Lake Fork is getting even hotter during the month of June! As if it wasn’t hot enough already. If you missed out on the Toyota Texas Bass Classic last month here at Lake Fork you missed one of the most amazing fish catching tournaments in the history of tournament bass fishing. Not only did all of the top anglers in the world catch a lot of bass, they caught big ones! Enough big bass to break the all-time standing record during a three-day professional tournament. The winning weight weighed 110 lbs for three days by Keith Combs. To put it in perspective, that is a 7.34 lb average per fish! It confirmed to many that Lake Fork is simply the best bass fishing lake in the country right now.
The water levels are in great shape right now with the lake receiving a good amount of rainfall last month. We are currently at 399.91, which is just barely over 3 feet low. Water temperatures are ranging from 75-80 degrees. The water clarity is clear to about 3 feet on the south end with stained areas in the backs of some of the creeks and on the north end. There is a lot of new vegetation growing all over the lake with the rise in water levels after being low for some time.
The top water action has been great lately and what a way to start the day off with some big bass surface explosions. Yellow magics in shad colors have been best in 2-8 feet depths. The frog bite has also been fierce! With all the freshly flooded grass and new vegetation growing the bass are way up in it. Spro frogs and Ribbits fished in lily pads, hydrilla, and flooded grass in the pockets and creeks has been very productive. I like to use natural colors like greens, blacks, and chartreuse or a combination of these colors. Having the right equipment with a frog is crucial in landing these bass from heavy cover. I am using the New Abu Garcia Rocket with 50 lb Trilene Braid on an Abu Garcia Veritas 7’” med heavy rod. The gear ratio on the Rocket is 9:1 and will bring em out of the heavy stuff quick!
Right now the fishing is great just about everywhere you go on the lake both shallow and deep. The biggest problem has been deciding which groups of fish to go after. Most of the bass have finished up spawning and are hungry! There are several different patterns that have been working for me over the past couple of weeks. Shallow running square billed crank baits have also been very good fished around stumps in 2-5 feet. The Sebile Bull Crank has been my go to bait when it comes to cranking the shallows. 5” Berkley Hollow Belly swim baits fished in the same areas as the square bill have been great too especially early on windy days. Wacky rigged Berkley Havoc Bottom Hoppers or trick worms have been good shallow as well and are a great back up to the crank after you locate some fish. The ones that wont chase the crank bait or swim bait will eat the wacky worm.
The deep bite has really started to turn on over the past few weeks. As the fish finish up spawning you can find schools of fish congregated on points, humps, creek channel bends, roadbeds, ridges, and pond dams in 16-26 feet of water. I will idle over these areas with my Lowrance HDS Gen 2 Touch unit and look for schools of bass around shad, sand bass, or yellow bass. The big bass will feed on all three. Once I have located a school I have been using several different presentations. The Carolina rig has been the most effective lately. I am using a 7’6” medium heavy Abu Garcia Veritas rod rigged with a 1 oz. Elite tungsten weight and 4-5 foot leader with a 3/0 wide gap hook. My best baits have been a Berkley Havoc Bottom Hopper, 4” Power Hawg, lizard, or centipede in watermelon or green pumpkin colors. Texas rigged 10” Power Worms have also been doing very well in the same colors rigged with a 3/8-1/2 oz weight and a 5/0 hook. The football head jig bite has been good for big fish as well. I am using a ¾-1 oz. Talon football jig in green pumpkin, watermelon candy, Bama bug, and Willie’s weed colors with a Berkley Havoc “Deuce” in green pumpkin as a trailer. A lot of these deep fish are suspended over this structure too and a deep diving crank bait, Talon “Big Dandy” spoon, or big swim baits do best. Working these baits through the middle of the water column will get you bit!
Next month be sure and get in on the Pro Bass Class on Lake Fork! Top professional anglers Kurt Dove, Keith Combs, Matt Reed, James Niggemeyer and myself will be speaking and giving personalized instruction on Lake Fork July 8,9, & 10. The class will be about summertime fishing patterns and much more. You can visit the website at www.probassclass.com for more information about this great new informative seminar & on the water instruction by top pros!
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 and fall 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 [email protected] 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, Toyota, I Am Second, Interstate Batteries, Lowrance, Power Pole, Berkley, Abu Garcia, Talon Lures, Simms, Costa Del Mar and Elite Tungsten.
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