending Zillions of dollars developing a mattress for use in outer space they could have done something a lot more impressive.. Wanna impress me? Then fry an egg in zero gravity.. That would be impressive.. And don't tell me that the only really useful thing that came from the space program was Velcro?? WTF NASA?? $500,000,000 so I can tie down my trolling motor..

Satellites are good things.. But we don't need to go up there to install them.. Scrapping the space program would be high on my list of money saving ideas for our country.. But then I would create a lot more unemployment in the government sector if I were King.. A lot more.. And the Space Program would just be the tip of the iceberg.

It sure is a lot of fun to bitch and moan.. I need to do it more.. Good for the soul..

Will report on some Bass Champs happenings soon!

Go Rangers!

October 3, 2011: They have been working me like a rented mule around here, but I have plowed the last furrow for a while and I welcome a day or two without hauling this, cleaning that, or fetching something else. But it will be a short respite because this weekend Bass Champs rolls into town. Of course this one doesn't have my fingerprints on it.

The San Antonio Metro tourney is in the books, and from the looks of it I'd say it was s big success. Lots of fish caught, and things went about as smooth as a tourney can. Of course we had a thunderstorm right in the middle of Saturdays weigh in, with wind gusts up to a reported sixty miles per hour.. I was in the middle of it and I am pretty sure I saw Almira Gulch going by on her bicycle..

Of course it destroyed my nice new tent.. There was more twisted metal piled up than in turn four at Bristol.. It was ugly. But the weigh in staff persevered and we got it done.. Sunday went a lot more smoothly, but we were standing in the sun..

I don't think you can run a weigh in a lot better.. We had four scales, and there was never a waiting line or a dry fish. And we had the TPWD boys down here doing a fish study and handling the fish once they were weighed. Thanks to the San Antonio Inland Fisheries office for all their help. They sure made things easy for us.

San Antonio Bass Club took top honors in the event, and Congrats! to them. I'll have the results posted in the Tourney Section ASAP..

There were only two bass over ten pounds weighed in during this event, and both on Sunday. I don't know where all the big bass went the last two weekends. Maybe we have sore-mouthed all of them.. We'll see if the Bass Champs boys fare any better this weekend.

There has been all kinds of speculation as to what the winning weight will be, and if the last two weekends fishing is any indicator, then it might be less than some think. There will be a lot of good fishermen on the water, but there has been a lot of good ones on the water the last two weeks as well. I think it will take from 68 to 72 pounds for the two days.. Just my guess.. And we'll see soon enough.

And who knows how many boats we'll see this weekend. I am expecting a couple of hundred but you just never know. I hear that the northern championships have been drawing around 150 or so. But this is Falcon and lots of folks want to fish here.. We'll see about that soon enough too..

Thursday and Friday should be busy around here.. And we're getting ready.. Tomorrow..

If you need a Mexican License, call me and we'll get it done over the phone and have it waiting for you when you walk in. Save you a little time and you can avoid the rush.

Word is that we will have a big pile of Mag Flukes in as well, in a couple of hard to find colors.. Namely Watermelon Red Magic and Mardi Gras. Should be getting about 600 bags of each so we should have enough to last the weekend.

The lake is 21.5 feet low, and we are still dropping about 7/100ths a day. Water temps are down to the 85 degree range, if that is even considered down. So please take care of your fish as best you can this weekend. The hot water is sure hard on the big fish, so treat em like Grandma.. Cause that is what they are..

Best numbers of fish are still in the 10-15 foot range, and jigs are still as good a bait as a man can throw. Big cranks always get attention as well, as will the big fluke, and a square bill. Ah hell.. It's all working.. You just gotta get it in front of the big ones.. There were some quality fish caught in the shallows as well last weekend.

There.. That should help.

I fished the Metro tourney last weekend, and had a pretty good day on Saturday. But Sunday I played like Tony Romo.. At least I'm not making $500,000 a game.. I'd like to apologize to all my sponsors.. Oh wait.. I don't have any.. That sure makes it a lot easier.. At least there were plenty of folks at weigh in to administer the Heimlich maneuver on me..

Best three fish stringer of the weekend was a mid twenties I believe.. Lots of weights in the high teens, and quite a few in the low twenties..

And then there were the single digits..

Soon as I get rested up I'm gonna do a piece that has nothing to do with fishing.. And I might as well.. Nobody is telling me anything this week..

September 30, 2011: Can anybody tell me what this is? I am not sure I have ever seen it before..

First time the birds got to take a bath in months..

We had a hell of a light show in Zapata last night, and some damn overdue precip as well. Thank you Lord.. Lots of folks starting to roll into town for the Metro tourney, and I am sure it will be a madhouse around here before it is over.

We have been unpacking boxes for the last two days, so I hope we have what you are looking for when you get here..

Fishing has been good all week by most reports, and we should see some good weights at the scales tomorrow! Will let you know what happens.. Lots of pre-fishermen in town for Bass Champs as well..

Talk to you soon..

September 28, 2011: Things have quieted down around here a bit this midweek, with the lake being off limits to the fishermen in the upcoming SA Metro tourney. But there are still a few folks out and about, and they are catching fish as well. Yesterday was reported to be a good day by many of the folks we talked to.

As for me, well I am sitting here wishing I was on the lake.. Light winds and a bit cooler temps than the last few days.. But I am suffering from the off limits blues as well.

So I spent the morning restringing a few rods, tying on a few baits.. And wondering where the hell I am going to fish this weekend..

And while I am not sure where to start, I know I will be fishing in water less than fifteen feet deep. Near trees.. And rocks.. Surrounded by brush.. I am probably the only one that can get fifteen reel fills from a two hundred yard spool of line.. I hate that deep water.. And I don't plan on fishing any of it..

If what we sold last weekend is a good indicator of what the fish are biting, then I will have to say that the jig is probably the hottest thing going. SOS.. Dark colors in the off colored water, and some greens and reds in the clearer water.. I don't plan on throwing any of them either..

The fluke was right there with the jigs, and square billed crankbaits also accounted for a lot of fish. If you have an open mind, then that might be the three things that you should not leave the ramp without.. I'm gonna take at least one of em..

I haven't fished a big tournament since I can't remember when, and I find myself a bit amped up, and it is only Wednesday.. The wife said I twitched all night, and I did wake up with a pole in my hand.. I better find a valium or some bourbon this evening..

It appears that there will be around 150 fishermen in the Metro skirmish this weekend. And I am quite sure that there will be a lot of folks down pre-fishing for the Bass Champs event next weekend.. There are already quite a few of them in town.

And BTW, the results of last weekends TABC tourney have been posted in the tourney section, with a link to the entire results on their site..

The lake is still dropping ever so slowly, and right now we are sitting at 279.80, or 21.2 feet low. Water temps are still reported to be in the 85° range. Amistad is still not releasing much water, at least not enough to suit me.. Or a lot of other folks.. If something doesn't happen the spring irrigation season could get ugly.. We'll see..

Hurricane Hillary has decided to turn out to the west.. And not toward the Mexican mainland as was earlier perceived as possible.. No real surprise.. That name is synonymous with getting screwed, unless you're Bill, so no real news there.. And all the storms that start off the African coast want to head too far north to ever get in the gulf.. So it is not looking too good for any short term rains for Texas, and certainly not Falcon's watershed.. It's getting ugly out there..

But one thing is for certain, the lower the lake gets, the better the fishing is going to get. A good analogy might be taking the big "O", Rosie, and Whooopie out of a Stretch Limo, and putting them in a Yugo.. Gonna be some sweatin' and rubbin' goin' on.. And if you flip a hot dog in the window, you know it's gonna have teeth marks on it in a hurry..

And the big bass are gonna be doing the same here on Falcon..

I knew a fellow who had a Yugo once.. Had it parked in his driveway and the neighbors kid hit it with his tricycle.. Totaled the SOB.. Ah, they just don't make em like they used to.. But I digress..

All the businesses in Zapata enjoyed the big crowds that were in town last weekend.. Especially the new car wash. They had a big sign out on the road that said "Hand Jobs, Twenty Bucks." Boy they were packed..

See you on the water.. But not till Saturday..

September 26, 2011: Well the dust at the county ramp has finally settled, and we have had time to catch our breath here at the shop.. Although we spent all morning doing some inventory and ordering what we will need for next weekend.

Congratulations to Universal City Bass Club of San Antonio for their win in the TABC tourney. They pretty much put the smackdown on the fish last weekend, besting twenty six other clubs from across the state. I am waiting for the full results to hit my computer and I will post them in the tourney section as soon as I get them. UCBC will also be fishing the San Antonio Metro tourney this weekend, and it looks like they are the odds on favorites to win it as well. I am sure they beat their fish up some, and you still gotta catch em, but they are on some good fish.

Thanks to all the folks that stopped by our store before, during, and after the event. We could not be here without yall and we appreciate your business.

And as stated above, this weekend will see Metro hit town, although there will quite a few less folks fishing this one. That does not mean that Zapata will be any less busy, as there will also be a lot of folks pre-fishing for the Bass Champs tourney the next week. I hear that there are no motel rooms available for either weekend.

This will be the first year that Metro will be going to a three fish limit, and with water temps still in the middle eighties, I think it was a very prudent decision. Handling forty percent less fish will certainly be better on the fish, and certainly on the people charged with weighing and processing the fish after they are weighed. But it is all about the fish, at least in my book.

And no where is it more important than here on Falcon. It is just about impossible to keep twenty five to forty pounds of fish healthy in today's boats. Especially with such warm water. At least till I get all of you to put an oxygen system in your boats.

And another thing I noticed was that I have never seen so many fish with bite marks on them as I did while working the tanks this weekend.. Some of them were really torn up.. Surprised they were still healthy. Maybe we need to rethink that new one gar per day regulation.. At least here on Falcon.. I have never see so many.. I know they did not get here overnight.. But they are everywhere..

I don't want to go off preaching again (But here I go) about fish care, but no matter what we do at weigh in, we can't save fish that are severely stressed. So do the best you can with what you have till you get your O2 system installed.. It ain't hard and it doesn't cost any more than a high end rod. And if you fish a lot of tourneys, it could pay for itself in one whack..

The boys from TPWD will have a display of a working system at registration for the Metro tourney this weekend, so be sure and stop by and check it out on Friday night. They will also be handling the fish after weigh in, and will provide some fizzing and fish care instruction if you are interested.. And who shouldn't be.

Parks and Wildlife will also be doing an age study of all the bigger fish that die in their ongoing study of Falcon fish. No lake grows em as fast as Falcon, and this is the perfect opportunity to get a good sample of bigger fish. Cause some are gonna die, no mater what.. But let's try and keep it to a minimum.

I am not a tree hugger, I don't believe in man made global warming, I will never own a Prius, and I don't think that Rosie will ever be skinny.. But I do believe in taking care of what we have, and preserving it for our kids and grandkids. If we like to catch fish, it should come naturally..

There were also four bass clubs in town over the weekend, and they did well also I hear, but I have no results from any as of yet.

Cassandra Pena caught the big bass of the Alice Bass Club tournament on Sunday..

Eleven year old Jonathan Shaw caught this 8-6 this week as well.

And George Cabasos caught this 10-9 last week too..

Soon as I get rested up I'll update you on some pertinent info.. Sharelunker season is only five days away and I am sure I'll have something to say about it as well. Naw.. Probably not...

September 25, 2011: Sorry I have not written a bit more this weekend.. But it has been crazy around here.. And I am a bit over involved.. I need to sleep for about twelve hours straight.. But when we finish up with this weigh in and awards ceremony I am probably gonna go shoot some doves.. Guess I can sleep when I am dead..

There are about 117 boats fishing this TABC tourney, and the results have been pretty good, with a lot of the top weights in and around the thirty pound range. I thing the top stringer was about thirty six.. But don't quote me on that one.. We'll have full results tomorrow or so..

Here's a few pics of the activities.. And I'll be back to spreading the usual rumors in a day or so..

September 23, 2011: I just came from the boat ramp.. Good thing the lake is low or we wouldn't have a place to park em all.. I tried to take a pic of all the rigs down there, but my wide angle lens is broken. (Happened when my brother tried to take a pic of me and Rosie.. I had her in a head lock.. Too bad too cause it would have been a classic snap..)

Last time I saw this many people in one place in Zapata was when the Little Debbie truck broke down right outside the weight watchers meeting..

So if you are wondering if there is a lot of folks in town.. The answer is certainly yes.. Good to see all the motels and restaurants packed.. Thanks for coming, TABC.. And thanks to all of you for stopping in our store.. We have been very busy and we appreciate your business.

Fishing was reported very good yesterday by the prefishermen, and there should be some great stringers weighed in.. Time will tell, and I'll report tomorrow on the early results..

But for now.. I gotta go!

September 20, 2011: It is a gorgeous day to fish in Zapata, and highs in the nineties are something we could get used to.. The eighties would be just fine as well. But I guess we'll have to wait a while for that.

I was in the mid lake area today and water temps are STILL in the 86 degree range. But this too shall pass.. But I am not sure when.

The lake is still dropping, but a nice downpour on the North end of town last evening kept it to only 4/100ths in the last twenty four. But we are down exactly 3/10ths of a foot in the last week.. I don't know if you'd call that moderating, but it has been dropping about six inches a week for the last couple of months.

But that is certainly not hurting the fishing. Anytime you put this many fish in a smaller area of water, it can't hurt.. And the lake is still thirty plus miles long, even if it is a bit skinnier than it has been in recent years. And being twenty feet low this time of year is nothing new.. We have just been lucky for the last three years..

I fished the main lake this morning till about two, and light winds allowed fishing a lot of open water rock piles off the main river channel. I still did very poorly on the rocks over twenty feet deep. I hear that some folks are catching fish on them.. But I just can't do it..

I found a couple of trees in open water in about fourteen feet of water that had a bunch of fish in them.. But other than that it was a bit hit and miss for me today.. I caught a good number of fish, but I would have to classify them as scattered. Still managed about a twenty five pound stringer, so I guess I should not complain.

The Mag Fluke in the Mardi Gras was reported to be an awesome bait over the weekend by a bunch of tournament fishermen, so I took a couple of packs with me. And I'll have to agree that they worked well. But when I ran out and went back to the old standard, (W/M Red) it seemed to be just as good.

We also got some good reports on the new Mag Ol Monster worms that we got in last week.. I forgot to take some..

I also caught a few on a shad pattern DD-22, dragging them down the edges of brushy, rocky points and or brush lines. And these fish had the entire bait in their mouth most of the time. They did not hammer it.. Just like they sucked it in and then the line got heavy.. Even I can catch those. But the lake did get a couple of them from me when I thought the fish had it but it turned out to be a bush.. This lake is hard on terminal tackle..

Can you imagine how many weights have been left in the bottom of this lake since 1954.. Sometimes when I think I am dragging across some small gravel, it is probably just clanking thru a bunch of weights in reality.. Maybe not.. But there's a bunch of em in there I guarantee.. I am sure it would be measured in tons..

Not a whole lot of information was forthcoming from the fishermen this last weekend, as most all of them are fishing one of the three big tourneys that are upcoming. But one thing that was commonly discussed was that most of the fish came from inside of fifteen feet.. And a lot around ten. That should put you on em..

Isolated trees still seem to a great place to start, and if they are growing, (or were growing) out of the rocks then that is even better.. Still a lot of shallow square bill fish on the rocks early.. Rocky shorelines with a little ledge just off the bank can have a ton of schoolers on them at any time of the day..

All that being said, it is still fishing and you still have to catch em. A few folks we talked to said that they did not have banner days over the weekend.. But the tourney results speak for themselves. The top stringers this weekend were pretty impressive. I have started updating the tourney page, and have a new report to add.. And will later today..

This weekend starts a string of big tournaments here on Falcon, and kicking it off is the Texas Association of Bass Clubs Top 8 State Championship. There are going to be around 110 boats fishing this one. Weigh in will be at the County Ramp both days..

Motel rooms will also be at a premium for the next month.

Ricky Rasberry caught this 10-2 this week.. He was fishing with Jim Behnken..

And although we have heard of quite a few DD's this week, not a lot of pics have made it to my e-mail.. Guess that might have a bit to do with the tourneys coming up as well.. Probably a lot of folks looking for a Google Earth update..

It's gonna be hot, so take care of yourself... And your fish.. And please remember your manners on the water.. Let's keep it friendly out there. And word is that there should be a lot of law enforcement on the water these next few weekends, so have your required boat equipment before you get on the water.. So when you are checking your livewell pumps make sure your throwable and fire extinguisher and horn are all operational..

We look forward to seeing you when you get here.. And holler if we can help you in any way..

September 17, 2011: When I said that there were two bass clubs headed to town this weekend, but there might be a few that I did not know about... Well, I was right.. Like four more.. And a tourney that is going on at the dam that was locally organized.. I am running out of space on the sign.. Good thing I like acronyms..

So needless to say, it is a busy weekend down here in Zapata. There's about five million dollars worth of bass boats on the lake and there are few if any empty motel rooms here in Zapata.. And don't look for either of those two things to change for the next few weeks. Falcon has her dance card punched for the next month for sure..

Of course next weekend starts the bigger tourneys, with TABC top eight hitting the water. The weekend after that the San Antonio Metro tournament invades town, and the following weekend, Bass Champs South division championship will be held on Falcon. I better get me some of them Dr Scholls inserts.. Looks like we will be on our feet a lot.

It has been a slow time here in Zapata, and it is good to see the motels, restaurants, and gas stations busy again.. Oh yeah.. And the tackle shops.. We have stuff stacked to the ceiling so hopefully when you get here we'll have what you need.

I told you earlier about the new Mag Ol Monster worm.. Early returns are in.. You better get you some..

And those 550 Mardi Gras flukes we got in on Tuesday.. I think we are down to about 150..

The plastic bite is on..

And I have talked about our new park at the county ramp that is under construction once in a while.. Me and two kindergarden kids could build it faster.. But it is coming along.. And it is going to be a darn nice facility when they get through with it in about 2056..

Here's a pic of the slab that will be under a 60x120 roof.. And there are also going to be several picnic areas and a nice public bathroom, and another covered pavilion about 650 square feet in size.. There are also plans for improving the ramp and the surrounding areas where everyone parks on the bottom.. But nothing has started down there just yet.

It will be nice.. One day..

Most of the fishermen on the lake are prefishing for an upcoming tourney, and they are not divulging too much information as of late.. But I can assure you that not a lot has changed when it comes to lures and presentations. But those anglers that did say something said most fish were still around ten feet deep.. I couldn't agree more..

Ten Year Old Rhett Schloader caught this nice 10-7 pounder this week.. Another good man ruined.. Falcon is often good the ladies and youngsters..

We actually have a chance of rain in the forecast, and as I write there is a big storm cell moving west to east around Eagle Pass.. Hope it makes it to the ranch.. And then I hope a big one piles up on us here in Zapata.

And you know that I am a lexicographer, and often I am consulted by the folks at Webster's.. Due to space constraints, and the fact that the word has not been used in a long time, the word "Mud" has been removed from the Texas dictionary. We hope to get it back in there next year..

September 15, 2011: It's another beauty day in Zapata.. If you like hot and dry.. And who don't..

The lake continues its slow decent, and the powers that be still won't try and at least keep us level with water from Amistad.. They are currently about seven feet low.. And we're 21.. I guess that's pretty equitable.. Same old song and dance.. Maybe we should revisit that Fairness Doctrine the Democrats were talking about last year..

Water temps were right around 85 yesterday, at least that is what they were in the Salado.. I can't imagine the rest of the lake being much different.. Not a lot of boats on the water yesterday either.. I guess there are still a few folks out there with jobs..

This weekend should be a lot busier, or at least it appears that it should. One would think that there will be a lot of pre-fishing going on.. And we have UCBC and Quality bass clubs headed to town. And there may be some others that I do not know about. In any case we are anticipating a crowd.. We'll see.

We got in a few new baits I need to tell you about.. And I hate it when this thing sounds like a commercial.. But you need to know about this stuff.. So I'll make it short.

Zoom has come out with a new giant worm.. Well it's not that giant.. But it is called the Mag Ol Monster.. Fatter and certainly a bit longer than the Ol Monster.. 12" long.. And being that I am crazy over the Ol Monster, I am already crazy over this bait.. And early returns are in.. This thing catches fish.. This bait looks like an Ol Monster worm on Viagra.. Longer and Fatter.. We have it in eight colors, of course W/M Red and Plum.. And the new color California 420.. Along with the most popular colors we sell.. Check em out when you come in..

And for you Big Lizard Lovers I have a new one for you.. Ask about it when you come in.. Locally made.. I am field testing it.. Your gonna like it..

And we should have some of the big Egr Craws in pretty quick.. This thing is a whopper.. And I have already tested this one.. Falcon fish like it.. A lot.. Makes a good jig trailer or you can flip it straight up..

Enough with the new tackle section.. I hate commercials.. But at least I DIDN'T SHOUT AT YOU like they do on TV.. I thought the only legislation that Obamma passed (that I Liked) was to make commercials on TV no louder than the program it was imbedded into.. When is that going into effect?? I guess nothing he has done has worked.. But I had so much hope for that one.. At least him and his wife and everybody they know have gotten some good vacations out of the deal..

I fished yesterday morning and had a pretty decent half day of it, as I was off the water by noon. I did not catch anything over five pounds, give or take, but I had a bunch of fish that were in the four to five pound class. Of course all I threw was the Mag Fluke and the Square Bill bait.. It's pretty much come down to that for me.. Although I know for a fact that a lot of other baits will catch these fish.. Including your favorite..

This tackle business would be a lot easier if we all fished with the same two baits.. But that ain't gonna happen.. Stop by and get your two favorites..

There has been no revelation in the fishing here on Falcon.. Same old techniques for the past four months.. We are still not finding piles of fish out on the deep rocks. Occasionally we will get on a few on the piles less that twenty feet deep, but I am not finding a consistent bite out in the blue water.. The numbers of fish are definitely in the shallower water, and a bunch of them are around ten feet deep, give or take a foot or two. I have heard that a deep diving crank bait is doing well on brush lines, catching suspended fish out of the trees. Just slowly bouncing the bait off the branches.. And you will be surprised how well a big lipped crankbait will come through the trees if you go at it real easy. Of course digging the rocks up with a deep diver on any rocky point or hump is never a bad idea round here..

We have been really busy getting ready for all the upcoming tourneys, and of course for your visit to Falcon. And hopefully we will have exactly what you are looking for when you get here.. I love my job.. It's kinda like Dracula getting hired as a phlebotomist..

See you on the water!

September 12, 2011: Well that nice stretch of cooler weather we have been having has exited stage left.. And till we get another north breeze it looks like we'll be back in the 100's in the afternoons.. And the lows are back in the mid seventies.. But I guess it could be worse.. At least I don't see any 105's in the forecast.. Yet..

I don't know what it is going to take to get Texas some water.. Rains seem to avoid us at every opportunity.. I'm still hoping we can get a low in the gulf to come up and do something.. Anything.. But right now it don't look good..

And with the lack of rain the wildfires are burning most every day.. And I know I don't need to tell you about that.. The whole state is a tinderbox.. Our prayers are with those that have been so badly affected.

You can still find some water in Zapata county, and that water is full of fish.. I was out of town over the weekend, but good reports were left behind by a lot of fishermen. I don't have any results from the South Houston Bass Clubs outing yet but I bet someone will e-mail it to me. They fished a paper tourney here over the weekend..

This weekend finds UCBC and Quality Bass Clubs headed to town, and there may be more.. Lots of folks will be here prefishing for the upcoming tourneys as well.. So if you are planning on staying in Zapata this week, you better call for a reservation now.. It is fixin to get a little crazy down here..

And BTW, I know a lot of you have been looking for some Mag Flukes in Mardi-Gras.. We're supposed to get 500 bags this week. So let me know if you need some as I am sure they will go fast..

Sounds like most fish are still in the 8-15 foot range from most reports, and the same old baits are catching em.. Jigs and Flukes and Square Bills are still the top sellers along with most any kind of soft plastic. Yada, Yada, Yada.. Same old song and dance..

Speaking of the same old song and dance, did you see the Cowboys last night.. Just shoot me.. Is it too early to get Kitna in there?? My belief is that a good quarterback is not so much measured by how many good plays he makes, but by how few bad ones he makes.. It's not my fault they stamped a blue star on my ass the day I was born.. As were a lot of Texans.. So at least I suffer in good company..

Could be another long season.. I think they can convert that Star into a Bull logo.. Go Texans!

It was pretty neat to see the tributes to the 9-11 victims that were put on by the NFL.. But I am sick and tired of hearing how these people "Lost their lives.." They did not loose their lives.. They were murdered.. By a bunch of cowardly brainwashed Islamic Son of a Bitches. And if you think we can make friends with or appease these assholes then you need some mental help as well.. And the anger I carry is not going away.. Nor do I want it to. I am still pissed about Pearl Harbor.. Wake up America! These people hate you.. And that hate is not going away either..

So here's another economy stimulator.. Cut off the aid to all the countries that harbor and support these (I am trying not to use the word MFers) archaic idiots, Bring our troops home, and protect OUR borders.. I wonder if they need me to send them a list.. And when they get through killing each other we can go over and get all the oil we want with out having to deal with the morons.. I wonder how much money our troops would spend in America if they were here??

I know this is supposed to be a fishing report.. And I apologize for my rant in this section.. But this crap just can't go on..

The lake is still falling an inch plus a day, but there is still thirty plus miles of lake to fish. And if you have been around Falcon long, then you know that this is a regular occurrence. And all those fish that were in 90,000 acres are now in 60,000. (Give or take) So I don't have to tell you what that does for the fishing. It's gonna be an awesome fall and I am telling you (and have been) that this is some of the best fishing that will ever happen on the earth.. So don't miss your chance to get in on some of it.. It won't last forever.. But the next couple of years is going to be insane.. I told you so..

September 8, 2011: I don't know if you could say that fall is in the air down here in Zapata, but it has been about as pleasant as it gets the last few days. Lows have been in the lower sixties, and highs have been in the middle nineties. Light winds.. Fish where you want.. Awesome.. And the fish are biting as well. Life is good.

The lake is still dropping, and as of this morning we are sitting at 281.15, or 19.87 feet low. That's down 6/100ths in the last 24, and .41 in the last week. It doesn't sound like much but it adds up. Or make that it adds down..

We have another tropical storm in the gulf, and the predicted track has been adjusted a bit more to the north. Which is promising. Maybe this one will get a little water on Texas. But currently it is sitting in the Bay of Campechie and not moving too much.. Predictions are for a Cat one storm before landfall, wherever that might be.. We don't need the damaging surge or winds.. But all of Texas sure needs the rain.. I am praying for a gentle storm that heads north.. And lingers..

We are making preparations for a bunch of big tourneys in the next 45 days.. And a lot of my time here lately has been occupied with details.. Lots of em..

But one thing of note is that the venue for the San Antonio Metro tourney has been moved TO the Community Center FROM The Ramirez Exhibition hall. Weigh in will still be at the county ramp.

So my fishing time has been at a minimum here lately. Although I did get out on Tuesday. And about an hour into that trip my trolling motor my trolling motor started making a moaning noise.. No not like Jenna Jameson but more like the sound a chicken makes when you wring his neck.. And then it wouldn't turn off.. A lot like Jenna Jameson.. So that put an early end to my fishing.. But I did catch some fish so it wasn't a total loss. New trolling motor on the way..

And yes Jenna.. I got the long shaft..

We are seeing a lot of folks in town that are prefishing for the upcoming tourneys, and while their success has been reported as pretty good, not a lot of details are being disseminated.. Go figure.. I am sure not much will change in the next few weeks.

There has been a rash of big fish caught here lately, and that has been with a minimal amount of fishermen on the lake. Not withstanding last weekend.. But there are few folks in town as I write.. Chatter sounds like there will be quite a few folks in town again this weekend.

I'm going dove hunting..

Sherman Pierce caught this 12-6 last weekend.. That's a long fish.. Surely a Sharelunker class fish in February..

And speaking of Sharelunker.. There is less than a month before the start of a new season.. (Oh Boy..)

In any case, I believe you will see a bunch of thirteen pound class fish caught here this year. And some a lot bigger. I have already predicted that the new lake record will be replaced this spring. We'll see.

Last year there were twelve reported fish caught over thirteen pounds that I deemed credible. And I heard of several others that I could not substantiate. Of course six of those were turned into the program. Of those six, only one was a pure Florida.. It, along with two others died. The three remaining fish were returned to the lake. So no SL fry were produced from Falcon fish last year. Or the year before that. Or the year before that.. And I don't have data on years previous..

It would probably be best to take Falcon off the donor list..

Just keep bringing us Pure Florida strain stockings and we'll be just fine..

I hear that Lake Conroe is having a Sharelunker contest.. $100 will get you entered in the race for the biggest SL fish caught between October 1st and October 21st.. Biggest fish (over 13) will win $100,000..

It's a great promotion.. But if you have another hundie to waste I'll bet you nobody catches one..

Last year there were eighteen SL fish turned in.. A couple of them were retreads.. I don't see that many fish being caught and turned in this year.. But I could be wrong..

A lot of folks will be fishing Falcon this season and we'll see how many get turned in.. None I hope.. But I know better..

September 6, 2011: Damn.. When I walked outside this morning, my neck immediately swole up, and I charged right into one of my old lady's bougainvilleas and started tearing it up.. I'm still pickin thorns.. I know it was not cold, but 66 felt awful good. I hate winter, but I am sure tired of this 106 every day.. It was a beautiful morning to fish..

I caught some nice fish, but nothing to take a picture of..

I did see a couple of pics of some nice fish caught this morning, and a couple of them were footballs. One of em was as big around as Rosie's thigh.. No cellulite though..

There were a lot of people here last weekend, and I think I am starting to see re-bar in the concrete in front of the license machine.. Of course the opening of dove season had a lot to do with it as well. And speaking of doves, I hear the birds were a little spotty around Zapata.. Of course half the fleet was grounded due to the high winds.. This first norther was a windy one for sure..

There is another little depression in the gulf, this time just north of the Yucatan.. Maybe this one will come our way and bring us some water.. We'll be keeping an eye on it for sure..

Somebody told me they caught a bass with a tick on it.. That is how shallow some of these fish are. I caught a couple again this morning that were evidently looking for arrowheads.. That square bill is still catching a lot of fish. And the sexy shad pattern is still the best in my book.. And you do not need to leave the Veleno to catch a bunch of square bill fish. Launch the boat, drop the trolling motor, and hit the rocks.. It's working..

After the sun got up, I moved way out to six to ten feet of water, and caught them in the trees.. Bigger hardwoods that are isolated a bit seem to be holding some fish. Off a creek channel or a point that has rocks on it is a good place to look.. Same old same old.. A jig in the trees has been magic for a lot of folks as well.

We heard of a lot of good quality fish caught this weekend, from of end of the lake to the other.. Big winds on Saturday and Sunday made it a little tough on the open water spots, and I heard that getting from the State Park to the Salanaias was a wild ride on Saturday.. Yee-Ha..

And while we are usually busy on Labor Day weekend, this year a lot of folks made the trip down to pre-fish for one of the upcoming tourneys.. There are a lot of them on the books.. And I don't think that Falcon will disappoint. And if the water cools off a little between now and then, it's gonna be a whole nother ball game.. Of course it has not been at all uncommon for a boat to whack a forty pound stringer during this hot stretch. Water temps this were right at 86° this morning by the way. It's gonna be good..

Jose Vasquez Sr. caught this 12-1 over the weekend.. That'll make a holiday..

And speaking of special days, Cory Smith caught his new PB on his 21st birthday. It went 10.95 pounds

That's a blimp..

And Wally the fireman caught this 11 something.. Sorry for the poor pic but this fish is also a Hindenberg..

There have been a bunch of big, fat, swollen, giant bellied fish caught here lately.. I mean some buttertubs.. If these fish could talk, they would probably be daytime talk show hosts.. And when you think about it, these fish are better looking and have better personalities.. And they're not as slimy..

I saw that Hanoi Jane was on The Tonight Show last night.. I wonder what kind of America hatin' crap she espoused this time.. Probably said that 9-11 was our fault.. Obamma is a good president, and that the economy is on the rebound thanks to the liberals.. Oh wait a minute.. I was reading this Thursdays Obammas speech from the teleprompter..

My bad..

September 2, 2011: Lots of smiling faces are walking through the front door the last couple of days.. The fish are biting.. And some good ones too. Techniques on catching these fish can be found in the Bible, in Genesis.. Cause that is how long the same patterns have been working. So what I am telling you is old news..

But I will not leave the shop without:

A. Mag Fluke in Watermelon Something..

B. A Jig, one for the rocks and one for the brush.. Camo or Watermelon greeny or Browny..

C. A squarebill crankbait, or a spinnerbait, but I prefer the former.. In a shad pattern like Sexy Shad..

Those are what I am throwing right now, and for the last three months.. But a lot of folks are doing just fine on an assortment of tackle, that includes big worms, and monster crankbaits.. Like the DD-22 or the Bomber deep divers..

So I guess what I am saying is that whatever you like to throw will catch fish.. And from the sound of it there is going to be a good crowd here this weekend to find out whether I have been lying or not.. But I'm betting on NOT..

The weather has been ideal for fishing the last week.. Low winds and a bit cooler mornings.. But it is still hot in the PM.. And some rain showers have popped up around us but have not dropped any moisture on us here at the shop.. Yesterday there were scattered showers down south of us, and some of them good ones.. We'll see if we get lucky today.. But it is not looking good.

The Perfect Storm is in the gulf, but it looks like crawfish country is going to get the rain instead of us.. Doesn't look like a mean storm, but a big rainmaker, just what Texas needs. I'm still hoping that something moves it over to us.. But that is not what the weather guru's are saying.. We'll see if it spins a few showers our way..

Mike Fox Sr. finally broke into the DD club, and no, that is not the name of a strip joint.. He caught this 10-4 last week fishing with his son.. Nice fish..

I have been busier than a half tongued pup with two peckers, trying to get ready for your visit(s) in the next few weeks, and a lot of my time has been spent working on details for a couple of big tourneys that are just around the corner. And hopefully we will have all the details covered when tourney day rolls around.. I am a professional worrier, after all. But I have most of my appointed jobs done, and I plan on hitting the water a couple more days next week.. Along with whacking a few doves on Sunday afternoon.. I've already had my warm-up..

But I did fish on Wednesday, and I had a great morning.. I caught a couple of fives, a six something, a seven something, and a 9-13.. Was sure she was a DD when I saw her.. But not.. It has been at least five months since I caught a ten.. So don't gripe to me when you don't catch one while you are here for the weekend.. It is Falcon but you still have to go fishing.. (But I guarantee you that a bunch of tens will get caught this weekend..)

I bought a new truck about five months ago.. Not because I needed one, but because I wanted one.. I only had 322,000 miles on my 1999, and it was still running good.. But I figured that if I was gonna be running all over the state pulling a boat it was probably time to get a new one.. It had been thirteen years..

And I am a weirdo when it comes to my vehicles.. I like to keep em clean and well maintained, especially when they are new.. Or old.. And I hate getting dings and the like, especially on a new vehicle..

And that is the purpose of this rant.. I had to go to Laredo yesterday for some yeast and copper line, and when I came out of Wally World I noticed a big ding in the door of my new truck.. Undoubtedly courtesy of some big fat lemon pie eating, no count Pinto driving Son of a Bitch.. I always park away from everyone I can, or in the biggest space I can find.. I'm still a little pissed off.. Some folks are just plain idiots and just don't give a crap.. I'm still a little pissed off.. So if any of you guys do PDR I am willing to take my door panel off and trade some baits for ten minutes work.. Or I also pay cash.. But I'm still a little pissed off..

I think we have had this conversation before..

In any case I'll feel better in a month or two.. I need to go fishing to deal with all this stress..

See you on the water..

August 30, 2011: It's just about time to tear August off the top of the calendar, and I am ready to say good-bye to a hot and dry month.. Although we did get an inch of rain last week.. Which is more than I can say for the two months previous. It's been dryer than a Martini served in the 4077 Swamp..

But the report is that the high pressure that has been trying to hatch us is moving to the east, and we have a chance of rain starting tomorrow and running through Monday.. I'd like to see it.. But I won't schedule moving the docks up the bank just yet..

But September is on the doorstep, and it won't be long till is is a lot cooler, and yes hopefully, a lot wetter.

I fished with Jim Edwards yesterday, and our goal was to fish nowhere we had fished in the last four months.. And we pretty much stuck to the gameplan, except for a couple of stops. And we caught fish most everywhere we stopped. We hit several deep rockpiles, with mixed results, but did not hammer them on any of them. Best rockpile fish was a small seven.. And the best fish of the day was a middle seven caught out of one foot of water.. But we caught lots of three to five pound fish.. And a lot of rats..

Jim threw the jig, and of course I threw the Big Fluke.. Both produced well.. We also caught fish on a spinnerbait and a square bill.. I think you can just grab something and throw it..

Good fish are being caught, and good numbers of em.. And it sounds like the laborers that will not be laboring this weekend will put the smackdown on a bunch of fish..

There is a batch of farm boys from Medina county down here this week, and we ordered all the whorehouses closed.. So they are actually fishing.. And for the most part, behaving.

Fred Haegelin caught this 10-4 beauty yesterday fishing with Tommy Law.. Not a scratch on her..

Todd Driscoll caught this 11-11 last weekend. He was part of the TPWD expedition that was down here..

Jared Bryant caught this 10-5, another DD from Falcon..

And Chance Huiet caught this 11-1 on his Falcon trip last week as well.

Sure starting to see a lot of elevens all of a sudden.. Get ready..

I will remind you that these big fat Rosies are not as durable as your first girlfriend.. Please treat them gingerly, with minimal time out of the water.. And don't give em a sunburn taking pics and measuring them.. They can't take it..

Be prepared to catch a big fish.. Have some good water in your live well ready.. And when you get through shaking, and you get your camera and measuring device out, then take her out of the well and Quickly get your evidence and turn her loose.. You can look at the pictures later.. The sooner you get that fish back in the water the better..

The lake is still dropping, and we are down to 281.76 or 19.26 feet low. And water temps are still right at 90 in the heat of the day.. And although the days are getting shorter, us being around 109 everyday does not help cool the water too much.. But it gonna happen sooner or later..

The catfishing is still going nuts around here, and pole fishermen, and women, are smacking limits real easy anywhere around the birds. I had some buddies put out some Jug Lines and they caught some nice blues as well..

I love fishing with jugs.. Leave it to us rednecks to figure out how to catch fish.. They work most anyplace there is catfish, including Falcon. (And I am in now way insinuating that I invented Jug Lining.. But I did help with the Redneck thing.)

Here is a jug in the non-deployed position..

And when you think about it, there are a lot of things that have to do with jugs.. And being I am the Lexicographer I am I figure we might ought to discuss the uses of jugs..

Here is a jug that needs no introduction.. But our wives are probably more familiar with this one than us fellers are.. Every time I use it I make a bunch of new rags.. Previously known as clothes.

And here is what us guys with greasy fingernails call a "Bad Jug." If you have one of these in your Yamaha then your fishing is going to curtailed for a while, unless you fish real close to the dock..

And then you have some Hairy Jugs.. This a cross between a Jack Russell and a Pug.. Commonly called a "Jug."

And then you have the proverbial jug, whose contents may not always be a known quantity.. And excessive drinking from one of these has been known to make some double first cousins but more commonly causes sheetmetal to be reshaped and damage to guard rails and tree bark..

Of course there is evolution in society, and these jugs can cause more of the same results listed above..

And then of course, there are these jugs, which really need no definition.. They are some of my personal favorites when it comes to Jugs.. And cold weather affects these more than any of the other jugs we have discussed above.. I personally like the combination of the last two Jugs shown being used at the same time.. Something we refer to as "Double-Jugging.."

And so you see that a word can have many meanings and connotations.. I am just trying my best, to discover Websters best.. There a lot of words in a dictionary.. And so far I am up to Aardvark.. And look for some definitions of uses for a long tongue in the near future..

See you on the milk.. I mean the water..

August 27, 2011: There have been a few peculiar happenings around here the last two days.. It has rained.. Both days.. We got a strong 1/2 inch on Thursday evening, and another half yesterday afternoon. And now are we not only dealing with some serious heat.. We've got some 90% humidity added to it.. Gotta be careful what you ask for.. But it did keep the high temps at bay yesterday.

I fished till noon on Friday, and the lake was dead calm.. And I was sweatin' like rosie thinking about exercise class.. It was brutal.. It was a three pair of chonies day..

But through it all, the fish were biting.. We heard of a lot of good fish caught, and several boats had big fish and lots of numbers.. Look for pics soon.

There is a story in the news the last few days about shots fired at a boat in the back of the Salado. The same place I have been asking you to avoid. Cause like I said, there is a ton of Military patrolling the North end of the lake. And when the uneasiness sets in when you see a bunch of soldiers on the bank, it is easy for a person to rush to a decision that might not be the best one.

If you fish in Mexican waters, then you must know that Mexican authorities may be present. And If they want to talk to you, then it would probably be in your best interest to talk to them. No different than talking to American law enforcement if they want to stop and talk to you.

If you are uncomfortable about the possibility of running into the Mexican patrols, then I am begging you to stay out of the Salado, or any other area that is easily accessed by them via land.

I have heard of no military presence on the bank in a couple of weeks. But they could be there at any time. The helicopters are still patrolling the Mexican side of the lake on an almost daily basis.

These guys are here doing their job, and it appears to us that they have taken control of the border surrounding the lake. I think that is a good thing.. Nuff said..

After the rain yesterday afternoon, the fish went nuts I hear.. Good thing I got the water off at lunch.. Of course I hate getting wet, so I was not too disappointed to miss the fishing.. I think that the odds are pretty good that I will have a dry day to fish real soon.

Predicted highs have backed off a little to the 105 range for the weekend, down from the 110 that was predicted earlier this week. We have had that for a month or more so I guess we can live with it.. The days are getting shorter and it won't be too long till we are cussing the cold.. Or at least I will..

We have had 100 days over 100° so far, and I am sure the days of a hundred or more are far from over. But their end is in sight.. I think I could stand a few days where the highs are in the eighties.. It's a commin..

August 25, 2011: While the fishing is hot on Falcon, it can't hold a candle to the weather.. It has been tough here lately, and the forecast for this weekend is almost frightening, with predictions for temps in the 112 range, if you look at the weather channel.. NWS has it predicted at a balmy 107.. In either case, these are some dangerous temps for those that will be outdoors.. So keep that in mind if you are on the lake.

I have written an e-mail to NASA requesting the tiles off the space shuttles to put on my roof being that we are not using them any more.. Those things can fight off the heat from re-entry.. And the only one that knows more about re-entry than them is Bill Clinton.. And we are no longer on speaking terms..

So don't put your health in Jeopardy. I'll take sunburnt fishermen for $2000, Alex..

All that being said, there has been a big influx of fishermen in town this morning, and the the hot weather is not going to keep them off the lake.. At least till Noon.

Good numbers of fish are still being reported, although there has not been a lot of folks on the water these last few days. I also heard of a 14-2 caught on Monday, and more than a couple over eleven.. Seems that the big fish have come out of their stupor.. I plan on fishing some deeper rocks tomorrow and see if I can't catch me one.. The prognosis is good..

We are still losing just a bit of water each day, and we are essentially at 19 feet low. I don't look for any changes in the near future, as I am sure the draw will continue.

It appears that most any bait will catch fish right now, and if you have been reading these reports, you know what they are.

Shallow fish can be caught with a square bill, spinnerbait, or plastics. And fish a bit deeper will bite most any jig, as has been evidenced by the broad requests we have had for different colors.. Green and orange/browny colors are good, and hanging a trailer of similar color on it is surely a plus. The Rage Craw or the Paca Craw are two good choices.

Basically, your favorite bait will catch you some fish. And basically you can throw your favorite bait in most any depth of water, as long as there is some rock and brush around. And hang on.. These summertime fish are insanely strong, and pull similar to a Cummins diesel.. So be prepared.. Heavy line and extra heavy rods are the preferred equipment for fish extraction.. Leave that MH stuff at home..

Labor Day weekend is just around the bend, and from the sounds of it there will be quite a few folks headed our way. And the first weekend in Sept is also the opening of Dove Season in Texas, so I am sure there will be a lot of people on the road. And here's another thing to keep in mind if you are headed to Zapata. There is a big task force of police on the roads in Zapata county, and they will be working the Hwy 83 and Hwy 16 corridors hard for the next few weeks. Put it on cruise control.. You won't get here much faster anyway..

I was watching the news yesterday, for whatever reason.. And it seems that our Governor, Rick Perry has all the liberals panties in a wad.. They hate a man who believes that God created the earth and everything on it, that does not believe in Global Warming, and that thinks fiscal responsibility is a good thing.. I am not saying that Perry is the answer to all our problems, but he sure as hell can't be any worse than what we have now.. Oh I forgot.. The liberals don't believe in hell either.. Maybe they will if Rick gets elected.. This should be fun to watch..

I read an editorial by a flaming liberal this morning, talking about Perry and his beliefs, and you could just feel the seething hate oozing out of the writer.. I've got to start reading more communist... Errrr... Liberal stuff.. It was damn enjoyable..

I also heard that Perry is suddenly ahead in the polls, as he leapfrogged the catcher from Massachusetts.. It's way to early to tell what will happen in the coming elections, but this one could break records for mud slinging and rumor mongering.. And I am sure the liberals have their closet cleaners hard at work.. We'll see how many bones they find..

I also heard that they found the cause for the earthquake in DC yesterday... It was "Bush's Fault."

The Washington Monument was damaged in the earthquake as well.. It has a Latin inscription on top of it that translates to "Praise be to God." Look for the Whackos to try and have it removed when the repairs are done.. I'm just sayin...

And one other thing that bugs me here lately.. I guess I look like a counterfeiter.. Cause every time I try and break a $100 bill, they take this Magic Marker out and make a mark on it, supposedly confirming its authenticity.. Whenever they do that to me these days, I ask to see the pen after they have given me my change.. And then I proceed to test all the bills they gave me back.. It really pisses them off.. You should try it.. I'm gonna start doing the nickels and dimes too..

I gotta go respool some reels.. See you on the water..

August 23, 2011: I know it has been a while since I wrote.. But I have been busy.. Screwing off.. But that is one of my specialties..

I went to Amistad over the weekend to fish a club tourney.. Had a good time, but should have stayed home if I wanted to catch some fish. I pretty much stunk it up and did not catch a limit either day.. A few guys in the club found them pretty good, but most struggled.. Lots of time between bites.. Glad to be back on Falcon.

TPWD was down here the last few days, and they have been doing some studies on the effect of Hydrogen Peroxide in the livewells with a good fish load in the tanks.. And of course we had to go out and catch some fish for the study. We had four boats out there, all with different livewells and aeration systems, to try and get an overall opinion of how well the H2O2 actually works.. Or doesn't.. Look for a full report from TPWD in the near future.. If you have been paying attention you will remember that we did some preliminary tests on the stuff a few months back. But this test was a much broader sampling under some very warm water conditions. Early results show that the stuff helps for a quick spike in O2 levels, and in some boats it seemed to work better and last longer than in others. Fish load made a lot of difference as would be expected.. I am sure it will be an interesting and factual read when the report is concluded.. But looking at the results makes me think that this is not a magic bullet..

Yesterday morning my first cast of the day produced a fat 3-11 on a spook, about two hundred yards from the boat ramp.. Welcome home.. I love this place..

I had not been on the water on Falcon in about eight days, as I have been busy with a lot of things getting ready for some upcoming tourneys and the like. But not a lot had changed.

We started out throwing some topwaters, and just caught a couple of fish here in the Veleno. So we made a run south to some rocky points and humps and went to whacking them on a square bill crankbait. I am not sure if it mattered too much which one you threw, as we caught them on a shad pattern, a craw pattern, and a tilapia colored bait.. Them fish was hungry. Most of these fish were in the two to four pound class, with one five and a half mixed in.

We ran our peroxide test and sat in the same area for an hour and a half, and pretty much caught them steady.. Not every cast but we caught em good.

Then we headed to the Tigers and caught them on some rocky points with the fluke, more square bills, and Ol Monster worms. We caught fish most everywhere we stopped. And the last stop of the day we hit a rockpile on the mainlake in about eighteen feet of water. And there were fish on it.. Lots of em, but the biggest went 5-10.. Lots of threes.. Big fun..

Of course I threw nothing but the square bill and the big fluke in W/M Red.. I kept telling myself to pick up the jig.. But I just couldn't do it.. Even though I hear from everybody that it is catching the hell out of em.. And I am sure it is.. If not it is a hell of a conspiracy.. But I guarantee you that the fluke is catching them..

I have heard from more and more people that the fish have moved to some deeper rocks, and my next few trips will be spent exploring some old rockpiles that I have not fished in a few years. The lake is getting to a level where these are easily fished and I have enough string to reach the bottom.

And speaking of lake level, we are down to 282.19, or 18.83 feet low. Amistad has a lot of water and I think they should give us some.. Or at least hold us level.. Good luck with that.. We are still dropping about a tenth of a foot a day, and while that does not sound like much, every time you turn around we are a foot lower. And while I don't like it, it certainly is not hurting the fishing.

We have heard of a lot of big fish the last week, including a 13.64. And a lot of these big fish are coming from the Tigers. Deep rocky ledges from the fifteen to twenty five foot range.. And a giant football jig seems to be the best big fish bait for right now.. I guess I'm gonna have to try it.. And word is that the above mentioned fish was part of a 51 pound stringer.. 13.64 is a good start..

Fact is that you can catch fish on most any bait you like, in whatever depth of water you like. There are tons of small fish in the shallows.. Look for rocks stretching out into the water and throw anything up there.. I also caught a three foot gar yesterday on a crankbait.. Thought I had me something.. And if you catch one of these nasty critters, be careful getting rid of them.. My needlenose pliers ended up in the lake and I took the Band-Aids off this morning.. Mean SOB's..

Christi Knight caught her a biggun, and her new PB is a 9.46..

And Nick Muller caught a whopper last week.. That's a big 10-4..

Josh Clarke Caught this big headed monster as well.. 12-2..

Bobby Boone caught this 10-12 while at Falcon as well..

And Ted Martin nailed this 11-8. I think I know where that tree is..

And Mike Kyle caught this DD last week tambien.. 10-3..

I told you that a lot of big fish have been showing up.. And we heard of a lot more.. Some folks are just too shy to send me the pics.. Lots of the local guides have been wearing out the big fish on a daily basis..

I think this fall is going to be insane here on Falcon, and I have never seen so many small fish in the lake.. The last three spawns have been fantastic.. Look for a bunch of thirteen's and I believe a few bigger this year.. Maybe a lot bigger..

August 17, 2011: Not a lot of news about the fishing to share.. Other than that several people I talked to said they really whacked the numbers yesterday.. One guy said he had twenty seven bites on twenty seven casts.. Not a lot of bigguns, but lots of fish.. I wouldn't have moved either.. Same patterns.. It's all good..

I am finally getting caught up with all of the things I needed to do, and there are a couple of things I need to tell you about.

Late in October, there is going to be a tourney here on Falcon, put on by the C.A.S.T. folks. It is basically going to be a Pro-Am, and you can enter either division I understand. Entry fees will be $150 for either, and the partner you draw will fish with you for both days. I hear a meal and music is going to be provided the night of registration, and final plans are still a bit in the works. But if you are interested, you can call John Watts at 281-796-7486. Sounds like a good time, and I hear it is going to be open to all.. John has all the details.. It is scheduled for the weekend of October 28th-30th.. Something fun to do if you are not at the deer lease..

The Salado is still crawling with Mexican marines.. If you must fish there and you encounter some of them, I recommend that you do as they say. They are the authority over there, just like game wardens and border patrol are on our side. They have not been on the water from what I hear, but they are on the bank. Several people have spoken to them and they want to know what you are doing, even if it is obvious.. But my recommendation is to stay out of the back of the Salado, till things settle down. I look at this as a good thing, as it appears to me that they are in control of the area.. Bout time..

I don't know about you, but I am a big fan of the Little League World Series. And the games don't begin till Thursday. So in its stead, last night I watched the Girls Little League game that was on.. And these girls are pretty blood and guts as well. But I did notice one difference that I thought title 9 would have cured by now..

When one of the boys come up to bat, they put a little bio on the screen about them, telling you their favorite player, Their Height, Weight, and wheteher they like to shoot deer or not.. Or marbles or whatever..

But when the girls come up to bat, they do something similar, but they do not mention their weight.. If I need to know what Rollo the catcher weighs on the boys squad, then I think it is fair that I should know what the stringbean in center on the girls team weighs.. Fair is fair, damn it.. Do you guys ever notice this stuff?? I don't think that Rollo needs to be embarrassed by this type of notoriety.. I hate sexism..

I used to work construction, and we did a lot of remodeling in some pretty swanky office buildings. And I know what it is like to have women gawking at you and making snide comments all the time.. Undressing you with their eyes.. It is hurtful to be viewed as a sexual object and we men need to stand up and defend ourselves.. I am going to organize a gathering in Austin where we can all meet on the Capitol steps and burn our tool belts.. We need equal rights now!

And don't tell me that just because I was wearing a muscle shirt I was asking for it either.. A couple of guys can't even go out a have a beer or two without getting hit on every time you turn around.. Man...

I told you it is slow down here. Come see us..

August 16, 2011: The rains that have been running around the state of Texas have been able to avoid the Zapata area, and it is so dry around here are lizards are licking the sweat off of each other.. It's actually kind of erotic to watch..

And the short term doesn't look any better.. High pressure is sitting on us like Rosie on a camp stool, and believe me, there is plenty hanging off the edges.. High temps are predicted to be in the 106 range for the rest of the week, and the long term doesn't look any better. We need an early cold front in a bad way..

The lake continues it slow fall and as of today we are sitting at 282.79 or 18.23 feet low. Water temps in the middle to upper eighties..

The sunlight hours are getting almost two minutes shorter every day, and before long there will be a change in the water temperatures.. I hope.. And that should send the fish into their annual pig out before winter gets here.. And October is one of my favorite month to fish Falcon. It is usually a big numbers month.. But this year all the months have been.

I have heard several more reports of deeper fish the last few days, and some deep rocks have been producing some very good quality fish. And I am talking about water around thirty feet, give or take a few. Jigs are catching a lot of these, and the Big Fluke ain't too bad either.. Sounds pretty redundant, but if it works, don't fix it..

The weekend was fairly busy around here, but the weekdays for the last month have been pretty slow. Just not a lot of folks that want to contend with the heat.. Can't say I blame them.. Seems the whole state of Texas is broiling..

Young Ryan Golden caught his new PB here on Falcon last week.. This 9.8 fattie looks to be in good shape.. I have seen a few giants that weighed a couple pounds less than they should have..

New fishing/hunting licenses are available now at your favorite store, so don't forget to pick one up in the next couple of weeks. And Dove Season opens in less than two weeks as well. Lots of white wings around our area this year.. And I hope to whack a few myself..

Hang in there.. Fall is coming..

August 12, 2011: I hit the water for about five hours this AM, and I caught fish at every place I stopped. No monsters but a lot of three to four pound fish. I heard from a few folks today that did a lot better on the bigger fish. But I am a self professed small fish expert..

The Big Fluke in W/M Red and Magic colors, and a square bill crankbait are the only two things I threw.. Well I did catch a fish or two on a DD-22..

Rocks were covered with small fish, and bushes from five to twelve feet had a lot of fish in them. I fished from the Coyote to the back of Little Tiger and several main lake points in between. rocky points with trees.. Nothing new..

Before I left I told you about a lot of Mexican Military activity in the Salado, especially on the ranch near the Palapa on the left before you round the corner to the Elephant Rocks..

These guys are in Hummer type vehicles and are all over that area. Some fishermen we know were fishing in there and said they made them leave in a hurry.. They were not sure what the guys on the banks intentions were, but did not stick around to find out. And I am telling you to leave these guys to their work. The Mexican helicopters were all over the place again today so I reckon they are looking for someone or something. And there is no reason to press your luck when we do not know for sure what is happening.

I think it is a good idea to stay out of the back of the Salado for the near future. That's my advise to you.. I'll let you know if anything changes..

I wrote a story about my trip to Argentina, and it is a little rough.. But here it is. I will edit it a bit I am sure and need to add some pics.. I'll let you know when I get the pics up, but it won't be too long..

August 11, 2011: It's been a while since I sat in front of a computer.. And my typing skills are crappy anyhow.. But it is good to be home.. And I will try to pass on what I have heard about the fishing since I got back yesterday evening.. I grilled a couple of local guides about what is happening, and that should be more accurate than my usual ramblings about what I am doing.. But I promise you it won't be long till I am back on the water..

And after shining the bright light in their faces, it sounds a lot like the fishing is very similar to the fishing that I left.. Still a lot of shallow fish, and still a lot of fish in the trees out to fifteen feet. But good numbers of fish have been caught in the three and four foot area, on Square Bills near the rocks, and flipping the bushes on the points and shallow drop offs. And a lot of these fish are quality fish as well.

It also sounds like we are having a bit of a summer spawn, which is not at all unusual during the big moon in August. I know it sound crazy, but it has certainly happened the last few years.. Big bellied Rosies with bloody tails have been reported by several fishermen and a few of the guides. And everybody knows that there is nothing like shanking a big fat bitch in four feet of water.. I love this place..

The jig is still probably the best bait going, but a Mag Fluke or a big worm is right there with it. And the deep diving cranks are still catching a lot of fish off points and bumping it through the treetops. Using a crankbait in the trees can be a bit tricky, but if you reel slow, and fish by feel with it, letting it float up out of the trees when you contact one, you will be surprised how well it will come thru the brush. In any make, a wide bill is a plus for getting thru the trees. Lipless cranks like a trap will catch them in the bushes as well, but you will spend some time chasing down your bait..

The general consensus is that the fishing is not as good as it was a month ago, but still pretty damn good. Guess I'll rate it at about a 7.75..

The lake continues to fall, and as of this morning we are sitting at 283.25, or 17.77 feet below pool. There were a couple of days when Amistad did some emergency generating for the peak periods of usage, where they had releases over 8,000 CFM for a few hours, or so I glean from some e-mails from the IBWC.. But it has not been a great help and they have not done it lately. In the last week we have dropped .67 feet.. Water temps are still right at 90 degrees in the PM, and I don't see anything changing too fast as we are predicted to be in the 105 to 108 range the rest of the week.. This drought is getting serious folks.. But the days are getting a minute shorter with every spin of the earth, and before long we will be bitchin cause it is cold.. Or at least I will..

I know the thought of a hurricane sends a lot of folks into a panic along the coastal bend, but we need something in a bad way. Year to date here at FLT we have received 5.45 inches of rain. And some folks say we are the lucky ones.. In contrast, last year by this time we had received 24.96 inches.. And we were less that six inches below pool.. What a difference a year makes..

But back to the fishing.. You can still come to Falcon and catch a big number of fish.. The biggest of the big have been a bit few and far between. That being said, there are ten pounders caught every day.. But believe it or not no one really talks about a ten like it was a gift from God anymore.. At least not locals.. (But it really is) I think we are a bit spoiled around here. I plan on getting out there tomorrow morning and smacking a few.. It has been ten days since I have been on the water, and I feel like I have been in jail..

But if I was in prison, it was certainly self inflicted, as I took a dove hunting trip that I have been planning for a long time. And let me tell you that we flat ass put the smackdown on a mountain of birds. We hunted in Tucuman Province in Argentina, which is north of Cordoba, about an hour or so.. Lows were in the forties most mornings, and highs in the seventies.. Awesome.. But when we got off the plane in Houston I knew we were back in Texas..

Seventeen of us shot 2,610 boxes of shells, and killed 48,423 birds. And in relation to how many birds we saw, we did not even pull a feather off the flock.. It is truly amazing the number of birds, and everything you hear is true.. Times ten.. Here is a pick across the field we were hunting on morning three.. Pic courtesy of Dave Krantz.

On day three in the AM, I killed 834 birds in two hours and fifty minutes. I did the math, which is not my strong point, but I think that is a bird every 7.91 seconds.. And that is not counting the time it takes to watch in amazement for a while, or to take a nature call, light a cigar, (Cuban of course) or whatever.. It is a river of birds that never quits flowing.. I could have shot an easy thousand, but that was 1000 shells and my shoulder said it was time to have a beer.. Or five.. And if you are wondering that is about 83%..

I will be working on a story about the trip and I will post it on another page when I get it put together. For those of you who like hunting..

In any case, if you can stand the heat, the fish are biting.. Get down here and fish naked.. Only the cormorants will know..

August 2, 2011: Tropical storm Dud has been long gone, and there are no mud puddles around here to remind us of his presence.. But in his wake he did leave some beautiful low wind days, perfect for running the lake.. And fishing anywhere you please.. I could even drink a Big Red while cruising down the lake on Sunday.. Pretty uncommon this time of year..

And fishing has been pretty darn good overall, with some good results reported the last few days. I don't think that the fishing is a good as it was a month ago, but there have been some folks that have had career days in the last couple of weeks.

In the last week or so, there has been a whole lot of fish in the shallow bushes on most any rocky point. And I am talking about a flippin' mans dream.. They are not monsters for the most part, but occasionally, about the time you are sure that all that is there are dinks, one will clock your ass.. Condition normal..

These are a lot of one to four pound fish. And as long as they're biting, I'm not moving.. I like getting bit..

And I know a lot of you who venture way down here are not in the mood for any dinky three pounders, and you are after some Rosies.. Cain't say I blame you.. But I figure I'll run into that big mean fattie sooner or later..

And for those of you in search of the Hindenberg, I would recommend that you fish a bit deeper, but not deeper than twenty feet. I still can't get anything going on the deeper rocks in the thirty foot range.. The structure is there, I just can't seem to catch any fish on it. And I have been waiting for the lake to get to the level it is now, so some of the spots I love to fish would be in play.. But it is still not happening..

Our water temps are right at 88 degrees, but it has not run the fish out of the shallows. I have often said that these Falcon fish like it hot.. Nothing has changed.. We'll see if the winter runs them out of the skinny water.. That's right I said winter... The days are getting over a minute shorter (every day) round these parts and before long it will be long johns and snow boots around here.. I hate cold.. Think I'll go put on a pot of Chili..

There was a lot of military activity in the Salado yesterday, and not the helicopters that we have been seeing. There were several Humvees with troops on the bank up around the shiny roofed Palapa.. From all accounts it appears they were looking for something or someone.. And while I do not think they are bad guys, if I see them I am not sticking around to give them an interview.. I am going to leave them to their work.. I am not alarmed or upset by their presence.. It is actually a good thing.. Just wanted to give you a heads up..

Fishing is still in the good range, but not the lights out that it was a month ago. There are still people catching fifty to eighty fish a day, but it is not the norm. If you get on a pile of fish, it can be done easily. If not, it can be a struggle.

But there is no way you can come down here and not catch some fish.. I promise..

So I am leaving you with that.. And in my absence, your assignment, if you choose to accept it, is to get me something to write about when I get back.. A new lake record will do just fine..

I'm outta here for about eight days and I have decided that the only technology I want to see is a clicker that counts dead birds.. And I plan on wearing one out.. See you around the 10th..

July 30, 2011: They may have named it tropical storm Don.. But I am calling it Dud.. And while it was a small storm, I have never seen one fall apart so quickly when it hit land. Did it start out in France? It imploded on impact. And while it did go south of a lot of predictions, it did end up about where we thought it would. I just can't believe that it fell apart so fast. Guess there'll be no Cantorie Story about this one..

And I thought we were going to get totally skipped on the rainfall, but as luck would have it, a small shower came over us this AM and we got 3/10 out of it. Thank you Lord for every drop.. And there are still a few popcorn showers around us as I write, and maybe we will get lucky and get some more before it is over.. We also have a chance for more of the same tomorrow as well. But is going to be a humid and hot SOB for sure..

But according to most stories, the storm had little effect on the fishing yesterday. I thought in front of the system the fish would go nuts, but I didn't see it that way.. Seemed like nothing out of the ordinary to me. I caught some fish, but it was not a banner morning..

I did hear of some folks doing really good on some big fish, and the pattern seems to be that fishing the main lake brush lines, especially up here on the north end, has been very productive. Twelve to fourteen feet of water on any break line with trees will get you bit. Any winding creek channel with woods close to the edge can produce a lot of bites.

I have been fishing some creeks up the river and targeting the bigger and denser woods, pretty much vertically dropping the bait in the shadiest areas of the bush. And I see a lot of folks fishing the main points on the river fishing basically the same cover as me. There are a lot of fish in the trees.. And that means that my favorite kind of fishing is producing a lot of fish. I love dropping a big worm or a brush hog right in the middle of the bushes.

And I'll have to admit that I am getting my ass handed to me by a lot of these fish. It is tough to get them out of these deeper trees. Early bite detection is key, and you can cut them no slack once it is on. And yes I am back to the heavy braid. A lot of this river water is less than gin clear and I don't think that the braid will make a bit of difference in the number of bites you will get. But it will make a difference in the amount of fish you get in the boat.

I have been using the thin wire Gama hook for a long time now, but I switched back to the superline hook for this application as of late. And with that heavier hook I am using only a 1/4 ounce weight for most of my flipping. Seems to me that the slow fall in the dirty water is working best.. But that is just my preference.

The jig is still working very well in this same type of water. I just do not prefer throwing one over the plastic. Your favorite will work, I promise.

If I was going out hunting, I think I would fish a lot of the brush lines from the mouth of the Salado south to the mouth of the Diablo. I would look for heavier bushes and about 10 to 14 feet of water.

Odds are that I won't be fishing for the next twelve days. And I am not sure if I can take it. Maybe I will get out a while on Monday. But I am going to replace a vice with a habit as I am heading out of town for a dove hunt. And odds are that I won't be posting anything from Aug 3rd till the 11th.. Not sure what kind, if any, internet access I am going to have. I hate handing off third hand info anyway. But I doubt if much will change in my absence. Come fishing.. Catch fish. Tom will be in charge of rumor control here at FLT so you can call and harass him while I am gone..

It could be that when I get back I'll find the country in total ruin, financially bankrupt, and people living in Caves. You better stock up on sterno. And I guess if we owe the Chinese all this money, they won't be in any better shape than us.. Where did they get all the money we borrowed anyway? And how can any country that eats with sticks get ahead of us? I know they saved a lot of money by not buying forks but what the hell??

Now let me do the math.. China has about 1.35 billion people.. If each person owned a set of forks, let's say a set of six, then there would 8.1 billion forks in China. And let's see.. A set of forks would need to be replaced every few years to stay in style and then they could melt the old ones down and mix them with lead and then make children's toys and send them to the United States.. That's a win-win for sure..

And when we take into account that the Chinese culture has been around for about 2000 years, that's a lot of freakin sets of forks that they have not had to buy.. So there you have it.. 1.35 billion, times six, extrapolated into the divisional and multiplicative factors that require the population to buy new forks every few years.. That's like 82 gadzillion dollars that they have saved by eating with some sticks.. And then they took all that money and lent it to us at an exorbitant interest rate and there you have it.. Financial nirvana..

So all we have to do in the US is to start eating with sticks and in no time we will have our budget problem solved..

I'm calling Obamma to let him know what I just figured out and then I am headed to Golden Wok..

July 29 2011: I guess it is time to start a hurricane party, although six AM might be a little early to break out the bubbly.. I'll stick with coffee for the short term..

When you live in south Texas, you come to understand that hurricanes and tropical storms are a necessary evil.. Often bringing lots of damage, but also bringing water to parts of Texas that rarely see it.. And while I don't think this storm is gonna be a drought buster, hopefully it will get a few of us wet anyway.

Over the years I have seen a lot of storms on this exact same path, including one or two last year.. And while the NWS has a thousand guidance maps, they're not usually too accurate until about ten minutes before landfall. And I can't tell you how many times that when we have a high sitting over north Texas, it always steers these babys into Mexico.. I still think this one will go a bit south of where they are predicting, and hit somewhere around the Rio Grande.. We'll see soon enough.. And hopefully we and a bunch of south Texans will get a good rain.

Winds are predicted to be very light today and it should be awesome in front of this storm.. I'll let you know later..

July 27, 2011: Well I guess I better write one last fishing report before the country goes into default, China comes and repo's all of our power plants, and the internet goes dead... Good thing we have our own hydroelectric plant here at Falcon.. At least we will be able to use our electric butter churns.. But it looks like a return to Medieval times for the rest of you..

This crap just cracks me up, watching the news, with all the finger pointing and blame laying.. But the part that is funny to me is that we get to pick what our debt ceiling is.. Not our creditors.. Isn't that like putting a crack head in a room full of big old rocks and saying, "Now don't do more than you ought to.. You might not be able to pay for it later." Well hell yeah.. You know a crack head is gonna do every bit of it he can stand.. Might even kill himself..

And you might not think that comparing the government to a crackhead is a good analogy.. But I don't know.. The problem we have is that the crack dealer, is also the crack head.. We make more crack whenever we want, and then we smoke it all up..

But every good dealer knows.. "You don't get high, on your own supply.." Something the US has been doing for years..

Oh well.. It's almost 2012 and the end of the earth is just around the corner anyway..

Meanwhile fishing remains good here on Falcon, with the pattern pretty much remaining the same as it has been for a few months. And I don't look for anything to change in the near future.

The lake is still dropping very slowly and I reckon that things will remain status quo for the next little while.. Unless something weird happens..

And there is a little something weird happening down around the Yucatan, as a tropical wave is making its way into the gulf. It is a little early to say how developed this storm may become.. This thing may remain a little anorexic, or it could go Rosie on us.. We will surely know more in the next couple of days.

Long range prognostications have the storm headed somewhere along the Texas coast, and we would love to see a gentle but wet storm make its way over a lot of drought stricken south Texas. And there are a couple more waves coming off the coast of Africa so who knows what will happen in the next couple weeks. It is that time if year..

It is also the time of year that schedules for the coming spring are being announced by tournament organizations across the state. And yesterday Bass Champs put out their schedules for 2012. Falcon is on the regular season schedule twice in 2012, with the first stop of the circuit coming to Zapata on January 14th. The second tourney will be at Amistad in February, and the third event will be back here at Falcon on March the 10th. Make your reservations now.. You know how the spring is here on Falcon. Lots of bass clubs have their openers here on Falcon as well, so it looks to be a busy time.

Here's a link to their schedule page..

And who knows what else will show up down here in the spring. But as of yet I have not heard of any other large circuits planning an event down here.. We'll see..

Jack Babb caught this 10-13 yesterday.. New PB of course.. He was fishing with Tommy Law..

There are not as many people in town this week as there were last, and according to my schedule, there will be no clubs in town this weekend either. But there could be some coming I don't know about. And the fish will be biting whether you are here or not.. Guess I'll have to catch em..

July 24, 2011: There are quite a few folks in town this weekend, and the fishing has been excellent from my perspective. I fished a few hours on Friday morning, and managed a five, an eight, and several other chunky four pounders. And while that is not record breaking I did it fishing places that I have not fished in months. And there are a lot of decent fish in the trees, especially the heavier wood, especially if you are close to a creek channel or drop off. I also had one whip my ass in about three seconds flat that snapped my line like it was dental floss.. It happens.

Lots of good fish have been caught by the bass clubs in town this weekend as well, and after the Saturday fishing was done, there were three stringers over thirty pounds in the UCBC tourney, and two of those were right at thirty five. Big bass was an eleven something I hear.

In the Elite tourney, I hear that there is a more humanesque weight leading the fray, at about twenty six pounds.. I hope to have a detailed report of the final results early this week and I will post the info in the tourney section.

I heard of several elevens yesterday, and this 12.5, caught by David Stephenson.

I also heard from several guys that wanted to know where the big fish are. Said they had caught a bunch of six to eights, and had busted forty pounds, but they had not caught a DD as of yet.. I was having a real tough time drumming up any sympathy for them.. But I told them that they're fishing in the right neighborhood and they could catch one at any second..

If we had a little slowdown during the full moon, it appears that it is over with and the fish are back on the early morning bite. Don't forget your buzzbait or spook if you are an early riser.. Very shallow rocks..

And thirty minutes later get your square bill out in the same neighborhood. The KVD 2.5 has been a killer here lately.. I am not a groupie but I am throwing that bait..

Jigs and Flukes are still the deal a little later in the day.. Your favorite.. But the greens and browns are still catching a lot of fish.. And anything with some orange in it is a good jig..

The lake is continuing its slow drop, and we are down to 284.69. or 16.33 feet low. We lost 6/100ths in the last twenty four. Slow fall, but it adds up.

While we have a busy time to go thru the next few months, I am really looking forward to the early spring, as in January, February and March. Because I believe that we are going to be on Lake Record Watch during that period for sure.. Not that it couldn't happen at any time.. I'd bet a weeks pay that the record will be broken at least once by the end of February. Not that that is a lot of money.. But I do believe that the current lake record will not last into the summer.. Sorry Tommy..

And I plan on catching the new one anyway.. I'll work on my grooming habits so I look good holding the fish.. But it is hard to fix ugly..

I am heading out of town the first week of August to go shoot some doves, so fishing reports may be scarce for a week or so. I am not sure if I will have internet service where I am headed, And I am not sure if I want to lug a laptop along.. But I probably will.

If you can stand the heat, it's a good time to be here.. Lots of folks catching big numbers of fish.. And a few bigguns as well.. Come see us if you get the chance..

July 21, 2011: Sometimes it is nice when the wind predictors miss the forecast, as was the case the last couple of days. Usually they err on the light side, but the predicted fifteen to twenty was more like three to ten. Which makes for a pleasant day on the water.. If not just a bit hot.

I was talking about the full moon and its effects on early morning fishing the other day, and it seems like the farther we get from the bright nights the better the fishing has gotten. And the lower winds certainly have helped with the fishability of the last few days.

Our water temps are hovering around eighty six or seven degrees, and up to ninety in the very shallow water. And it seems that the smaller fish just absolutely love warm water in the three foot neighborhood. Lots of fish are being caught right up on the bank, with your favorite bait. Doesn't too much matter which one it is. So if you are looking for a lot of bites, that is a good place to start. Not that you won't ever catch a Rosie in the shallows.. It happens all the time. But the better number of big fish are still in the ten to twenty foot range in my estimation.

I had my daughter and one of her girlfriends in town early this week, and on Monday we whacked the big Bream and Crappie under the bridge. And on Tuesday we went down to the dam and caught a bunch of fish trolling the rip-rap. As a matter of fact when we started we hadn't gone twenty yards and we had a double on. Fun and easy fishing for sure. We caught a lot of fish, but the biggest was about six pounds. But there are a ton of one to four pound fish along those rocks. If you have have some kids that want to catch some fish, this is about a sure fire way to get them in on some good action. You are going to loose a bait or two, but you are going to catch a bunch of fish. Watch those treble hooks..

All of a sudden we have a bunch of people in town, and I hear that several of the motels are booked up for this weekend. I haven't talked to all of them.. So if your coming and don't have a reservation, get on the phone now.

Universal City Bass Club, Elite Bass Club, and Atascosa Bass Club are all in town this weekend. And believe it or not, we are already starting to see a lot of folks down pre-fishing for the upcoming tournaments starting in the end of September. And you can bet that September is going to be a busy month in these parts. And we will be geared up to have whatever you need.

And in case you have not looked at the tournament page, here's a rundown of what is scheduled for Falcon this fall..

On September 23rd & 24th, the Texas Association of Bass Clubs will be holding their yearly championship here on Falcon.

The next weekend, October 1st & 2nd, the San Antonio Metropolitan League of Bass Clubs will be holding their annual skirmish here on Falcon as well.

On the next weekend, October 8th & 9th, the Bass Champs South Region will be holding their championship here as well.

On the weekend of October 22nd & 23rd, the Texas Bass Federation Nation will have their championship here also.

So you can see that there will be some busy times in Zapata and on the lake.

And mix in some club events and the return of the Snowbirds and you can see that it will put motel space at a premium. So like I said if you are planning a trip down our way, make your reservations now..

And I am quite sure that Falcon will not disappoint. I am not sure if we will see the monster stringers that we have in February, when the fat sows are carrying some extra weight, but it will take some two hand bags to take the top spots in any of these suarees.. I promise..

I am not sure if the fish are ever going to go deep this summer.. I can't find anything worth repeating out there. It seems that they are stuck in the water above twenty feet. I guess they have all they want to eat up there, and they like the neighborhood. I have been occasionally sitting in water out to thirty, but all the fish I am catching are on the breaks, and around twenty is as deep as I have found any concentrations of fish. But I am catching a lot more in the fifteen foot range..

Same baits, and the same tactics as in my last 347 reports..

One more thing about taking the kids fishing.. If you go under the 83 bridge here in Zapata, get you some small hooks, some split shot, and some earth worms, and fish around the posts. You will catch a mixture of fish to include the big bream, crappie, catfish, and more than likely a bunch of tilapia. Earthworms are the only thing I have ever seen the tilapia bite with any consistency.. And tasty they are..

Eric Evans caught this 10.88 this week..

And Mike Stafford caught this 10-1 while fishing with Jim Edwards.

And while all this bass catching has been going on, the catfish and gar fishing has been insane. The gar are up shallow and the locals are catching them left and right. And the bow hunters are doing well with the bigger gar as well. This 240 pound, seven foot plus whopper was shot down in the Tigers last week. If you are fishing the shallows you are going to see a few of these submarines cruising around.

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So whatever your pleasure, we have you covered down here. Come see us..

July 18, 2011: I didn't realize it had been so long since I posted a report, as I have been busy with company and piles of paper.. I'm not done with either one yet either.. Such is life.

If you would say that the fishing has been off, I guess I would have to agree with you from the reports I have been getting. But Falcon being off is still pretty damn good. And some folks have really whacked em, and there were several giants caught this weekend.

There were also three bass clubs in town, and from what I heard, there were no monster stringers caught. High twenties is what I heard on Saturday,(which ain't too bad) and I sat on the couch yesterday afternoon. The women's world championship in hockey was on and I had to watch that..

I believe that the full moon being up all damn night has caused the early bite to be very slow. Most folks have reported a much better bite in the afternoon hours. I personally have done much better in the PM as of late as well. We'll see if the mornings don't get a lot better in the next week or so. You could read a newspaper at midnight for the last week..

There were quite a few folks in town over the weekend, as Quality Bass Club, McAllen Bass Club, and Alice Bass Club all held their weigh-ins at the county ramp on Sunday. There were quite a few rigs at the ramp around noon yesterday.. I will post results from the tourneys when I get them. Help me out if you can..

Jigs still seem to be the hot bait for the meanwhile, with a lot of the better fish caught falling to it.. Color does not seem near as important as area and presentation. A slow retrieve, dragging the bait seems to be working best. And a lot of folks are darn near fishing it vertically on the rocks. And a lot of folks are fishing the tall trees with a vertical approach as well. And pay close attention.. The bites have been VERRY subtle.. Same with the big fluke..

Doodlesocking the deep trees takes some attention to detail. The bite has been very light, and by the time you detect the bite, set the hook, and start reeling, your odds of getting the fish in the boat aren't the best. But it is a lot of fun.

The wind has not been very kind lately either, but it has been fishable in most areas. But that does not mean it has been comfortable.

I heard of several big fish caught this weekend, which included a couple of elevens and a twelve. But there were a lot of man hours put in for sure.

Ty Blackshear caught this 11-12 on Sunday.. New PB..

Gene Clements caught this 11 pounder on Thursday.. Gotta get him some camera lessons.. But that fish was built like Opra..

And Kent Stephenson caught this 11-3 this week as well.. Nothin like nailing a fattie on your birthday..

Rosie style.. New PB of course..

I am still waiting on a few other pics to arrive..

We are still waiting out the long hot summer down here in Zapata. And it is dry again as well. And with the dry, water is being let out of the lake again, although not at an alarming rate.. But we are loosing about a tenth of a foot in each twenty four hour period. Doesn't sound like a lot but in a few days we're down another foot.. And on it goes..

We are sitting at 285.19, not quite sixteen feet low. But we will be by mid week I reckon. A little water is being let out of Amistad, but it is not enough to hold us level.. Amistad is sitting at 1111.97, or 5.03 feet low.

Time to start praying for a tropical depression in the gulf.. Or the Pacific.. All the Pacific storms so far this year have headed out to sea.. We need one to come across the mountains in central and northern Mexico and sit for about a week.. Amistad will and must fill up before we do.. That's just the way it works.. I have never seen a local rain, meaning between Star and Val Verde countys, have enough water to to replace what is missing right now. Our watershed below Amistad is just too narrow..

I sat on my ass yesterday afternoon and watched some TV.. And while I was tempted to switch over and watch the women's hockey on grass contest.. I never did it.. And boy am I glad.. Cause I saw on the news that the game ended in a tie.. Two to Two.. Which actually surprised me.. That is that either team scored..

But this was touted as the World Championship.. The Freaking World Championship.. And they can't play till someone scores?? WTF... That is why futbol sucks, and will never catch on in America.. I am not sure what the Nielsen ratings say about it, but I bet that more people watch the little league world series than futbol.. And you know why?? Cause even ten year olds play till there is a winner..

And while on the subject of TV, have you seen that stupid ass Time Warner Commercial where the guy is holding the baby racoon?? Says that he hates satellite TV cause you might have to cut down some trees.. And he is a nature lover.. What the hell does he think is holding up those cables strung all over the planet? Does he think those poles are made from recycled Satellite dishes?? That's just stupid..

Damn, it is Monday morning and I have already been on a rant.. Sorry.. I'll try to get better by the end of the week..

Low winds today.. I'm headed for the lake...

July 13, 2011: Looks like the oven is back on for the near future, and I love it when the NWS says that it is going to be "Breezy." That can usually be translated into "Put your nads into a tight jock strap if you are planning on hitting the main lake." But I just hate anything that puts any pressure on the twins.. Hard to concentrate when your brain is being squeezed..

Heat indexes are supposed to be around 110 or even higher, and that is thanks to the higher humidity levels we are having, due to the good old high pressure sitting on us and dragging in some gulf moisture. And I know I talk about it all the time but be sure and keep yourself hydrated if you are going to be out there the next few days. This kind of stuff will suck the water out of you like Monica with a popsicle.. And the latter would be much more fun to watch.

Lightweight and light colored clothing are also a must. And the more sun you can keep off of you the better.. You know the drill..

Fishing remains good, and for some, excellent. But it is still about finding those sweet spots that make for the giant stringers.

And finding those sweet spots is always a topic of conversation around here. And the crazy thing is, that not all of them are typical.

Rocky ledges are by far the most consistent producers of good numbers of good fish, but on many an occasion I have found piles of big fish just hanging out in a big tree or bush with no discernable bottom changes.. And I have no idea why this happens. But it does all the time. And a lot of times these fish will be there for months.. All I know is that I love it when I find one..

I look at it like this.. That bush is a giant parking garage.. And I am pushing a taco cart. Sometimes the people on the top floor don't want any tacos.. But the ones in the basement are starving.. And some days the mid levels are where all the hungry folks are.. But you still have to push the taco cart to all the floors to see where the hungry folks are..

I am sure with this simple analogy you will be able to catch more fish out of the trees..

But if I was a nubie on Falcon, I would still start on the big points that you can tell have rocks and a good slope on them. The Salado is loaded with them, as are many creeks up the river..

And the main lake on either side has them everywhere as well.. As does the Tigers. It ain't rocket science folks.

So basically what I am saying is that not a lot has changed. If you fish hard, you will have some success.

The lake is basically holding level, with some miniscule changes from day to day. We are sitting at 285.57, or 15.45 feet low. Water temps are still in the middle eighties, just about the norm for this time of year.

A few folks have broken out of the mold of what most people are throwing, and we have heard of fish being caught on most everything from a drop shot to swimbaits. The big plum colored worms are working good as well, with baits like the Thumper worm and the Ol Monster catching a lot of fish. I still believe it is a lot more about location than the bait.

There have been quite a few folks in town the last few weeks, and the only reason for it is because the fishing has been so good. Usually this time of year people avoid the heat and the wind like the plague. Seems this summer we are more popular than a five minute orgasm.. Cain't say I blame em..

I don't see anything changing in the immediate future, so if you have been Hemming and Hawing about coming, go ahead and hook up the rig and hit the road. You're gonna like it..

July 11, 2011: It has been a little warm and a little breezy down here for the last few days, but not enough to keep anybody serious about fishing off the lake. We expect it hot, but a bit less wind would be nice. But I reckon we don't have too much say so about what we get..

And despite the hot and the wind, fishing remains pretty near awesome, if not above the mark. Big numbers of fish have been pretty easy, and there have been quite a few good fish caught as well. Of course your results may vary..

And not a lot has changed in the methods or the locations, and that seems to make my fishing reports somewhat redundant. What can I say, but come to Falcon.. Catch some fish. Probably a lot..

I fished a magic tree on Saturday and had thirty pounds in fifteen minutes, and one fish that I couldn't do anything with. It happens.. More than I like to admit.. These fish are mean..

Today my son and I went to the dam, and fished the rip-rap from end to end.. Just dragging a DD-22 along in about fifteen feet of water.. How many do you want to catch.. No monsters but a lot of nice fish up to five pounds.. Lots of fun, and easy fishing.

A bunch of folks were fishing the point (from the bank) at the end of the channel coming out of the launch at the state park, and they had a rope full of bass they had to show me when we went past. Cornmeal sales are still breaking records monthly.. Glad these guys don't have boats.. And the locals in Zapata continue to hammer them off the rocks at any accessible point around the Veleno. Few of these fish make it back in the water as well.. Guess you really don't have to own a boat to catch fish around here.. It has been amazing. It's like the fish are glued to the rocks.. Of course catching some live shad with a throw net and using them for bait doesn't hurt their chances any either..

I will have to admit though, that we have gotten through to a lot of them, and the idea of catch and release has caught on with some of the locals.. Not all.. But some..

The same old baits are still tearing them up, so I am not going to tell you all over again what we have been catching them on.. See below if you have never visited this page before..

There is nothing major going on in Zapata for the next couple of months, but about the time that September rolls around, you might have to take a number to get on the lake. And things really will heat up around the end of the month when a stretch of big tourneys start to happen. But for sure there will be a lot of pre-fishing going on in September.

Wade Knight this sunburn, and this bass last weekend.. 10.13

And Nick Doty caught him a new PB last weekend as well..

The lake is holding fairly steady... We have lost a tenth or so in the last three days.. Some more rain would sure be nice.. But I don't see anything on the radar.. Maybe the next tropical disturbance will be a little more generous to our watershed. TS Arlene put some water in El Cuchillo, and it will end up in Sugar sooner or later..

Come on down.. It's all good..

July 7, 2011: The winds that plagued us over the weekend are gone, at least temporarily, and the last few mornings have been about as good as anyone could ask for, at least when it comes to fishing conditions. It has been downright pleasant. And the fish are still in a cooperative mood.

The lake has been holding dead steady for the last ten days, and water temps are still in the mid eighties. We are right at 15 feet low. All in all not that bad for this time of year.

And if you come down here for a few days, I am sure you will be able to figure them out, and put bunch of fish in the boat. Some folks have struggled, but most have caught good numbers, and decent size. But I will have to admit, not everyone who comes to Falcon is going to catch a DD. I haven't caught one in a couple of months.. But I have had some near misses.

And while I am as guilty as anyone, and probably more, of hyping the fishing on Falcon, it is for good reason. The fishing has simply been extraordinary. But like with any lake, there can be a bit of a learning curve.

I have not fished all of the world, but I have been to a pond or two. And all lakes fish a little differently, even if they have basically the same cover and structure. And Falcon is no different.

And on any lake, finding the sweet spots, and then catching the fish off of them is what separates the men from the boys. I have been in the latter category many times. And I doubt if that is going to change any time soon.

But Falcon does present its own set of problems, and a lot has to do with the sheer size of the lake. Where the hell do you start?

For newbies, I usually recommend that folks pick out an area of the lake, and try to fish it thoroughly. It might be a certain creek or bay, or a stretch of the main lake. In any case, I think that there are fish in every nook and cranny of this place. Within reason.

For those of you who have not fished too much of South Texas, you will soon learn that when we are talking about bushes, we are talking about a flooded jungle down there. And getting a fish out of it can be a little tough on occasion. On a lot of lakes you can let the fish swim around in the open water and let them have their way with you for a while. But here on Falcon, that scenario seldom plays out.

Being successful at getting the fish into the boat requires a strong hookset, and rapid removal of the fish from their wooded surroundings. Because if you let them swim around down there very long they will have you a blanket weaved before you know it.

And any kind of light tackle just won't get it done. So leave any rod that says MH at home. And twenty pound test is the bare minimum for any kind of fishing around the trees and bushes. Heavy Floro or some good braid are good choices while lumberjacking.

Fishing the outside of the brush lines and rocky ledges with a crankbait may allow you to lighten up a bit. I usually throw a crank on fourteen pound floro.. But I lave left a lot of baits and fish in the bushes. It's a numbers game.

I keep waiting for the bulk of the bigger fish to move out to offshore rocks, in the deeper depths, But I, and many others agree that it just has not happened to any degree that make it worthwhile to spend the day out there. I catch a few, but most are small. But I will continue to poke around out there from time to time to try to find some concentrations of bigger fish. And I'll let you know when it happens.

But most of the bait is still fairly shallow, and so are the bass.

If I had to leave home with just one bait, it would be the Mag Fluke. Others I know would take a jig, and some would take a crankbait. Any of the three are good choices, but the Big Fluke is about as versatile a bait as I have ever seen. And you can fish it anywhere at any depth. And the Son of a Bitch just flat out catches fish.

Some folks have asked me how I am fishing it, and I tell them that I am fishing it just like a seven inch power worm. Pitch it, flip it, drag it, cast it, swim it.. It don't matter. All you have to do is get it in front of a fish. I used to flip nothing but a Plum Ol Monster, (still works well by the way) but I am flipping the big fluke and whacking the snot out of them, in water as shallow as two feet.. "Hello, My name is James, and I am a Flukeaholic."

Tommy has been on vacation this week, (When ain't he) and I have pretty much been stuck in the shop for the last week or so. But I am planning on having my vengeance on the fish pretty soon.

Stephanie Martinez caught her best bass ever this week.. Congrats!

And so did Matt Sigar. Both of them were fishing with our buddy Joe Martinez.

And Steven caught this nice fish near the dam I hear..

I have heard of a few giants caught lately, but I have no pics yet. It is hard to believe that some fishermen are modest..

Hope you can make it down before the fishing cools off.. Whenever that might be.. But you probably don't need to get in a hurry..

July 5, 2011: It was a busy time around Zapata over the weekend, with a lot of folks in town from all over the state of Texas and and a few other states thrown in to boot. But the crowded parking lots and the smell of charcoal have both faded. And things are back to normal, for the short term anyhow.

Angler success was widespread according to most all reports, and some folks really put the whack on some good fish I hear tell. Good numbers of fish were fairly easy for those who worked hard. But that has been the norm as of late.

The Tigers have been producing a lot of really big stringers lately, and if you will take the time to find some ledges and ridges off the bank you may just stumble on a pile of big fish. These fish were reported to be as deep as twenty five feet, but the majority of fish still seem to be in water from ten to eighteen. Rocky ridges and the ends of points near where they fall off into deeper water are key to getting on a pile of good fish. If you have a good GPS with a good lake map loaded, it is not too hard to find a lot of these spots in the Tigers. And it certainly does help if you have some trees and bushes on the areas you are fishing. And when you feel contact with the trees, don't get in a hurry to move your bait out of there. The same can be said for some chunk rock in similar areas.

The big football jigs have been the bait of choice for most that are probing these types of water. And any jig with some dark browns or greens seem to be working well. Like I have been saying, it is a lot more about the spot than the bait. The Mag Fluke will also work well in these same areas.

The one hazard you will encounter during this process is that you are going to loose some terminal tackle. But that's why we're here..

The crankbait is catching a lot of fish in these same general areas if that is your bailiwick.. And the white and blue, or chartreuse and white baits are doing well. Or most anything with a little browny/gold will also get you bit. Like I said, it is more about the location.

We heard good reports from the Burro to the Salanaias in the last few days, and I am not sure which way I would go if I put the boat in the water today.. It's all good.

There were at least sixty trailers at the county ramp on Sunday when I launched about noon. And I hear the state park was crowded as well. Good thing we have thirty plus miles of lake to fish. Of course I did notice that some areas attracted a lot of boats per acre. But even when we're crowded, we're not crowded..

There is not too much on the schedule in Zapata for the next couple of months, with the exception of a few bass clubs coming to town on scattered weekends. But September and October are going to be busy times for sure.

It surely is summer, and it will take some fortitude to fish full days on Falcon for the next three months. Fishing till noon or one is no sweat, (maybe a little) and if you can take it you are going to catch a bunch of fish.. These green meanies like it hot.

The fishing report is over now, so if you are a liberal read no farther.. And I might piss a few conservatives off as well.. Fair warning..

Things are pretty slow around here at the shop this time of year, and when I get bored I start talking about politics and bitching about the government and the like. And it doesn't take me long to get off on a tangent. And I was thinking..

Why do you have to be thirty five years old to be eligible to run for president of the United States? Could it be that maybe the founding fathers thought that maybe a person may have gleaned a bit of knowledge and some life skills by that point in their lives? That they may have experienced some real world situations that might help guide them in the most powerful position in the world? Thirty five might be a bit too young.

I know when I was eighteen I knew everything.. And it took me till I was about thirty to realize that I didn't know crap.. And I am not picking on the youngsters.. We were all young once.. (It has been a while for me, and I will readily admit that I am a bit jaded.) And we meet a ton of great kids here in the shop.

But when I was eighteen I was more worried about whether I had enough gas in my car to get to the movies and back, where I could get someone to buy me some beer, and how to get those damn bra straps unfastened.. Certainly not about the how's and whys of the operation of the government. So my question is, and you probably figured I had one coming, is why do we let eighteen year olds vote?

Now you young guys don't get all pissed at me, I know a lot of you are really up on world events. And some of you are very qualified to choose a candidate. But the majority are not. I think the voting age should should be moved to at least twenty five. Although I am sure it will never happen.

And here's another thing that gets me jacked up.. The Postal System. I can cure it in a jiffy. And save us about a zillion dollars.. Retire anyone in the system that is eligible. And get the number of employees cut down to about half. Odd numbered addresses get their mail on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and even numbers get it on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. In today's world, there is Nothing that we can't wait another day for, and if we are in that big a hurry we'd of sent it overnight with a private carrier anyway.

Nobody wastes more fossil fuels than the government, whether it is a mail jeep or a C-5 doing touch and go's.. Or Pelosi flying a giant jet from coast to coast every week.. I gotta quit before I get all worked up..

I could fix this country within a year.. Honest.. And those of you that are busting your ass wouldn't even notice the difference.. Except for the smaller deductions from your paychecks..

But the slackers and the moochers damn sure would..

July 1, 2011: Tropical storm Arlene came and went in a fairly quiet manner, but it did bring some more good soaking rain to the valley, and I believe that this should quench the near insatiable thirst for water in the growing areas served by the Rio Grande south of us.. At least I hope so.. With the rains that fell last week in the tip of Texas and northern Mexico along the southern border, the ground is wet.. And in some areas, real wet.. And farther draws from Falcon for irrigation should not be needed for a good while.

And with the rainy conditions still lingering over the mountains in Mexico, some of their lakes could actually catch some water. El Cuchillo, which sits atop Sugar lake, looks like it could gain a bit. It is at pool, but Sugar is at about 80% of capacity. Good rains are still falling around Monterrey as I type. I am not sure if any of this will make it up to the Conchos watershed in north central Mexico. But it could. And that water can end up in Amistad, and then Falcon down the line.. But so far it does not look like it will be a big water bringer.. Time will tell..

Some folks have stretched a thee day weekend into a four, and yesterday and this morning we have seen quite a few folks in the store. And from the chatter and phone calls, it looks like we will have a busy weekend around here..

And the fishing will not disappoint, I am sure. Good reports are still coming in from most all fishermen, and some dandys have been caught as well.

The crankbait bite has taken on a life of its own, and anything with some browny chartreuse has been catching a lot of fish. And shad patterns are working very good as well.

Of course purists like me are content to throw a jig or a big bottom dragging soft plastic.. And that bite has never gone away.

And in the shallows a square bill or a spinner bait will get your line stretched as well. There is no wrong way to fish right now.

Rocky points and drains are still the deal. And most fish are still being reported in water less than twenty feet deep.

More of the same old same old..

Kenneth Walker caught this 11-2 this week.. That's a big fish..

More pics to post.. Will have em up soon.. See you on the water!

June 28, 2011: The phone has been ringing off the hook here at the Zapata National Weather Service.. Everybody wants to know if it is going to rain here this weekend. Hell I hope so.. But I doubt it.. Looks like anything we get should be out of here by Saturday morning. I was watching Heatwave from Laredo last night and he says it will be fine to roast your weenie this weekend.. But I guess we'll have to wait and see. You just never know about Texas weather. Or about tropical systems like we have in the gulf.

I did see that the NWS has upgraded their guess to a 50% chance of the storm becoming a cyclone.. But it looks to me that most of the storm will end up in Northern Mexico.

But your guess is as good as mine on just what might happen.

Mark Pena was fishing from the bank near Beacon Lodge on Sunday evening, and as far as I know he did something that has not been done on Falcon in years and years. He caught a white bass. I am not sure if this signals anything, but it is the first one we have heard of in a decade.. It is possible the fish slipped thru the cracks at Amistad and made it down here.. Or it could be a survivor of a tried stocking a few years back. Who knows.

Falcon used to be home to one of the most prolific white bass populations in the state of Texas. That is until low water and years of gill nets decimated them during their spring runs up the river. I would have never believed that it could have happened with the literally millions of fish in the lake. But I saw with my own eyes, netters pulling out gill nets with pickups that had fish in them in every other hole. And at the time I remember thinking, "Man, there are millions of whites in this lake."

And I still can't believe they wiped them out.

But for every action there is a reaction, and the billion white bass were gone but the shad, tilapia, and other forage fish remained. Falcon caught some water and with no competition for the food base, (The tremendous crappie population was also wiped out) Falcon bass fishing bounced back like a silicone breast implant.. And we have been on a pretty incredible run for the last fifteen years.

Some of my first serious fishing was chasing the whites in the river above San Ygnacio. I left prop blades and lower unit parts all over the rocks and rapids from the San Francisco to the Dolores.. And I promise you that if the whites ever make it back in my fishable lifetime, I'll do it again. It's just too much fun..

We are still sitting steady at 285.88, and water releases have been cut to a mere 918 CFS.. Just enough to turn the generators.. Amistad is releasing 1236 CFS, and with what gets taken out of the river on the way here, that should hold us steady as long as things remain unchanged. The Valley is getting a few popcorn showers this afternoon in advance of the little system in the gulf. So that don't hurt anything either..

Jake Klenstein caught this DD over the weekend, along with a bunch of other good fish.

And his boatmate Raymond Halloways caught this 11-2 as well..

And Walt and David fished with Tommy Law this week, and these two DD's were part of a 48.12 pound stringer.

I hate to make the fishing sound so easy, but it has been pretty darn impressive. Not everyone that comes to Falcon catches a hundred fish a day, and busts a Double Digit. But for doing either I will put Falcon up against any other lake in the country. And I see nothing changing in the near future.

Keep in mind it is summer here on Falcon, and it is hot and so is the water. And if you catch a big fish and want to measure and photograph her, please take some precautions to get her back in the water in the quickest possible manner. Have a livewell prepared, and put her in it till you get your camera out and on, and your measuring device found and ready. These big old fish just do not do well being out of the water for more than half a minute. They have already expended a ton of energy from the time you stuck em till the time that you hoisted them over the side of the boat. And they are very vulnerable to mishandling. And don't drag them all over the carpet while you measure them. Wet a spot to lay them on and get it done quickly. You can look at the pictures all you want later..

And if you catch a nine pounder and haul it around all day waiting to catch another monster so you can get your picture with two whoppers, you might as well just throw her in the ice box. Odds are that she is not going to make it. I have been at way too many weigh ins and seen the effects of hauling big bass around in the heat all day. So if you catch a blimp.. Please see directions above..

I know you all know the Fourth of July is this weekend. Our countrys birthday.. Hot Dogs.. Fireworks.. Cold Beer. Paid day off.. (for some)

But while you are enjoying you extra day off, please keep in mind what got the USA to where it is today. And those who put their life on the line so you have the freedom to throw a match in a pile of Kingsford. Thank a serviceman for their work, and thank God that you are living in the best thing that ever happened between two oceans.

Happy Fourth of July! And God Bless America!

June 27, 2011: They say that water can't burn, but Falcon may be the first lake in history to spontaneously combust. This lake is en fuego..

But you knew that..

I heard of and even have some evidence of two stringers caught this weekend that went over fifty pounds.. As Shack would say, "That's Whack!"

But you knew that too..

Malcom Kitchen and his Dad had over fifty on Saturday, with several over ten and a group of nines.. That's quite a pile of fish..

Guy Kitchen with his first DD..

Malcom with back to back nines..

And then I hear of Speedy and his clients catching a Grant as well.. Their stringer included a big fourteen pounder in the mix.. Should have pics later today.. And if your gonna catch a fifty pound sack, that's a good way to get started..

Big Jigs are still the ticket for catching a big fish, and I don't think there is a bad way to fish it.. We have heard of a lot of big fish being caught on jigs in water as shallow as two feet.. But the motherlode of better fish are still in the 10 to 18 range, according to most all reports..

But not to fear, everything from spinner baits to cranks to flukes are still whacking them.. Nothing has changed.. It's on..

It appears that that they got a patch on the dam, and water has slowed it leaking speed from the big concrete thingy on the south end of the lake. Thanks for the rain Lord.. And I see that we have a chance for some more in the mid-week from a little disturbance that is lurking down around the Yucatan.. We'll see if it can get it's act together and make it to the Texas coast.

We're sitting at 285.88, just about level for the last five days. They're letting a little water out of Amistad, but don't look for the ramps to be under water over night.

And speaking of Amistad, I was there over the weekend. And for the last couple of years, the water has not been near as clear as I remember it being a while back. Used to be able to see twenty feet deep in some areas.. Most places I was visibility was around three to six feet.. But it was windy, and maybe I was just not around spots where the water is clearer. Not that I like it clearer.. Just an observation.

The fishing was fairly decent, but it is not Falcon. I will have to admit that they have us beat on the scenery though. That is a rough but beautiful piece of Texas.

And while I saw Border Patrol vehicles everywhere, I never saw one Game Warden, Coast Guard, or Border Patrol boat on the water in the two and a half days I was there. They must all be down here..

I came in second, by the way.. But it was good to see some different water.. I got that itch scratched and now I plan on getting back to whacking some more of these Falcon fish. But I'm gonna take today off. Five days in a row on two lakes, two hundred and fifty miles apart is hard on an old man.. And I think I have used up my gas allowance for this month..

Our homeboy Darryl English was down over the weekend, and he finally cracked the DD mark with this 10-4 whopper..

And these two fellers were fishing with Gary Harlan and they both caught them some good uns..

Mike Landry.

Rick Potts with a 10-13..

That's a Rosie for sure..

And the youngsters were on em as well.. Brandon Gully with a nine plus..

A lot of the bigger fish on Falcon are not carrying a lot of weight on them right now. Maybe they are having to work too hard to catch big meals.. I dunno.. There is bait everywhere you look. But a ten pound bass is probably not crazy about chasing a two inch shad all over the lake. And they are certainly not as agile as these two pounders that are beating the shallow bait fish to death.. That's probably why you see a lot of big tails and crawfish pinchers hanging out of the bigger fish's gullets.. Whatever the case.. It is sure making the jigs work..

Sounds like there will be a lot of folks in town over the upcoming holiday weekend.. Better make your reservations now if you are sitting on the fence.