The fish Hope tracked was caught by Dennis Canada and was the third largest fish ever caught in Texas at the time. (15.54lbs). Canada caught "Missy" 3 times, two with the aid of a transmitter. The fish was caught all three times in the same creek. In the spring, she would move up and partially spawn during the week and when Saturday morning came, she would move off her bed and suspend over the creek in 25 ft of water. She would stay there until Sunday afternoon and move up to the bed again when all the boat traffic subsided on the lake. I love it when the crowds leave on Sunday.

where can i get some good topography maps for free?

Also to add to Hope's tips for catching a big bass at Fork, he said that the magic depth at Fork was 12' due to the way the lake filled. The first three years the lake was open it was 12' below current pool if memory serves me correctly.

I fished it many times back then in the early '80's when the lake was new. When the lake finally filled and opened in 1983, it was like a jungle. All the trees held their leaves even though they turned brown, they didn't fall off for several years. The wasps nests were unbelievable too. The fish schooled in the creeks like you would not believe. It was bass Heaven all through the mid to late '80's.

Mark caught Ethel the day before Thanksgiving in 1986. I remember the day very well. I was in Dallas at work and it was very warm for November. I remember thinking how I wished I was fishing as I took off my jacket due to it being about 75 degrees and calm. Later that afternoon I got a call from a friend of mine telling me that the state record had been broken at Fork. We were all in disbelief due to the lake being so new. Technically it was only a three year old lake!

I later fished with the late Gayland Poe that owned and operated Val's Landing with his wife Val. Gayland had the net that netted Ethel on display in his store. Guess what depth Ethel was caught?? The magic 12 foot, right on the edge of a creek that dropped into 20 feet.

At the time, Mark Stevenson and Ronnie Byrd were the two top guides on Fork. They both told me to concentrate on the 12' depth were there were intersections of a creek, a road, a treeline, a hump, etc.

That information has served me well over the years. Hope this helps.



Ken