Let's just get down to it. I didn't want to do this but, lets get get some opinions...

I was never in Texas to witness the Golden Era of Fork Mid 80's - Early 90's but know it was the finest bass fishing ever witnessed in the planet and was the reason I moved down here.

But what�s going on at Lake Falcon right now is insane and is truly impossible to imagine without being there. Falcon is not yet putting out the 15+ fish, but if everything holds up over the next 2-3 years, it�s going to rewrite some of the record books.

So for those of you who fished Fork heavy during the Golden Era and are now able to fish Falcon. How would you compare these two power house fisheries against each other in their peaks? Which would you choose? Please vote only if you were around back then and fished both frequently.

Fork Golden Era Vs Falcon Right Now multiple choice, up to 1 choices
	Fork Mid 80's - Early 90's
	Falcon Right Now
Votes accepted starting: 06/15/11 04:51 PM
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Falcons not even that great IMHO.

Fork was incredible during that period and beyond. Charlie Haralson and I were talking about this last night. I cannot tell you how many days I have had at Fork with 50-75 fish in a day that legitimately average 6 pounds, with several DD fish, as well. Charlie said he can count on one hand the number of days like that on Falcon.

I spent a lot of time in the boat with Mark Pack and Kelly Jordon fishing the heat of the day deep summer bite.

Falcon today is absolutely insane. For total numbers and best 5 weight per day, there is no other place like it in this world right now. Last Thursday we caught 118 fish in five hours with 41.50 on our big five. Best fish that day I caught on a LC D20 shallow and she weighed 9.88 lbs. But we also caught a ton of 1-3 pound fish. Probably 50 or more.

However, heyday for heyday, Fork still rules for average weight per fish in my book. I do agree that given another couple years, Falcon may actually best Fork in all categories other than SAL's. That is due to most SAL's caught at Falcon being released.

More than anything I am just glad both are in Texas.

Me too my brother! Greatest bass fishing and Parks and Wildlife Department in the USA.

I have thought on that very thing for the last couple of years. I am from a town about an hour from Fork and fished it alot in the early to mid 90's. And spending 20 years in the Navy I moved around the country and even spent several years on the MONSTER bass lakes of southern California. For record class bass you cannot beat the trout fed bass of California. Almost all the lakes in southern California have lake record bass caught over 20 lbs when Fork was producing Texas record bass. In Texas Fork may still edge out for the chance of a record bass and that would be barely. For pure numbers and numbers of 8-12 lb fish Falcon has it hands down. I want to throw this in, if O.H. Ivie would have been able to hold water for another couple of years, I really believe the next state record may have come from there.

I really have to agree with this statement. The water fluctuation is really going to hurt Ivie the next few years.

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http://fishingnetwork.net/index.php?pageid=top-25-largemouth-bass-records

2 guys are on there twice. Could you imagine landing not one but two?

+1

Serious?

not at all......

I have never been to either Golden era Fork or Falcon now. I do know that Fork is a good lake, everyone has heard the stories. I could not imagine the pressure Golden era Fork would get with today's technologies like gps and high definition fish finders. It's distance to NTX is very desirable and I feel that is why it receives lots of pressure now. Back in the day they didn't have all the top notch gear and electronics. You better believe the catches would also be even bigger and better in today's world. Maybe TPWD needs to introduce some drug cartels and gangs on Fork to limit the pressure. LOL

Another thing to consider is that Falcon's success has a lot to do with today's TPWD's breeding program. Back in the day it wasn't as advanced as it is now. Truthfully it's hard to compare the two.

I am not sure how Falcon will do in the long run though. It has smarter anglers with the top notch equipment. If it does break state records it will have asterisk as does Mark McGuire achievements.

Just my 2 cents.

Asterisk??? Do what? Why would it have an asterisk? The reason Falcon is so good right now is because it was 52' low for a long time. Lots of new growth on shore was flooded by a couple hurricanes. The lake filled up over night, almost. For two years, the bass and baitfish had tremendous spawns in nutrient rich new water that was largely inaacessible to fishing pressure. Now the lake is falling again, and has exploded with new life from those good spawns. Not only that, but this same high water condition allowed lots of middle-aged bass to grow to adulthood unmolested by fishermen. Add to the equation the longest growing season in the state plus the benefit of tilapia as forage and THAT is why Falcon is what it is right now. We have the best Parks and Wildlife Department in the world. No doubt they have played an enormous role in better and bigger fish in Texas and elsewhere. But TPWD had very minimal impact on what Falcon has become.

Ya...the Zeta's probably have more impact, keeps a lot of people from going down there!