Weekly Lake Fork Fishing Report

Well, here we are in the new year. I hope this year will bring the economy back around for all. The weather is still crazy for this time of year. Seventy degree days in January is not normal. The warm weather has been great for the fisherman who have gone out. The water warmed up some to 50 + degrees. The fish have bit a little off and on. The wind was a factor for the crappie and bass fisherman. It has kept most fishermen off the main lake. The deep bite has been inconsistent even when you could find fish. The jigging spoon and tail spinners have been the best bait but the action on the bait was hold it very still just off the bottom. Too much movement and the fish would not hit the bait. This was true for bass and bar fish. Each day was different in the way they wanted the bait. The shallow water has been the best area to work your baits for bass. The lipless crank bait will be the bait of choice for most fishermen who come to Fork this time of year. This is a time you will have to cover plenty of water but do it slowly. Hit every spot you can along the grass. When you get a strike remember the speed of the retrieve, the type of cover you hit, and what type of action you were using. Work the area over good as there maybe more fish there. Usually there wont be only one fish by there self. Look the area over and see what was holding the fish and apply that pattern to another area with the same structure. Grass can hold fish at precise locations along the edge. Grass will make points and some may be just under the surface. I have had patterns where the fish would only hit the bait when you threw it into the grass and let it settle then jerk it out only to stall the bait. As the bait ripped out of the grass and then fell back down they would jump all over it. Keep this in mind when you hang-up in the grass. The other key is some days they want a quarter ounce bait and others a half or bigger will work. If there are two of you fishing don’t use the same size or color bait till you establish a working pattern. This will help to eliminate what type of bait you will need to use for the day. The best tip is remember this is winter fishing and SLOW is the key to all baits. I tell people three to five bites is the normal for winter fishing. There are days you will get more but most days this is the normal so keep this in mind. The other tip is this is a time you can catch the fish of a life time. Remember to put new line on your reels and reset your drags. The state record was caught in January so keep this in mind.
The crappie have been on and off. The wind has not helped them either by keeping the fisherman off some of the points. The fish have been running small but they have to be kept because of Lake Forks rule of the first twenty you catch you have to keep. This will hold true till the end of February. 30 to 40 foot has been the best area to work your jig or minnow.
The phone is ringing and if your planning a trip to Lake Fork in the Spring you need to make the call. Motels will be full and your guide maybe booked.
Happy New Year to all.
Jim Reaneau
1-888-918-5088