Lake Fork Trophy Bass Fishing Report
Submitted June 18, 2009
By Guide James Caldemeyer
Lake Fork is on fire right now as the bass are full swing into their heavy post spawn and summer feeding patterns. Most trips the last two weeks have averaged 35-60 fish per day. These are the type of days that make June-July my favorite months for fishing. If you can stand the warmer weather and like to catch fish from deep water, I suggest you get out to the lake for an excellent time on the water!
Water conditions are real good with water levels holding sitting at 403.39 which is still about 4-5 inches above full pool in mid June! This is great for the lake going into summer as you never know when the good Lord will bless us with some rain. The water clarity is better than it has been in a lot of areas with visibility 2-3 feet in most places. The water temperatures are in the low 80's.
I have been starting of some mornings shallow if there is cloud cover early with top waters like a yellow magic or a buzz bait around the shallow main lake grass beds. There are a lot of fish that are up shallow feeding in the morning but the window for opportunity has been short so get out there early if you want to catch them in their surface feeding activities. Small swim baits fished just below the surface have also been catching a few when the top water bite dies along with a wacky worm or Texas rig. Best colors have been green pumpkin or watermelon gold.
On other mornings I have been starting the day out in deep water and catching fish that are feeding early in 18-28 foot of water. Points, humps, road beds, and ridges are all good places to look for these deep feeding bass on your electronics. Once I have located a school of fish, I have been targeting most of them with a Carolina rig. I like to use a 7'6" heavy rod and my new Abu Garcia Revo's are spooled up with 20 lb. Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon line. These reels are great for making those all important long casts with a Carolina rig. I like to use a 4-5 foot leader with a 1 oz. tungsten weight to keep good contact with the bottom and stir up things up a little as I drag it through a school of fish. I am rigging a 3/0 extra wide gap hook with a number of different new baits that the fish really love. Berkley has come out with some new baits that are real effective on these deep fish as well as a few "old stand bys". The new "Wacky Crawler" and "Fat Dover" have been catching them good as well as a 4" Power Hawg and even the 7" or 10" Power Worm. Best colors have been blue fleck, green pumpkin, and watermelon red. Ring fry's, centipedes, and trick worms have also worked well in chartreuse pepper, green pumpkin, and methiolate colors. When the fish start to get a little finicky and will not bite a Carolina rig, picking up a drop shot rod and fishing it in these same areas as the Carolina rig has been effective with some of the same baits. I like to use a 2/0 drop shot hook with a 3/8 to 1/2 oz. weight attached about 14-18 inches below the hook. Casting this rig a short distance away from the boat and working it back slowly or fishing it vertically over a school of bass can be very productive. Keep your spoon rods and a football jigs handy as well. These baits are great on Lake Fork and should blossom as we get further into the summer!
If you would like to book a trip for some great deep water fishing on one of the greatest deep structure lakes for big bass in the state of Texas this summer, feel free to give me a call at (903)736-9888 or send me an email at lakeforktrophybass@yahoo.com I would like to thank all my sponsors for their support and to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who died on the cross for each of our sins.
Read Romans 8:10-11
Tight Lines and God Bless,
James Caldemeyer
