Tue 12:30 pm
Just got off the phone with James Caldemeyer and he said they are fishing a Carolina Rig in 56.3 water temp. Not sure what the numbers are but they seem to be putting a few in the boat and the weather is great!
We’ll be posting more up to the minute content as the spawn approaches.
UPDATE: Sent a text to James to see what depth he is throwing the C-Rig in and he said 12′ – Hope this helps some of you out.
Welcome to Lake Fork everyone! February is here. Everyone that has had cabin fever over the winter is heading out to the lake to take advantage of the early spring opportunities to catch a giant Lake Fork bass. This time of year is an exciting time of year because you can catch a giant on any given cast as the big females prepare themselves for their annual spawning activities. Here are a few tips and techniques that will help you in pursuit of a Lake Fork trophy bass…
We have had some recent rains which have brought the lake a good bit but we need a lot more to get it full. That’s okay though because I can assure you the fishing this spring will be amazing even if we do not get a lot of rain. With the low water the fish will be concentrated specific areas and grouped up tighter trying to share the same spawning areas. February is more of a time to target the fish that are in pre-spawn staging patterns though. Look for fish to be holding on main lake points, secondary points (at the mouth of major creeks), or along the creek channel edges adjacent to spawning flats.
Water temperature is probably the single most important factor to locating active fish this month. You will want to concentrate on areas where the water is warmer or on a warming trend. Having an accurate temperature gauge is important. I rely on my “New” Lowrance HDS Gen2 units to deliver and they do. This new generation of HDS technology is also amazing as you can view “Structure Map” as an overlay feature not to mention its updated processor that is super fast! Most water temps are going to range in the low to upper 50’s this month but fishing in 57 degree water is more productive than 54 so keep an eye on your electronics for changes.
My go to baits this month are just a few basic ones that are legendary for catching big bass on Lake Fork for years. My first and most productive bait this time of year is a lipless crank bait. I like to use the 1/2-3/4 oz sizes on a 7’ Med Hvy Abu Garcia Veritas or the “New” Villain rod. These new rods are awesome! Super light and sensitive with plenty of backbone still. I am also using my new Revo MGX HS reel spooled with 17 lb Trilene 100 % Fluorocarbon. This reel has a 7.9:1 gear ratio which is great for burning a lipless bait and fishing it all day long. Best depth is the 2-8 feet range. Concentrate on main lake and secondary points at the mouth of the creeks or channel swings that come up flat and make a point off the channel bend. Fish with be congregated at times feeding and preparing for the spawn. My second bait and best suggestion for a big bass is a jig. I like to use a Talon 3/8-1/2 oz black/blue or black/blue/purple flipping jig tipped with a Berkley Powerbait Chigger Craw. Once you have located some fish with a search bait like the lipless crank bait, slow down and back off to the 8-14 foot depths. Flip every tree on the edge of the channel and fish slow. A lot of times the bite will be very faint so watch your line and be prepared to set the hook. Some of the biggest fish in the lake this year will be caught using this method especially with the lack of grass and the fish holding tight to the standing timber. Lastly, when the bit is slow or a cold front has hit, I reach for a suspending jerk bait. You can catch a lot of big fish on these this time of year when they will not bite much else. I like to use the old Smithwick gold/black/orange or clown colored models as well as Talon’s new Shibui 110 jerk baits. I like the Champagne Black, Budas Clown, and Gulf Killifish colors in this bait. They have an amazing paint job that appeals to big bass. Work these baits slowly over shallow water with a twitch & pause technique. If you do more pausing than you do twitching, you get more bites. I hope these tips help you in your
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 on Lake Fork, contact me anytime. The fishing last spring was great and I know it will be even better this year. I still have a few dates available and want to remind anyone that is considering spring reservations with me to do it ASAP. 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 Forkwww.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 dealership 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, and Sure Life.
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.
James Caldemeyer’s
Lake Fork Trophy Bass
Monthly Fishing Report
January 2012
Happy New Year everyone! If your New Year’s resolution was to catch a trophy largemouth bass then you are in the right place. Lake Fork is already ringing the New Year in with a bang as Andrew Watson caught the first ShareLunker Program fish of the year out of Lake Fork on December 27th. The fish weighed 13.51 pounds and sets the tone for what should be another incredible year of fishing in 2012. With water levels starting the year off at historically low marks it can give anglers a better opportunity to catch these giant bass condensed into certain areas of the lake. The fishing on Lake Fork will really start to heat up this month and into February for big pre spawn female bass. As these fish begin to develop their eggs and reach their peak weight of the year, it is a great opportunity to catch the fish of a lifetime. Here are some pointers that will hopefully help you in pursuit of a new personal best or your own addition to TPWD’s ShareLunker Program.
The lake is about over 7 feet low right now. This is great for the fishing but treacherous for navigating the lake in some areas so be cautious out there. Water clarity is lightly stained in most areas. The water temperatures are remaining in the low to mid 50’s right now but that could change as the month progresses. It is not uncommon to find water temperatures dipping into the high 40’s if the winter becomes frigid. Water temperature is everything right now and it is important to have an accurate temperature gauge on your boat and monitor it throughout the day.
Main lake and secondary points leading into the major creeks are great areas to target this month. Again, water temperature is very important right now and you will want to target the warmest water available as this will be where the fish are generally most active. I usually concentrate on shallow grass beds in 2-6 foot of water but there is little grass right now with the low water. Do not let that discourage you from fishing these baits though. I found that these fish will still relate well to the bank and key on these same baits despite the lack of vegetation. The best baits to use in search of productive grass are moving baits. Red or chrome lipless crank baits are excellent choices. I like to use the 1/2 oz size in most situations but will often switch to a 1/4 or 3/4 oz size depending on the grass and water temperatures. I rig my lipless baits on the new Abu Garcia Villain 7’ Med Heavy action rod with a Revo MGX high speed 7:1 ratio reel spooled with 17-20 lb Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon line. Having the right rod/reel/ line combination is an essential. Making hundreds of casts a day will wear you out if you are not using the proper combination of equipment. The right equipment will also help you keep these baits in the strike zone longer. Lipless cranks are reaction bait and are most effective ripped off the blades of grass that the bait comes in contact with. The bass react most often after you rip the bait free from the grass. Developing a rhythm of retrieving the bait or a yo-yo type retrieve is very effective in drawing strikes from hungry pre-spawn bass. Other shallow running baits like the new Talon 1.5 crank bait or new suspending jerk baits are also great choices for targeting shallow grass beds. Shad or bream colors are great choices.
Creek channel areas in 8-14 foot of water are also a great place to target big female pre-spawn bass during the month of January. The big mamas are preparing for the spawn will be on a heavy crawfish diet. I like to use a 3/8 or 1/2 oz Talon jig in black/blue, Bama bug, or dark pb&j colors. I will tip these jigs with a Berkley Chigger Chunk in black/ blue or green pumpkin. A Texas rigged flipping tube, craw worm, or Berkley Power Lizard are also excellent choices for flipping. Make sure and target every tree lining the edge of the creek channel and fish as slow as possible. These big bass will be lethargic but will gladly accept your offering if they do not have to move far to get it.
The deep bite is best on jigging spoons and drop shot rigs. I use a plain old reliable Talon “t-spoon” in 3/8 or 1/2 oz sizes. On the drop shot a finesse worm like a Berkley Wacky Crawler or 4” Power Worm is the ticket. You can find fish on roadbeds, humps, ridges, and pond dams in 20-30 feet and deeper. I am running the new Lowrance HDS Gen2 electronics on the console and bow with Structure Scan on my new 2012 Ranger boat. Having great electronics is a huge advantage to locating these schools of deep fish and with these new graphs it makes it hard for the fish to hide. The deep bass are lethargic as well so fishing slow is important. You will often times have a hard time feeling a bite because they bite it so soft.
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 on Lake Fork, contact me anytime. The fishing last spring was great and I know it will be even better this year. I still have a few dates available and want to remind anyone that is considering spring reservations with me to do it ASAP. 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 dealership 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, and Sure Life.
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
For trip information visit: www.officiallakeforktrophybass.com
Alright everyone, the McDonald’s tournament week is finally here! I hope everyone is pumped up and ready to come out and catch some big fish. The fishing should be great with lots of cash and big prizes to be awarded. I have received numerous emails and phone calls the past couple weeks inquiring about the lake and the fishing. Here are some helpful tips and information about the lake that I hope will help you have a productive and safe fishing weekend.
The lake is currently about six and a half feet low despite heavy rains moving through the area last night. I think it basically just saturated our very dry ground and produced very little run off into the lake. I pray we get some more rain soon as it would produce good run off behind this last storm and start filling the lakes back up. You must be careful navigating the lake with the low water conditions and wear your life vest with kill switches! The boat lanes are very tight in a lot of places so travel with caution and take your time. The water temperatures are 78-80 degrees and the lake is in its fall turnover phase. As the water cools on top and drops to the bottom, the bottom rises and can make for some funky water clarity.
The top water bite has still remained consistent and I am catching fish early on Yellow Magics and Zara Spooks in shad patterns. Most mornings these fish are in 2-8 feet of water but have found some fish suspended out deep that will rise up on a top water lure too. Small spinner baits, chatter baits, lipless baits, and crank baits have also been good in the same areas. Pay attention to the water conditions in the area you are in and avoid the turbid turn over areas if you can. But most importantly make sure there is bait present in the area you are fishing. These fall fish are focused on following the schools of shad right now so if the bait is not present where you are fishing, move on. Main lake points, secondary points, and the backs of adjacent pockets are good areas to look for the concentrations of shallow fish. I am slowing down and fishing the areas thoroughly once I locate a group of active fish. Texas rigged Berkley 7” Power worms in blue fleck or watermelon colors have been very good pitched around the shallow timber. I am also rigging up a wacky style Berkley Bottom Hopper in june bug or watermelon candy and fishing it slowly around scattered grass. The bite from 8-15 feet has been good also on drop shots and shaky heads around the timber. I use the 4.25 finesse sized Berkley Bottom Hopper in the same colors for this technique. You will be surprised how many weighable fish you can catch on a spinning rod during one of these big tournaments and not just small fish. You can catch a big bass too!
The deep bite in 15-25 feet has been a lot less predictable with the lake turning over than the shallow fishing. I have been graphing smaller schools of fish grouped up on occasion with my Lowrance HDS unit. Once I locate a school I have been targeting them with Carolina rigs, Talon football head jigs, drop shots, deep swim baits, and jigging spoons. Each school of fish is different this time of year so you have to throw numerous things at them to get them to bite. The deep fishing will become more stable after the fall turnover is finished.
Please feel free to contact me anytime if you are interested in booking a guided fishing trip here at Lake Fork. You can reach me by email at lakeforktrophybass@yahoo.com or on my cell at (903)736-9888. Visit my website for other great fishing information about Lake Fork as well www.officiallakeforktrophybass.com I have very few dates available still this fall and am already taking a number of bookings for the spring of 2012. If you are around this week for the tournament be sure and stop by Diamond Sports Marine on Hwy 154 north of the lake bridge. They have some of the new 2012 model Ranger Boats starting to arrive and you will enjoy checking them out. They will also have an excellent service department and will help you with any equipment issues you may have while you are here. You can reach Ben or Robert at (903)383-7829.
Also, stop by and see me at the Lowrance booth during the tournament hours. I will be there all weekend and can answer any questions you may have about electronics. I can also update your unit to the current 4.0 software if you bring it to me. Another booth that I will be at and you will want to check out is the new Hydrowave! This thing is the neatest new toy on my boat and I will be glad to share my testimonials of how it has worked for me since introducing it to my fishing and guiding. Stop by and see me…Hope to see you bringing the winning fish to the scales!
1 Corinthians 16:13 – Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.
Tight Lines and God Bless,
James Caldemeyer
The fishing lately has been fantastic despite the 100+ degree weather. Most trips have averaged 30 or more bass with lots of good quality fish and some big ones as well. If you are thinking of making a trip to Lake Fork, do not let the heat hold you back. The fishing is as good as it has been in awhile.
Water levels are still very low with the lake at 5 feet low and steadily falling as most all of Texas is in a severe drought. My prayers have been for much needed rain and I am sure we will see some soon. Water temperatures are in the 87-91 degree range and the water clarity is fairly stained.
Most of the bass we are catching right now are coming from deep water. The weather has been so hot and water temperatures are very warm. Couple that with low water levels and it has concentrated the bass into certain areas and has made them easier to catch. I am targeting humps, roadbeds, points, and deep channel swings in 20-32 feet. I always rely on my Lowrance HDS electronics to find schools of fish. These units are extremely accurate and knowing your electronics is a great asset in targeting deep bass. Most of the schools I locate are on the bottom and feeding. The best presentations for these fish right now are a Carolina rig with a 4-5 foot leader and 1 oz weight. I use a 3/0 hook tipped with the new Berkley Havoc “Bottom Hopper”. This is a cool new worm with lots of action to entice those big bass into biting. The football jig has also been great in 5/8- 3/4 oz sizes. I use the Talon jig and their best colors are watermelon red, green pumpkin, watermelon candy, texas craw, or willies weed. I am using a craw worm or Berkley Havoc “Deuce” twin tail grub as a trailer in matching color. When I get around a school of deep bass that are suspended I am throwing a deep diving crank bait, swim bait, flutter spoon, or swim jig. If you can get one of these baits in front of one of those shad chasers, they will eat it. Counting the lure down and keeping in tune where the bait is in the water column is important so pay attention to your graph as you work your bait through the fish. You will also find numbers of bass schooling heavily under the bridges on certain days.
The shallow bite has been decent early and late in the day on top water baits like a popper or frog worked shallow around grass and lily pads. A texas rigged Berkley Power Worm has also been good in these same areas. Best colors have been tequila sunrise and blue fleck.
If you are interested in coming out to Lake Fork for a guided fishing trip this summer, feel free to contact me. I have dates available in August and am filling up quickly for the fall already. You can reach me by phone at (903)736-9888 or email me lakeforktrophybass@yahoo.com You can also visit my website which contains all relative information to booking a trip www.officiallakeforktrophybass.com Make sure and stop by America’s #1 Ranger Boats dealership right here on Lake Fork while you are in the area. The new 2012 Rangers will be arriving soon so you’ll want to go by and see what’s new. Ben Hogan and the rest of the gang at Diamond Sports Marine on Hwy 154 are available for all your boating needs and test rides are also available upon request. Be safe on the lake with low water levels, wear your life vests, and kill switches!
Proverbs 3:5,6
Tight Lines and God Bless,
James Caldemeyer
The fishing these past few weeks has been incredible! My clients and I have been catching 30-50 fish a day on most days even despite the wind and storms. The quality of the fish has been excellent also with most days yielding 30+ lbs. with best 5 and we had a day last week with sack over 40 lbs.!
The lake is still in great shape with water levels still around 3.5 feet low. The water temperatures are ranging from 72-76 degrees. The water clarity is slightly stained in a lot of areas with clearer water on the main lake and south end. The grass is starting to grow real good in a lot of areas and the fish like it.
The top water fishing has been very good this year with poppers, yellow magic, and zara spooks in shad patterns getting the best action worked early and late around main lake points. The explosions on these baits are fierce. As the shad are finishing up their spawn a square billed crank bait, white spinner bait, chatter bait, or a Berkley Hollowbelly Swim bait fished in the same areas are doing well also. These fish are very aggressive and will pound these baits as you reel them through 2-6 feet of water.
There are also a lot of mid depth fish holding on timber in 8-12 feet. Talon jigs in 3/8–5/8 sizes in green pumpkin with matching Berkley Chigger Craw for a trailer have worked really well fished around the the standing trees and stumps. I make sure to have some 25 lb. Trilene 100% fluorocarbon line spooled up on an Abu Garcia Revo and 7’3” Veritas medium heavy flipping rod. A Texas rigged Berkley Havoc Pit Boss in big Texan, California, or green pumpkin color has been excellent www.berkley-fishing.com A shaky head has also produced well in this depth on certain days when the fish are not as eager to bite the bulky baits.
The deep bite has really stared to turn on over the past couple of weeks. As the fish finish up spawning you can find schools of fish congregated on points, humps, creek channel bends, roadbeds, ridges, and pond dams in 18-28 feet of water. I will idle over these areas with my Lowrance HDS unit and look for schools of bass around shad, sand bass, or yellow bass. The big bass will feed on all three. Once I have located a school I have been using several different presentations. The Carolina rig has been the most effective lately. I am using a 7’6” medium heavy Abu Garcia Veritas rod rigged with a 1 oz. tungsten weight and 4-5 foot leader with a 3/0 wide gap hook. My best baits have been a Berkley 5” wacky crawler, 4” Power Hawg, lizard, or centipede in watermelon or green pumpkin colors. The football head jig bite has been good for big fish. I am using a ¾-1 oz. Talon football jig in green pumpkin, watermelon candy, Bama bug, and Willie’s weed colors with a Berkley Havoc “Deuce” in green pumpkin as a trailer www.talonlures.com A lot of these deep fish are suspended over this structure too and a deep diving crank bait, Talon “Big Dandy” spoon, or big swim baits do best. Working these baits through the middle of the water column will get you bit!
I hope this helps all you anglers that are headed to Lake Fork in pursuit of a trophy bass! If you would like to book a guided trip on Lake Fork, feel free to contact me at (903)736-9888 or email me at lakeforktrophybass@yahoo.com If you are interested in learning deep structure fishing and how to read electronics, now through the end of the year is the time to book with me. My summer and fall schedule for 2011 is already filling fast so get your reservations in now for best available dates.
You can also visit me at www.officiallakeforktrophybass.com or at my new site www.jamescaldemeyer.com I am really enjoying my new 2011 Ranger Z521 Comanche www.rangerboats.com paired with a Mercury Optimax 250 Pro XS www.mercurymarine.com . This new ride is an amazing machine! If you haven’t checked one of these boats out yet you can go by and see one at Diamond Sports Marine www.diamondsportsmarine.com on Hwy 154 while you are in the area. Test rides are available upon request. Just give Ben Hogan a call at (903)383-7829 and he’ll be glad to help you find the Ranger boat that is right for you. Again, a big thanks to all my sponsors: Ranger Boats, Mercury Outboards, I Am Second, Berkley, Abu Garcia, Oakley, Lowrance, Talon Lures, Interstate Batteries, Line & Lure Conditioner, BTS, Navionics, Sure Life, Power Pole, Hamby’s, and Affordable Tungsten.
Isaiah 25:1 – O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago.
Tight Lines and God Bless,
James Caldemeyer
Lake Fork is really going strong right now. Despite the weather and lots of wind, we have still managed to have lots of excellent fishing days with lots of numbers and big fish too. There have been several days recently that my clients and I have had 30-40 fish before lunch. The end of April and entering into May is such an awesome time to be out here because you can catch so many fish on lots of different patterns and techniques.
We have some rain coming through the area right now and forecasts are indicating that we may see some more much needed rain over the next 24 hours. Right now the lake level is sitting just under 3 ½ feet low. Water conditions are fair with water temperatures in the 70’s. The water is very stained in most of the northern part of the lake with all the high south winds churning those areas up and clearer water mid-lake to the south end.
The top water bite has been real good early or on cloudy days. Walking baits, poppers, and buzz baits in shad patterns or white have been best. If you can find areas where there is grass starting to grow or small lily pads sprouting, you are in the right spot. Square bill crank baits in shad or bream patterns have been really good fished around points, over the grass, and deflected off the stumps in 2-6 feet. If you get in some clearer water, be sure to try working a swim bait the same way as the square bill. I am using the 5” Berkley Hollow Belly in ayu or gizzard shad colors. Hold on to your rod tight because when they hit these baits its full force!
Texas rigged or weightless senkos in green pumpkin or watermelon red have also produced well along with the “new” Berkley Havoc Craw Fatty and Pit Boss. www.berkley-fishing.com Flipping and pitching these baits tight on the stumps has been key. There are a number of bass still spawning and they are holding tight to the timber. If the bite slows, try a drop shot with small finesse worms in these same areas. These fish can be finicky and although the drop shot is not my favorite technique, it has been very productive this spring. I am rigging mine with 1/0 drop shot hook about 14” or less above a 1/4 oz weight with any finesse type worm for best results.
The deep bite has started to pick up as well. I am graphing schools of fish on my Lowrance HDS unit in 16-22 feet feeding on schools of shad. Points, roadbeds, humps, and ridges at or near the mouth of major spawning creeks are good areas to concentrate on. My go to baits are a blue fleck, camo, or green pumpkin 7”-10” Berkley Powerbait Worm, Berkley Shaky Worm, or a Berkley Wacky Crawler on a Carolina rig. I prefer a 7’3” – 7’6” medium heavy rod like the Abu Garcia Veritas with a 1 ounce Affordable Tungsten weight and a 4-5 foot leader. If you are looking for a great tungsten weight without inserts and at a great price, you can check them out at www.affordabletungsten.com When you get on a good group of fish, you will have a blast catching these hungry post spawn Lake Fork bass.
I hope this helps all you anglers that are headed to Lake Fork this month in pursuit of a trophy bass! If you would like to book a guided trip on Lake Fork, feel free to contact me at (903)736-9888 or email me at lakeforktrophybass@yahoo.com My summer and fall schedule for 2011 is already filling fast so get your reservations in now for best available dates. You can also visit me at www.officiallakeforktrophybass.com or at my new site www.jamescaldemeyer.com I am really enjoying my new 2011 Ranger Z521 Comanche www.rangerboats.com paired with a Mercury Optimax 250 Pro XS www.mercurymarine.com . This new ride is an amazing machine! If you haven’t checked one of these boats out yet you can go by and see one at Diamond Sports Marine www.diamondsportsmarine.com on Hwy 154 while you are in the area. Test rides are available upon request. Just give Ben Hogan a call at (903)383-7829 and he’ll be glad to help you find the Ranger boat that is right for you. Again, a big thanks to all my sponsors: Ranger Boats, Mercury Outboards, I Am Second, Berkley, Abu Garcia, Oakley, Lowrance, Talon Lures, Interstate Batteries, Line & Lure Conditioner, BTS, Navionics, Sure Life, Power Pole, Hamby’s, and Affordable Tungsten.
John 14: 3 – And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
Tight Lines and God Bless,
James Caldemeyer
Watch some sick pre spawn fishin’ on Lake Fork.
Head over to James’ new blog and read his February fishing report. Lake Fork Trophy Bass Report – February 2011
You can also add James’ on facebook - Here
Stay warm!
The weather has been frigid these past few days as Texas experienced a cold blast of snow, sleet, and ice in most areas of the state. I was able to escape the brunt of the storm as I headed south to begin pre-fishing for the FLW Ever-Start tournament at Choke Canyon. The weather here is not much warmer but definitely a bit more comfortable than at home. Right before I left we were catching some real nice bass on a variety of winter time baits and patterns on both Lake Fork and Monticello (power plant lake). Here are some tips that may help you if you are headed out to the lake to tackle a big winter time bass.
Lake Fork is still about 3 and a half foot low. Water temps dipping into the high 40’s some and low-mid 50’s during the warmer days. Water clarity is good in most areas. Right now the best pattern to follow is fishing shallow grass beds in 2-8 feet of water. Main lake points and secondary points at the mouth of the major creeks has been best. Lipless crank baits are the top dog on Fork this time of year through the first part of March. Red, orange, or a combination of as well as shad colors are good choices. I like to use a ½ oz most of the time but will often break out the ¾ oz around the deeper grass and cold fronts. Jerk baits are an awesome choice for a big pre-spawn bass also. Suspending models are best in gold and clown colors. Chatter baits in chartreuse/white are catching some and will become better when the temperatures rise. If your New Years resolution was to catch a new personal best bass this year, I would highly recommend fishing a jig a lot right now. I like to use a Talon flipping jig in 3/8 or 1/2 oz sizes. Best colors are Black/Blue, Bama Bug, or Texas Craw. Hang a matching trailer on the back like a Berkley Chigger Chunk and you are ready to flip up a pig. Target stumps, lay downs, and docks in creeks adjacent to spawning areas. I have not fished deep lately but I am sure you can catch them on spoons and drop shots around bridges and roadbeds right now.
Lake Monticello bass are full swing into the spawn. I have had a number of trips that we have fished Monticello in the morning and Fork in the afternoon that have been VERY productive. Best baits on Monticello have been weightless soft plastics like flukes and senko type baits in green pumpkin or watermelon colors, Texas rigged Berkley Chigger Craws, shallow running crank baits, and chatter baits. Fish any of these around timber lined spawning flats in 2-8 feet of water and you will do well. You can also fish the bridges or discharge area and do well with Carolina rigs, drop shots, and deep diving crank baits.
I would like to encourage anyone who is considering a new boat this year to come by the Diamond Sports Marine/Ranger Boats booth at the Dallas Boat Show. I will be there the weekend of February 4-6 and the show continues through the following week. The new 2011 Rangers are in so come by and check them out. If you are interested in booking a guided trip on Lake Fork this year, feel free to contact me anytime at (903)736-9888 or by email lakeforktrophybass@yahoo.com You can also visit my website for more information about Lake Fork www.officiallakeforktrophybass.com A special thanks to all my sponsors for their continued support in 2011: Ranger Boats, Mercury Outboards, Diamond Sports Marine, I Am Second, Berkley, Abu Garcia, Lowrance, Navionics, Talon Lures, Power Pole, BTS Protectant, Line & Lure Conditioner, and Interstate Batteries.
Matthew- Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Tight Lines and God Bless,
James Caldemeyer
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