Fork or Monticello?

Me and my old man are going fishing Saturday for the first time together (in a boat) in over a decade. We're both split between going to Fork or Monticello and it being so rare since we get to fish we both would love some advice!

If you haven't been staying on Fork fish during the Fall transition, then you are rolling the dice. Generally easier to get bit on Monticello. But you could also show up to Fork and whack em all day....

Fork has a HS tourney Sat that will probably draw 200+ teams

Rumor is Monti = lots of dinks right now.

200 boats as my buddy says is a lot, but fork is a big lake, look down south in the 15-25 foot range with soft plastics.. Crappie are on the chew as well get some minners and load the boat.. 20 foot is the majic depth right now, ledges and points like little kid fishing, just rig up and drop down. Bingo.

That's a light day for Fork..

For me, Monti every time.

Monti will be a parking lot this weekend.... unless you have one of those "secret" spots that you can go sit on, IMO Monti will be a beating. I was on Fork the last time there was a high school event, really wasn't that bad and all the teams we came across were very polite and courteous. Cold water lakes aren't even close to bottoming out temp wise, still some great fishing to come.

I fished Monti 3 out of the last 4 weeks and Billy is right...it's been dink city. There was one stretch where it was overcast and really blowing hard where the dinks went from 1-2# to 2-3# but I have only seen 1 fish over 5# in a month and it was fishing the pipe which shouldn't really count. I've been trying to figure out where the big fish are for 6 weeks and I feel like I know my way around the lake a little bit.

Good advice right there, yep I'd say you kinda know your way around that lake Chris...LOL....My info came from Buda... oh by the way Sinkey is getting married tomorrow... How's that for a shocker

Fork for sure. 200 boats is not much at all on that lake and as stated Monti will be a zoo and a dink fest. Big girls are MIA.

Honest assessment of Fork yesterday...........really, really tough. I got some fish in the boat but they were mostly dinks and it was a grind big time. Weather was perfect, water temps still hovering in mid 60s. Tried super shallow to deep and same result. Everyone I talked to on the water and at the ramp had same story. A couple of guides had same kind of day as well.The only thing that got me bit was pitching docks near points with at least 4-5' of water on them and almost deadsticking the bait on the bottom.

Loved being out there but the fish just are scattered right now. You can be in an area and bait will come up popping all around you and no fish at all are blasting them. Happened a bunch,. Others had same experience.

Those HS kids are they all the time now?

????

holy carp!! I had no idea. I need to call him. I knew he was happy but damn that was FAST!!! Really happy for him! She seems like and awesome girl.

Caught 2 fish over 7lbs and saw a guy take a picture of a fish that was at least 7, maybe bigger at the highway bridge. Mine were in a secret spot. This was just last weekend. Monti can be hit and miss but lately for me its been a hit.

RIP Monti

Monti is used to the pressure it will be fine

That's hilarious...."secret" spots on a 2,000 acre lake. You guys can have the bridge fish...I hate fishing that highway bridge with a passion and only fish the RR bridge if its just too insane not to. And I'll only do that if I'm either the only boat on it or maybe with 1 other. Hopefully I'll find some bigger fish when I am out there tomorrow during my NFL boycott day.

This is why I can't wait for it to be a normal lake. The discharge and current breaks won't be community holes, and people will quit driving 2 hours to fish it.

Well for those of us that live 2 hours away, we're going to miss the winter fishing on it. Have my 2 personal bests on Monti.

Those fish aren't going to die. They will just adapt...

LOL.... Uhhhh Fork has secret spots.....

Is Monticello privately owned?

Monticello looking better than ever to my eyeballs.


Justs needs more propellers to open it up and make some trails.

lconn4 - it was great to meet you on the water yesterday. It stayed just as tough as it was the 2 times we talked. I decided to cheat and went to the discharge for the last 2 hours of the day. It was fun but mostly small fish. Just one of those weird days with perfect weather conditions except a BIG one...pressure was 30.24 and those Florida fish just don't like that.

\

Yep and with 25,000+ acres it should....kind of....I know a lot of people don't know about many of the underwater bridges out there for sure. Many are well known and many others are known by far fewer people.

I do not fish the highway bridge either. Have caught fish on it but size isn't there for me. Ive seen big fish caught there, just havent caught any myself. When we saw the guy taking a pic on the HW bridge we were idling by.

The only reason I say secret, is because out of the 15 years I have fished Monti, I have only seen one other boat on this spot. And it was the guy that told me about it.

interesting....let me know next time you are going and I will follow you to said secret spot. I've seriously fished every inch of that lake including way into Smith Creek but have kind of picked about 10 general areas I focus on out there. That probably gets me in trouble some times on those tougher days. For example, I fished the discharge yesterday for the first time ever in my boat. Had fun but like your bridge comment, no real size.

If you ever seen a taller guy in a silver and red Legend V-20, say hello.

My secret spot on Monti and Fork. Probably as big a secret as everybody elses.

Anyone fish this spot on Monti, lately?

And it was nice meeting you ChrisG! Fishing was tough but anytime I get one decent fish I'm happy. The big bridge has always been one of my favorite spots for big fish on that lake. I got stuck on it and didn't leave after getting a good one early. A couple of years ago I got into a school of 7 lb fish there and can't get it out of my mind. Every one was between 22 and 23 inches.

Yes sir will do! Im in a white and blue Basscat! Taller guy myself! Either in a Ford or Chevy truck. Would be glad to go out sometime! Will be out there pretty often next weekend and after the 2nd week of December until they shut the plant down