Its been a good year for big fish here on Lake Fork. September is one of the tougher months to consistently catch big bass, but we have had some really nice fish so far and some big ones that got away. The numbers have been a little low, but we usually get a big fish on at some point on most days. As always, I try to give my customers the best possible chance to catch a really big fish. Therefore, sometimes we sacrifice some of the smaller bites to do that.

Right now, I am targeting groups of feeding fish early in the morning. In certain areas there are active fish the first couple hours of daylight. I like to throw moving baits at these fish. Lures like crankbaits, spinnerbaits, lipless baits, and topwaters can work well. As the day progresses I will move into other areas with more cover in order to catch the fish that aren’t quite as active. Often, slowing down and fishing a small bait like a dropshot worm can be the only way to catch them. However, there are times when aggressively fishing a deep diving crankbait through the trees can get a reaction bite. This is a very good way to catch big fish this time of year. When that crankbait careens through the branches, the fish react and hit the bait out of instinct.

The McDonalds Big Bass Splash is coming up and the lake will get increasingly busy with competitors practicing and going out with guides to get ready for the tournament. If you are planning on fishing this tournament be sure to give me a call and I will help all I can. Remember that we are nearly 6 feet low right now, and the lake can be very dangerous to navigate. There are a lot of stumps just under the surface in areas where it was safe to run when the lake was full. Be careful!