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Lake Fork schooling observation
#11019533
08/04/15 06:25 PM
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 258
tin man 55
OP
Angler
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OP
Angler
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 258 |
let me start out by saying I'm a very average fisherman; been doing it all my life, and most of the last 30+ years on Lake Fork.
my observation is about the lack of largemouth schooling that I am seeing on the lake, both last year and this year. I have a couple of "spots" where I can usually catch bass during the summer months, and up until the last couple of years, there would always be largemouth sporadically schooling all during the day at these spots. but last year, and this year so far, other than an occasional single fish, I've seen no largemouths doing it, just small sand bass.
also, last year, I never saw any large schools of shad, just a lot of very small groups. in years past in these areas, I would see shad schools that would almost cover my whole screen. this year so far, I'm back seeing large schools of shad, but still no schooling from the largemouths.
I hatched a theory about this last sunday while I was sweating and not getting bit. could the lack of schooling be attributed to the largemouth bass feeding on all the small sand bass? before the sand bass went crazy in lake fork, the largemouth had to chase and eat a large quantity of little shad on a daily basis. now, they can just wait for a 4 or 5 inch sand bass to swim by, and they are full for a while. that would explain why I'm seeing fish in these "spots", but other than a couple of bites, they just are not biting. could they just be hanging out down where it's cooler and digesting that last sand bass they just ate? you know how you are after wolfing down a double Whataburger with cheese!!
anyway, I would like to hear what other folks are seeing on lake fork. maybe I'm just not fishing in the right spot....
2014 Ranger RT-188 115 Mercury Pro-XS Lowrance Gen-3 units Ultrex
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Re: Lake Fork schooling observation
[Re: tin man 55]
#11019541
08/04/15 06:30 PM
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Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,210
RangerBass21
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,210 |
I've caught a schooling bass this year with a sandbass tail in its throat and it ate every bit of my 8" swimbait, I don't think they are full, I think they are scattered everywhere in the flooded grass and Willows, there's a lot of schools running around, one thing I've noticed I haven't seen them school on the surface yet, they mostly do that start of fall though.
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Re: Lake Fork schooling observation
[Re: tin man 55]
#11019545
08/04/15 06:32 PM
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Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,210
RangerBass21
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,210 |
also nearly every schooling bass I see their is sandbass and yellow bass "bar fish" mixed with them.
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Re: Lake Fork schooling observation
[Re: tin man 55]
#11019666
08/04/15 07:13 PM
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Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 6,183
coachallentca
TFF Celebrity
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TFF Celebrity
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 6,183 |
I saw some school last but they don't stay up long enough.
Last edited by coachallentca; 08/04/15 08:37 PM.
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Re: Lake Fork schooling observation
[Re: RangerBass21]
#11019674
08/04/15 07:14 PM
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,246
Double K Outdoors
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,246 |
I think they are scattered everywhere in the flooded grass and Willows This is exactly what was happening at Lake Lavon. Water levels were low for a while, then came rushing up. The fishing had not been good since the spring when it started to rain. Now that the lake has stabilized and water levels are returning to normal, so has the fishing. Give it a little more time and see if your bass don't come back.
~You won't catch any fish if you don't try!
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Re: Lake Fork schooling observation
[Re: tin man 55]
#11020207
08/04/15 10:43 PM
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Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 2,638
Billy_Lawson
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 2,638 |
here is another thought to digest. uaually the summer schooling bass are the 2 lb give or take variety in my experience, (speaking strictly of surface schoolers). the last several fry classes have been decimated by the combination of sand bass population explosion and low water providing little to no cover to hide in for fry. now this years young had plenty of cover but they are not big enough to school on these big open water shad schools yet. that being said i just dont think there is much of a 1-2 yr old class bass in fork right now, therefore greatly reducing the numbers of surface shooling bass in the summer time.
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Re: Lake Fork schooling observation
[Re: tin man 55]
#11020513
08/05/15 12:56 AM
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Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 5,244
Bass-N-Buck Master
TFF Celebrity
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Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 5,244 |
Them small lmb are scared to school as the bigger sandbass are feasting on them, therefore, there is less lmb schooling and the bigger lmb are feasting on the sandbass.
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Re: Lake Fork schooling observation
[Re: tin man 55]
#11021314
08/05/15 12:54 PM
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 16,200
Kay Dyson
HOT Mess!!!
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HOT Mess!!!
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 16,200 |
TawokaFork.......................
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Re: Lake Fork schooling observation
[Re: tin man 55]
#11021404
08/05/15 01:32 PM
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 7,399
TBassYates
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 7,399 |
I miss the good ol days about 20 years ago or so when you could sit in Dale Creek on a late summer afternoon and just wait for the huge school of 5 and 6 lbers to start chasing shad up the creek or through all of the bushes in the shallows. At least when you have experienced it you can always revisit those times again in your memories.
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Re: Lake Fork schooling observation
[Re: tin man 55]
#11021507
08/05/15 02:10 PM
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Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,614
Razorback
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,614 |
I don't see near as many schooling bass on the surface as I used to on any lake.
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Re: Lake Fork schooling observation
[Re: tin man 55]
#11021549
08/05/15 02:24 PM
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 4,194
rxkid2001
TFF Team Angler
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TFF Team Angler
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 4,194 |
Modern electronics probably play a part in this. They used to be harder to find but now anyone can take a graph and find them fairly easily so possibly the added pressure is making them travel in smaller groups.
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Re: Lake Fork schooling observation
[Re: tin man 55]
#11021557
08/05/15 02:27 PM
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 4,170
snickers
TFF Team Angler
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TFF Team Angler
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 4,170 |
They will be back in school in a couple weeks
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Re: Lake Fork schooling observation
[Re: tin man 55]
#11021764
08/05/15 03:42 PM
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,030
ogles824 (aka Lakewaydr50)
TFF Team Angler
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,030 |
This time of year fishing for schoolers can be pretty productive on Fork. I noticed over the years not just on Fork but other lakes as well on these dog days of summer @ or about 6:00pm on until about 30 minutes before dark the lakes seem to come alive with fish chasing shad on the surface. When I'd go to Fork this time of year I started waiting until about 5:00 pm or so to leave the house; it is about a 30 minute drive, I'd put in at Rainswood and go over to the Birch Creek area and just shut off my big motor and listen for them to break. I'd go to them and throw a chrome blue 1/4 oz. Ratl-Trap and catch a few on back to back cast. Once they died down I'd pitch some soft plastics into the general area I was catching them and pick up one to two more. I'd sit at that spot and listen for them breaking some where else and repeat the process. I'd usually have the opportunity to hit 3 to 4 schools and maybe get a repeat on a school I'd already hit. It was 99% slot fish I was catching but it was a lot of fun.........
2012 ZX200 Skeeter 2012 Yamaha 200 SHO Isaiah 40:31 "but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Proud student of the Pro Staffer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzwF72B2F2w&t=14s
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Re: Lake Fork schooling observation
[Re: tin man 55]
#11021895
08/05/15 04:45 PM
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Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 5,050
BMCD
TFF Celebrity
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TFF Celebrity
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 5,050 |
Probably low bait fish population or very scattered bait fish will prevent traditional schooling activity. Depends on the body of water and its recent history.
Last edited by BMCD; 08/05/15 04:46 PM.
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Re: Lake Fork schooling observation
[Re: TBassYates]
#11022154
08/05/15 06:16 PM
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 383
Big 10 Inch
Angler
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Angler
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 383 |
I miss the good ol days about 20 years ago or so when you could sit in Dale Creek on a late summer afternoon and just wait for the huge school of 5 and 6 lbers to start chasing shad up the creek or through all of the bushes in the shallows. At least when you have experienced it you can always revisit those times again in your memories. You knowing this, then you can confirm that Fork is no where near the lake that it once was. The South end of the lake would come alive with schooling bass in the fall. Not little fish either acres of 5 & 6 pound schooling bass that would stay up all day long. That has not happened in years. I don't think you can point your finger at one specific cause but it is a combination of things. Fishing pressure, lack of cover, fish mortality and numbers of fish are all factors that contribute to the decline of the lake.
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