Lake Fork Reservoir fishing: Largemouth Bass, White Bass

Target species: Largemouth Bass, White Bass
Best months: May, Jun, Oct, Nov for Largemouth Bass
Second window: Oct, Nov for White Bass

The reservoir

Lake Fork Reservoir covers 26,786 acres in Texas, across 2 counties: Wood and Rains. It is a reservoir: 91.8% of it is 50 feet deep or less; the deepest point measured is at least 75.6 feet (23 m). Our records hold 3 species for this water.

Depth and bottom

Deepest measured point: at least 75.6 ft (23 m). That is the deepest contour line: the bottom goes deeper. 91.8% of the water is 50 feet or shallower. We hold 349 depth contour lines for this water.

  • 0–5 ft: 11.9% of the water
  • 5–10 ft: 13.6% of the water
  • 10–15 ft: 11.6% of the water
  • 15–20 ft: 10.2% of the water
  • 20–25 ft: 9.5% of the water
  • 25–30 ft: 8.5% of the water
  • 30–35 ft: 8% of the water
  • 35–40 ft: 6.8% of the water
  • 40–45 ft: 7.1% of the water
  • 45–50 ft: 4.6% of the water
  • 50–55 ft: 4.6% of the water
  • 55–60 ft: 3.5% of the water
  • 60–62 ft: 0.3% of the water

2 target fish, led by Largemouth Bass

  • Largemouth Bass — Best months: May, Jun, Oct, Nov.
  • White Bass — Best months: Oct, Nov.

Also recorded here: Common Carp.

Aerial imagery: USDA NAIP 2022
USDA Farm Service Agency, NAIP 2022 aerial imagery (USGS The National Map) · Public domain

Water and conditions

Water clarity runs 1.4–2.8 feet on our readings, averaging 2.1 feet, from 38 readings. Water temperature averages 75°F across the year. The coldest single reading we hold is 50°F and the warmest is 94°F; the warmest monthly average is 87°F. pH averages 7.8. These readings span 2016–2026.

What is hard here

Wind is the limit, not the fish: 26,786 acres of open water build a short steep chop, and there is no shelter in the middle. Winter water drops to 55°F, and the warm-water species stop feeding well before you do. Summer water sits at 87°F: heat and afternoon lightning are the real risks, not the fishing.

Where this data comes from

  • Texas Water Development Board — Texas Water Development Board: depth contours: class A, a survey of the bottom, 2001–2009.
  • Webster, K.E., McCullough, I.M., Soranno, P.A. LAGOS-US DEPTH v1.0, EDI, doi:10.6073/pasta/64ddc4d04661d9aef4bd702dc5d8984f (CC BY 4.0); Cheruvelil et al. LAGOS-US LOCUS v1.0 (EDI) — LAGOS-US DEPTH v1.0: Lake depth for 17,675 lakes in the conterminous U.S.: class B, a depth figure measured and published by an agency, without a bottom map.