Bubba discovers cure for nip of the “Fishing Widow”

By: Don J. Hampton

    Bubba has a deathly fear of snakes and really doesn’t care for spiders of any kind. He doesn’t even like a “Granddaddy Long Legs”. He especially doesn’t like the “Brown Recluse” and “Black Widow”. He thinks they are just too sneaky, hiding in dark places just waiting to come out and bite someone.

  The “Black Widow” is probably the one spider Bubba is the most afraid of. At least it was until he became aware of another kind of widow that could be much more dangerous to him.

  Now Bubba has heard of another kind of two-legged widow that may be bad for his health or at least detrimental to his well being.  This new intrusion in Bubba’s life is a “Fishing Widow”.

  This is what Bubbette claims she is becoming because of Bubba being gone fishing all the time.

  Bubbette knows Bubba’s love for her is strong and she will never lose him to another. On the same note though, on a regular basis she loses him to the lake, to tournaments, tackle and boat shows. Anything that involves angling Bubba is going to find a reason to be there. Her definition of a “Fishing Widow”, is losing Bubba to fishing most of the time.

  Bubba has figured out on his own, that like the bite of the black widow, symptoms of the fishing widow can compare quite closely.

  The first symptom of a nip of the “Fishing Widow” is a cold chill. He describes it as, “Getting downright frigid.”

  Second is a rapid and quickened pulse. This is induced by the fear factor. You won’t see this fear factor on TV, only Bubbette can acquaint Bubba with this one.

  Third is swelling about the head. This is pretty self-explanatory considering all the pots and pans Bubbette has in her arsenal.

  Fourth is not so much loss of appetite as not getting fed on a regular six or seven times a day basis.

  Fifth is a cold sweat and dry mouth. Bubba knows until Bubbette is back to her own self, he better not go have a cold one with his buds so he just has to sweat it out.

  Bubba has figured out the “Fishing Widow” is not something you want in your home. He has also figured out the antidote for the nip of the “Fishing Widow”.

  The chemical composition of this antidote is LQTF =MQTFB. In layman’s terms this means “Less Quality Time Fishing” and “More Quality Time For Bubbette”.

  Since Bubba’s discovery for the cure of the nip of the “Fishing Widow”, life has become warm with less swelling, sweating, and much more nourishing.

   This isn’t to say that Bubba has given up his fishing routine. He has just learned to plan better. He plans more time for Bubbette. Flowers and candy have helped considerably. He has figured out that special moments make up for a lot of lost time. He has also come to the conclusion that if he wants to keep his angling skills in tune, he better find a good angle and sing a different tune.

  But, what has really made Bubba the happiest is Bubbette’s cure for Bubba’s cure.

  When she tires of too much of Bubba’s MQTFB, she applies BTTGF, “Bubba, Time To Go Fishing!”

  Well, guess where Bubba winds up!

  That will soon bring out the “Fishing Widow” and the story will start all over again.

“5^th Annual Legend of Lake Fork Big Bass Tournament” Makes The History Books

By Don Hampton

  There is only one word that can describe the “5^th Annual Legend of Lake Fork Big Bass Tournament” that was held on May 16, 17, 2009. That word would be “Historical”. Eight hundred ninety four anglers representing 17 states and two countries converged on Lake Fork to test their skills in an attempt to pocket some of the $213,000 guaranteed in cash and prizes. Anglers at check-in were presented with their weight bags with free complimentary baits from the tournament’s bait sponsors, Lake Fork Trophy Lures, Gene Larew, and Yamamoto Custom Baits.  The tournament presented by “The Fisherman’s Guide News” and Legend Boats benefiting the “Wish To Fish Foundation” and hosted by Lake Fork Marina anticipated large bass being caught during the course of the tournament, but not near the number or weights of the fish brought to the weigh-in.

  Fishing hours for the anglers on Saturday and Sunday were from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.  with the paid hours starting with the 7 to 8 o’clock hour and going to the 2 to 3 o’clock hour. Six places were paid per hour for the heaviest bass brought to the scales… $600 for 1^st, $400 for 2^nd, $300 for 3^rd, $200 for 4^th, and $100 gift certificates to the first two contestants knocked out of 4^th place. The third angler to get knocked out of the 4^th place chair received steak dinners for two at tournament sponsors the Reel Bar and Grill. Anglers getting knocked out of the chair after the third one received custom baits from sponsor Sebile Lures.

  Lake Fork being a slot lake, no bass between 16” and 24” could be brought to the weigh-in. Tournament rules were no bass under the slot could touch the 16” inch mark on the Chek-It-Stick and bass over the slot had to touch or exceed the 24” mark.

  During the course of the tournament, bass 24” or more won first in every hour except for two. In five of the paid hours during the competition there were two over 24” securing checks for the hour. Overall 20 bass over 24” were brought to the weigh-in for a total weight of 177.12-pounds. All together there were 256 bass weighed in for a total weight of 767.12-pounds.

  Hourly cash prizes were not the only item on the agenda the anglers were competing for. Grand prizes in the tournament were four fully outfitted 2009 Legend Boats, powered by Mercury and Motor-guide and equipped with Lowrance electronics. One of the new sleek Legend boats was a draw boat. Only early entries received be-fore April 30^th qualified for the drawing. A 211-Alpha went to the heaviest bass over the slot, a 199-Alpha to the next heaviest bass over the slot, and a 199-Alpha for the heaviest bass under 16”.

  On the first day of the tournament during the 11 to 12 o’clock hour Robert Rushing from Shreveport , Louisiana weighed in a lunker tilting the scale at 13.11-pounds. Lake Fork being the “Big Bass Capital of Texas”, many questioned whether this weight would remain unbeaten, but to Robert’s benefit and surprise it held winning him the grand prize of a 2009 Legend 211-Alpha, plus the $600 cash prize for 1^st place in the hour. This trophy bass was kept in the aquarium at Lake Fork Marina until it could be scanned by Dave Campbell with the TPWD Share-Lunker Program to determine if she had ever been an entry into the program. The scan was negative for a chip, which meant this lunker had never been entered in the program. On Thurs-day, May 21^st this lunker was released back into Lake Fork by me and Ken Donahue of Lake Fork Marina.

  During the 8 to 9 o’clock hour on Sunday, Robert Williams from Yantis , Texas came to the scale with the second heaviest bass over the slot weighing 11.41-pounds. Robert won a 2009 Legend 199-Alpha, plus the $600 cash prize for 1^st place in the hour.

  David Vanderberg from Paris , Texas only won 3^rd place and a check for $200 during the 2 to 3 o’clock hour on Saturday of the tournament. He had a bass under the 16” mark that weighed 2.99-pounds but in 1^st place for the hour was a bass weighing 10.01-pounds caught by Adam Obrain, and in 2^nd place was a bass weighing 9.90-pounds caught by Tom Morse. David was disappointed having such a heavy bass under 16” and only getting a check for 3^rd place. This feeling was greatly changed when his weight held up through the tournament as the heaviest bass under the slot, winning him a 2009 Legend 199-Alpha.

  In the drawing for the early entries for the 2009 Legend 199-Alpha, Nolan Price from Ft. Worth , Texas was the lucky angler to have his name drawn and took home a new boat just for entering early.

  Lake Fork is known for big bass, but the catches in this two day tournament has set a new precedence. A bass weighing 13.11-pounds winning a tournament in the month of May after the spawn is historical in itself but when you add that to 19 others ranging in weight from 6.72-pounds to 11.41 pounds, it’s time for an entry in the history books. 

  Thanks to the success and growth rate of the tournament and the tremendous sponsorship from local Lake Fork businesses, the Wood County Industrial Commission, and the Rains County Tour-ism Commission, the “6^th Annual Legend of Lake Fork Big Bass Tournament” has been extended to a three day event. Competing anglers will be fishing Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and the tournament will be held May 14, 15, 16, 2010. We will be getting entry forms out earlier this year. Any anglers wishing to be included on the mailing list should submit an email to fishnews@lakefork.net or call 903-383-7748.    

  Thanks to all our many sponsors – Sartin Marine; Reel Bar & Grill; Diamonds N’ Designs; A. J.’s Fish House; Froggy D’s; Tim Walker Guide Service; Hideaway Harbor; C-21 Lake Country; Lighthouse Resort; Ranch House Café; Quitman Ford; On-Site Service; Lake Fork Deli & Arcade; and Service Marine.

The Lake Fork Trophy Bass Survey

  By Aaron Jubar

Fisheries Biologist - TPWD

  In May 2009, the Lake Fork Trophy Bass Survey (LFTBS) officially passed 10,000 entries. The LFTBS, which officially began in March 2003, is by far the most successful volunteer angler survey ever conducted in a trophy bass reservoir. This success is due in large part to the businesses and marinas that keep the survey ledgers on hand for anglers to fill out after a fishing trip. For the past six years, the survey has remained a testament to the unparalleled quality of Lake Fork ’s bass fishery.

  Unfortunately, the number of LFTBS entries has declined rapidly in recent months. For example, we received 191 entries during March of this year. Compared with 453 entries during March 2008- that’s a 58% decrease!   Additionally, April 2009 entries were down 45% from last year. Total annual entries have dropped 38% in the past two years.

  We attempted to understand why we are seeing this rapid decline in survey participation. One explanation could be the unusually windy and cold conditions we experienced earlier this year. The frequency of cold fronts (especially on the weekends when fishing pressure was highest) combined with high winds had the potential to significantly alter fish behavior and spawning patterns. Thus, anglers targeting shallow water fish in March and April may have had a harder time finding and catching trophy bass. Undesirable weather may cause entry numbers to fluctuate slightly, but should not result in the extreme declines we have seen in recent months.

  Another reason for decreased participation in the survey could be simply that the reservoir isn’t receiving the fishing pressure that it has in year’s past. Obviously, less anglers on the water equals less trophy bass caught, which means fewer fish entered in the program. The major problem with this explanation, however, is that fishing pres-sure has remained fairly consistent in recent years, even considering the economy and gas prices. In fact, based on TPWD angler surveys from June 2008 through May 2009, total fishing effort on Lake Fork exceeded one million angler hours- a record high! Roughly 87% of that fishing effort was directed towards largemouth bass specifically. Based on this information, it’s not possible that a decrease in angler effort is leading to declines in survey participation.

  Okay, so anglers are fishing more than ever, but maybe they’re catching less trophy bass? This would be a possible explanation for fewer LFTBS entries and, if true, would be of great concern to anglers, businesses, and biologists alike. Here again, we can turn to TPWD’s angler surveys which have been conducted continuously on Lake Fork for several years. Catch rates of largemouth bass have remained steady since 2001. Additionally, our standard 2008 creel survey produced the third highest number of over-slot bass recorded in the past seven years. Basically, more anglers than ever are fishing Lake Fork and they’re consistently catching trophy bass.

  Given the information above, there remains only one explanation for the decrease in LFTBS entries- anglers simply aren’t participating like they used to. We want to remind everyone that the LFTBS is extremely important to the fishery. Not only does the LFTBS provide TPWD biologists with data from bass that we typically don’t see during our routine sampling, but we publish the monthly results. These monthly sum-maries are distributed to numerous media publications, and showcase the trophy bass fishery of Lake Fork . Survey respondents are asked to record their zip code, allowing us to see how broad and far-reaching Lake Fork ’s reputation as a trophy bass lake has gone. We have had anglers from 47 states, the District of Columbia , and several foreign countries report landing a trophy while fishing on Lake Fork .

  We ask that you help keep the LFTBS going by reporting your catches of largemouth bass ≥7 lbs and/or ≥24 inches (remember that no slot fish may be retained). Participation is easy. At the conclusion of your trip, look for posters advertising the survey and head to the nearest participating marina and ask for the survey ledger. On the ledger, you’ll record the date, your name, zip code, weight of the fish, length of the fish, and the time it was caught. We don’t ask where you caught your trophy or what bait you were using, so your honey hole and go-to lure will remain your secret!

  In summary, the LFTBS is a fantastic program that has lasted much longer than many expected- and we want to keep it going, but we need your help! Please participate in the survey and help to spread the word to others. If someone starts bragging about the “Big One” they caught yesterday, ask them if they entered it in the survey. Let’s not allow the LFTBS to wither and die on the vine like so many volunteer angler surveys on other lakes. By participating in the survey, you can help maintain Lake Fork ’s reputation as one of the elite trophy bass lakes in the world. 

  For questions regarding the LFTBS, please contact TPWD Inland Fisheries District 3-B, 903-593-5077.

“The Moon Report”

June Crappie on Fork

  By Terri Moon

  Well – here we are the year is half over! The crappie are just finishing spawning due to the crazy weather we’ve had this year. I think there were some days the fish were as confused as us! But, finally the weather stabilized and most important the lake levels stabilized. The water temperature has stopped bouncing up and down, letting the fish get back to their normal patterns.

  The crappie are showing up in the brush piles and main lake points and humps. We are catching them 16 to 20 ft. in 22 to 28 ft. of water. When the fish are actively feeding, they can be as shallow as 8 to 12 ft. deep. So this is a great time to keep an eye on your depth finder to monitor any changes of depths and change your casts accordingly.

  This is when a quality depth finder is “priceless”! Lowrance is as good as it gets! They are light years ahead of others on the market. Just wait till you see their newest units. They are amazing! Just go to Lowrance.com to get the latest information. Also a must is the Navionics map chips. If you want to see their latest, they will be demonstrating at the Skeeter Boat Owner’s Tournament this month at Lake Fork Marina. Feel free to call the marina for more tournament info @ 903-765-2764.

  Now the jig colors working for us have been black w/chartreuse, cinnamon w/ chartreuse and also grey w/blue tail.

  We’re not only having fun with the crappie, but the bar fish and bream are biting like crazy! The bar fish (yellow bass) have been holding on the main lake humps in 28 to 32 ft. of water. We’re rigging double jigs about a foot apart and bouncing them off the bottom. It’s really fun when you catch them 2 at a time!

  Now for the bream, we’re finding them in 2 to 5 ft. of water during the new moon and full moon. Otherwise check the 6 to 12 ft. of water around the timber. Crickets or night crawlers are the best bet.

  I want to wish all the dads out there a “Happy Fathers Day” and especially my dad! Hope you have a great one! My best to you all!

“Pack of Knowledge” Gary Dobyns on Rods: Part I

  By Tom Redington

    Gary Dobyns offers a unique perspective on the fishing tackle industry.  He’s the West’s all time money winner with over $2 million in bass tournament career earnings, winning 39 bass boats along the way.  In addition to being an accomplished tournament angler, Gary has been intimately involved with the tackle industry for decades.  He designed his first rod for Abu Garcia in 1989 and since then he’s designed rods for 3 different companies.  Gary currently owns his own rod company, Dobyns Rods.  While he’s quick to point out that he’s a rod designer and not a rod engineer, his perspective as a tournament angler and rod designer offers great insight for any fisherman trying to select the proper gear.  I sat down with Gary in May and asked him a variety of questions about fishing rods.  In Part I, he covers the attributes that constitute a great rod and how he built his line of rods to accomplish that. 

Tom: I assume building rods comes down to a bit of a tradeoff.  When you design a rod, what are the most important attributes that you design?

Gary : I design rods for sensitivity and balance, which are really one and the same.  With a balanced rod, you’re not fighting the tip, so it feels light in your hand and more sensitive.  As a result, a heavy balanced rod feels lighter in your hand than a light rod that is out of balance. It is harder to balance longer rods, so that’s the challenge.  Bigger diameter rods with a faster taper are easier to balance and you can build them with thinner walls.  I’m after small diameter rods--I think it is a higher end look--and am using thicker walls.  I could build lighter rods if that was all I was after.  For example, I’m using a top quality high density cork that weighs 30% more than inferior handles.  I chose to build a balanced rod that is very, very sensitive, and it feels very light. 

Tom: What design features set the new Dobyns Rods apart from the rest of the marketplace?

Gary : Balance & sensitivity requires high end materials, so I scoured the worldwide market-place for the top components.  I was looking for a more durable better guide, and found Kigan, and I’m the first one to bring them to the US .  They have a unique “3D” design with 3 points of contact and then it is still epoxied in place, so it’s a very sure hold.  In addition, Kigan has a strong frame and is an ultra durable guide, with zirconium on Champion Extremes and SiC on the Champion line.  Zirconium is 30% lighter, so we use it on the Extremes.  These are very expensive guides, but they were the best I could find.  For handles, I wasn’t happy with Portugal cork.  I wanted denser, cleaner cork, so I started looking at a French cork and settled on Korean cork.  It is more expensive, actually extremely more expensive than the Portuguese cork, but it is also much better and it doesn’t have the issues with fill like other cork.  The rods feature Fuji reel seats because they are the best.  We added trim rings to dress up the rods and made them look sharp cosmetically as well, plus Kevlar wrapping on lower butt section of the Extremes.  We ended up with what I wanted — not a “pretty” rod, but a very sharp, clean rod.  We’re building a really high end fishing rod, including our manufacturing processes.  We build every rod on the spine. And we're using a locking wrap on all single foot guides. It’s an extra step and a pain in the neck, but with use over time, the guide won’t ever get loose.  It’s typically only done by custom rod builders and we do it on all of ours. 

  Finally, I paid attention to the little details, like hook keepers. They drove me crazy because they are hard to make work for all applications (i.e. drop shot weights).  I used a small loop style keeper on a 45degree angle so as not to catch your line (one of my pet peeves) and on drop shot rods I made a custom keeper to hold the drop shot weights and a small loop for your hooks. I placed in behind the handle to avoid catching your line. Believe it or not, this hook keeper dilemma was one of my toughest problems to solve, both in placement and design.  People would think "oh hook keepers are nothing,” but I get fighting mad over them catching my line, so I tried to fix this.

Tom: What’s the difference between the Champion and Champion Extreme rods?

Gary : The Extremes, I call them “feel rods”.  I recommend them for baits that you really need to have a good feel, like worms and jigs.  They’re made with the best materials, are super light, and made so you can feel every pebble on the bottom.  They aren’t made for reaction baits, and I wouldn’t even recommend fishing reaction baits (like spinner baits and cranks) on them.  They’re just too sensitive.  The Champions are very sensitive and you really don’t need a rod better than them.  But if you want the best and need to feel everything down there, the Extreme is made for you. 

Tom: Longer rods become more popular all the time, going from 6 and 6.5 to 7 and 7.5 and now even 8 feet plus.  What are the advantages of longer rods? 

Gary : In the West you can hardly give away a rod that is under 7’.  We keep going longer and longer because you can cast farther, pick up more line on the hook set, lose less fish because they play the fish better, and a lot of times it makes up for mistakes—if you are out of position on a hook set a longer rod moves so much more line that you’ll still often get the fish.  The only drawback is that it’s very hard to balance them.  With cranks and swim baits, longer casts cover more water and your bait is in the strike zone longer, so you catch more fish.  In deep water, say dragging a jig in 30, 50, or even 70 feet, you’ll get a big bow in your line, especially with the wind blowing, plus you have some stretch in your line with everything except braid.  The long rod still allows for good hook sets in these cases.  Shorter rods, I just don’t use them.  I just got used to making accurate casts with longer rods, even around docks.  I personally don’t use a rod under 7’.  

  For more information, go to www.DobynsRods.com or check out the full lineup in person at Lake Fork Trophy Lures’ store in Emory and on their website, www.LFTLures.com.   If I can be of assistance, please contact me at 214-683-9572 or e-mail me through my website, www.LakeForkGuideTrips.com.   

  Tom Redington is a full time bass guide on Lake Fork & a FLW Tour pro.  He is sponsored by Ranger Boats, Mercury Out-boards, Dobyns Rods, Diamond Sports Marine, Lake Fork Trophy Lures, Costa Del Mar Sunglasses, Minn Kota, & Humminbird.

“Strollin’ With Stroman”

  By Dean Stroman

    Now is the time to start fishing under the cover of darkness on Fork.  With the spawning urges over with, bass are in a feeding mode.  When the water temperature varies from seventy-five to eighty-two degrees, the metabolism of bass is at its peak and spawning is no longer a concern. This is one of the best times of the year to concentrate on trying to catch a big bass. The largest bass will be caught in shallow water at dawn, dusk or during the night.

  Large worms, the eight to twelve inch variety, or jig/craw in black/blue and dark colors for the big worms and ½ to 1 ounce black spinners with a large single Colorado blade slow rolled along the shallows at night is hard to beat if you are after a trophy fish.

  A heavy rod with twenty pound mono line or power-pro braid in thirty to fifty pound test is the norm.  Concentrate your fishing in four to ten feet of water off main lake and secondary points.  Points with the best wood and aquatic vegetation will produce the best fishing. 

  June is one month when both day and night bite can be awesome.  The shallow bite will be best during dawn and dusk.  Once that sun pops up most big fish action will be in one of Fork’s many humps, ridges, ledges, roadbeds and lake points.  One common denominator is deep water (thirty plus) with fifteen to twenty-five feet on the shallow side.

  Deep cranks, spoons, Carolina-rigged and drop-shotting are your ticket to catching Fork’s deep bass.  The key to successfully catching Fork’s deep bass is to find the large concentration of shad.  When you mark schools of shad and barfish on top or the shallow side, twenty to twenty-five feet deep close to a ledge or break line, bass will not be far behind.

  When you find bass suspended in fifteen to twenty feet of water over deeper water, deep diving cranks are hard to beat.  When bass are closer to the bottom, Carolina-rigged plas-tics and drop-shotting plastics can be the ticket.  Do not over-look spoons and tail kicker type bait.  Some days they will produce the best.

  If you are planning a trip to Lake Fork and need a guide, general fishing information or an updated fishing report to make your Lake Fork fishing experience a good one, you can call me at 903-850-5083 (cell) or 903-383-7214 (land line).  Don’t expect a quick answer via email: dstroman@peoplescom.net.  I don’t sit at the computer.  I am too busy enjoying life, fishing and hunting.

  Dean is sponsored by Legend Boats, Mercury Marine, Mossy Oak, Century 21 Lake Country, Gotcha Distributing Company, Sebile Innovative, Arkie, Reaction Innovation, Revenge Baits, Gene Larew and Power Pro Line. 

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This site last updated on Tuesday, June 09, 2009 09:59:57 AM