Hello from Lake Fork, with the rain we got this past week the fishing on Lake Fork has been good on lipless crank baits. Red has been the best color for me, and water depth three to five feet over the grass. The best places to look for are at the mouths of the major creeks. Mustang, Little Caney, Birch and Pinson have been good this week. Wednesday of this week we put 15 bass in the boat that weighed up to 8lbs all on 3/4 oz red lipless crank baits. The key right now is to cover as much water as you can. These fish are scattered over the grass, therefore when you go down a bank turn around and fish it again. These fish are not chasing the bait; you have to get it close to them before they will hit it. So each place you fish, hit it 2 or 3 times before you leave. Most of the bass right now are from the main point half way back in the creeks. By the middle of the month this pattern will be red hot and will be great through February.
Right now I am using 15lb test line and a high-speed reel on a medium action lake fork pro series rod; A medium to fast retrieve has worked best for me. Most of the bass are just stopping the bait almost like you hit a stump. So at first don't assume you have hung up. If the bait stops go ahead and set the hook. Throughout the day we have had a lot of short hits, so it is very important to have sharp hooks. I always change the hooks on all of my crank baits. The ones out of the pack just will not do. This pattern is a lot of work so do not lose a big fish over a bad hook. Also, when casting this much don't forget to re-tie your bait several times in a day. It's easy not to re-tie but it will save you the frustration of losing a big bass, because you had a nick in your line. I always look forward to this time of year, because it is the start of our big bass season. So all of you that are serious about catching a trophy bass mid January and February are hard to beat. These big pre-spawn bass will be feeding before they start to get on the beds in March. Even with the rain we got the lake is still 5 feet low so be careful running the lake. If thinking about booking a guide trip now through the spring, Book Early for Best Date Selection. You can reach me at 903-629-5085 or 903-629-7699
Good Fishing
David Vance