If you hear anglers say they have to “fish” for spawning bass, they’re not playing Captain Obvious. Rather, that’s fishing lingo for pursuing unseen bed fish.
Day 2 will likely make this the reality on Lake Fork. Here’s why:
Sight fishing, often phrased as “looking at ‘em” means what it sounds like — targeted presentation to visible fish. That’s the strong preference, as a visual connection allows an angler to monitor the fish’s positioning and reaction to various baits and presentations.
Some display super aggressive behavior with clear territorial rage at the presence of intruders. Others may respond with more trepidation — usually more recent arrivals that have yet to “lock down” and establish their position.
Those newer bed fish may scoot at the sight of an approaching boat, while the committed bass will stand their ground and defend their nest.
In either case, visibility promotes efficiency; and the key to that deal is sunlight. No surprise bed fishing tends to improve later in the day because higher sun angles better illuminate beds.
Not to say you can’t catch a bed fish in dimmer conditions, especially if you’ve marked a bed during brighter practice conditions — or, perhaps a fish you couldn’t convince the previous day. Make enough pitches to the right area and you might trigger one.
Lacking definitive locations, “fishing for ‘em” can get it done on days like today when the morning brings overcast skies with a forecast of clouds and afternoon storms. It’s less precise, but warming temperatures have created the right seasonal scenario for bedding opportunities, so some anglers may try to make things happen.
Wacky-rigged stick baits will see a lot of action today, as this subtle rig casts well, makes a moderate entry and presents an enticing wiggle that irritates any bedding fish it encounters.
Another strategy involves using topwaters or swimbaits to cover likely zones and provoke territorial fish to reveal their position with short charges and swirls. Following up with a wacky rig, jig or Texas-rigged bait often closes the deal.
So, while today won’t offer much in the way of true sight fishing, anglers that “fish for ‘em” have options for getting an up-close-and-personal look at Lake Fork dandies.