Lake Fork Fishing Report: Bass Transition, Crappie Stack Up, Cats on the Move

This is Artificial Lure bringing you your Lake Fork fishing report for Thursday, November 13, 2025—let’s dive right in. November’s chill finally settled in, and water temps across Fork are holding around 63 degrees, with the surface 2.5 feet below pool. The mornings have been crisp—expect sunrise this morning right at 6:47 a.m., with sunset coming early at 5:25 p.m. The bite’s slowed just a hair with the recent cold snaps, but by midmorning, fish activity is heating right back up. We had partly cloudy skies early, highs pushing around 64 degrees, and a northern breeze at 10-15 mph. No big front moves in today so the pressure is steady—should make for stable fish behavior all day. Folks are boating good numbers of **largemouth bass**, though the bite is transitioning with the fall pattern. The early bite on topwaters and mini chatterbaits has been reliable around the last patches of grass and main lake points—especially near the dam and around Little Caney. Once the sun’s up, folks are doing well on squarebill crankbaits and spinnerbaits in 4–6 feet, working the edges of deeper grass and timber, particularly in the Wind Point area. Viper XP jigs in darker colorways or black/blue have been effective on big timber and creek edges in 7–10 feet downstream of Birch Creek. As for **crappie**, action is getting better with the cooling temps. Fish are stacking up in 10–40 feet, especially on brush piles, submerged bridges, and groups of standing timber. Plenty of fish still shallow in 10–20 feet, but a good bunch are starting to move deeper. Hand-tied jigs—chartreuse and monkey milk—have been out-fishing live minnows this week, according to Jacky Wiggins Guide Service. If you find some laydowns or big brush, drop down small plastics and give it a little shake. Timber stretches along the main creek channel and near the mouth of Williams Creek are consistent right now. **Catfish** are picking up too, with blues and channels moving shallower. Best bets are cut shad or punch bait fished on flats adjacent to the river channel. Channel cats are solid in 10–20 feet on punch bait. For a shot at a big flathead, try live bait at shallow river mouths in the late afternoon. **White bass** and sandbass have been schooling mid-lake—keep an eye out for gulls, and be ready with slabs or small spoons. Early morning is best for these schoolers, especially between Mustang Creek and the 515 bridge. **Best lure picks:** - Topwater poppers at dawn - Mini chatterbaits and spinnerbaits in white/chartreuse for active bass - Squarebill crankbaits as the sun climbs - Viper XP and football jigs in dark colors around timber - Hand-tied jigs and smaller plastics for crappie, especially in monkey milk or chartreuse - Cut shad and punch bait for cats A couple of **hot spots** to check: - Main lake points and remaining grass beds in Little Caney for early bass - Timber lines near the mouth of Williams Creek and the SRA bridge for crappie - Flats off the main cha This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.