-mr_no_skunk- = bored and trolling

He's sitting behind his computer right now laughing his rear off.

This thread is scary! Im moving to Fork when I graduate...

Someone touched on it earlier, but Fork DID get LMBV about the same time period you are talking about...5 or 6 yeas ago, I'm not exactly sure. Couple in with that a decline in grass and summers of severe drought, I can see where you think this way. With that being said, I have noticed every year since that the grass is growing thicker and the slot fish on average have been heavier. It just takes time for the lake to recover from these factors. Then, if you want to add in the "explosion" of our sport in the past 5-10 years, and public forums like this one talking about such a famed lake, then yes, the addded fishing pressure only makes the rebound take longer. I was not lucky enough to fish the lake back in the "hey-day", but short of making a drive 10 hours south, it IS by far my first choice.

I agree with that about Fork bass. With that pressure they are definitely smarter than your average bass.

When you catch a Fork hog your technique, skills, lure choices, equipment all are validated and you feel great.

You guys down there have no idea how good ya got it!
Up here in the suburban Chicago area the bigger lakes have so many jetskiers and drunken pleasure boaters you have to get off the lake by 8am!
Ray Hubbard / Lake Fork / Sam Rayburn / Amistad / Falcon
More bass water there than all the water in Lake Michigan!
Please keep zeroing so there will be some left when I come back down next year!

No disrespect intended...but I think this post illustrates the difference between the way Lake Fork is viewed by people from up north who have been coming down here for years, as opposed to East Texas fishermen.

If I live in Wisconsin or North Dakota, and I'm not used to catching a bunch of big largemouth bass, I am probably going to be satisfied with going out on Lake Fork and catching a few fish here and there. The fact that I am also probably more likely to hire a guide for my once-a-year trip probably doesn't hurt, nor does the fact that I am fishing in 60-80 degree weather as opposed to the 20-35 degree cold and snow cover that I left to come down.

On the other hand, with all the quality bass lakes we have in East Texas...I think some of us have higher expectations for our fishing trips. Unless I am focusing on finding a needle in the proverbial haystack and catching a ShareLunker, why would I want to go to Fork and catch a handful or less of fish in a day when I can go to Pines...or Athens...or Nacogdoches...or any number of other East Texas lakes and probably catch two to five times as many fish. Plus, those lakes have plenty of big fish in them, too.

This is just my (probably) uninformed opinion, but I think out-of-staters who come down to experience the "Legend of Lake Fork" are the people who are keeping some of those businesses that are still operating out there afloat.

They are probably more satisfied with going out and catching three fish on Lake Fork than, let's say, someone who drives over from Longview or Tyler. Plus, if they have a bad few days of fishing they might just think it is an anomoly...while the East Texas guy who has been fishing the lake numerous times per year for several years with less than spectacular results begins to become disillusioned with fishing this once great body of water and decides to go elsewhere, to what he considers better choices for his recreation dollar.

taoy, really catch a 16? That is an unbelievable fish, must have really got your heart pounding.

Yep, March 22, 2002. I kept his fish for a pet for almost a year, when we got it from TPW it was 18.69 and was 20.51 when it left our tank bound for Houston.

Thats unbelievable! Oh yea, but Lake Fork sucks, I forget!

Yeah, it's always funny how we get these one or two guys that are right now matter what anyone says. But like I said originally, I wish more people hated Fork and would stay away. Maybe the fish would loosen up for awhile. It's been nice to go to other lakes the past year and get on spots when you want to.

Yeah, it's always funny how we get these one or two guys that are right now matter what anyone says. But like I said originally, I wish more people hated Fork and would stay away. Maybe the fish would loosen up for awhile. It's been nice to go to other lakes the past year and get on spots when you want to.