"On our first trip with Heath, my friend Andrew from New York caught the biggest fish of his life in the first 15 minutes!! Heath is a great guy and a lot of fun to fish with. He really knows lake fork and goes above and beyond to make sure his customers are getting their moneys worth. I would definitely recommend him if you're looking for a guide on Lake Fork!! I also bought Heath's Ranger Boat last year and the transaction went very smooth and there were no surprises!!"

Tyler Paul

Lake Fork Fishing Guide – Heath Hardwick

Summer Fishing Report

Sponsored by: Ranger BoatsMercury Marine

Hello anglers,
September is here and it’s always a busy month at Lake Fork. September marks the beginning of the summer to fall transition period. During this period, the sunlight hours continue to decrease and with the reduced amount of sunlight the water surface temperatures begin to drop. The combination of shorter days and cooler water temperatures will trigger the annual shad migration from deeper water into the backs of pockets, creeks, etc. Once the shad begin to move into the shallow waters, the bass will follow. Here are a couple techniques that I like to use during this time period.

During the early stages of the summer to fall transition the bass will be schooling at various times throughout the day. My favorite baits for schooling action are a Yellow Magic top water bait, a 1/4oz rattle bait, and a shallow/medium running crankbait. When the fish begin to surface, cast your top water bait as close to the school as possible. Work the bait quickly; making it “spit” water as you work the bait. If the school is too far away to reach with the top water bait, opt for the 1/4oz rattle bait. Make a long cast with the bait and work the bait just under the surface. Usually, both of these techniques will work very well as long as the school is actively feeding. Once the schooling action slows, work the area over with a shad colored crankbait. Start with a shallow running crankbait and then move to a medium running crankbait. The crankbaits will usually catch a couple more fish out of the school. For the top water baits, I’m using 15lb PowerSilk fishing line and a Falcon Cara T7 “Weightless Worm” rod.

Another way to catch’em during the early stages of the summer to fall transition period is fishing deep structure spots. (Main lake points, Secondary points, Roadbeds, Humps, Pond dams, Creek Channel Bends, etc) When fishing deep structure, you will need to rely heavily on your electronics. The key to being successful when fishing deep structure is to make sure both shad and fish are present on the spot. If the shad/fish are relating to the bottom, then a Texas Rigged 10” Lake Fork Trophy Lures (LFT) blue fleck worm or a Carolina Rigged LFT Green Pumpkin baby creature bait are good choices. If the shad/fish are suspended, then a LFT Flutter Spoon or a deep diving crankbait are great choice. Also, timing is critical when fishing deep structure. Each school of deep fish will feed at various times throughout the day. So, be sure to check a spot several times throughout the day.

Oh yeah, I just about forgot about the swimbait bite during this transition period. As the shad move shallow, make sure you have a swimbait tied on as well. The LFT 3.5” “Live” Magic shad is a good choice. Fish these baits anywhere there’s shad present. The swimbait really excels when fished over shallow grass beds.

Well, I hope each of you gets a chance to be out on the water this month and enjoy some great bass fishing on Lake Fork!!