To say we have had a cold winter here on Lake Fork would be a HUGE understatement!!! I'm sure we've had a colder winter, but I sure don't remember one.

Water temps in the areas I'm fishing ranged from 43-45 degrees yesterday. Water clarity is good on the main lake, and gets a little more stained as you get back into the creeks. Lake Fork's water level is sitting at 401.98 - just about a foot below full pool.

We haven't been catching a lot of fish, but that's normal when the water temps are this cold. I don't fish for numbers anyway - especially this time of year. I'd rather hunt for the fish of a lifetime than chase numbers. I think that's what makes Lake Fork special. We are fortunate to have some of the biggest bass in the country here, and I'm going to do my best to put my clients on them!!!

There are a few different ways to catch them. If you like to throw moving baits, a white chatterbait with a Lake Fork Live Magic Shad, a Strike King Red Eyed Shad (Orange Craw), and a Strike King KVD jerkbait will get you bit. With the water temps as low as they are, you have to cover a ton of water until you catch one. Then, slow down a little bit and fish that area more thoroughly.

One of the best big bass baits this time of year is a jig. I like the saying "black and blue is always true", and I pretty much stick to that this time of year. For me, a 3/8 Santone Flipping jig is tough to beat. For Lake Fork, you need a jig with a strong hook, and Santone knows how to build them right. Depending on the depth I'm fishing, I will also throw the 1/2 oz version. Look for the standing timber along the creek channels and go to work.

We've caught some really nice fish the past few days. Here are a few of them: