Late Summer Lure Up on Lake Fork - Topwaters, Soft Plastics, and Crankbaits Crushing the Bite

August 27, 2025, Lake Fork waking up at 6:47 a.m. under a muggy sky, with the sun set to tuck away at 8:04 p.m. This morning’s low rolled in around 78°F, and we’ll ramp up to a sweat-soaked high near 99°F later by afternoon—classic Northeast Texas late summer, heavy air, and glassy water unless a pop-up thunderstorm crops up after lunch. No tidal swings to watch here, but steady southern breezes are expected to keep the surface ruffled just enough for topwater play according to local weather forecasts.

Fish activity’s high at dawn and dusk, with those big Lake Fork bass moving shallow early then slipping offshore by midday. If you can handle the heat, stick it out past sunset—night fishing’s been producing quality bites lately. Reports from the past couple days say the bite slowed midday, but ramped up again as evening cooled things off.

Recent catches include a strong parade of largemouth bass, with several 5-to-8 pounders landed near the dam and midlake points. The Toyota ShareLunker crowd’s still chasing double digits, but most action sits between 2 and 6 pounds. Word is, white bass and crappie are showing up in numbers too—especially around brush piles in Little Caney and Mustang. Flyfishingwithdanny mentioned big longnose gar, drum, white bass, crappie, and a few slab bluegill, with gar chasing shallow bait in coves late in the day.

Best lures this week:

- **Soft plastic shad-shaped swimbaits**: That 3.5" Magic Shad V-tail Watermelon Red Pearl from Lake Fork Lure Co. is cash—rig it weightless over grass or throw it Texas-rigged in deeper timber, as Jeff Sprague’s IG demo shows.
- **Flatsided crankbaits**: Strike King Hardliner is tricking bites off rocky points and stumps; run it parallel to drop-offs for reaction hits.
- **Big handmade topwaters**: Banderoula Designs’ local bait is putting up big bass in the calm water before sunrise.
- **White or chartreuse jigs**: For crappie and drum around submerged brush, downsize and watch for thumps.
- **Live shad or bluegill**: The old school way is still hot if you want leg-thumping gar or larger cats.

Hot spots to hit:

- **Mustang Creek**: Active bass in weed beds early; white bass and crappie tight to brush midmorning.
- **Little Caney**: Dusk brings in slab crappie and bluegill around boat docks; big bass tracked deep by timber and points.
- **Dam area**: Consistent for heavy largemouth—work ledges with soft plastics or deep-diving crankbaits.
- **Glory Hole**: Early bites from bass and drum off the timber; this spot’s been a local’s secret for decades.

Grass is thick along the edges, so braid’s your friend. The zebra mussels haven’t hit Fork like some other lakes, but keep up the Clean, Drain, Dry routine for conservation. Water’s about 85°F, stained green, and holding steady.

If you’re chasing numbers, aim for evenings—the big girls always seem to chew best after the heat breaks. For your next trip, stock up at Lake Fork Lure Co. or BandE Bait for local magic. And remember: catch, photo, release those giants so future generations get their shot.

Thanks for tuning in to Artificial Lure’s sunrise fishing report. Don’t forget to subscribe for daily updates, tackle tips, and Lake Fork secrets. 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):
August twenty seventh, twenty twenty five, Make Fork waking up
at six forty seven am under a muggy sky with
the sun set to tuck away at eight o four pm.
This morning's low rolled in around seventy eight degrees fahrenheit,
and we'll ramp up to a sweat soaked high near
ninety nine degrees fair night later by afternoon plastic Northeast
Texas late summer, heavy air and glassy water unless a

(00:22):
pop up thunderstorm crops up after lunch. No tidal swings
to watch here, but steady southern breezes are expected to
keep the surface ruffled just enough for top water play.
According to local weather forecasts. Fish activities high at dawn
and dusk, with those big Lake Fork bass moving shallow
early then slipping offshore by midday. If you can handle
the heat, stick it out past sunset night. Fishing's been

(00:44):
producing quality bites lately. Reports from the past couple days
say the bite slowed midday, but ramped up again as
evening cooled things off. Recent catches include a strong parade
of largemouth bass, with several five to eight pounders landed
near the dam and midlake points. The Toyota, shaerwunker crowd
still chasing double digits, but most action sits between two

(01:05):
and six pounds. Word is, White bass and crappy are
showing up in numbers two, especially around brush piles and
little Canian mustang. Fly Fishing with Danny mentioned big long
nosed gar, drunk, white bass, crappy and a few slab
bluegill with gar chasing shallow bait and coves late in
the day. Best lures this week soft plastic shad shaped

(01:26):
swim baits that three point five magic shadd v tail, watermelon,
red pearl from lake fork. Luurco is cash rig it
weightless over grass or throw at texas rigged in deeper
timber as. Jeff Sproug's ig demo shows flat sided crank baits,
strike king hardliner is tricking bites off rocky points and
stumps run at parallel to drop offs for reaction heads,

(01:48):
big handmade top waters Bandarula designs Local bait is putting
up big bass in the calm water before sunrise. White
or Chartrew's jigs for crappy and drum around submerged brush
downsize and watch for thumps, live shad or bluegill the
old school Way is still hot. If you want leg
thumping gar or larger cats. Hotspots to hit. Mustang Creek

(02:11):
active bass and weed beds, early white bass and crappy
tight to brush. Mid morning little kenny dusk brings in slab,
crappy and bluegill around boat docks. Big bass tracked deep
by timber and points damn area consistent for heavy largemouth
work ledges with soft plastics or deep diving crank baits

(02:32):
glory whole early bites from bass and drum off the timber.
This spot's been a local secret for decades. Grasses tick
along the edges, so braid's your friend. The zebra muscles
haven't hit Fork like some other lakes, but keep up
the clean, drained, dry routine for conservation waters about eighty
five degrees fahrenheit, stained green and holding steady. If you're

(02:56):
chasing numbers, aim for evenings. The big girls always seem
to chew best after the heat breaks. For your next trip,
stock up at Lake Fork, lurco or ban bait for
local magic, and remember catch photo release those giants so
future generations get their shot. Thanks for tuning in to

(03:16):
artificial lores. Sunrise fishing Report don't forget to subscribe for
daily updates, tackle tips, and lake Fork secrets. This has
been a quiet Please production. For more check out Quiet
Please dot ai