Elite

A look at Lake Fork 2025

A big bass mecca is on tap as the Elites return to Texas for the Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork.

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Captions by
Mike Suchan
Big things are bound to happen at this week’s Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork. It will be the Elites’ sixth visit to the crown jewel of Texas bass fishing, which has produced the state record 18.18-pounder and seven of the top 10 fish entered in the Texas ShareLunker program.
In each of the Elites’ five previous visits, anglers earned Bassmaster Century Club belts by weighing more than 100 pounds over the four days of competition. Last March at Fork, each of the Championship Sunday finalists earned belts for only the second time in B.A.S.S. Winner Trey McKinney almost broke the all-time weight record and four anglers made the B.A.S.S. top 10 all-time weight list.
Fork, a 27,000-acre lake about an hour east of Dallas, impounded Lake Fork Creek, a tributary of the Sabine River, and Big Caney and Little Caney creeks in 1980. Aggressive stocking of Florida-strain largemouth, which began in ponds in 1979, helped create a largemouth trophy destination ever since it reached full pool in 1985. In a one-year study, anglers spent $18.8 million on fishing trips there, and the economic value of the recreational fishery is estimated at $38.4 million.
While nutrient-rich inflows help Fork’s fertility, around 80% of the timber was left standing, aiding survival and growth of stocked bass now totaling around 15 million. The prominent vegetation is hydrilla, milfoil and duckweed along the lake’s 315 miles of shoreline.
Competition days are Thursday through Sunday, with launches, weigh-ins and expo at Caney Point Recreation Area, 3685 W State Hwy 154 in Yantis. Launches are scheduled for 6:30 a.m. CT with weigh-ins set for 2:30 p.m. CT. All B.A.S.S. venues are free to attend.
The Elites visited last year just weeks after the opening of the Caney Point facility, which features a six-lane boat ramp, courtesy docks, an 8,000-square-foot pavilion and parking for approximately 120 vehicles and boat trailers. 
Due to Fork’s slot, the tournament is again catch, weigh and release, making BassTrakk virtually official (anglers must verify and sign scorecards). Anglers may bring in one fish over the 24-inch requirement to weigh-ins. Last year, Wesley Gore brought in this 10-9 on Day 1, a signal of big things to come in the mostly prespawn event.
Japanese pro Taku Ito had one of the four double-digit bass, a 10-5 that helped him accumulate the biggest limit of the tournament at 39-1. Ito earned the lead and the Rapala CrushCity Monster Bag bonus, but he then fell the next two days to finish 21st.
In 2021, Lee Livesay rose up from fifth on Day 4 to win with 112-5 when he caught the largest Elite limit at Fork. Casting a Super Spook, Livesay landed “baby whales” of 9-2, 7-6, 8-15, 8-14 and 7-14 to total 42-3, the third-largest in B.A.S.S. Livesay, who guides on Fork, repeated as Fork champ in 2022 with 113-11. Other Fork winners were Brandon Cobb (114-0 in 2019) and Patrick Walters (104-12 in 2020).
Last year after Day 3 at Fork, 27 anglers were on pace for 100 pounds. The 10 who advanced all earned belts, although Canada’s Cooper Gallant sweated his. Needing 12 pounds on Day 4, Gallant accomplished it with his third and final fish, a 5-7 at 2:15 p.m. “Please be a Century belt,” he said while reeling it in. “You come in the mindset of catching 40 and you get to the point where I just need a Century belt. I always wanted one of those things.”
Fork 2024 joined the 2008 Falcon Lake Elite as the only B.A.S.S. events where all the finalists earned belts. Tyler Rivet finished second to McKinney with 125-9, which stands as the eighth-best total in B.A.S.S. He left a bit disappointed that this 10-12 didn’t hold out for the $3,000 of Phoenix Boats Big Bass bonuses.
That honor went to Justin Hamner, coming off his Classic victory. Hamner’s 11-7 at 1:20 p.m., a personal best and the biggest bass caught on Bassmaster LIVE, helped him to the day’s second-best bag of 33-7 and third place. Hamner’s 124-10 put him ninth on the all-time list, with rookie Tyler Williams 10th with 124-9.
McKinney, just one week after turning 19, became the youngest Elite champion. The Carbondale, Ill., pro was the only Elite to top 30 pounds all four days, his 130-15 winning total standing fourth all-time. McKinney needed a 1-9 cull to tie Paul Elias’ 132-8 record from the 2008 Falcon Elite.
Big crowds have clamoured for the big stage shows at Fork. In conjunction with the tournament, Caney Point again hosts the Lake Fork Family Fest, featuring food, refreshments and live music from Chris Cagle. The festival opens Saturday and Sunday at 11 a.m. CT.
After storms leading up to competition, the Elites, and the crowds, should enjoy good weather. The forecast calls for daytime temperatures in the 70s with lows in the upper 50s.
Texas’ Keith Combs, no stranger to success at Fork, said he expects a mix of spawning and postspawn fish will be caught. “Someone could earn a Top 10 with all spawners, but I think it would take a postspawn pattern or a combination of spawn and postspawn to win,” he said.
After five visits to Fork, including two in May, Combs said there are no secrets anymore on Fork, so anglers will have to fish strategically, even in practice. “You need to find a place where fish are coming to you,” he said.
Combs said he expects the Phoenix Boat Big Bass will be won with a double-digit fish, the biggest bag could approach 40 pounds and Fork will continue its streak of 100-pound totals. “It’s going to take a lot of weight to win … there’s no doubt about that,” Combs said. “You don’t just get a limit and then go for a big bite. You have to look for nothing but big bites.”
Bassmaster LIVE will be available on Bassmaster.com on Days 1 and 2 starting at 8 a.m. ET and ending at 3 p.m. and also on Roku from 8 to 11 a.m. FS1 will carry the morning action on Day 3 from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. before moving to Bassmaster.com in the afternoon. Championship Sunday coverage will be broadcast on FS1 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and FOX from noon to 3 p.m.

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