Well, Lake Fork has turned out to be extremely slow fishing for me this winter. All areas that were productive in the past - and that still have water in them - are proving void of fish. My rattle trap has been worn out and my jig is apparently falling next to the wrong stumps. My jigging spoons are still shiny and unproductive. I have had very limited success by trolling DD22 and similar deep divers on very long lines.

In talking with other fishermen and observing many boats on the water, I am not alone. I also notice that the usual number of Lake Fork guide reports has dwindled dramatically - maybe not much good to report? I also see that some of the guides are now heading to other waters to guide. It appears like the lack of both water and vegetation in the water have totally "befuddled" me!

The ramps have had lots of boats on them so people are still fishing. Must be some big secret to catching them this winter....Hopefully my very small success will be short lived and I will soon stumble on the mother lode.

Help.

"befuddled"

Ditto

I hope it picks up by march.

Me too...if it doesn't we might be spending spring break at Fayette....

The fishing has been pretty good for me until Thursday! It was the worst day for me in 5 weeks. 1 bass, 2 GIANT crappie, 2 GIANT sandbass, and 1 mean 2lb foul-hooked channel cat.

-Alton

High pressure has been brutal

I think thats what it is we have had it all year and doesnt seem to go away.

+1

The loss of the grass is another key since it usually produces during this time of the year. Throw in a low lake and a mild winter and you'll have an off year due to pattern changes. With things I saw while out there thursday, I think it's gonna be a really good spring.

Go out on a main lake point whear the bait is and throw a shakey head with a hags tornado on it and you will catch some pretty good bass

The boat ramps are full of crappie fishermen

well we have not caught numbers but 5 to 10 fish days and most days we have had at least one fish int the 6 to 9 pound range picking up most of these fish in new water with jigs. We are fishing ten foot creek channels and 25 feet spoon water.
We have 5 fish over 8 in the last three weeks.

VX521Ranger:

What do you mean by "new water" - water you have not previously fished?

To All Other TFF'ers Replies:

Thank You!! It looks like most of us are not doing well with bass fishing this winter. I will try "Snickers" suggestion of shakey heads on points. I wish we did have more water and grass so it would be more like "the good ol'days".

"befuddled"

We went yesterday afternoon for the first time this year and landed 6 and lost one. I did not expect to catch any so I was rather pleased. All came out of 8 foot or less flipping stumps.

Don't where you are fishing but I got 48 today! To bad 44 were sand bass and the other 4 were LMB to 5lbs....all of them came on LFT Spoon...Barfish....

Man those sandbass kill that thing...several times I thought I had a good one hit it and it was just another monster sandbass.....

Good Luck out there!

My buddy caught a huge sandie on a trap the other day. That was our only fish.