FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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Now that is sunrise!

I almost do not know where to start.  I have been many places, fished in all conditions, and learned something new each trip.  This trip to Falcon was “something” for lots of reasons.  Not happy catching a 100?  87 degrees Sunday afternoon, Monday blowing 30 out of the northwast with what turned out be a 35 degree temperature drop and kept me in the cabin all day.  An 8 degree water temp drop, it goes on and on.  Dead tilapia, and not a few, or a bunch, or a million.  Those words can not describe the carnage!  From one end of the lake to the other, it was nothing short of astounding.  How bad?  They were using tractors with buckets at the County Ramp, it was amazing/sickening.  And the lake was rock bottom low, a totally different animal.  The cove we normally put in – dry as a bone nowhere near the water.

Millions, and I mean freakin’ millions, of dead tilapia over every inch of the lake and boy did it stink.

I drove over Sunday and as usual Beacon’s left the key in the room so I was able to drop stuff off and head out.  First, I had to figure out where the ramp was.  Beacon’s always has a place to launch whether 40 feet high, or 40 feet low.  This time it was on the main lake and it took a while to figure out which road to get there.  But it was a good ramp with a pier so no big deal.

Starting out it was apparent this is a whole different animal.  So the next couple of hours I did the smart thing by cruising the areas I was planning to fish.  My favorite area in high or low water – no water, end of story.  The side coves, no water. My first creek choice the water ended a mile from where I was headed, and the depths were minimal.  The second creek I was planning on fishing, only good water at the mouth and in the first couple of pockets.  But while idling and graphing the second place found a good ledge with brush that I marked.  Looked perfect.  Idling into the first cove there are shad flipping in the quiet water with the 87 degrees sun beating down on it.  So good place to start right?  Should be some bass there.  It would end up defining the trip.

See this?  Multiple by 100 and you get how the fishing went.

Spinnerbait, jerkbait, crankbait, or where, it did not matter.

I caught one white bass, then another, and another, I ended up the short afternoon wearing them out.  Make a pass, catch 5 – 10.  Change baits and make a pass, catch 5 – 10.  For a couple of hours it was a massacre.  Not what I came but sure fun, heck I will get the bass tomorrow, though no bass was a little surprising as I was fishing a big area.  Little did I know what the rest of the trip would bring.  While fishing a guide boat came in the mouth where I marked the brush and ledge, and started fishing.  So great, will start there in the morning with plastics, good find.  But wait, not so fast buster.

After watching the weather for days before deciding where to go I knew Monday would be raining, but it turned out to be a lot worse than that.  But give the weathergirl down there props, she was spot on.  Daylight till 9:00 heavy clouds, 9:00 rain with a chance of thunderstorms, though only heard a little, then starting to blow with gusts over 30 out of the NW.  Don’t know what you all know about Falcon, but high NW winds can be straight out unsafe , it literally blows right down the whole length of the lake and my primary spot was miles down lake.  Unfortunately it played out just like she said.  Maybe 30 years ago I might have tried to squeeze in a couple of hours and then make a run at the last minute, but not these days.  (How I cracked the hull of my Champion, taking on waves like that.) There are lots of other days to fish.

Crankbait crappie.  And like the rest of the trip, a catfish on a spinnerbait.  Notice the clothing change, Sunday T shirt, then Tuesday bundled up.  This was supposed to be South Texas on the Mexican border!

So Tuesday morning I am up early full of anticipation and on the pile and ledge at daylight.  Then not a bite and I worked it over.  It was big, with a perfect ledge at the mouth of a big creek, and totally barren of fish.  I ended up fishing 11 hours and just did not find them.  So from that point on I cranked, and jerked, and dragged. 6XD, square bill, spinnerbait, jerkbait, creature plastics, I emptied the box.   I threw it all shallow and deep, on rocks, on gravel, on creek channels, it did not matter.  I made several moves but it was all the same, white bass.  They were in the coves and on the main lake.  I was not on the bass, and they were not helping any.

Now I see why the Falcon Lake tackle report says some folks catch some, others striking out.  Last month a few teams cashed a check with 8lbs, crazy on Falcon which at times is 25lbs on a 3 fish limit.  With the lake falling, 2 consecutive cold fronts, a massive fish kill, those Florida strain largemouth were not having it.  Combined with me having to learn a “new” lake, I only caught 3 bass the whole trip.  I did lose what was a big fish but who knows, the way the trip went it might have been an alligator gar.  But the white bass were literally everywhere.  It seemed like I could not get away from them.  So there you have the catch a 1oo and you are not happy.

The best I could manage.  Of course this one came right before heading home.  The old should have been here next week.

Wednesday was going to be a half day and then home, so I committed to the cause.  Out came the favorite white bass crankbait, a Rapala Shallow Shad Rap in balsa, and I went to smacking them on purpose.  It was a little slower, I probably only caught 20 – 30 give or take before I called it a trip.  Funny how when you like to catch white bass, and then all you catch is white bass, it is a “bad” thing.  But every strike could have been the big girl. at least there was that.

From the cabin porch.

Over the years there have been some epic trips to Falcon, and there has been some tough times.  One trip a few years ago we only caught 4 in 3 days, last trip 5 or 6 big fish to go along with a steady bite.  But this particular trip took the cake.  The way the lake will need to be fished properly was beyond a 3 day trip.  It would take a couple of days of just graphing to get the hang of it.  It will take that long to re-learn, it is that low.  Basically the brush is gone.  First time I wished I fished the Mexican side, at least a couple of stretches had plenty of hardwoods to flip.  And though I don’t want to harp on it, the conditions have battered the old girl.  But I am far from deterred.  It is only 4 hours and any trip you can catch the girl of your dreams.

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The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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And Steve sent me this report from the bay.

Well, it started out as “Not much,” but ended up “Not bad.”

More of the story: I was invited to tag along with a friend that purchased an SCB from a guide, had it completely re-done and needed someone to fish the other end of the boat.  That was an easy decision for me—play with someone else’s toys, navigate new waters, do something different—sign me up!

We started off in the flats off the Cedars where they had been scratching out limits of trout before the artic blast.  Story was that they had to pick through 20-30 undersize to get to 5, but that sounded great to me.  Besides, I am not that keen on keeping a bunch of trout anyway.

The wind was calm, the water mostly clear and we were able to drift at a leisurely pace.  But the fish were just not happening.  Not a bump, drive by, or nibble, nothing.  The only “fish” we encountered were dead stingrays, stuck to the bottom.  I even managed to hook one with my Knockin Tail jig, but broke off.  I mean you know it is bad when you lose your lure to a dead fish!

We decided to try soaking some cut mullet at the jetties to see if we could scare up a big red.  We fished inside, then outside and then back inside but all we had to show was one stingray, this time lively, so we know for sure they have not gone extinct.  Finally, the tide swung from ebb to flood and the current picked up.  We anchored on the inside of the jetties at one of the swirl points and started casting dead shrimp.  Rigged with a number 3/0 khale hook in a knocker rig—tiny worm weight right on top of the hook, we cast up current towards the rocks and tight lined the bait as it drifted down the face of the rip rap.  Boom, redfish on.  22”, nice one for the box and finally some fish smell on the boat.  Then a black drum, 16”, then another.  We ended up catching about a dozen from 12” to 20” plus one hoss at 28”.  We kept a couple for dinner and let the other swim.

All total, we fished about 8 hours but caught all of our fish (except the stingray) in about 40 minutes.  The day was mostly overcast, kind of cool, but any day on the water is a beautiful day to me.  I am looking forward to figuring out the trout on the flats thing.  We plan to hit it again in 3-4 weeks and see what we can find.

Thanks for the report.  As we so often do, it is nice when we make chicken salad out of chicken crap.  And I am with you on fishing with others, and I am sure the SCB was a sweet ride.  As to the bay, guess I will have a go at it next week.  And the rest of you – if you are fishing the bay drop me a note, we are interested in the results of the kill.  If you are catching them you don’t have to cough it up, just a word on what you are finding.  I sure did see it on Falcon, at least the majority (Millions!) were tilapia and a few catfish.  Will be waiting to hear on your next trip.

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And a little good news for the bay fishing.  Colton and his bunch fished a big tourney on the salt and won with a 4 trout stringer that went 16.57.  Good news, at least they are still out there.  Those boys can catch them.

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And Rusty the resident Fayette guru had a really good day on Fayette so it looks like it is picking up there.  Hopefully Coleto has made some progress.

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So there you have it.  Of course I am already planning the next trip.  Thought Amistad was in the works, though it might have fell through still think I will go.  And where will I be in the morning?  Fishing of course.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines