LAKE FORK with guide Tom Redington

Bass have settled into their normal summertime patterns on Lake Fork and the fishing is pretty consistent. Grassy points produced some nice bass early and late, while I’m spending most of my days fishing deep structure for schools of big fish. Once we’ve found a school with our graph, it has been pretty easy to catch at least a few of these fish most days. Some days the fish are more scattered and the schools have been smaller and harder to find, while other days there seem to be big schools on every piece of deep structure. Keep graphing until you find a good school, then fish a variety of deep water techniques until you hook up. Once you do, the bass are coming up and jumping several feet out of the air, then diving back down and pulling like freight trains. Needless to say, we’ve been having a lot of fun on the water for the last few weeks!

As a side note, I’ve added my July article to my website. It covers my approach to fishing shallow in the summer for bass—a great technique when the deep water bass won’t bite or if they’re getting a lot of pressure. http://www.lakeforkguidetrips.com/fishingarticles.htm

Lake Conditions: A few more rains continue to keep Fork’s water level high for summertime. The lake level is currently reading 403.55’ (about 6” above full pool). Most of the lake is now clear, with some stained water on the north ends. Water temps are mild for this time of year, reading from 83 to 86 in the main lake.

Location Pattern: Early and late, I’m finding good bass feeding on points and flats near or in the main lake. These fish are mostly in 8’ to 15’, often around the deep edge of the hydrilla or milfoil. Deep structure like points, humps, and roadbeds in 18’ to 30’ continues as my main pattern, producing both good numbers and size. Some days these bass are suspended and other days they’re on the bottom. Many of these schools have been small, so watch your depth finder closely.

Presentation Pattern: First thing in the morning, I’m working shallow grass on the main lake and in the 1^st half of creeks. Pitch a 3/8 oz Mega Weight jig or a Texas rigged 7” or 10” worm a few feet inside the deep weedline and work it out slowly. I’m using a green pumpkin/black or a watermelon seed jig with a watermelon/red flake Fork Craw trailer, and a watermelon/red or green pumpkin Fork Worm on the Texas rig.

Out deeper, Carolina rigs, drop shots, jigs, and Texas rigs are catching bass from schools located near the bottom on deep structure. I go with a green pumpkin or watermelon red Twitch Worm or 10” Fork Worms for Texas rigs. Meanwhile, watermelon candy, watermelon/red, or green pumpkin Baby Fork Creatures, Ring Frys, and Twitch Worms are on the business end of my Carolina rigs. Drop shots will catch good numbers of fish and the occasional big bass, rigged with a watermelon or green pumpkin Twitch Worm. ½ oz Mega Weight jigs with matching Fork Craws are also catching some big bass out deep. When the bass are suspended, swimbaits, spoons, or deep diving crankbaits in shad or yellow bass patterns are working better than the bottom presentations, and catching some lunkers too.

Here’s hoping you catch the lunker of your dreams. If I can be of assistance, please contact me at 214-683-9572 (days) or 972-635-6027 (evenings) or e-mail me through http://www.LakeForkGuideTrips.com , where your satisfaction is guaranteed.

Good Fishing,

Tom

Due to high water, flooded vegetation, and relatively cool water temps, the bass fishing patterns continue to be wide open at Lake Fork. Up shallow, bass are chasing shad and spawning bluegill in the flooded cover, with lots of big bass still coming from less than 8’. Meanwhile, I’m catching fish out deep with regularity now. As the water warms up, look for the numbers of big bass to increase on the deep structure. With so many options, anglers can fish with their favorite techniques and catch good fish, so go with your strengths.

Best of all, the perpetual overcast & windy days have not only kept the shallow fish active, but it has also made the days very comfortable for us fishermen. From lunkers on topwaters to structure fishing for schools of big bass on crankbaits, swimbaits, and Carolina rigs; it’s hard to beat the summer for numbers of bass in the 3 to 8 lb range, with a shot at a 10+ pounder. Head on out to Lake Fork and find out why the summer is the favorite time for many Fork regulars.

As a side note, I’ve added the June article to my website. It covers my approach to fishing boat docks—from finding the best docks to effective presentations for catching bass from them. http://www.lakeforkguidetrips.com/fishingarticles.htm And for more info on bass fishing and Lake Fork, check out my video tips on BassEdge.com http://www.bassedge.com/sections/show_media_center/Videos (another 7 or 8 videos will be coming in the near future), or listen to my interview on Wired2fish.com http://www.wired2fish.com/WhatsUp/LakeForkisstillredhot.aspx .

Lake Conditions: After a couple more rainy days, Fork remains high for summertime. The lake level is currently reading 403.55’ (about 6” above full pool). Much of the north end and backs of major creeks are still stained, however, the south end remains clear. Water temps held mostly steady this week, reading from 79 to 84 in the main lake.

Location Pattern: As I noted before, many bass remain shallow on spawning flats chasing after bluegill, fry, and shad in the ever expanding submerged and emergent weeds. For bigger females, fish slightly deeper structure such as points, creek channels, and ledges; any of which are in close proximity to spawning areas. These fish are mostly in 8’ to 15’, often around the deep edge of the hydrilla or milfoil. Deep structure in 18’ to 30’ has turned on, producing both good numbers and size. Some days these bass are suspended and other days they’re on the bottom. Most of these schools have been small, so watch your depth finder closely.

Presentation Pattern: First thing in the morning, I’m working shallow grass on the main lake and in the 1^st half of creeks. For bass feeding over the top of the grassbeds, try a spinnerbait, chatterbait, or shallow running crankbait. Some days, bluegill color schemes work better, while shad colors like white or chrome work better for those bass chasing baitfish. Or try a swimbait like the 4.5” Live Magic Shad. Rig these weightless and try the watermelon red/pearl, golden shiner, or Magic Shad colors. For bigger bass, pitch a 3/8 oz Mega Weight jig or a Texas rigged 10” Fork Worm to holes in the grass and lily pads on flats or near stumps on points in the deep weedline. I’m using a green pumpkin/black or a watermelon seed jig with a watermelon/red flake Fork Craw trailer, or a watermelon Fork Worm on the Texas rig.

Out deeper, Carolina rigs, drop shots, and Texas rigs are catching bass from schools located near the bottom on deep structure. I go with a green pumpkin or watermelon red Twitch Worm or 10” worms for Texas rigs. Meanwhile, watermelon candy or green pumpkin Baby Fork Creatures, Ring Frys, and Twitch Worms are on the business end of my Carolina rigs. Drop shots will catch good numbers of fish and the occasional big bass, rigged with a watermelon or green pumpkin Twitch Worm. When the bass are suspended, swimbaits or deep diving crankbaits in shad or yellow bass patterns are working better than the bottom presentations, and catching some lunkers too.

[img]http://www.lakeforkguidetrips.com/images/index.1.jpg[/img]

Boat for Sale: My 2008 Ranger Z520 boat was new in Dec ’07 and is for sale. It is fully loaded, rigged with a 250 HP Yamaha Series 2 motor with a 6 year warranty (good until 2014). It’s value priced and will save you about $10,000 off the cost of a new boat. For more details and pics of the boat, please check my website (www.lakeforkguidetrips.com) or drop me a note.

Good Fishing,

Tom

May 25, 2008

With summer just around the corner, the bass fishing patterns are still wide
open at Lake Fork due to a cooler than normal spring and high water. Up
shallow, some males are guarding fry and a few bass are still spawning. In
addition, tons of shad and bluegill are spawning in the shallow flooded
cover, so big bass are still coming from less than 8'. Meanwhile, I'm
finally starting to catch some good fish out deep, although the schools are
relatively small. As the water warms up, look for the numbers of big bass
to increase on the deep structure. In between the shallows and deep is the
most productive zone on many days, about 8' to 15'. I've found a number of
bass are relating to deep grass edges or the first drop near productive
spawning areas as they transition from shallow to deep for the summer. As I
stated in my last report, just about any bait in your tackle box will work
at some point until the water gets hot, and the fishing will continue to get
better as the bass wrap up their spawning rituals and put on the feedbag.
>From lunkers on topwaters to structure fishing for schools of big bass on
crankbaits, swimbaits, and Carolina rigs; it's hard to beat the summer for
numbers of bass in the 3 to 8 lb range, with a shot at a 10+ pounder. Head
on out to Lake Fork and find out why the summer is the favorite time for
many Fork regulars.

Lake Conditions: After a big rain last week, Fork is above full pool and
clearing. The lake level is currently reading 403.54' (about 6" above full
pool). Much of the north end and backs of major creeks are still stained,
however, the south end remains quite clear. Water temps warmed steadily
this week, reading from 73 to 79 in the main lake, while some muddy creeks
are reading in the mid-80s.

Location Pattern: Although most of the spawning has wrapped up, many bass
remain shallow on spawning flats chasing after bluegill, fry, and spawning
shad in the ever expanding submerged and emergent weeds. For bigger
females, fish slightly deeper structure such as points, creek channels, and
ledges; any of which are in close proximity to spawning areas. These fish
are mostly in 8' to 15', often around the deep edge of the hydrilla or
milfoil. Deep structure in 18' to 30' is starting to turn on, producing
mostly big bass. Some days these bass are suspended and other days they're
on the bottom. Most of these schools have been small, so watch your depth
finder closely.

Presentation Pattern: First thing in the morning, frog baits like a Fork
Frog in black neon or watermelon/red flake/pearl belly are working well some
days. Cast these all the way to the bank and drag them across the newly
flooded grass, then let them drop after coming across the mat. Other days,
poppers and white chatterbaits are working better along the edges of the
grass. For bass on the grass flats and in the pads, 4.5" Live Magic Shads
and regular Magic Shads are catching some bass. Rig these weightless and
try the watermelon red/pearl, watermelon seed/red flake, golden shiner, or
Magic Shad colors. For bigger bass, pitch a 3/8 oz Mega Weight jig or a
Texas rigged 8" Fork Worm to holes in the grass and lily pads on flats or
near stumps on points in the deep weedline. I'm using a green pumpkin/black
or a watermelon seed jig with a watermelon/red flake Fork Craw trailer, or a
watermelon Fork Worm on the Texas rig. Shad colored medium running
crankbaits are also catching some good bass over grass flats and on timbered
points. Out deeper, Carolina rigs, jigs. and Texas rigs are catching some
really big bass from schools located on the bottom on deep structure. For
jigs, I use ½ oz Mega Weight jigs in watermelon with watermelon colored Fork
Craw trailers, while I go with a green pumpkin Twitch Worm or Flipper for
Texas rigs. Watermelon candy or green pumpkin Baby Fork Creatures, Ring
Frys, and Twitch Worms are on the business end of my Carolina rigs. When
the bass are suspended, swimbaits or deep diving crankbaits in shad or
yellow bass patterns are working better than the bottom presentations, and
catching some lunkers too.

Boat for Sale: My 2008 Ranger Z520 boat was new in Dec '07 and is for sale.
It is fully loaded, rigged with a 250 HP Yamaha Series 2 motor with a 6 year
warranty (good until 2014). It's value priced and will save you about
$10,000 off the cost of a new boat. For more details and pics of the boat,
please check my website (www.lakeforkguidetrips.com) or drop me a note.

Here's hoping you catch the lunker of your dreams. If I can be of
assistance, please contact me at 214-683-9572 (days) or 972-635-6027
(evenings) or e-mail me through http://www.LakeForkGuideTrips.com , where
your satisfaction is guaranteed.

Good Fishing,

Tom

As we enter May, I'm still seeing some spawning pairs in the shallows at
Lake Fork. Between the fry guarders, spawning fish and the bass chasing the
hoards of shad spawning in the grass, 10' and less has been my best depth
range this week. As a result, I expect the shallows will remain the best
pattern for a couple more weeks. Meanwhile, a few fish are starting to show
up on deep structure and a number of fish are hanging out in mid-range
depths (8' to 18'). Just about any bait in your tackle box will work at
some point in May, and the fishing will continue to get better as the
females wrap up their spawning rituals and put on the feedbag. From lunkers
on topwaters to structure fishing for schools of big bass on crankbaits,
swimbaits, and Carolina rigs, the annual summer whack-fest is about to
begin. Head on out to Lake Fork this summer and find out why May, June, and
July are the favorite months of many Fork regulars.

Lake Conditions: With a little less rain this week, Fork is about normal
pool and clearing. The lake level is currently reading 402.86' (about 2"
below full pool). Much of the north end and backs of major creeks are still
stained to muddy, however, the south end remains quite clear. We've been
catching the bass equally from muddy and clear water, so don't let the
stained water keep you out of productive coves. Water temps were reading
from 65 to 70 in the main lake, while we found some creeks as warm as 80.

Location Pattern: I'm finding most of the bigger spawning fish nearer the
mouths of coves and on main lake flats in 8' and less. While some bass are
spawning in the newly flooded grass and cattails, many are spawning or
staging along the inside grassline in about 4'. In addition, many bass are
also holding amongst the rapidly burgeoning lily pads. The slightly deeper
structure like points, creek channels, and ledges in 8' to 18', adjacent to
areas with numbers of shallow spawning bass, is where we've found most of
the bigger females. Deep structure in 15' to 30' is also starting to hold a
few good fish, but the bite is very sporadic.

Presentation Pattern: Shad colored topwaters, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and
jerkbaits have been productive for actively feeding post spawners this week.
Concentrate on areas with a lot of spawning shad, bass beds, or bluegill
beds for the fastest action. For the bass holding in the newly flooded
vegetation, swimming a green pumpkin red/pearl Fork Frog is hard to beat.
Meanwhile, for bass around beds and on the spawning flats, 3.5" and 4.5"
Live Magic Shads have produced well this week. Rig these on the new
Swimbait hooks from Lake Fork Trophy Lures and try the watermelon red/pearl,
watermelon seed/red flake, golden shiner, or Magic Shad colors. While some
bass are biting on the swim, our best retrieve has been dead-sticking on the
bottom, followed by swimming it a few feet and letting it fall back to the
bottom, repeating this all the way back to the boat. When the bass are more
finicky, a regular Magic Shad rigged weightless or on a light Carolina rig
has done well. Try watermelon candy, watermelon/red or bull bream colors
for this. For spawning bass, white or watermelon Fork Craws and Merthiolate
twitch worms have worked well. Out deeper, ½ oz Mega Weight Jigs in
black/blue with blue bruiser or watermelon candy colored Fork Craw trailers
or Texas rigged Fork Creatures in the same colors are catching some big bass
on points. And swimbaits or deep diving crankbaits in shad or yellow bass
patterns are catching some suspended bass as well.

Here's hoping you catch the lunker of your dreams. If I can be of
assistance, please contact me at 214-683-9572 (days) or 972-635-6027
(evenings) or e-mail me through http://www.LakeForkGuideTrips.com , where
your satisfaction is guaranteed.

Good Fishing,

Tom

With bass in all 3 phases of the spawn and sections of the lake that are clear, stained and muddy, it’s possible to catch big Lake Fork bass on just about any shallow water technique right now. Spawning and post spawn patterns are producing the biggest numbers of fish, with some good ones mixed in. My customers and I concentrated mostly on slightly deeper structure just outside shallow spawning flats, a pattern that catches big prespawners moving into the shallows and also big females on their way back out. With so many bass up shallow right now and so many different patterns working, anglers can concentrate on their strengths and fish the pattern that suits them best—be it flipping heavy cover in muddy water, finesse fishing with light line or sight fishing in clear water, to anything in between. In general, the windier and cloudier the day, the better our fishing results, while sunny and calm winds made things a lot tougher.

I expect the spawn to continue into early May, as it does most every year on Fork. By the end of April, many fish will already be in post spawn and early summertime patterns. As those females feed up after the spawn, the result is our most consistent fishing of the year for numbers of quality fish in the 3 to 7 lb range, with a shot at a 10+. That means topwaters early and all day on cloudy days, and then deep water structure fishing the rest of the day. So if your plans don’t allow you to take advantage of the spawn this year on Fork, don’t despair, you can still enjoy what most locals consider the best fishing of the year on Fork—May through July.

Lake Conditions: Another couple rounds of storms brought Lake Fork up over full pool once again, currently reading 403.10’ and falling fast (about 1 inch above full pool). Much of the north end and backs of major creeks are stained to muddy, but the south end still remains quite clear. We’ve been catching the bass equally from muddy and clear water, so don’t let the stained water keep you out of productive coves. Water temps were reading from 64 to 69 degrees on Saturday, perfect for spawning.

Location Pattern: For prespawn bass, concentrate on points, creek channels, treelines, and inside or outside grass lines near shallow spawning flats. For these big prespawn females, we did better around grass and wood cover in 4’ to 10’ in the middle to mouths of creeks or on cover on the main lake. For spawning fish, concentrate on the very back ends of large creeks. In addition, flats and protected bays nearer the mouths of coves are also holding some spawners. Spawning activity seems to be sporadic, so you may need to move around to a few coves to find an area with a wave of bedding fish.

Presentation Pattern: For prespawn and postspawn bass, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, topwaters, jerkbaits, and lipless crankbaits are catching big fish, especially on overcast and windy days. With lots of stained and muddy water, bright color schemes that include a lot of orange, chartreuse or red have worked best. For a big bass, try slow rolling swimbaits through the shallow grass and wood, like a 4.5” or 5.5” Live Magic Shad on a matching Lake Fork Trophy Lures’ Ultimate Swimbait hook. On calm days, you’ll typically do better by pitching a jig and a Texas rig to shallow cover. For the jig, I go with a 3/8 oz Mega Weight black and blue or green pumpkin jig with a Lake Fork Craw trailer in the blue bruiser or watermelon candy colors. Meanwhile on the Texas rig, I’ll pitch a Lake Fork Flipper or Top Dog Lizard in black neon, green pumpkin or watermelon/red with a 1/8 to 3/8 oz bullet weight and slowly work it around wood cover and in any holes in the grass. For bass on spawning flats, weightless Texas rigged or wacky rigged soft plastic jerkbaits like Magic Shads, Live Magic Shads, Twitch Worms, and Ring Frys become your best option. Shades of green pumpkin and watermelon are top colors in clearer water, while blue bruiser, black neon, and June bug work better in the murkier water.

For spawning bass, white or watermelon Top Dog lizards, Flippers and Craw Tubes work great. White baits allow you to clearly see your bait on the bed, while more natural shades of green are often needed to catch the more finicky bass. Most spawning areas have water that is too muddy to see bedding fish, so pitching Texas rigs and weightless soft plastics to any wood cover and holes in the grass will catch the spawners that you can’t see. Work your bait very slowly and keep it in place on the bottom for a long time or you’ll pass up all but the most aggressive fish.

Good Fishing,

Tom

Lake Fork Report : March 30, 2008

Heading into April, the spawn is in full swing at Lake Fork. While muddier than normal water has made sight fishing options limited, blind casting traditional spawning areas has produced good catches. Based on the number of small males I’ve seen caught in the shallows in the past few days, I suspect another big wave of females will be moving up shortly. Instead of catching the mostly smaller males up shallow, my customers and I have been keying on the 4’ to 10’ range for the past week and we’ve caught mostly bigger prespawn females. Best of all, by focusing on the slightly deeper water, you can fish in areas with lots of other anglers and still consistently catch fish.

I expect the spawn to continue through April into early May, as it does most every year on Fork. By the end of April, many fish will already be in post spawn and early summertime patterns. As those females feed up after the spawn, the result is our most consistent fishing of the year for numbers of quality fish in the 3 to 7 lb range, with a shot at a 10+. That means topwaters early and all day on cloudy days, and then deep water structure fishing the rest of the day. So if your plans don’t allow you to take advantage of the spawn this year on Fork, don’t despair, you can still enjoy what most locals consider the best fishing of the year on Fork—May through July.

As a side note, I added my April article to my website. It details the finesse Carolina rig, one of the most deadly rigs for catching big bass in the spawn in tough conditions. You can check this and all of my other bass fishing articles out at http://www.lakeforkguidetrips.com/fishingarticles.htm .

Lake Conditions: More rainstorms this weekend has Lake Fork rising up over full pool once again, currently reading 403.22’, about 3 inches above full pool. With more rains forecast for Monday, expect it to be high and muddy for much of this coming week. Many creeks started clearing this week after being muddy for almost a month now, while the water on the south end remains pretty clear. We’ve been catching the bass equally from muddy and clear water, so don’t let the stained water keep you out of productive coves. Water temps were reading from 61 to 67 degrees on Saturday, perfect for spawning.

Location Pattern: For prespawn bass, concentrate on points, creek channels, treelines, and inside or outside grass lines near shallow spawning flats. For big prespawn females, we did better around grass and wood cover in 4’ to 10’ in the middle to mouths of creeks or on cover on the main lake. For spawning fish, concentrate on the very back ends of large creeks. As the water continues to warm, flats and bays nearer the mouths of coves will start holding more spawners, too.

Presentation Pattern: For prespawn bass, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and lipless crankbaits are still catching big fish, especially on overcast and windy days. With lots of stained and muddy water, bright color schemes that include a lot of orange, chartreuse or red have worked best. For a big bass, go with a ½ oz chatterbait with a shad colored 4.5 Live Magic Shad trailer and swim it in the same areas you throw a trap or spinnerbait. On calm days, you’ll typically do better by switching to a suspending jerkbait or pitching a jig and a Texas rig. Go with gold or clown colored jerkbaits on cloudy days, while silver color schemes work better on sunny days. Work these baits with a few twitches and long pauses. For a real prespawn monster, pitching heavy cover along the first breakline and creek channels is the way to go. I go with a 3/8 oz Mega Weight black and blue or green pumpkin jig with a Lake Fork Craw trailer in the blue bruiser or watermelon candy colors. For the Texas rig, I’ll pitch a Lake Fork Flipper or Top Dog Lizard in black neon, green pumpkin or watermelon/red with a 1/8 to 3/8 oz bullet weight and slowly work it around cover. For bass that have moved onto spawning flats, weightless Texas rigged or wacky rigged soft plastic jerkbaits like Magic Shads, Live Magic Shads, Twitch Worms, and Ring Frys become your best option. Shades of green pumpkin and watermelon are normally top colors, with watermelon/red baits with the tail dipped in chartreuse being the top producer lately.

Good Fishing,

Tom

A major warming trend has Lake Fork bass rapidly heading towards the first wave of spawning. After recent days of sun burnt customers wearing shorts, it’s hard to believe that we fished all morning in a major snowstorm on March 7^th with water temps dipping into the upper 40s. While the bass had been biting very strong in the backs of creeks before the cold front, I’ve caught most of my fish on an “outside” pattern since then--around grass and timber on points and creek channels leading into spawning areas. As the water warmed back up, the bite was slow for numbers most days with a lot of 6 to 10 fish days, although we did manage to catch some big bass. In addition, Fork anglers donated two fish over 13 lbs this week to TX’s ShareLunker program. With a few more warm days and the full moon next week, I expect a major wave of spawners to hit the shallows any day now in warmer areas of the lake. As usual, we’ll have waves of spawners move up through April, with a few stragglers on beds into mid-May.

Lake Conditions: Since a few heavy rains brought Lake Fork up well over full pool, the water level dropped steadily, currently reading 402.84’, about 2 inches below full pool. The current created by drawing water from the lake pulled a lot of muddy water from the very backs of creeks and much of the lake is stained to muddy. Meanwhile, the south end and some protected creeks remain clear. Water temps were reading from 56 to 67 degrees on Saturday, up considerably from last week.

Location Pattern: For prespawn bass, concentrate on points, creek channels, treelines, and inside or outside grass lines near shallow spawning flats. With the water being cold this week, we did better around grass and wood cover in 4’ to 10’ in the backs of creeks or on cover on or near the main lake. In many cases, we’ve caught multiple fish from very small areas, so really work an area over once you’ve caught a fish there. A few spawning bass are currently located in protected bays and typically in the very back ends of creeks. As the water continues to warm, flats and bays nearer the mouths of coves will start holding spawners, too.

Presentation Pattern: For prespawn bass, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and lipless crankbaits are still catching a lot of fish, especially on overcast and windy days. For a big bass, go with a ½ oz chatterbait with a shad colored 4.5 Live Magic Shad trailer and swim it in the same areas you throw a trap or spinnerbait. On calm days, you’ll typically do better by switching to a suspending jerkbait or pitching a jig and a Texas rig. Go with gold jerkbaits on cloudy days, while silver color schemes work better on sunny days. Work these baits with a few twitches and long pauses. For a real prespawn monster, pitching heavy cover along the first breakline and creek channels is the way to go. I go with a 3/8 oz Mega Weight black and blue or green pumpkin jig with a Lake Fork Craw trailer in the blue bruiser or watermelon candy colors. For the Texas rig, I’ll pitch a Lake Fork Flipper or Top Dog Lizard in black neon or watermelon/chartreuse with a 1/8 to 3/8 oz bullet weight and slowly work it around cover. For bass that have moved onto spawning flats, weightless Texas rigged or wacky rigged soft plastic jerkbaits like Magic Shads, Live Magic Shads, Twitch Worms, and Ring Frys become your best option. Shades of green pumpkin and watermelon are normally top colors, with green pumpkin baits with the tail dipped in chartreuse being the top producer lately.

Good Fishing,

Tom

Despite the wind, cold and rain, I've been fishing almost every day on Fork
for the past 4 weeks now. As the water cooled and warmed over the past two
weeks, our fishing has been exceptional. By that I mean it was either
exceptionally awesome or exceptionally tough! After a good bite in the
first half of January, the extended cold period at the end of the month made
fishing very slow and we had a number of 4 to 6 fish trips. Last weekend
saw a big warm up and the fishing was awesome on Monday through Wednesday
this week. Tuesday was one of my best numbers days ever for February, with
the fish biting all day. Right before the second hailstorm of the day at
dark, the action was continuous, with fish after fish and a lot of doubles
for the last hour of daylight. Numbers slowed down on Wednesday after the
front came through but the big fish were on. Bernie from MN caught a 10-00
and a 7-06 that morning, with our biggest 5 fish totaling over 35 lbs for
the day. A couple more cold fronts on Thursday and Friday slowed the
fishing for us once again, with only 8 and 11 fish caught the past 2 days.

February is big bass time, so concentrate on warming trends and fish
patiently in key staging areas. Even on the slowest days we caught some big
bass, so fish thoroughly and you might be rewarded with the biggest bass of
your life. My fishing patterns remain mostly unchanged from my last report
and will remain that way until sometime in March when the spawning patterns
start to dominate.

Lake Conditions: Fork is holding steady about 3" below full pool, currently
reading 402.77'. The lake is full of aquatic vegetation, with a deep
weedline anywhere from 8' to about 15'. The main lake is clear in most
areas, while the creeks are ranging from clear to muddy, depending on how
much wind exposure they have. Water temps were reading from 50 to 53
degrees on Friday, down from the mid- to upper-50s earlier this week.

Location Pattern: From now through much of March, I concentrate on prespawn
and staging fish on points and along edges of flats or creek channels.
Areas with submerged vegetation (primarily hydrilla, milfoil or coontail)
for cover will typically have the most active fish. While about any grassy
area will hold a few fish, start your search in areas that have lots of
spawning fish in late February through March. It stands to reason that the
coves that hold the most spawning fish in early spring will have the most
prespawn fish in the winter. Main lake grass beds near the mouths of these
coves are holding a lot of fish now, as are main and secondary points inside
the coves, provided there is deep water nearby. During warming trends,
follow bass back into the creeks and check the edges of grass flats and
creek channels.

Keep in mind, too, that the absolute water temperature is not nearly as
important now as the recent water temperature trend. For instance, water
temps that are showing 52 degrees can result in slow fishing if the temps
were 58 a couple days ago. In contrast, fishing can be great if the temps
warm up to 50 while they were 44 a few days before. In general, look for
bass on the flats and farther back in creeks during warming trends;
conversely, drop back to points and main lake grassbeds after cold fronts.
Finally, the day of and the day after cold fronts can be absolutely
miserable to fish, but these frontal days after a long warming trend are
usually the most productive times to fish.

For deep structure enthusiasts, points, roadbeds, humps, flats and ledges in
18' to 45' will produce some big fish during the winter months as well. Use
your electronics to find the schools of bass and baitfish and work them over
with spoons and dropshots. I'm primarily concentrating on the shallow bass,
so my presentation pattern will focus on that.

Presentation Pattern: My wintertime arsenal is pretty simple for fishing
along grasslines and creek channels. First and foremost are red, crawfish,
or shad pattern lipless crankbaits in ½ or ¾ oz. Stick with the ½ for grass
that is near the surface and go with the ¾ for grass that is deeper.
Buzzing these over the top of the grass on a quick retrieve works best some
days, but after cold fronts, letting the trap fall and ripping these out of
the grass will trigger most of the bites. ¼ to ½ oz spinnerbaits with
double willow blades in white, red, or chartreuse and white will produce
some really large bass in the same areas that the lipless cranks work,
especially on windy and cloudy days. For a true giant, try swimming the new
5.5" Live Magic Shad in the same areas you'd throw a spinnerbait during
warming trends. Rig it on the new Lake Fork Trophy Lures 7/0 wide gap hook
and swim it slowly back to the boat with a few pauses. When the bite slows
or the conditions are sunny and calm, I'll switch to a suspending jerkbait
or pitch a jig and a Texas rig. Jerkbaits in gold or clown patterns are my
primary colors. Work these with long pauses over the grass and along the
edges. For jigs, I go with ½ oz black and blue jigs with a Fork Craw
trailer in the blue bruiser color. For the Texas rig, I'll pitch a Lake
Fork Flipper in black neon or blue bruiser with a ¼ to 3/8 oz bullet weight.
Work your jig or Texas rig very slowly along creek channels or through deep
grass for your best shot at a lunker.

Cover lots of water until you get bit. Once you catch one, work the area
over thoroughly with multiple passes, employing several different baits.
Fish tend to stack up in key staging areas during the winter and these spots
will replenish themselves with more fish during the prespawn as more and
more big bass move shallow. Find some good staging spots and you'll have a
milk run of honey holes now through March.

Here's hoping you catch the lunker of your dreams. For those of you looking
for a guide trip, I'm booked for February, but I do have March 5 and 31
available, as well as a number of good dates for the spawn in April. If I
can be of assistance, please contact me at 214-683-9572 (days) or
972-635-6027 (evenings) or e-mail me through
http://www.LakeForkGuideTrips.com , where your satisfaction is guaranteed.

Good Fishing,

Tom

2008 is off to a good start for my customers and me. I spent the first part of this month fishing the FLW Stren Series event on Falcon and caught them well, sitting in 5^th place on day 2 before struggling on day 3 and finishing in 19^th place. Now I’m back to fishing Lake Fork on a daily basis and although the weather has been chilly, the bass don’t seem to mind. We had 11 to 17 fish in the boat on most days this past week, although we only boated 7 fish on one slow day. Early prespawn females are starting to show up in their usual locations, and we caught a lot of fish with big bellies, including a 9 lb 3 oz beauty and a good number of chunks in the 5 to 7 lb category, with only 1 or 2 dinks each day. Regardless of the weather over then next two months, staging fish will continue to show up in the shallows in preparation for the spawn, making this the best time of the year to catch a true giant on Fork. Until bass start to spawn in March, my fishing patterns will remain basically the same. That’s good news for those of you who find fish now, as you’ll be able to hammer them for the next two months.

Lake Conditions: Fork is holding steady around about 4” below full pool, currently reading 402.66’. The lake is full of aquatic vegetation, with a deep weedline anywhere from 8’ to about 15’. The main lake is clear, while the creeks are ranging from clear to stained. Water temps were reading from 47 to 52 degrees on Monday, normal wintertime water temps for Fork.

Location Pattern: >From now through much of March, I concentrate on prespawn and staging fish on points and along edges of flats or creek channels. Areas with submerged vegetation (primarily hydrilla, milfoil or coontail) for cover will typically have the most active fish. While about any grassy area will hold a few fish, start your search in areas that have lots of spawning fish in late February through March. It stands to reason that the coves that hold the most spawning fish in early spring will have the most prespawn fish in the winter. Main lake grass beds near the mouths of these coves are holding a lot of fish now, as are main and secondary points inside the coves, provided there is deep water nearby. During warming trends, follow bass back into the creeks and check the edges of grass flats and creek channels.

Keep in mind, too, that the absolute water temperature is not nearly as important now as the recent water temperature trend. For instance, water temps that are showing 52 degrees can result in slow fishing if the temps were 58 a couple days ago. In contrast, fishing can be great if the temps warm up to 50 while they were 44 a few days before. In general, look for bass on the flats and farther back in creeks during warming trends; conversely, drop back to points and main lake grassbeds after cold fronts. Finally, the day of and the day after cold fronts can be absolutely miserable to fish, but these frontal days after a long warming trend are usually the most productive times to fish.

For deep structure enthusiasts, points, roadbeds, humps, flats and ledges in 18’ to 45’ will produce some big fish during the winter months as well. Use your electronics to find the schools of bass and baitfish and work them over with spoons and dropshots. I’m primarily concentrating on the shallow bass, so my presentation pattern will focus on that.

Presentation Pattern: My wintertime arsenal is pretty simple for fishing along grasslines and creek channels. First and foremost are red lipless crankbaits in ½ or ¾ oz. Stick with the ½ for grass that is near the surface and go with the ¾ for grass that is deeper. Buzzing these over the top of the grass on a quick retrieve is working best now, but after cold fronts, letting the trap fall and ripping these out of the grass will trigger most of the bites. ¼ to ½ oz spinnerbaits with double willow blades in white, red, or chartreuse and white will produce some really large bass in the same areas that the lipless cranks work, especially on windy and cloudy days. For a true giant, try swimming the new 5.5” Live Magic Shad in the same areas you’d throw a spinnerbait. Rig it on the new Lake Fork Trophy Lures 7/0 wide gap hook and swim it slowly back to the boat with a few pauses. When the water looks like a toilet just flushed, it’s time to set the hook!! When the bite slows or the conditions are sunny and calm, I’ll switch to a suspending jerkbait or pitch a jig and a Texas rig. Jerkbaits in gold or clown patterns are my primary colors. Work these with long pauses over the grass and along the edges. For jigs, I go with ½ oz black and blue jigs with a Fork Craw trailer in the blue bruiser color. For the Texas rig, I’ll pitch a Lake Fork Flipper in black neon or blue bruiser with a ¼ to 3/8 oz bullet weight. Work your jig or Texas rig very slowly along creek channels or through deep grass for your best shot at a lunker.

Cover lots of water until you get bit. Once you catch one, work the area over thoroughly with multiple passes, employing several different baits. Fish tend to stack up in key staging areas during the winter and these spots will replenish themselves with more fish during the prespawn as more and more big bass move shallow. Find some good staging spots and you’ll have a milk run of honey holes now through March.

Good Fishing,

Tom

Lake Fork Report-December 28, 2007

Happy New Year to everyone. Thanks to all of my friends, family, and
customers for a fabulous 2007 and I hope everyone has a year of great
catches in 2008. As we head into the New Year, the early stages of prespawn
are starting in some areas of the lake. Meanwhile, lunker bass continue to
be caught from deep water as well. With big bass smoking jigs, swimbaits,
spinnerbaits, and lipless crankbaits now through March, this is my favorite
time of the year on Fork. Numbers run lower this time of year; however, the
average size of your catch is at its highest for the year, usually in the
3.5 to 5 lb range, with a good shot at bass 7 lbs or greater.

Lake Conditions: Fork came up a little with recent rains and is about 3"
below full pool, currently reading 402.72'. The lake is full of aquatic
vegetation, with a deep weedline anywhere from 8' to about 15'. The main
lake is clear, while the creeks are ranging from clear to stained. Water
temps are generally holding in the low to mid-50s, normal wintertime water
temps for Fork.

Location Pattern: From late-December through much of March, I concentrate on
prespawn and staging fish on points and along edges of flats or creek
channels. Areas with submerged vegetation (primarily hydrilla, milfoil or
coontail) for cover will typically have the most active fish. While about
any grassy area will hold a few fish, start your search in areas that have
lots of spawning fish in late February through March. It stands to reason
that the coves that hold the most spawning fish in early spring will have
the most prespawn fish in the winter. Main lake grass beds near the mouths
of these coves are holding a lot of fish now, as are main and secondary
points inside the coves, provided there is deep water nearby. During
warming trends, follow bass back into the creeks and check the edges of
grass flats and creek channels.

Keep in mind, too, that the absolute water temperature is not nearly as
important now as the recent water temperature trend. For instance, water
temps that are showing 52 degrees can result in slow fishing if the temps
were 58 a couple days ago. In contrast, fishing can be great if the temps
warm up to 50 while they were 44 a few days before. In general, look for
bass on the flats and farther back in creeks during warming trends;
conversely, drop back to points and main lake grassbeds after cold fronts.
Finally, the day of and the day after cold fronts can be absolutely
miserable to fish, but these frontal days after a long warming trend are
usually the most productive times to fish.

For deep structure enthusiasts, points, roadbeds, humps, flats and ledges in
18' to 45' will produce some big fish during the winter months as well. Use
your electronics to find the schools of bass and baitfish and work them over
with spoons and dropshots. I'm primarily concentrating on the shallow bass,
so my presentation pattern will focus on that.

Presentation Pattern: My wintertime arsenal is pretty simple for fishing
along grasslines and creek channels. First and foremost are red lipless
crankbaits in ½ or ¾ oz. Stick with the ½ for grass that is near the
surface and go with the ¾ for grass that is deeper. Buzzing these over the
top of the grass on a quick retrieve is working best now, but after cold
fronts, letting the trap fall and ripping these out of the grass will
trigger most of the bites. ¼ to ½ oz spinnerbaits with double willow blades
in white, red, or chartreuse and white will produce some really large bass
in the same areas that the lipless cranks work, especially on windy and
cloudy days. For a true giant, try swimming the new 5.5" Lake Fork Live
Magic Shad in the same areas you'd throw a spinnerbait. Rig it on a 7/0
wide gap hook and swim it slowly back to the boat with a few pauses. When
the water looks like a toilet just flushed, it's time to set the hook!!
When the bite slows or the conditions are sunny and calm, I'll switch to a
suspending jerkbait or pitch a jig and a Texas rig. Jerkbaits in gold or
clown patterns are my primary colors. Work these with long pauses over the
grass and along the edges. For jigs, I go with ½ oz black and blue jigs
with a Lake Fork Craw trailer in the blue bruiser color. For the Texas rig,
I'll pitch a Lake Fork Flipper in black neon or blue bruiser with a ¼ to 3/8
oz bullet weight. Work your jig or Texas rig very slowly along creek
channels or through deep grass for your best shot at a lunker.

Cover lots of water until you get bit. Once you catch one, work the area
over thoroughly with multiple passes, employing several different baits.
Fish tend to stack up in key staging areas during the winter and these spots
will replenish themselves with more fish during the prespawn as more and
more big bass move shallow. Find some good staging spots and you'll have a
milk run of honey holes now through March.

Website Update: My January fishing article on catching big bass will be
added to my website shortly (it may be up already):
http://www.lakeforkguidetrips.com/fishingarticles.htm . In addition, I've
added a discussion forum to my website. It's new, and I'm hoping it will be
a great place to find out more information about fishing Lake Fork and my
services. Feel free to join the discussion at:
http://www.lakefork.proboards91.com/index.cgi My January article is posted
here as well.

Boat for Sale: My 2007 Ranger Z21 boat is for sale and I've reduced the
price. I picked it up in late October of last year and it is fully loaded,
rigged with a 250 HP Yamaha with a 5 year warranty. It's value priced and
will save you over $10,000 off the cost of a new boat. For more details and
pics of the boat, please check my website (www.lakeforkguidetrips.com) or
drop me a note.

Here's hoping you catch the lunker of your dreams. If I can be of
assistance, please contact me at 214-683-9572 (days) or 972-635-6027
(evenings) or e-mail me through http://www.LakeForkGuideTrips.com , where
your satisfaction is guaranteed.

Good Fishing,

Tom

With cooler nights and shorter days, the bass at Lake Fork are settling into
late fall and winter patterns. With a week of 60s and 70s forecasted, now's
a good time to avoid the crowds at Fork and enjoy some good fall fishing.
As the water cools, numbers start to run lower on average, although you can
catch a boatload of fish on the right days. While numbers start to decline,
big fish become more common and will only continue to increase as we move
towards the spawn in March and April. Go fishing after several days of
stable weather, especially right before a front, and you'll be able to catch
big bass in deep or shallow water this month.

With the holidays just around the corner, I do have gift certificates
available for those looking for a present for their angling buddies. 2007
has been a fantastic year on Fork, benefiting from ample rains and a full
lake. With prespawn starting in late-December, it won't be long until my
favorite lunker time of the year is here, January through March. And with
the lake in such good shape, Fork should be awesome in '08.

Lake Conditions: Fork is 5" below full pool right now, currently reading
402.58' and dropping very slowly. The lake is full of aquatic vegetation,
with a deep weedline anywhere from 8' to about 15'. The main lake is clear,
while the creeks are ranging from clear to stained. Water temps are general
holding in the mid-50s, good wintertime water temps for Fork.

Location Pattern: Depending on the conditions, the bite may be best in
shallow grass or on deep structure. Early and late and all day on cloudy
and windy days are typically the best times for the shallow grass bite.
When the sun gets up, concentrate on the deep weed edge in 8' to 15' and
creek channels running through grass flats in large coves. You'll find fish
over the flats more after warming trends, while fronts typically drive them
more towards the creek channels or into thick deep grass. Most fish are in
groups, so you'll fish for a while without getting a bite, and then catch
several in a small area. When the shallow bite is off, concentrate on main
lake structure in 14' to 40'. Find the schools of yellow bass and the big
largemouth will be with them. Normally, you'll find the fish schooling
shallower on windy and cloudy days, while it's not uncommon to catch fish on
Fork in the wintertime in 38' or deeper on sunny days after a front.

Presentation Pattern: As the water cools, I start to limit the variety of
baits that I throw, sticking with key lures and working areas thoroughly.
In the shallows, ½ oz chrome, red or crawfish colored lipless crankbaits and
½ oz white spinnerbaits are my top choice for finding fish. When they won't
chase, slow down with a suspending jerkbait and you'll trigger inactive
bass. Once I've found a school, weightless rigged Magic Shads and Live
Magic Shads or wacky rigged Twitch worms in shades of watermelon are
catching fish best. For bigger fish, a 1/2 oz blue bruiser Mega Weight jig
with a matching Fork Craw trailer is your best bet when pitched to the deep
weed edge or stumps along the creek channel. Out deep, Twitch Worms in
watermelon or green pumpkin work well on drop shots, as do Carolina rigged
Baby Ring Frys, when bass are located on the bottom. Both of these
techniques will produce numbers of bass as well as the occasional big fish.
For the suspended bass, I start with Lake Fork Tackle's new big Fork Flutter
Spoon in the Yellow Bass or Magic Shad colors. These catch fewer yellow
bass and are great for catching really big bass. If the bass are finicky
and won't hit the big spoons, switch to ½ oz spoons and 1 oz tail spinners
and you'll catch some largemouth and lots of yellow bass with these.

Boat for Sale: My 2007 Ranger Z21 boat is now for sale and I've reduced the
price. I picked it up in late October of last year and it is fully loaded,
rigged with a 250 HP Yamaha with a 5 year warranty. It's value priced and
will save you over $10,000 off the cost of a new boat. For more details and
pics of the boat, please check my website (www.lakeforkguidetrips.com) or
drop me a note.

Website Update: My December fishing article on choosing the right hook has
been added to my website:
http://www.lakeforkguidetrips.com/fishingarticles.htm . In addition, I've
added a discussion forum to my website. It's new, and I'm hoping it will be
a great place to find out more information about fishing Lake Fork and my
services. Feel free to join the discussion at:
http://www.lakefork.proboards91.com/index.cgi

Mexico Update: Fishing is off to a very fast start for the 2007-2008 season
at Lake Baccarac, with lots of fish over 10 lbs being caught. All Mexico
lakes go through boom and bust cycles and Baccarac is certainly peaking
right now. I'm also working with a new lodge at Lake Guerrero. The new
owners are very friendly and put customer service first, while offering very
low rates for such a clean resort. If you're headed to Guerrero this year,
let me know and I can put you in touch with them. For more info on a trip
to Mexico, please check out my website: http://www.bigmexicobass.com .

Here's hoping you catch the lunker of your dreams. If I can be of
assistance, please contact me at 214-683-9572 (days) or 972-635-6027
(evenings) or e-mail me through http://www.LakeForkGuideTrips.com , where
your satisfaction is guaranteed.

Good Fishing,

Tom

After a much warmer than average fall, a big rain and cooler nights seem to have the bass on Lake Fork shifting to more of a fall pattern. Until a couple days ago, water temps were staying in the low to mid-80s. Contrast that to this time last year, when water temps were running 68 to 72 degrees. In the last few days I’ve noticed a distinct shift in bass position in deep water from summertime structure to my favorite traditional fall deep structure locations, with tons of shad and yellow bass showing up in those locations as well. At the same time, I’m finding a lot of shad starting to move into shallows, so I expect the back of creek pattern to pick up shortly as well. For the past 3 weeks, my customers and I have enjoyed excellent action most days for numbers of keeper sized bass shallow early and then all day out deep. While some good fish were mixed in, most of our bass were under 3 lbs, with some 5s and the occasional 7 pounder being the exception instead of the rule, with catches between 40 and 60 bass some days. As much fun as the action is, I’m more of a trophy hunter and am looking forward to getting into the lunkers again. With the water finally cooling, expect the bigger bass to become more prevalent both shallow and deep, while good numbers of keepers should continue through November. The fall is typically our best numbers time of the year, so it’s an excellent time to get a child or a non-fishing buddy hooked on bass fishing.

Lake Conditions: Fork is exactly at full pool right now after a 2+” rain on Monday, currently reading 403.00’ above sea level and dropping very slowly. The lake is full of aquatic vegetation, with an inside grassline at about 6’ and a deep weedline anywhere from 8’ to about 15’. The main lake is slightly stained, while the creeks are ranging from clear to stained. Water temps cooled 5 to 10 degrees recently, reading from 74 to77 in the main lake yesterday (Wednesday).

Location Pattern: The best pattern for numbers of fish continues to be fishing shallow grassbeds on the main lake and in the first half of major creeks. Early and late and all day on cloudy and windy days are the best times. I’m focusing on shoreline grass, openings in clumps of grass, and the inside weedline. When the sun gets up, concentrate on the deep weed edge in 8’ to 15’. Key on points, inside turns, and along ledges and you’re likely to find more fish. Most of the shallow fish have been in groups, so you’ll fish for a while without getting a bite, then catch several in a small area. I’m also catching some bass back in the coves along creek channel bends but this pattern hasn’t really picked up yet like it will as the water cools. For bigger bass, concentrate on main lake structure in 15’ to 35’. I’ve found a number of good schools this past week that were relating to the bottom and easy to catch once you found them with your graph. Other days, the bass are more suspended and a little tougher to catch.

Presentation Pattern: As fall approaches, bass will start keying on shad and most of my lure choices and colors will reflect that preference. Shades of white or chrome are always good choices in the fall on Fork. In the shallows, topwaters have been hot some days, with poppers and black buzzbaits leading the way. Other days, lipless crankbaits and shallow running crankbaits have worked better. When the bass aren’t in a chasing mood, I’m switching to a Texas rigged watermelon/red or watermelon candy 8” Fork Worm, Twitch Worm, or Baby Fork Creature with an 1/8^th oz bullet sinker and working it over the tops of grass and along the edges. In addition, Magic Shads and Live Magic Shads in watermelon/red worked weightless over the grass beds are catching some big fish and good numbers, as well. For bigger fish, a 3/8 oz watermelon red Mega Weight jig with a matching Fork Craw trailer is producing well when pitched to the deep weed edge. Out deep, Twitch Worms in shades of watermelon are working well on drop shots, as are Carolina rigged Baby Ring Frys, when bass are located on the bottom. Both of these techniques will produce numbers of bass as well as big fish. For the suspended bass, I’ve had some excellent days recently on Lake Fork Tackle’s new big Fork Flutter Spoon in the Yellow Bass color. The dying shad action of this big bait while it flutters is irresistible to the bass and it was the only bait we threw on several days this month and most of September. Big fluttering spoons have been the secret bait of Fork guides for the past 3 years and now the secret’s out, so try them out on Fork or your home lake while they’re hot!

More information on fall fishing patterns is available in my two most recent articles on shallow and deep fall fishing: www.lakeforkguidetrips.com/fishingarticles.htm

My 2007 Ranger Z21 boat is now for sale. I picked it up in late October of last year and it is fully loaded, rigged with a 250 HP Yamaha with a 5 year warranty. It’s value priced and will save you about $10,000 off the cost of a new boat. For more details and pics of the boat, please check my website (www.lakeforkguidetrips.com) or drop me a note.

Lake Baccarac Update: Fishing is off to a very fast start for the 2007-2008 season at Baccarac. I’ve updated the fishing reports on my website and they are staggering. In the past few days, one group of 6 anglers had 23 bass over 10 lbs in 4 days. Another angler at the lodge caught 6 over 10 pounds in one day!! All Mexico lakes go through boom and bust cycles and Baccarac is certainly peaking right now. There are still a few openings left for this coming season, but the remaining dates are booking very quickly. Anyone interested in fishing Baccarac this winter or spring should finalize their plans soon, as the lodge only holds 24 anglers and many of the premium dates are already booked solid. For more info on a trip to Baccarac, please check out my website: http://www.bigmexicobass.com .

Good Fishing,

Tom

September 29, 2007

After a record breaking McDonald's tournament with 35 bass of over 24" being
weighed in, the bite has remained strong at Lake Fork. It appears the lake
has finished turning over and the deep bass are starting to bite regularly,
while very good numbers of bass are coming from the shallows. Whether you
like fishing shallow, deep, or in-between, all depth ranges and almost any
lure in your tackle box will produce on Lake Fork during the months of
October and most of November. The key (and the fun part) will be
determining what bait at what depth is best on any given day. Fall is
historically the bite time of the year for numbers on Fork, with a decent
shot at catching a true lunker as well. And before you know it my favorite
time of the will be here-prespawn fishing for lunker bass in January through
March. Based on the fishing this summer and in recent tourneys, we're on
pace for an excellent fall and spring. And best of all, you'll have much of
the lake to yourself on these mild days filled with fall colors because many
sportsmen have left the lake to take up hunting.

Lake Conditions: Although we had another good rain this week, Fork's water
level has remained essentially the same, currently reading 403.18', about 2"
above full pool. The lake is full of aquatic vegetation, with an inside
grassline at about 6' and a deep weedline in 8' to about 15'. The main lake
is at its clearest in a number of weeks, while the creeks are ranging from
clear to muddy. Water temps remain about the same, reading from 80 to 83 in
the main lake yesterday.

Location Pattern: The best pattern for numbers of fish continues to be
fishing shallow grassbeds on the main lake and in the first half of major
creeks. Early and late and all day on cloudy and windy days, I'm focusing
on shoreline grass, openings in clumps of grass, and the inside weedline.
When the sun gets up, concentrate on the deep weed edge in 8' to 15'. Key
on points, inside turns, and along ledges and you're likely to find more
fish. Most of the shallow fish have been in groups, so you'll fish for a
while without getting a bite, then catch several in a small area. I'm also
catching some bass back in the coves along creek channel bends but this
pattern hasn't really picked up yet like it will as the water cools. For
bigger bass, concentrate on main lake structure in 15' to 35'. I've found a
number of good schools this past week that were relating to the bottom and
easy to catch once you found them with your graph. Other days, the bass are
more suspended and a little tougher to catch.

Presentation Pattern: As fall approaches, bass will start keying on shad and
most of my lure choices and colors will reflect that preference. Shades of
white or chrome are always good choices in the fall on Fork. In the
shallows, topwaters have been hot some days, with poppers and buzzbaits
leading the way. Other days, lipless crankbaits and shallow running
crankbaits have worked better. When the bass aren't in a chasing mood, I'm
switching to a Texas rigged watermelon/red or watermelon candy 8" Fork Worm,
Twitch Worm, or Baby Fork Creature with an 1/8th oz bullet sinker and
working it over the tops of grass and along the edges. In addition, Magic
Shads and Live Magic Shads in watermelon/red worked weightless over the
grass beds are catching some big fish and good numbers, as well. For bigger
fish, a 3/8 oz watermelon red Mega Weight Jig with a matching Fork Craw
trailer is producing well when pitched to the deep weed edge. Out deep,
watermelon/red Twitch Worms are working well on drop shots, as are Carolina
rigged watermelon/red Baby Ring Frys, when bass are located on the bottom.
For the suspended bass, swimming weighted 4.5" and 5.5" Live Magic Shad
swimbaits, spoons, deep diving crankbaits, and ¼ oz jigs are working best
and catching some lunkers too.

My 2007 Ranger Z21 boat is now for sale. I picked it up in late October of
last year and it is fully loaded, rigged with a 250 HP Yamaha with a 5 year
warranty. It's value priced and will save you about $10,000 off the cost of
a new boat. For more details and pics of the boat, please check my website
( www.lakeforkguidetrips.com ) or drop me a note.

Lake Baccarac Update: After being closed for a short summer break, the
lodge reopened and is already producing excellent catches. Following is the
report from legendary coach Bobby Knight's group, after their first two days
of fishing (September 27 and 28). "Opening afternoon, Russ Johnson caught an
11.2 in Norte Canyon. All boats reported excellent fishing. Today, September
27, was a special day for the Bobby Knight group. Ross Jones caught an 11.5
and a 9.9. Also, he caught 30 fish between 7 and 8 lbs. Tim Knight landed an
11.12 and a 10.4. He reported that he caught more fish today than at all his
previous trips combined to El Salto. Pat Knight's big fish of the day was a
10.2. Randy Farley caught a 10.2, a 10.0 and six fish over 8 lbs. Chris
Cassidy caught an 11.2 and reported excellent, excellent fishing. Coach
Knight didn't break the 10 lb. mark today, but we are confident he will
tomorrow! On September 28th, as a group the Knight group caught 8 more fish
over 10 pounds. Tim Knight found one spot where he caught 23 bass over 6
pounds and 8 over 9 pounds. Crankbaits, rattletraps and swimbaits are
working up the river and in the small canyons near the lodge. Topwater is
very slow." The lodge was briefly opened for a couple of groups this summer
during the break and the results were spectacular for big fish, including a
15.6 caught on July 20 by Wendell Bennett along with a 16.1 caught by Joe
Dillard and a 15.2 caught by Tom Secrest on their trip in mid-August. Full
reports are available on my website.

There are still a few openings left for this coming season, but the
remaining dates are booking very quickly. Anyone interested in fishing
Baccarac this winter or spring should finalize their plans soon, as the
lodge only holds 24 anglers and many of the premium dates are already booked
solid. For more info on a trip to Baccarac, please check out my website:
http://www.bigmexicobass.com .

Here's hoping you catch the lunker of your dreams. If I can be of
assistance, please contact me at 214-683-9572 (days) or 972-635-6027
(evenings) or e-mail me through http://www.LakeForkGuideTrips.com , where
your satisfaction is guaranteed.

Good Fishing,

Tom

Tournament season is in full swing on Lake Fork, with 4 tournaments yesterday and the McDonald’s Big Bass Splash, Berkley Big Bass tourney, and many others happening in the next few weeks. Just in time, lots of keeper sized bass are showing up in the shallows, while big fish are still available for the experienced structure fisherman. As the lake continues to cool, Fork will turn over in the next couple of weeks and fishing will become very good both shallow and deep in October and November. With much of the angling emphasis on tournament fishing at Fork right now, my report will focus on those patterns.

As a side note, for more information on shallow water fall fishing, my September article is now posted on my website: http://www.lakeforkguidetrips.com/fishingarticles.htm

Lake Conditions: After a 3” rain this week, Lake Fork’s water level is now steady, currently reading 403.30’, about 4” above full pool. The higher water levels have flooded a bunch of shallow vegetation that is holding fish and is acting as a nursery for young baitfish and bass. Meanwhile, there is an inside grassline at about 6’ and a deep weedline in 8’ to about 13’. The main lake remains stained in most areas, while the creeks are ranging from clear to muddy. Water temps dropped during the past week, reading from 81 to 86 in the main lake. The thermocline is still showing at about 25’ to 28’ but the lake is starting to show signs of turning over, which typically occurs around mid-September.

Location Pattern: The most consistent pattern this past week has been fishing shallow grassbeds on the main lake and in the first half of major creeks. Early and late and all day on cloudy and windy days, I’m focusing on shoreline grass, openings in clumps of grass, and the inside weedline. When the sun gets up, concentrate on the deep weed edge in 8’ to 13’. Key on points, inside turns, and along ledges and you’re likely to find more fish. Most of the shallow fish have been in groups, so you’ll fish for a while without getting a bite, then catch several in a small area. I’m also starting to catch a few fish back in the coves along creek channel bends but this pattern hasn’t really picked up yet like it will as the water cools. For bigger bass, many fish are still suspending in timber or in open water over deep structure. These fish are holding 12’ to 25’ down over deeper water, so watch your graph closely to pinpoint their location.

Presentation Pattern: As fall approaches, bass will start keying on shad and most of my lure choices and colors will reflect that preference. Shades of white or chrome are always good choices in the fall on Fork. In the shallows, topwaters are catching a few fish early and late. More consistent are shallow running crankbaits, small spinnerbaits, and Lake Fork Tackle’s new 4.5” Live Magic Shad swimbait. Rig the swimbait weedless Texas style with a 1/16^th oz weighted hook and slowly swim it over the grass. Hits have been pretty hard and easy to detect. When the bass aren’t in a chasing mood, I’m switching to a Texas rigged watermelon/red or watermelon candy 8” Fork Worm or Twitch Worm with a 1/8^th oz bullet sinker and working it over the tops of grass and along the edges. For bigger fish, a 3/8 oz watermelon red Mega Weight Jig with a matching Fork Craw trailer is producing well when pitched to the deep weed edge. For the suspended bass out deep, weighted 4.5” and 5.5” Live Magic Shad swimbaits, spoons, or deep diving crankbaits in shad or yellow bass patterns are working best and catching some lunkers too. The key is counting your bait down to the level of the bass and keeping it in front of them for as much of the retrieve as possible.

My 2007 Ranger Z21 boat is now for sale. I picked it up in late October of last year and it is full loaded, rigged with a 250 HP Yamaha with a 5 year warranty. It’s value priced and will save you about $10,000 off the cost of a new boat. For more details and pics of the boat, please check my website or drop me a note.

Good Fishing,

Tom

The heat of summer finally hit Lake Fork this week. Other than a couple of
slow days, the deep structure fishing is hot as well, with several days with
catches from 33 to 47 bass. While we didn't catch any monsters this week,
fishing has been very good for slot fish, with a lot of fish being caught in
the 5 lb to a little over 7 lb range. I expect the good deep structure
fishing during the day to continue until mid-September when the lake turns
over.

Fishing in both the shallows and deep water typically picks up in late
September each year and stays strong through most of November. With all of
the newly flooded cover and the abundance of shad, it's shaping up for a
great fall season on Lake Fork. Look for lots of good fish to come in
during the McDonald's Big Bass Splash, Berkley Big Bass tourney, Irving Bass
Club Open and the rest of the fall tournaments. Best of luck to those of
you headed this way!

Lake Conditions: Lake Fork's water level is dropping very slowly, currently
reading 403.56', about 7" above full pool. The higher water levels have
flooded a bunch of shallow vegetation that is holding fish and is acting as
a nursery for young baitfish and bass. Meanwhile, there is an inside
grassline at about 6' and a deep weedline in 8' to about 13'. The main lake
remains more stained than normal for this time of year, while the creeks
with lots of vegetation have cleared considerably. Water temps warmed this
past week, reading from 86 to 94 in the main lake. The thermocline has
developed at about 28' and will remain in place until the lake cools
dramatically and turns over, typically in mid-September.

Location Pattern: My location and presentation patterns remain largely
unchanged, and I expect it will stay that way until the lake turns over.
Although some bass remain in shallow water, I'm concentrating on offshore
structure. Points, ledges, pond dams, channel bends, road beds, and humps
in anywhere from 10' to 36' is where I'm looking for fish with my Z21
Ranger. Most days, shallower structure, about 18' and less, is best early
and I'll work progressively deeper as the sun gets higher. Basically, look
for significant depth changes anywhere from the middle of major creeks out
to the main lake and you'll be in business. Some days these bass are
suspended and other days they're on the bottom, although fishing is easier
and usually more productive if you can find schools on the bottom.

Presentation Pattern: Texas rigged watermelon/red flake or blue fleck 10"
Lake Fork Worms are catching some big bass from schools located on the
bottom on deep structure. In these same areas, drop shotting watermelon
candy or watermelon/red flake Twitch Worms are catching lots of keeper sized
fish and some big ones, too. Or switch to a Carolina rigged Killer Craw or
watermelon/red colored Baby Fork Creature or Baby Ring Fry and steadily drag
it along until you find a piece of wood, then slow it way down and get ready
for a big one. When the bass are suspended, weighted 4.5" and the new 5.5"
Live Magic Shad swimbaits, spoons, or deep diving crankbaits in shad or
yellow bass patterns are working best and catching some lunkers too. The
key is counting your bait down to the level of the bass and keeping it in
front of them for as much of the retrieve as possible.

Here's hoping you catch the lunker of your dreams. If I can be of
assistance, please contact me at 214-683-9572 (days) or 972-635-6027
(evenings) or e-mail me through http://www.LakeForkGuideTrips.com , where
your satisfaction is guaranteed.

Good Fishing,

Tom

Although the bass fishing on Lake Fork normally slows somewhat during the dog days of summer, the cool and wet weather has the bass biting very well on most days this past week. Even better, the big ones seem to be biting well, with a couple of bass over 11.5 lbs being caught during the daytime this past week. After a slower morning trip on Saturday, the bite was strong again yesterday, with 44 fish on the line, including a 7-1/4 pounder and a lot of nice slot fish. With the lake water now stratified and the thermocline in place around 28’, the bass have repositioned on deep structure but are biting well nonetheless once you find them.

With a full lake and cooler than normal temps, fishing should remain good through August this year. Fishing in both the shallows and deep water typically picks up in September each year and stays strong through most of November. With all of the newly flooded cover and the abundance of shad, it’s shaping up for a great fall season on Lake Fork. Look for lots of good fish to come in during the McDonald’s Big Bass Splash, Berkley Big Bass tourney, Irving Bass Club Open and the rest of the fall tournaments. Best of luck to those of you headed this way!

As a side note, I posted my August article, an overview of fishing for summer and fall bass in matted grass. All of my fishing articles can be viewed at http://www.lakeforkguidetrips.com/fishingarticles.htm .

Lake Conditions: Lake Fork’s water level remained fairly stable this week, currently reading 403.42’, about 5” above full pool. The higher water levels have flooded a bunch of shallow vegetation that is holding fish and is acting as a nursery for young baitfish and bass. Meanwhile, there is an inside grassline at about 6’ and a deep weedline in 8’ to about 13’. Due to all of the vegetation, most of the lake has remained fairly clear, while the backs of some creeks are stained from runoff. Water temps continue to run below normal for this time of year, reading from 84 to 88 in the main lake most days. As I mentioned before, a thermocline has developed at about 28’ and will remain in place until the lake cools dramatically and turns over, typically in late September.

Location Pattern: Although many bass remain in shallow water, I’ve concentrated on offshore structure this past week. Points, ledges, pond dams, channel bends, road beds, and humps in anywhere from 6’ to 38’ is where I’m looking for fish with my Lowrance. Most days, shallower structure, about 18’ and less, is best early and I’ll work progressively deeper as the sun gets higher. Basically, look for significant depth changes anywhere from the middle of major creeks out to the main lake and you’ll be in business. Some days these bass are suspended and other days they’re on the bottom, although fishing is easier and usually more productive if you can find schools on the bottom.

Presentation Pattern: Texas rigged watermelon or blue fleck 10” Lake Fork Worms are catching some really big bass from schools located on the bottom on deep structure. In these same areas, drop shotting watermelon candy or watermelon/red flake Twitch Worms are catching lots of keeper sized fish and some big ones, too. Or switch to a Carolina rigged Killer Craw or watermelon/red colored Baby Fork Creature or Baby Ring Fry and steadily drag it along until you find a piece of wood, then slow it way down and get ready for a big one. When the bass are suspended, weighted 4.5” and the new 5.5” Live Magic Shad swimbaits, spoons, or deep diving crankbaits in shad or yellow bass patterns are working best and catching some lunkers too. The key is counting your bait down to the level of the bass and keeping it in front of them for as much of the retrieve as possible.

Good Fishing,

Tom

With lots of fresh runoff and cooler than normal temps, the bass at Lake Fork remain scattered from the backs of creeks to deep water structure. For those who enjoy fishing shallow, bass are scattered all over the shallow grassbeds in all of the newly flooded cover. Anyone familiar with Texas summers knows that throwing spinnerbaits and topwaters midday in low 80 degree air temps is pretty unusual. On the other hand, deep water continues to produce our biggest bass, with a number of good ones in the 6 to a little over 9 lb category coming recently. The rising and falling water levels coupled with the quick changing weather conditions have changed the best fishing pattern daily and often even hourly, so stay flexible until you start catching good ones.

As a side note, I posted my July article, an in-depth review of the drop shot technique. All of my fishing articles can be viewed at http://www.lakeforkguidetrips.com/fishingarticles.htm .

Lake Conditions: Lake Fork’s water level is on the rise again after falling earlier this week, currently reading 403.89’, about 11” above full pool. While many area lakes are way over their banks causing ramp closures, there are no problems with any of the Fork boat launches. The higher water levels have flooded a bunch of shallow vegetation that is holding fish, along with an inside grassline at about 6’ and a deep weedline in 8’ to about 13’. Due to all of the vegetation, most of the lake has remained pretty clear, while the backs of some creeks are stained from runoff. Water temps have stayed moderate because of the rains and overcast days, reading low 80s in most areas.

Location Pattern: Many bass are remaining shallow near spawning flats and chasing after bluegill, fry, and shad in the shallow grass. Although the bass are feeding in only 1’ to 8’, most of the bass and especially the bigger fish are holding near deeper water. Look for creek channels or ledges on the edge of flats or find grass on main lake points or flats next to quick drop-offs. Deep structure in 14’ to 36’ is once again where we’ve caught most of our big fish this week. Some days these bass are suspended and other days they’re on the bottom. And most of these schools have been small, so watch your depth finder closely.

Presentation Pattern: First thing in the morning and on cloudy days, poppers and black or white Fork Frogs have worked well some days. Once the bass stop chasing topwaters, switch to a spinnerbait or a wacky rigged watermelon or Junebug Twitch Worm in the same areas and you’ll continue to catch fish. For bigger bass, pitch a Mega Weight jig or a Texas rigged Flipper along the deep weedline and key on any timber in the area. I’m using a green pumpkin/black or a watermelon seed 3/8 oz jig with a watermelon/red flake Fork Craw trailer and a green pumpkin or watermelon/red flake Flipper on the Texas rig with a 3/16 oz sinker. Another great way to catch hogs is to go with a 4.5” or the new 5.5” Live Magic Shad in white or shad colors and slow roll it over the top of grassbeds, while pausing and letting it flutter down into the holes. Out deeper, Texas rigged green pumpkin and black neon 10” Lake Fork Worms are catching some really big bass from schools located on the bottom on deep structure. In these same areas, drop shotting watermelon candy or watermelon/red flake Twitch Worms are catching lots of keeper sized fish and some big ones, too. Or switch to a Carolina rigged watermelon candy or green pumpkin colored Baby Fork Creature or Fork Creature and steadily drag it along until you find a piece of wood, then slow it way down and get ready for a big one. When the bass are suspended, swimbaits, spoons, or deep diving crankbaits in shad or yellow bass patterns are working best and catching some lunkers too. The key is counting your bait down to the level of the bass and keeping it in front of them for as much of the retrieve as possible.

Lake Baccarac Update: Fishing has remained excellent since the end of May for both numbers and size. Here are a couple of reports from the last 2 weeks. Will Garrison's group of 26 anglers recorded an unbelievable trip with 40 fish over 10 pounds. 23 out of the 26 anglers caught a fish 10 pounds with the biggest fish weighing 15.6 and the second biggest weighing 14.9. David Davies catching the 14.9 along with 5 others over 11 pounds on the same day! Many boats report catching between 150 and 200 bass a day. Mark Barton reports, there were 5 of us, from Phoenix, Scott Anderson, Bill Meredith and myself. We had two buddies from Flagstaff and Sedona, Dan Bright and Steve Ash. Steve and Dan used swim baits and caught a bunch of great fish in the rancho padre area. Dan had an 11.10 and Steve a 9.6, they also caught numerous fish in the 6 to 9 pound range. Scott, Bill and I also did very well, with Bill bagging an 11.9, Scott a 10.14 and me with a 10+. We caught a bunch of fish in the 6 to 9 range and tons in the 4 and 5 pound range. Baits used were swim baits in white and/or chartreuse, jigs in white, black and green, worms or lizards in darker colors with watermelon the best.

The fall and winter of 2007/2008 are booking very quickly, with already only limited dates left in most months. Anyone interested in fishing Baccarac next season should start finalizing their plans soon, as the lodge only holds 24 anglers and many of the premium dates are already booked solid. For more info on a trip to Baccarac, please check out my website: http://www.bigmexicobass.com .

Good Fishing,

Tom

With many cloudy and rainy days, the shallow bite at Fork has remained good
with all of the flooded grass, aquatic vegetation, and reasonable water
t