Records Could Fall At Ultra-Hot Falcon

The Bassmaster Elite series rolls into Zapata, Texas this week to visit a body of water that many of its pros have never seen before, much less fished - Lake Falcon on the Rio Grande River.

When it comes to Falcon, there's really no need for wordy introductions. This jewel of a reservoir tucked away in southwest Texas is flat-out on fire. And if early reports are any indication, this event could be one that BassFans remember for a long time.

All the hype leading up to this event has been about how records could be shattered as long as the weather holds up. So far, it's looking like the Elite Series pros are going to have a stable set of conditions to work with, and that means the potential for astronomical weights.

The last front to move through Texas came on Easter Sunday, and now conditions throughout much of the state, including Zapata, are warm, cloudy and a bit windy - what many pros consider textbook catching weather.

Water temps are in the low- to mid-70s to start each morning, and are climbing close to 80 degrees by the afternoon. Bottom line - there's nothing to hold back Falcon's bass population this week. They're comfortable, and a lot of them are hungry as they recover from their post-spawn doldrums.

More about what's catching them, plus practice notes from the field, can be found below. First, more about the lake itself.

BassFan Lake Profile

Lake Name: Falcon
> Type of Water: Desert impoundment of the Rio Grande River
> Surface Acres: 83,654 acres
> Primary structure/cover: Brush and scattered rock piles
> Primary forage: Rio Grande perch (a cichlid), tilapia, shad
> Average depth: Not available
> Species: Largemouths
> Length limit: 14 inches
> Reputation: A new stop for the Bassmaster Elite Series with a ton of big-fish potential. It's a flipper's paradise with miles upon miles of shallow and submerged brush.
> Weather: Stable. Forecasts show partly cloudy and windy conditions prevailing throughout most of the event, with sunny weather called for on Saturday. It's also hot with highs running in the low- to mid-90s. A weak front is making its way through the state and is expected to move through Zapata sometime Friday. The general consensus in the field is that it won't bother the bass too much.
> Water temp: mid- to high-70s
> Water visibility/color: Stained, varies from 6- to18-inches
> Water level: Roughly 20 feet below pool
> Fish in: All depths
> Fish phase: Mostly post-spawn, with a few late bloomers here and there.
> Primary patterns: Shallow and mid-depth flipping (jigs, craws, worms), deep structure (Carolina-rigs, Texas-rigs, jigs), crankbaits, spinnerbaits, topwaters, potential swimbait bite for those who stick with it, junk fishing specialists could also manage a big limit
> Winning weight: 120-plus (4 days)
> Cut weight (Top 12): 85 pounds
> Check weight (Top 50): 45 pounds
> Fishing quality (1=poor, 5=great): 5 for Falcon
> Biggest factors: The wind -- some breezy conditions with gusts up to 30 are predicted for later in the week. That could make it difficult on the guys fishing deeper, open-water patterns.
> Biggest decision: Shallow, deep or a combination of both?
> Wildcard: The kicker bite -- 4- and 5-pounders are the norm on Falcon, and a few 7-pounders won't surprise anybody. The key is finding a way to get through the 'little' fish and find a true monster. Expect to see a few 10s, probably a 12, and maybe even a 14-pounder brought to the scales. This lake is just that good.

Break Out the Big Sticks

Simply put: Fishing is just plain easy on Falcon right now. Reports from pros say if you like to throw it, the fish'll eat it.

About the only thing not getting much action is finesse tackle. The combination of Falcon's hard-pulling bass and endless forests of gnarly brush are a finesse angler's bane.

Steve Kennedy said he actually had to head back to the boat ramp in the middle of his practice day on Monday to "re-arm" himself with some heavier gear.

"The fish here are the strongest I've ever seen," he said. "I hooked one that I swear felt like a 6- or 7-pounder, and when I got it to the boat it was a little over 3. I don't know what it is about these fish, but they pull hard - real hard.

"This is definitely going to be a power-fishing event," he added. "I'll still have a Kinami Flash tied on a spinning rod, but it'll have 30-pound braid on it. You can't get by with much less than that."

With so many different ways to catch fish, predicting which pattern and which angler will prove to be the most successful at Falcon is difficult. There's an excellent flipping bite to be had, but many pros are culling through a lot of 'small' fish in the 4- to 5-pound range to find the real studs.

There's also some realistic potential for a deeper bite dragging plastics or throwing crankbaits around submerged brush and rock piles. However, with the potential for 30 mph winds to blow through at any moment - a well-known trait of southwest Texas - going deep is the greater gamble.

Give the nod to the flippers, but all-out junk fishing or VanDam-style throw-and-go could also be productive.

There's no doubt that the key to coming out on top at Falcon is to find a few double-digit largemouths. Reports of 25-pound limits are nearly as abundant as Falcon's bass population. The 8-, 10- and 12-pound kickers are the difference-makers here.

Jones Fishing His Strengths

Bassmaster Classic champ Alton Jones spent the majority of his off-season last year parked at Falcon, and while he chose to remain tight-lipped about his practice, he said he's confident he's on the right track.

"The thing about Falcon is that you can have success fishing so many different ways, and that goes for just about any time of the year," he said. "I'm sticking with my strengths right now, and I feel good about what I've been able to do so far.

"The guys who are going to do well in this tournament are the guys who are confident in what they do," he added. "You can't come here and try to do something you're not comfortable with. The fish are just too big, and they'll make you pay."

He predicted that BassFans will see "several" 40-pound sacks cross the stage this week, and noted that as long as the wind doesn't pound the lake too hard, "records will be in jeopardy, for sure."

Lane Loves Falcon

Without hesitation, Elite Series rookie Bobby Lane labeled Falcon as "hands down one of the best fisheries I've ever been to in my life." The current Bassmaster Angler of the Year (AOY) and Rookie of the Year (ROY) points leader is hoping his Florida hot streak follows him to the Lone Star State.

When you consider his abilities with a flipping rod and the momentum factor, he's hard to rule out as a contender at Falcon, in spite of this being his first visit to the lake.

"I'm going to flip - no big surprise there," he said. "If you want to learn how to flip grass, go to Florida. If you want to learn how to flip brush, Falcon's where you need to be. I don't think I've ever seen so much brush in my life."

He's catching weights that would afford him a guaranteed trip to the winner's circle on just about any other lake, but he's cautious not to get too confident on Falcon.

"I had a little over 30 pounds my first day of practice," he noted. "You assume that's a good weight, but then again, we're on a fishery where who knows what can happen.

"There's a lot of dead water out there, though. You can go 3 hours without getting a bite and then bam - you get 20 bites in an hour. I'm still not sure how this is going to play out, but I guarantee you it's going to be fun to watch."

Kennedy Giddy

If there's anybody that has something to lose at Falcon, it's Steve Kennedy. It's his 122-14, 4-day catch record that's in jeopardy of being taken down this week.

When asked to predict the winning weight, he said: "I hope it's somewhere around 121 and change, unless it's my limit. If it's me, I hope it's about 130."

Remarkably, even after his record-smashing performance on Clear Lake last year, he had no problem distinguishing Falcon as the best lake the Elite Series has ever visited.

"Calling this lake pretty good would be the understatement of the century," he said. "It's so good I had to call Julia (his wife) from the water yesterday and I told her, 'This is what bass fishing is all about.' All the record talk aside, I'm so excited to fish this tournament.

"The only word I can use to describe it is giddy," he added. "I'm like a little kid waiting to get back out there and catch those fish. I'm having so much fun. I don’t care if I win or lose. We're going to have a blast."

He spent some time out deep during his practice and noted "there's definitely something going on out there." With so many fish being caught so many different ways, he feels that someone "finding the mother lode out deep" could be the ticket.

"Everyone is going to catch fish, that's not the question," he said. "The hard thing is figuring out what you need to do to win. I think the guy that wins it is going to be on one or two groups of fish that are just the right size.

"It could be real close up at the top, but I wouldn't be surprised to see somebody run away with it," he added. "I think there's some big ones grouped up somewhere."

Top 10 To Watch

With the above in mind and more, here's BassFan's recommendation for the Top 10 to watch in this tournament.

1. Kevin VanDam – Why not? He's fresh off a victory at Toho and the fact that Falcon is fishing so wide-open will allow him to stick with his strengths. He won't have to slow down if he doesn't want to, and that makes him dangerous.

2. Alton Jones –The Bassmaster Classic champ has prior experience on Falcon, which is a lot more than most of the other competitors can say. He's confident with the fish he found in practice and loves to flip shallow cover. Falcon and Alton go hand-in-hand.

3. Bobby Lane – The Elite Series rookie is scorching hot to start the season. This is the first time he's fished Falcon, but it doesn't sound like he's having any trouble finding big bites. Falcon is his opportunity to prove that Florida was no fluke.

4. Greg Hackney – He's off to a very un-Hackney-esque start to 2008, but you have to figure 'The Hack Attack' is going to get back on track at some point - and Falcon could be the place. His shallow flipping prowess makes him one to watch.

5. Mark Davis – Davis is a triple threat on Falcon. One, he's one of the best when it comes to post-spawn bass. Two, he's a wizard with a crankbait, so Falcon's deep fish won't be able to hide from him. Three, he's certainly no slouch with a flipping rod in his hand. He'll find a way to catch them.

6. Todd Faircloth – He's off to a good start this year with an 8th-place finish at Harris and a 23rd at Toho. He's keen on power-fishing shallow cover and Falcon is tailor-made for that.

7. Kelly Jordon – The Texan bounced back from a dismal 108th-place finish at Harris with a solid 9th-place showing at Toho. And he's money with a flipping stick.

8. Steve Kennedy – Kennedy knows what it takes to win an all-out slugfest like Falcon is shaping up to be - he did it last year with his record-setting performance at Clear Lake in California. It seems that tournaments like this one require a different mindset that a lot of guys have difficulty getting into. Give Kennedy the mental edge. He'll go out and have fun, and probably whack a monster limit along the way.

9. Scott Rook – Rook stubbed his toe with a 42nd-place finish at Harris, but he notched a 13th at the Classic and scored with a 3rd-place finish at Toho. He's a deadly flipper and won't shy away from a spinnerbait or crankbait bite if that's what he needs to do. In order to solidify himself as a heavy hitter in the Elites he needs to notch a win on a body of water he doesn't call home. He's got a chance at Falcon.

10. Mike Iaconelli – BassFans know 'Ike' is an all-out competitor, and he can't be too happy with the way he fished in Florida (77th at Harris and 46th at Toho). Iaconelli, much like VanDam, is the type of competitor that can will himself to a win. Falcon could be his tournament if he wants it bad enough.

Launch/Weigh-In Info

Daily launches Thursday through Sunday will be at 8 a.m. CT at the Zapata County public boat ramp at Lake Falcon Park, half a mile south of Veleno Bridge/U.S. Hwy 83 on County Road. Daily weigh-ins at the park begin at 4 p.m.

Notable

> John Murray said he's having a blast on Falcon and catching some solid limits of fish. If you want to check out his practice report, click here to go On Tour With the BassFan Big Sticks.

> Don't make the mistake of comparing Falcon to its Rio Grande sister Amistad. The water at Falcon is much dirtier, and the brush much more abundant. Falcon is also shallower than Amistad. While the average depth on Falcon couldn't be attained, Alton Jones noted: "Anything over 20 feet is deep at Falcon. On Amistad, it's 20-feet deep right off the bank."

Weather Forecast

Here's the weather forecast for the tournament days. For more weather information, including satellite and radar imagery, visit OutdoorsFanWeather.com.

> Thur., April 3 - Mostly Cloudy - 91°/71°
- Wind: From the SE at 15 mph, gusting to 25

> Fri., April 4 - Partly Cloudy/Clearing - 91°/59°
- Wind: From the NW at 15 mph

> Sat., April 5 - Clear - 85°/61°
- Wind: From the SE at 15 mph

> Sun., April 6 - Partly Cloudy - 95°/71°
- Wind: From the SE at 10 mph