Lake Alan Henry.....

Looking for some advice or thoughts about Allan Henry. My kids and I just took up bass fishing and are learning together. We plan on fishing Allan Henry this weekend and would appreciate any input on how to fish it this time of year. The plan is to head to the back of the creeks and look for bass in the more shallow, warmer water and use swim baits and or crank baits. am I thinking and attacking this correctly for this time of year? Any advice is much appreciated.

The issue with your thinking is that you are thinking of going to Lake Alan Henry. That place is the worst.

The problem is NOT Alan Henry, most people do not spend the time there to figure it out. While holding the weekend summer working mans, we had 6 over 6 lbs caught. 2 on one tournament. I would also throw a wackky worm in the same places and maybe a drop shot on the channel bends or first drop off. Most people just go out to go fishing and do not plan on putting forth the effort to learn the lake, but there are god fish out there to be had, but you have to pick the cover apart vs, put the trolling motor on high and don't look back. THAT is the advice I would give. Hope this helps. Tight lines, keep safe and good luck.

Thad Rains

6 over 6lbs in 2 months of tournaments is not very good. What were the average weights for the tournaments?

it seems that nobody has figured it out with the weights at the tournaments there. it used to be a premier big fish lake that took pressure off of fork in the spring then they put spotted bass in it an it changed. just my 2 cents

Agreed 100%.

Most guys I know quit fishing that lake. I’ve been fishing it for 8 years and have put tons of hours into it.

Every once in a while you can catch some good fish but it won’t ever be more than 2 or 3 bites and you have to be fishing for big ones. Anytime you do catch more than 10-15 it’s a dink fest.

I have had one day on that lake in 8 years where we caught a 21 lb sack and it was my partner who just had a heyday. No one I have ever been fishing with has ever been able to catch fish like that again. And that was back in 2011.

The only time it’s decent is in the spring during spawn. Even then it’s not worth the $30 to launch for me and a buddy.

I sure miss the heyday of LAH...what a blast it was. It didn't last that long, either. Maybe 5 years of good fishing?

Don’t listen to these guys lol. Alan Henry is an awesome little lake. I don’t know if the Poole brothers are on here, but I suggest getting to know them. Two years ago, the lake produced 20 or 30 fish over 10lbs caught including a couple share-a-lunkers between January and April. Largemouth live up the river if you are looking for 2-5lbers. If you want the six pound to double digit fish, you have to be in 40fow. That’s the thing most people miss. Get familiar with spoons and shaky heads. Jigs can be deadly too. I haven’t been out there in about 6 months since I moved to DFW, but I would consistently go out and catch 15-20 2-3lb spots with some good LMB mixed in when I didn’t want to target big ones and maybe go home empty handed.

Don’t be discouraged. My buddy lost one at the boat last year that was every bit of 13-14lbs. They live there. I would definitely say to get one of the guides to start. It doesn’t fish like a normal lake. Grape Creek or Gobbler is probably where I would camp out until you get the hang of it. Right now, I would say put a spook on and a shaky head and hit main lake and secondary points.

Well then maybe I need to hire you or someone to show me. I feel like have been beating my head against a brick wall with that lake for the past 2 years. Seems like in the past two years it has just gotten worse for me.

Don't get me wrong, I know there are monsters out there. Friend of mine caught an 11.2 on his second cast during the spawn not long ago. Then they skunked the rest of the day. That is why I get frustrated with it.

Then again, I spend most of my time on the main lake and some of the coves on the north side of the lake.

Don't mind his comments now.....he gotta case of the "new boat blindness".

Watch it Okie poke! I’m about to set the world on fire! I don’t even have to fish! My boat does all the work.

It's a dink fest. Yes every now and then you can catch a good fish, even a giant. But 99% of the time you catch 10" spots or stunted largemouths. You can catch a bunch of them during the spring and summer.
Ive been and won't make the drive back.

Might be that some haven't been in a while. The 10" spots are now in the 15-20" range and nearly 2 to 3 lbs. A few of the fish that came in during the summer were less than 3 lbs, but not many of the working man's T's. I know of 7 schools of spots that are in that class now and it is FUN fishing for them. Especially on topwater. Sometimes you only catch 1 or none, bu they are there to catch. But, don't go because I said too, go because you can catch fish there, with some patience. Danny Poole caught one this summer that was 14.22, in JUNE or JULY! THAT is a fish of a lifetime, in anybodys book except Mike Long's. Tight lines, keep safe and good luck.

Thad Rains

What he said. This is spot on. Just gotta find the schools.

I don't care what these guys say regarding the Lake guides success or his brother... The lake sucks. Are there giants? Yea! I have caught a ton of them! Is it the place to fall in love with bass fishing or take a kid to get bit? Absolutely not. Keep driving. There are plenty of bites at Buffalo right now! The weights in the workin mans tournaments are pitiful and prove that there is not a single fisherman who truly knows how to track the Giant largemouth outside of the spawn....guides included. I know there are some occasional 5-6 pound fish caught for the guys throwing a senko on a rocky point but most of the lakes in the area are putting out 5lb fish DAILY!

There are giants out there and if you get the lake figured out you can catch numbers of fish that are fun to catch but nothing special as far as size goes. I have fished the lake a few times a year for the last couple of years and enjoy it. However, I don't think it is the lake I would recommend for somebody who is just getting into bass fishing or somebody who is just getting their kids into bass fishing unless the kids are older and very patient. It will take you a while to figure the lake out and most young kids will be bored with it long before you do.

What are you getting your bites at Buffalo on right now?

Bread crumbs

For those that do not know, the Working Man's Ts had a 3 fish limit and we had to follow the sign that any two fish of any length had to be included. So, that is ONE reason the weights were not that good. I do not have a working boat and have to fish with whomever will take me and have NO input on where to fish, so that is the 2nd reason most things were low. Just so you know.

Tight lines, keep safe and good luck.

Thad Rains

Well if not for the two unders there would be WAY more blanks on that lake.

To the OP you may stand a better chance of catching fish on that lake than those of us that have fished it often. I used to able to go to that lake almost anytime and catch 2-3 lb spotted bass on jerkbaits all year long. Topwater in the evenings and mornings was always good for numbers of small fish with an occasional decent fish.

Then last year I got on a consistent pattern for about 2 weeks. We caught multiple overs every trip including a 9.08 lb fish and a 7.60 lb fish. Then after those 2 weeks were over they disappeared. I never could get on them again.

Ever since then I have struggled big time on that lake. It just flat out kicked my butt this year. If I think real hard about it I can probably count every over I caught this year, and probably on 1 hand. During the spring and summer, I fish it 2-3 times/week.

But back to my original statement, when things get tough, I keep trying to do the things that used to work for me. And apparently none of those techniques are worth anything anymore.

So maybe a fresh set of eyes on that lake may do better than those of us that used to have at least a little bit of success on the lake.

The Pool Brothers are the only people that I know that consistently catch fish on the lake. One is the Lake Superintendent, the other is a Guide on Lake Alan Henry.

Also the 9.08 and 7.60 lb fish caught in my boat are the only fish over 4 lbs that we have caught in 4 years on that lake. We routinely catch good fish on almost every other lake we fish, so I don't think its us, although it could be.

Not knocking your abilities....I'm just referencing that tournament trail bc it's the only one that broadcasts the results on here. The lake has been mismanaged and the tournament results show the numbers. It's sad that a place with such potential is so hard to have frequent success outside of the spawn. I WISH the state would drop about 500 adult smallies in the lake and a truckload of smallie fry. I know they tried at one point but the lake has everything smallmouth need to prosper.

If you want to have a really good time, make the trek to New Mexico and fish lake Brantley... I probably shouldn’t have said that...

Fishing must not be too bad. Phillip Pool just ordered a new Phoenix bass boat. I would advise anyone to go out with him if you really want to learn about Alan Henry. Danny Pool won last Saturdays Jackpot tournament with 5 overs and like 15lbs on a cool real windy day. I have been hit and miss. 2 months ago did well winning the jackpot tournament with a 7.74 and 13lbs total and then last month only 2 unders. We truthfully thought this Spring would be gangbusters on share-a-lunkers with all of the 11 to 12lb bass that were caught in the Fall of 2015 and the Spring of 2016 but it didn`t happen. Only 1.

There are big fish in every lake and AH has some in it. I wouldn’t go to it to learn how to fish because it fished different than most. Patterns are hard to come by and they are very short lived. Of course, some guys get to fish it frequently and get good but they are tight lipped about it. Don’t waste your time, please. Buffalo, Spence and Oak Creek all fish better than place. I would rather fish once a month at PK than weekly at AH. If anyone on here tells you different they havent fished outside of AH much. The bikinis are the only thing worth going for!

I will definitely say that spence can be amazing. I have a buddy that has caught 20+lbs pretty much every time he has gone out there since it caught water.

I still believe in LAH, it just takes a little bit to figure out, like a LOT of little bit. LOL. Lake BJ Thomas is a good place to take kids fishing and you can catch some 2-4 lbsers out of it. BUT, I still love Alan Henry. MOF, I took a video of the lake when it was 25' deep on 11/2797 and have it for sale, showing all the stuff that is underwater now. I have sold quite a few DVDs and everyone seems to think it is worth the $50 for it, but that is not up to me to determine. THAT is how long I have been fishing the lake so I KNOW quite a bit about it. First fish out of there was a 6 lber on July 4th, 1997 and it was 20" long, not big enough to land in Lake Forks slot size of 21" back then. I have fished all over NE Texas and love some of those lakes, but my heart is STILL on LAH, because I know it so well. I often guide friends that need help and teach them about the lake. Hope this helps. Tight lines, keep safe and good luck.

Thad Rains

Some of the lakes I hvae fished, just to name a few: Lake Lewisville 497 times; Bob Sandlin, Cypress Springs, Monticello, Fork, Cedar Creek, Palestine, Tyler, Sam Rayburn, Toledo Bend, Falcon, Texoma,Athens, Fayette County, Oak Creek, BJ Thomas, Wright Patman, Whitney, Fairfield, Welsh, Richland Chambers, Tawokani, Belton, Ray Hubbard, Ray Roberts, Grapevine, Cooper, Bastrop, Calavaras, O.H. Ivie, Possum Kingdom, Canyhon Lake, Travis, and several othgers in the stae of Texas. So, while NOT widely travled, I think I have fished a few freshwater lakes in Texas.

tr

How did you do?

Sorry, I didn't see the question about the T's. We fish only twice a month, the first and 3rd Friday of the month, so it is NOT a weekly thing. 6 over 6 is pretty good for such a light schedule. That is ONLY 12 T's all summer long, so the 6 over 6 is PRETTY GOOD!!!!!!!! Throwing out the top and bottom, the average was about 6 lbs for all the rest of the T's. Probably close to 6.33, if calculations are accurate. Hope this helps. Tight lines, keep safe and good luck.

Thad Rains

We went out the day after Thanksgiving and only caught 2 small spots. We stayed in gobbler creek and really tried to learn all we could about it.Thankfully, it was my boys that caught the fish so it was all good...lol.

They still charging two legs and a arm to fish there, did they ever build bath rooms?

Yes, they did. Just as you enter the parking area, an excellent bathroom was created for the use of everyone. Guys restroom is a 2 holer, with 3 urinals. 3 wash basins with air dryers. All automatic. Still the same fees as before, BUT, I live in Lubbock and buy a yearly pass. LOTS CHEAPER THAT WAY!!!!!!!!!!!! Tight lines, keep safe and good luck.

Thad Rains

Great Sight fishing lake for big bass-still.