LAKE FORK GUIDE ANDREW GRILLS

Last month I discussed the jig design. Head shape, colors and sizes are important decisions before hitting the water. So be sure to take a look at that last month’s article if you would like more information about selecting the right jig. This month I will discuss the when, where and how to fish a jig.

As with any lure, you need to know when to fish it, where to fish it, and how to fish it. These factors are extraordinarily important when jig fishing, especially on Lake Fork. The vast amount of standing timber can make it seem like searching for a needle in a haystack. There are also times to put the jig down and opt for a different approach. My goal is to help you narrow it down and simplify what many find to be a difficult technique to learn.

In my opinion, fish seem to bite jigs best during the colder months leading up to the prespawn period. A football jig is a major player here throughout the summer, however we are focusing on a traditional pitching jig for now. I usually check the jig bite in late October, but it doesn’t seem to become a viable pattern until mid-November. The early jig season is usually very productive because the fish aren’t seeing jigs go by on a daily basis and don’t seem as conditioned to the technique.

I continue to fish a jig regularly throughout most of March, but when the water warms and fish are comfortable venturing from ledges towards spawning areas the effectiveness of the technique seems to wane. An increase in fishing pressure may have something to do with it or it could be a transition in their primary forage base. I have had customers catch some really big fish later in the spring on jigs, however the numbers of bites are much lower and there seems to be better ways to catch them.

As for determining where to fish a jig, I try to imagine the lake has zero standing timber and look for structure bass should be relating to in the winter and early spring. The stumps are just a bonus as cover. Fish use areas such as points, secondary points, and creek channels as they stage on their way to bedding areas. They then use the stumps as cover for safety and ambush of prey, but keep in mind they are there because of bottom contour, not cover.

I find that sharp breaks are most productive throughout the cold periods. Bass seem to want to be close to deeper water as cold fronts are passing through on a regular basis during the winter. You will find this on the edges of points and secondary points, but most importantly along the creek channels. Creek channels are highways for the bass and baitfish as they travel to their springtime haunts, and they provide deep water access as well. Ditches and drains are just as important to pay attention to. Any area with a low spot where water would run to the original channel prior to impoundment is likely to hold some fish.

Often, the hardest channels to read are the best. We can usually look at the standing timber and get a good idea where the creek channel is. The gap in heavily timbered areas, leaning stumps (as leaning stumps often lean over the creek), and the presence of live oak stumps can help you identify the original creek channel. Live oaks are often the biggest stumps in a given area and grow near a water source. Built in maps or map chips on your depth finder can sometimes point you in the right direction, however they are rarely accurate as to the exact location of the channel. I also pay attention to where the trot lines and jug lines are set if I am in an unfamiliar area, as they can sometimes help lead you to the channel. Learning how a particular channel runs takes time and patience, but it is worth the effort.

Being near the creek channel, drain, or ditch isn’t enough. I have found that boat positioning is a critical factor in success. I like to keep my boat in the deeper channel and cast to the top of the ledge and bring the jig back as it rolls over the tree roots descending down into the channel. If the low spot or channel is too narrow I will position the boat outside of the channel and cast across it, making sure to work down the outside bends. The outside bends often have the steepest ledge due to the original current flow prior to impoundment. I always get excited when fishing the outside of hard channel bends, as these seem to be prime big fish hangouts.

Creek channel fish can be in a wide range of depths. In any given creek, I believe there will be small wolf-packs of prespawn females staging in various areas along the way. Some may feel comfortable where the channel is 8′ deep and the top side of the ledge is 4-6′, and others may be in areas where the channel is as deep as 25′ closer to the mouth of the creek. The key is the ledge.

I feel that the presentation is a matter of confidence. Most anglers I have guided or fished with tend to fish a jig much faster and with more of a hopping motion than I do. I find that an extremely slow crawl works best for me. Even though I’m creeping the jig along, I still feel the bite is a reaction bite, in that most of my strikes come as the jig rolls over a root or branch. With the slow approach, it gives you the opportunity to sneak the jig up to the bass without it feeling or hearing it coming. Often, if I work through an area slowly garnering a few bites, I will go back through it with a more aggressive “stroking” type retrieve to see if I can pick up a few more reaction bites.

Hopefully this information helps give you some confidence in jig fishing. Right now is a great time to catch a giant bass on a jig.

It’s hard to imagine what the next big idea in the world of bass fishing will be. In my lifetime, fishing lures sure have come a long way, from super realistic swimbaits to elaborate umbrella rigs. However, one of my go-to lures has been around for many decades and continues to fool big bass on a regular basis.

If you look on the deck of my boat any time of year, you’ll likely see a jig tied on at least one rod. When I was first learning to fish for bass, I realized that jigs were a big fish lure, and I made it my mission to master the technique. I am still learning today, but maybe you’ll find some information here that will make you a more efficient jig fisherman.

Much could be written about swim jigs and football jigs, but the traditional “pitching” or “flipping” jig is the one to be throwing this time of year. In the winter and early spring, prespawn females feed heavily on crawfish. Crawfish are easy prey in the colder water and are one of the best sources of protein a bass can find. A pitching style jig is the perfect crawfish imitator and can also be presented in the heavy timber where big fish live this time of year on Lake Fork.

The first thing I look at when choosing a jig to fish in timber is the head design. This is the most important aspect of a jig in my opinion. You want to find a head that comes through cover well, but more importantly you want one that hooks fish well. Many jig companies boast of the giant hooks they use, and that’s because many anglers miss or lose a lot of bites on jigs. The hook is not at fault in most cases. Usually, the design of the head determines how and if a fish gets hooked.

Ideally, you want a jig head that hooks fish in the top of the mouth. Usually, the jig that comes through the wood cover best will have a narrow or pointed head design. The bulbous, rounded heads such as the traditional “arkie head” design get lodged in the roots and branches often and can be frustrating to fish. However, once a bass has that jig in its mouth and you set the hook, the first thing that makes contact with the fish’s closed lips is the jig head. If it is a narrow jig head style, the jig will immediately turn on its side and you will end up missing the fish or “skin hooking” it. Once hooked, if the point isn’t protruding from the outside of the fish’s face, and is simply threaded sideways inside the fish’s mouth, there’s a good chance you’re using a faulty head design. I have found that I would rather deal with the aggravation of getting snagged more often than miss or lose fish, therefore I try to use a head design that hooks fish the best.

I don’t have any one jig that I use 100% of the time, there are several head designs that are very effective. My favorite is the traditional arkie head. This design gets hung up some, but keep in mind its the head (not the hook), so they can be easily retrieved as long as you don’t get too impatient and bury the hook by yanking the rod. I like the arkie head because the fish are hooked through the roof of the mouth almost every time, and that means more fish in the boat for me and my customers. Often, I use jigs that I put together myself when I use an arkie head because there aren’t many with that design on the market. Triangular shaped heads (for lack of a better word to describe them) such as the one found on Mark Pack’s structure guard jig, are very efficient as well. These are flat on the bottom and don’t roll on their side during the hook set.

Skirt color is another important factor. I think the most important thing is to find a couple colors you have confidence in. For me, two or three colors cover my jig fishing needs year round. I find I have more confidence using a dark colored jig in murky water, such as a black and blue, or black/brown/amber combination. In clear water, a predominantly green pumpkin or watermelon combination works well for me.

In my opinion, elaborate color combinations are a matter of preference and confidence for every angler, so pick something you believe in and let the fish help you make up your mind. For instance, here on Lake Fork, I like a green pumpkin/watermelon combination with a little blue in it certain times of year, that’s just a preference for me. As an angler, you want to find a couple colors you believe in and fish them with 100% confidence. It’s well known that a jig is more of a big fish lure than a numbers lure, so having confidence in the color you’re throwing is important. Being that I probably wont get very many bites, if I’m second guessing and changing colors over and over, its likely I won’t be very successful.

As for jig size, I prefer to go with a heavier jig, but still a compact profile. A ½ or ¾ ounce jig is what I use 90% of the time regardless of water depth. Many fishermen seem to like a lightly weighted jig with a slow, enticing fall rate. However, I believe one of the qualities about jigs that appeal to big bass the most is the fact that it is a “reaction bait”. I fish jigs slow most of the time, but when it rolls over a branch or root it still drops to the bottom quickly and kicks up some dust. When a jig happens to do this over a piece of cover a big bass is laying beneath, I think the fish will have a hard time not pouncing on it out of instinct.

I always trim the silicone skirts on my jigs. I usually cut the skirt a ¼ inch below the bend of the hook. I like to cut a half moon type line from side to side, then I turn the jig and do it again. This way, the strands on the outer edges of the skirt are the shortest and the shorter strands flare out well in the water. This may just be a matter of preference but it seems to work. I also use a compact, crawfish imitating trailer most of the time. I like to match the color of the trailer with the skirt colors.

In my next article I will discuss the how, where, and when of jig fishing. Hopefully you’ve found something useful here in spite of the fact that some of this is very basic information. As a guide fishing with different anglers on a daily basis, I believe there are some misconceptions about jig fishing. Hopefully this gives you some ideas, and if nothing else the confidence to go throw a jig this month!

Follow the link below to see some jig fishing footage we did with In-Fisherman TV on Lake Fork

Awesome trip on Fork with Josh and Chris! Both guys are originally from Iowa and each shattered their records for personal bests! Their best five pushed 40lbs today.
Right now is the best time of year to catch a giant. The bigger fish are staging up in prespawn areas and they are hungry!
Fishing has been excellent for size and should continue to be for a while!<br />

In spite of some good rainfall amounts over the past few weeks here in east Texas, Lake Fork is still over 7ft low. The water temperatures dipped down into the upper 30s in some of the northern creeks on Fork a couple weeks ago, however after several days of warmer weather most of the lake is reading in the upper 40s now. This is still very cold for our predominately Florida strain bass, but fish can still be caught.

This is probably my favorite time of year to fish on Lake Fork because the big fish are at their biggest, filled with eggs and fattened up for winter. I also enjoy the lower numbers of other fishermen out on the lake. There are some week days where it seems you have the lake all to yourself. Our overall size average is probably at its best throughout the next several weeks.

No one should come expecting quantity in the winter. Of course, there are special days when you can catch some good numbers, but this is the time of year to look for quality fish. I try to prepare my customers by comparing our outing to a trophy hunt. We are looking for the fish of a lifetime. Luckily, many of the folks who decide to come to Lake Fork in January or February already have that mindset.

Right now I am targeting prespawn fish, staging on points, secondary points, and creek channels. These fish can be in a wide range of depths but somewhere between 8 and 18ft has seemed most productive lately. I am using jigs, swimbaits, jerkbaits, and chatterbaits mostly. The key is getting that first bite. If there is one fish around, you know there are likely a few more in the same area.

If I can help you on your trip to Lake Fork please let me know. If I am already booked I have a network of good guides that I trust will treat you right as well. Spring dates are almost gone, but there a few good ones still available. I also have some good weekday openings throughout the month of February. If you’re on Facebook, be sure to look up “Lake Fork Guide Andrew Grills”. That is my guide page on Facebook, there you will find I update with info a pictures several times a week. Thanks for reading my report and good luck on the water!

Here is a short preview for the In-Fisherman filming we did here on Lake Fork. Portions of our taping will be included in a couple different episodes airing in 2015.

This is the time of year many anglers set aside their fishing gear to go deer hunting. Well, here on Lake Fork this is a good time of year to go hunting as well. However, I’m referring to trophy bass hunting of course. Our over all numbers have been a little lower all year, but this has been my best year for size. Right now is no exception. We aren’t catching that many largemouth in any given day, but we are catching a few big ones. The bass are using the same deep structure (20-30′) that the white bass and yellow bass are using. We are having to weed through one white or yellow bass after another and then we get a nice surprise with a big bass.

The exciting thing about fishing deep structure this time of year is that the structure is covered with 5-10″ yellow bass or juvenile white bass, and shad of course. This means the bass hanging around are going to be big fish feeding on big forage. The first Share-A-Lunker of the season was turned in today and it was caught in the midst of white and yellow bass.

Also, my friend Jason Hoffman and I filmed another episode of DFW Outdoorsman with former Dallas Cowboy Marcus Spears Tuesday. The show went great, we caught some big ones and I can’t wait to see how it turned out. I will post the link when the show is aired.

The jig bite is starting to turn on as well. We caught a few fishing that pattern today. So we have some great big fish options going right now. I’m really excited about the next few weeks, this is the time for trophy hunters to get serious and go for that one big bite. The following pictures are from the last few weeks, but the really big fish are soon to come, trust me 🙂

We had some good trips this week and a few big fish. Fishing is still fairly tough right now, however I expect it to pick back up soon, now that we are getting consistent cooler weather. We are approaching my favorite time of year; cold weather, less crowds, and big fish. Many anglers opt for hunting instead of fishing this time of year, and that is just fine with me because some of the biggest fish of the year are caught during late fall. Customers often look surprised when I tell them how much I like fishing in the winter, but it is truly the season I look forward to the most.

I predict this winter will be the best yet for big bass. Right now Lake Fork is not the lake to go to for numbers, but we still have a good population of 8lb plus fish. We will be targeting the bigger fish for sure, and I have the tools in my boat to catch them. I’m really excited about some prototype swimbaits I’m working with that no one else has. They’re already proving to be effective, and will only work better in the cooler months to come.

I look for fishing to get good over the next few weeks. Here are some pictures from this past week. We had some good trips and happy customers with personal bests. November, December, and January dates are filling up fast. If you are serious about catching big fish, contact me and get on the books.

July was a good month for big fish out here on Lake Fork. We didn’t have very many days with high numbers of fish, but we were often targeting bigger fish anyway. The offshore spots on the lake were pounded by heavy fishing pressure and we had to think outside the box to find catchable fish. I used my electronics to find them, and some days we spent more time looking than actually fishing. Once we found them set up right, it was often a challenge to catch them. In the past, finding the school of fish was 90% of the battle, but this year the presentation was critical. All month I had rods all over the deck and beside the console rigged with crankbaits, football jigs, spoons, swimbaits, and on and on it goes. However, often it paid off because we would figure out exactly what worked best on the given day.

Once again, like last year, we had a relatively mild July and fish were spread from top to bottom. No thermocline had set up to push the fish out of extreme depths, and many of our fish came deeper than 30′ of water. We recently had some cool rainy weather that mixed things up even more.

Below are some nice fish we boated this month. Also, included are some pictures of my Lowrance HDS unit that I took to show what I’m looking for when I idle around graphing offshore structure on Lake Fork during the summer. These pictures show bass that are catchable, they were grouped up tightly, on top of the “dinner table” (high spot where they feed), and stacked on top of each other.

Below is a fish caught from the school pictured above.

Fishing has been pretty up and down this past week. All the pictures below are from the past 6 days. While we have been catching some giants, the problem has been getting on consistent numbers of fish day in and day out. I rely on the deeper bite, and try to stick with it because I really believe that is where you have the best chance for a giant bass. I’m having to graph a lot of spots with my HDS units on most days. Some days when you do eventually find fish set up right on offshore structure, they still may be so scattered out that it can be tough to trigger them to bite. Ideally you’ll find them on or near the bottom in tight groups. This is when they are competitive with each other and more likely to hit a lure.

I am looking for deep schools of fish on textbook structure like the ends of main lake points, humps (which are often connected to a point in some way), road beds, and ledges. If I don’t see bass on my graph I move on to the next spot. Until it gets consistently hot enough for the thermocline to set up and push the fish out of extreme depths, fish can be found at just about any depth. I am looking on offshore spots that might top out in 10′ or maybe even as deep as 35′. Once I find them, I look at how the fish are positioned to determine how to fish for them. I always have a football jig, Carolina rig, heavy Texas rigged worm, and a crankbait on the deck this time of year. If they can be reached with a crankbait, that is usually my first choice. They will hit a crankbait if they’re on the bottom, or even if they’re suspended.

We just wrappred up the Skeeter Owner’s Tournament here, and what a fantastic event it was! There were 28 bass over the slot (24″) weighed in, and that is very impressive for a two day event. It was so much fun getting to know the contestants and other legendary Skeeter owners like Harold Allen and Mark Menendez.

The deeper bite has been good for me as long as the sun is shining. This time of year when we have cloud cover the deeper fish seem to suspend and don’t group up as well. I am looking for fish in a variety of depths depending on the area of the lake, but a good starting point is 15-25′. Because the thermocline hasn’t set up yet, we can still find fish in much deeper water. I just watch my graph and try to get a feel for the depth the shad want to be for the given area and go from there.

The majority of big fish we have boated lately have been on crankbaits or Mark Pack’s football jig. For the crankbaits we are using shad patterns and chart. blue. On the football jig I am using “Fierce Melon” and “Mean Green” colors with a matching trailer.