Winter in Texas doesn’t always arrive quietly.
Sometimes it comes in with sleet on the windshield, ice on the dock, and a north wind that makes you question your better judgment. That’s exactly how this stretch began—most of the state locked in a cold blast—before I pointed the truck south toward Choke Canyon Reservoir to begin pre-fishing for the FLW EverStart.
It wasn’t warm down there—but it felt like a different world.
And before I left, both Lake Fork and Lake Monticello were quietly giving up some very respectable bass to anglers willing to fish smart in the cold.
Here’s what’s working right now—and what might help you connect with a wintertime giant.
Lake Fork: Cold Water, Big Opportunity
Lake Fork is still sitting about three and a half feet low, with water temperatures dipping into the high 40s on cold mornings and climbing into the low to mid-50s when the sun has its say. Water clarity is good across most of the lake, and the fish are settling into predictable winter patterns.
Right now, shallow grass is the key.
Focus on 2 to 8 feet of water, especially on main lake points and secondary points at the mouths of major creeks. Lipless crankbaits are the workhorse this time of year—red, orange, and shad patterns all producing. A 1/2-ounce model is a solid starting point, but stepping up to 3/4-ounce can make a difference around deeper grass or during a cold front.
Jerkbaits deserve a spot on the deck as well. Suspending models in gold and clown patterns can tempt a big pre-spawn bass that won’t chase anything else.
Chatterbaits in chartreuse and white are starting to produce and will only improve as temperatures begin to rise.
And if there’s one bait that can change your year, it’s a jig.
If your goal is a personal best, now is the time to commit to it. A 3/8- to 1/2-ounce flipping jig in black and blue, bama bug, or Texas craw—paired with a matching trailer—can draw the kind of bite that makes a season. Work it through stumps, laydowns, and docks near spawning areas, and be ready.
The deep bite is still there too, even if it’s been out of sight for a few days. Bridges and roadbeds are holding fish that will respond to spoons and drop-shot rigs for anglers willing to slow down.
Lake Monticello: Warm Water, Fast Action
Monticello is a different story entirely.
Thanks to its power plant influence, the lake is already pushing fish into the spawn, and the action has been strong—especially early in the day. Splitting trips between Monticello in the morning and Fork in the afternoon has been a productive one-two punch.
On Monticello, weightless soft plastics are leading the way. Flukes and stick baits in green pumpkin and watermelon are hard to beat, along with Texas-rigged creature baits.
Shallow-running crankbaits and chatterbaits are also producing well around timber-lined spawning flats in 2 to 8 feet of water.
If you want to mix it up, the bridges and discharge areas are offering steady action on Carolina rigs, drop-shots, and deep-diving crankbaits.
A Season of Contrast
What makes this stretch of winter fishing so interesting is the contrast.
One lake still locked in cold-water patterns.
Another already pushing toward the spawn.
Two different approaches—both producing.
And that’s the beauty of it.
If you’re thinking about getting on the water this winter—or planning ahead for spring—now’s the time to line things up. The calendar fills quickly when the bite turns on.
But for now, bundle up, fish slow, and trust what the water is telling you.
Because even in the coldest stretch of a Texas winter…
there’s always a bass out there worth chasing—
and maybe, just maybe, one worth remembering.
0 Comments