July is HOT and so is the big bass action on Lake Fork! Don’t let the heat of summer hold you back from getting out on the water this month. You would be surprised at some of the fish you can catch during the hottest days of summer. Many of my client’s biggest catches have come during this month of the year. Load up the family and come on out for some big bass fun!
The lake is in great shape for the middle of summer. Right now, lake levels are just under 2 feet low. Water clarity is good to about 2 ½ feet in most areas. Water temperatures are fluctuating from 84-90 degrees on most of the lake right now with the very hot days sending some surface temps into the lower 90’s. With more mild weather this summer than we experienced last year, it has provided a lot of opportunity for catching bass on various patterns and techniques both shallow and deep.
The shallow water bite has remained reliable due to the unseasonably cooler weather that we’ve had this year and all the freshly flooded cover on the banks for the bass to get in. June fished more like May normally does so I expect July will fish more like June which will be good! The fish are feeding early and late up shallow in 2-6 feet on top water baits. The frog has been best for me around the shallow grass. You will also find some areas back in the creeks where the bass are schooling on bait. My best bait for them has been a popping or walking bait like a Berkley Bullet Pop or J Walker. Any shad pattern will do. When the fish are reluctant to bust a top water lure, I am opting for a Santone Lures Swim Jig in the 5/16 oz size tipped with a Berkley Havoc Grass Pig. My favorite colors on the swim jig are Pake’s Perch, JC’s Spicy Craw, or River Bream. The bass are feeding up on bream in the shallows, so a swim jig is a perfect choice!
I have also been finding a large number of big fish in mid depths this year. The bass have been feeding early and late on shad around 12-16 feet of water. My go to bait for these bass have been a 10” Texas rigged Berkley Powerworm in blue fleck, plum or watermelon candy. There’s nothing like the scent of a Berkley Powerbait to attract the bite of a monster bass. I am using a 3/8 oz Elite Tungsten weight and a 5/0 hook for these worms and fishing it slowly around the trees on points, humps, roadbeds, and creek bends. You can also catch some fish in the same areas on deep diving crank bait like a Berkley Dredger. Any shad pattern will work fine but I prefer a little bit of chartreuse color on the bait like the Blueback Chartreuse color.
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. 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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