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Lake Fork Report

We’re entering into my favorite time of year on Lake Fork. Things are quiet around here in December and January. Most folks are busy with holiday plans and avoiding the colder weather. They’re longing for spring, while a few of us more “hardcore” anglers are out there enjoying one of the best times of the year.

Winter is when the biggest bass are often caught. Sure, there are a lot of big bass reported in the spring months, but that’s when the lake is crowded and the fish are shallow. Odds are, somebody’s going to catch a big one. However, the colder months are special. This is when the biggest of the big are making their move, working into creeks where they’ll spawn as early as they can, and make their way back into the safety of deeper water.

The two largest bass ever caught in Texas weren’t caught in spring. The state record was caught in January, and Mark Stevenson caught the famous Ethel (17lb 10oz), at the end of November. A quick browse through the photos on my website will also back this up. When you see those pictures of giant bass, the person holding the fish is most likely bundled up in cold weather gear.

I always loved winter fishing. The cold water never intimidated me. Big bass are pretty predictable in winter. One thing many find surprising is that big bass don’t go deep in winter. I’m just sharing my personal experience. I’ve only caught one big bass in winter that was deeper than 15’, and she was probably in about 12’ before she swam down a ledge to eat a jig. The heater is in the sky, they’re going to stay in a position to warm up when the sun comes out. Also, they’re going to stay close to the food source. While threadfin shad go deep in winter, the bigger, heartier gizzard shad stay in relatively shallow water all winter. Those big female bass know this, that’s why you’ll often see a gizzard tail fin sticking out of their throat when you catch them in the winter.

These are just a few things I love about this time of year. I also love Christmas. I enjoy the time with family and the good food! But most importantly I love that my Saviour came to this world to save us. I hope you know Him today, and if you don’t I’d love to introduce you.

I hope this helps you if you’re planning a fishing trip this month. As always, if I can be of any assistance please don’t hesitate to contact me.

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!

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February 3rd Update

February is here and I’m sure it will fly by like it does every year. It passes too quickly because it is one of my favorite months. The lake isn’t crowded and every day I am excited because I feel like the chances of a double digit sized bass are high. Did you know that 4 out of the top 10 largest bass ever caught in Texas were caught during the month of February? The best day I have ever had on Lake Fork was in the month of February, and some of the biggest bass my customers have caught were caught in February. I am going to be on the water every day I possibly can this month and you should be too!

We have had a very cold winter. Just a few days ago I fished in 37.6 degree water. I have seen water colder than that on Lake Fork only once, and it was 36 degrees. Most people couldn’t imagine a bass biting under those conditions, but my customer and I actually caught a few nice fish from that frigid water. As a matter of fact, I never have let the water temperature get into my head because I know the big bass have to eat to keep their body weight up, and I have seen many giants caught from very cold water.

Today the water temperatures ranged from the low to mid 40’s, and should stay there this week. I am fishing areas where prespawn bass stage up and feed before moving to spawning areas. I keep several rods on my deck, rigged with a variety of lures. Jigs, spinnerbaits, bladed swim jigs, and crankbaits are among the most productive for me. Bass can be caught in a wide range of depths this month; I usually fish anywhere from 25’ up to 2’. If I’m fishing a main lake point or deep creek channel, I will probably be as deep as 25’, and sometimes deeper. However, if I am fishing shallow during a warming trend, I might catch a big one in just a couple feet of water. The conditions change on a daily basis as front after front passes.

For the most current information I have on the fishing, continue to check my website as I update reports regularly. If you would like to book a trip for February I still have a handful of dates available, but if I am already booked I can point you in the right direction. I work with some of the best guides on the lake and I trust them to take care of the folks who call me. Hopefully the information in this report will help you catch a trophy this month. The first step is bundling up and getting on the water!

Here are some happy customers with big February bass!