Lake Fork Fishing Tips
From Lake Fork Guides
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Catching Lunkers under Schooling Fish
If
you encounter some schooling bass this summer and want to catch the larger
fish out of that school here are some tips. Number one, Boat position.
Position your boat in a position that will not interfere with the feeding
activity of the bass. Pay attention to wind direction. If you are say in a
creek bend then you want your boat just down wind of the school. Tie or
anchor your boat if you find a spot like a creek bend where the fish are
holding in one spot. This will avoid spooking the fish. Sometimes they will
sit in one spot just of off a lip of a drop off or on the edge of a creek
waiting for schools of bait fish to make their way overhead. When they do
they will attack. This is your textbook ambush point. With your boat down
wind of the spot, as you cast you will be bringing your lure in the same
direction that the baitfish are coming through. This works very well and is
more appealing to the feeding bass because the bait will usually work along
with the wind. This is the way to fish a windy point as well. If you cast
across the point into the wind and come across the point with the wind it
will increase your catches. Back to schooling bass! In the summer at Lake
Fork some of the larger creeks will have schooling bass throughout the
summer. These schools hold some real jumbos. Here are my top four lure
choices. I rig up a Magic Shad by Lake Fork Tackle in Smokin Shad color. I
will rig it weightless on a 5/0 Owner offset wide gap hook. When the fish
come up I will swim this bait through the school very rapidly with a twitch
and reel motion. Two or three times during the retrieve you should pause
your bait. Watch your line, if it gets tight let it happen, set the hook and
hang on! Depending on the day sometimes the larger fish will stay on the
bottom taking the easier meal of the injured baitfish that are falling to
the bottom after the schooling is taking place. In this situation break out
the Jig and Pig Claw in White on white or Blk/Blue with a green pumpkin Pig
Claw. Swim this along the bottom directly where the bass were coming to the
surface. If they wont touch the jig its time to give em a dose of the tube.
I mean Texas rig a Flippin tube in White or Smoke colors. I use Lake Fork
Tackle's Tube bait,it is the perfect size and will handle a big Owner hook.
And for the brave may I suggest adding a 3/4 ounce spinnerbait to your
arsenal. Johnson Lures makes one that is perfect for this technique. You
want a white or white and Chartreuse with double willows. Slow rolled on the
bottom this will catch some of the largest fish in the school without a
doubt. Well there you have it, next time your going down the creek and some
bass start schooling try these lures and techniques. I know you will catch
more fish! Good Fishin and God Bless,
John Tanner
Fishing Tip
by Lake Fork Guide John Tanner
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