RedAllison
Well-Known Member
ATTENTION fishermen of "da family":
Guys I used to go to Lake Fork every spring and spend a few days yankin 4-6#ers over the side of the boat all day long. I haven't been now in a few years and I'd like to go back. I'd REALLY like to get up a trip for a couple days fishing among "da family". Just those of us regulars here on the A-owners site.
In all honesty the true PIGS (teenfish) are caught in Jan and Feb but I can tell ya, the weather is still VERY unpredictable down there during that time of year. Early March is good as well, but again you can get into trouble with the weather and when the wind blows on Fork you DON'T want to be on it unless you are VERY familiar with it. (Driving on whitecaps through a submerged hardwood forest can be DANGEROUS for obvious reasons!)
I'd suggest going sometime during the last week of March or the first half of April. That period of time has fish allover the lake on several patterns. Some have already spawned (especially the BIGGGGGEST fish) some are ON the beds and some are pre-spawn. The weather is typically nice and more favorable.
When I used to go I stayed at the Mustang Resort. It's no Trump Towers but for a "fish camp" its decent. (They were the first place on Fork in fact.) But I'm not married to them, there are lots of places around the lake and I'm open for any suggestions!!!
What do you guys think, is this something anyone would be interested in getting the wheels rolling on? I think if we made plans, set dates and booked rooms by the end of fall we would probably have our pick of any places. After that time stuff starts booking up quick, "prime time" for that area is Feb-April so guides and rooms start booking up quick after New Years.
If you've never been on Fork a guide for 1 day or at least 1/2 day can really be enjoyable and educating. Most are $350 a full day (1-2 fishermen) and some guides allow "chase boats" (others can follow along in their own boat) for an extra $100-$150 a day. That's something that 4 guys could pool up together on and come out days ahead in their "scouting/pre-fishing".
The lake has a big slot limit (16"-24" must be returned immediately so that's why the lake is busting full of 3-7# fish!) and makes it PERFECT for holding a "paper tournament". If you've never fished a paper tournament, everyone measures their fish and uses established weights posted for those fish. It's alot of fun and allows for fun tournaments on hot lakes like Fork. Since you can't keep fish "in the slot" you couldn't carry them around for a weigh-in, but on paper they still count. I don't think anyone would want it to be something to technical so maybe we could have a 2 day tourney (Fri-Sat) and pay $100 a boat. Half split between 1st for the 2 day overall weight and then big fish of the tournament? I'll pony up for trophies for 1st place each day, 1st overall and big fish each day. Nothing fancy, just decent plaques with the A-owners logo on them (with Kevs approval of course!).
It's quite a drive for alot of family members (it's 500 miles from my town of Jackson, TN) but it's all interstate/highways and quick time can be made to get there and return home. Since most can't or wouldn't want to spend an entire week away from home or work I was thinking something like Wed-Sunday. Travel there on Wed, fish Thurs-Sat and return home Sunday! Expenses usually aren't that bad, most of the motels down there are $50-$75 a night with 2 beds. Some rooms have bunks for even more capacity. There are several GREAT restaurants on or near the water so meals are usually less than $10-$15 a piece. (I'm sure we could plan some cookouts at night!) There's likewise plenty of gas stations around and a Wal-Mart is less than 20 minutes away.
So what do you think guys, anyone up for a memorable fishing trip to get the season started nextyear??? :beer:
RA
Guys I used to go to Lake Fork every spring and spend a few days yankin 4-6#ers over the side of the boat all day long. I haven't been now in a few years and I'd like to go back. I'd REALLY like to get up a trip for a couple days fishing among "da family". Just those of us regulars here on the A-owners site.
In all honesty the true PIGS (teenfish) are caught in Jan and Feb but I can tell ya, the weather is still VERY unpredictable down there during that time of year. Early March is good as well, but again you can get into trouble with the weather and when the wind blows on Fork you DON'T want to be on it unless you are VERY familiar with it. (Driving on whitecaps through a submerged hardwood forest can be DANGEROUS for obvious reasons!)
I'd suggest going sometime during the last week of March or the first half of April. That period of time has fish allover the lake on several patterns. Some have already spawned (especially the BIGGGGGEST fish) some are ON the beds and some are pre-spawn. The weather is typically nice and more favorable.
When I used to go I stayed at the Mustang Resort. It's no Trump Towers but for a "fish camp" its decent. (They were the first place on Fork in fact.) But I'm not married to them, there are lots of places around the lake and I'm open for any suggestions!!!
What do you guys think, is this something anyone would be interested in getting the wheels rolling on? I think if we made plans, set dates and booked rooms by the end of fall we would probably have our pick of any places. After that time stuff starts booking up quick, "prime time" for that area is Feb-April so guides and rooms start booking up quick after New Years.
If you've never been on Fork a guide for 1 day or at least 1/2 day can really be enjoyable and educating. Most are $350 a full day (1-2 fishermen) and some guides allow "chase boats" (others can follow along in their own boat) for an extra $100-$150 a day. That's something that 4 guys could pool up together on and come out days ahead in their "scouting/pre-fishing".
The lake has a big slot limit (16"-24" must be returned immediately so that's why the lake is busting full of 3-7# fish!) and makes it PERFECT for holding a "paper tournament". If you've never fished a paper tournament, everyone measures their fish and uses established weights posted for those fish. It's alot of fun and allows for fun tournaments on hot lakes like Fork. Since you can't keep fish "in the slot" you couldn't carry them around for a weigh-in, but on paper they still count. I don't think anyone would want it to be something to technical so maybe we could have a 2 day tourney (Fri-Sat) and pay $100 a boat. Half split between 1st for the 2 day overall weight and then big fish of the tournament? I'll pony up for trophies for 1st place each day, 1st overall and big fish each day. Nothing fancy, just decent plaques with the A-owners logo on them (with Kevs approval of course!).
It's quite a drive for alot of family members (it's 500 miles from my town of Jackson, TN) but it's all interstate/highways and quick time can be made to get there and return home. Since most can't or wouldn't want to spend an entire week away from home or work I was thinking something like Wed-Sunday. Travel there on Wed, fish Thurs-Sat and return home Sunday! Expenses usually aren't that bad, most of the motels down there are $50-$75 a night with 2 beds. Some rooms have bunks for even more capacity. There are several GREAT restaurants on or near the water so meals are usually less than $10-$15 a piece. (I'm sure we could plan some cookouts at night!) There's likewise plenty of gas stations around and a Wal-Mart is less than 20 minutes away.
So what do you think guys, anyone up for a memorable fishing trip to get the season started nextyear??? :beer:
RA