Lake Falcon, Tx

[lconn4]

Just back from one of my most enjoyable fishing adventures ever. Took the trip on short notice when my old fishing buddy Joe called and said his planned partner on the trip had to bail out and asked if I wanted to go instead, said he would haul my kayak or I could fish out of his boat. Only had about a week notice and after considering it might be my only chance to fish the place in the foreceable future, I was packed and we were on the way for a 4 night stay.

Left around 3 a.m. this past Tuesday for the 10 hour drive to the south and west to the border. As usual I couldn't sleep and had about 2 hours of rest before hitting the road early that morning. The plan was to be in Zapata (on the Texas side of the Tex/Mex border around 3 pm, check into the hotel and take his boat out that afternoon to show me the water and figure out where to fish from my kayak the next day. This would be Joe's third time making the long drive down and his excitement was contagious.

I knew it would be hot but I don't think I was prepared for what mother nature had in mind. Predicted 15 to 20 mph winds from the south east early in the week turned into 20 to 25, temps in the 100 degree range turned into 106 one day. Don't know if the the lake's level being 38 feet low was from evaporation or literally getting blown out of the lake.

Got a lot I want to tell ya but to keep things short for tonight I'll post some of the pics and finish up later. I'm whupped.


Just your normal everyday boat ramp pic.


Thought this would be easy when my friend Joe's first two fish went over 7lbs. and 24 + inches. And within an hour of leaving the dock on the first afternoon.


I got my 25 inch bass, unfortunately it wasn't from my kayak. I ditched it for the back of the boat on day three. Didn't want to drag this out and give heart palpatations to any of the Challenge guys.


Best I could do from kayak. Never got around to posting it within the 48 hour time limit for Challenge. If it had been larger you can bet I would have tried harder.

Didn't take a lot of fish pictures as I was in a four day tournament mode in my mind. If the fish didn't measure up it was back in the water and back to fishing. Caught fish on spinner baits, deep cranks, and jigs in as little as 3 feet to as deep as 20. Biggest and most fish were caught on crankbaits. It was hard to fish jigs with the wind and I missed a lot of fish. More later but for now I'll post pics of the lake. What a beautiful and unusual place to fish.






This was on the south eastern end of the lake towards the dam. One of the few times the wind let up for a few hours.


When the dam was built some 50+ years ago, hundreds of rock homes like the one above were abandoned as the lake levels began to rise. Later when levels never reached projected heights the homes were moved back into by many. When the government forced evacuation a second time the homes were knocked down leaving rubble piles of rocks for which everyone looks to fish when in deeper water.


I pulled into this cove around noon on Wednesday to escape from the wind. It was so hot I had to get to higher ground just to breathe. Did some exploring and found a lure that must have been used after the lake was full in 2011.


Hard to imagine what the lake was like when this lure was being used. With a good washing it looked like new and I later caught my biggest fish on it before loosing it to the rocks.

[oubassman]

Congrats on the great trip. Those are some pigs there

[Turtle135]

Looks like an awesome trip and congrats on the 25"!

Those Falcon bass are just in a class all by themselves. Makes me wonder if a new worlds record is hiding somewhere in that lake.

[Perk]

Jealous. What an awesome fishing trip.

[kayakbassTX]

Looks like a great time.

[ReelYankee]

Man that looks awesome and those are some big azz bass! Is there ever a day in TX that isn't windy?

[lconn4]

I went back and filled in some of the details on the earlier pics I posted. The scenery was breathtaking in my eyes. Just to be able to see so much of what is usually underwater, the history of the area, and the amount of wildlife. In late evenings coyotes could be seen and heard in the distance walking the shoreline, I saw the biggest deer I've seen in 40 years and wondered if it was a mule deer as the color of it was the darkest brown I had ever seen. Too far for photo op as it crossed a huge treelesss area and soon after spotted me and bounded off from the scrub brush it had come.

Late one afternoon the winds were blowing sands like a scene from an Egyptian desert. I was loading up at the time and missed the chance to get a picture before it got dark.


As remote as the lake is, you will be under constant surveillance from land, sea, and air. Tethered blimps, helicopters, observers from the dam, checkpoints with drug sniffing dogs, cameras mounted everywhere and US governent vehicles were everywhere... most recently a team of US Coastguards from Miami were deployed on the lake. In the evenings near dusk the big attack helicopters do a flyover. It was quite a show.


First afternoon on the water, public launch near Zapata, and we get the friendly welcome checkout. With paperwork in hand any stops on water later in day only required showing of documents that we had already been stopped and checked for all safety equipment.







I spoke to the Coast Guard guys after finding out they had recently arrived from Miami. They were ready to go back. They couldn't believe how hot and dry it was. Different kind of heat and if the wind hadn't been blowing it would have been much worse. Most of the photos above were from the first day when winds were only 10 to 15.

[CrX970]

38 feet low??? That's insane! I'm jealous though, that looks like a fantastic trip and I'm glad you got to enjoy it to the fullest. Congrats!

[Texascoosa]

That's an awesome trip, someday I'll make that trip.

[Hanover_Yakker]

Those are some quality fish - makes me envious but then again those are probably small ones since you're talking about Falcon Lake