TV Channel 4 just predicted, with all the Mexican/American irrigation, Falcon will be down to around 262' in the next 2 or 3 weeks. That will be right around 40' low. I'm going in the morning and it is 4' low since my last trip. It's a different lake every time I go. Sure is interesting, to say the least.

We are going down in the middle of February. I hope there is still a usable boat ramp by then.

You might want to call James at Falcon Lake Tackle before you come down and ask. I've never been here with it this low as this is only my second year down here.

Time to make the best of something we can't control and take lots of pic I guess.
Sure is sad to think the best lake in Texas is about to get sucked down.

Yup its 3 ft lower than when i was here 2 weeks ago. Thats why we came back, it may not be this good or this level at any point the rest of the year.

Wasn't the main reason it was not really discovered until a few years ago its fluctuations in water level?

Yes, it has always been plagued by up-and-down water levels. Here's a little info from a magazine story I wrote in 2005 on south Texas bass fisheries:

“Choke Canyon, Amistad, and Falcon, they all caught significant amounts of water in recent years,” said Bob Farquhar, TPWD’s inland fisheries biologist in charge of West and South Texas waters.

Such positive precipitation trends have helped to erase drought conditions that the San Angelo based biologist said were among the worst experienced in portions of the state since the dry 1950s.

Much of the most recent drought was centered across West Texas watersheds, leading to severe water losses on Amistad Reservoir, lying on the Rio Grande west of Del Rio, and on Falcon International Reservoir, which straddles the river downstream of Del Rio.

“Falcon was down to where it looked like a river channel,” Farquhar said. “Amistad still looked like a lake, but at one time, it was 40 or 50 feet low.”

Thanks to tropically induced heavy rainfall, both border lakes are pretty much full again. That bodes well for these two desert country giants – Amistad has 64,900-acres of water while Falcon has 83,654 acres – waters that Farquhar says contain a very high percentage of Florida bass influence.

I got a question, why does it seem that Amistad is a bigger Lake than Falcon? Or maybe I missing something.

Cause Amistad IS bigger, almost twice the size on average.

Hmmm...TPWD's Web site lists Falcon with a surface area of 83,654 acres (at normal capacity) and Amistad at 64,900 acres.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/recreational/lakes/amistad/

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/recreational/lakes/falcon/

Amistad is much deeper however.

Never mind
Fly rod posted the info

There will still be useable ramps for a long time.. We launched in the Veleno when the lake was 50 plus feet low..

There are two more ramps at the county that are still under water.. They are out on the point. But the main ramp will be working for a while.. It will narrow and then turn right out toward the channel..

And the new ramp at the state park will serve till somewhere around there.. It was built when the lake was way down..

Don't panic fellers.. This is not unusual.. We have just been riding a wave of high water for the last few years.. We were right about this level in 2008..

http://www.tackleandrods.com/lake/level_arch.htm

James writes a mean Falcon fishing report that you guys should check out. Keeps me updated with all thats goes down there. add in some personality and quality jokes, and its a report i look forward to reading!

I am headed down in Feb to Falcon to runs some trips with my customers. I hope there is water when I get there. I remember fishing there about 5 years ago and it was low like that also. I think the Gov/Cartel are into dropping it. Harder to patrol by land than water. They would just assume that lake was dry. Anyhow I have some extra days open in Feb the 11-14 if anyone wants to make the trip down.James at Falcon tackle is always up on everything down that way.

James, if I am not mistaken we will loose the State Park ramp at 263 and then we are launching off of points!!!As of 1/11/12 we are at 272.87, less than 10 feet and the ramp is history.... The lake has dropped 4.39' since 12/28/11, 2 weeks ago.... In 1 month Amistad has only dropped .5' it is only 9.33' low, it is huge still and FAlcon is drying up from the sucking sound.............

Mexico owns half of the gates on Falcon and Amistad, so why are they only releasing out of Falcon? I know the valley needs water for crops but does Mary Jane grow in the winter?

in odessa weve set records for snowfall after setting records for lack of rain last year. im hoping 2012 will be wetter than 2011.. im showing ivie to be 40 ft low and at 17.78%.....sad...

I'm a little shakey on where the end of state park ramp stops.. But sure about County.. Lemmie do some lookin!

Falcon lake level is dropping like a rock today because of the BIG BASS that Ronnie and Chris are lipping out of it!!!

they make ,make shift ramps,i've heard u can launch up to fifty foot low at the county ramp just have to watch going out into main lake when u cross over old 83

now thats the truth for sure lol thats funny

Amistad water is being used up before it gets to Falcon. So none coming in, all going out. Amistad will start releasing more this month; they always do. Crops are a little later south of Amistad.

They are still biting down here! Had over 40 lbs today with our first 5 fish.

well if mexico is taking there water, i say we go in and take our share of water and fish and invest it to other texas lakes lol

good god man.....good stuff. No 40 pound sack for me today.....shoot I didnt even hit 30...lol. Nothing but 2-5 lbers with a MONSTER 7 lb kicker....lol. Congrats.

I was told by my guide last year that Falcon would fish even better if it dropped 20-30 feet. It makes sense to me because the bass have had 3-4 years of great spawns so the numbers are fine. With dropping water it would seem they would be even more concentrated. Admittedly I don't know though.

Anybody have any thoughts on that?

I checked the channel at the state park and it has about 9' in it should be ok for two to three weeks .

Im extremely concerned about this.

The wife and I just got back and all we could find were dinks, 1 to 2 lbs. Between the 2 of us we caught about 40 or 50 dinks though. Had a great day, just no big bass for us though. Caught them on rocks, in brush, etc. they just seemed to be where ever we cast to.

That's what has been happening at O.H. Ivie from what I understand: the lake is very low there (again) and the fish are concentrated.

Initially, I would think that there should be no problems at Falcon other than potential ramp access issues (although concentrating the fish does make them easier prey for commercial fishermen on the Mexico side).

Part of what makes these lakes down south so good is the arid climate that produces lengthy stretches of lowering water conditions. That results in tons of vegetation growth on the exposed lake-bed. Which produces the "new lake effect" when the rains eventually return.

Where I would think there would be great concern is if this trend becomes more pronounced and/or lasts for several years in a row.

We are going Feb 6-10 and staying(camping) in the state park area. Do you think the ramp will still be usuable by then?

Jersey Dans text "yo this is my only happiness... if this lakes dries up... I kill myself son."

Falconer you just confirmed that at 263 we lose the state park ramp....
Bullmonty if it contines dropping at the same rate we will be very close to launching off the points again.... Hopefully, they will have the metal plates to put down again along with the portable dock????????????????/

I sure hope there will still be somewhere to launch! its gonna be my first time down there.