Mid-Winter Eagle Count to be Held in January




The Mid-Winter Eagle Count on Lake Fork will take place on January 9 and 10, 2021. Members of the Lake Fork Sportsman’s Association have been participating in this event for almost 20 years.

About the Event

The Mid-Winter Eagle Count is a program put on by the US Fish & Wildlife Agency and administered by the US Audubon Society. Selected areas around the whole USA have volunteers counting eagles on the second weekend in January each year.

The volunteers count eagles on foot, from autos and busses, and by boats. At Lake Fork we use all three methods and at Lake Tawakoni they use primarily autos.

The main factor in deciding what methods of transportation we use is the weather. Foggy-no boats. Real windy-generally no boats. Temperature in the teens-once again no boats. But over the years for the most part, we have been able to get out in boats and count the eagles from the water. Which incidentally, is where we see the most eagles from.

What to Expect

The volunteers meet at Oak Ridge Marina at or before 7 AM and have breakfast prior to forming up in groups to go and count the birds. While we have to buy our own breakfast and lunch the bird watching is FREE.

So before 8 AM and after having been assigned to a boat, bus or car the volunteers go out to the areas we have divided into seven sections of the lake. Each section has a map. Each group leader must be familiar with his/her section so when an eagle is seen you can mark the map where it was located. Each group should be in their area and ready to start counting by 8 AM.

Groups count eagles for three hours and stop at 11 AM. They make there way back to Oak Ridge Marina where the coordinator for the whole event goes over the map and fills in his forms regarding the number of eagles seen.

BUT it is not over. At lunch many eagle siting stories are told. And then we do it all over again on Sunday. Supposedly confirming what was seen on Saturday.

Up to fifteen years it was not uncommon to see 50 eagles in the count. But in 2005 the law was changed so that the crappie anglers had to keep all the fish they caught in December, January and February. Why, because most of those fish were caught deep and those under 10” had to be thrown back which and would float on the surface with the bends which made for a wonderful winter time meal for the lazy eagles. Now that that forage base is gone and the eagles actually have to work to find food we see far less.

I have been noticing quite a few eagles hanging around Fork over the fall and also quite a large group of Mexican eagles, which we will not be counting.

Right now, we have three boats signed up to participate. We could use about 4 more including anyone that would want to bring their barge. You can sign up here.




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Lake Fork Current Weather Alerts

There are no active watches, warnings or advisories.

 

Lake Fork Weather Forecast

Saturday

Chance Thunderstorms

Hi: 93

Saturday Night

Chance Thunderstorms

Lo: 73

Sunday

Chance Thunderstorms

Hi: 93

Sunday Night

Chance Thunderstorms

Lo: 75

Monday

Chance Thunderstorms

Hi: 93

Monday Night

Partly Cloudy

Lo: 75

Tuesday

Mostly Sunny

Hi: 95

Tuesday Night

Mostly Clear

Lo: 75


Lake Fork Water Level (last 30 days)


Water Level on 7/12: 403.23 (+0.23)



Lake Fork

Fishing Report from TPWD (Jul. 9)

GOOD. Water Stained; 82 degrees; 0.23 feet above pool. Fork : Top waters early around pond weed and grass with frogs and poppers still working . Mid morning chatter baits on the outside edge of grass in 3-5 ft is good as well as shaky heads . Best bite is Carolina rigs off shore on points , road beds and humps in 12-25 ft . Big worms and flukes are good . Deep Cranks are good over the same area when the fish are suspending 19-23 ft . Report by Marc Mitchell, Lake Fork Guide Service. Lily fields are filling in, hydrilla and milfoil are reaching for the surface. Fish this type of cover at mid day when bass are seeking cover. Frog patterns are working in the shallow vegetation early and late. Small fish patterns like a dock knocker are producing bass and crappie shallow near grass. Large bream have moved shallow, wooly buggers are producing good fish. Channel catfish are cruising 2-4 feet biting clousers. Report by Guide Alex Guthrie, Fly Fish Fork Guide Service. Lake Fork crappie fishing has been super up and down this past week. The fish are stacked up on brush piles, lay downs, tire reefs and some trees. The bite is the tricky part. Some days the bite is good and the bigger fish show up. Some days the bite is just off and the short fish show up. Seems like the bite may be better on days we have a little breeze. If the winds are calm the bite is very slow. Minnows will get some bites but small 1/32nd ounce hand tied jigs with small bodies and tails are working well on fish that don’t want to bite. Best depths have been 18-13ft with most fish suspended on trees and loaded in the brush. Report by Jacky Wiggins, Jacky Wiggins Guide Service.

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