I would imagine that either body of water will have you around some quality fish that will make you smile and have a great memorable day. Seems for sure that Ivie has the mondos that will make any man feel has though he just hit the jackpot. If you choose Ivie your chance at that teener is there, every time you're on a quality body of water there is a chance at magic and you could be the one that day holding that 13,14,15 or even a 11 or 12. Good luck with your decision and enjoy your trip.

I've fished and love both. Good luck on the one you end up at. Well, with a week, I'd fish both come to think of it.

Go read the Falcon Lake Tackle fishing report… it’s a little more down to earth than the guide posts. Not very many normal fisherman are going to show up at Ivie or Falcon and produce what the guides are. If it were me I’d probably go to Falcon in Jan in hopes they start moving to the bank and get off those isolated rock honey holes out a little deeper.

If you want to be warm Falcon.

What you won't hear on this forum is 90% of the fisherman that go to Ivie get skunked on a daily basis. Don't sign your dad up for that. Go to Falcon and enjoy yourself.

It would be interesting to know how many folks have made the pilgrimage to Ivie and been stone skunked. It's no cakewalk unless you are a live sonar pro, even then you need them to be willing to bite.

Ivie is very susceptible to changes in temperature and water level. It's one of those lakes where bass can get really triggered into brief feeding windows or shutting down for a long time. Went there late September 2019 as I had a feeling it was primed to start giving up big fish. The lake was the fullest it had been in years.
Think it was a weird early turnover with lots of dead 3-5lb carp floating on the surface. With regular 2D and DI, caught a few good size bass (3-5lbers) retrieving a deep diving crankbait on top of trees at river and creek channel bends. Caught a lot of smaller bass with a spoon with a similar tree tops pattern. Did catch a few good sized bass throwing a light T rigged stick bait in 5-8ft brush toward the backs of creeks.

I fished Ivie 3 times last year in June, August, and in October.

On our June trip we didnt catch any giants but we caught 4-6 lb fish just about everywhere we fished on the lake.


Had a club tournament in August and caught a 17" smallmouth on my 3rd cast. I knew for sure I was weighing in a 3 fish limit that day. Caught a 12" fish at 2:00 and weighed in 4 lbs with 2 fish.

Had a tournament with a different club in October. I caught 1-3lb fish early in the morning. Was bleeding and struggling in the livewell, so I released him figuring it would be his best chance at surviving. He swam off never to be seen again and I showed up at weigh in empty handed.

I will never pass up a trip to Ivie, but it can surely give you a boost in confidence one day and humble you the next.

Falcon!

Absolutely love Falcon, but I would not go down right now.

ive had 1 good trip in the last 4 trips to ivie, it is one tough sob

Just because of the border situation? Or is there other reasons?

I wouldn’t hesitate at all, if there were issues James wouldn’t hide it and it would be all over this forum.

Why?

With the amount of idiots on the lake at Ivie. I can assure you that there is 1000x less danger on falcon. There will be a head on collision up the river at Ivie this year watch.