A lot of folks find it surprising that winter is my favorite time of year for bass fishing here on Lake Fork. I look forward to December, January, and February all year long.

There are a couple reasons I love the colder months. First, most folks are either hunting or busy with the holidays. That means the lake isn’t crowded and we have the fish all to ourselves. Second, the colder it gets the bigger our catches get! Winter isn’t a time for numbers. It is a great time to target trophy sized bass.

Right now I’m still following the fall pattern of fishing deep offshore structure in 20-25′ of water. Carolina rigs and spoons have been the top producers. Main lake points, humps, and roadbeds have been the primary areas.

As the water continues to cool, I will gradually transition to my winter pattern. I’ll be using jigs, lipless crankbaits, chatterbaits, and swimbaits in 12′ of water or less. I’ll be looking for steeper structures such as creek channels, ditches, or steep drop offs.

Right now the water temperature is 64 degrees and falling gradually. The lake level is also falling slowly and is 2.78′ low at the time of this report. Fishing is generally better in the winter with the lake a few feet below full pool.

If I can be of any assistance on your upcoming trip please let me know!

Here are some pictures from last week. Most of these fish are from a lake near Lake Fork. It’s always nice to have a back up plan! Be sure to check out the video as well.