Hot Bite at Lake Fork - Topwaters, Plastics, and Jigs Slay the Big Bass in September

Artificial Lure here, reporting live from Lake Fork, Texas, on this fine September morning, and the bite’s got folks talking all over the county. Sunrise rolled in around 6:59 AM, with a sunset coming up at 7:37 PM—plenty of daylight to work the banks and deep timber. Weather’s been good: early hours have been cool and clear, climbing toward the high 80s by midday, with just a light north breeze chopping the surface. You couldn’t ask for better bass fishing conditions.

This is a reservoir, so tides don’t factor in, but the autumn drawdown started last week, lowering water levels and concentrating fish in creeks and main lake points. Water temperature has slipped into the low 80s overnight, which means the big bass are firing up for their annual feed. According to a recent Bassmaster Elite recap, Lake Fork’s heavier grass and timber areas have produced some absolute hawgs lately—several over 8 pounds put boats in the money this week. The best concentrations of fish have been coming out of the upper reaches of Little Caney and the mouth of Birch Creek, with folks reporting 30-plus fish days just working channel swings[5].

Here's what’s hot: Largemouth bass are ruling the catches, but we’re still seeing a healthy mix of crappie and catfish. Most boats are landing 15 to 25 bass per day, a handful pushing 7 pounds and up. Topwater lures—buzzbaits and walking baits—have been stellar right at dawn in the shallows. Once the sun climbs, switch to soft plastics like watermelon red Yamamoto Senkos and green pumpkin flukes pitched tight to submerged timber and boat docks. A jig-and-pig combo in black and blue is putting big fish in the livewell, especially if you’re able to work it slow through the thickest brush.

For bait, the local bait shop swears by jumbo shiners if you’re after crappie, and cut bluegill’s catching blues and channels off deep drops on the main lake. If you’re strictly lures, stick to natural shad colors, and don’t overlook a white spinnerbait—especially during breezy afternoons when the bite slows down.

Top two hotspots today:
- The mouth of Birch Creek: Work the creek bends and edges of hydrilla early with topwaters, then shift deeper and hop a jig.
- Little Caney: Hit the standing timber mid-morning with Texas-rigged plastics, focus on trees near channel swings for a shot at double-digit bass.

In the last week, a local tournament saw multiple limits over 25 pounds, with most best fish coming off main lake points in 8–12 feet using swimbaits and Carolina rigs. Midday bites slow but pick back up around dusk—don’t be afraid to stay late and throw a big crankbait after sundown.

To all y’all fishing Fork today, don’t overlook the ditches and old roadbeds—schools of bait are bunching up, and the bass are shadowing them. Stay alert for that explosive topwater bite on the edge as we roll into fall transition.

Thanks for tuning in to this day’s fishing report from Lake Fork! Be sure to subscribe for more tips and local knowledge—this has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease dot ai.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Artificial lure here reporting live from Lake Fork, Texas on
this fine September morning, and the bites got folks talking
all over the county. Sunrise rolled in around six fifty
nine am, with the sunset coming up at seven thirty
seven pm, plenty of daylight to work the banks and
deep timber. Weather's been good. Early hours have been cool
and clear, climbing toward the high eighties by midday with

(00:23):
just a light north breeze chopping the surface. You couldn't
ask for better base fishing conditions. This is a reservoir,
so tides don't factor in, but the autumn drawdown started
last week, lowering water levels and concentrating fish and creeks
and main lake points. Water temperature has slipped into the
low eighties overnight, which means the big mass are firing
up for their annual feed. According to a recent bass

(00:45):
Master Elite recap, Lake Forks, heavier grass and timber areas
have produced some absolute hogs lately, several over eight pounds
put boats in the money this week. The best concentrations
of fish have been coming out of the upper reaches
of Little Caney and the mouth of Birch Creek, with
folks reporting thirty plus fish days just working channel swings.

(01:07):
Now here's what's hot. Large mouth bass are ruling the catches,
but we're still seeing a healthy mix of crappy and catfish.
Most boats are landing fifteen to twenty five bass per day,
a handful pushing seven pounds in up top water. Lures,
buzz baits and walking baits have been stellar. Write at
dawn in the shallows. Once the sun climbs, switch to

(01:28):
soft plastics like watermelon, red yamamoto, senkos and green pumped
in flukes, pitch tight to submerge timber and boat docks.
A jig and pig combo in black and blue is
putting big fish in the live well, especially if you're
able to work it slow through the thickest brush. For bait,
the local bait shop swears by jumbo shiners if you're
after crappy and cut bluegills, catching blues and channels off

(01:51):
deep drops on the main lake. If you're strictly lures,
stick to natural shad colors and don't overlook a white
spinner bait, especially during brief afternoons when the bite slows down.
Top two hotspots today, the mof of Birch Creek. Work
the creek bends and edges of hydrilla early with top waters,
then shift deeper and hop a jeg little caney. Hit

(02:13):
the standing timber mid morning with Texas rigged plastics. Focus
on trees near channel swings for a shot at double
digit bass. In the last week, a local tournament saw
multiple limits over twenty five pounds, with most best fish
coming off main lake points in eight to twelve feet
using swim baits in Carolina wigs. Midday bite slow, but

(02:34):
pick back up around dusk. Don't be afraid to stay
late and throw a big crank bait after sundown. To
all y'all fishing Fork today, don't overlook the ditches and
old roadbeds. Schools of bait are bunching up and the
bass are shadowing them. Stay alert for that explosive top
water bite on the edge as we roll into fall transition.

(02:54):
Thanks for tuning in to this day's fishing report from
Lake Fork. Be sure to subscribe from more tips and
local knowledge. This has been a quiet please production. For
more child quiet, please dot ai