Summer is here already!? Wow how this year is flying by! People always ask me what my favorite month of the year is on Lake Fork… hands down, JUNE! This is consistently one of the best months of the year to catch quality fish without the up and down weather like we have in the spring or fall. The bass are hungry, the weather is nice, and even though the kids are out for the summer, school is in session on Lake Fork! You’ll find some of the best offshore schooling actions this month and you can really load the boat quick.

    Water conditions have been crazy this past month with all the rains. The lake is full to the brim and the Sabine River Authority is letting water out at the dam whenever we get any amount of rain. It’s been a wet one lately but look for that to subside as we get into full summer patterns and the dry time of the year. Water levels are at 403.33 at the time of this report which is about 4 inches above full pool. The water clarity has surprisingly been good despite all the rain. I think we’ve had so much that all the runoff is clean coming into the lake now. Water temperatures are ranging from 76-84 degrees right now but expect high 80’s by the end of this month. 

     Shallow water patterns are remaining early in the morning. With the shad spawn winding down there isn’t quite as much hot action early but I’m still starting the morning off with some good topwater action. Best baits have been the Berkley Bullet Pop or Yellow Magic as well as the Berkley J Walker or Choppo. Any shad color or bone has been best for me. I’m also catching a few still on a frog around the grass. Especially if its cloudy. After the topwater bite fizzles out I’m switching to a to a light Carolina rig with a 1/4 oz weight pegged about 14” up my line and a 4/0 hook with a Berkley Jerk in Watermelon Candy color. There are a lot of big bass moving up in the mornings onto areas the bream are spawning still and they’re feeding heavily on these bream beds. If its windy I’m also throwing a 5/16 oz Santone Swim Jig in Pake’s Perch color tipped with a Berkley Grass Pig in the same areas. These big bass will stomp that jig as they target the spawning bream!

   After the morning bite subsides, I’ve been heading straight out to the deep haunts of Lake Fork for the amazing offshore action that this lake has always provided. I cut my teeth back in the early to mid 90’s learning to catch these offshore fish even when we didn’t have much for electronics. Even now, just like back then, it’s some of the best fishing of the year. You can find big schools of bass out deep that are ganged up and hungry for your bait. Fortunately for all of us, technology has come a long way, and I rely on my Garmin EchoMap Ultras to pinpoint these schools of bass out on the deep structure. I’m targeting points, roadbeds, pond dams, and humps in 14-24 feet. There are a couple of ways you need to approach these deep schools depending on whether they’re suspended or on the bottom. By looking at your electronics closely you’ll be able to determine their position in the water column. Once you’ve locked in on their residency out deep you can choose a bait and presentation best suited for that school. If the fish are suspended, I will opt for a cranking rod spooled with Trilene 15 lb fluorocarbon and the new Abu Garcia Winch cranking rod and reel. On the business end I will tie on a Berkley Dredger 20.5 in any shad color and crank away! Another great bait for these suspended bass is a big flutter spoon. My clients catch giants ripping a big spoon through these suspended bass this time of year. As the water warms you can expect these same fish to start getting on the bottom. That’s when they become much easier to catch. I will use a Carolina rig on these schools as a “go to” presentation. I’m rigging it with a 1oz Elite Tungsten weight and a 4-foot leader with a 3/0 hook. The best bait on it has been the Berkley Jerk and Lug Worm in Watermelon Red and Chartreuse Pepper colors. If you’re wanting to swing for the fences on the deep bite, then you’ll want to tie on a Santone Lures Football Jig! These jigs catch giants’ year in and year out. I opt for a 5/8 – 3/4 oz most of the time. Best colors are Pake’s Perch, Mexican Heather, and of course my custom color “JC’s Spicy Craw”. I’ve caught more fish on Lake Fork with this jig color in the summer than all colors combined… just sayin! Pairing it with the proper trailer is crucial. I have found the new Berkley “Chigger Bug” to be my most favorite new trailer of the year. It has a ton of action and entices some big bites. If the fish get finnicky like they sometimes do, pick up a drop shot rod. It will catch a bunch of fish when nothing else will. My drop shot rig consists of a 6’10” medium light rod with Trilene 10lb fluorocarbon. A 1/0 hook and 1/4-ounce weight will complete it your finesse rigs. My go to bait on a drop shot is Berkley Bottom Hopper Jr. This little worm flat catches em on Lake Fork! Best colors are watermelon red magic and shady watermelon candy.

Good luck to all the tournament anglers fishing this month! For everyone else, I hope this information helps you in pursuit of a trophy bass this month on Lake Fork. If you are thinking of coming out this summer and would like to book a fishing trip with me this year, feel free to contact me anytime. I still have a few dates available, but you’ll need to contact me soon. I book up fast! I also have gift certificates available for those of you that are interested in purchasing a friend or loved one a guided trip on Lake Fork. You can contact me to make your reservation at 903-736-9888 or send me an email at la****************@***oo.com You can also visit my website for more information about Lake Fork and my guide service at www.officiallakeforktrophybass.com You can find me on Facebook and follow my official Lake Fork Trophy Bass Guide page at https://www.facebook.com/lakeforktrophybassguide

I have really enjoyed my Bass Cat boats the past few years and have been thrilled with my new Puma STS this season. I couldn’t be happier to be serving my customers on Lake Fork as part of the Bass Cat Team and am looking forward to providing more great trips this year out of my new boat! If you’re interested in checking out any of the Bass Cat models, be sure to reach out to R & R Marine in Pittsburg, Texas. They have the new Puma and Caracal STS that everyone is raving about so go by and check out the new 2025 models available! Steven Stroman and his crew have amazing sales and service as well as a complete tackle shop with just about anything you need. I would like to thank all my sponsors that are continuing to support me in 2025. I appreciate all their support as I serve all my great guide clients throughout the year on Lake Fork as well! Sponsors: Toyota, AFTCO, Bass Cat Boats, Mercury, I Am Second, Berkley, Abu Garcia, Garmin, Santone Lures, Costa Sunglasses, Power Pole, Elite Tungsten, Johnson Communications, Pro Guide Batteries, and Bass Boat Technologies.

In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. -Proverbs 3:6

Tight Lines & God Bless,

James Caldemeyer