Chasing Bass and Bluegill on Lake Fork's Productive Waters

Y’all, this is Artificial Lure coming to you with the Lake Fork, Texas report for Sunday, September 14, 2025. If you’re after big bass and that classic East Texas lake magic, you picked a mighty fine time to wet a line.

Sunrise today was right at 7:01 AM and sunset will be rolling in around 7:31 PM. Weather stayed on the warm side, typical for mid-September, with highs brushing against the low 90s and just enough of a breeze to keep things fishable but not fuss up the surface. Clouds hung around off and on, throwing some welcome shade, but by late afternoon it was all sun and bright skies, really pushing fish to deeper cover.

Now, tidal influence isn’t a factor here on Lake Fork since we’re inland, but you’ll get a bit of a “bite window” around weather shifts and especially in those low-light periods near sunrise and sunset. Clear to lightly stained water was the rule, with the shallow flats showing some summertime grass and hydrilla growth—prime habitat for ambush.

The morning bite started slow, with most local sticks reporting better fish after 10:30 AM. Sound familiar? That’s late summer for you. Around noon, a window opened up with consistent bites coming in spurts—you had to be in the right spot at the right time or you might’ve thought the lake was empty. According to recent tournament chatter and angler reports, five-fish stringers tipping past 15 lbs have been routine, with two to three pounders making up most of the action and the odd four or five thrown in just to remind you why folks travel here.

Largemouth bass, as always, are the main actor on this stage. Word from Texas Parks and Wildlife’s all-tackle records has folks catching everything from chunky three-pounders up to the big gals topping out at over 18 lbs in historical catches—so don’t think those giants aren’t still around. The best results this weekend have come on mid-depth structure, especially on secondary points in 6-12 feet of water and along creek channel bends with heavy timber.

Best baits today? It’s been hard to beat a **5- to 7-inch watermelon red or green pumpkin soft plastic worm**, Texas rigged, worked slow over timber and brush piles. For a reaction bite, locals are leaning on white or shad-patterned ChatterBaits and crankbaits, particularly during that noon surge. Shaky heads and flukes are also putting decent fish in the boat. If the sun’s high, pitch a black and blue jig into the thick stuff or under dock shadows—it’s a tried-and-true method for Lake Fork’s pressured bass.

Crappie anglers are quietly filling buckets too. Most are working brush piles in 18-24 feet with minnows or small jigs, and the bite picks up late morning, especially if you can find a pile that’s stacked with shad. The bluegill and sunfish bite has been pretty lively near the bank around docks with worms or crickets, keeping the kids entertained.

For catfish, your best shot is at night or early morning using cut shad or punch bait along main lake points and creek mouths. Channel cats up to 5 lbs and the occasional blue are being caught on juglines and rods alike.

A couple of hotspots worth checking out:

- **Little Caney Creek:** Focus on the standing timber edges and deeper brush piles.
- **SRA Point and adjacent humps:** Schooling fish have been up chasing shad, especially during those “feeding flurries.”

If you’re out this evening, remember to be courteous—Lake Fork does get busy and those timber fields can eat lower units and props, so go easy and stay in the boat lanes when running.

Thanks for tuning in to your Lake Fork report with Artificial Lure. Be sure to subscribe so you never miss the bite, and until next time, tight lines and full livewells. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Y'all, this is artificial work coming wall. This is artificial
war coming to you. With the Lake Fork, Texas report
for Sunday, September fourteenth, twenty twenty five. If you're after
big bass and that classic East Texas lake magic, you
picked a mighty fine time to let a line. Sunrise

(00:22):
today was right at seven zero one am, and sunset
will be rolling in around seven point thirty one pm.
Weather stayed on the warm side, typical for mid seven September,
with highs brushing against the low nineties and just enough
of a breeze to keep things fishable but not fuss

(00:43):
up the surface. Clouds hung around off and on, throwing
some welcome shade, but by late afternoon it was all
sun and bright skies, really pushing fish to deeper cover. Now,
tidal influence isn't a factor here on Lake Fork since
we're inland, but you'll get a bit of a bite
window around weather shifts, and especially in those low light

(01:05):
periods near sunrise and sunset. Clear to lightly stained water
was the wool, with the shallow flats showing some summertime
grass and hydrilla growth, prime habitat for ambush. The morning
bite started slow, with most local sticks reporting better fish
after ten thirty am. Sound familiar, that's late summer for you.

(01:31):
Around noon, a window opened up with consistent bites coming
in spurts. You had to be in the right spot
at the right time, or you might have thought the
lake was empty. According to recent tournament chatter and angler reports,
five fish stringers tipping past fifteen pounds have been routine,
with two to three pounders making up most of the

(01:51):
action and the odd four or five thrown in. Just
to remind you why folks travel here, largemouthed bass as
always are the main actor on this stage. Word from
Texas Parks and Widelifes All tackle records has folks catching

(02:14):
everything from chunky three pounders up to the big gals
topping out at over eighteen pounds in historical catches, so
don't think those giants aren't still around. The best results
this weekend have come on mid depth structure, especially on
secondary points in six to twelve feet of water and
along creaked channel bends with heavy timber best baits today

(02:38):
it's been hard to beat a five to seven inch
watermelon red or green pumpkins, soft plastic worm Texas rigged
worked slow over timber and brush piles for a reaction.
Bite locals are leaning on white or shad patterned chatter
baits and crank baits, particularly during that noon surge. Shaky

(02:58):
heads and flukes are also putting decent fish in the
boat if the sun's high, pitch a black and blue
jig into the fixed stuff or underdock shadows. It's a
tried and true method for Lake Fork's pressure gas. Crappy

(03:21):
anglers are quietly filling buckets too. Most are working brush
piles in eighteen to twenty four feet with minnows or
small jigs, and the bite picks up late morning, especially
if you can find a pile that's stacked with shad.
The bluegill and sunfish bite has been pretty lively near
the bank around docks with worms or crickets, keeping the

(03:44):
kids entertained. For catfish, your best shot is at night
or early morning, using cutshad or punch bait along main
lake points and creek mounts. Channel cats up to five
pounds and the occasional blue are being caught on jug
lines and rods alike. A couple of hot spots worth
checking out Little Caney Creek. Focus on the standing timber

(04:08):
edges and deeper brush piles sra point and adjacent humps.
Schooling fish have been up chasing shad, especially during those
feeding flurries. If you're out this evening, remember to be courteous.
Lake fork does get busy and those timber fields can
eat lower units and props, so go easy and stay
in the boat lanes when running. Thanks for tuning in

(04:31):
to your lake Fork report with Artificial Lore. Be sure
to subscribe so you never miss the bite, and until
next time, tight lines in full, live wells. This has
been a quiet please production. For more check out Quiet
please dot ai