Lake Fork Texas

[Janinesfishtales]

Good morning all. New to this board. This is my first post. I will be fishing Lake Fork in Texas at the beginning of next April. I will be using a guide for 2 out of the 7 days I will fish there. I have heard horror stories about safely navigating this lake as there is a lot of just underwater structure. Has anyone here fished that lake that can offer tips on safe navigation? Do you recommend a chip and or topo map? If so which ones? Should I install the chip on both the bow and the console? I’m running Lowrance Hook 5 in the bow and 7 on the console. Any advice on this topic is appreciated. I should note I have been fishing my whole life, but am new (about a year and a half) to running my own boat.

Janine

[repdept]

I cant help with Lake Fork BUT welcome to BBC

[hogzilla]

I can't help you out either but try posting this in the Texas forum and you should be able to get some help.

[Keoweefishing]

I have fished there once in the Skeeter Owners Tournament. You absolutely need to know how to run the lake there. If you get out of a clear channel, you WILL hit submerged timber. I purchased a chip before going there and it did help but it did not have as many trails as I was hoping for. If you are fishing with a guide, I would definitely talk to him about it and get some recommendations and advice. There are locals who know the clear routes, but I never got comfortable enough to run once I left a marked channel.

[H-D Dad]

I've wrecked a couple of lower units here when I first started fishing on Fork. The chip I run in my Lowrance is Lance Vicks boat lanes. I've had it for a longtime, there maybe some different ones now. Ask your guide which one they recommend. Btw, which guide are you using?

[JHerrel]

I lived in McKinney, TX (approx. 1 hr west of the lake) several years ago and fished Lake Fork a lot. My advice, stay in the marked boat lanes. The boat lanes are marked with buoys. Once out of the boat lane shut it down and idle to where you want to fish. Regardless of which unit or chip you are running. Safety first. Your trip will be much more enjoyable if you come home safe and don't tear up your equipment.

[Janinesfishtales]

Why thank you and Merry Christmas!

[Janinesfishtales]

Will do. Thank you!

I can't help you out either but try posting this in the Texas forum and you should be able to get some help.

[Janinesfishtales]

Good Morning! I’m using Curtis Keller one day and Tony Clark another day.

[Janinesfishtales]

Agreed sir and thank you. Merry Christmas!

I lived in McKinney, TX (approx. 1 hr west of the lake) several years ago and fished Lake Fork a lot. My advice, stay in the marked boat lanes. The boat lanes are marked with buoys. Once out of the boat lane shut it down and idle to where you want to fish. Regardless of which unit or chip you are running. Safety first. Your trip will be much more enjoyable if you come home safe and don't tear up your equipment.

[tr196]

I use the Lance Vic boat lanes chip. You can buy from his web site, or local spots like Lake Fork Marina also carries them. Have fun!

http://www.boatlanes.com/?fbclid=IwA...TAweRHF6pn2DgA

[Hair Jig]

www.texasfishingforum.com

[Dubee]

Get a Lance Vick chip. The main lake and major creeks have bouys marking the lanes. Use common sense and idle if you aren't sure. April is a great time to fish Fork

[justsomeguy]

Like JHerrel I live in the DFW area and have fished Fork several times, even as a kid when the timber was overhead because the lake was still filling up back in the early 80's. I'm giving and use his advice. Out of the boat lane and I shut it down, not worth it. Also be wary of the people that live on the lake because they know exactly where those stumps are and you will see them flying into the cove on pad and just when you think its safe......kerplunk, new lower. Good time to be there, be mindful of the pop up thunder storms known to happen in spring around here. White spinnerbait with gold blades, chatterbaits(dark), swim baits and if you have one the original wiggle wart are my go too.

[Teadow1972]

Lake fork has the run lanes marked clearly. stay just right of the buoy and youll be fine. If you idle or troll in your gonna idle and troll out lol. Also use you map and mark them and save your trails.

[TxRanger1]

Invest in the Boatlanes chip and you will be okay to go. Sometimes those markers can be a long way off depending on the lake level and wind. Spend the 20 dollars and get the chip.

[MBDiagMan]

So are you still making the trip to Fork? I hope to be fishing there in a few weeks. I haven’t fished Fork since not long after it was built. I fished there in ‘86 and it seemed twelve feet deep everywhere I went. Anxious to go back.

When I fished it in ‘86 it was in a narrow Tarpon with stick steer. My buddies had big boats and couldn’t get in where I went to found the fish. Now I have one of those big boats, but of course I expect the lake to have changed in that time so we will see.

[Big C]

In Texas, which is full of wooded lakes that are scary to run if you don't know them, IMO, next to Palestine, Fork is the scariest to run.Get a lane chip to follow to make your long runs, but when you get off the lanes, till you have a sense of what you're doing (which you aren't going to learn in 7 days) way slow ahead and you will be bumping stumps no matter the speed.