Only place we would stay for years. Bill was a grumpy ole fart but if you got to know him he would give you the shirt off his back. That was the cleanest place I've ever seen. If the singn said open at 6:00 then it opened at six. Not 5:59 or 6:02, but 6:00, Buddy caught a 10.88 in the back of Bill's boat. Becky was a sweatheart and Millie with her pies. hmmmmm.


SE Kansas grass grower(retired)

that was a great boat launching area, did it many times. The owners were very nice, sorry they left, hope someone else bought the place.

I think this thread is supposed to be about Axton's Bass City, not Rainswood.



Maybe the bass guiding business isn't what it used to be for some, but Lake Fork is fine and is going to be fine in the future. Try finding a waterfront RV spot or an open boat storage building...it isn't because people are leaving the lake. New home construction, new rv parks, new businesses, new business owners all around. Fishing seasons cycle in and out. Statewide it hasn't been a stellar year for big fish. No one lake is really showing out for bass fishing....but come spring the big girls have to move up shallow and the pros will show up and smash em. No reason to have a doom and gloom attitude. We have been really blessed with a mild winter (so far) and have had a really stellar winter compared to years in the past.

Only restaurant I've ever been throw out of.

I use to go in there a lot. Sometimes to eat and sometimes to buy bait. My dad and I were looking at property on Fork in the early days. Realtor showed us that property. Back then it was zoned residential. I could not see building a house that close to a public ramp.

Lake Fork Diner closed up for good this time.

I loved walking in the front door of Rainswood and hearing that loud door chime. Bill would be sitting behind the counter reading a Louis Lamour novel. He would look up over his glasses and say, "What the he77 do you want?"

He would give you the shirt off his back if he liked you. Unfortunately there were only about seven people in the world he liked. I just happened to be one of them.

It is at Axton’s Bass City now.

Axtons does have new owners.

Best burger And fries on the lake hands down
And by the time he sold I think I was on the like list
Got some of his old lites when he was shipping out

I miss that place. Bill was not as mean as his bark. We always went in and was very nice to him and he wasn’t that cordial in return, but never acted like a butt to us like I witnessed him doing to several of his patrons. He could act like a really mean dude if you didn’t know him. I’m surprised he never got his azz whooped in his store the way he treated some folks. We stayed with him, ate breakfast and lunch there every day, so we got to see him quite a bit from 1990 until around 1997. I remember that black headed female cook and waitress. She could handle a full house by herself. She was a mover, and still had time to go in the back and smoke. I don’t remember when he went out of business or sold or whatever he did, but I got to where I enjoyed seeing him every year. The good ole’ days....it makes me sick thinking how well that lake used to fish compared to now. Sad......

If the place did sell, I may go back just to relive some great memories. Keep us informed.

Okie

Well,....Cameron, we may all become crappie guides soon.

Lets just say I know somethings you don't know about the lake.

if that is the one on 17 up by 515 that popes owns it wlll reopen end of feb. is what the mgr told me sat. 3 tables and the bar, bkfst only and mostly to go stuff. won't be like it was and I doubt the guides will meet there any more. where the tables were is now all racks of plastics, mostly v&m stuff.

As a small business owner myself, I wish the best to the new owners (if that information is true), but I have to agree with Marc here. Whether you believe the fishing is good or not, the issue with Fork is the location. It is difficult to have a tourism business in a location so far removed from other activities. Fork will always get the fisherman business, but it is not going to start getting the family vacation business. Fork really isnt even a recreation possible lake for the members of the family that dont care to fish exclusively, and that eliminates a large majority of the population. Just getting family business for extended weekends will always be tough for Fork. Throw in the undesirable tournament formats due to the slot (my opinion and I know others will disagree) and you eliminate a large amount of fisherman business that lakes like Rayburn are getting (though also a tough place to think about investing in Tourism).

These factors are also what make Fork a desirable fishery, but still tough to overcome the investment in real estate needed for tourism.

If the lake would fish like it used to, all the businesses would flourish...just like they did way back when. Now, it’s a constant struggle for owners just to make ends meet.