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Lake Fork Fishing Report

It’s hard to believe another year has come and gone! 2021 was a tough year for a lot of folks. We lost some good people around the lake, and they will be missed.

2022 can be a fresh start for a lot of us, and it’s a fresh start for the lake in a way. Last month SRA announced that Lake Fork will be drawn down to 6 feet below full pool, in order to complete some repairs on the dam. Of course that has been the hot topic in our little community, but that’s all we know. We don’t know how long it will take to complete the repairs, and after that it will be up to the rainfall we get to eventually fill it back up.

I love fishing the lake low again. It’s great to see the stumps that have been a few feet under water since 2014. I can still remember big fish we pulled off of many of those stumps.

I also believe it will be good for the lake in the long run. Exposing some of the lake bottom to the air and sunlight might be good for it. I’m also hoping we’ll get some nice shoreline growth that will provide great cover when Fork fills back up.

It will definitely make the fishing interesting this spring. Just be careful out there. Be mindful that many boat ramps are no longer useable at this low level. Also be careful for hidden stumps. There are a few that are in boat lanes now. Birch creek, little mustang, Williams, and the main boat lane in front of Sun Eagle Bay have some under water stumps in the lane.

Good luck out there! If I can be of any assistance on your next trip, don’t hesitate to contact me. Jesus said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

Here are a few highlights from 2021!

Lake Fork Guide Report

Although it hasn’t really felt like it, it’s getting close to summertime here on Lake Fork! It’s been a longer spring season this year as far as fishing patterns go. Starting with the big freeze around Valentine’s Day, then all the cooler than normal weather in March, I believe it got the fish behind on schedule. That’s been a good thing overall, and made for some better fishing later in May than usual.

Right now we’re dealing with a lot of extra water. The rainfall total for the last couple of months has to be close to record setting. SRA had no choice but to let us get full, and there have been a few times we got a little above pool. That’s been a huge blessing to the fish and many of us who enjoy fishing the shallow cover. Many fish that would normally be venturing out to their offshore haunts at this time of year are still in shallow water.

As the temperature warms up, I believe a lot of fish will transition to typical summertime patters. I love the deep offshore bite on Lake Fork. I’ll be looking at deep points, humps, and other types of structure. When I find them grouped up, I’ll usually have a Santone football jig as my first option. Then I’ll try other techniques like deep cranking, Carolina rigs, and big spoons. You just have to experiment to see what works best in any given situation.

The water temperature right now is in the upper 70’s. It will be climbing over the next few days I’m sure. The water level is still slightly above full pool.

Good luck on your next fishing trip, and if I can be of any assistance please don’t hesitate to contact me. Here are some recent big bass we’ve had in my Skeeter here on Lake Fork!

Lake Fork Guide Report

Well, we survived one of the worst cold snaps in Texas history! I never thought I would see negative zero temperatures in our area. Now that the ice has melted and normal east Texas temperatures are back, we’re starting to see the fishing pick up on Lake Fork.

The fish here have been through a lot lately… After the record breaking freeze that hit our area the week of Valentine’s Day, we had some heavy rains. That brought the lake level up to full pool, but it also muddied up a lot of good areas. Another challenge for the fishing is the flood gates being open at the dam. It sounds like an old wive’s tale around here when you hear the locals talk about how tough the fishing is when the gates are open, but you quickly realize it’s a fact when you experience it. An example is the Bass Champs tournament held here on Saturday, February 27. There were 314 two-man teams of the best anglers in Texas, and there were 249 zero’s and only 9 five-fish limits weighed in. That’s tough!

Don’t get discouraged though! Lake Fork lives up to her reputation and produces big fish still. The water is looking better every day and warming up nicely. Here are some pictures of my clients with recent catches!

Lake Fork Guide Report

It’s hard to believe we’re already talking about fall fishing here on Lake Fork! We’ve had a nice, gradual cool down over the past few weeks, and the fishing has remained fairly steady.

Most years, and abrupt cold front in mid to late September will sort of shock the fish and trigger the lake to turn over. It’s been nice this year with the steady change.

The water is still warm at this time, ranging in the mid to low 70’s. The water level is right at 1.8’ below full pool. The water is stained in many of the creeks, but looks good further down the lake.

I’m following the baitfish in their fall migrations. Seems like every year at this time they’ll push into the creeks. However, there’s still a lot of fish out deep and I don’t think they’re going anywhere. So there’s a lot potential patterns going at the moment. This can make it tough, because fish aren’t concentrated in a particular depth. That means you need to be prepared for shallow and deep on any given day.

For shallow water, I’ve got a topwater like DUO Realis pencil, a Santone swimjig, and some small swimbaits. For deep water, I’m gonna have a Carolina rig, small spoon, and a Santone football jig handy. Deep structure, like humps, points, and roadbeds will hold schools of fish.

Hopefully this gives you some ideas about how to approach the lake over the next few weeks. If I can be of any assistance, feel free to contact me. “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” Romans 8:32

Here are a few pictures from my most recent trip.

Lake Fork Report

July ended being a good month for my customers and I here on Lake Fork! It was great to see some customers catch their personal best bass, and several of those were on father/son trips. I always enjoy those!

The lake is in good shape right now, just under 1′ below full pool. The water temperature is in the mid 80’s. The fish are on deeper offshore structure for the most part, but there are still some fish that stay shallow throughout the summer. The Santone football jig has produced several big fish this past month, as usual. The jig is such a great bait on Lake Fork because we have an abundant crawfish population. A couple weeks ago, we caught a fish with a big, bright red pincher sticking out of his throat!

We’ve also been using some Texas rigged plastics, Carolina rigs, and even topwater on some days. I just try to keep an open mind every day, because you never know how you may end up catching them. The key has been finding something the crowds have overlooked.

Here are a few nice fish we’ve put in the boat recently. If I can be of any assistance on your upcoming trip to Lake Fork, please let me know!

Lake Fork Summer Report

Summer has set in here on Lake Fork. It feels like it’s gonna be a hot one this year! The fish started transitioning into summer patterns a couple weeks ago, but there are still some shallow fish to be caught for sure.

Right now the water level is full. That’s great for the fishery, especially this time of year. Every bit of cover we can have available for the fry from this years spawn is important. Water temperature is now in the low to mid 80’s.

We are transitioning from the more shallow patterns of spring, to traditional summertime fishing. While fish can still be caught shallow all summer, the majority of the quality bass will be deeper.

We are already finding bass on deep offshore structure, and many more will show up out there soon. The depth they are holding really just depends on the area of the lake, but at the time of this report most of the deeper fish seem to prefer a depth somewhere from 15 to 20’. I find them a little more shallow on the upper ends of the lake.

There are many techniques that can be effective, but my favorite is a jig. I have caught more big bass on jigs than I can remember, and we are already catching some this year with it. It hangs up a lot, so you’ve gotta be clever at getting them back, but that’s part of it when it comes to fishing this lake.

For the jig, I always use a Santone football head jig. I use several different colors. My favorites are “beans and carrots”, “pb&j”, and “Mexican heather”. If the water is clear, ” bullfrog” is my top choice.

Be safe out there this summer, and if I can be of any assistance, please let me know. 2020 has been a trying year for our country, and this verse has been on my mind a lot. “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Lake Fork Report for April

It’s early April here on Lake Fork, and my how things have changed since our last report a month ago. I know the changes in our way of life have affected all of us, and my prayer is that we realize how much we need the Lord’s help at this time.

Folks who aren’t around our lake might imagine the fish are getting a bit of a break, but it’s just the opposite! It’s like Memorial Day weekend every day of the week right now. With so many people off work due to stay at home orders, the lake is packed.

Normally this is as good as a time to fish as you could pick on the calendar. Many fish are coming off their beds and getting the post spawn feed on, the shad are starting to do their thing, and I’m sure there’s a handful of bass that will pull up late and spawn. This is why April is such a good month. There are usually a few things going at any given time. Heavy boat traffic has made it a little tougher, but that’s a variable I can’t control so I just try to find something others have overlooked.

The water temperature is in the upper 60’s to mid 70’s depending on the area of the lake. The water level is slightly under full pool. The water clarity varies from chocolate milk on the northern end to just right as you get closer to the dam.

For the first time in years, I have actually gotten to go fishing for fun during prime time. There’s a silver lining to all the cancellations. It’s nice to go out once in a while, with no pressure to catch fish. Just slow down, take it easy, and think about nothing but the next cast.

I’ll leave you with a Bible verse that’s more relevant than ever. ”And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.” (Romans 13:11)

Here are a few great fish from our trips since my last report!

Lake Fork Report

Lake Fork has produced some really nice fish for me and my customers over the past couple weeks! I’m looking forward to another successful fishing season for 2020. We have had an unusually mild winter so far here on Lake Fork. Water temperatures have stayed in the low 50s throughout much of the winter. Surprisingly, that can make the fishing a little more tricky this time of year, but we have done just fine.

The water level is rising as write this report. Lake Fork has been a little low all winter, but I expect we will be fishing a full lake before February is over.

Right now, I’m finding bass in prespawn staging areas. The further up the lake you go, and the further towards the end of major creeks, the closer the fish are to spawning. That means they’ll likely be relating to shallow cover more, and will be found closer to the areas where they will actually spawn. If you can find some aquatic vegetation in one of these areas, you’ve probably got something special.

From what I’ve observed, it seems like the biggest fish will try to spawn the earliest for the most part. The rest of the true giants seem to go at the tail end, when most of us think the spawn is completely over. It’s Lake Fork though, so you never know for sure.

Here are some highlights from the past few trips!

Below are a few big Lake Fork fish I caught while out scouting a few days before clients came!

Looking Back on 2019 on Lake Fork!

Time flies when you’re having fun, and my how this year has flown by! I thought it would be good to share some of our most memorable fish so far this year. I have to say that we had a lot of BLESSED days in my boat this year, here on Lake Fork. Yes, there were some tough days of fishing as well. That’s fishing.

Lake Fork is the most heavily pressured reservoir in the world, as far as I know. If you go out on this lake and have a good day and catch some fish, you’ve really done something special. The vast majority of Lake Fork trips end in disappointment. That’s just reality. However, being on the water almost everyday is definitely an advantage. It’s also very nice to have so many other awesome lakes in the area for those times when Lake Fork is being stubborn.

It’s always nice to look back through the big fish photos and remember each trip. We had some miracle fish this year. Some of those fish were unexpected surprises at the end of a good day. Others were that one bite that made the trip. The biggest of 2019 for my boat, was the only bite my customer had that day! Think about that!

Right now the lake is somewhere between fall and winter mode. We’ve had nice weather, and arctic weather, and back to nice weather. The water is in the mid 50’s and the lake level is 2 feet below pool.

Here are a few highlights from 2019. These aren’t all the biggest fish, just a few to represent what a great year it was. The first picture is my favorite. That’s me and my dad. My folks spent Memorial Day weekend with me here on Lake Fork and I got to spend a few hours with them on the water!

My Oh My, What a Month! Lake Fork Report

As you can see from the pictures, it’s been a busy several weeks for me! We’ve had some tough days and we’ve had some awesome days. Earlier in August, I slipped off to Falcon Lake for a couple weeks and took some clients after some border bass! Even though I’m a Lake Fork guide, it’s fun to get a change of scenery every now and then.

Lake Fork is fishing a little slow recently for me, but that’s exactly what I expect this time of year. When the weather cools off things will pick up. The water temperature right now is real close to 90. That’s hot, I don’t care where you are. There are still big ones to be caught though. As a matter of fact, my customer caught a big one this morning. That’s what’s nice about Lake Fork… Even when it’s slow, a big one could come on any cast.

Falcon Lake was a blast as usual. We had a few slow days, but the fish started biting a little better toward the end of the trip. The water is really low down there, and I figure it will be a few years before I’ll make that trek again. You never know though. Trips down there are fun, but it also makes you appreciate a lot of things about home. East Texas is a nice place to live.

Here are some pictures from our trips on Lake Fork. I’ll put the Falcon photos on the bottom.