The only thing I could add to that is loss of habitat, which was caused by the falling lake levels. Especially Amistad; they dropped it so fast the hydrilla died.
Even though there are a few non believers who will always claim--- "the big fish are still there".

True!

I would like to reply to that first comment about fish dying at lake fork.I have been fishing at fork since the early 80s .When all those fish died at fork that' July was two weeks after Texas parks and wildlife tried killing all the grass off .Chemical cuts off oxygen in water grass dies fish live in grass in summer months .we are led to believe red algae bloom kills fish .but I know the truth I was there that weekend saw all the dead bass .so we believe what they report to us .took over ten years to come back to what it is now and still not what it use to be in those days

^^^^^^^^ Truth it happened. TPWD shocking fish at Cooper and bringing them to Fork too, after that debacle.

Who killed JFK?

same thing that happened to Amistad

I'm confused with that reply..


You claiming TPWD sprayed the Hydrilla at Amistad ????

It sure didn't help that Facebook and message board heroes were carrying around fish all day in a live well so that they could take some photo of them holding two 7 pounders like it was some big accomplishment. A lot of those fish were turned loose and died a day or two later.

Add to that all the fish that were filleted and then delayed tournament mortality and you can account for fishermen helping to undermining the lake's productivity.

Never said a thing about TPW sraying anything.Just shortly after the big fish decline in Amistad so went Falcon.My thuoghts have always been whatever came down the river after the last flood had something to do with it.And that's just what I think.Copper mine in Mexico or waste from flooded towns upstream maybe but IDo do think they are connected.Dont think gar are nets were the cause.

Gotcha -- Hard to tell from your comment just two post's after the post talking about spraying on Fork.
JMO-- I was seeing a decline in Falcon before Amistad.
I figure if there was "Copper or waste" that came down the Rio Grande from Mexico it would not have affected the Devils river area or anything on that end of the lake at Amistad...But the Devils suffered just as the Rio Grande side did.
I will always contend that dropping that much water off Amistad in that short amount of time. --Killed all the hydrilla.
Those million of bass that grew up in that hydrilla- either learned to live in open water and compete with the stripers and sand bass for what little forage was left---- or they starved!

Tests were conducted at Amistad by TPWD on the water, the mud bottom, and some bottom feeding fish.. No above average traces of Copper or any other toxins were found.

This from the biologist in charge of Amistad for PAW, Randy Myers in San Antonio..

There was no copper poisoning at Amistad.. So I would guess that it had no affect on Falcon either..

The up then down twice extremes certainly killed the hydrilla.It use to grow 40ft deep when the lake was so clear before the floods.If someone really knows where the big fish went they aint a talkin.Mystery?