As of October 7, 2024, Lake Fork in Texas is offering some excellent fishing opportunities. Here’s what you need to know for a successful day on the water.
### Conditions
The water temperature is around 81 degrees, and the lake is slightly stained with a level 1.74 feet below pool. There is no significant tidal activity to worry about on Lake Fork, as it is a freshwater lake.
### Weather and Time
Sunrise today is at about 7:30 AM, and sunset will be around 6:45 PM. The weather has been mild, with a gradual cool down over the past few weeks, which has kept the fishing steady.
### Fish Activity
The fishing has been quite active, especially in the early morning. Bass are aggressive on topwater and shallow waters, particularly around windy banks where you can catch them with small topwaters or streamers. The early morning bite is good on topwaters, flukes, and yum dingers around grassy areas.
### Types and Amounts of Fish
Crappie fishing remains excellent, with fish found in a wide range of depths from 12 to 40 feet. You can locate them on timber, brush, or any structure, and they are not very pressured, so most baits will work. Minnows and small hand-tied jigs have been effective. Catfish are active around boat houses and in 18-28 feet of water along creek channels, following bait migrations.
### Best Lures and Bait
For bass, Carolina rigs and Texas rigs are good on points and humps in 7-12 feet of water. Deep crankbaits are fair over brush piles and roadbeds. Topwaters in bone and shad colors are also catching a few fish. For crappie, minnows and small jigs are recommended. For catfish, prepared baits like cattle cubes or sour grain are attracting and holding fish well.
### Hot Spots
One of the hot spots is around the upper east and west arms of the lake where the lake is turning over, making the early morning bite particularly good. Another spot is the windy banks, which can provide schooling action for bass. Brush piles and roadbeds in 7-12 feet of water are also productive.
Overall, Lake Fork is in great shape, and with the right lures and knowledge of the hot spots, you should have a productive and enjoyable fishing trip.