March Madness has begun on Lake Fork! This is the first big month of the year and a time when the spring season kicks with lots of big bass being caught. If you are coming to Lake Fork this month you can expect to find the lake and the bass in great shape for the spring spawn. Here are some tips that well help you catch more fish and hopefully a trophy bass of a lifetime!
As I said the lake is in great condition. We could use some rain for the spring spawn though and I'm sure we will get some soon. Water levels are still holding at 4 ½ feet low. The clarity is stained in most areas on the north end with clearer water on the south end. There is some grass in a lot of the protected pockets and spawning bays on the north end, which is going to be great for spawning this month as well. Water temperatures have been fluctuating considerably with warming trends and cold fronts blowing in. Most areas of the north end are warmer with water temps in the mid to upper 50's and the south end in the lower 50's. With the cold winter that we have had I expect the spawn to be behind normal time this year but that could change depending on how fast the water begins to warm up.
Shallow fishing is the predominant pattern as the bass begin their spawning ritual. The new moon and full moon will usher in the largest numbers of spawning bass this month. Most of the early spawning activity is taking place on the northern most creek arms where the water is warmest and protected from the frontal north winds. Water temperature is everything in the month of March so pay close attention to your temp gauge as you move into the creeks that you are fishing. The bass will be spawning best in the warmest water available to them. The magic number is 60 degrees but you will begin seeing male bass active in 58 degree water getting the beds ready to court their female companions. We are catching most of our fish in 2-6 feet of water as the bass begin to move onto the spawning flats and shorelines. The best baits have been Texas rigged Berkley Powerbait 6" lizards, weightless stick baits and jerk baits, as well as wacky rigged Berkley Havoc 6" Bottom Hoppers. Hot colors are black/blue, green pumpkin, and watermelon red. Fishing these baits extremely slow in the spawning areas is key. The bass on Lake Fork see thousands of lures during the spring and if they chased every bait that came near their beds they would be wore out and have no lips left. Most of the bass, especially the big ones, will wait until the bait has sat in their space for too long before they attempt to pick it up and move it away from their nest. The bass area very territorial during the spawn so if you leave your baits sit long enough (otherwise) termed "dead sticking" you will catch a lot more fish and bigger ones. This isn't always easy given the anticipation of catching that fish of a lifetime but if you can discipline yourself to slow down in the spring it will pay off! Sight fishing for big Lake Fork bass on the beds is always fun too! Be sure you have some real good polarized sunglasses to see them with. I love my Costa Sunglasses with 580 lenses! There aren't too many bass that can get by me when I'm looking for them with these on. You can even see the bass on the deepest of spawning beds and that's important because that's usually where the big ones lay their eggs. Spinner baits, lipless crank baits, chatter baits, square bill crank baits, and swim baits like the Berkley Hollowbelly are great choices for moving baits when you get a little wind blowing and the fish are chasing more. White, red/orange, chartreuse, and shad, crawfish, or bream patterns are all great color choices. If you want to target some of the prespawn bass that are staging in the timber you'll want to have a jig tied on. I like to use a Talon 3/8 or 1/2 oz flippin jig in black/blue or bama bug with a matching Berkley Chigger Craw for a trailer or a big 10" Berkley Power Worm on a Texas rig with a 5/16 to 3/8 oz weight. Pitch these along the creek channel edges and swings in 8-12 feet of water for a real big bite. Most of the females will be in the timber out deeper until their eggs are ready to move in to spawn. They get a lot less fishing pressure than all of the shallow fish that are getting trampled by other fisherman and your odds of catching a giant bass are good.
The deep bite is pretty much nonexistent right now as the fish make their moves to the shallows but you may find a few fish holding on roadbeds, points, or pond dams at the mouth of the major spawning creeks that are staging before they move up. I always like to keep an eye on my Lowrance HDS Touch as I head into the creek I'm fishing because occasionally I will spot a few of these fish in 16-24 feet of water. The best baits to target these prespawn bass have been football head jigs, Carolina rigs, drop shots, jigging spoons, and Alabama rigs.
If you are headed to Lake Fork this month in pursuit of a trophy bass and are looking to book a guide, I would enjoy the opportunity to take you or your group fishing and show you a great time on Lake Fork. I have a few dates still available and am taking summer reservations now as well. Be sure to schedule your 2014 date soon as I fill up very fast! I also have gift certificates available for those of you that are interested in purchasing a friend or loved one a guided trip on Lake Fork. You can contact me to make your reservation at 903-736-9888 or send me an email at lakeforktrophybass@yahoo.com You can also visit my website for more information about Lake Fork and my guide service at www.officiallakeforktrophybass.com You can find me on Facebook and follow my official Lake Fork Guide page at https://www.facebook.com/lakeforkfishingguides
I would also like to thank all of my 2014 sponsors for their support in my guiding and professional tournament fishing as well: Ranger Boats, Mercury Outboards, I Am Second, Interstate Batteries, Lowrance, Power Pole, Berkley, Abu Garcia, Talon Lures, Navionics, Simms, Costa Del Mar and Elite Tungsten.
I hope to see all of you out on the water for another great spring on Lake Fork! While you are at the lake be sure to stop by Diamond Sports Marine located on highway 154 just north of the bridge. They are receiving the new 2014 Ranger Boats daily and you do not want to miss the opportunity to check out the "New" Ranger Z521c. This boat has some amazing features and is definitely an awesome ride. Give Fred or Ben a call at 903-383-7829 to set up your personal demo ride in a Ranger Boat.
Psalms 37:4 Take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart
Tight Lines and God Bless,
James Caldemeyer
