01-17-2006, 07:24 PM
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]10 lb 6 oz Lake Fork beauty caught on 1/16[/size][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]![[Image: 060116tom1006iii.jpg]](http://www.lakeforkpictures.com/060116tom1006iii.jpg)
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[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]8.5 pounder caught on Lake Comedero in Mexico:[/size][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]![[Image: comedero%208.5%20lb%20%20ii.jpg]](http://www.lakeforkpictures.com/comedero%208.5%20lb%20%20ii.jpg)
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[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]After a wonderful Christmas and New Years with my family and a fabulous bass fishing trip to Mexico, I’m back to fishing at Lake Fork and I’m happy to report the big ones are biting. Yesterday, 1/16, was my first day back on the lake and with a front moving in, conditions were perfect. In 5 hours in the afternoon, I was able to land 16 fish that all were 3 pounds or better. 16 bass aren’t a lot of fish for the summertime, but during the winter and fishing alone, I consider 16 fish a fantastic half day. Even better, 3 of the fish were over 7 lbs, including one monster that weighed in at 10 lbs 6 oz. All were caught on lipless crankbaits and spinnerbaits, using the patterns I outline below. While most days the conditions aren’t so perfect and you can expect closer to 12 to 15 bass for a full day, lots of fish over 5 pounds are being caught and your chances for a giant bass are best now through April.[/size][/font]
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[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]For those of you considering taking a trip to Mexico bass fishing, I’d definitely recommend it. I’ve been going to El Salto and Comedero for 5 years and have always had awesome fishing. This year, a buddy and I went to Comedero for 7 days and we crushed them on spinnerbaits. We didn’t have any giants, but we did have over 700 bass, with hundreds of fish in the 3 to 8.5 lb range. Topwaters and Texas rigged Lake Fork Creatures in Watermelon Red or Watermelon Chartreuse caught lots of big fish, too. Mucho grandes! [/font][/size]
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[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]Lake Conditions: Lake Fork’s water level continues to drop, sitting at 398.75’, or 4’3” below full pool; however, almost all ramps are still open. The water clarity is clear in most areas, although the backs of some creeks are muddy due to a couple small rains. Water temps are holding in the low to mid-50s, perfect temperatures for winter bassin’. The height and coverage of grass has been reduced during the draw down, but the grassy areas you find are still holding a lot of fish.[/font][/size]
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[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]Location Pattern: From late-December through February, I concentrate on prespawn and staging fish on points and along edges of flats or creek channels. Areas with submerged vegetation (primarily hydrilla, milfoil or coontail) for cover will typically have the most active fish. Key on stumps, docks, and laydowns within the grassbeds or on any irregular places along the edge of the grass. While about any grassy area will hold a few fish, start your search in areas that have lots of spawning fish in late February and through March. It stands to reason that the coves that hold the most spawning fish in early spring will have the most prespawn fish in the winter. Main lake grass beds near the mouths of these coves are holding a lot of fish now, as are main and secondary points inside the coves, provided there is deep water nearby. During warming trends, follow bass back into the creeks and check the edges of grass flats and creek channels. [/font][/size]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"] [/font][/size]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]Keep in mind, too, that the absolute water temperature is not nearly as important now as the recent water temperature trend. For instance, water temps that are showing 52 degrees can result in slow fishing if the temps were 58 a couple days ago. In contrast, fishing can be great if the temps warm up to 50 while they were 44 a few days before. In general, look for bass on the flats and farther back in creeks during warming trends; conversely, drop back to points and main lake grassbeds after cold fronts. Finally, the day of and the day after cold fronts can be absolutely miserable to fish, but these frontal days after a long warming trend are usually the most productive times to fish. Yesterday was a great example of this. [/font][/size]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"] [/font][/size]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]For deep structure enthusiasts, points, roadbeds, humps, flats and ledges in 18’ to 45’ will produce some big fish during the winter months as well. Use your electronics to find the schools of bass and baitfish and work them over with spoons and dropshots. I personally prefer fishing shallow in the spring, so my presentation pattern will focus on that.[/size][/font]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"] [/font][/size]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]Presentation Pattern: My wintertime arsenal is pretty simple for fishing along grasslines and creek channels. First and foremost are red lipless crankbaits in ½ or ¾ oz. Stick with the ½ for grass that is near the surface and go with the ¾ for grass that is deeper. Buzzing these over the top of the grass on a quick retrieve is working best now, but after cold fronts, letting the trap fall and ripping these out of the grass will trigger most of the bites. ¼ to ½ oz spinnerbaits with double willow blades in white, red, or chartreuse and white will produce some really large bass in the same areas that the lipless cranks work, especially on windy and cloudy days. When the bite slows or the conditions are sunny and calm, I’ll switch to a suspending jerkbait or a jig. Gold jerkbaits with orange bellies and black backs are my primary color. Work these with long pauses over the grass and along the edges. For jigs, I go with the lightest weight I can use for the conditions, from 1/8th or ¼ oz on calm days to ½ oz on windy ones. Black and blue or watermelon jigs with matching Lake Fork Pig Claws or Fork Craws will do the job.[/font][/size]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"] [/font][/size]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]Cover lots of water until you get bit. Once you catch one, work the area over thoroughly with multiple passes, employing several different baits. Fish tend to stack up in key staging areas during the winter and these spots will replenish themselves with more fish during the prespawn as more and more big bass move shallow. Find some good staging spots and you’ll have a milk run of honey holes now through February.[/size][/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]Here’s hoping you catch the lunker of your dreams. If I can be of assistance, please contact me at 214-683-9572 (days) or 972-635-6027 (evenings) or e-mail me through [/size][/font][url "http://www.lakeforkguidetrips.com/"][font "Times New Roman"][size 3]http://www.LakeForkGuideTrips.com[/size][/font][/url][font "Times New Roman"][size 3] , where your satisfaction is guaranteed.[/size][/font]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"] [/font][/size]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]Good Fishing,[/size][/font]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"] [/font][/size]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]Tom [/font][/size]
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[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]8.5 pounder caught on Lake Comedero in Mexico:[/size][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]
[/size][/font] [size 3][font "Times New Roman"] [/font][/size]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]After a wonderful Christmas and New Years with my family and a fabulous bass fishing trip to Mexico, I’m back to fishing at Lake Fork and I’m happy to report the big ones are biting. Yesterday, 1/16, was my first day back on the lake and with a front moving in, conditions were perfect. In 5 hours in the afternoon, I was able to land 16 fish that all were 3 pounds or better. 16 bass aren’t a lot of fish for the summertime, but during the winter and fishing alone, I consider 16 fish a fantastic half day. Even better, 3 of the fish were over 7 lbs, including one monster that weighed in at 10 lbs 6 oz. All were caught on lipless crankbaits and spinnerbaits, using the patterns I outline below. While most days the conditions aren’t so perfect and you can expect closer to 12 to 15 bass for a full day, lots of fish over 5 pounds are being caught and your chances for a giant bass are best now through April.[/size][/font]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"] [/font][/size]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]For those of you considering taking a trip to Mexico bass fishing, I’d definitely recommend it. I’ve been going to El Salto and Comedero for 5 years and have always had awesome fishing. This year, a buddy and I went to Comedero for 7 days and we crushed them on spinnerbaits. We didn’t have any giants, but we did have over 700 bass, with hundreds of fish in the 3 to 8.5 lb range. Topwaters and Texas rigged Lake Fork Creatures in Watermelon Red or Watermelon Chartreuse caught lots of big fish, too. Mucho grandes! [/font][/size]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"] [/font][/size]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]Lake Conditions: Lake Fork’s water level continues to drop, sitting at 398.75’, or 4’3” below full pool; however, almost all ramps are still open. The water clarity is clear in most areas, although the backs of some creeks are muddy due to a couple small rains. Water temps are holding in the low to mid-50s, perfect temperatures for winter bassin’. The height and coverage of grass has been reduced during the draw down, but the grassy areas you find are still holding a lot of fish.[/font][/size]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"] [/font][/size]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]Location Pattern: From late-December through February, I concentrate on prespawn and staging fish on points and along edges of flats or creek channels. Areas with submerged vegetation (primarily hydrilla, milfoil or coontail) for cover will typically have the most active fish. Key on stumps, docks, and laydowns within the grassbeds or on any irregular places along the edge of the grass. While about any grassy area will hold a few fish, start your search in areas that have lots of spawning fish in late February and through March. It stands to reason that the coves that hold the most spawning fish in early spring will have the most prespawn fish in the winter. Main lake grass beds near the mouths of these coves are holding a lot of fish now, as are main and secondary points inside the coves, provided there is deep water nearby. During warming trends, follow bass back into the creeks and check the edges of grass flats and creek channels. [/font][/size]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"] [/font][/size]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]Keep in mind, too, that the absolute water temperature is not nearly as important now as the recent water temperature trend. For instance, water temps that are showing 52 degrees can result in slow fishing if the temps were 58 a couple days ago. In contrast, fishing can be great if the temps warm up to 50 while they were 44 a few days before. In general, look for bass on the flats and farther back in creeks during warming trends; conversely, drop back to points and main lake grassbeds after cold fronts. Finally, the day of and the day after cold fronts can be absolutely miserable to fish, but these frontal days after a long warming trend are usually the most productive times to fish. Yesterday was a great example of this. [/font][/size]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"] [/font][/size]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]For deep structure enthusiasts, points, roadbeds, humps, flats and ledges in 18’ to 45’ will produce some big fish during the winter months as well. Use your electronics to find the schools of bass and baitfish and work them over with spoons and dropshots. I personally prefer fishing shallow in the spring, so my presentation pattern will focus on that.[/size][/font]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"] [/font][/size]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]Presentation Pattern: My wintertime arsenal is pretty simple for fishing along grasslines and creek channels. First and foremost are red lipless crankbaits in ½ or ¾ oz. Stick with the ½ for grass that is near the surface and go with the ¾ for grass that is deeper. Buzzing these over the top of the grass on a quick retrieve is working best now, but after cold fronts, letting the trap fall and ripping these out of the grass will trigger most of the bites. ¼ to ½ oz spinnerbaits with double willow blades in white, red, or chartreuse and white will produce some really large bass in the same areas that the lipless cranks work, especially on windy and cloudy days. When the bite slows or the conditions are sunny and calm, I’ll switch to a suspending jerkbait or a jig. Gold jerkbaits with orange bellies and black backs are my primary color. Work these with long pauses over the grass and along the edges. For jigs, I go with the lightest weight I can use for the conditions, from 1/8th or ¼ oz on calm days to ½ oz on windy ones. Black and blue or watermelon jigs with matching Lake Fork Pig Claws or Fork Craws will do the job.[/font][/size]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"] [/font][/size]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]Cover lots of water until you get bit. Once you catch one, work the area over thoroughly with multiple passes, employing several different baits. Fish tend to stack up in key staging areas during the winter and these spots will replenish themselves with more fish during the prespawn as more and more big bass move shallow. Find some good staging spots and you’ll have a milk run of honey holes now through February.[/size][/font]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"] [/font][/size]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]Here’s hoping you catch the lunker of your dreams. If I can be of assistance, please contact me at 214-683-9572 (days) or 972-635-6027 (evenings) or e-mail me through [/size][/font][url "http://www.lakeforkguidetrips.com/"][font "Times New Roman"][size 3]http://www.LakeForkGuideTrips.com[/size][/font][/url][font "Times New Roman"][size 3] , where your satisfaction is guaranteed.[/size][/font]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"] [/font][/size]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]Good Fishing,[/size][/font]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"] [/font][/size]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]Tom [/font][/size]
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