Lake Fork


Fishing Report

 Submitted: July 1, 2008

July Bassin on Lake Fork is a deep subject !


July Bassin on Lake Fork is a blast. It is a great time to catch big bass in numbers out of the deep water off of the many off shore structures that Lake Fork has to offer. I am not saying you can’t catch them shallow in July because you can. In the mornings you can hit them pretty good on topwater baits over grass beds and also on wacky and Texas rigged worms. You can do well at night in the shallows as well. Good baits at night are spinner baits, Texas rigged worms and jigs. I like to fish them on the grass lines in 10 to 14 ft of water. On the deep side you can really smash them on Carolina rigs, heavy jigs, big Texas rigged worms, deep running crank baits and large casting spoons. I like to look for schools of fish along the break lines off of the under water humps, ridges and road beds. These schools of hungry bass will set up in 20 to 30 ft of water and occasionally in 35 to 40 ft depending on the depth of the structure. Crank up your Lowrance unit and check the drop offs and see how the fish are relating

To the structure and the cover that is there. Most of the deep places on Lake Fork have some sort of cover on them such as trees and maybe a brush pile or two. Once you find some fish that are schooled up throw your buoy marker out near by and go to it ! Depending on how the fish are relating to the structure will decide what to throw at them. If they are on the bottom use something that will drag the bottom and if they are suspended go with something that will be effective for suspended fish. On the bottom the Carolina rig, Texas rig, and jig are great choices to work through the fish that are ganged up along the bottom. The crank bait, spoon, swim baits and even a swim jig can be deadly on the suspended fish. Remember, boat position is very important so keep a close eye on your position. While fishing for deep fish with bottom baits I like to use a heavy action rod for better hook sets such as a 7 foot Shimano Crucial heavy action. These rods are great for Carolina rigging, jig fishing as well as the big Texas rigged worms like a 10 inch Berkley Power worm. Good colors for the worm are red shad and blue fleck. On the big worms I like to use a 3/8 ounce Tru Tungsten bullet weight for better feel along the bottom and in the cover. I can detect the bites much better with the Tru Tungsten weight because of the insert free technology that they use. On the jig I like the Talon football head jig in melon gold and sour grape. Go with the ¾ or 1 ounce size. Go to www.talonlures.com or drop by Lake Fork Marina and pick up a few. These things are deadly on deep fish. All you do is cast it out and drag it slowly through the school of fish you located on your graph. They work best when the fish are right on the bottom. Hopefully these tips will help you catch more big bass this summer.

If you would like to book a guide trip give us a call toll free at 1-800-865-2282 or drop us a line at tanner@lakeforkbassguide.com. For more booking info check us out on the world wide web at www.lakeforkbassguide.com. From the beginner to the expert we will make your trip to Lake Fork one to remember. While you are here be sure and go by and visit the folks at Diamond Sports Marine our local Ranger Boat Dealer. They are located on hwy 154 about a mile from the lake bridge. DSM carries a full line of Ranger Boats powered by Yamaha outboards and also has an awesome parts and service dept. Tell em Tanner sent ya and see Ben Hogan while you are there.

Many Thanks to my sponsors. Please pray for our troops as they keep us safe and as they fight for our freedom as we know it. Read John 15:1-8.

Good fishin and God Bless,
John and Robin Tanner
Visit www.lakeforkbassguide.com for more info.
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