Lake Fork General Fishing Conditions for Bass, Crappie, and Catfish

JANUARY-MARCH
The crappie are still biting out in the deeper water and by February and March they're getting ready to move up shallow to spawn. They will continue to spawn through April. The crappie can be caught on jigs. The bass are starting to move up from deeper water and are starting to stage on the flats. They can be caught on a variety of baits. Recommended Tackle: 17-20 lb test Trilene XT. Best Rod options are Med Heavy 6’6’ or a 6’6’ Heavy action rod, Spinner baits 1/4 and 1/2 oz, Crank baits 10-12 ft depth range, Jigs 1/2 oz. watermelon red or black/blue, Rattle Traps 1/2 in red, Lake Fork Tackle Ring Fry’s or Twitch Worms.

MARCH-APRIL
The crappie are now spawning and can be caught all sorts of ways. My favorite way is on a jig. The bass are Spawning on the beds. The bass are very vulnerable this time of the year because you can go down the bank on the trolling motor and see those big bass on the beds. I like to fish the beds with a Lake Fork Tackle Top Dog Lizard in the colors of white or red shad/green flake, and I also like to throw a Lake Fork Tackle Swim bait Live Magic shad in the colors of white or magic shad in the sizes of 4 ½ inch or the 3 ½ inch baits also you will need to get the Lake Fork Tackle Swim Bait hook when throwing the swim baits this will improve your fish catches when throwing swim baits. This hook allows the swim bait to fall neutral it does not allow it to fall head first or tail first like some of the others on the market. I would definitely always fish the swim bait on this hook only. The bass will stay on the beds thru April. There will be waves of bass moving up this time of the year. Recommended Tackle: 17-20 lb test Trilene XT. Best rod action is Med, Med Heavy, or Heavy, Lake Fork Tackle Top Dog Lizard in the colors of white and red shad/ green flake and The Lake Fork Tackle Live Magic Shad Swim bait in the colors of white and magic shad in the sizes of 3 ½ or 4 ½ inch baits, and the Lake Fork tackle Swim bait Hooks in the sizes of 3/0, 4/0, or 5/0 depending on the size swim bait you are throwing.

APRIL-MAY
The crappies are finishing up the spawn. The majority of the crappie are going into the post spawn pattern. You can still catch them on jigs. The bass are also finishing ending their spawn. They now in the post spawn pattern. You can usually catch them on a variety of different baits. Recommended Tackle: 17-20 lb test Trilene XT. Best rod action is Med, Med Heavy, or Heavy, Lake Fork Tackle Soft Plastics, Yellow Magic Top waters - bone or baby bass, Bandit Crank baits - white/chrome, Spinner baits 1/4 or 1/2 oz., and Jigs 1/2 or 3/8 in the Lake Fork Tackle Jig.

JUNE-JULY-AUGUST
The crappie can be found deep or shallow. The cat fishing is great this time of the year. The catfish can be found deep or shallow. The bass fishing is also good, they can be caught deep or shallow. In August the bass start to school and you can catch them on numerous different baits. I usually catch them on Lake Fork Tackle Soft Plastics baits this time of year. Also you can catch them on top water baits. Recommended Tackle: 17-20 lb test Trilene XT. Best rod action is Med, Med Heavy, or Heavy, Lake Fork Tackle Soft Plastics, Yellow Magic Topwater Baits - bone or baby bass, Danny Kings Original Punch Bait.

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER
The crappies are still biting deep and shallow. The catfish are still biting real well. The bass are deep and shallow still. Recommended Tackle: 17-20 lb test Trilene XT. Best rod action is Med, Med Heavy, or the Heavy action rods, Danny Kings Original Punch Bait, Lake Fork Tackle Soft Plastics - Twitch worm or Ring fry, Yellow Magic Topwaters Baits, Bandit Crank baits - 10-12 ft depth, and Spinner Baits and or the Lake Fork Tackle Jigs 1/2 oz.

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER
The crappie fishing is great this time of the year. The crappie will still be found deep or shallow. The bass fishing is still good you can find them deep or shallow. They can be caught on a variety of baits. Recommended Tackle: 17-20 lb test Trilene XT. Best rod choice is Med, Med Heavy, or Heavy action rods, Bandit Crank baits 10-12 ft depth, Yellow Magic Topwaters - bone or baby bass, Spinner baits - 1/2 oz., Bill Lewis 1/2 oz. Rattle Traps in red, and Lake Fork Tackle Live Magic Shad Swim Baits. Crappie Buster Jigs in 1/8 or 1/16 oz.