If you are headed to Bridgeport......

...I would probably have a jerkbait tied on in a shad pattern. They absolutely ate that thing like crazy all evening out there on mainlake points. Fished from 4:00-8:00PM today. Threw a Megabass Vision 110 in mat shad and they would at times hit it so hard it would almost rock you. Just point hopping mostly and keeping boat in 15-20' and throwing up shallow. Pretty aggressive in my ripping it back to the boat. FUN times. Tons of fish. No monsters but for all the boat traffic out this afternoon I will take that many bites.

I'm headed over there in a couple weeks might have to break out the jerkbait box, thanks for the info Mark.

Every post you make has the photobucket 3rd party hosting error. Any chance you either pay the fee or remove it from your sig?

Since it bothers you so much I guess I can ! I haven't been on here much this year so I have no idea what that's all about.

I fished Bridgeport yesterday morning from 6:30AM till 10:00AM. I stayed up in the river area all morning. The only thing I thru was a yellow magic. Had 15 fish in the boat. (1) was 4.4lbs, (2) others over (3). It was a fun morning. Wish I could have fished all day. With the cloud cover, I bet that yellow magic would have worked all day.

Let me know when you go. It's only gonna get better out there.

Thanks for the info. Looking to try a new lake and also try to catch a smallmouth too. What boat ramp do you suggest?

All of the ramps are useable....I prefer Wise County Park usually.

Thank you

BTW they also bit on a Texas rigged craw in shallow cover and docks up in the river area. Had a few on a shakyhead too.

Went yesterday as well, we caught them on everything we threw, bigger fish came on drop shot, caught one around 5 lbs

When you launch there do you stay in that area ? Looks like it's a pretty good ride to get to the main lake and can you stay on pad all the way ? Thanks

A lot of times I stay in that area as I am a river rat if I have the opportunity. It's the way I like to fish. It's an easy ride out to main lake. River is wide open to main lake and you can stay on pad in that direction. It's wide and deep. Just swing out off the shore a boat length or two and you are fine. Bridgeport is very easy to run. Few hazards at all. As the river dumps into main lake just go a good ways before you turn south to avoid Lower Unit Point. It's marked with buoys and when lake is full like it is now even if you cut short you should fine.

Main lake is VERY clear right now clarity wise. River is as clear as its been in years. Still lightly stained but a lot less than it used to be. Caught fish in both areas. Bridgeport is great for numbers and can be lights out in the fall. Great place to go to catch a bunch.

Even with the park full of campers yesterday we did not have to wait to launch or load. Lake was crowded but had zero issues on the water. Only negative was some dock owners thinking it was funny to shoot water balloons at boats. One whizzed by wife's head so but I idled up to them and we discussed it. They apologized and all was well. A little too much alcohol on their part but they meant to harm. Probably not the smartest thing I did but I was a bit pissed when it flew by her head.

Lots of info and good advice Mark, thanks. Been fishing PK a lot and was looking for something different. I see what looks like a lot of good fishing water in the river on my Navionics so first time there I might just stay in the river. Hope I don't have to deal with the water balloons but my outboards shoots water a long way if need be, lol. Are the boat docks best for using a drop shot rig if the water balloons not an issue ?

They meant no harm just having fun. They offered us a beer. We went back to fishing. I rarely have had any issues with dock owners out there so I would not think it's worth worrying about.

You can use a dropshot on the docks. I usually Texas rig or shaky head them. Buzzbaits, crankbaits, topwater and Flukes will work as will Senkos etc. Really limited only by your preference. A flutter spoon on the deeper docks are money. There are docks in river and mainlake. Most hold fish.

Thanks, I'll let you know how it goes. I'm thinking Wednesday will be the day.

Going to take the wife and little ones this afternoon. Plan on putting in the river and probably fishing around the docks in there to try and get the kiddos some bites. My 3 year old asked to go last weekend but he never got any bites on his crappie jigs on Lewisville. He wants to go again today so figure we will give Bridgeport a try probably alot less crazy than Lewisville today. I will probably be going a few times over the next couple weeks would love to get some time out there with you mark, I haven't never fished out there at full pool and probably not in the last 7-8 years.

Just call me or text me and we will go. Yall be safe and have fun. Catch a bunch.

Just a comment ... not a complaint. I made my 1st trip to Bridgeport and launched a Runaway Bay. I fished the rip rap of the road out to the pump jacks. I was throwing a finesse jig and getting lots of pecks from what was either perch or small bass but never caught a legal fish. I thought the lake was beautiful although there was a strong north wind and big waves that day.

Lots of bream bites out there. Lots of dink bass

After all this cool August weather, what is the water temp?

83 for most parts

I got 84-86 degrees. Just depended on area.

The boss lady put it on me this afternoon first trip with a baitcaster and first time throwing a drop shot. The kiddos ate snacks more than fished and had a good time..all in all it was a great trip no size to speak of just some small bass, sandbass, and a few war mouth mixed in.

Sounds like a fun day.

Well went today, something I rarely do on a wknd especially a holiday one. Did ok, nothing to brag about, 2 unders, 5 in the slot, 2 overs, just barely, hate throwing 16-17inch fish back in tourney. Bite slow and soft only one on square bill rest on baby brush hogs. Bunch of dinks and machine gun taps, bream and small bass. Might go again Wed. or Thurs. Anybody goin say Hi, blue triton with black pp's, launch at Wise county.

While I was just outside finishing my weedeating I noticed the full moon. Just wanted to say from experience on Bridgeport that fall, cooling water and full moon gets the big smallmouth on the feed out there. From about 4:00PM on into the night you can really increase your chances at a big small out c there on the mainlake up shallow.

We had a similar trip a couple weeks ago. Flipping the shady banks up the river with craws, a small jig with a craw trailer, or baby brush hog got us bit all day. Nothing real big but a lot of fun!

Going tomorrow Thurs. want to try up river. How far do you guys go up river? Farthest I've been is just up where it makes a double bend by that cove with the big boat by point and a few boat houses. Are there docks further on up or all open water? Anybody going would appreciate some pointers. Thanks in advance. Launching at Wise county.

You can go a couple miles north of Wise County Park but I urge you to idle after the first couple of bends. Big rocks and a few old scattered stumps. When lake is up or close to full you can get up there easily. You can run a lot of it if you make a trail. You can safely run on pad from the park to at least Bean Creek on the south ebd. After that y I u should idle.

So the river is to the right of Wise ramp? I usually turn left and go past 3 fingers thinking that was the river up that way a ways. I've been straight across from the park, and fished the islands but never been to the back side of park. See a lot of water but thought it was shallow back there. Thanks Mark will give it a try tomorrow. A new adventure awaits.

Never been there but looking at the map Big Creek is to the west and then north of Wise and Willow Creek is due north of Wise. Don't know if either is what Mark calls the river though. I was planning on going today and then tomorrow but my fishing buddy has family issues and couldn't go and I didn't have the heart to go without him. The lake looks interesting to fish so I'm looking forward to going.

The river is not around by wise county park. The river mouth is there just south of 3fingers

OK, I see that now. West Fork of the Trinity. That is what Mark was talking about. Thanks

You bet. Be careful there are 3 large trees just off the edge of the channel as you go up.

Since it's West Fork of the Trinity river I have always called that area the river as well. Probably not the right term to call it but the other name escapes me right now. I love it up there. Usually loaded with dollar pads and shallow vegetation. Bunch of flooded bushes too. You can go through a few bags of Speed Craws in a day up there. Lots of slot fish up there when they bite. Need to see if my trail to run up to railroad bridge is still on my depyhfinder. Used to run it on pad up there almost all the way if the water was up enough.

Sorry for any confusion I just have generically called the whole area from Chico up to Wizard Wells the river also. Been fishing the lake for many years and lived on it for a good while and always heard it referred to that way. Don't get me started on Gorilla Point, Magic Tree or Ugly House......all nicknames some locals have used for years to name certain areas... ....sometimes I forget local terms may not always match up with what is on the map.

You can easily run to the wizard wells bridge right now.'it's a beautiful boat ride just be careful

I'm referring to the bridge up near Chico. It's a couple miles north of Wise County

Ahh, I was talking about this bridge

I have never been there by land. Something funny when you go north is your gps will show your are on land even though you are obviously in tbe water.

Next trip to Bridgeport I need to run up that way. Might be a 7lber with a frog still in its mouth from a few years back....lol

Yea I've driven all over that area of the world checking wells. Caught a many of fish up there too

If the bridge ya'll are talking about is the one way the heck up Bean Creek and ya'll are getting there on pad you've got bigger cahones than I do. Looks like kayak water to me.

I will try to post a map with it marked when I get back home. I bet I am probably not doing a good job of describing the area better.

Bean creek isn't a bridge, it's the concrete crossing. If you go up big creek there's bridge up there.

You said what I was trying to think of....Big Creek. I refer to it as the river but could not remember what its actually called up there until you posted.

The bridge pictured above is called Green Elm bridge

May take my son for full day of fishing at Bridgeport Saturday. Anyone know if there's a marina on lake where we can grab lunch?

There is the shell station in runaway bay they serve lunch just have to tie up at there dock and walk up there

One Stop is pretty good but it's across the highway.