Rayburn Junkie, you may have never SEEN a 10 lb bass chasing a 2" shad, but that doesn't mean is doesn't happen. I caught a 8.8 lb out of for on the smallest xcalibur crainbait two months ago, 2.25", in White Oak at Fork. So I think that part of your stance is void. However, I agree with you about changing the slot back to what it was.

I think the biologist should throw that textbook out the door!

Nothing in nature is textbook.

Look at this weather this year....far from textbook!

Ya'll all make good points....everyone used their brain today. You get an A!

Slot is not the problem. It's the lack of cover as the lake ages and the loss of hydrilla. Those that cite the good ole days have to remember there were areas u could not get to due to all of the trees. The size has seemed to fall off since the kill. Btw way the grass disappeared the same year. I have not seen hydrilla in big mustang since the year of the kill or a number of other areas. Back in the early 90s we caugth many fish right at 21" that were in the 7-9lb range now an over with today's slot seems to be in that same range.

Agree the fish kill and grass disappeared at the same time and it has never been as good.

Man, this is good stuff. I just killed 30 minutes in an airport waiting on a delayed flight reading this!

Even though I don't know Fouzman, I usually defer to what he says. I'm not saying there's some "Good Ole Day Syndrome" working here, but I had to re-read the part that said "several days of multiple 10 #'s". Really, is several like a couple or is several like twenty? 'Cause here's one thing I know, if at any time in my life I had ever caught multiple 10#'s in a single day, my new screen name on here would be MULTIPLE 10#'S IN A SINGLE DAY! Not saying you didn't but that's pretty impressive.

common at Ivie, J.R. did it right in front of me this year.

Same here leave it be please

Several meaning I caught 13 bass over 10lbs in March of 95. 3 in one day with another 6 over 8lbs that same day. I have caught 2 over 10 in the past 3 years. on my first trip to Amistad I had 2 over 10. one was my personal best at 12.35. My best 5 that day was 47.64 probably caught 40-45 over 6lbs.

I fished Rayburn, Toledo, and Fork a lot and I can't believe you are even comparing the 3.

Fork produces greater numbers and size hands down as the other two lakes. For instance, big bags on Toledo and Rayburn are 25-30lb sacks. If you had an Everstart on Fork with no slot limit I guarantee you would see bags in the upper 30's on a regular basis. I think the slot has caused this though.

Several is 3 or more, Jerry. But not all caught by me. Some by friends in the boat like KJ, some by me. Kelly actually had one day in either July or August where he caught his pb stringer on Fork. It was 53 pounds and change with a big fish of 13 even and his best ten were 103 pounds that day. Unfortunately, I wasn't in the boat for that one, but I can recall at least three days where I have caught two over 10 and had another one or two caught by friends. The last time we did it was in July of 2005. Also, Kelly and I went out the day after his team won the TTBC and had ~ 60 averaging 5.5-6 pounds with two over 10. Kelly lost one at the boat that was bigger than either of them, but that just happens when you're deep crankin'.

Fork is in for a wild ride over the next few years and it will be interesting to see what happens with it, the water fluctuation combined with little grass is going to change the lake only time will tell if for the better/worse.

Far as the slot goes, I really think they need to adapt it a little as it seems it has hit its limits, maybe go to an 18-24 slot to help weed out some of the 4-5 pounders to allow the smaller fish to reach their potential, but I am certainly not qualified to make that judgement.

It is sad to see the lake decline as it has....the lake gets a tremendous amount of pressure....starting fishing the lake in the mid 90's...would always catch 6 or 7 fish over 7lbs...I have never caught a double digit fish on Fork...have gotten close...but in its heyday...quality fish were numerous...wasnt the slot on the lake 21 inches in 95? Correct me if i am wrong..that was a long time ago I still fish it 2 or 3 times a year...because everyone is always looking for that surprise....I now try to make fall and winter trips to Fayette county...pretty productive little lake itself

You are correct. The slot was 21" in 1995. That seems to be what these guys are missing. If you harvest some 21-23" fish, The food source for the 24"+ fish will increase and they will grow bigger. People seem to think that I want the slot to go away and that is not the case. I want it to go back to where it was when it was working. If they think it is working now, where is the evidence to back it up?
And probably most of the guys wanting to keep it the same never take a fish out of the lake to begin with. As someone else on this thread already stated,"slots only work if you harvest some of the legal fish."

I've caught more big fish on fork in the last 5 or 6 years than I ever have. Including 3 over 10 which includes my personal best of 13.5. I didn't report my sharelunker. How we gonna get a new state record when everyone over 13 is yanked out of the lake. Most of the people that want the slot changed are tournament fisherman so they can weigh in heavier sacks. The slot is why this fishery is still so good. Just keep a few unders and let all the trophys go back.

We had one of the crappiest spawns I have witnessed. Not a lot of advantages to the angler this year.

Post spawn bite is slowly becoming legendary despite heat. Seen more big fish in May and June than I have since 2003/2004.