Sample Lake Fork

How can I put you On ‘Em & help you catch your PB?

where to fish on lake fork for big bass

You bet—Fork’s feeding right now. For true “big mamas,” target main-lake points, humps, and creek‑channel swings at the mouths of Little Caney, Birch, Mustang, Ray, and along the dam side. As of today (Sep 18, 2025) the lake is ~1.1 ft below pool (401.88′ msl), so most offshore structure fishes clean. Fall transition is underway; expect shad pushes on windblown stuff early, then a slide to 12–22 ft edges and timber by late morning. (waterdatafortexas.org)

Where to fish for big bass (this week)

Windy first light: Wind-facing main-lake points at creek mouths (Little Caney/Birch/Mustang). Work 0–8 ft tops, then back out to 10–16 ft. Walkers, buzzers, and ploppers early; then mid‑running cranks/chatterbaits as the sun pops. Hydrilla/milfoil pockets are in play—frog/flip the edges. (tpwd.texas.gov)
Mid‑morning: Slide to nearby humps/roadbeds topping 12–20 ft. Grind a deep crank (6XD/10XD class), Carolina‑rig creature, or 3/4 oz football jig on the hard spots and shell. Keep a flutter spoon handy for bait balls that rise. (fishgame.com)
Late morning to early afternoon: Creek channel bends with timber in 15–25 ft (Ray, Dale, Mustang). Pitch a 3/4–1 oz jig or a big worm to isolated trees on the swing outside edges; long casts and slow fall get bigger bites. (fishgame.com)
Bridges as a backup: 515 and 154 pillars hold shad/white bass and will pull largemouth during turnover spells. Fish shade lines and down‑current sides with swimbaits/jigs; expect company (high pressure). (tpwd.texas.gov)
Tournament note: Sealy’s Big Bass Splash runs Sept 19–21 out of Lake Fork Marina/Caney Point—pressure will spike. If you’re fishing it, lean on off‑beat humps/roadbeds within 15 minutes of the scales and plan around the hourly weigh windows. (sealyoutdoors.com)

GPS waypoints to start scanning (plot then idle/scan with side/down/forward sonar)

Waypoint: 32.84240, -95.61590 — Main‑lake humps/points (mid‑lake). Great with wind at first light, then deep cranks/jigs. (fishgame.com)
Waypoint: 32.82940, -95.59820 — Deep points/roadbed mix; shell nearby. Carolina rig, football jig, spoon for schools. (fishgame.com)
Waypoint: 32.82540, -95.56050 — Dale Creek channel swing/trees. Pitch a 3/4–1 oz jig and 10–12″ worm to isolated wood. (fishgame.com)
Waypoint: 32.81790, -95.56412 — Ray Branch area bends/secondary points; big worm/jig, late morning. (fork.uslakes.info)
Waypoint: 32.80670, -95.54090 — Dam side/south-end hard spots and nearby humps; crank, spoon, Magdraft 8″ around bait. (fork.uslakes.info)
Waypoint: 32.85123, -95.60440 — Mustang Creek mouth zone; morning wind point/topwater then back out to 12–18 ft. (fork.uslakes.info)
Waypoint: 32.92930, -95.64240 — North-end brush/humps complex; slow‑roll a big jig/Carolina rig off cover. (fishgame.com)

Tactics and setups

Early (low light, wind):
- Topwater walker (bone/clear), buzzbait, or 110‑size propbait over 2–8 ft on wind points/grass edges.
- Follow with a 1/2 oz chatterbait or mid‑depth shad crank across the first break (8–12 ft).
Mid‑day:
- Deep crank (dives 14–20), 3/4–1 oz football jig (gp/brown), 3/4 oz Carolina rig with creature (gp, plum, Junebug) on 12–22 ft humps/roadbeds.
- Flutter/Nichols Lake Fork spoon when side‑scan shows stacked arches.
Timber/Channel swings:
- 3/4–1 oz jig, 10–12″ ribbon or straight‑tail worm on 20–22 lb fluoro; count it down and “tick” limbs.
Forward sonar game:
- Set 60–80 ft range, target singles around tree tops 10–18 ft down; 6–8″ soft swimbait (0.3–0.5 oz head) or glide (168–200 size).

Safety, access, and regs

Lake level today: ~401.88′ msl (about 1.12′ low). Hazards remain—run buoyed boat lanes and idle outside them. (waterdatafortexas.org)
New Caney Point (SRA) 6‑lane ramp near 154 is the tournament hub and a good launch for dam/Caney/Little Caney water. (peoplescom.net)
Slot limit still in effect: 16–24″ must be released; you may keep bass ≤16″ or ≥24″ (only one ≥24″ per day; 5 total black bass daily). Drain livewells when leaving—state law. (tpwd.texas.gov)

Quick Grab Gear List
gearlist Rods: 7'3" H fast (jig/worm), 7'6" MH/M cranking, 7'2" MH fast (chatterbait/Carolina), 7' M fast (topwater), 7'11" H swimbait Reels: 7.1:1 casting (jig/worm), 6.3:1 casting (cranks), 7.1–8.1:1 (chatterbait/swimbait), 6.4:1 spinning (finesse) Line: 17–22 lb fluoro (jig/worm/C-rig), 12–15 lb fluoro (cranks), 50–65 lb braid (frogs), 30 lb braid to 15–20 lb mono/fluoro leader (topwater/swimbaits) Lures: Walkers/buzzers/ploppers (bone/shad), 1/2 oz chatterbait (white/shad), mid & deep cranks (shad/chart blue), 3/4–1 oz football jig (gp/brown), 10–12" worms (plum/June bug), 6–8" soft swimbaits & 168–200 glides, flutter spoon Terminal Tackle: 3/0–5/0 EWG & straight‑shank HD hooks, 1/2–1 oz tungsten, Carolina beads/stops, 1/2–3/4 oz swimbait heads Clothing: Lightweight UV hoody, rain shell, sun gloves, polarized amber/green lenses, PFD on and clipped

Why these spots work now

Fork’s early‑fall pattern pushes shad to windblown points/humps and positions bass on adjacent 12–22 ft structure. Expect schooling windows and then a deeper bite on hard spots/trees as the sun rises. Current guide reports note 82–88°F water and near‑foot‑low levels; TPWD also highlights late‑summer/early‑fall topwater/crank schooling patterns. (officiallakeforktrophybass.com)

Want me to dial it to your day?

When are you fishing, boat or kayak, and do you have side‑scan/forward sonar?
Comfortable running timber lanes?
Fun fishing or entering the Big Bass Splash tomorrow (Sep 19–21)? I can give you an hourly weigh‑in route and cull strategy.

Validation

I used today’s official lake level (401.88’ msl), current September guide intel, TPWD regs, and known Fork hotspots with published GPS to keep this current and safe. If your timing or weather shifts (front/wind change), say the word and I’ll update your plan. (waterdatafortexas.org)