April tournaments results posted
Helotes and San Antonio Bass Clubs held their April tournaments at Falcon this weekend, and all together 22 fishermen and women from the two clubs tested the waters. As usual (for at least one of these clubs) the weather did not fully cooperate. Rains Friday and Saturday brought about two inches, and some areas had considerably more. The rain did not present a problem for most of the fishermen and women, especially those like the Potters who stayed in the Veleño, where rains held off until late afternoon. It was a pleasant, overcast day with high temperatures in the mid-80s.
Water temperatures were in the mid-70s and conditions were mostly clear. Some vegetation is still cluttering the surface in windswept areas and shorelines. Those fishing the lower end had a couple of cells to deal with during the day, but the heavy rain held up long enough to get the weigh-ins completed.
The top-producer for both clubs on Saturday was Felix Huerta, with three fish weighing 11.43 lbs . and a 5.04 lb . big bass. He found his fish staging pre-spawn in about 12 to 14 feet of water. This was the dominant pattern, with plastic baits attracting the most action. The second pattern utilized successfully was spinnerbaits and small crankbaits in shallow water. San Antonio Bass Club's Gabriele Potter caught the club's big bass weigh-in, a 3.42 lb . fish on a Norman Watermelon Red Middle-N, and some other fish were caught in shallow bedding areas on white willow-leaf spinnerbaits. Bill Meckel had the heavy stringer of 5.07 lbs ., and it was good enough to beat out second place Wayne Bell and third place Kathy Woodruff's stringers of 4.78 lbs . and 4.69 lbs . respectively for two-day heavy-stringer honors.
Using one (or both) of these patterns, the majority of the combatants had one or more fish, and stories about big fish lost due to light bites and/or bad hook sets left me with the impression that fish at Falcon might be approaching another major spawn. About half of those that were fishing caught fish (most fish were showing some egg development), and most of the others fishing had bites and at least an opportunity to catch a fish or so. Dead sticking was the best presentation, as the light-biting fish were not exactly pounding the baits that found their way into strike zones. Helotes Sunday results, furnished by Felix Huerta, found Al Reyna with all the beans and most of the meat. He ended up with 13.81 lbs . for four fish, edging out second place Huerta's 13.06 lb . stringer by .75 lb . Jim Black tied down third place with 8.01 lbs . Al and his wife Anabel and Jim and his wife Marilyn are always tough on Falcon. Spinnerbaits and black Berkley Power Worms were top baits for the club.
(Larry E. Bridgeman is the owner of Falcon Lake Tackle in Zapata , TX . Visit the Falcon Lake Tackle website at www.tackleandrods.com.)
