June means SUMMERTIME big bass fun on Lake Fork! With the kids out of school and beautiful weather, it’s a great opportunity to get them out on the lake for some quality fishing. This time of year is great and lots of big fish are caught as bass move into their summer patterns after the spawn. They’re hungry, aggressive, and fight hard!
The lake is in great shape and up a bit from recent storms. The water levels are currently at 401.06, which is about 2 feet low. The clarity of the water is slightly stained in some areas on the upper north end and clear to about 3 feet on the south end of the lake. The recent surge of rising water levels has triggered some great new vegetation growth all over the lake. Water temperatures are ranging from 79-84 degrees, but you can expect those temperatures to rise as we progress through the month.
The fishing is pretty good from shallow to deep right now. The biggest decision has been deciding which groups of fish to target. The bass have finished up spawning and are hungry! There are several different patterns that have been working for me over the past couple of weeks and they target each group specifically. For instance, if tournament sized fish is what I am after then I fish one way and if catching fish in the slot or going after a big fish is my goal I approach them differently.
The shad spawn has been winding down so I haven’t been out super early lately. There are some good fish on Berkley Bullet Pops and J-Walker early or a Berkley Square Bull crankbait. After that’s over, I’m headed out deep. For fish that are under the slot (16” inches) it is important to downsize your baits, tackle and line. I like to employ my spinning rod a lot with 10 lb Trilene Fluorocarbon leader line. Using small line is important in getting a lot of bites, especially under heavy fishing pressure situations. Just make sure to set your drag properly so that you can work a big fish if necessary because the big bass will bite a finesse rig also. My finesse rigs consist of a drop shot, shaky head, or wacky worm. I am using a Berkley Powerbait Bottom Hopper in 4” size mostly on the drop shot. I use the 6” version of the same worm on a shaky and wacky rig. You can fish these baits in all depths from 2-30 feet. The best way to catch those big under the slot fish, is to look for the bass in concentrations around shad and chose the bait that suits the depth they are in. Fishing them slowly around trees on main lake points is best. My favorite colors are cherry seed, watermelon candy, and plum. You can find a large stock of them at Lake Fork Marina if you’re already at the lake and need some.
Whether you are in the tournament or just recreational fishing you still definitely always want to go after the big mamas. These bass are usually on a program of their own and you have to think outside the box to catch them. I like to employ bigger baits like a Santone Lure football jig, Texas rigged 10” Berkley Powerworm, and a big swim bait or crank bait. I am targeting the big ones from 16-22 feet deep right now but there are also a few schools starting to show up a little deeper. Pond dams, ridges, roadbeds, and points are all great places to get started. I use my Garmin units to locate bass out deep. Once I have located a school with my graph, the Carolina rig and football jig has been best when they are close to the bottom. I like my Carolina rig on a 7’6” medium heavy Abu Garcia Zenon or Veritas Tournament rod with the NEW Abu Garcia Revo VoltIQ reel spooled up with some 20 lb Berkley Gin Clear fluorocarbon line and a 15-17 lb fluoro leader. If you haven’t used this reel, you’ll want to check it out as its virtually backlash proof! I use a 1 oz Elite Tungsten weight and a 3/0 hook. We’ve been catching a number of fish with the new Berkley Jerk as well as the Berkley Power Hawg. The best colors have been watermelon red and green pumpkin. A Santone Lures 5/8- 3/4 football jig with a Berkley Pit Boss trailer is hard to beat. Best colors are PB&J, Mexican Heather, and JC’s Spicy Craw. I am throwing this in the same areas as the Carolina rig and dragging it or hopping it through these deep schools of bass. Best colors right now are green pumpkin, willies, and California. A lot of the fish are suspended and even schooling on shad in some areas. These fish are a little trickier to catch. You need something that you can work in the middle to upper part of the water column. The deep diving crank bait, swim bait, hair jig, jig head minnow with NEW Berkley Lab Series Minnow or NEW Berkley Moeba (Urchin bait) for forward facing are all great choices. I have the new I SEE U monitor on the bow for FFS and its fire! Let the deep fish tell you how they want it and what they want right now because they are constantly moving around with the baitfish. Mixing it up and trying a variety of things on a school of fish will pay off!
Well, I hope this helps anyone that’s coming out this month to chase some big bass around. If you would like to fish with me this year, I still have some dates available. The rest of my 2026 schedule is filling fast though so contact me as soon as possible if you are wanting to plan a trip. I also have gift certificates available for those of you that are interested in purchasing a friend or loved one a guided trip on Lake Fork. You can contact me to make your reservation at 903-736-9888 or send me an email at la****************@***oo.com You can also visit my website for more information about Lake Fork and my guide service at www.officiallakeforktrophybass.com You can find me on Facebook and follow my official Lake Fork Trophy Bass Guide page at https://www.facebook.com/lakeforktrophybassguide
I have really enjoyed my Bass Cat boats the past few years and have been thrilled with my 4th new Puma STS this past year. I’ve been running my new 2026 Lynx model this year. Just when you think it can’t get any better, you get in this boat and it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen! I couldn’t be happier to be serving my customers on Lake Fork as part of the Bass Cat Team and am looking forward to providing more great trips this year out of the new ride. If you’re interested in checking out any of the Bass Cat models, be sure to reach out to Conroy Motorsports in Mt. Pleasant, Texas. They are the new Bass Cat dealer in Texas, and just a short distance from Lake Fork. They will be serving the area well with their team of sales professionals and service for Bass Cat Boats any of your service needs if you are around Lake Fork. They also carry ATV’s and other outdoor power equipment for all your recreational needs! Contact Steven Stroman and tell him I sent ya…
I would like to thank all my sponsors and some new ones that have teamed up with me for the 2026 season. I appreciate all their support as I serve all my great guide clients throughout the year on Lake Fork as well! Sponsors: Toyota, Bass Cat Boats, Mercury, Conroy Motor Sports, I Am Second, Berkley, Abu Garcia, Garmin, Santone Lures, AFTCO, Costa Sunglasses, Power Pole, I SEE U, Elite Tungsten, Johnson Communications, Pro Guide Batteries, DD26 Fishing, Bass Boat Technologies, BDS Suspension, and Method Wheels.
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. -Proverbs 3:6
Tight Lines & God Bless,
James Caldemeyer
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