May tourney results and fishing high points

Although Falcon received only 1.07 inches of rainfall, the lake benefited a little from the rains of late May and we saw a rise in level from 254.82 feet on the 27th to 256.03 feet as of the last report on the 31st. This is a rise of 1.21 feet.
The fishing has been fair to good depending on whom you talk to and when. In May's last 2003 Media Bass Tournament at Falcon (May 18), Mike Hawkes and Trent Huckaby weighed in 30.44 lbs. for a five-fish Heavy Stringer and 7.85 lbs. for Big Bass honors, taking home $3,000 and all the marbles. Second and third place came in south of 20 lbs. It took only 18 lbs. to win last weekend's (day and one-half) Atascosa Bass Club Tournament, but Tinker Pfullman's big bass weighed 9.1 lbs. It came off a hardwood in about eight foot of water, and the plastic Zoom WM Red Super Fluke was the bait that worked the best for most anglers, followed by Grasshopper Lizards. However, for the last two weeks of May, crankbaits, plastics, and spinnerbaits have all been producing strikes and fairly good action.
The large crawdads are still being caught in the lake and below the Dam. Rumor is they make a tasty crawfish when boiled and seasoned. Some anglers have been using Zoom Red Shad Brush Hogs and pulling the crawdads gently to the boat. One of the early signs that crawdads are in an area (besides seeing them) is when you feel what appears to be a very light strike, but nothing is there when the hook is set. Think "crawdads" when this happens repeatedly.
Many limits of Stripers have been caught this month, up to 15 lbs., and the average size is about 7 lbs. They are being caught in the Dam and Tigers area on spinnerbaits as well as slabs/knockers.
Catfishing has been very good, with the Río running from both the rain and Amistad releases. Catfish have been hitting shrimp, nightcrawlers, and stink bait. May was also a good month for gar fishermen as the big ones moved into the shallows to feed on spawning carp and were easy prey for bow and arrow fishermen.
The 2003 lake high level was recorded March 14 at 268.77 feet. The drought conditions combined with excessive withdrawals by Mexico (with no replacement of water from Mexico's reservoirs) are wreaking havoc with the balance of Falcon's spawn. The lake level is below the weed cover line and predation has now become a severe problem for the new fry. Anglers have reported seeing large schools of fry in forks of hardwood trees, about the only cover available. Some of Mexico's reservoirs are at over 80% capacity (ex., El Cuchillo, 81.78%, 5/09/03), but the only water being released and coming into Falcon from Amistad is U.S. owned water. Once again, Falcon's spawn is being sacrificed on the alter of agricultural interests. The aforementioned release from Amistad (about five feet so far) has produced muddy/stained conditions from Zapata all the way down to the Tigers area. Anglers have reported some good success as the lake has concentrated the fish in much less water than the lake holds at full conservation pool. However, look for more rapid drops down to the mid-245 feet levels as releases from Amistad are about to be halted, due to the Watermaster's concern over lack of water flowing into Amistad from the Río Grande. The Río has stopped running at Big Bend for the first time in 50 years and it was widely reported this month that the Mexican farmers have constructed several dirt dams across the barely flowing Río Grande to divert the water to their farms in Mexico.
During the pre-fishing for Media's final 2003 tournament at Falcon, two of the fish caught by one angler weighed an unconfirmed total of 25 pounds. The fishing success has varied from limits to zip, but Carolina-rigged plastics and crankbaits have produced the biggest and most fish. Bass have been found in five to 15 feet off rocks and ledges using watermelon, watermelon red, and grasshopper colored baits. Crankbait colors have varied from crawdad to chartreuse and everything in between. The difference in catching fish seems to be more technique-oriented than color-based. There are still a few fish in the hardwoods, but as the lake continues to drop, they will have to move out to the rocks and if they are fond of hardwood, they better figure out how to take the trees with them.

(Larry E. Bridgeman is the owner of Falcon Lake Tackle in Zapata, TX. Visit the Falcon Lake Tackle website at www.tackleandrods.com.)