I want to begin a discussion about tournaments on Lake Fork. I am in process of building a home on the Lake after much thought about which lake to retire upon. I choose Fork for a number of reasons. I knew the lake was very pressured, and I am prepared to deal with that. What I would like some help understanding is why the local folks are so welcoming to these national tournaments. They will bring more attention to a small (in comparison to other reservoirs) lake. The pressure on the fishery will diminish the fish stocks in the lake. Catch and release though widely practiced probably results in a substantial percentage of mortality--- my guess 20%. The tournaments are relentless and every week. I fear they will kill the goose that lays the Golden egg. It isn't just bass tournaments, crappie and catfish are under attack as well. They aren't catch and release for the most part.
I know that business in the area need the dollars, but you have to wonder how much they will make if they destroy the fishery. I just don't see national attention as a good thing. I am glad the legends folks left the area proclaiming how friendly the local folks were; after all we are Texans.. Still, I just don't understand how there isn't more local concern for the fishery in general. Why does Texas parks and Wildlife sponsor and support this event? It's feather in their hat today for a depleted "has been" fishery tomorrow. The reservoir is aging and the guide numbers are staggering. Why does the SRA sponsor this event? What do they get from the notoriety? Why did folks volunteer for various tasks to facilitate the tournament? Just opening these thoughts for discussion and perhaps a little better understanding..

Lake fork was impounded 39 years ago. Fishing pressure has always been relentless. Tournaments are not just now suddenly going to �kill the goose that lays the golden egg�. My opinion. Do I wish pressure was less? Sure. Always have. Will it ever be the fishery it was 25-30 years ago? No, never will. Is it dying? No.

It's one of the best big bass lakes in the country and always has been. It's pressured with or without events. It's the prize jewel of the Texas Parks & Wildlife and they've done a pretty good job keeping the lake in shape over the years. SRA isn't there to promote events, they are facilitating an ask by their partners and providing a facility for an event because they have the only available footprint to handle it. As for the local businesses at Fork and any major fishery in the country, they live and die with the angler base and the spend that comes along with it and are thankful for the business. It's only the "local" angler who begrudges the traffic and the business.

I'm curious, did you ever fish any tournaments on Fork over the years before you selected it as your retirement home?

Over the last 2 1/2 years more "overs" are caught and released than there were 25 years ago. More tournament anglers complain about those darn "slots". Meaning there are many more good size spawners in the pipeline.

TPWD has been stocking up to 1/2 million Florida strain largemouth bass fry in the lake every year since the big fish kill. You may ask why Fork gets so many. Because almost every year Fork produces more share a lunkers than any other lake. And now with the DNA info from the LRB from all of tournaments even more fry are being shared around all the lakes in Texas.

Our senior citizen bas club members have caught more overs this year than any year in the past. Last Thursday another came across the board. Plus we have caught a whole bunch of 7's this year. Lake Fork is not dead or dying by any means you might come up with. It is in great shape and the high water really doesn't help how good the fishing could be.

And what 361v said.

I don't think you have to worry about it to much its probably the most stocked (bass) lake in Texas by TPWD.

By moving to the area just for the bass fishing and the lake you have become the very thing you are describing(fishing pressure and attention to the area). Basically a rather hypocritical thought process in my opinion. There are many well employed folks that work to make the fishery sustainable, even then everything has a breaking point. Of course folks are welcoming, its texas and it pays their Bills for folks to be at the lake. The whole mentality or wanting to be there is part of the atmosphere

The fishing has been improving. If the hydrilla would come back it would be even better.

If you knew all this ahead of time then why are you still moving there? Are you going to complain about it for the rest of your life. If so I suggest you need to find a different lake to retire on. Life is too short to put yourself in a place where you are going to always find faults and live to regret what you did.

This sounds similar to moving next door to a dairy then complaining about the smell or moving next door to an airport and complaining about the noise.

In a nutshell TP&W has a much better grasp on managing a fishery way more than anyone on here. They benefit from Texas Fest financially and that's a good thing. They are the experts so I trust them above all others.

The pressure on Fork is probably 25-50% less than it was in it's "Heyday"

this thread is pointless


Fork is the bass tournament capital of the world. If you don�t like The Cowboys, don�t build a house in the parking lot of ATT. If you don�t like Tournament anglers, or bucket list anglers, stay away from Fork.


Don�t really know what to say. Other than that. Fork is built for fishing. The economy around Fork is centered on fishing.

Either love it, or list it. Haha

Yep, if you built on lake fork expecting pressure to diminish you need your head examined. That deal drives the local economy out there and they ain't about to stop having tourneys. I don't like fishing tourneys out there but they always draw big turnouts.

The TP&WD (the fishing pros say they are the best in the nation) must raise as much money as possible to support projects under their watch. They do it well.

Many folks have planted their flags/businesses around Lake Fork. Their livelihood depends on the traffic and deserve the promotion.

I remember the 80s on Fork - it was better than you think. Sure, it's different now. I'm thankful for what we have.

Traffic on Fork was lite today. It isn't "every weekend" as you state. In fact, there are very few medium or big tournaments out there in the heat of the summer. Your gonna be out on your dock during the Sealy screaming "Get off my lawn" to anyone that comes within 50 feet of the place aren't you?

It has been since it opened and still is on everyone's top 10 bass factories in the world get over it, or move somewhere else.

Just hope and pray Bassmaster Magazine never lists Fork as the number 1 bass lake in the country... that�s the death sentence for a lake.

Maybe it�s just me, but it feels like the pressure in Fork is way less these days than it was 10 years ago. If your plan is to move to Fork you should accept the fact now that it will continue to be the most promoted most heavily stocked fishery in the state. As it continues to get better the number of boats will only increase.