Lake Fork

SLOW. normal stain; 57 degrees; 2.94 feet below pool. Water temperature is ranging 51-59 degrees. The morning bass bite is slow and improves when the temperature warms midday. Bladed jigs, lipless crankbaits and squarebill crankbaits are best in flats with cover close by 3-5 feet. Fish are on the move to the backs of the pockets. Big wood on the edge of the channels are holding some of the bigger fish. Best baits Texas rigs with creature baits or Viper XP jigs in 5-7 feet. Report by Marc Mitchell, Mitchell's Guide Service. There were some shallow crappie before this last cold blast pushed them back to deeper water. Water temperatures were hitting 60 degrees in shallow areas, but the water temperature on most of the lake was knocked back down to the mid to low 50s. Winds have also caused some change in where the fish suspend in 10-18 feet. On a very cold windy and cloudy day those fish were very close if not right on the bottom. Then with light winds and sunshine some fish moved up to 2-4 feet under the surface. The lake is super healthy and loaded with crappie and bait. We are seeing some big fish also being caught that are full of eggs, fat and shad. You should be able to find fish in 2-22 feet in all kinds of areas and patterns. Shallow fish on corks in 1-5 feet. Prespawn fish on timber and brush in 10-22 feet. Lots of black crappie still on bridges before they make a major move shallow. You can catch big fish one at a time or load the boat with eater sized fish fast. No matter the pattern it’s a good time to fish if Mother Nature plays nice that day. Most crappie baits will work this time of year if you are fishing where they are. Report by Jacky Wiggins, Jacky Wiggins Guide Service.