California Crossing Park

Has anyone fished around the spillway at California crossing Park? I just went but wasn't there long because there was some shady stuff going on. Does anyone know about how safe that place is?

It's a pretty shady area. Fish there at your own risk LOL.

I swear I almost got jumped

Of all the places around Las Colinas, this is one of the last places I'd go unless you're packing. There and Bachman Lake!

I fish Cali Crossing fairly regularly and Bachman is my home lake, and Been fishing both since about 1970, and have NEVER had a problem. Seen some questionable stuff at Cali, but they didn't mess with me so i didn't stick my nose in their business. Most of the time it's crowded with fishermen, so i have zero fear of fishing there. At Bachman, I have been fishing it so long that i know most everyone that fishes it,so i have zero fear there as well.

Catch a helluva lot of quality fish at each, i can tell you that without hesitation!

Bass will be staging soon at Bachman and the Big Mommas will be easy pickings all around the lake from the shore.

I will be out playing with them, I assure you.

There should be a pile of sandies and hybrids at Cali Crossing, and there is only one way to find out! Will visit them soon as well.

Rudy

I've never had an issue -just like Rudy says.

I was the only one there at the time so I wasn't going to take any chances. I feel safer at bachman because in my experience, there have been lots of people.

Only problem is I'm not old enough yet lol

Basically here's what happened, just so everyone is aware.

So I was fishing at the park for a total of probably 20 minutes. I was parked in a parking lot on the other side of California crossing rd, next to the park. There were other people at the park coming and going, but there was a brief period of time when I was alone. I was along for a minute or two, and these 2 cars, pictured below, pull up within 30 seconds of each other. Here's a picture of the 2 cars, thank God I was wearing my camera.



One was a navy gmc(not sure what model) and a red compact car(didn't see the brand)

They roll down their windows and start talking to each other. They kept looking over at me, and at one point one of the men in the cars pointed right at me. Each car had 1 person, that I could see, and they were each very shady looking. I realize they are being very suspicious and I turn to leave. I walk right in front of their cars, which is when I got the pictures. As I'm walking towards the street, both cars pull out and start following me towards California crossing rd, which I had to cross to get to my car. As I get close to the road, one car turns towards and drives very slowly past me. The other pulled out and went the opposite direction.

I've heard of some shady stuff going on at the park so I just wanted to let everyone know of my experience. It is quite possible that it was nothing, but they were acting extremely suspicious. Not to mention neither men got out of their car.

Has anyone else seen these cars there? And if you do go, make sure to be careful

Some areas its better not to fish alone, and that's one of them... When I say don't be alone, it could be a person or a firearm with you.... Say safe and watch your six!

Man.... I hate creepy people watching me fish....

I probably won't be going back

At that place cars pull up like that all the time and nothing ever comes of it. They sit in car, maybe eating breakfast or lunch, or just killing time. A buddy pulls up, they talk without getting out of car, maybe point to the best spot on the river to fish(If you were standing on the concrete right where the water rushes over the dam, that is the best spot. They talk or finish eating or smoking a cigarrete, or they get a call, they leave. That is constant there, and 99.9% of the time nothing ever comes of it.

Dont understand why you parked on the other lot by the gravel pit, which by the way, is loaded with bass, sandies and crappie.

But anyway, to each his own.

I will be going and catching and when i get a chance to go, will post pics

I had to park on the other side because there was a big puddle of water in the parking lot, and my car is very low to the ground with very small tires, so I wasn't taking any chances.

But you are right, it very well could've been nothing. I just wanted to tell people what happened to see if anyone had any similar experiences because they were acting very weird.

Rudy I'm not sure how long you've been going there for but I'm pretty sure it's not as safe as you say it is. I know you know about the 20 cars that were found by the dam not to long ago. All stolen!! All dumped there . Lol its pretty save now that they got them out !!!!

I have fished that place for years and never had a problem.Bachman the same

I'm from the hood?! Good or bad..? Whatever. If to me I saw 2 cars pull-up a few spaces away at the same time cool. Next to each other... I start thinking hum? Just saying. If you think it's suspicious leave! So well done.. You fish another day

If I wasn't the only one there then I wouldn't of been worried

I have been fishing that place since 1970. Dont fish it late at nightn which is probably the time of day those cars were dumped in there. Just sayin

I have fished it several times too and nothing has happened but it is a dangerous place.

Definitely sounds shady. I would have been high tailing it out of there too. I especially don't appreciate getting pointed at and talked about. Best bet was some shady dope dealers not wanting to get recorded/and or wanting to rob you for your camera.

NORMAL PEOPLE DON'T POINT AT SOMEONE WITH A CAMERA THEN FOLLOW THEM AROUND!!!

Normal people will wave at you and say something like, "Any luck out there?" or "How is the fishing?"!

Best to go around in a pack sadly. (I'm not a pack type of person. I could never survive out here.)

I figured it couldve been some sort of drug deal. Very shady

We used to go to raves out there in the woods like 20 years ago.

That explains it. They were looking for the lost ravers!

Just a few decades late, close though!

It was a pretty bad part of town back then too. Cops never went down there and if they did, they were always too late. Situation above sounds like a drug deal to me. Just keep fishing and watch your back. Walking away and not toward them is a good idea too.

Go at 300 am to 5 am and youll see all the drunk hi ect people. 45acp is my co pilot

It is just a weird mix of people. Like every out of the way boat ramp or park drug dealers do use this place to make exchanges. I don't consider it to be dangerous during the day but keep alert.

It is likely to be a swift for fishing right now considering the current releases of G-Vine and Lewisville.

The water was moving pretty quickly when I was there

You guys keep talking about how shady and dangerous the place is - do any of you have any proof? I don't know jack about the area, it could be dangerous as hell for all I know, but I'm hearing is a lot of accusations and ZERO evidence. It reminds me of the unrealistic paranoia people have about going to Lake Falcon.

It's been bad down there for years now. That's where they have tow lots etc. Just away from the west industrialized run down part of Dallas where the old Cowboys Stadium used to be off I-35. Even the entrance to it is under the freeways. I personally haven't been out there in years other than having my car towed once, but I grew up close enough to there to know better.

You are right, I don't have any evidence that the men in the cars had bad intentions. However, they were acting very shady. I just wanted to explain my story and let people take it as they wish.

Also, check out these 2 articles. They may change your opinion a little:

http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/2015/01/...st-dallas.html/

http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/2013/10/...sing-road.html/

Wow you guys are paranoid. Dont go there if you think everyone that is sitting in the parking lot is doing something weird or shady.

Ive fished there for years and seen that kind of stuff go on all day. Just go on with your business and do what you went there to do. Which is FISH..

Water is too high and current to swift to do much good there right now. I drove across NW HWY today and it's just too high and it's all flooded out over the lowlying areasd above the dam. Gonna be a long time before any serious hybrid, sandie, crappie or spotted bass fishing can take place.

Rudy

Wasn't a drug deal if they never hooked up. Hey I see this and sometimes do similar stuff like when I pull up and park below the dam at Lavon, day or night. I'll pull out my binoculars and check out if anyone's catching anything. Just sit there and enjoy myself. What you cannot do is make yourself look like an easy mark. Predators thrive on this. Get you a big hunting knife and strap it to your belt and maybe some pepper spray tucked away in your pocket. Thugs are lazy, and don't want a big problem on their hands. They like easy marks. while being mindful of people pulling up in cars and such like they did, do your best to ignore them, and don't be gawking at them. probably just some guys who like to fish talking about the one guy down there fishing.

The only recorded crime in the Irving PD database for this location in the past six months has been a car theft from the parking lot. Doesn't mean shady stuff isn't happening though. Shady has different meanings to different people. To me, two guys in separate cars chatting... who cares. The map below is a heat map for the area from 2014 to 2015. Might be a bit too "shady" for some, but it is in fact a high crime area. Source: Dallas County Open Records/CrimeDB API.

drug deals happen there all the time, and crack whores bring their tricks there.

Whoa...Whoa...WHOA!

...and what exactly was the address of this place again???.. I need to bookmark this address so I can make sure to.... Um, er...stay away from there, yeah...that's it...

I mean, it's for a friend...

Nothing wrong with a lil' crabs with your fish...

So many bad jokes, so little time...

I think I'd rather catch fish not crabs lol

I don't know what everyone is scared of, I have never had any problems. I just mind my own business and don't talk to people who obviously look like they don't want to be bothered. There are a few people who do get mad if you make eye contact longer than 5 seconds, but F them! Mind your business and keep fishing doubt anyone will do anything in broad day light. If people are staring at you don't forget you will probably be the only guy fishing so you can't blame them for looking, you will basically be entertainment for them until their lunch break is over (its a small parking lot) Don't forget mostly all fishermen are pretty cool dudes (some can be douches) but just because they may not be the same color as you or they speak a second language doesn't mean theres something to be "suspicious" about. I see people of all colors fishing next to each other and even people getting out of there cars to see what they have caught and what they are using as bait.... But anyways saw a few guys pull some catfish out during my lunch break. I usually just sit in my truck eating lunch and watch the guys fish, never actually been there long enough to see anyone pull out anything until today. 1st cat about 3 lbs, 2nd cat about 6 lbs, 3rd probably 1.5 lbs then I left. I hear stories about some pretty nice sized cats out there, never actually seen with my own eyes. I did see a guy threw a cast net and pull out the largest ball of shad I have ever seen.

LOL my good friend was just shot at on Lake Falcon. And Ive seen a lot of crazy stuff go down there at Cal Crossing. I have been stabbed there, if ya like I can meet you there next time im catching bait at 300 AM and show you the "evidence" a scar that a blade made as it went through my lungs...

Seems like sufficient evidence to me

Why would anyone in their right mind go there at 3 AM seems like a better question to me. Bait is available there during all manner of daylight hours, for pete's sake! As far as the stabbing, that could have happened anywhere, especially at 3 AM. You know the old saying, not much good take place at 3 AM.

It's a freaking river, there's ALWAYS bait available! Why 3AM?

Daytime, nothing, if anything, happens to fishermen there. Ne'er do wells are everywhere, so the paranoia about this place still rings hollow to me But then again I don't hang around places like that at 3AM either.

Rudy

Good tactic to keep folks away from there when the fish are hitn

Double post

Hey! Rudy "dousnt hang around places like that" Lol places like where?

So, I guess that means that two hours west of CC, there are absolutely no places to seine bait? I seriously doubt that.

I live 5 minutes from there. Its easy, fast, and productive. Is that ok? I geuss I should have checked with you first all these 27 years ive been catching and hauling bait around the Irving ,Las Colinas,area.

I have been there plenty of times myself. I have taken my kids there fishing and never seen nothing weird. I did read the article about all the old stolen cars that they cleared out of there a few years ago. Some of them were dumped decades ago. I am sure a few of my rigs were still on them when they pulled them out. The current is real strong like Rudy was saying and the other day for a few hours I saw one dude catch a drum and that was it.

There was a little interesting current going back towards the concrete section along the wall that looked like it might hold some bait and you can keep your line from getting sucked down river there. I might try again with some live shad next time.

I don't worry when I'm there . I was just answering the guy who wanted " evidence " of any bad things that ever happened there. I take my three year old there for bait sometimes when I just have to.

What exactly is "very shady looking" so that I can know what to look out for when I am in that area again. And also so that I can be sure that I am not "very looking shady" when I stop by as I do on occasion after dropping my wife off at work to see if anyone is fishing. And since I am now alone after dropping her off maybe I should not engage in a conversation with anyone who happened to be parked a few spaces from me that pulled in a few moments before me or a few moments after me and also happens to be alone for whatever reason they may be alone because I don't know what "very shady looking" looks like. Because even though I rarely would park next to or close to someone's vehicle that I do not know I would have no hesitation in answering a question such as, hey you fish here before, what do they catch here, oh and where's the good spots; answers being yes or no, some of everything, and OVER THERE WHERE HE'S FISHING. Well I just stopped by to see if anyone was doing any good. Me too I heard about this spot and could never find it but I did today. Well I guess he's not having any luck cause I think he's leaving. Why is he looking at us that way. I don't know. You know him? No. Me neither. I'm leaving he looks kind of shady. I think so to, I guess I'm out of here to. SORRY for the long rant. I know that this location may have it's sordid history which may or may not be well justified but it is only one of many. Bad things happen everywhere you only here about most of it by word of mouth or when it gets to the point that it makes the news. You should be diligent in your safety always and aware of your surroundings. Only seeing what was filmed seemed that the the cars must have been the "very shady culprits, I don't see any people, so maybe a description would be helpful. I don't know if the occupants knew that you recorded them, but how would anyone feel if they are unjustly accused, vilified, and photographed then posted on a forum to watch out for only because you were out of you comfort zone. They parked, not near you. They talked, not to you. One pointed, in your direction. They left. One drove slowly, would it have been better to speed by you maybe causing you harm. Again I'm sorry may be I just don't get it. Peace an Blessings

ehh, you really gota watch out where ever you go but as far as california crossing goes , the last time I went up there looking around for a place to fish I startled a couple homosexuals in the bushes. There are shady folks up there but maybe the more good folks go there the shady folks will not.

Paranoia will Destroya!

GoldSpoonr

Can we just drop all this nonsense and go back to swapping war stories and whoppers that are fishing and fish catching related? Tempest in a teapot.

Rudy

Said the worst offender

Whatever. Everyone seems to know someone who's been killed or shot at when at Falcon. . .but of course no one has any hard proof. It's a convenient claim that no one can disprove.

You don't think it's odd that the guides who guide 300+ days a year on that lake never get shot at or have any trouble? Maybe the people who do have legitimate trouble are in places where they shouldn't be. . .eh? The only two LEGITIMATE incidences I know of on Falcon in the last I dunno how many years, where someone was attacked, the victim was in a place that was known to be trouble. And in both cases, Mexicans were blamed but foul play was suspected and the police never really believed the stories.

As far as you getting stabbed - if you know it's a dangerous place, why in the hell do you go there unarmed at 3 in the morning? That sounds like you're asking for trouble.

Lol is that a joke or a true story? Regardless, a couple of dudes railing each other in the bushes isn't exactly a threat to me. But it is really funny. . .

Not visual I'd like to have in my head while fishing, or any other time, for that matter, but basically harmless to me, other than Han a shaken psyche, lol

That is a good song but some degree of paranoia will keep you from becoming a victim.

L

L

California Crossing is a very dangerous place to fish.

....and what evidence do you have to back such a statememt?

Does he need evidence for his opinion? I feel the same way. When you live not far from there and grew up in the area it
it's pretty obvious why it is dangerous.

Be it or not, the sandies, hybrids, crappie and spotted bass I've caught there over the years have been fat, healthy and delicious! I don't do early morning anything except sleep. Daytime fishing there is NOT very dangerous. I see dads with their kids there pretty often. So i would say daytime/midday poses few if any problems.

findog made a statement I believe and I ask HIM the question and not you.I`m quite sure he`s more than capable of answering for himself without your assistance.I`ve lived in that area also and fished both California crossing & Bachman Lake for years and never had a problem. I didn`t ask for your opinion.

Still bitter I see LOL

Well dang. This place is close to my work so when I saw a long thread about it I got excited. Thought I would find a discussion about how good the fishing is right now. Instead it's an argument. Bummer.

Nah. Just didn`t ask for your opinion is all.

Personally, I don't care if a fishing hole is "shady". The vast majority of shady things that happen anywhere are harmless to the people around. Why should I care if some guy wants to meet his dealer there to get some smoke? It doesnt affect me. I'll just keep on fishing and mind my own business.

This place may have a higher "crime" rate, but how many of those are violent crimes? Probably very few. And out of those very few violent crimes, how many affect an innocent bystander just there to fish? Probably far less. Might not be a good idea to carry around a big wad of cash while your fishing though. If I get robbed, they ain't getting much. I don't carry cash and I'll cancel my cards right after the 911 call. Car's insured. If they really want my fishin gear that bad, they must need it more than me.

A place like this seems fine to me. I won't go there at night, but that's mostly because there are tons of places I would rather fish. If I do want to fish somewhere that I don't feel safe, I'll just take my 60lbs boxer, she'll keep me safe.

So back to fishing, how long until the current dies down and this place is worth fishing?

Spazm09 It will never die down & there will always be some current there unless there is some serious blockage North of there.This is the Elm Fork portion of the Trinity River Basin that flows from the Lake Lewisville Dam and eventually down into Trinity Bay.I would give it a shot right now! As long as it`s not at flood stage you should be okay.The ELM FORK holds some GOOD fish but you have to fish it upper & Lower areas.Lovfldx really knows how!

The reason I asked is because other people said it's raging right now from the rain. I'll have to check it out sometime after work.

Lewisville is releasing 1400 cfs and gvine is releasing 400. It is probably not very fishable right now.

That`s your best option.See for your self Captn

i'll probably go check this out midweek and see, Big cats to im assuming? can you get fresh shad there?

Way back before the Big clean up, and all the cars were removed from below the spill way, you would catch just about anything you wanted to catch including fresh shad right in the corner with a cast net.

If your going to fish creeks in Texas you just better pay attention. If gunshots and shady looking individuals worry you then your not cut out to be an urban creek fisherman!

Went out last week and had 0 bites, used shad, blood bait and through some spoons but no bites. as far as shady characters i had a couple people pull in the parking lot and never got out the vehicle and i never felt uneasy or bothered just my opinion

This goes for rural fishing too. When I hear gun shots in the city I wonder whats going on. When I'm on a remote river miles from anywhere and I hear shots which is by far more often I worry about getting shot. Plus some of those homes on those rivers look pretty shady. I think I hear banjos and this isn't good because I have a purdy mouth.

Squeal like a pig!!

You boys a'int right right.

Any recent reports?

caught about 50 yesterday and had some African american guy tell me if I throw back another fish I wouldn't be walking out of there... this is why I carry for reasons just like this..