Shad push into creek channels as fall transition takes hold

Recent reports for Fork are pretty thin right now, with our most reliable data coming from early October. At that time, the lake was over four feet low, which was doing a good job of concentrating both the bait and the bass. Water temperatures were sitting around 77 degrees, and the water was lightly stained.

A month ago, the pattern was a mix of late summer and early fall. Anglers were finding a solid early bite on topwaters and shallow crankbaits around vegetation on main and secondary points. As the sun got up, the fish were sliding out to deeper roadbeds, humps, and brush piles in up to 24 feet of water, where Carolina rigs and football jigs were doing the heavy lifting.

Given that we are now in November, that fall pattern should be fully established. Historically, this is when the shad push deep into the creek channels, bringing the bass right along with them. The shallow bite around grass and boathouses usually becomes more consistent throughout the day as the water cools.

For this weekend, start your mornings looking for bait in the creeks. Work the grass lines and boathouses with a squarebill crankbait or a spinnerbait, and keep a topwater walker handy for any schooling action.