Going to do this a little different and do a quick report, then get into a question that keeps getting asked a lot on here. What to expect on a guide trip or guide expectations.

As many know spawn is picking up in full swing on Lake Fork. Fish up North (Glade, Rogers, Little Caney, etc.) are starting their 2nd wave, while fish down South (Williams, Mustang, Penson) are starting their first waves. The weekend of March 15th was the first real weekend I'd say we really started sight fishing. So I expect it will go pretty heavy thru the end of April. Maybe first week of May. I'm kinda keeping it simple with only 3 rods on deck.

Baits...
1. On my sight fishing rod I'm using a smaller 3/16 weight (so it will fall thru stuff easier, especially when they are in beds in brush), tungsten bead (cause they don't break) 3/0 EWG hook and a Mister Twister Buzz Bug in Red River Special or Cali 420. I like the darker colors cause I honestly feel they get bit faster than white. On a 7'3" Heavy Cara Amistad. A Medium Heavy will work fine too.

2. A senko stick type bait or a fluke. I'm going back and forth on this. Some days I'm using a Zoom Fluke in Black or Green Pumpkin Red. Depending on water color where I am. Or a Comida by MT in Red River Special.

3. A Santone Swimjig in Acid perch color (minus orange strands) with a 4" Twister Tail.

That's basically all I'm using right now.

Presentation....
Use your swimjig or senko/flukes as your search baits or to just catch fish while you are looking for beds. I notice a lot of guys with trolling motors on high buzzing the banks and going over numerous beds. Slow down and let your search baits do the work while you look. Some of these beds and fish are not easy to see right now. Once You find a fish locked pay close attention to it's demeanor. If you stop and pitch into it, and it turns, rolls, or moves off and comes right back......that fish can be caught pretty quick. If it darts off and stays off to the side for a bit........it can prolly still be caught, but may take more time. And personally I don't like to waste a lot of time on a bed fish unless she's big!
Another thing we are doing is throwing at the bright spots with the swimjig. When you bring that jig over a bed swimming it, normally they aren't eating it. But they will roll at it or pop it and let you know they are there. Then you can pole down and fish for that fish before you even get up to the bed. This is something that will really help on your numbers when sight fishing.


Now........on to what I feel is good guide expectation's.

The other day someone asked about guides fishing with clients in the boat. I feel guides definitely need to fish. Things change on a daily basis on these lakes. One color may be hot one day, then the next they wont touch it. Same with spots. Once you as guide have found that money bait for the day, or that money spot. You should put your rod down and let the clients go to work on them. That's just my take on it. And I'm going to give a good example about this...........
One of my close friends and tournament partners is a guide on Fork. (Zach Hughes) He had a client come in from Iowa a little over a week ago. The biggest fish this young man (Nathan Huitquist) had ever caught or had hands on was like 4 lbs. With the weather and spawn set up just how it needed to be after the full moon in March, he told Nathan this could be a good day. The whole first half of the day Zach didn't even really fish much, more looked for beds for the guys to catch. Before lunch Nathan stuck a fish weighing a little over 9 lbs. needless to say, boy was stoked! Even at lunch he didn't think it could get much better. Well......it did. After lunch they went back to where a lot of these females had moved up on beds. He made a drift thru an area of deeper bushes (3 ft.) and saw a giant fish sitting on bed.
This is where it gets into what a guide should do for a client!
He let the boat drift past the bed and poled down a good ways from her. But still where they could see her. He took Nathans rod and told him this is a fish of a lifetime and I don't want anything to go wrong. So Zach re-ties his set up for him, and goes over with him what to do. 3 flips later that fish was in the boat. She weighed 12.24 lbs.. My point on this is he never picked up his rod, but let his client catch the fish. Even after a 9 earlier in the day. A lot of guides would've pulled the trigger on this fish. Nathan sent the video back from a go-pro he was wearing and I think you can hear the excitement in the young mans voice. And the pics.......the smiles say it all.





I talked to Zach right after. And I think he was more fired up than Nathan was. lol.

So if any of you guys are ever wanting to know what to expect from a guide. In my opinion......this is it! You may not always catch them like this, but your guide should always treat you where the day is all about you, not them.
Good job bud!

Solid input. Thanks.

So what did she weigh?

Sorry....12.24

That's awesome!

Solid report! Fork sounds like it's been heating up heavy these last several days

Thats awesome. Ive never seen over a 8.89 in person.

Thanks man.
The weather jacked em up a bit this weekend. Especially Sunday. But I'm sure they are back on with this sun and warmer temps.

Sounds like a great outcome for the angler and solid actions on the part of the guide!

Great report and solid analysis on what we should expect... Thank you sir!

The video is great!! Holy $&*@! you may have just caught a 13 pounder!! Awesome stuff!!

Thanks for the input.

I love it........

I wish every guide would approach a fishing day the way you do. I have been on a couple of guided trips where we felt like we were getting �front ended� by the guide all day long and pretty much just watching him catch fish.

If you are not listening to this young brother, you don't know what you don't know!