March Madness is here everyone! What an exciting time of year to be at Lake Fork. Spring has arrived and Lake Fork is primed up for another great spawning season. Many anglers have waited all winter for this month to come and the great fishing that goes along with it. If you are after a big bass, now is the time. For those looking for a place to have some fun this month, come on out to Lake Fork with your friends or family to enjoy some time away this spring break! Here are some tips and techniques that will hopefully help you land the fish of your dreams!
The lake is currently 5.5 feet low. Despite recent rains bringing the lake up about 2 feet, we could definitely use some more rain. Water temperatures have been in the high 50’s to low 60’s lately due to a relatively mild winter. I expect with the full moon upon us that a number of fish will begin spawning soon. The water clarity is very stained in the northern creek arms but clears as you get to the south end.
I am targeting both prespawn as well as spawning fish right now. One of my best baits lately has been a square billed crank bait. I am using the new Talon Shibui 1.5 in chartreuse splatter back or dirty ghost colors www.talonlures.com. This is an awesome bait for working through the shallows. I like to target flats, points, shallow drains, or ditches in spawning creeks from 2-6 feet deep. The key to catching fish on this bait is allowing it to come into contact with timber. Bouncing it into any trees on the retrieve will draw more strikes. On real windy spring days I am also breaking out the Talon Shibui spinner bait. A chartreuse/white double willow in 3/8 or 1/2 oz sizes as done well in the same areas. If the fish are hesitant to bite these I know I can always do well on a chatter bait in the same size and color. It has a lot more vibration and will agitate a strike out of even the most stubborn fish. When I am able to find the right water and especially on windy days I opt for a swim bait to target the big females. A Berkley Hollow Belly is hard to beat! I like the 5” and 6” models best this time of year and my favorite colors are pearl, gizzard shad, and ayu. Slow roll this bait on the shallowest windy banks you can find this spring and you will be surprised at the fish you catch!
When the fish are not active on moving baits in the spring it’s time to sloooowwww way down. And when I say “slow” I mean fish very slow. As the fish move out of prespawn and into their spawning activity they will become more territorial than anything. Putting a bait in their nests or close to where they are and leaving it lay there will entice them to pick it up and move it out of the bedding area. On the contrary if you move it around a lot they will just watch it go by. So fishing slow is very important. Look for the fish to be spawning in 2-8 feet of water on standing timber, lay downs, docks and any re-emerging grass. Some of my favorite baits to flip and pitch are the new Berkley Havoc and Powerbait. A Texas rigged Berkley Havoc Craw Fatty or Pit Boss is very effective right now. Best colors are black/blue, green pumpkin, Okeechobee craw, and Big Texan www.berkley-fishing.com I will rig mine with a 4/0 wide gap hook and 5/16 oz Elite Tungsten weight on 17 lb Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon line. My most favorite new set up to throw this on is the Abu Garcia Revo MGX paired with a 7’1”-7’3” Abu Garcia Villian rod. If you had a chance to come by and see me at the Bassmasters Classic you know how excited I am about this awesome new combo and its overall weight of 10 ounces. Another new product that I am excited about is the new Powerbait “Thief”. This is another awesome new flipping bait from Berkley that will catch a lot of fish presented in the same way as the previous mentioned Havoc. If the fish are finicky and will not bite the bigger soft plastics I will often downsize to a 3/16-1/4 oz shaky head or drop shot rig. A great bait for these is the 4” or 6” Havoc Bottom Hopper. For anyone that is coming out to fish the tournaments, this is a very effective worm for catching under the slot fish. Also, If you are sight fishing for bass and find one that will not bite try one of these and you may be surprised how aggressively the bite it.
If you are interested in coming out for some big bass action this spring or would like to just take an instructional trip to learn about electronics, seasonal patterns, or some new techniques onLake Fork this summer, contact me anytime. I still have a few dates available and want to remindanyone that is considering reservations with me contact me as soon as possible. I book up extremely fast so get your 2012 date now before my schedule is full. You can reach me by phone at (903)736-9888 or drop me an email at lakeforktrophybass@yahoo.com You can also visit my website for more information about trophy bass fishing on Lake Fork www.officiallakeforktrophybass.com
My new 2012 Ranger Z521 Comanche powered with a Mercury 250 Prop XS just arrived and man I’m excited. These boats are awesome! I am currently rigging it up with all the latest and greatest equipment like the new Lowrance HDS Gen2 electronics as well as the Power Pole Blades. If you get a chance while you are here, stop by Diamond Sports Marine on highway 154 and check out the new 2012 Ranger Boats already in stock. Talk to Ben Hogan or Robert Gilliland and they will be glad to help you find the right boat for your needs. Let them show you why they are the #1 Ranger Boat dealer in the country. Or just give them a call at (903)383-7829 for information. If you would like a demo ride in my new boat, feel free to contact me also to schedule your test ride.
Again, a big thanks to all my sponsors: Ranger Boats, Mercury Outboards, I AM SECOND, Berkley, Abu Garcia, Interstate Batteries, Lowrance, Power Pole, Hamby’s, Talon Lures, Line & Lure Conditioner, BTS Protectant, Navionics, Oakley, Sure Life, and Elite Tungsten.
Isaiah 41:10 – So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Tight Lines and God Bless,
James Caldemeyer
And we did our share of pest control a couple of days You can catch one of these every cast with a 6 xds or a bomber slab white or chartrese colors They are great to eat you can keep 25 a person Go to the 2946 road by rainswood marina and catch all you want remember each sandbass you harvest feeds more largemouth bass and kills 10 of thousands of more sand bass
