Lake Fork once again proved to be "Lake Lottery" as it is difficult to hit it big but the prizes are there. After cold fronts and 40mph winds the big mammas were tight lipped. Most anglers were getting nothing as they were all lined up on the lee side of any shore trying to get out of the wind. What this did was to have one boat right after another all trying to fish the same shore. It has been my experience that when the pressure gets up the fish move out to the first drop at about 8feet of water. The only way I have any success is to back out from the shore and throw a Texas rigged Fluke or creature bait. Watermelon red flake is my first choice this time of year and once again it paid off with a one, two, and a four pounder during the busy fishing hours. With the weather I considered that a success but wanted more. About one hour before dark the other boats were heading to the docks and I headed out. I caught many bass and ended the night with a 22" long 17"girth 9lbr. There is no doubt that she had been hanging in deeper water waiting for quiet water to come shallow. At Fork I usually catch more bass in the first hour after dark than I do all day. One again this pattern proves to work.

I am headed back for the first two weeks of April and will see how it goes as the March spawn appears to have largly not taken place because of the temps.

I was hoping you would make the trip to Kentucky Lake

with us this year. Good luck at Lake Fork.

8-)

What part of the lake do you fish at Fork? I was in Big Mustang this afternoon and the only fish I caught was a 3 lber backed off the bank in 4 ft of water on c-rig fluke. Came in just before dark. Guess I shoulda stayed out longer.

Hi RW,

I had the BR trip on my calendar but the boat and RV is on Fork so the logistics won't work out very well. I will be on Fork two weeks in April and May then I am headed back to Canada for two weeks in June to fish for smallies. There are simply too many fish and too little time. Have fun on your trip.

I believe there are nice fish all over Fork, especially south of the 515 bridge. My RV in on Williams so I know some nice spots there and I fish Williams and Little Mustang during the week with little boat traffic but on the weekend I will cut and run wherever I have to so I can get away from some fishing pressure. Normally Wolf or Ray. If I am sight fishing then a flat preferrably on a north shore with a channel swing nearby will hold fish and work well.

I heard it said "If you always do what everybody else does, then you will always get what everybody else gets." I hear lots of anglers having a hard time on Fork and I believe it is because they get in the parade of boats going down the shore instead of getting out and finding a hump or a drop off all by yourself, slow down down and enjoy. The spawn should be in full swing very soon on the middle portion of the lake such as Mustang, Little Mustang, Williams, ect., I will be sight fishing some and backing off to 8' to 12' feet of water jigging the wood hopefully catching them hanging out in the prespawn mode. Of course I will fishing after dark with the lake all to myself. I will have to learn how to put photos on here as I HOPE there will be some beauties to show off.

If anyone has any input as to my pattern please let me know--I am always open to new ideas.

I think you are right on track. After pitching into the grass along the bank in 2 foot of water for a couple hours I finally backed off with the c-rig and caught that one fish off a secondary point about 15 yards off the bank. If I wouldn't have backed off my boat would have floated right over him. It does get frustrating pitching the grass line wondering how many baits have already been pitched in that exact spot already that day.