By Dean Stroman
Man it is cold outside. Old man winter has finally come down to East Texas . We had one of the mildest Decembers in memory with most of Fork’s water temperature well above fifty degrees during which time bass fishing was great. The shallow and deep bite lasted the whole month. Now with cold water temperatures in the mid to high forties most Fork bass will be hanging around timber and grass right on the creek channel’s breaklines. The closer grass or timber is to the breakline, the better.
The key to shallow water fishing is these breaklines. Look for areas where channels run seven to fifteen foot depths with the surrounding water area in the two to six foot depth range. Bass will group up in channels and creeks during cold water conditions. In most of Fork’s creeks this water depth will occur around middle creek areas.
Around deeper creeks on Fork, the twenty foot feeding flats, points and roadbeds, look for thirty foot breaklines. Some of the top winter locations on Lake Fork is when you can find deep ledges of creeks that run close to points or plats with the deep side dropping from twenty to thirty plus feet with timber in these breaklines. Bridges and roadbeds are also top locations for Fork’s big’uns.
When you find balls of baitfish on or near these breaklines, fish the area thoroughly. Sometime during the day bass will move in to feed. Usually this will be during the warmest part of the day.
During the first couple of weeks in January, deep and shallow bite both can produce, but during the end of the month shallow bite, fifteen feet or less, will start producing the best bite. Hard suspending jerk bits, red lipless cranks, jig/craw are top lure choices for Fork’s cold water shallow bass, fifteen feet or less.
For deep water, jigging spoons sidewinder spoons, tail kickers, football jigs in black/blue and solid white jig/trailer are hard to beat for Fork’s deep bass. If you are after that dream bass and want to put the odds in your favor, pitching black/blue jig with Biffle Bug trailer around breaklines that have heavy timber in and around the breakline will get you that quality bite.
For tournament anglers who target sixteen inch under bass, tomato red trick worms on dropshot rig or wacky style will get you your five fish limit in the same areas.
Here’s wishing you a happy, healthy and prosperous new year. You can call if you need current fishing information. Or if you would like to book a trip, either email me at dstroman@peoplescom.net , call my cell 903-850-5083, or landline 903-383-7214.
Dean is sponsored by Gene Larew, Legend Boats, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Century 21 Lake Country, Easy-Step System, Sebile Innovative, Moby Rods, Castaway and Brass & Blades.