Fishing Reports & Tales Archives – CatsandCarp.com
Lake Fork is without a doubt one of the premier destinations for a host of species in the United States. The usual suspects come to mind; Largemouth Bass, Black and White Crappie, Channel and Flathead Catfish, White Bass, and others. What people don’t know is that Lake Fork is also one of the best destinations in the United States for massive Smallmouth Buffalo, Mirror Carp, and Common Carp.
Small mouth buffalo guide Austin Anderson is putting clients on 50+lb small mouth buffalo in Lake Fork Texas.
Fork is somewhat unconventional when you compare it to the waters generally thought of as carp waters in Europe and other parts of the world where they are revered as prized specimens. It stretches a massive 27,000 acres across the piney woods of East Texas. Fork is loaded with natural cover, huge expanses of flooded timber and other structure. It’s literally a paradise for fisherman of any kind.
So what makes Fork so special? Lake Fork has huge fish, simple as that. The nutrient rich waters are loaded with food and the large amounts of predator species help keep the numbers of carp and buffalo in check so they have the capacity to grow very large quite easily. Fork regularly produces carp over the 30lb mark and frequently produces buffalo in the 50lb and up range. The largest Buffalo and Common Carp captured are an unbelievable 68lb 7oz and 40lb 4oz respectively.
Lake Fork Carp Fishing Guide Austin Anderson is catching massive wild common carp.
Lake Fork is also home to the now world famous Texas 44 Lake Fork Carp and Buffalo Challenge, hosted by Wild Carp Companies (www.wildcarpcompanies.com) and CarpPro magazine (www.carppro.net). In the past three years, the competition has brought world fame onto the lake, with anglers coming from all over the US and even as far as Hungary, Romania, Italy, South Africa, Canada, and the United Kingdom to fish in the competition. The Lake Fork Sportsman Association and the tournament is having a huge affect in promoting and introducing carp fishing to the area around Lake Fork.
Lake Fork isn’t easy, however. The water is loaded with snags and the fish are extremely strong. You have to be prepared to put in hundreds of pounds of bait in order to keep the fish in your swim and the trips can be grueling sometimes due to the sheer numbers of fish that can possibly be banked on a session. Fork really is paradise for the big fish angler.
I have been personally fishing Lake Fork for coming up on three years for carp and buffalo. I have put in a huge campaign over the past three years, logging as much time on the bank for Carp and Buffalo as basically anyone.
My massive campaign has paid off for me in the long run, with numerous breaks on my personal bests and, along with my partner Shane Hine, a win of the Big Four Carp division of the Texas 44 in 2013 and third place on big four buffalo in 2014.
Lake Fork Texas also holds some rare trophy mirrors as well as buffalo and common carp.
My achievements on the lake include a Smallmouth Buffalo of 63lb 3oz, my personal best; the IGFA junior world record Smallmouth Buffalo at 50lb 6oz; and most recently, a Common Carp of 36lb 10oz. I’ve also had some special fish, including a few of the extremely rare and notoriously elusive Israeli strain mirror carp that can be found in certain areas of Lake Fork.
Lake Fork is known as a world-class carp and buffalo fishery, and it is definitely worth the trip down to fish it. If you are interested on information on fishing the lake, I operate the only guide service in Texas specializing in carp and buffalo employing English and European tactics. I offer trips for short day sessions up to twelve hours, and also long weekend sessions lasting forty hours or longer. All gear, bait, food, and drinks are provided.
More information can be found at www.texascarpguide.com or through email at [email protected] Also check us out on facebook, www.facebook.com/carpproguide
I love fishing for blue catfish. The highlight of all my blue catfish trips is fishing for blue catfish on the tidal James River in Virginia. Fishing the tidal James River for trophy blue catfish is unlike anything else. On the James you have a very good chance of catching massive 50+ lb blue catfish. Blue catfish over a 100 lbs are undoubtedly swimming around the James.
However, before you run down to the James River and chuck a line in the water, I would strongly suggest hiring a guide to take you out. In my opinion, the best catfish guide on the James River is Chris Eberwien. I have been fishing several times with Chris and his son (who is a great guide in his own right) and I have never been disappointment.
The best time of year to target monster blue catfish on the James River is January and February. While great fish are always around, the deep winter is when the big boys can be found in large numbers.
My last trip with Chris Eberwien was an epic day of fishing. 54 degree sunny weather in the middle of January was nice enough, but the fish were the real treat.
In an 8 hour trip I landed an 8 lb catfish, a 10 lb, 24 lb, 25 lb, 30 lb, 30lb, 33 lb, 40lb, 41 lb, 46 lb and the big boy was a 69 lb 49 inches long blue catfish. The action was so hot, I had two sets of doubles on the line (a 30 lb & 33 lb and the 41 lb & 30 lb cats). A total of 356 lbs of catfish in the boat in 8 hours. My arms and back are sore! I don’t know whether its from the reeling or lifting or both.
69 lb Blue Catfish from the Tidal James River
When I am not trophy fishing I like to go fishing for a new species of fish. I took a long lunch to run to Lake Royal in Fairfax Va in an attempt to catch a Brown Bullhead Catfish. This small dumpy catfish which is best loved as flathead bait is rare in Fairfax Va and something I haven’t ever caught so I am embarrassing the challenge of trying to find and catch one of these little guys.
After studying biological survey data and google maps I picked my spot and this is what I caught. Better luck next time. On the up side the goose put up an…interesting fight and was released safely though my Daiwa Regal Z spinning reel seems to have a broken clutch now.
A nice Canadian goose on rod and reel.
When the temperature drops a lot of species turn “off” for the winter. Flathead catfish seem to disappear once the water dips below 50 degrees, but the channels, bullheads and blue catfish don’t seem to mind at all.
If you can stand being outside, winter is a fabulous time to catch blue catfish. On this trip we landed five 3-5 lb blue catfish fishing from shore with the water temperature in the 40’s. A couple hours produce real steady action (enough to keep the circulation flowing so we didn’t mind the cold).
This winter don’t miss out on some great blue catfish action from shore or from boat.
An average size blue catfish.