Posted By: AndrewG - Lake Fork Guide
4/19 Lake Fork Update with Double Digit Pics - 04/19/16 07:00 PM
While I would love to report that Fork is on fire, I have to be honest and say that isn't the case for me. Numbers are very low for me and other guides I stay in contact with, however the bigger bites have been coming on a regular basis for us. I try to get my customers to come in with a trophy hunt mindset, prepared to sacrifice quantity for quality. I figure if we are just going to catch a few, they might as well be big ones.
The lake looks good today. I was expecting the water to be more stained due to the heavy rains we had lately, but it hasn't changed much over the past few days. The upper west arm is still muddy, but the rest of the water is in good shape. We are slightly above full pool but the gates have been open and I suspect they will let it get a little below that before they close.
Right now I'm targeting pre and post spawn fish on their way in and out of spawning areas. I'm fishing points, humps, and pond dams the fish will pass in and out of protected creeks and spawning flats. Super shallow down to 8' deep has been my target, but I'm starting to see a few fish show up in deep water already. The top producing lure for me has been the Smashtech Felon. It's probably caught more big fish in my boat the past two weeks than everything else combined. I've also been having good success with square bills, frogs, and Carolina rigs. Below are some big ones we've caught in the past 2 weeks along with an 11.56 I never posted on here from 3/24. I expect the numbers to pick up big time as more fish get into their post spawn feed. Oak Ridge Marina carries the the 3 colors of Felons that have been working best for me, white, hitch, and olive shad.
10.4
8.2
11.56lb below
The lake looks good today. I was expecting the water to be more stained due to the heavy rains we had lately, but it hasn't changed much over the past few days. The upper west arm is still muddy, but the rest of the water is in good shape. We are slightly above full pool but the gates have been open and I suspect they will let it get a little below that before they close.
Right now I'm targeting pre and post spawn fish on their way in and out of spawning areas. I'm fishing points, humps, and pond dams the fish will pass in and out of protected creeks and spawning flats. Super shallow down to 8' deep has been my target, but I'm starting to see a few fish show up in deep water already. The top producing lure for me has been the Smashtech Felon. It's probably caught more big fish in my boat the past two weeks than everything else combined. I've also been having good success with square bills, frogs, and Carolina rigs. Below are some big ones we've caught in the past 2 weeks along with an 11.56 I never posted on here from 3/24. I expect the numbers to pick up big time as more fish get into their post spawn feed. Oak Ridge Marina carries the the 3 colors of Felons that have been working best for me, white, hitch, and olive shad.
10.4
8.2
11.56lb below
