July 22, 2009 - Lake Fork - Submitted by Lake Fork Guide Trips - Bass are settled in their summer offshore structure patterns at Lake Fork and the fishing has been good to great almost every day for the past week.  Although we haven’t caught any monster fish lately, we’ve caught at least 20 fish every day and many more on the good days.  The average size has been very good, with most of the fish running from 3 to 7.5 lbs and only a couple of dinks each trip.  The hotter and sunnier the day, the better the fishing for the most part, with the heat of the afternoon emerging as clearly the best time lately.  Although the fishing is great once a good school is located, it hasn’t been quite as easy as it might seem.  On the slower days, I’ve had to burn a lot of gas and graph many spots multiple times before finding a concentration of fish.  Once you’ve found a good school and triggered them though, I’ve normally sat on those fish and caught them consistently until quitting time.

If you’re looking to learn deep structure fishing skills—reading topo maps, setting up your graph correctly & decoding the images on your sonar to find schools, and learning deep water techniques like big spoons, football jigs, drop shots, Carolina rigs, swimbaits and deep crankbaits—now through early September is the time to head to Lake Fork.  Not only is it a great time to learn, but you’ll probably catch a lot of big fish as well.       

Boat for Sale : My 2009 Ranger Z520 boat is for sale.  It is fully loaded, rigged with a 250 HP Mercury Pro XS motor with a 5 year warranty (good until 2014).  It’s value priced and will save you about $10,000 off the cost of a new boat.  For more details and pics of the boat, please check my website (www.lakeforkguidetrips.com) or drop me a note.

Lake Conditions:  After a few rains and cooler days, Fork remains almost full and the water temps are down slightly.  The lake level is currently at 402.82’ (about 2” above full pool) and slowly dropping.  The water clarity is running about normal, with stained water up north and clear greenish water on the south end.  Milfoil and hydrilla are both growing rapidly and starting to mat out in places, which should make for great grass fishing in the fall.  Water temps cooled a bit, reading 85 to 88 degrees in most areas of the main lake.  I’m showing the thermocline around 28’, which is about where it normally develops on Fork.

Location Pattern: Although lots of fish are still shallow relating to the grass, I’m concentrating on schools of fish on offshore structure.  Structure like points, humps, channel bends, and roadbeds in 18’ to 30’ continue as my main pattern, producing both good numbers and size.  Some days these bass are suspended and other days they’re on the bottom.  Many of these schools are relating to a few pieces of isolated cover, so watch your depth finder closely for them and make precise casts or you’ll miss these fish. 

Presentation Pattern:  For fishing deep structure, I have a pretty basic arsenal.  Carolina rigs, drop shots, and Texas rigs are catching bass from schools located near the bottom on deep structure.   I’m using green pumpkin or red bug 10” Fork Worms or the new 6” Hyper Worm for Texas rigs.  Meanwhile, junebug , watermelon candy, or green pumpkin Fork Creatures, Baby Ring Frys, and the new 6” Hyper Lizard with its thumping tail are on the business end of my Carolina rigs.  Try these with the new Dobyns Champion Extreme DX744 rod and you’ll feel every little bump, while having plenty of fish fighting power.  The DX744 is a lightweight 7’4” rod that is so well balanced it feels like nothing in your hand, yet somehow it delivers enough power to tear big bass away from standing timber down 25’.  When the bass are more finicky, drop shots will catch good numbers of slot fish and the occasional big bass, rigged with a junebug, watermelon, or green pumpkin Hyper Finesse Worm or Twitch Worm.

I’m trying to keep my baits near the bottom, sometimes a trick on windy days in rough open water.  Therefore, I use a big ½ oz sinker on both my Texas rigs and drop shots, while 1 oz is what I use to Carolina rig with.  For line, I’ve been using the brand new FluoroHybrid Pro (FHP) line, now available at the Lake Fork Trophy Lures pro shop in Emory.  I’m using 12 lb test on a spinning reel for my drop shots and the 20 lb test on bait casters for my TX and Carolina rigs.  While their PowerSilk and regular Fluorohybrid lines are perfect for moving baits like cranks and spinnerbaits, the FHP is truly revolutionary.  Stronger and lower in stretch than regular FluoroHybrid line, FHP is the first and only line that combines the sensitivity, abrasion resistance, and invisibility of fluorocarbon line with the strength and ease of handling of mono.  This innovative line is made with an exclusive co-extruded process instead of a fluorocarbon coating over mono like all of the other hybrids on the market, resulting in its unique characteristics.

When the bass are suspended, Fork Flutter spoons, swimbaits or deep diving crankbaits in shad or yellow bass patterns are working better than the bottom presentations, and catching some lunkers too.  The trick with crankbaits is to get them deep, and light line and long casts help you do this.  Therefore, I use the 805CB cranking rod from Dobyns, paired with low stretch 12 lb PowerSilk line.  With this 8’ rod and the zero memory line, you can whip crankbaits a country mile.  For the Flutter Spoons and swimbaits, count them down to the depth of the fish and try to swim your bait slightly above the bass.

Here’s hoping you catch the lunker of your dreams.  If I can be of assistance, please contact me at 214-683-9572 (days) or 972-635-6027 (evenings) or e-mail me through http://www.LakeForkGuideTrips.com , where your satisfaction is guaranteed.

Good Fishing,

Tom  

June 29, 2009 - Lake Fork - Submitted by Lake Fork Guide Trips - The temps have turned hot here at Fork, grouping up lots of fish out deep.
Shallow grass and wood cover are still producing some good fish and even
some big ones, especially early and late.  For the majority of the day
though, offshore structure fishing has been best for me.  The hot, sunny
afternoons of summer are prime time to catch these big schools of big fish,
and thankfully we've had a nice breeze most days to keep us cool.  If you're
looking to learn deep structure fishing skills-reading topo maps, setting up
your graph correctly & decoding the images on your sonar to find schools,
and learning deep water techniques like big spoons, football jigs, drop
shots, Carolina rigs, swimbaits and deep crankbaits-now through early
September is the time to head to Lake Fork.  And not only is it a great time
to learn, but you'll probably catch a lot of big fish as well.   

Boat for Sale: My 2009 Ranger Z520 boat is for sale.  It is fully loaded,
rigged with a 250 HP Mercury Pro XS motor with a 5 year warranty (good until
2014).  It's value priced and will save you about $10,000 off the cost of a
new boat.  For more details and pics of the boat, please check my website
(www.lakeforkguidetrips.com) or drop me a note.

Lake Conditions:  Fork remains full and the grass is green and growing all
over the lake.  The lake level is currently at 403.21' (about 3" above full
pool) and slowly falling.  The water clarity is running about normal, with
stained water up north and clear greenish water on the south end.  Milfoil
and hydrilla are both growing rapidly and starting to mat out in places,
which should make for great grass fishing in the fall.  Water temps really
rose this week, reading 89 to 93 degrees in most areas of the main lake.
With the continued hot days and light winds, I expect the thermocline will
set up around 28' deep pretty soon, as usual.   

Location Pattern: Early and late, I'm finding good bass feeding on points
and flats near or in the main lake.  These fish are mostly in 8' to 15',
often around the deep edge of the hydrilla or milfoil.  Deep structure like
points, humps, and roadbeds in 18' to 30' continue as my main pattern,
producing both good numbers and size.  Some days these bass are suspended
and other days they're on the bottom.  Many of these schools have been small
and are relating to a few pieces of isolated cover, so watch your depth
finder closely. 

Presentation Pattern:  First thing in the morning, I'm working shallow grass
on the main lake and in the 1st half of creeks.  For bass feeding over the
top of the grassbeds, try a spinnerbait, chatterbait, or Fork Frogs.  For
bigger bass, pitch a 3/8 oz Mega Weight jig or a Texas rigged 10" Fork Worm
to holes in the grass and lily pads on flats or near stumps on points in the
deep weedline.  I'm using a green pumpkin/black or a watermelon seed jig
with a watermelon/red flake Fork Craw or Hyper Freak trailer, or a
watermelon Fork Worm on the Texas rig. 

Out deeper, Carolina rigs, drop shots, and Texas rigs are catching bass from
schools located near the bottom on deep structure.   I go with green pumpkin
or red bug 8" or 10" Fork Worms for Texas rigs.  Meanwhile, junebug or green
pumpkin Fork Creatures, Baby Ring Frys, and the new 6" Hyper Lizard are on
the business end of my Carolina rigs.  The new 6" Hyper Lizard is the
perfect size for Carolina rigs, and it thumping Hyper tail really calls fish
in.  A great set up for the C-rig is a stout 7'6" 764C Dobyns Rod with low
stretch 32 lb PowerSilk mono.  This set up will allow for monster casts,
while still delivering strong hook sets at long distances. Drop shots will
catch good numbers of fish and the occasional big bass, rigged with a
watermelon or green pumpkin Hyper Finesse Worm.  When the bass are
suspended, Fork Flutter spoons, swimbaits or deep diving crankbaits in shad
or yellow bass patterns are working better than the bottom presentations,
and catching some lunkers too.  The trick with crankbaits is to get them
deep, and light line and long casts help you do this.  Therefore, I use the
805CB cranking rod from Dobyns, paired with low stretch 15 lb to 21 lb
PowerSilk line.  With this 8' rod and the zero memory line, you can whip
crankbaits a country mile.

Here's hoping you catch the lunker of your dreams.  If I can be of
assistance, please contact me at 214-683-9572 (days) or 972-635-6027
(evenings) or e-mail me through http://www.LakeForkGuideTrips.com , where
your satisfaction is guaranteed.

Good Fishing,

Tom   

June 12, 2009 - Lake Fork - Submitted by David VanceThings are really heating up here at the lake. With the weather getting hot you can expect the bass fishing at Lake Fork to be hot as well! Although the fishing this week has been good, the big bass are on the verge of busting loose into their post spawn feeding frenzy. Size has been good but the numbers of fish we're catching has varied. Some days you will only catch 20-25 and others you can load the boat. Water temperatures have ranged anywhere from 79-82 degrees in the areas that I have been fishing. The water is clear in the main lake with some stained water in the backs of some of the creeks from recent run off. The lake is full and in great shape.

The top water bite has been excellent on Yellow Magic's Buzz Baits and Frogs early. After the topwater bite ends, I have been heading straight for deep water. I look forward to this time of year because of the great deep structure fishing that Lake Fork is known for and at this time you will find the majority of the bigger bass out deep on the points, roadbeds, ridges and humps. The deep fish that I have been catching are in 20-25 foot. Carolina rigs have by far been the most productive presentation. Best baits have been a Watermelon Seed Brush Hog and a Watermelon Fluke, also a Fineness Worm in the same colors, as it has done well on days that the fish are a little more finicky. If you find the fish are suspended you'll want to hit them with a DD 22, or a Swim bait. Good places to try right now are Bell Hump, 515 East and West Roadbeds, and Chaney Point, the bass have been schooling in these areas.

June and July are a great time to be on Lake Fork the Bass are feeding up after the spawn and they are mean and hungry and easy to catch this time of year. If you would like to get in on some good Summer Bass fishing to book a trip you can reach me at 903-629-7699 or cell 903-629-5085 web site http://www.lakeforktexasfishingreports.com

Good Fishing,
David Vance

May 5, 2009 - Lake Fork - Submitted by Lake Fork Guide Trips - After a prolonged stretch of really good fishing on Lake Fork, things slowed down recently, particularly for bigger fish. Despite an overnight 2' rise in the water after flooding rains, we could still catch good numbers of buck bass to 5 lbs. However, the bite for the females went away for me. I'm guessing that we're in between waves of spawners but that shouldn't last for long. With the full moon this weekend, the final major wave of big fish should move up to spawn in main lake pockets and flats.

Deep water structure fishing will begin soon and the topwater bite is just
getting started, offering superb fishing well into the heat of the summer.
As those females feed up after the spawn, the result is our most consistent
fishing of the year for numbers of quality fish in the 3 to 7 lb range, with
a shot at a 10+. And although the bass are wrapping up their spawn, the
shad and bluegill are just cranking up. To learn my tips on how to
capitalize on these other spawns, check out my May article, "The Other
Spawns": http://www.lakeforkguidetrips.com/fishingarticles/may2009.htm

Lake Conditions: Flooding rains hit this weekend and Fork crested at 2'
over full pool. The lake level is currently reading at 403.67' (about 8"
above full pool) and dropping fast. By lowering the lake quickly, the
resultant current drew a lot of muddy and stained water into normally
clearer areas. There remains plenty of clear areas though, especially near
the main lake and on the south end. Milfoil and hydrilla are both growing
rapidly and expanding coverage, plus the lily pads are starting to burgeon
as well. Water temps are at a comfortable 68 to 72 degrees in most areas of
the main lake.

Location Pattern: I'm finding most of the bigger spawning fish nearer the
mouths of coves and on main lake flats in 8' and less. While some bass are
spawning in the newly flooded grass and cattails, many are spawning or
staging along the inside grassline in about 3'. In addition, many bass are
also holding amongst the rapidly growing lily pads. The slightly deeper
structure like points, creek channels, and ledges in 8' to 14', adjacent to
areas with numbers of shallow spawning bass, is where we've found most of
the bigger females, both prespawn and postspawn.

Presentation Pattern: Topwaters, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, swimbaits, and
crankbaits in shad and bluegill colors are catching fish early and all day
on windy or cloudy days. Fork is famous for its topwater fishing this time
of year and bass will come up all day for small poppers (like Yellow Magics
or Pop-Rs). I'm throwing small poppers with 15 lb PowerSilk, about the
equivalent of 10 lb mono. The floating, zero memory line lets me whip out
casts even in windy conditions with these light baits. Because of its zero
memory, both PowerSilk and Fluorohybrid are great on spinning reels as well.
Vary your popper retrieve because some days they'll want a nonstop spit,
while other days a couple pops with long pauses works better.

For bass that are on spawning flats, we've been able to catch steady numbers
of fish on weightless or wacky rigged soft plastics. The Lake Fork Trophy
Lures Zig Zag, rigged with a weedless wacky hook and a small nail weight in
the nose, has been killer most days. When it gets tough and the bite is
slow, downsize and go with a 3.5" Live Magic Shad on a 3/0 Ultimate Swimbait
Hook or wacky rig a Hyper Finesse Worm and you'll still be able to catch
good numbers of fish, although the fish size will run a bit smaller on
average. Shades of green pumpkin typically work better on cloudy days, while
I normally switch to the watermelon colors if the sun comes out. I normally
fish these rigs on low stretch 17, 21 or 28 lb PowerSilk line (use lighter
line in calmer, clearer water with less cover), but I've been experimenting
with a new prototype line lately called Fluorohybrid Extreme. This line has
all of the best properties of the standard Fluorohybrid line-low memory,
high abrasion resistance, and small diameter-plus it has much lower stretch
so it delivers a lot more feel. This line will be ideal for techniques that
require a lot of sensitivity, like worms, jigs, and dropshots. Look for it
to be available in a few weeks. For bigger fish, casting a jig to the
inside and outside grasslines has been our most productive bait. You'll get
less bites than with soft plastics, but they are almost all good ones. I've
been using Mark Pack's new jig design in the 3/8 and 12 oz sizes in
black/blue and several shades of green. It has an awesome hook, the first
thing I look for in a good jig, and great looking skirts. Look for the new
jig to be available in a few weeks as well. Simply pitch it to the edge of
the grass and work it with slow hops and pay close attention, as bites are
often very subtle.

For spawning bass, white or watermelon Baby Fork Craws, Flippers and Craw
Tubes work great. White baits allow you to clearly see your bait on the
bed, while more natural shades of green are often needed to catch the more
finicky bass. Many spawning areas have water that is too muddy to see
bedding fish, so pitching Texas rigs and weightless soft plastics to any
wood cover and holes in the grass will catch the spawners that you can't
see. In addition, a Carolina rig on 21 lb PowerSilk with a 12" leader and a
3/16 to 5/16 oz weight is deadly when worked in 3' to 8' for beds that are
too deep to see and for females waiting to move up. Rig it up on a heavy
power fast tipped 7'3" Dobyns 735C and you'll be all set. I put a Top Dog
lizard, Magic Shad, or Zig Zag on the hook and it consistently catches big
fish. Work your bait very slowly and keep it in place on the bottom for a
long time or you'll pass up all but the most aggressive fish.

Here's hoping you catch the lunker of your dreams. If I can be of
assistance, please contact me at 214-683-9572 (days) or 972-635-6027
(evenings) or e-mail me through http://www.LakeForkGuideTrips.com , where
your satisfaction is guaranteed.

Good Fishing,

Tom

April 11, 2009 - Lake Fork - Submitted by Lake Fork Guide Trips - Despite very windy conditions (often 25 to 40 mph) and cold fronts passing through every few days, a lot of big fish moved up during the past week. Best of all, you can fish for quantity or quality right now. While good numbers (20 to 40 fish/day) can usually be caught in the shallows by throwing soft plastics, most of these fish are male bass that are 5 lbs and less. My customers and I backed off and fished a little deeper (5' to 15') on points and grasslines and had a very good week for size. Although we didn't get a double digit fish, we managed to catch fish over 7 lbs on every trip this week except yesterday (Friday). We did catch one fish over 7 lbs on a bed, but all of the rest of our big fish came out deeper on spinnerbaits, crankbaits, lipless crankbaits, jerkbaits, jigs, and Texas or Carolina rigs. Lots of fish are spawning on the north end of the lake, while the south end is just getting started, so there should be a few more weeks of good spring fishing.

I expect the spawn to continue into early May, as it does most every year on Fork. By the end of April, many fish will already be in post spawn and early summertime patterns. As those females feed up after the spawn, the result is our most consistent fishing of the year for numbers of quality fish in the 3 to 7 lb range, with a shot at a 10+. That means topwaters early or all day on cloudy days. After that, it is deep water structure fishing the rest of the day on possibly the best structure fishing lake in the country. So if your plans don't allow you to take advantage of the spawn this year on Fork, don't despair, you can still enjoy what most locals consider the best fishing of the year on Fork-May through July.

Lake Conditions: The lake level is currently holding at 402.82' (about 2" below full pool). Strong winds muddied large areas of the lake over the past couple of weeks. Much of the upper lake is stained, while the south end has good visibility in some areas. The milfoil has really greened up and is spreading in coverage quickly, while the hydrilla and lily pads are just starting to grow. Water temps rose and fell all week, with temps in the mid-60s in protected pockets, while the main lake was running from 59 to 63 on Friday.

Location Pattern: For prespawn and staging fish, key on points and along edges of flats or creek channels. Basically, look for the first drop off or cover adjacent to spawning flats. Areas with submerged vegetation for cover will typically have the most fish, although wood has produced some good fish lately too. Main lake grass beds near the mouths of these coves are holding some fish, as are main and secondary points inside the coves. During warming trends, follow bass back into the creeks and check the edges of grass flats and creek channels. After the fronts, drop back to deeper water adjacent to where the fish were before the front and you'll quickly relocate them. For spawning fish, look for protected bays in the north end of the lake or at the very backs of major creeks. As the water continues to warm, bass will start spawning nearer the mouths of creeks and in deeper creeks. The main lake flats are typically the last areas to spawn, often as late as early May.

Presentation Pattern: For prespawn bass, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, lipless crankbaits, and chatterbaits are still catching big fish, especially on overcast and windy days. With lots of stained and muddy water, bright color schemes that include some orange, chartreuse, or red have worked best. For a big bass, go with a 12 oz chatterbait with a watermelon/red/pearl 4.5" Live Magic Shad trailer and swim it in the same areas you throw a trap or spinnerbait. On calm days, you'll typically do better by switching to a suspending jerkbait or pitching a jig and a Texas rig. Go with gold or clown colored jerkbaits on cloudy days, while silver color schemes work better on sunny days. Work these baits with a few twitches and long pauses. For a real prespawn monster, pitching heavy cover along the first breakline and creek channels is the way to go. I go with a 1/2 oz Mega Weight black and blue or green pumpkin jig with a Lake Fork Craw trailer in the blue bruiser or watermelon candy colors. For the Texas rig, I'll pitch a Lake Fork Flipper, Top Dog Lizard, or Hyper Freak in black neon, green pumpkin or watermelon/red with a 1/8 to 3/8 oz bullet weight and slowly work it around cover. I throw these on 65 lb braided line and a heavy action 736C model Dobyns Rod to horse those brutes out before they tangle me up.

For bass that have moved onto spawning flats, we've been able to catch great numbers of fish on weightless or wacky rigged soft plastics. The Lake Fork Trophy Lures Zig Zag, rigged with a weedless wacky hook and a small nail weight in the nose, has been killer most days. I also like the 4.5" Live Magic Shad rigged on a 5/0 Ultimate Swimbait Hook for big fish in the shallows, fished with a short swim and long pauses. When it gets tough and the bite is slow, downsize and go with a 3.5" Live Magic Shad on a 3/0 Ultimate Swimbait Hook or wacky rig a Hyper Finesse Worm and you'll still be able to catch good numbers of fish, although the fish size will run a bit smaller on average. Shades of green pumpkin typically work better on cloudy days, while I normally switch to the watermelon colors if the sun comes out. I'm throwing all of these baits on the 7' 3" medium heavy power Dobyns 733C model rod. This long rod will launch light soft plastics a long ways to skittish shallow fish, but still has enough power to make a hook set at the end of a long cast and to fight them out of heavy cover. I normally fish these rigs on low stretch 17, 21 or 28 lb PowerSilk line (use lighter line in calmer, clearer water with less cover), but I've been experimenting with a new prototype line lately called Fluorohybrid Extreme. This line has all of the best properties of the standard Fluorohybrid line-low memory, high abrasion resistance, and small diameter-plus it has much lower stretch so it delivers a lot more feel. This line will be ideal for techniques that require a lot of sensitivity, like worms, jigs, and dropshots. Look for it to be available in a few weeks.

For spawning bass, white or watermelon Top Dog lizards, Flippers and Craw Tubes work great. White baits allow you to clearly see your bait on the bed, while more natural shades of green are often needed to catch the more finicky bass. Many spawning areas have water that is too muddy to see bedding fish, so pitching Texas rigs and weightless soft plastics to any wood cover and holes in the grass will catch the spawners that you can't see. In addition, a Carolina rig on 21 lb PowerSilk with a 12" leader and a 3/16 to 5/16 oz weight is deadly when worked in 3' to 8' for beds that are too deep to see and for females waiting to move up. I put a Top Dog lizard, Magic Shad, or Zig Zag on the hook and it consistently catches big fish. Work your bait very slowly and keep it in place on the bottom for a long time or you'll pass up all but the most aggressive fish.

Here's hoping you catch the lunker of your dreams. If I can be of assistance, please contact me at 214-683-9572 (days) or 972-635-6027 (evenings) or e-mail me through http://www.LakeForkGuideTrips.com , where your satisfaction is guaranteed.

Good Fishing,

Tom

March 26, 2009 - Sam Rayburn - Hey guys, i got the bug really bad the first week of march, and got the boat out for a couple of days.. These white bass were huge! Have you ever heard of yellow bass? here is a pic with a few very large female white bass and a pic of a white and a yellow bass. just want to share the pics with you, as i personally have never heard of yellow bass till now. they are plentiful in the south, and are fun to catch.

Mike E.

March 24, 2009 - Lake Fork - Submitted by David Vance - The spawn is in full swing here at Lake Fork! For those of you that are looking for the opportunity to catch a Bass of a lifetime, this is the time of year to do it. There are a lot of big Bass up shallow right now just waiting to be caught. Here are some tips for catching these big Bass,

key areas to focus on right now are in the backs of the creek and points that are next to the spawning flats. Creek channels leading to these flats will produce good results. Bass can be found in a number of the many creeks and pockets on the lake right now. The Bass have exploded into their spawning ritual this year and can be found on beds just about everywhere. Finding the areas that are holding the most concentrations of Bass is the main objective.

The lake is full and in great shape, the water clarity is clear to slightly stain in most areas. The recent water temperatures have been ranging anywhere from 62 to 67 degrees in the areas that I have been fishing in recent days. Bass can be caught a number of different ways during the spawn. My clients and I have been catching the majority of our Bass on weightless rigs or slightly weighted when it is windy. A Trick Worm has been my "go to" bait lately. These baits are deadly when fished slowly over and in the grass where these Bass are making their beds. Best colors have been shades of watermelon, and green pumpkin. Fishing it very slowly, with short twitches in between pauses, works best. Flukes in watermelon colors are also producing good fish right now. Sight fishing is excellent on days when there is some sun and not too much wind. So keep your Flippin Rod ready for when you see a big Bass sitting on a bed.

Today Ken Viscount from Pennsylvania fished with me and what a day he had. He broke his personal best three times with one over 6, a 7, and the Big one of the day that went 9lbs 6oz, all these bass came on the Trick Worm. Good places to try right now are Searcy Branch, Alligator Cove, Ford Cove and Chaney Branch. If you would like to book a trip and get in on the great Spring Bass fishing Lake Fork has to offer call 903-629-7699 or cell 903-629-5085 web site http://www.lakeforktexasfishingreports.com

Good Fishing,
David Vance

March 22, 2009 - Lake Fork - Submitted by Lake Fork Guide Trips - After an extended warming trend in early March brought in a big wave of spawners, a strong cold front with heavy rains muddied up and cooled Lake Fork , slowing the bite considerably last week. The water has steadily warmed again this week and that is drawing a number of fish into the shallows to start spawning again. Meanwhile on the south end of the lake and nearer deeper water, the vast majority of bass remain prespawn and lunker females are staging on points and creeks leading to spawning areas. With a steady forecast for the next week and the New Moon as well, we'll see another big wave of fish to move up shortly.

I expect the spawn to continue into early May, as it does most every year on Fork. By the end of April, many fish will already be in post spawn and early summertime patterns. As those females feed up after the spawn, the result is our most consistent fishing of the year for numbers of quality fish in the 3 to 7 lb range, with a shot at a 10+. That means topwaters early or all day on cloudy days. After that, it is deep water structure fishing the rest of the day on possibly the best structure fishing lake in the country. So if your plans don't allow you to take advantage of the spawn this year on Fork, don't despair, you can still enjoy what most locals consider the best fishing of the year on Fork-May through July.

As a side note, I added my March article to my website. It's the first part of an in-depth 2 part series on fishing a jig in the springtime for lunkers. You can check this and all of my other bass fishing articles out at http://www.lakeforkguidetrips.com/fishingarticles.htm .

Lake Conditions: The lake level is currently holding steady at 402.73' (about 3" below full pool). Much of the upper lake is stained to muddy but starting to clear, while the south has good visibility in most areas. There are still large areas of milfoil and hydrilla but the grass coverage seems to be getting thinner. I expect these areas to green up and start expanding as the water warms. Water temps are on the rise, with temps in the mid- to upper-60s in protected pockets, while the main lake was running from 58 to 62 on Friday.

Location Pattern: For prespawn and staging fish, key on points and along edges of flats or creek channels. Areas with submerged vegetation for cover will typically have the most fish. Main lake grass beds near the mouths of these coves are holding some fish, as are main and secondary points inside the coves. During warming trends, follow bass back into the creeks and check the edges of grass flats and creek channels. After the fronts, drop back to deeper water adjacent to where the fish were before the front and you'll quickly relocate them. For spawning fish, look for protected bays in the north end of the lake or at the very backs of major creeks. As the water continues to warm and we move towards April, bass will start spawning nearer the mouths of creeks and in deeper creeks. The main lake flats are typically the last areas to spawn, often as late as early May.

Presentation Pattern: For prespawn bass, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and chatterbaits are still catching big fish, especially on overcast and windy days. With lots of stained and muddy water, bright color schemes that include a lot of orange, chartreuse, or red have worked best. For throwing shallow and medium running cranks, I've finally discovered a set up that delivers all the features I want. The new fiberglass 705CB/GLASS model from Dobyns Rods is the lightest fiberglass rod I've ever used and it'll chunk crankbaits a mile, with an action that is slow enough to let bass engulf the bait and then keep the trebles hooked up during the fight. To maintain sensitivity, I pair this rod with the new 11% stretch PowerSilk mono in 28 lb test from Lake Fork Trophy Lures. The line has the diameter of about 17 or 20 lb test and has virtually no memory, so it casts a mile, and the low stretch allows me plenty of feel to feather my cranks along the top of the grass. This awesome set up delivers the best of all worlds-it allows me to easily fish all day with its light weight, enables me to land most everything that bites my treble hook lures, all while maintaining a good feel of the bait.

For a big bass, go with a 12 oz chatterbait with a watermelon/red/pearl 4.5" Live Magic Shad trailer and swim it in the same areas you throw a trap or spinnerbait. On calm days, you'll typically do better by switching to a suspending jerkbait or pitching a jig and a Texas rig. Go with gold or clown colored jerkbaits on cloudy days, while silver color schemes work better on sunny days. Work these baits with a few twitches and long pauses. For a real prespawn monster, pitching heavy cover along the first breakline and creek channels is the way to go. I go with a 3/8 oz Mega Weight black and blue or green pumpkin jig with a Lake Fork Craw trailer in the blue bruiser or watermelon candy colors. For the Texas rig, I'll pitch a Lake Fork Flipper, Top Dog Lizard, or Hyper Freak in black neon, green pumpkin or watermelon/red with a 1/8 to 3/8 oz bullet weight and slowly work it around cover. I throw these on 65 lb braided line and a heavy action 736C model Dobyns Rod to horse those brutes out before they tangle me up. For bass that have moved onto spawning flats, weightless Texas rigged or wacky rigged soft plastic jerkbaits like Magic Shads, Live Magic Shads, and Hyper Whack'n Worms become your best option. Shades of green pumpkin and watermelon are normally top colors, with watermelon/red baits with the tail dipped in chartreuse being the top producer lately.

For spawning bass, white or watermelon Top Dog lizards, Flippers and Craw Tubes work great. White baits allow you to clearly see your bait on the bed, while more natural shades of green are often needed to catch the more finicky bass. Many spawning areas have water that is too muddy to see bedding fish, so pitching Texas rigs and weightless soft plastics to any wood cover and holes in the grass will catch the spawners that you can't see. Work your bait very slowly and keep it in place on the bottom for a long time or you'll pass up all but the most aggressive fish.

Here's hoping you catch the lunker of your dreams. If I can be of assistance, please contact me at 214-683-9572 (days) or 972-635-6027 (evenings) or e-mail me through http://www.LakeForkGuideTrips.com , where your satisfaction is guaranteed.

Tom

February 28, 2009 - Lake Fork - Submitted by Lake Fork Guide Trips - (Photos - Mark with an 8.9 and me with a chunky prespawner.) Spring fishing is kicking into high gear at Lake Fork , with a few bass already starting to spawn. Most of the bass are still prespawn and many won't hit the beds until April. I suspect we'll probably have our first major wave of spawners in the next couple of weeks though. Fishing has been getting more consistent with warmer temps and our numbers have been pretty good most days, although we've still had some really tough postfrontal days mixed in. With the vast majority of the bass in the lake holding in the shallows for the next 2 months, it's the most popular time of the year for bass fishermen. Despite the crowds, fish thoroughly and you'll have a shot at a monster bass this spring.

February was a very busy month and overall it was quite productive for my customers and me. I started off my FLW Tour season with a 36th place finish at Lake Guntersville and a solid check. I continued my guiding ways at that tourney, putting my day 1 co-angler on an 8-5 and an 8-11, and a 25 lb 9 oz sack. He ended day 1 in 1st place, including the 2 largest co-angler bass of the day. Well done Jason! After that, I spent the rest of the month following Fork lunkers as they moved towards the spawning flats. It's amazing to think that my favorite time of the year is already almost over (prespawn from Jan-Mar), but at least my 2nd favorite fishing (offshore structure bassin' in late Apr-Aug) will be starting soon as well.

As a side note, I posted an article from the current Bass West USA magazine, www.basswestusa.com on my website. It details my big flutter spoon pattern for Fork and similar lakes. http://www.lakeforkguidetrips.com/fishingarticles.htm .

Lake Conditions: The lake level is currently reading 402.10' (about 11" below full pool). Most of the lake is clear, with stained water on the north ends and in areas where the wind has been pounding. There are still large areas of milfoil and hydrilla but the grass coverage seems to be getting thinner. I expect these areas to green up and start expanding as the water warms. Water temps really climbed the last few days, with temps in the mid-60s in protected pockets, while the main lake was running from 57 to 61.

Location Pattern: For prespawn and staging fish, key on points and along edges of flats or creek channels. Areas with submerged vegetation for cover will typically have the most fish. Main lake grass beds near the mouths of these coves are holding some fish, as are main and secondary points inside the coves. During warming trends, follow bass back into the creeks and check the edges of grass flats and creek channels. After the fronts, drop back to deeper water adjacent to where the fish were before the front and you'll quickly relocate them. For spawning fish, look for protected bays in the north end of the lake or at the very backs of major creeks. As the water continues to warm and we move towards April, bass will start spawning nearer the mouths of creeks and in deeper creeks. The main lake flats are typically the last areas to spawn, often as late as early May.

Presentation Pattern: For prespawn bass, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, jigs, and lipless crankbaits are still catching numbers of good fish, especially on overcast and windy days. For a big bass, go with a 12 oz chatterbait with a shad colored 4.5 Live Magic Shad trailer and swim it in the same areas you throw a trap or spinnerbait. On calm days, you'll typically do better by switching to a suspending jerkbait or pitching a jig and a Texas rig. Go with gold or clown colored jerkbaits on cloudy days, while silver color schemes work better on sunny days. Work these baits with a few twitches and long pauses. For a real prespawn monster, pitching heavy cover along the first breakline and creek channels is the way to go. I go with a 3/8 oz Mega Weight black and blue or green pumpkin jig with a Lake Fork Craw trailer in the blue bruiser or watermelon candy colors. For the Texas rig, I'll pitch a Lake Fork Flipper or Hyper Freak in black neon, Bama Bug or watermelon/red with a 1/8 to 3/8 oz bullet weight and slowly work it around cover. Or try the new 8.5" Hyper Lizard from Lake Fork Trophy Lures. It features a huge thumper on a segmented tail and produces a wild thumping action when it swims and hops along cover.

For bass that have moved onto spawning flats, weightless Texas rigged or wacky rigged soft plastic jerkbaits like Magic Shads, Live Magic Shads, Twitch Worms, and Ring Frys become your best option. Shades of green pumpkin and watermelon are normally top colors. Another great option is the wacky rig and it'll produce bites and some lunkers on the toughest days. The new Hyper Whack'n Worm from Lake Fork Trophy Lures has a segmented body, so both ends of the worm quiver as it falls slowly to the bottom. For spawning bass, white or watermelon Top Dog lizards, Flippers and Craw Tubes work great. White baits allow you to clearly see your bait on the bed, while more natural shades of green are often needed to catch the more finicky bass. Many spawning areas have water that is too muddy to see bedding fish, so pitching Texas rigs and weightless soft plastics to any wood cover and holes in the grass will catch the spawners that you can't see. Or in clear water, back off the visible beds that everyone else is pounding and catch the unpressured bass that are slightly deeper with a finesse Carolina rig. I use about a 14 oz sinker and a 12" leader with a Magic Shad, Zig Zag, or 5" Hyper Worm on the hook and slowly crawl this rig along the bottom for staging and deep bedding bass.

Here's hoping you catch the lunker of your dreams. If I can be of assistance, please contact me at 214-683-9572 (days) or 972-635-6027 (evenings) or e-mail me through http://www.LakeForkGuideTrips.com , where your satisfaction is guaranteed.

Good Fishing,

Tom

Februry 20, 2009 - Lake Fork - Submitted by David Vance - The water temps have varied this week. With this up and down weather, morning water temps have been 54 and settling at 57 late in the afternoons. Look for the bass to turn on and begin to move more towards the back of the Creeks during the next week.

This past week the fishing has been good with a couple of tough days mixed in. All of our fish were caught out of 8 ft of water and less, most of the time in the grass or on the outside edge of the grass.

A Lipless Crank bait in red/orange, orange, and craw patterns have been the most consistent of all the baits I have thrown. I have found most of our fish along grass lines and grass flats located in the Creeks, from the mouth all the way to the back. Find thick grass located in 3 to 8 feet of water for best results as far as numbers and size. Some days they are out in the open grass flats and after a cold front they are close to the trees located within the grass beds. This has been pretty easy to figure out and seems to hold to every place I go to. Make sure you reel a fast to medium retrieve on these Lipless Crank baits for best results.

I also had good success this week on a Suspending Jerk bait. I have been using a 7 inch Rogue, my best color has been a black back, chrome sides, orange belly. I have been fishing the Rogue in the same places as the Lipless Crank baits with good results, it has been very good as a back up bait to pick up some extra fish behind the Lipless Crank baits. Work these baits with light twitches and long pauses. When you do go to twitch the bait use a light twitch or two, then let it sit again. Most bites have occurred while the bait is sitting still but a few aggressive fish have hit the bait while it is moving.

We are also starting to catch some nice Bass on Soft Jerk baits fished Wacky style. When the Bass get heavy on the beds these big Worms fished Wacky style is hard to beat here on Lake Fork. Good colors that work for me are watermelon red, green pumpkin red, and June bug. There are alot of these Soft Jerk baits on the market and some cost up to $8 a bag which I think is ridiculous. There are several of these baits on the market that cost less than half of the name brands that work just as good and will save you alot of money. My best two days this week was 32. Billy Weems from Austin fished with me and out of the 32 Bass we boated in two days, Billy had one over 8lbs, one over 7lbs, and 3 over 6lbs. The 8 & 7 came on the Suspending Jerk bait. Good places right now have been Glade Creek, in the last couple of days alot of Bass have moved up in the East & West Field of Glade Creek, and also Long Branch and Rogers Creek are coming on.

The first wave of spawning Bass is just a few days away and I think this is going to be one of the best spawns we have had in a long time. The Lake is in great shape and is only about one foot low. If you would like to book a guide trip and get in on some of the great Spring Bass Fishing Lake Fork has to offer, give me a call at 903-629-7699 or my Cell 903-629-5085.

Good Fishing,
David Vance

February 3, 2009 - Lake Fork - Submitted by Lake Fork Guide Trips - Craig with a 7 lb 15 oz beauty and me with an 8 lb 9 oz prespawner.

Despite a week of bitter cold temps with sleet and ice, the fishing at Lake Fork has been good on most days. More big prespawn bass are showing up in the shallows all the time and 11+ lb fish are starting to come into marinas on a more regular basis. Prespawn is my favorite time of the year on Fork because the crowds are light and you have a shot at a true lunker on any cast. You really only needed a lipless crankbait rod and a jig rod this past week, although the bass will start chasing a larger variety of baits soon as the water warms back up.

Remember, spring is the season when a great pair of polarized sunglasses makes a huge difference. Sight fishermen need them to scope out bass on deep beds that other anglers can't see. Meanwhile, if you're trying to spot isolated grass clumps or laydowns where skittish lunkers lurk, premium sunglasses also help. I recently picked up a pair of Costa Del Mar Wave 580 glasses. Friends had told me for years that the 580s block light waves from the yellow and blue spectrums that our eyes have problems processing and really sharpen your focus. I figured it was a bunch of marketing hype, but once I tried them out, I couldn't believe how much of a difference they make. Simply slide on a pair and look at a distant billboard and you'll instantly notice how your focus is sharpened. Amazing! I personally like the Silver Mirror lens color: the mirror cuts down harsh light on bright days, while the amber lens color provides great contrast in all light conditions, even on cloudy days. You can check them out for yourself at www.costadelmar.com .

As a side note, I posted my February article on my website, entitled "Top 5 Spots for Finding Bass Quickly." It details my strategy for finding bass fast on unfamiliar waters. http://www.lakeforkguidetrips.com/fishingarticles/feb2009.htm

Lake Conditions: Heading into the prespawn, Fork is in great shape. The lake level is currently reading 402.11' (about 11" below full pool). Most of the lake is clear, with stained water on the north ends and in areas where the wind has been pounding. Thanks to mostly stable water levels this year, large amounts of hydrilla & milfoil are growing in the lake, making for awesome shallow water fishing all spring. Water temps bottomed out around 45 last week, then rebounded to near 50 with the latest warm up.

Location Pattern: Much of my location and presentation info remains unchanged from last time, and will probably stay that way through most of the prespawn. From late-December through much of March, I concentrate on the early prespawn and staging fish on points and along edges of flats or creek channels. Areas with submerged vegetation for cover will typically have the most active fish. While about any grassy area will hold a few fish, start your search in areas that have lots of spawning fish in late February through March. It stands to reason that the coves that hold the most spawning fish in early spring will have the most prespawn fish in the winter. Main lake grass beds near the mouths of these coves are holding fish now, as are main and secondary points inside the coves-provided there is deep water nearby. During warming trends, follow bass back into the creeks and check the edges of grass flats and creek channels.

Keep in mind, too, that the absolute water temperature is not nearly as important now as the recent water temperature trend. For instance, water temps that are showing 52 degrees can result in slow fishing if the temps were 58 a couple days ago. In contrast, fishing can be great if the temps warm up to 50 while they were 44 a few days before. In general, look for bass on the flats and farther back in creeks during warming trends; conversely, drop back to points and main lake grassbeds after cold fronts. Finally, the day of and the day after cold fronts can be absolutely miserable to fish, but these frontal days after a long warming trend are usually the most productive times to fish.

Presentation Pattern: The jig and lipless crankbait have excelled in the cold recently, but as the water warms, you'll want to expand your offerings. My prespawn arsenal is pretty simple for fishing along grasslines and creek channels. First and foremost are lipless crankbaits in 12 or 34 oz. Stick with the 12 for grass that is near the surface and go with the 34 for grass that is deeper. Red and crawfish colors are most popular and they often work well, although oddball colors often produce better on any given day. Buzzing these over the top of the grass on a quick retrieve is normally best, but after cold fronts, letting the trap fall and ripping these out of the grass will trigger most of the bites. 14 to 12 oz spinnerbaits with double willow blades in white, black, or chartreuse and white will produce some really large bass in the same areas that the lipless cranks work, especially on windy and cloudy days. For a true giant, try swimming a 4.5" Lake Fork Live Magic Shad on the back of a 12 oz chatterbait and fish it in the same areas you'd throw a spinnerbait. When the bite slows or the conditions are sunny and calm, I'll switch to a suspending jerkbait or pitch a jig and a Texas rig. Jerkbaits in gold, silver, or clown patterns are my primary colors. Work these with long pauses over the grass and along the edges. For jigs, I go with 12 oz black and blue Mega Weight jigs with a Lake Fork Craw trailer in the blue bruiser or watermelon red color. For the Texas rig, I'll pitch a Lake Fork Flipper or the new Hyper Freak in black neon or blue bruiser with a 14 to 3/8 oz bullet weight. Work your jig or Texas rig very slowly along creek channels or through deep grass for a great shot at a lunker.

Cover lots of water until you get bit. Once you catch one, work the area over thoroughly with multiple passes, employing several different baits. Fish tend to stack up in key staging areas during the winter and these spots will replenish themselves with more fish during the prespawn as more and more big bass move shallow. Find some good staging spots and you'll have a milk run of honey holes now through March.

Here's hoping you catch the lunker of your dreams. If I can be of assistance, please contact me at 214-683-9572 (days) or 972-635-6027 (evenings) or e-mail me through http://www.LakeForkGuideTrips.com , where your satisfaction is guaranteed.

Good Fishing,

Tom

Februry 1, 2009 - Lake Fork - Submitted by David Vance - February is big Bass time here at Lake Fork. For all you fisherman that have been waiting for those big females to start moving to the shallows, now is the time. Lake Fork is in great shape for another fantastic year of fishing in 2009. The fishing has been good for size the last three days with the water temps dipping into the high 40's. The cooler water temperatures have not affected the bite as much as you would expect. Numbers of quality Bass can be found starting to stage in the grass beds around points, ditches, and creeks near spawning flats. Starting at the mouths of the creeks and working your way back is the best approach to locating Bass this time of year.

Dearing a cold fronts the Bass are more active and concentrated on main lake and/or secondary points. On warmer days, you will find that the bite is better at the very back of the creeks. Once you locate a fish or two it is good to make another pass back through the area as there will usually be several more in that location. Fishing in depths of 3-8 feet has been good and will get better as the water temps rise.

The weather is calling for a warming trend, so expect the bite to be shallow and more consistent. Rattletraps and shallow running Crank baits in red/orange colors have been best. Chartreuse and white or white Spinner baits will also produce their share of Bass as well. I use a Stanley 1/2 oz or 3/4 oz Spinner bait with double willow leaf blades.

Rigging your baits on the proper equipment this time of year is also a critical factor when looking for a trophy Bass. Make sure you have given some attention to your rods/reels and fishing line that have been sitting around all winter. A little oil, some fresh line, and a quick drag check will make all the difference; there is nothing more disappointing than losing a big fish on your first Spring outing because of equipment failure.

Good areas for me right now have been White Oak Branch, Spring Branch, Big Mustang, and Bobcat Branch; we have had several Bass in the 5 to 7 pound range in these creeks in the last few days. I think this February is going to produce a lot of big Bass with the lake in such good shape also there is very little boat traffic on the lake right now and it really is one of the best months to catch a Trophy Bass on Lake Fork. The weather can be miserable but the rewards can be Big.

If you would like to book a Guide Trip and get in on some of this pre-spawn action you can reach me at 903-629-7699 or cell 903-629-5086 my web site http://www.lakeforktexasfishingreports.com

Good Fishing,
David Vance

January 21, 2009 - Lake Fork - Submitted by David Vance - The lake is in great condition and this is the time of year we all look forward to. The Big Bass are starting to make there move to the shallows and each Angler that is looking to catch that Bass of a life time, now is the time to be on the water as much as you can. The water temperatures are ranging between 47-52 degrees in most areas of the lake and the water clarity is clear to stained depending on location. The wind has been a big factor this week, it has been blowing non-stop.

From this time of year through late February the patterns will remain relatively the same. Shallow grass beds located from main lake points, secondary points that lead into the backs of the creeks are key areas to target. Fishing the grass with 1/2 & 3/4 oz lipless Crank Baits also a Mans One Minus in red & orange, and with some chartreuse in it are great. Cover a lot of water with these baits to locate the Bass, ripping the bait off the grass will produce some big reaction strikes from these big pre-spawn Bass feeding up in preparation for the coming spawn.

When the water temps gets down into the 40s, and on calm sunny days, a suspending Jerk Bait fished over the grass very slowly can be deadly for those Bass that will not move far to hit a bait, fish it slow with long pauses between jerks and hold on! My most productive color is black, gold & orange.

Another great pattern this time of year is slow rolling a 3/4 or 1 oz Spinner Bait with a #5 or #6 Willow Life Blade. You can almost fish these big Spinner Baits like a Jig pulling the bait just enough to turn the blade, this pattern works good on these windy days. Most of the bass we have caught the last two days have been on the Spinner Bait and suspending Jerk Bait and the One Minus. All the bass we have caught have been fat and healthy. Yesterday we put 12 bass in the boat with three over seven pounds that were full of eggs. It is definitely Big Bass time hear on Lake Fork. Good places to try right now are the mouth of Big and Little Mustang starting at the old road bed and working the right side of each creek to the FM 17 bridge, these creeks always produce big pre-spawn Bass.

This weather has been a roller coaster up and down, but that is Texas weather. One day it is 75, the next it will be in the 40s. I have been guiding on this lake a long time and I have had some of my best Big Bass days on some of the worst weather days, so don't let the cold weather keep you off the water this time of year.

If you would like to book a guide trip and get in on some of this pre-spawn action, now is the time to book, as my Spring days are booking up. On my trips, all tackle is included. You can reach at 903-629-7699 (office) or 903-629-5085 (cell). or check out my web site, http://www.lakeforktexasfishingreports.com

Good Fishing;
David Vance

January 20, 2009 - Lake Fork - Submitted by Lake Fork Guide Trips - Fishing at Lake Fork is somewhat like the stock market lately-very volatile. We've had some really good days and some really slow days. Thankfully, help is assuredly on the way for the fishing; with a couple days in the 70s forecast this week and more prespawn bass showing up in the shallows with each day. And even on the slow days at Fork, there is still a good shot at a big ole bass to save the day. Case in point, yesterday Mike Biggins from Missouri caught his biggest bass ever, a 9 lb 13 oz prespawn lunker that was full of eggs, on a day that the bites were few and far between. We've had to cover a lot of water to scratch out our fish the last couple of trips, while good numbers of bass aggressively chased moving baits like traps and spinnerbaits a few days before. Concentrate on key prespawn staging areas and work them thoroughly for the next couple of months and your odds of catching a giant are very good!

As a side note, for those of you asking about the Lake Fork Trophy Lures website re-launch, it is now up and running with all of their new products, including the famous Fork Flutter Spoons, Live Magic Shads, and the new Hyper Series of baits that Mark Pack used to win the $200,000 1st prize in the 2008 FLW Tour Walmart Open on Beaver Lake. They also have some great closeouts on 2008 model Dobyns Rods, with up to 40% off on some models. www.lftlures.com

Lake Conditions: Heading into the prespawn, Fork is in great shape. The lake level is currently reading 402.19' (about 10" below full pool). Most of the lake is clear, with stained water on the north ends and in areas where the wind has been pounding. Thanks to mostly stable water levels this year, copious amounts of hydrilla, milfoil and coontail are growing in the lake, making for awesome shallow water fishing all spring. Water temps dipped to the mid-40s after a cold snap but are now rebounding, reading 48 to 50 on the main lake yesterday. We caught a number of big bass in much colder than normal conditions last spring, with water temps as low as 38, so don't let the temps discourage you from going.

Location Pattern: Much of my location and presentation info remains unchanged from last time, and will probably stay that way through most of the prespawn. Many big bass are schooled up in deep water right now and it's a great time for spoon fishermen. If you're like me though, from late-December through much of March, I concentrate on the early prespawn and staging fish on points and along edges of flats or creek channels. Areas with submerged vegetation for cover will typically have the most active fish. While about any grassy area will hold a few fish, start your search in areas that have lots of spawning fish in late February through March. It stands to reason that the coves that hold the most spawning fish in early spring will have the most prespawn fish in the winter. Main lake grass beds near the mouths of these coves are holding fish now, as are main and secondary points inside the coves-provided there is deep water nearby. During warming trends, follow bass back into the creeks and check the edges of grass flats and creek channels.

Keep in mind, too, that the absolute water temperature is not nearly as important now as the recent water temperature trend. For instance, water temps that are showing 52 degrees can result in slow fishing if the temps were 58 a couple days ago. In contrast, fishing can be great if the temps warm up to 50 while they were 44 a few days before. In general, look for bass on the flats and farther back in creeks during warming trends; conversely, drop back to points and main lake grassbeds after cold fronts. Finally, the day of and the day after cold fronts can be absolutely miserable to fish, but these frontal days after a long warming trend are usually the most productive times to fish.

Presentation Pattern: My prespawn arsenal is pretty simple for fishing along grasslines and creek channels. First and foremost are lipless crankbaits in 12 or 34 oz. Stick with the 12 for grass that is near the surface and go with the 34 for grass that is deeper. Red and crawfish colors are most popular and they often work well, although oddball colors often produce better on any given day. Buzzing these over the top of the grass on a quick retrieve is normally best, but after cold fronts, letting the trap fall and ripping these out of the grass will trigger most of the bites. 14 to 12 oz spinnerbaits with double willow blades in white, black, or chartreuse and white will produce some really large bass in the same areas that the lipless cranks work, especially on windy and cloudy days. For a true giant, try swimming a 4.5" Lake Fork Live Magic Shad on the back of a 12 oz chatterbait and fish it in the same areas you'd throw a spinnerbait. When the bite slows or the conditions are sunny and calm, I'll switch to a suspending jerkbait or pitch a jig and a Texas rig. Jerkbaits in gold, silver, or clown patterns are my primary colors. Work these with long pauses over the grass and along the edges. For jigs, I go with 12 oz black and blue Mega Weight jigs with a Lake Fork Craw trailer in the blue bruiser color. For the Texas rig, I'll pitch a Lake Fork Flipper or the new Hyper Freak in black neon or blue bruiser with a 14 to 3/8 oz bullet weight. Work your jig or Texas rig very slowly along creek channels or through deep grass for a great shot at a lunker.

Cover lots of water until you get bit. Once you catch one, work the area over thoroughly with multiple passes, employing several different baits. Fish tend to stack up in key staging areas during the winter and these spots will replenish themselves with more fish during the prespawn as more and more big bass move shallow. Find some good staging spots and you'll have a milk run of honey holes now through March.

Here's hoping you catch the lunker of your dreams. If I can be of assistance, please contact me at 214-683-9572 (days) or 972-635-6027 (evenings) or e-mail me through http://www.LakeForkGuideTrips.com , where your satisfaction is guaranteed.

Good Fishing,

Tom

January 4, 2009 - Falcon Lake - SOUTH TEXAS 5 TOURNAMENT RESULTS

FIRST PLACE Griffin/Pena 31.55 Lbs.
SECOND PLACE Bauer/Haralson 26.06 Lbs.
THIRD PLACE Reyes/Villiaral 25.15 Lbs.
FOURTH PLACE Vannoy/Celedon 25.11 Lbs.
FIFTH PLACE Bendele/Romane 22.08 Lbs.
SIXTH PLACE Parten/Spitzmiller 21.95 Lbs.

BIG BASS Bendele/Romane 9.72 Lbs.

Next Tournament will be: Coleto Creek
February 8, 2009

January 1, 2009 - Lake Fork - Submitted by David Vance - Lake Fork is in great shape going into the pre-spawn period for the 2009 spawn.Patterning pre-spawn Bass will be the primary focus from now through the month of February and even into early March. This is the time that the lake will produce some of the bigger Bass of the year. Big females will be staging in key areas to feed up for their annual migration to the shallows. Finding main lake and secondary points or pockets that are closest to spawning flats that have good grass on them is ideal. The Bass will concentrate in these grass beds ranging from 2-8 foot. A lipless Crank bait is my bait of choice during this time. Best colors are a variety of reds and oranges, chrome and blues, and crawfish colors with a little chartreuse. Different sizes and colors will produce better than others depending on the weather conditions or depth of the grass and the water clarity. I throw 1/2 oz. sizes in the shallower grass and opt for a bigger 3/4 oz. for the deeper grass. Vary the retrieve of the bait and keep in contact with the top of the grass. Letting the bait dip down in it then ripping it free is what will trigger a bite.

Water temperature is an important element during this time of year. Finding areas that have warmer water than others will give you the best opportunity at catching fish. Even if it is just a degree or two. I rely on my temp gauge to give me a very accurate surface temperature. Right now the water temps have been cool and have not been rising much during the day. With water temperatures recently dipping into the high 40's, I will throw a suspending jerk bait also, jerking the bait down to the grass and then just letting it sit for several seconds, then twitching it again can be deadly for a big bite.

Concentrating on the creek channels leading back to the spawning flats is also a very productive pattern for these big pre-spawn bass. Good places that have been producing some nice bass and always do this time of year, Spring Branch, Board Tree Branch, Post Oak Branch, White Oak, Wolfe Creek. This is not the time of year to catch numbers but if you are looking to catch a Trophy Bass, Lake Fork is the best place to start putting in your time.

If you would like to book a trip for this spring to get in on the pre-spawn and spawning action, Contact me at 903-629-7699 or 903-629-5085 cell. Check out my Web Site At http://www.lakeforktexasfishingreports.com

Happy New Year and Good Fishing,
David Vance

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