fork nor tpwd is ever going save itself from what our future in Texas holds. I was fortunate to have fished fork since the 80's and commend Richard for what he has accomplished over the years and is trying to for its future. water is the new texas gold and unfortunately it takes decades of red tape cutting just to acquire the land for new lakes. our population increase along with drought makes it very valuable and the rich and wise have known this for many years. these lakes are built primarily for that purpose(to provide water), fishing is just a bonus. the cali delta is a good foresight into what our future may hold. I would love to see fork as it once was but not sure that will ever happen. I am also glad to see some positive ideas being discussed on here but, a few replies here have been plain ignorant. My

I can't believe I just read this whole thread! So I'll give my 2 cents. When a lake level drops as drastically as it has in recent years the fishing and fish population always suffers. Look at Falcon and Amistad since the drought. Less cover for baitfish and they get eaten up quick. With the number of bass that came from this latest spawn the lake should really rebound good if the lake level can stay up. Grass would help a ton but just hasn't really come back well since they did the big spray on the hyacinth. Fork is deep enough that hydrilla isn't going to take over the lake. And in my memory the fishing was always best when the grass was at its best. It will recover from the drought, just going to take some time. No need in pointing fingers at who's ruining the lake when Mother Nature probably is the biggest factor.

Chris B.

Your exactly right. This is for the most part a Mother Nature issue. But, as sportsman what can we do to help out. There's been a lot of great opinions and there are obviously some men with some logic and foresight. As for me I've made a living on this lake since I was 21. I have a passion for lake Fork and bass fishing in general and I want to continue to make a living here for the rest of my life. Some of my best memories of my life have been on Fork as a kid on the 80s and 90s fishing with my dad. Now that I'm a father I want my son to have the opportunity to catch bass and make memories with me like I did with my dad therefore I have a responsibility to protect the lakes future. All of us have a responsibility to protect its future. It's just the right thing to do. I dont want the next generation to not have the opportunity to be able to catch bass on Fork because we were so greedy and selfish.

So far, I've seen one reply to this concept, and at least it wasn't negative.
Does anybody else have an opinion?

You guys are smoking hydrilla if you think fishing with live bait is killing more bass than those who are fishing with artificial lures.

I guess I am fishing in the wrong places, I haven't seen anyone fishing for bass with live bait. Is this just a select few who are doing this or is there 80 to 400 boats every weekend fishing with live bait?

Just a thought.

All ideas are certainly welcome. We have a State/National treasure here. Mother Nature's fix will be whatever it turns out to be. However, I believe that the first thing that should happen is that tournaments should have to pay a substantial resource fee based on the number of entries. This needs to go back into the resource 100%.

Not gonna argue your first sentence
If you are not seeing the live-bait fishers, you're simply not being observant enough.
The issue is that several "guides", have started using live-bait, simply because they cannot catch them using artificial baits.(C'mon, why else would they?).
Once it is deemed "acceptable" because the "guide" I fished with used it,it dominoes to the point that lots of "anglers" are fishing live-bait.
Same thing with the "strolling, long-lining" technique.
Once the public sees any high profile angler using a technique to catch a bass, they deem it acceptable, and suddenly the masses are using these techniques.
Again, I think the "strolling, long-lining" technique kills more fish (per caught fish) than any other method.
It is simply a glorified form of trolling.
My 8 year old grandson could catch fish doing this.

Is this the part of my proposal that has kept everybody quiet?

I partly agree with your ideas, but the biggest concern is over regulating anything with new laws. This gives some groups an opportunity to run with the ball and do not think for a minute there are not groups out there that want to ban all types of fishing for sport.

Enacting new laws isn't an answer, IMO...

Upgraded, advanced conservation measures, due to current conditions. Not new laws.
Simply the same as restricting the harvest of Alligator Gar in the Trinity River during a flood stage.

Richard,
Just by way of constructive criticism:
I think you have stopped getting responses, because of a 'tone' issue. You have belittled ("SMDH", "I must be the only person", and others between the two forums). You have made up your mind. If you truly want a discussion, and not simply affirmation and agreement to your theories, you aren't setting that vibe. You have stated opinions as fact, and discount other's opinions as lesser to yours because of "History".

I believe there may be some techniques for giving Fork a rest. I am not someone who was able to fish it in it's hey-day. But it is still a gem in the state. We were hit HARD by a massive drought! There are too many natural explanations for a full blame on tournaments and guides.

I go back to my statement, a rest is a rest. If one group is affected, we would all be affected. I don't see the state doing that. As far as I can see over the last three weeks, even with the heavy pressure from the Sealy Tournament, the numbers of small ones are there! They are back in the creeks, and constantly schooling. In my totally unscientific opinion, see I have those too , with the amount of bait they have to feed on they are less likely to really take lures.

)

TPWD surly has someone on this issue. Sometimes change is good. Lake Fork Slot for largemouths bass is 16- to 24- I propose a Tournament daily bag limit of 3 fish, of which only 1 fish can be 24 inches or greater. I think the Big Boy tournaments like McDonald's, Legends, Berkley, Skeeter, Triton, and many more, Clubs, and yes even Working men tournaments on week days should give 10% back to TPWD Inland Fisheries offices to help organizations to create underwater structure for this reservoirs. And any big tourney on other lakes can follow through. Here is just one of the program that has been doing wonders for Lake Fork. TFFC is headquarters for the Toyota ShareLunker Program, which encourages anglers who have caught 13-pound-plus largemouth bass to lend or donate the fish to TPWD for spawning purposes.
You bet Men, Women, Children bring in thousands of dollar to the surrounding cities of Lake Fork year after year. I admit not the same from the pass, but again everything changes. Here is a survey by Texas Freshwater Fisheries,
The estimated 1.8 million anglers who fish Texas lakes and rivers each year have an annual economic impact of $1.49 billion. Texans spend more money on fishing than on any other outdoor activity. Fish stockings along with harvest regulations have been the primary techniques used by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists to improve or maintain fishing quality. Hatcheries play a vital role in maintaining the quality of fishing in Texas. Fishing pressure on Texas fresh waters is tremendous.

Let's have a "Plant Some Grass Benefit" to benefit our kids & Grandkids future.

Just my thought, glad I started this post because there needs to be some sort of change. I will leave that up to the big boys. But your input is vital.


Fish-On
Donna

It is a slippery slope with over regulation and asking government agencies to take more control over something we love. The whole thing is just kinda "blue state" to me. More rules, bigger government involvement and a tax on tournaments.

You call it conservation, I call it regulation. I think habitat and forage projects do a lot more good than more government regulation and rules around how people fish.

As a tournament fishermen, I hate fishing slot lakes, but I've done it. I would be less inclined to show up for a tournament on a lake that had even more irregular harvest rules. Most tournament organizations wouldn't even come if you imposed a 10% fee. Tournaments operate on extremely thin profit margins for the most part. Tournaments are also the driving force in the greater bass fishing economy.

The whole thing also seems to put more weight on what is best for the guides. They have just as much right to fish the lake as the guy who is soaking shiners or trolling and you want to kick that guy off the lake or tell him that he has to fish like we do. Those guys probably kill as many fish as some dude that comes down from Nebraska to fish with a guide and lets half of his fish digest his worm before he sets the hook.

I think your heart is in the right place, but I just don't agree with the strategy.

There are still a lot of fish in the lake and plenty of people catching them. Fork at 35 years old and with a lot of pressure is still better than 99% of the lakes in the country.

Amen & Right On !!!!
Couldn't have said it better.

Thanks, and I'm not very tactful when my passion takes over.
Surely those that frequent this forum can see that this is the most I've posted on any subject, as I find most threads outside my interest.
I was here during Fork's heyday, as a matter of fact, I was here long before.
I learned everything about catching bass from fishing Fork for 300 days a year from '83-'96, when I started fishing the BASS trail.
For the next 4 years, I was on the road 110 days a year, and still doing 160 guide trips a year.

Yes, I know we all have opinions, but some opinions are based on more experience and observation than others, even though that opinion might still be questionable to others that don't have the same experience.
I don't have any problem with someone questioning my opinion, as long as they contemplate the background that formed that opinion.
There's a lot of anglers, (and a lot of guides on Fork) that simply can't relate to what we've lost due to the fact that have no clue as to what we had.
I've said this before.
There are 210 or so Lakes in Texas.
There is only one Lake Fork, and Fork has completely re-written the record books in Texas.
I've always felt that something this special should be highly protected, even if it means over-regulating harvest, means, and methods.
A lot of fishing guides and just local fishers like to hang out at my archery shop and discuss the lake, and the one fear that has been discussed is that due to this boom in small fish, Everybody will target them, and rave about how many they caught, and develop the mindset that Fork is recovered, all the while not realizing how much damage they're doing to the little guys.
Thus, the "SMDH" comment.
Probably was a little harsh.
I guess if y'all like the way Fork is, and are willing to accept the future of the current course, this thread is meaningless.
I've voiced my opinion to bring awareness to certain issues that might help protect this resource .
I'm not a good 'people' person, and know I can be an [censored] when I'm passionate about something.
I apologize.