While we are still seeing some big females on spawning beds, the majority of bass on Lake Fork are currently moving into post spawn and early summer patterns. In the coming weeks, you’ll be able to catch bass about any way you want to fish for them. There will still be some spawning fish in May, while others feed up on spawning bluegills in the shallows. Meanwhile, many bass have already moved out to secondary and main lake points on their transition back to deep humps and ledges. While February through April offer your best opportunity to catch a 10+ lb bass on Fork, May through July usually provide the most consistent fishing of the year for 3 to 6 lb bass, with a good shot at a 7 lb or bigger bass.
Lake Fork is heading into summer in great condition. Fork’s water level is almost at full 402.84′, only 2" below full pool. A couple storms an d some windy days brought up the lake level again and stained the water in a few creeks but most of the lake remains clear. Water temps continue to climb, with the main lake holding in the low 60s, while some coves are warming into the 70s. Best of all, hydrilla, milfoil, coontail, and lily pads are starting to grow rapidly-providing great cover for bass fingerlings and feeding lunkers.
Regarding the location pattern, the farther south you head and the closer towards the mouths of creeks you fish, the more prespawn and spawning fish you’ll find, in general. Main lake flats are also holding a lot of spawning fish right now. To find the post spawn fish, it is just the reverse of the locations that held prespawn bass in February and March. Concentrate on cover along drops and creek channels adjacent to spawning flats. Working your way out of the coves, work secondary points and main lake points. Soon, humps and ledges near coves with big populations of spawning bass will be loading up. And since the North end of the lake spawns first, more fish will be on summertime patterns up there than will the bass on the southern end of the lake.
Concerning your lure choice, let the bass tell you what they want. Early and late and on cloudy days, topwater baits like a Pop-R or buzzbait will produce some really big fish. Shallow, lipless, and medium running crankbaits and spinnerbaits work well over grass and around wood cover on points and creeks. Shad and bluegill color patterns usually work best. For numbers, it is hard to beat wacky rigged Lake Fork Twitch worms and Zig Zags in shades of watermelon fished in grass beds and pad fields. Concentrate on holes in the grass and especially on wood cover and you’ll be in business. And speaking of cover, a Lake Fork Tube or jig pitched around stumps and outside grass lines on points is a great way to catch a trophy bass. For fish on main lake humps and points, a 1-2 combo of a deep diving crankbait like a Norman’s DD22 in shad colors and a Carolina rigged Lake Fork Ring Fry in watermelon will produce fish fast, once you locate a school of bass. Finally, for the bedding fish, Texas rigged Lake Fork Tackle Baby Fork Craws and Tom Dog lizards in white or watermelon are working 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 www.LakeForkGuideTrips.com, where your satisfaction is guaranteed.
Tom Redington
