Lake Fork, Texas ETS Systems

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Low Water Conditions

Article: November, 2005
Lake Fork Pro Jim Reaneau
This month's article is going to cover low water conditions. Almost ever state has had a drought condition . We here in Texas around the Lake Fork area are 13 inches behind in rain fall. Lake Fork is currently 4 feet low. Because the way they built the lake we will always have a boat ramp to use. The main concern is the water around the boat docks for the home owners. Many home owners leave their boats on lifts or pulled up on shore to long. Soon they find out they can’t get their boat out. Our lake does not fall two feet over night so why this happens is any ones guess.

Now for some fishing info. When the lakes are built many cover over old roadbeds and fence rows, there are old concrete slabs and farm ponds. All these are fish attractants. We all have learned this in our fishing experience. If you were not present when a lake was built then when the lake goes down get your map and get out and start looking for these areas. Because as lakes get older the timber starts to fall. When the water drops the stumps start showing up where the above areas are. This is a great time to mark these areas with your GPS. This is also a good time to brush up some good spots and when the water gets back to normal this will be a great fishing area. The fish will also seek the creek channels and stack up. When the water is low you can follow channels and find the bends more readily. The creeks will usually have some big trees along the banks that may have fallen and the stumps are all that is left. Now you can see them and follow the creek The bends will be where the deepest water will usually be and this is the spot where the fish will be. Crank baits, Texas rig worms, and jig & pig are great tactics for catching these fish. Some days the big trees or stumps will hold the fish.

The maps will show where old lakes or ponds were and the stumps around them will be visible. Now you can find the dams on the old lakes this is a key area. The fish will seek the hump part of the dam as this will be a rise and this will attract the fish. Mark your map as you find these areas. Just because you don’t catch fish right now don’t give up for when the water gets back to normal the fish may return to these areas. Fish will seek the deepest water available when the water is falling so they don’t get caught in shallow. They will suspend around deep water that is close to shallow water. The main key is to be careful when you are motoring around with the lake down. Go slow in fields and flats as there may be small humps and you could run aground. Keep your depth finders on so you can track the bottom. When lakes get older they also silt in and your creeks and shallows will become a lot shallower than when the lake was first built, so when you get to the back of creeks be watchful for very shallow water.

The main key is get out with your video camera and make some movies about what you find. This way you can find these areas when the lake gets back to normal.

Good Fishing and I hope this helps a little to make you a better fisherman.
Thanks and Good Fishing,
Jim

Fishing Tip by EX Lake Fork Guide Jim Reaneau

 

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