Fall is officially here and along with it comes some great bass fishing at Lake Fork! From now thru November, and even into December, you can expect a serious amount of feeding activity at the lake. Water levels at Lake Fork are currently sitting at 403.14, which is still above pool. Surface temperatures have been running 80 to 84 degrees with the water clarity being fairly clear to about 3 foot in most areas. The fishing is really turning it up a notch. Numbers have begun to be more consistent, with the overall quality of fish we are catching being good. Shallow water fishing has been great.
Although there are some fish in extremely shallow water, the heavier concentrations of bigger fish have been holding in 10 to 15 feet of water. Main lake points with grass at this depth have been the most productive places to find these shallow feeding fish. However, do not count out any area that is holding this deep grass. The top water bite has been awesome early and late, or during overcast days, on yellow magics and chug bugs in shad patterns. Buzz bait has produced some fish as well. Wacky worms, flukes, and Texas rigged 7-inch worms are doing real well after the top water bite ceases.
Best colors have been June bug, chart. pumpkin or watermelon seed fished along the edges of submerged grass beds. Fishing these baits fairly slow has been the key. The deeper bite has been a little less consistent than would be expected this time of year. There are some isolated areas that the deep fishing has been productive but these fish do not stay in one spot very long. Carolina rigs have been the most productive for me after I have marked some fish with my Lowrance electronics. I use a 7’6” heavy action Shimano Crucial rod and reel spooled with 20lb.
Gamma Edge fluorocarbon, a 1 oz. weight and a 4-5 foot leader. Best baits have been the Grande Bass www.grandebass.com Mutant, Rattlesnake or Baby Rattlesnake in watermelon red, watermelon seed, chartreuse pepper or the “NEW” green pumpkin/watermelon laminate color rigged on a 3/0 wide gap hook. A Texas rigged worm has also produced well on these deep spots the same as it has the shallow to mid depth areas. Watermelon red, watermelon seed, and June bug colors have been best.
There are a number of fish that are suspended right now and are just following balls of baitfish. Effective ways to catch these suspended Lake Fork bass is with a deep diving crank bait (DD 22), chrome lipless crank bait, jigging spoon, or swim bait worked at or just above the depth that these bass are suspending. At times, you will find these fish schooling on baitfish and will want to have your rod ready to cast into the school of fish before they move off or quit chasing shad. The schooling action is vicious but usually does not last long so you will want to be ready!
If you are planning a trip to Lake Fork to come catch some of these trophy bass and you would like to catch some of these big ole Lake Fork bass with me this fall, feel free to give me a call at (903)736-9888 or you can send me an email lakeforktrophybass@yahoo.com I still have a couple of dates available before the Berkley tournament October 13th and 14th, for those of you that would like to pre-fish for that event. I would like to thank my sponsors for their continued support and superior products. I would also like to congratulate all my clients that were able to get a check in the Mc Donald’s Big Bass Splash. And to all of you that came by to say “hello” during the tournament. It was a pleasure to meet all of you and to be able to put faces with names. For those of you that were not able to make it this year, you missed a great tournament! I hope to see you out there next year!!
Read John 16:24
Tight Lines and God Bless,
James Caldemeyer
