Best Times & Seasons to Fish Lake Fork (Complete Guide)
Lake Fork is one of the greatest “big bass” lakes on earth drawing thousands of anglers annually to its waters. Knowing the best seasons to fish in this premier lake can make a big difference in your success.
The best time of the year to fish Lake Fork is between January and March and between October and November in the fall. Morning and late afternoons are the best time of day for Lake Fork fishing.
| Fish | Best Season to Fish in Lake Fork |
| Largemouth Bass | Year-round availability; spring and fall offer the best fishing. |
| Crappie | Year-round availability; October-March is the best time. |
| Catfish | Year-round availability; winter and spring are the best months. |
| Bluegill | Year-round availability; good fishing all year. |
Lake Fork bass fishing is good at different times of the day. Bass is active in the early morning, late afternoon, and at night. Anglers usually get a lot of bites during the first hour of light and the last hour of light.
Lake Fork Seasonal Guide
Click here to find out the peak fishing hours in Texas. Check out this helpful guide to the best fishing charters in Galveston. You may also be interested in this article on the best times for Matagorda fishing.
Winter
The air temperature in winter in Texas ranges from 36°F (2°C) to 60°F (15°C). Lake Fork’s water temperature in the winter months ranges between 50°F and 60°F.
Water is cold in Lake Fork in winter. Due to cooler temperatures, metabolism slows down and that’s the reason why bass doesn’t actively feed.
So, anglers find it difficult to catch a lot of fish during the winter months. You may only get a few bites during a fishing trip. However, fishermen can catch big fish in winter.
In winter, anglers usually get bites of bass in the late morning and the late afternoon. Winter storms may occur in Texas. Ice accumulates in some spaces during the winter storms. Storms make it impossible to fish Lake Fork. Due to cooler temperatures, bass often go to deep waters.
Baits like big spinners, tail spinners, and jigging spoons work well for bass in winter. Spring fishing is often very productive during warm sunny days.
Spring
The air temperature in spring in Texas ranges from 60°F (15°C) to 80°F (26°C). Lake Fork’s water temperature in the spring months ranges between 60°F and 65°F.
Visit Lake Fork in spring. Spring bass fishing is excellent on the lake. Anglers can fish pre-spawn bass in March. Bass actively feeds during this time of the year.
Bass spawning season on Lake Fork begins in April and lasts until June. Anglers frequently catch big bass on the lake during the spring months.
Late morning is a good time of the day to fish Lake Fork. Storms rarely occur in the area in spring.
Bass and other species of fish can be found in shallows in the spring. It’s a good idea to use baits like lipless crank, spinnerbait, lizard, and tiki sticks during the spring months.
Summer
The air temperature in spring in Texas ranges from 85°F (29°C) to 95°F (35°C). Lake Fork’s average water temperature in the summer months is 80°F (26°C).
Bass starts feeding actively after the spawning season. Anglers should aim to target bass in the middle of the water in the early summer.
Bass can be found near the lake structures and in the areas with the timber over deeper water during the summer months. Fishermen should select the right type of bait to catch bass on Lake Fork successfully.
Go fishing for bass on Lake Fork at night or in the morning. Tropical storms occur in Texas in the late summer. Lake Fork is impacted by storms. Fishing should be avoided during the storm season.
Summer means the end of the bass spawning season. Bass leaves shallow waters and goes to deep waters. Among the baits that work well for bass in summer are jigs, small crankbaits, Texas rig worms, and topwater baits.
Fall
The air temperature in fall in Texas ranges from 65°F (18°C) to 90°F (32°C). Lake Fork’s water temperature in the spring months ranges between 65°F (18°C) and 70 °F (21°C).
Fall fishing on the lake is also very good. During the fall months, anglers can catch a lot of Lake Fork bass. Also, a chance to catch a trophy bass is high during the fall months.
October is one of the best months to enjoy Lake Fork bass fishing. Even bass fishing tournaments take place this month.
Fishing on Lake Fork is the most productive at the first light of day and during the last hour.
Rains and storms often occur in September. Storms result in a change of water level that negatively affects fishing. Bass fishing on Lake Fork is productive before storms. You should wait a couple of days before going fishing after storms.
Bass can be found in the shallows and around cover in the fall. Anglers use crankbaits, jigs, jerk baits, spinnerbaits as well as a finesse worm. All these baits work well for bass during the fall months.
Recommended Fishing Guides in Lake Fork
These guides have earned great reviews from anglers and will offer you a tremendous service. The captains are knowledgeable, friendly, and are sure to put you on fish. By clicking the links below, you will be taken to the charter’s respective profile on Fishing Booker where you can read reviews, learn more about the charter, view photos, and book online at the best rate.
| Recommended Fishing Charters & Guides | Location |
| JDR Fishing Adventures | Alba, TX |
| Tracking Texas Trophies | Sulphur Springs, TX |
| Tim May Fishing Guide Service – Lake Fork | Alba, TX |
| Dblrcatfish & Crappie | Emory, TX |
| Lake Fork Guide Service | Alba, TX |
Monthly Breakdown: Lake Fork
January
Fish is inactive on Lake Fork during the winter months. So, anglers have to work hard to get a bite of bass. Anglers can target largemouth bass as well as white bass in January. It’s best to fish for bass in January between afternoon and sunset. Anglers should aim to target bass in deep waters.
February
Bass is preparing for spawning season in February. This month anglers have a good chance to catch big bass. Late morning and late evening are the best times of the day to fish for bass on Lake Fork. Lots of bass can be found in Lake Fork’s deep waters.
March
Water is getting warmer and bass starts feeding actively in March. Chances to catch a trophy fish are high this month. It’s possible to fish for bass throughout the day. It’s the time of the year when bass females begin to move from shallow waters to deep waters.
April
April means the beginning of a peak bass fishing season. The weather is nice and bass is actively feeding in Lake Fork. April is a great time to target largemouth bass and white bass on the lake.
Fishing is more productive in the middle of a day and during the evening hours. Anglers can find big bass in shallow waters.
May
Summer is getting closer. The water warms up and bass is becoming more active on Lake Fork. Bass fishing is excellent in the late spring.
Early morning is the best time of the day to fish in the reservoir. Anglers can target bass both in shallow and deep waters.
June
It’s getting hotter in June. Bass moves to deeper waters during a period of heat. The lake is full of hungry fish. Oftentimes, fishermen catch a trophy bass this month. Anglers can fish for bass in many different ways. Fishing is good early in the morning.
July
Lake Fork fishing is very productive in July. It is a good time of the year to target catfish and crappie. Largemouth bass can be found in the middle of the lake this month. Go fishing for bass around dawn and dusk.
August
It’s usually very hot in August. Nevertheless, warm water creates the ideal conditions for amazing fishing. It’s a good idea to fish for bass in Lake Fork at night or in the early morning to avoid the summer heat. Bass can be found in shallow waters or in deep waters during this time of the year. Anglers often find schools of big bass in the late summer.
September
September is the right time to visit Lake Fork if you would like to catch a trophy fish. Fishermen often catch largemouth bass as well as white bass this time of the year.
Bass bites well in the early morning. Oftentimes, anglers get bites of bass near trees. It makes sense to target bass in the shallows in the early fall.
October
Lake Fork has a lot to offer to fishermen in October. Anglers, who target largemouth bass, get many bites this time of the year. It’s getting cooler, so fishing is better in the afternoon. It would be better to target bass in shallow waters.
November
A lot of hungry bass are searching for food in Lake Fork in November. Fishing on Lake Fork is great during afternoon and evening hours in the late fall.
Anglers have to focus on targeting bass in deep waters. A lot of fish schooling can be found on Lake Fork in the late fall.
December
It’s possible to get bites of bass on Lake Fork in December as well. Anglers should target bass in shallow waters with a lot of grass. Fish group up during the winter months. It’s best to fish for bass on Lake Fork during the warmest part of the day.
Lake Fork Species Breakdown
Largemouth bass
Lake Fork has been always known as a good bass lake. Largemouth bass is the main target for anglers, who fish the lake. Here, anglers often catch a trophy bass fish. It’s possible to fish for bass in the lake year round. However, anglers get the best results between the late winter and the late spring.
Fishing is also good between the late summer and early fall. The best time of day to fish for largemouth bass in Lake Fork depends on the time of the year. Bass bites well at night, in early morning and in the late evening.
Bluegill
Bluegill is another fish that anglers can target in the waters of Lake Fork. Spring – early summer is the season to catch bluegill on Lake Fork. Bluegill bites well in the early morning and before the sunset.
Catfish
Anglers can also fish for catfish in Lake Fork. The population of catfish in the lake is growing. Anglers have to follow certain rules when fishing for catfish in the lake.
Oftentimes, fishermen catch catfish in June and July. The chances to get a bite of catfish on Lake Fork are high between sunset and midnight.
Crappie
Anglers can catch black crappies as well as white crappies in the lake. The efficiency of fishing depends on the time of the year. Fish actively feed between the late spring and the early summer.
Also, fishermen catch crappies in the fall. Crappies go to deep waters in winter. Anglers get bites of crappies before sunset.
Sunfish
It’s possible to catch sunfish in Lake Fork as well. The early summer is a great time of the year to fish for sunfish on the lake. Sunfish bites well in the early morning and the late evening.
Charters & Fishing Guides: Lake Fork
– Best season to book
March is one of the best months to book a bass fishing charter on Lake Fork. Anglers can also plan Lake Fork fishing trips between the middle and late fall.
It’s possible to fish Lake Fork year-round. Bass fishing on Lake Fork is productive in spring, summer, and fall.
However, summer is a busy season to fish on Lake Fork. The demand for fishing is high and charters can be unavailable in summer. So, it can be difficult to book a fishing charter during the summer months.
Spring, fall, and winter are less busy. That means that more fishing charters are available for anglers during these times of the year.
Keep in mind that a lot of anglers choose to book Lake Fork fishing charters on weekends. So, it would be better to book a charter on weekdays.
– Time of day to book trip
Morning fishing is good between the late spring and early fall. Water cools down in the morning hours and fish start feeding actively. On the other hand, fishing is less productive in the morning during cooler months. Also, some anglers don’t like to wake up early.
Midday is a good time of the day to go fishing during the cold months. Water is getting warmer and the activity of fish increases. However, it’s not comfortable to fish in midday during the hot summer months.
Afternoon fishing is good for anglers, who don’t like to fish during morning hours. You can go fishing in the afternoon at any time of the year. However, morning fishing is more productive than afternoon fishing.
Full-day fishing trips are worth considering if you want to get the most out of your fishing adventures. With such a trip, fishermen can spend a whole day on the water and have a better chance to catch trophy fish. However, full-day trips are more expensive.
