Sorry for the delay in getting a report posted about my trip to Falcon. Been busy with work and my home internet has been down due to changing cell phone companies.

I would like to start off with giving a special thanks to Charlie Haralson Guide Service. I haven�t been out on many guided trips but Charlie went well out of his way to put me on fish and wasn�t afraid to find them and then sit on them wearing a spot out. He�s not the type of guide that is worried about the trips coming up, He is concerned about the trip he is currently on.

I had been down in the valley visiting quiet a few jobsite that we currently are completing and found that I would have a day open before I had to fly out of Laredo. I had posted earlier that day on the TFF about what I could look at while I was in the Zapata area, as I had never been there before or seen Falcon.
Well to my surprise, Fouzman sent me a PM that literally changed my whole outlook on a week in the Valley. My free day to drive around looking at the lake and visiting the tackle shop turned into a full day guided trip with Charlie. I am still total shock that a trip of a life time would open up to me like that and I will be ever grateful Chris!

I called Charlie on my way into Zapata, and told him I didn�t reservations to stay anywhere as I wasn�t planning on staying there on my way to Laredo. He offered several locations that were nice and local to the area, but seeing how work split the bill I stayed at the new Holiday INN there in town.
Charlie lives in Laredo (@40 miles North) and said he would pick me up at my hotel around 6:00-6:15 in the morning and we would go get a bite to eat for breakfast at a local joint up the road.
All night I tossed and turned while laying in bed thinking about what the next day may bring, and honestly don�t think I slept longer than 30 minutes. I was so concerned about over sleeping I had 7 alarms between 2 phones set for 5 am, and even had a wake up call from the front desk set for 5:15. I didn�t need any of them as I was up in the shower by 4:45 and staring at the clock by 5 waiting for the day to come.

Right at 6 am I went ahead and walked out to my rental car to put my briefcase and carry-on bag in the truck so I would be ready to go when Charlie arrived. As soon as I shut the trunk lid, I look up and see a nice new Tundra pulling a Z520 Ranger pulling up to the front entrance of the hotel.
I catch him as he was walking up to the door and introduced myself. He asked if I was ready to catch a few fish, as we go into the truck to head back south towards the public ramp.
We stopped off at a great little Mexican food restaurant for breakfast. (Get the chorizo and egg tacos!) I can actually say it was almost a scene out of an old western with the room full of ranchers and locals sitting there as I�m sure they do every morning eating breakfast.

Our next stop was across the street to Lake Falcon Tackle. Charlie needed to pick up a couple bags of baits for the day and for me to purchase a Mexican Fishing License. I had already stopped in the night before, but its always fun to talk fishing at the GOOD bait shops..

We picked up a couple packs of worms that Charlie has been wearing them out on, and off to the lake we went. We put in at the city ramp in Zapata right at 7 am and headed out southwest across the lake.

The wind was blowing out of the south east his plan was fishing the Mexico side all day to say out of it. We rode for what seemed like an hour down the lake into the 2-3� chop (was really about 15 minutes). All I could do was look out across the water at Mexico and see areas that looked better than anything I have seen.
We pulled up to our first spot, which is to me looked like a flooded tree line, but apparently was the pervious shoreline since the lake is 3� above full from the recent storms/hurricanes.

We picked up about 4 fish from this area working the worm and throwing dragging a spinner-bait down the tree-lines. My biggest fish was about 4 lbs that came from this area. Charlie said lets make a move, so we picked up and moved south a little further down the lake.


As we pulled up to a secondary point that had a flooded fish camp on it, we started fan casting this area with both worms and a football jig. I can not explain what went on for the next 4 hours but it was pure sickness. Both Charlie and I would literally take turns setting the hook on fish about every 3rd cast. But theses weren�t dinks that I am used to seeing stacked up on a point like in North Texas. Theses were all 3�s,4�s, 5�s and 6�s.
All I could do each time I would feel that line get tight is set the hook and start laughing! I was in pure bass bliss. Pure Awe! The Falcon fish pull so hard each time you sit there and feel them take drag after a hook set you don�t know how big it is or even if it�s a bass! The closest thing I can compare it to, is flipping a jig under a dock and having a flat head suck it in and that first initial run after the hook set, were its all doubt that you can get him turned.
The lake will pure spoil you! After a couple of hours of fighting these fish, you don�t realize how complacent you become. I caught myself saying �Ohh it�s only another 5 lb�er.� That�s pure sickness when a 5 is just another fish. Fish after fish till my hands literally started bleeding. And not from a wore out thumb, these fish were so big, it was from the middle of my palm.

By the end of the day my best 5 fish went a little over 33 lbs, and I do believe Charlie�s went over 34 lbs. The biggest fish of the day was one he caught that went 7.4 lbs and we both lost fish at the boat that would have went over that.

One of the most amazing things Charlie said to me was that last year he has over 100 fish caught over 10 lbs. He said he had a little over 200 trips last year, so it came out as (1) fish over 10 lbs every other trip. THAT�S AMAZING!

Guys,
Don�t let all this media scare keep you away from this lake and one of the greatest experiences you will have fishing. Charlie has grown up in the area and guided both hunting and fishing most of his life both in Mexico and the U.S. Go fishing and have fun!


Also, Thanks to Fouzman for letting me borrow some of his extra gear he keeps at Charlie�s place! Wasn�t quiet expecting $1200 combo�s, but that defiantly added to the experience!

I will get pictures posted to here as soon as my illiterate arse can pull them from my cell phone/email

WOO HOO!!! SO glad you got to go Killer!! Thanks for the report!

That was a fun read! Can't wait to see pics.

Sounds good Chris!

You sure you want to fish the lakes around your house now??? Ha

Wow! maybe a fall trip is in order. Excellent report. Thanks.

Great Post!

Great report Chris! Man oh man!

Sounds like you had a great trip Chris

awesome! I am jealous. I wouldnt worry about all the media hype and BS down there. Go have fun!

Terrific report. Glad you had an awesome time down there!!!

Wow I can't wait to get back down there I'm ready for a day like that!!!!

Sounds like charlie was pretty smart...took a bigger target than him on the boat But glad to hear you had a great trip chris. I've got to get back down there!

I have to go in February!!! I'm tired of hearing stories and not experiencing it.

A+

It's alright Stumpy go ahead and make fun of the full grown people!