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John Tanner Lake Fork Report Jan 2012

January 17, 2012

January can really be a good time to catch some huge fish here on Lake Fork. As the days start getting a little longer and the pre spawn and spawn phases are on the horizon, we will start to see a lot of fish head towards and go into the creek channels. With the lake levels being low and all of the wood exposed I can’t think of a better time to spool up you flipping rod and and start pitching jigs and Texas rigged creature baits on the stumps along creek channels and on points at the mouths of the creeks and in front of the early spawning pockets. These areas will attract fish in January into February.

Another good way to catch some big ones this time of year is to use crank baits like the lipless or square billed models. On the jigs I like the half ounce Talon Jig in black and blue this time of year as well as green pumpkin or Texas craw color. My jig trailer of choice is a Berkley Chigger Craw in black with blue flake or green pumpkin. I also like to Texas rig these baits on a Texas rig using a tungsten eight by Affordable Tungsten and a Mustad Mega Bite Extra Wide Gap Hook in 4/0 or 5/0. Other favorite flipping and pitching baits of mine is the new Berkley Havoc “Pit Boss” and “Craw Fatty”. I like to use a heavy action rod for these techniques that have plenty of back bone but that are light weight. At the end of the day it makes a huge difference. I like to use the ABU Garcia Veritas rods with the new micro guides in the 7ft. heavy action or one of the new ABU Garcia Villain rod in the 7’3″ heavy action. For the reel I like to use the ABU Garcia Revo Premier or one of the ABU Garcia Revo MGX reels. The new MGX is a awesome new reel and only weighs 5.4 ounces. How amazing is that! Since you are fishing heavy artillery you need to use some stout line to pull those big ones off of those trees. I like to use 50 or 65 pound test Spider-wire braid or 25 pound Berkley Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon line. You never know when the BIG bite is coming so you got to be ready.

January can be a blast and I look forward to catching some toads this month. For you crappie anglers January is a good time catch catch them out deep on the points on jigs. Lake Fork is the big bass capital and also offers some world class crappie fishing, If you would like to book a guided trip here on Lake Fork with us for big bass or winter crappie call me at 903-569-7451 or drop us an email at tanner@lakeforkbassguide.com. Or for more booking info check us out on the web at www.lakeforkbassguide.com or our other website at www.tanneroutdoors.com. You can also find me on Facebook under John Tanner.

If you are in the market for a Ranger Boat I have a 2011 model Z521 available at a killer discount. This boat is rigged with a Mercury 250 Pro XS and came with a 5 yr warranty. It has other nice extras as well. If you are interested in saving some big bucks on this dream rig call me at 903-569-7451. I look forward to the new year and hope you are too. I am thankful to God for what I get to do and where I get to do it. I am thankful most of all for Jesus and the salvation He offers as a gift to all of us. Do you know Him? Read John 3:16. Please pray for our country and its leaders. Also pray for our troops and their families as well as the sick and the lost. Please pray also for my parents as they are both now dealing with some serious health issues. Thank you for reading this article and I hope it helps you catch more fish this month and in the months to come.

Many thanks to my fine sponsors check them out on the web. ( www.rangerboats.com, www.mercmarine.com, www.abugarcia.com, www.berkley-fishing.com, www.spiderwire.com, www.purefishing.com, www.IPM.com (International Precious Metals), www.talonlures.com, www.affordabletungsten.com, www.oakley.com, www.mustad.no, www.hambysbeachbumper.com, www.diamondsportsmarine.com}.

Good fishin and God Bless,
John and Robin Tanner

John Tanners Lake Fork Guide Service
FLW Touring Pro
Public Speaker – Fishing Seminars, motivational speaker

Website www.lakeforkbassguide.com
Email tanner@lakeforkbassguide.com

Tags:Bass Fishing, Lake Fork, lake fork lake level, lake fork water level
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John Tanner October 2011 Lake Fork Fishing Report

September 30, 2011

Welcome to Lake Fork the big bass capital of Texas. I have been looking forward to this month and the fall fishing patterns that will come into play. Cool mornings and the sound of a big bass exploding on my topwater bait is like music to my ears. This time of year is the perfect time to do some early morning topwater fishing. I like to fish shallow points on the main lake as well as pockets just off of the main lake. You can catch some really big bass on topwater baits during the month of October. The big ones will hit a variety of baits such white Berkley Frenzy Poppers, Talon Lures Buzzbaits, spooks and even frogs. Find the shad up shallow early in the morning and get ready. Make long cast and be sure to cast your bait all the way to the bank. Some of the biggest fish will get extremely shallow early and late in the day so get it up there close. By doing this it will greatly increase your catch. You need a reel that will get you extra yardage on the cast. I love to use the ABU Garcia Revo Premier. It will cast a mile and check this out ABU is coming out with another awesome reel that will blow your mind. It is called the ABU Garcia Revo MGX. This reel is very light at 5.4 ounces and will cast a long , long way. I have had the pleasure of using one the last month or so and I really like it. They should be showing up in the stores soon. Go to www.abugarcia.com and have a look. After the topwater bite back of and fish with carolina rigs, shaky heads and drop shots. Look for the fish you were catching shallow on the topwaters to move out on the points in the 12 to 15 ft range and to be hanging tight on the trees. On the carolina rig , shaky head and drop shot rigs I have been using the new Berkley Havoc Bottom Hopper worms in assorted colors. These new worms are awesome and work great on any of these techniques. Go to www.purefishing.com and check them out. Another good way to catch some big ones this month is to flip the trees along the creek channels. Cedar trees are good to flip and also any stumps or laydown logs that are right on the edge of the channels. One of my new favorite flipping baits is also in the Berkley Havoc line of soft plastics and it is called the Pit Boss. This bait is awesome and has some incredible action. I like to rig it on 20 pound Berkley Trilene 100% Flouro carbon line and use a 5/16 or 3/8 ounce Tungsten weight by Affordable Tungsten along with a 4/0 or 5/0 Mustad Mega Bite Extra Wide Gap hook.For a look at the worlds best fish hooks go to www.mustad.no . Flip it tight to the cover and hang on. the Pit Boss will catch the big ones and comes in some amazing colors. Lake Fork Marina has a big selection of all of the new Berkley Baits so go by and see for yourself. Tell em tanner sent ya! This is a good time of year to catch them out deep as well. It will probably get get good towards the end of the month as the lake starts clearing up after the fall turn over. Football jigs are a great choice for deep fishing this time of year as well as carolina rigs and big flutter spoons. The best day of guiding I ever had was a few years ago in October as our biggest 5 that day weighed over 45 pounds. And one of those 5 was a 6 1/2 pounder. It was amazing! God blessed us tremendously that day as we caught a ton of other fish in the 4 to 5 pound range to go along with the biggest 5. All of this happened on halloween that year. The lake had cleared up and the deep bite was really good. A few weeks before that it wasn’t so good out deep because the turn over was going on. The shallow bite was better during that time. its the same every year. When the lake is turning over stay shallow and once it clears up do some deep fishing as well. Look for deep fish on points at the mouths of the creeks. Yes October is a great time to fish Lake Fork and catch some trophy sized bass. If you would like to book a trip check us out on the web at www.lakeforkbassguide.com or www.tanneroutdoors.com. While you are in the area be sure and drop by and visit our local Ranger Boat dealer Diamond Sports Marine. They carry a full line of Ranger Boats along Mercury Outboards. For more info on Ranger Boats got to www.rangerboats.com and for info on Mercury Outboards got to www.mercurymarine.com. Thank you for reading this article and I hope it helps you catch catch more and bigger bass this fall. And dont forget the Berkley Big Bass Tourney coming up in the middle of the month to be held at Lake Fork Marina.

Please pray for our troops as they put it on the line for our freedom each day. Also pray for the sick and the lost. Got trouble? Give it to God – Read Hebrews 4:16.

–
GOD BLESS

John Tanner
Outdoors ministry
John Tanners Lake Fork Guide Service
FLW Tour Angler

Website www.tanneroutdoors.com
www.lakeforkbassguide.com
Email tanner@lakeforkbassguide.com

Phone 903 569 7451

Tags:Bass Fishing, flw outdoors, John Tanner, Lake Fork, october 2011 lake fork, october lake fork report
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John Tanner Lake Fork Report August 8-11-2011

August 11, 2011

Submitted: August 1, 2011

August Bassin on the Fork

Welcome to Lake Fork the big bass capitol. August is here already and man summer has flown by. Fishing has been good over all this summer and August fishing can be no different. One key thing to do in august is to really pay attention to the weather trends and water temps. As August rolls along it is usually hot all month but sometimes we will have a system or two roll in with a little rain that will cool the surface temps off. I know this is wishful thinking but it has happened a few times in the last few years. If and when this happens you can catch a lot of fish up in the shallows. The bait fish will move up into the shallower cooler water in the mornings and evenings and the bass will follow. I remember last year it happened the last day or two of July and we smashed em in shallow water on a texas rigged Berkley Power Worm and a topwater . So keep that in mind as we head into August and start looking for a little grass here and there. It doesn’t have to be much to hold a lot of fish. If it stays hot like it normally does you might want to keep looking in the deep water on the points , humps and other off shore structure. Carolina rigged Berkley Havoc Bottom Hoppers have been a killer deal this summer so far as well as the Blue Fleck Berkley 10″ Power Worms. On my texas rigs and Carolina rigs I like to use tungsten weights and flouro carbon line as well as the right hook for the job. On the weights I use tungsten weights by Affordable Tungsten ( www.affordabletungsten.com ). Tungsten gives you alot better feel because of the hardness of the material. On the line I love the Berkley Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon ( www.purefishing.com ) in 17 and 20 pound test and I spool it on a ABU Garcia Reel mounted on one of the new ABU Garcia Veritas Rods. What a sweet set up! On the hook I always use the Mustad Mega Bite hooks (www.mustad.no ) in 4/0 or 5/0. Football Jigs are great as well this time of year as well as the big flutter spoons. I use the Talon Football Jigs in 3/4 and 1 ounce as well as the Talon Big Dandy spoons ( www.talonlures.com ). These are quality baits and built right here in America! Fish the deep fish once you find them on your Lowrance according to how they are relating to the structure. If they are ganged up on the bottom drag the big Power Worm, Carolina Rig or football jig through them. If they are ganged up but up off the bottom drop the spoon on them or even go to a drop shot using the Bottom Hopper rigged wacky style. Lake Fork Marina has a big selection of the Berkley Havoc Bottom Hoppers in stock. These worms float and work great on a Carolina rig as well as a Shaky head and wacky style fishing. Give em a try. Yes August is here and if you keep close watch on the water temps and the weather you can catch em big here on Lake Fork. Good time to catch schooling bass too. With the lake being low this year I have seen some of the biggest schools surfacing that I have ever witnessed. In other words keep your eyes peeled!

Yes, August fishing can be a blast so come on down and join in on the fun. If you would like to book a guided trip here to Lake Fork with us call 903-569-7451 or check us out on the world wide web at www.lakeforkbassguide.com. On the site we have fishing reports, tons of photos and awesome fish catch videos. Also check out our new website at www.tanneroutdoors.com. You can also find me on facebook under John Tanner. From the beginner to the expert we will do our best to make your trip to Lake Fork one to remember.

Hey I have a 2011 Ranger Z-521 pro-staff boat for sale with low hours (www.rangerboats.com) rigged with a 250hp Mercury Pro XS ( www.mercmarine.com) at a awesome price. Give me a ring at 903-569-7451 if you are interested in saving some big bucks on this awesome rig.Go to www.lakeforkbassbassguide.com for photos of this boat. it is a beauty! Please pray for our troops and their families as they sacrifice for our freedom each and every day. Also pray for Billy Weems of Quitman TX as he recovers from a accident. I am thankful to God for what He allows me to do for a living and where He lets me do it.

God is good! Matthew 5:6.

Good fishin and God Bless,
John and Robin Tanner
Many thanks to my sponsors.

John Tanners Lake Fork Guide Service
FLW Touring Pro
Public Speaker – Fishing Seminars, motivational speaker

Website www.lakeforkbassguide.com
Email tanner@lakeforkbassguide.com

Tags:Bass Fishing, john tanner flw, Lake Fork, lake fork lake level, lake fork water level
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John Tanner July 8th, 2011 Lake Fork Report

July 8, 2011

Greetings from Lake Fork Texas! Can you believe it is July already? It just seems like this year is flying by and boom here we are in summer time already. Well I guess like the old saying goes, time flies when you are having fun! And fun we are having here on Lake Fork. This time of year when the hot weather comes the fish move into their summer patterns. This is one my favorite times of year because the bass get into really big schools and set up on deep off shore structure. Now this summer with the water levels being low due to lack of rain it really bunches the fish up in even bigger schools because of less places to go. As of July 4th the water level here on Lake Fork was 399.71 according to the USGS website. That is a little over 4 feet down from normal pool. I like it at this level and even lower because it really stacks the fish up in places where you can really catch em. I am not saying you can’t catch them in shallow water this time of year because you can. Some of the major creek channels along the channel bends will hold big concentations of fish as well but I just know the deep bite can really shine when the conditions are such as they are now. Now early in the morning along the main lake points you can catch some good ones early on topwaters like the Berkley Frenzy Popper and on texas rigged Berkley Power Worms in Blue Fleck or Plum color. White Talon Buzzbaits and medium running crank baits work well too in the first hour of the day. Some of these fish will move up really shallow in pursuit of the shad they are feeding on. This bite can be short and sweet as the sun pops up so hit it early. After the early morning shallow bite is done try going back into one of the major creeks and hit the channel bends in say 8 to 12 ft with the same texas rigged Power Worms or a 1/2 ounce Talon Jig in Texas Craw color tipped with a Berkley Chigger Craw for a trailer in green pumpkin. This is a deadly combo. These fish will school in these areas as well so be ready with you topwater baits for explosive action. In the mornings the main lake points will have some schooling activities from time to time also so be ready. On these deeper water schooling fish the topwater is a good way to go but so is a Talon Big Flutter Spoon and a Berkley Jerk Shad rigged on a Mustad weighted hook in the pearl white color. On the deep fish that are hanging around the humps , pond dams, road beds, deep points etc. Go with the carolina rigged Power worms or here is a new one for you. Berkley has a new line of soft plastics that recently hit the market called Berkley Havoc. ( www.purefishing.com ). Berkley Havoc comes in several new shapes and colors and are designed by some of top Pros like Larry Nixon, Gary Klien, Skeet Reece just to name a few. They have flipping baits such as the Pit Boss and Craw Fatty, twin tail grub called the Duece to use for jig trailers and even a new worm called the Bottom Hopper that comes in two fish catching sizes. I have been cleaning up using the Bottom Hopper on a carolina rig and shaky head here lately. As a matter of fact one day on one of my guide trips we caught so many on the Bottom Hopper Worm I had to drop my guys of for lunch and go to Lake Fork Marina and pick up 4 more bags to get through the day. It was a hoot! Look for these deep fish on deep points , humps, road beds or submerged pond dams. Crank up your sonar unit and have a look at the area. I use Lowrance electronics and have for years ( www.lowrance.com ). I really like to use the new HDS units because of their power and clarity. I can see what is really down there making each day on the water more and more productvie. It will show me cover , bait fish and the bass. To take it one step further check out the Structure Scan and Down Scan Imaging. The Lowrance GPS Mapping will help you find the hot spots and you can dial it in with the Structure Scan finding the cover and other goodies others are not seeing. Once I find some deep fish on a spot most of the time the Carolina Rig will be the first thing I will use. It will usually catch the first few quickly and get the school fired up a bit. I will then follow if the bite slows down with the 3/4 ounce Talon football jig ( www.talonlures.com ), the 10 or 12 inch texas rigged Berkley Power Worm or the Big Talon Spoon. I might even try the Berkley Power Mullet Swim Bait. On my carolina rigs and texas rigs I will use Tungsten weights by Affordable Tungsten ( www.affordabletungsten.com ) and Mustad Hooks all the time. With the feel of the tungsten you will be able to catch more fish simply because you are feeling the cover and each bite better. It is way more sensative then lead sinkers and if you use Berkley Trilene 100% Flourocarbon line along with the Affordable Tungsten it makes it even more sensative. Trilene Flourocarbon line is very strong and sensative and is the best I have fished with. I dont know what kind of hooks you are using but I tell you with the hooks from Mustad you cant go wrong. Mustad makes hooks for every kind of fishing in the world and has been doing so for years. I love the Mega Bite worm hook on my soft plastics because of their chemically sharpended point, offset shank and extra wide bend.They even make the worlds best swivels. Check them out at (www.mustad.no ). There is a lot of excellent equipment available for the fisherman these days and it will truly help your fishing and make for more productive days on the water. Everything keeps getting better and better. Especially the rods and reels. I have been using the new ABU Garcia Veritas rods for a while now. These new rods are really something and a joy to fish with all day. The Veritas is super sensative and very strong. This rod along with one of the new ABU Garcia Revo MGX reels is no doubt one of the most awesome rod and reel combos on the market today. The new Revo MGX is the lightest baitcast reel on the market at 5.4 ounces. Is that amazing or what! Go to your local retailer and put one in your hands, they are awesome! Yes summer time fishing here on Lake Fork has kicked into full gear. Its a great time of year to catch fish and hone in on your deep water fishing skills. It is also a good time to night fish for you night owls. It is much cooler and can be awesome. If you would like to book a guided trip with us here on Lake Fork and find out what this deep water off shore fishing for big bass is all about or if we can be of any help drop us a line at tanner@lakeforkbassguide.com or give a call at 903-569-7451. From the beginner to the expert we will do our best to make your trip to Lake Fork one to remember. For more booking info click on the trip info page and be sure to click on the awesome vidoes and have a look also at our awesome photo section. Tons of happy folks holding their Lake Fork Trophy. We even do cooprate outings with lodging and catering available upon request. Lets talk boats and motors. I recently started driving one of the new Ranger Z521′s rigged with a Mercury 250 Pro XS outboard engine. I am just amazed at the ride and performance of the Ranger Z521 and the power, fuel economy and low oil consumption on the Mercury Pro 250XS. The are unmatched! This 2011 model demo is available and will be ready to go soon. If you are interested in saving some big bucks on an awesome rig. I sell these demos every year and will make you a great deal. Call me at 903-569-7451 for details. Click on the boat for sale section for pics of this awesome boat. Go to www.rangerboats.com for a look at the best bass boats in the world and for a look at the best outboards in the world go the www.mercurymarine.com . If you are in the Lake Fork area or in the D/FW metroplex look up Diamond Sports Marine and schedule yourself a test ride. They have a location here on Lake Fork on hwy 154 and also in Rockwall TX on hwy 276 in behind southern junction. Tell am tanner sent ya!

Hopefully this info will be helpful in your next fishing trip here to Lake Fork. Thank you for reading my fishing report and have a great summer fishing season. I am thankful to God for what I get to do for a living and where He allows me to do it. Lake Fork TX is a special place in the world and I am grateful for it. Please pray for the following – Peggy Tanner ( my mother) she has MS, Mike Rice – Brain Tumor , our Troops and their families as they put it on the line for our freedom every day , our country , the sick and the lost. Read John 3:16..

Hey check us out on facebook, search for John Tanner, also check out our newest website www.tanneroutdoors.com.

Good Fishing and God Bless
–

GOD BLESS

John Tanner

Outdoors ministry

John Tanners Lake Fork Guide Service

FLW Tour Angler

Website www.tanneroutdoors.com

www.lakeforkbassguide.com

Email tanner@lakeforkbassguide.com

Phone 903 569 7451

Matthew 6:33

Tags:John Tanner, john tanner flw, Lake Fork, lake fork guide, lake fork lake level
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JOHN TANNER LAKE FORK GUIDE REPORT JUNE 2011

May 30, 2011

June Bassin on the Fork

Welcome to Big Bass country-Lake Fork Texas. I am glad to see summer time roll around and all that it brings with it. Warmer outside temps and some awesome fishing. As we go into early summer the fish here on Lake Fork go through some patterns changes and really start to gang up as the month rolls along. Early in the month the blue gill spawn is usually happening so you can find some jumbos cruising the shallows ambushing the bluegills. Topwater baits like Berkley Frenzy poppers, frog baits like the Berkley Chigger Toad and also soft plastics swim baits like the Berkley Hollow Belly and the new Berkley Havoc Grass Pig are killer baits for big bass during the blue gill spawn. If you get in some clearer water and can see the huge blue gill beds keep your eyes peeled for wolfe packs of big bass cruising around them. These fish are catchable so keep your distance and make long cast to them and hang on! Sometimes you have to tinker around a little to find the best bait for that day but once you zero in on it you can smash em. Dont rule out the shallow stumps the first part of the month either. With the bluegill spawn going on alot of big bass will hold tight to the trees in the shallow ambushing bluegill. This makes for some great flipping and pitching. Keep the Pit Boss and the new Craw Fatty handy on your flipping stick. Green pumpkin and the california color work good in the situation. Be sure to die the tail in chart to mimic the blue bill the bass are feeding on. As many of you know summer time is a great time to fish deep water offshore structure. Fish will pile up on humps, deep points, road beds and submerged pond dams. Now is the time to crank up your electronics and put them to work. I use the Lowrance HDS units. (www.lowrance.com) These are the best units I have ever used and make life a lot easier for us out there in the deep waters of Lake Fork. As always, Carolina rigged Power Worms, Wacky Crawlers, and Power Lizards are excellent choices. Other deep water killers are Texas rigged 10 inch Power Worms, Talon Football Jigs with a Berkley Twin Tail grub for a trailer, Big Talon Spoons, and the Drop Shot using Berkley Wacky Crawlers. You dont here much talk about tackle for drop shot fishing so here we go. I like to use spinning tackle while fishing this technique. My favorite reel is the ABU Garcia Soron or the new Revo spinning reel. For the rod I like to ABU Garcia Vendetta or the ABU Garcia Veritas in 6′-6″ medium heavy. I always use braided line and attach a shock leader to avoid tangles due to line twist. I use Spiderwire Ultra Cast in 20 pound test and then 12 pound Berkley Triline 100% Flourocarbon for the shock leader using a double uni knot to to attach the two lines. Try these set ups and I know you will be very pleased with them. Go to www.purefishing.com to take a look at all of the fine tackle from Berkley, Abu Garcia and others. Deep fishing is a blast once you get on the right school of fish. You can load the boat in a hurry and catch some really big bass. Yes summer time is a fun time to fish here on Lake Fork so come on out and get in on the action. If you would like to book a guided trip here on Lake Fork with us drop us a line at tanner@lakeforkbassguide.com or give us a ring at 903-569-7451. For more booking info check us out on the world wide web at www.lakeforkbassguide.com. On our site we have fishing reports, awesome fishing videos, big bass photo section and more so check it out.From the beginner to the expert we will do out best to make your trip to Lake Fork one to remember. Give us a call for summer deep water instruction or even your fall bass fishing trip.While you are in the area be sure and stop by and visit Diamond Sports Marine our local Ranger Boat dealer located on hwy 154 only a mile from the lake bridge. DSM carries a full line of Ranger Boats( www.rangerboats.com) and has a parts and service department to handle all of your needs. Ask for Ben Hogan and tell em Tanner sent you. He will make you a good deal on a new Ranger Boat or if you can call me for info on a 2011 Demo available at a huge savings. I have a 2011 Z521 rigged with the awesome Mercury 250 Pro XS( www.mercurymarine.com ) available at a huge discount. Call me at 903 569-7451 for details.

Many thanks to my sponsors and friends who have supported me for so long. I am thankful to God for what I get to do for a living and where I get to do it. Check out our new ministry website www.tanneroutdoors.com. You can also find me on facebook under John Tanner. Good fishing and God Bless,

Please pray for our country and our troops as they fight for our freedom. Also pray for the sick and lost. Matthew 6:33.

GOD BLESS

John Tanner
John Tanners Lake Fork Guide Service
FLW Touring Pro
Public Speaker – Fishing Seminars, motivational speaker

Website www.lakeforkbassguide.com
Email tanner@lakeforkbassguide.com
Office 1-800-865-2282
Cell 903-569-7451

Tags:Bass Fishing, John Tanner, Lake Fork, Lake Fork Camping
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John Tanner May 2011 Lake Fork Report

May 12, 2011

Hello from the great Lake Fork. May is here and boy what a fun month to fish here on the big bass capitol. here are the current lake conditions as of 5/5. Lake level according to the USGS website is averaging 399.70 and the surface temps are ranging from 72 to 75 degress. We had some cooler weather and a good bit of rain that cooled it down some but it should shot back up a bit with the warmer weather coming. There are several different patterns that are catching fish right now here on Lake Fork. You can catch them in both shallow and deep water.

Early in the morning or on cloudy or windy days topwaters (yellow magics), Talon Buzzbaits, shallow crank baits, swim baits like the Berkley Hollow Belly in gizzard shad color and wacky rigged berkley Sink Worms have been producing in the shallow areas on points and grassy flats. There is a good bit of milfoil starting to grow and the fish are relating to it nicely. Look for bait fish on wind blown main points and secondary points. There has been some schooling activity as well early morning and all morning on cloudy days. You might try swimming a Berkley Power Grub in white or milky white black flake if you see the fish chasing shad. This is a good technique and will load the boat quickly on the schooling fish.There is a good number of fish relating to the trees still so flipping and drop shotting are good methods for plucking them off of the standing timber on sunny days. Flip the Berkley Havoc “Pit Boss” in green pumpkin using a 5/16 ounce tungsten weight by Affordable Tungsten and drop shot the Berkley 7″ Shaky Worm in green pumpkin or “the general” color.

The deep bite is picking up a bit on some of the main lake points and ridges. Carolina rigging and drop shotting have been good using the Berkley Wacky Crawler June bug or green pumpkin, French fry style baits in watermelon or chartreuse and also 7″ inch Berkley Power worms in blue fleck color. ( www.purefishing.com ) Look for the fish piled up on the drops on the sides of the points in 20 to 30 ft of water. I use the Lowrance HDS units and love to see them before we catch them. its like playing a video game! Any ways May is here and the fishing is good. If you would like to book a guided trip here on Lake Fork for this summer or fall call us at 903-569-7451 or drop me a line at tanner@lakeforkbassguide.com. From the beginner to the expert we will try to make your trip to Lake Fork one to remember. While you are in the area be sure and visit our local Ranger dealer Diamond Sports Marine located on hwy 154. DSM is a full line Ranger Boat dealer ( www.rangerboats.com ) with a parts and service dept to meet your needs. If you are in the market for a new Ranger go by and ask for Ben Hogan and be sure and tell him Tanner sent ya. Or if you are in the market for a 2011 model Z521 pro staff boat rigged with a Mercury 250 PRO XS ( www.mercurymarine.com ) and Lowrance HDS electronics, my demo will be available soon. I should have this boat by the end of the month and it will be available at a huge savings. If you are interested give me a ring at 903-569-7451. For more info on a guided trip be sure to click on the trip info page and for a look at some happy anglers holding their Lake Fork Trophies click on the awesome photo pages. I am thankful to God for what he allows us to do here on Lake Fork. It is a blessing to fish for a living and share what He is doing in our lives with others. We have a new website so take a look. It is www.tanneroutdoors.com . We are also on facebook. Search for John Tanner. Hopefully this report will help you on your next trip to Lake Fork. I look forward to hearing from you!

Please pray for our troops as they fight for our freedom. Also pray for the sick and the lost. Philippians 4:19

Good fishin and God Bless,
John and Robin Tanner
Many thanks to my sponsors.

John Tanner’s Lake Fork Guide Service
FLW Touring Pro
Public Speaker – Fishing Seminars, motivational speaker

Website www.lakeforkbassguide.com
Email tanner@lakeforkbassguide.com
Office 1-800-865-2282
Cell 903-569-7451

Tags:Lake Fork, lake fork 2011, LAKE FORK MARINA, Lake Fork Report, rv park
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John Tanner Mid April Fishing Report 2011

April 23, 2011

Well folks its mid april and here is an updated Lake Fork fishing report. Current lake levels are 399.70 as of 4/19. Surface water temps very from 67 to 74 degrees depending on your location. There are a few different patterns going on now as the spring rolls along. You have alot of fish that have already spawned, some on beds and some yet to spawn. This makes it fun. Now we have had a good bit of wind this spring so finding areas to fish has required some moving around and trailering to other ramps to avoid long boat rides but it has been working out good. It hasnt been rough every day but you know in the spring we are going to have some wind. its just part of the time of year. If you like to flip wood now is a good time to be here at Lake Fork. there are a ton of fish relating to the stumps in the shallow spawning coves and creeks as well the shallow points at the mouths of the coves. This is the case most of the time when the water is low in the spring like it is now. The trees will support spawning fish as the fish like to use the base of the bigger stumps to nest. The trees will also support fish that are gaurding fry. These fish are usually pretty aggresive and will attack your bait when it gets close to the ball of fry. Good bait choices are flipping baits like the new Berkley Havoc “Pit Boss” and “Craw fatty”. Good colors are green pumpkin, california, big tex and balsk blue. I like to rig these baits on 20 pound Berkley Trilene 100% flourocarbon line using a 5/16 ounce Tungsten sinker by Affordable Tungsten and also a 5/0 Mustad Mega Bite Hook. For the rod and reel combo I really like to use the new ABU Garcia Veritas Rods along with one of the ABU Garcia Revo Premier reels. Man what a set up! For a look at the new Berkley Havoc baits and ABU Garcia products go to www.purefishing.com or if you are in the Lake Fork area be sure and go by Lake Fork Marina. They have the best selection in the Lake Fork area. Tell em tanner sent ya! Other good ways to catch them off of the trees is using wacky rigged plastics like the Berkley Heavy Weight Sink Worm in watermelon/red and green pumpkin/watermelon as well as floating jerkbaits like a gold rattling rogue. I am starting to see some small patches of milfoil growing along some of the sandy spots along the banks. There are some fish gaurding fry in this stuff too so start throwing your topwaters like the Pop r’s and buzzbaits like the Talon Buzzbait in white. Keep in mind the bluegill are starting to head in so if you see em keep those Hollow Belly blue gill colored swim baits ready. Talk about fun, when they get on the swim bait you wont want to fish anythign else. they will smash it! Could be anyday so keep your eyes peeled for the blue gill beds to get thick. Now some of the early spawners are already over the spawn and out on deeper water feeding up and getting back on their feet. Some of the shallower humps and points will have some crank bait fish along with some carolina rig and texas rigged10 inch Power Worm fish. So if you are struggling in the shallows head out deeper crank up your Lowrance and find you a school of fish on some off shore structure and go to town on em. I like to use the Lowrance HDS units. These units are awesome and with the addition of the Lowrance Structure Scan you just cant beat them. I have been using Lowrance for years and I can tell you from experience that they are the best out there with the best definition and resolution. Go to www.lowrance.com and give them a look.Yea there is alot going on right now here on the Fork. Alot of different patterns and techniques are in play so come on out and get in on the action. This is a good time of year to catch some big ones and enjoy the spring weather. If you would like to book a guided trip here on Lake Fork for call us tolls free at 1-800-865-2282 or drop us a line at tanner@lakeforkbassguide.com. From the beginner to the expert we will do our best to make your trip to Lake Fork one to remember . Be sure and click on the photo section for a look at a ton of happy anglers holding their Lake Fork trophies. For more booking info click on the trip info page. While you are in the area and need service or are in the market for a new or used boat be sure and go by Diamond Sports Marine on hwy 154 our local Ranger Boat dealer www.diamondsportsmarine.com . They carry a full line of Ranger Boats www.rangerboats.com and have a service and parts dept to support you. See Ben Hogan and tell him I sent you or my 2011 model pro staff boat will be available soon. It is a Ranger Z521 rigged with a Mercury 250ProXS www.mercurymarine.com and Lowrance HDS electronics. If you are interested in saving some big bucks on an awesome boat give me a ring. I sell these low hour boats quite often and can make you a great deal. Well that is about it for now so hopefully these fishing tips will help you here on Lake Fork. Be sure to check our new ministry website www.tanneroutdoors.com .And if you are on facebook give us a look and lets link up. You can find me just search for John Tanner. Please pray for our country and our troops as they fight for our freedom. Also pray for all of the folks that lost thier homes in the fires that have been raging through west Texas this past week. Read Psalm 37:4
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GOD BLESS

John Tanner

John Tanners Lake Fork Guide Service

FLW Touring Pro

Public Speaker – Fishing Seminars, motivational speaker

Website www.lakeforkbassguide.com

Email tanner@lakeforkbassguide.com

Office 1-800-865-2282

Cell 903-569-7451

Tags:john tanner flw, john tanner lake fork, Lake Fork, Lake Fork Bass
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John Tanner Lake Fork Report Feb 27, 2011

February 27, 2011

Greetings anglers from the big bass factory. March here at Lake Fork means one thing. The big ones are on the move and heading to the shallows to participate in their annual spawn routine. It is a great time of year for the shallow water angler to come to Lake Fork and catch some really big bass. This year the water levels are low so you might find things a little different out on the lake while you are searching for those lunkers. A lot of places that you usually find them may be a bit shallow for them to move in to this spring. That being said fish those areas out in front of those pockets that have good cover and you can hit the gold mine. Fishing should be great this spring as the low water will have the bass concentrated in smaller areas. That is a good problem to have! A lot of the fish will spawn on the wood this year and that will make for some good flipping and pitching. I love to flip and pitch and I am going to love doing that with some new baits that Berkley is coming out with this spring called “Berkley Havoc”. These pro designed baits will feature the best shapes, actions and colors of anything out there. They will have several different baits and some great ones for flipping and pitching. Look for them at your local tackle retailer or when you are in the Lake Fork area swing by Lake Fork Marina. They should have them soon. So give them a try and unleash the action! Look for fish along the shallow creek beds and at the mouths of the shallow pockets along tree lines and points. Be sure to come ready for the big ones while flipping and pitching and have some strong line and a good rod and reel combo for fighting those monsters and pulling them from the heavy cover. I like to use one of the new ABU Garcia Veritas rods in a 7ft heavy action and a ABU Garcia reel spooled with 20 or 25 pound test Berkley 100% Fluorocarbon line or 50 pound test Spiderwire Ultracast Ulitmate braid. You dont want to go home and talk about the one that got away. I kinda like taking home pictures on my cell phone or digital camera if you know what I mean! Now is also a good time to catch them on wacky rigs and chatter baits. On the wacky rig I love to use the Berkley Heavy Weight Sink Worm. These baits are awesome to use and work perfect for wacky worming. The weighted material used to make the Sink Worm eliminates the need to insert a nail weight. It also cast and fishes great in the wind due to the weighted plastic used to make this awesome bait by Berkley. www.berkley-fishing.com . On the chatterbaits I love the new swim jigs by Talon called the Shibui. These things are sweeeeet! www.talonlures.com . Lake Fork fishing in March is a hoot so if you want to catch some big ones now is the time. If you would like to book a guide trip here on Lake Fork call us toll free at 1-800-865-2282 or check us out on the web at www.lakeforkbassguide.com. On our website look for fishing reports, photos of monster bass, videos of monster bass and other info about coming to Lake Fork. Also check us out on facebook under John Tanner.

While you are in the area be sure and go by and visit our local Ranger Boat dealer Diamond Sports Marine located over on how 154. They are a full service Ranger dealer and carry a full line of Ranger Boats. Tell em Tanner sent ya! For info on the best bass boats in the world go to www.rangerboats.com.

Please pray for our troops and their families as they put it on the line for us every day. Also pray for the sick and the lost. Read John 3:16

Good fishin and God Bless,

John and Robin Tanner

Many thanks to my sponsors.

John Tanners Lake Fork Guide Service

FLW Touring Pro

Public Speaker – Fishing Seminars, motivational speaker

Website www.lakeforkbassguide.com

Email tanner@lakeforkbassguide.com

Office 1-800-865-2282

Cell 903-569-7451

Tags:flw tour, John Tanner, Lake Fork
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John Tanner Lake Fork Report January 2011

January 21, 2011

With the lake levels being low the grass lines will hold a ton of fish and if it stays dry and the lake gets lower more and more fish will set up on the outer grass edges. There are a lot of baits you can crank the grass with. Top choices in my Ranger Boat are lipless crank baits, chatter baits, shallow crank baits and also Talon Spin-ner baits. On the lip-less crank baits and shallow runners good colors are red, orange and sexy shad colors. You might even throw a firetiger in the mix. On the chatter baits and spinner baits white and chartreuse are great color choices. The jig bite can be good as well so have some half ounce Talon Football Head jigs on hand. These jigs work good on the edge of the hydrilla. Tip them with a Berkley 3″ or 4″ Chigger Craw and you will be in business. Now this time of year some really big fish pull up and winter in the grass beds so be ready with some big line. I like to use 20 pound test Berkley Trilene 100% fluoro-carbon line on my ABU Garcia Revo reels and ABU Garcia Vendetta rods. This stuff is awesome and will handle the big mamas. While cranking the grass roll your baits over the top and also down the edges of the weeds making contact with the grass and pulling it free as you make a steady retrieve with your lure. This technique will make for some big time strikes and some times they will stop it like a freight train! On the football jig pitch it on the edges of the grass hopping it a few times as soon as it hits the bottom. The bass will bust it on the fall. This bite is fun and will produce some big uns! It can be chilly while fishing in January but those fish will be laying up in the grass getting some sun and eating well. You probably won’t catch the numbers of fish you would say in the summer but the average size you catch this time of year will be impressive. So that being said… hook up and come down to Lake Fork and get in on the ac-tion. There are a lot of really big bass caught in January every year. While you are here be sure and sign up for the Lake Fork Bounty Bonanza. Go by Lake Fork Marina for de-tails. If you would like to book a guided trip here on Lake Fork call us toll free at 1-800-865-2282 or drop us a line at tanner@lakeforkbassguide.com. Or for more booking info including fishing reports, awesome big bass photos and even some amazing big bass videos, check us out on the web at www.lakeforkbassguide.com. Also check us out on Facebook under John Tanner. Hopefully these tips will help you catch some big New Years Bass. Please pray for our troops and their families as they serve our great country. Also pray for the sick and the lost. Got Jesus? Read John 3:16. Good fishin and God Bless, John and Robin Tanner Many thanks to my sponsors.