Lake Fork - FishingTN.com Tennessee's Fishing and Boating Community

Reel Tune · #1 10-15-2014, 03:42 AM

Kayak Bass Fishing TN was recognized nationally for our great attendance and quality of anglers. We have had several of our anglers fish tournaments in South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Indiana, and a few other states and have almost always finished among the top anglers in any tournament. Our top 5 anglers were invited to an invite only tournament in Texas next month on Lake Fork. 4 of the 5 will be able to attend this "Tournament of Champions" unfortunately I was not invited, but I'm going anyway to try to qualify the day before the tournament.

Sarah was one of the five from our Club to be invited, and I think KBFTN was the only Club in Tennessee that had members invited. Sarah nor I have ever fished Lake Fork and I've only fished in Texas on one trip to Gary Yamamoto's private ponds and I'm sure that was a far cry from Lake Fork. Sarah has bought maps, and we've been doing a lot of reading and studying. Sarah was one of the 3 women who qualified in the U.S. The people who qualified get the automatic buy in into day two, and the people who didn't qualify like me have to fish well on day one to make it to day two.

XxthejuicexX · #2 10-15-2014, 08:37 AM

Good luck and congrats to the wife. That's an awesome achievement for her.

Travis C. · #3 10-15-2014, 09:55 AM

That lake is awesome a stump filled paradise.

Can you live bait...

they will gladly eat a large waterdog that you can buy at the bait shops.

Where you fishing out of?

Take your striper stuff for bass... ie big redfins, super flukes and big swimbaits.

Also some of those big 13 or 15" worms like Chris has.

Alphahawk · #4 10-15-2014, 07:08 PM

Congrats to Sarah.

Regards

tkwalker · #5 10-15-2014, 11:49 PM

It doesn't surprise me ... Way to go Guys and Gals ... <'TK><

agelesssone · #6 10-16-2014, 06:54 AM

Congrats to Sarah!
That is quite an achievement being one of only five. That's rare air right there!

Reel Tune · #7 10-16-2014, 07:37 AM

Day 1 aka qualification day for those that didn't qualify already like me have to launch out of Lake Fork Marina it's on the west side of the lake just below the 515 bridge. For those who make it to day two or those like Sarah who are pre qualified for day 2 get to fish both days and day 2 is an open launch.

The big stuff is definitely coming out and November seems to be the month to be there. Lots of big bass for sure. Sarah's going to have to upgrade some gear that's for sure.

From everything I've read it kinda sounds like Striper fishing. Suspended fish that sometime blitz topwater. I've got some 1oz+ spinnerbaits, and Strike King XD10's and XD6's ordered along with some 1oz-3oz spoons, and big worms.

Travis C. · #8 10-16-2014, 11:32 AM

Congrats to you two.

The way the lake is laid out wind is a huge problem if its coming from up north like in the winter. It's almost impossible to stay on the main body due to it blowing right down the lake. Even as little 15mph wind does it.

I would take the bull shads for sure and pickup some of the monster iguana lizards. Dad and my uncle would use 5-6" shiners as well as 12-16" live waterdogs in addition to regular gear. They caught a bunch of nice bass. I'd C-rig the big worms and lizards. There are a lot of trees that are cut off right at the water line or a few feet below. That is why they have so many boat lanes coming and going in/out the coves. It could be 30ft in the boat lane but just outside of the buoys standing timber right under the waterline.

There are a ton literally of slot bass in that lake. That will make for great quality catching but hard because the winner is gonna have to have a couple overs I would imagine.

It's almost finesse big bait fishing it that makes any sense.

Reel Tune · #9 10-16-2014, 01:40 PM

Thanks for all the info Travis. I know nothing about this lake besides what I read, and all the different maps I'm looking at. Big bait finesse fishing I know what you're talking about.

These bass are big and get big for a reason, I'm sure they eat big meals and not just some small shiners. Bass get big with big meals that come to them, and they are not going to waste energy chasing something down. They get big because of cover also where most people aren't fishing for them like deep trees, or trees that have fallen apart and created structure/cover, old bridge pilings, deep water, or suspended over deep water. A lot of bass fishermen are bank beaters, and they are catching the smaller bass the majority of the time. It's hard to fish deep for those fewer fish, when you can beat the banks and have more consistent action.

Year the south/north wind is what I'm afraid of. Sarah will be in her new Revolution and can cover a lot of water and handle big water well. I'm not sure what I'm taking kinda thinking about buying a Hobie Pro Angler for this trip.

Now I wouldn't mind a few slot to get me into day 2.

Travis C. · #10 10-16-2014, 03:25 PM

Also for what its worth, you would think you can pull up to any of those millions of trees and catch crappie. That is not the case at all. Bridge pillars are where its at. They stack on those for some reason more so that all the timber. Not saying there are no crappie in the timber but if I was fishing for them I would start at bridges. I mention this even though its a bass tourney because they have to be there for a reason as well. Plus bass have been known to eat a crappie or two. Could be another puzzle piece or not.

Since you're not really looking for numbers it maybe worth checking if the opportunity arises and you can pull one or two scoring fish off of them.

Reel Tune · #11 10-17-2014, 07:46 AM

Yeah I've got a demolished bridge next to a standing bridge that has a few humps near it that I'm going to target. The main forage fish is the Bar Fish basically a yellow bass, and crappie are another forage fish that are popular. I'm making a list for a Tackle Warehouse order.

I just ordered bearings from Boca, and Hedgehog. I also ordered new carbon fiber sheets to start making my own drags, and a heated Ultrasonic cleaner so I can do a little more thorough job besides the tooth brush, q-tips and tooth pick. I also ordered some new oil, and grease that should keep me stocked up for a few years, and polishing wheels for the dremmel so I can polish the pinion, drag washers, and teeth on the main gear. This was something I was planning on doing to all my reels this winter, but I'm thinking about going ahead and starting and getting a few done before the trip, or just buy a few more reels for this trip.

GO-OKFISHIN · #12 10-17-2014, 11:56 AM

Jeremy,

When are ya'll going? I lived in Texas when Lake Fork opened. There are submerged stock tanks (Texas slang for a pond) around the 515 bridge that we used to fish with a guide. Also Mustang Creek was always good. The bad thing about Fork is there is so much standing timber it is hard to isolate the good structure. Like any lake look for the Creek channels. There is a long point around Dale Creek that was always good also. I will look for my old Lake Fork map and if I find it I will pm you.

Reel Tune · #13 10-17-2014, 02:22 PM

Headed out Sunday Nov 2nd and tournament is Nov 8th and 9th. I need to get a little time on the water. Staying at Lake Fork Marina. The 515 bridge is my primary spot on the west side of the lake. Sarah bought a map of the Lake and I've been studying Navionics. There are just so many places that look good, and it's hard to cover large amounts of water in a kayak.