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Dec 30th, 2023
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 Re: Falcon Gar ???
[Re: Nathan "Bull" Montgomery]
#9682394
01/27/14 08:08 PM
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,229
Gungle
TFF Celebrity
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TFF Celebrity
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,229 |
This may stir it up but I think the guys cleaning multiple 6-8 pound bass a day had alot more to do with the decline than the gar. And before anyone gets upset, I know that is their right to do so and I respect that. But, I still hate to see it to the extremes I have at falcon. I would rather see those 2 pounder cleaned. Until last year every day I have been at falcon I watched guys cutting the sides out of 30 pound+ sacks of fish. That has to take its toll over time with as much pressure as falcon has been receiving. +1 I'll bet people are responsible for more bass death's down there than any other factor. So why don't we ban people from the lake!?(joking) +2 Every time I'm down there I see people filleting big bass. Makes me sick. But on the other hand knowing James he's always spot on the health of that lake. I think it's a combined problem. Cheers, George
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Re: Falcon Gar ???
[Re: Jmsteele]
#9682477
01/27/14 08:34 PM
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 278
spinnerbaitOU812
Angler
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Angler
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 278 |
+3 I am going to agree with this because you guys at falcon are only 1 year behind Amistad being exposed on TV with the 100lb plus tournament records. Then the massive droves of meat hunters from all over the US and for the past years they have decimated our lakes. its not the gar, the gar have always been there and we had record years with the gar right beside the bass. Its the droves of meat hunters, no matter what TP&W or the NPS says these lakes are big yes but they can not withstand the years and years of slaughter that they have had in the past.
or
when the waters came back up last year something was in the water that has had an impact on the fish. Falcon gets the same water as Amistad and something is going on. I have noticed a lack of perch, bass, stripers and whites. If there is a study that needs to be done it needs to be done on the water quality of our lakes. There is still fish there it just takes a lot more work to find them. I guess we will see during the spawn just how many are around.
Last edited by spinnerbaitOU812; 01/27/14 08:35 PM.
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Re: Falcon Gar ???
[Re: Airik]
#9682482
01/27/14 08:35 PM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 26,660
Bass_Bustin_Texan
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 26,660 |
Makes you wonder what Mexico is dumping in that river. Good point.
You can avoid having ulcers by adapting to the situation: If you fall in the mud puddle, check your pockets for fish. ~Unknown
Open your eyes & look within, are you satisfied with the life youre living.
No matter how good or bad you have it, wake up each day thankful for your life. Someone somewhere else is desperately fighting for theirs.
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Re: Falcon Gar ???
[Re: Bass_Bustin_Texan]
#9683946
01/28/14 05:01 AM
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 197
Emerson Biggens
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 197 |
Maybe they should take the Florida approach, with some lakes having a 15 to 24 in slot, With tournaments being exempt ( must return fish to lake after being weighed). Or some lakes are (catch and release) only.
Last edited by Emerson Biggens; 01/28/14 05:01 AM.
Emerson Biggens
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Re: Falcon Gar ???
[Re: Airik]
#9684247
01/28/14 01:39 PM
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,804
NoWeighers
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,804 |
I have only fished Falcon since 1961.. I have seen its ups and downs.. The first time I ever saw a gar on Falcon.. 1961..
I am not saying that I know everything there is about Falcon, Gar, Bass, Bite Patterns, or feeding preferences of gar..
But I am a keen observer of patterns.. And I can tell you that from observation, there are more gar in this lake than I have ever seen in those fifty years. Go sit in Goose Bay on a sunny afternoon.. Looks like the whales off the coast of Maui..
As far as bite marks on fish.. Almost ALL of the fish I see with bite marks have them on both sides.. Right around the anal fin. All the marks are at the rear of the fish. You don't see marks on the fish on their front halfs..
And these are the fish that get away.. That has to be a small number.. Have you looked in a gar fish's mouth? If they clamp down on your hand do you think you can pull it out?
Furthermore.. The last two years there have been no thorny bushes in the water.. Only recently have the Retamas been inundated.. And you never saw more torn up fish than you did last summer..
If gar are not eating a LOT of bass.. Then where are they? We,if you remember, just came off a few of the best years of high water, flooded cover and greatest recruitment that the lake has ever seen.
There should be three five pounders in every bush.. Where the hell are the fish?
We have fishermen here.. But nothing like Amistad, and we have ten times the cover that Amistad does.. Sure.. We have fish killers.. But there is no way that fishermen have denegraded the fishing by tournaments and killing the fish alone..
Gar are not our only problem.. But it is a major one.. Whether you want to believe it or not.. Come work some weighins with me this summer.. And bring some band-aids for the bass.
I know some of you don't like me for my stance on Sharelunker and maybe on Gar. And I don't have a problem with that. But don't let that cloud your judgment when it comes to down to what's good for Falcon. What you do need to know is that I am trying to protect a fishery that means a lot to me, and alledgedly to you.. I am speaking to those of you that know everything about Falcon, and fish here twice a year..
Come walk a mile in my shoes,and then you might have a little better idea of what goes on around here.. And see and hear what fishermen are telling me Every Day..
I am trying to protect the bass for you too..
James Bendele
Falcon Lake Tackle
"On the eighth day, Man invented the Fish Hook."
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Re: Falcon Gar ???
[Re: Airik]
#9684403
01/28/14 02:36 PM
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 2,024
90 5.0
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 2,024 |
My take on it, and I haven't been down in a long time so I know conditions are different now.
But, when the lake was really low you saw suspended fish everywhere out in deep water a d in the channel. There was basically no shallow cover as all the bushes where out of the water.
Now, why does this matter? Gar, from my experience just observing them over the years love to feed in open water and in channels. This set up a buffet of huge bass for those massive gar to feed on, and probubaly explains both the declining number of bass and the rising number of gar.
I've seen so many gar in an area it looked like the water was boiling.
When one predator gets to numerous then you have an imbalance in the system.
This is why I think the bass numbers have gone down and gar numbers have gone up.
And yes all the bass I saw with bite marks had them on both sides.
I saw a bass on my home lake almost 3lbs swimming real funny at the surface and acting strange the other day, it was chewed to hell and back and barely escaped being eaten by something, and with the massive gar population we have I would have to guess that was it.
I know gar are more protected now as they saw their numbers declining. I wish they would take some out of lakes with healthy populations and stock them back into lakes that lack them.
You could probubaly pull a couple million out of my home lake and never notice.
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Re: Falcon Gar ???
[Re: Airik]
#9684423
01/28/14 02:45 PM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 26,660
Bass_Bustin_Texan
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 26,660 |
^^^ I enjoy fishing lakes without gar. Don't put them in "my little lake."  Due to the low water in the river it could be pulling more gar from the river and into the lake.
You can avoid having ulcers by adapting to the situation: If you fall in the mud puddle, check your pockets for fish. ~Unknown
Open your eyes & look within, are you satisfied with the life youre living.
No matter how good or bad you have it, wake up each day thankful for your life. Someone somewhere else is desperately fighting for theirs.
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Re: Falcon Gar ???
[Re: NoWeighers]
#9684458
01/28/14 02:54 PM
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,229
Gungle
TFF Celebrity
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TFF Celebrity
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,229 |
I have only fished Falcon since 1961.. I have seen its ups and downs.. The first time I ever saw a gar on Falcon.. 1961..
I am not saying that I know everything there is about Falcon, Gar, Bass, Bite Patterns, or feeding preferences of gar..
But I am a keen observer of patterns.. And I can tell you that from observation, there are more gar in this lake than I have ever seen in those fifty years. Go sit in Goose Bay on a sunny afternoon.. Looks like the whales off the coast of Maui..
As far as bite marks on fish.. Almost ALL of the fish I see with bite marks have them on both sides.. Right around the anal fin. All the marks are at the rear of the fish. You don't see marks on the fish on their front halfs..
And these are the fish that get away.. That has to be a small number.. Have you looked in a gar fish's mouth? If they clamp down on your hand do you think you can pull it out?
Furthermore.. The last two years there have been no thorny bushes in the water.. Only recently have the Retamas been inundated.. And you never saw more torn up fish than you did last summer..
If gar are not eating a LOT of bass.. Then where are they? We,if you remember, just came off a few of the best years of high water, flooded cover and greatest recruitment that the lake has ever seen.
There should be three five pounders in every bush.. Where the hell are the fish?
We have fishermen here.. But nothing like Amistad, and we have ten times the cover that Amistad does.. Sure.. We have fish killers.. But there is no way that fishermen have denegraded the fishing by tournaments and killing the fish alone..
Gar are not our only problem.. But it is a major one.. Whether you want to believe it or not.. Come work some weighins with me this summer.. And bring some band-aids for the bass.
I know some of you don't like me for my stance on Sharelunker and maybe on Gar. And I don't have a problem with that. But don't let that cloud your judgment when it comes to down to what's good for Falcon. What you do need to know is that I am trying to protect a fishery that means a lot to me, and alledgedly to you.. I am speaking to those of you that know everything about Falcon, and fish here twice a year..
Come walk a mile in my shoes,and then you might have a little better idea of what goes on around here.. And see and hear what fishermen are telling me Every Day..
I am trying to protect the bass for you too..
I'll drink to that James!  And I will still keep my Buck Mark Hunter handy. .gif "angel") Cheers, George
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Re: Falcon Gar ???
[Re: Airik]
#9684474
01/28/14 02:58 PM
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Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 787
Texas Brave Ranger13
Pro Angler
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Pro Angler
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 787 |
That thing is nasty looking!!
Greg L. Holland
TAMU
Currently Fish Lake Belton, Texas
Disabled Army Veteran
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Re: Falcon Gar ???
[Re: NoWeighers]
#9684556
01/28/14 03:12 PM
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 12,853
Joefishin
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 12,853 |
As far as bite marks on fish.. Almost ALL of the fish I see with bite marks have them on both sides.. Right around the anal fin. All the marks are at the rear of the fish. You don't see marks on the fish on their front halfs..
And these are the fish that get away.. That has to be a small number.. Have you looked in a gar fish's mouth? If they clamp down on your hand do you think you can pull it out?
Furthermore.. The last two years there have been no thorny bushes in the water.. Only recently have the Retamas been inundated.. And you never saw more torn up fish than you did last summer..
The Retama was what I was thinking too. Last few years we have been down there isn't enough water to flood the lake. 5 years ago we were down there and the lake was flooded. We were catching fish out of the flooded cactus, we didn't see any scarred up fish and if the Retama theory is true we should have been seeing marked up fish from the cactus.
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Re: Falcon Gar ???
[Re: stxsangler]
#9684582
01/28/14 03:17 PM
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 12,853
Joefishin
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 12,853 |
Clearly a Retama bush......... 
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Re: Falcon Gar ???
[Re: Joefishin]
#9684594
01/28/14 03:20 PM
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Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 216
stxsangler
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 216 |
Ha!
My hand has shown scars from those trying to get a mis-cast square bill back. Those things are lure magnets for me....
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Re: Falcon Gar ???
[Re: Airik]
#9684595
01/28/14 03:20 PM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 26,660
Bass_Bustin_Texan
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 26,660 |
Amazing that fish was still alive and eating a moving bait. That right there is the WILL TO LIVE!!
You can avoid having ulcers by adapting to the situation: If you fall in the mud puddle, check your pockets for fish. ~Unknown
Open your eyes & look within, are you satisfied with the life youre living.
No matter how good or bad you have it, wake up each day thankful for your life. Someone somewhere else is desperately fighting for theirs.
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Re: Falcon Gar ???
[Re: Airik]
#9684985
01/28/14 05:12 PM
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,089
AgSellers04
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,089 |
Many different factors are at work in the Falcon Lake ecosystem, all of which directly impact the largemouth bass. Water levels, water quality, climate, habitat quality, population dynamics, species balance, human interference, predation, sediment, etc, etc, etc. Alligator gar are one piece of a very large puzzle.
PBs LMB- 11 lbs., 7 oz. Falcon  Striper- 40 lb. Long Is. Sound BlueCat- 30 lb. Texoma Hybrid-8.2 lb. Lewisville Cutthroat Trout-22" Yellowstone R, WY Rainbow Trout- 21" Blitzen R, OR Steelhead- 8 lb. Umpqua R, OR Redfish-20 lb. Panama C. Bay, FL
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