Recent water level rise bodes well for Falcon
Most of the local anglers testing Falcon during the recent rise have been able to locate some fish, but many of the fish continue to be below the legal size limit. Temperature of the water is in the upper 70s and water clarity is fair. There is a lot of surface clutter from huisache and other brush in the lake. In fact, there are some of the smaller coves and windswept shorelines where the surface is completely covered with a mat of green and yellow blooms.
There were some good showers in the area this week and the lake level has risen to 282.94 feet . This is 18.26 feet low and a rise of about 2.76 feet since April 1. Zapata recorded 1.36 inches of rainfall for the month of March and through the 9th of April we have recorded .37 inches . This rain should provide the moisture needed to the Valley farmers and allow the lake to maintain this level for a little longer. Every day we stay at the higher level we have more fish that will spawn, and the outlook for the fishery is even better. We are 14.17 feet over last year's high of 268.77 feet . (See the San Antonio Express-News sports section April 9th for detailed discussion of lake impact.)
A number of small bass (usually under 14 inches ) are being caught when you find an area where they are feeding. Usually there will be a few bigger bass mixed in, but the smaller fish are so aggressive it is difficult to keep the lures in the water long enough to catch the larger ones. The Veleno is consistently producing a large number of small fish. Watermelon red plastic baits such as Super Flukes, Senkos, and Brush Hogs have all produced fish on the lake. Generally the slower the presentation, the better the results.
Catfishing remains good on shrimp, worms, and live bait and with the river running, about anywhere in the river is a good place to catch catfish. Beacon Lodge reports a number of good eating-size catfish are being caught from the banks around their waterfront. The best catch of the week came from the river below the Dam on Tuesday this week. Pablo Gomez had a number of fish in the river, but none of them weighed much over 3 lbs . and the bite was all on plastics. Centipedes and small Senkos were working in sour grape and watermelon red colors. Fishing in the river varies from day to day based on a number of factors. The amount of water being released seems to have a direct impact on the fishing (and launching), but for the last few weeks fishing has been reported fair-to-good and a very small amount of water is being released.
Launching at Falcon is not a problem at this level. The State Park and Zapata County ramps are both working, as are most of the lodge and RV park ramps. We noticed water has reached the Redwood Lodge launch ramp and the owner, Joe Espinoza, says it is deep enough to launch boats. The ramp at El Tigre Island is closed to the public. Last report was that the San Ygnacio Ramp is working only for small boats. It is recommended you check before planning a trip to San Ygnacio; call Joel Ruiz at (956) 765-5182. Launching below the dam on the Río Grande is possible at the Salineño and Chapeño access points. Beacon Lodge, located on the Río Grande , has excellent ramp and boat dock facilities that are being maintained and relocated as the lake rises. They also have a pier that can be used to tie up boats when launching or loading from their ramp. Call Roy Graham at (956) 765-4616 for information.
There is a lot of floating cane and some logs coming down the river with the high water. Caution needs to be exercised when running the lake or the river. Mexican licenses and boat permits are required for boats that carry fishing equipment into Mexican waters and are available locally from Falcon Lake Tackle's retail store in Zapata or by mail (call (956) 765-4866 or e-mail lbridgeman@starband.net). Everyone in the boat must have a Mexico fishing license whether fishing or not. For all your tackle and marine supplies, check out the Falcon Lake Tackle On-Line store at www.tackleandrods.com. We have thousands of items listed available for immediate shipping, including a unique selection of hunting and fishing theme gifts. This week we are featuring ball point, roller ball, and fountain pens made from genuine deer antlers. To post your Falcon fishing reports and view boats for sale or enter a free listing of a boat you have for sale, visit our sister website at www.falconlake.com.
(Larry E. Bridgeman is the owner of Falcon Lake Tackle in Zapata , TX . Visit the Falcon Lake Tackle website at www.tackleandrods.com.)
