February 2009

www.lakeforkareanews.com
903-885-7223
Page 1
FREE
February 2009
“The Little Paper With Big Bass Results”
Lake Fork Area News
Lake Fork guide Tony Parker shows off a
couple of barndoor crappie landed from the
deep waters of Lake Fork. Photo by Luke Clayton
Fish deep for
Fork crappie
Page 3
Froggy D’s Lake
Fork Report
Page 6
ShareLunker
#457
Page 7
Stan Kuhn’s
catfish report
page 19
www.lakeforkareanews.com
Page 2
INNOW BUCK
M
E
ET
H
Marina
T
Motel, Lodge, RV Park
Bass Lantern Restaurant
903-885-7223
Bass Lantern Restaurant
Daily Specials $4.99
Hunt Brothers Pizza
All toppings no extra charge $9.49
Extra Cheese $1.59
903-878-2500
FAX: 903-878-7131
HWY 154, LAKE FORK
Email: [email protected]
www.minnowbucketmarina.com
•Lakeside Pavilion
Perfect for Tournaments
and Outdoor Events
•Beautiful Lake View
•Modern Store •Full Tackle
•Bait • Gas
•Big Fish Aquarium
•Fish Cleaning Station
•Boat Launches
• Generous Parking
•Annual RV Sites
• Dump Station
•RV & Tent Camping
•SATELLITE TV
Wi-Fi Available
GREATEST PIZZA AROUND
Friday All You
Can Eat
Catfish $9.95
Lunch And
Dinner Served
All Day
TEXAS TOP 25 LARGEMOUTH BASS
RANK
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
WATER BODY
WEIGHT LENGTH DATE
LBS. INCHES
Fork
18.18
25.50
01/24/92
Fork
17.67
27.50
11/26/86
Fork
17.64
28.00
04/01/89
17.63
26.25
08/29/90
Fork
17.29
02/14/88
Fork
Fork
17.02
25.50
02/26/91
Pinkston Lake
16.90
27.66
02/16/86
Fork
16.86
25.50
02/08/93
Sam Rayburn Reservoir
16.80
28.75
05/31/97
Mill Creek
16.77
03/01/90
Fork
16.75
25.50
03/08/90
Fork
16.63
27.25
02/28/99
Fork
16.59
26.00
05/15/87
Fork
16.54
25.00
02/27/91
Fork
16.44
26.50
03/10/96
Gibbons Creek Reservoir
16.17
26.00
01/15/88
Fork
16.12
27.25
03/22/02
Fork
16.06
25.50
03/09/88
Fork
16.04
25.75
02/29/92
Possum Kingdom Lake
16.02
26.75
10/13/89
Caddo Lake
16.01
25.50
04/13/92
Fork
16.00
27.50
07/03/89
Fork
15.95
25.50
03/27/91
Fork
15.88
25.50
02/17/90
Merritt (Private)
15.74
26.50
01/14/95
ANGLER
Barry StClair
Mark Stevenson
Stan Moss
Jerry New
Larry Barnes
Troy Coates
Earl Crawford
Bryan Turner
Tommy Shelton
Herchel Brickey
Stephen Trepkus
Flo O'Brain
Guy Witherspoon
Bill Reed
Chris Adams
Troy Johnson
Jim Harrell
Tom Hallum
Gasper Cardinale
Scott Tongat
Bobby Shaver
John Stanley
Wendall Atkinson
Jim Taylor
Kenneth Morris
18 OF THE TOP 25 LARGEMOUTH BASS IN TEXAS
CAME FROM LAKE FORK
MEMBER OF LAKE FORK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
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Page 3
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Fish deep for Fork crappie
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positioning. We will be fishing
around pods of shad hanging on
deep ledges.” Says Paker as he
hammers down and we head toward the mouth of Little Caney
Creek in the lower lake.
Like most casual
crappie fisherman, the majority of my fishing has been in
the spring when the fish are
packed into the shallows during the spawn or, when they are
stacked up around standing timber or brush during the summer.
Fishing deep, open water as we
were about to do is far different
that dunking jigs or minnows
in the shallows. Parker depends
heavily on his sonar and GPS
to locate ideal bits of structure
holding baitfish. “Some winter
Tonya Turner www.exitrealtylakefork.com
REALTOR ®
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NICE HOME IN MINEOLA
Nice 3 bedroom, 2 bath home in
Each office is independently owned and operated
Mineola. Spacious kitchen. Large family
room w/woodburning stove for added
Bus: 903-473-0100 warmth on cold winter nights. Circular
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LAKE FORK TACKLE - NORMAN - STORM - RAPALA - ARBOGAST - VIPER
Best selection of tackle at Lake Fork
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rina at Lake Fork, the wind was
blowing hard from the northwest. Guide Tony Parker was
at the gas pump, fueling his
Kenner for our day’s crappie
fishing. Darned those weather
forecasters!
The prediction
was 5-10 mph. but I noted the
flag was “two blocked”; Old
Glory was flying as stiff as a
poker, this was going to be a
challenging day to fish the deep
open water areas in the lower
lake where crappie hang out
this time of year.
“We have a couple
miles to run to get to the crappie
but I think we can catch them
if the wind isn’t too strong for
the anchor to hold. This type
of fishing requires precise boat
OWNER - JOHNSON’S - BOMBER - MANN’S
By Luke Clayton
As Phil Zimmerman
and I pulled into the parking
lot at The Minnow Bucket Ma-
crappie fishermen simply use
their trolling motor and move
around until they catch a crappie, then they toss out a marker
buoy and fish until the school
moves out. This time of year,
when the water temperature is
at its lowest of the year, shad
and crappie related to keep
ledges. I use GPS to first locate the ledges, often situated
around sharp bends in the submerged creeks, then study my
sonar and look for heavy concentrations of baitfish. Once
the bait is located, crappie are
almost always nearby, usually
holding near bottom under the
shad.” tips Parker as he shuts
the big engine down as buries
his head in the graph.
Precise boat positioning
during periods of heavy winds
is always a challenge and, especially so when anchoring on
a flat bottom. The day before
our trip, Parker and his clients
had hammered the crappie on a
deep ledge that was out in open
water, far from the wind-buffering shoreline. As the ledge
began to plot on sonar, a huge,
Christmas tree shaped ball of
shad plotted a few feet up from
bottom and small inverted V’s
, crappie, were hanging around
the baitfish. A marker buoy
when out to mark the hotspot,
about the size of an automoContinued on page 4
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Page 4
Fish deep for Fork crappie
Continued from page 3
bile, and Parker moved the boat
north of the spot and eased the
anchor overboard. The wind
was simply too strong for it
hold. We were forced to head
toward more protected waters
closer to shore. “We’ll catch
crappie here”, says Parker, as
he feeds the anchor rope out
and the boat settles precisely
over another ledge.
Small live minnows or
brightly colored jigs are Parker’s favorite baits and in the
next hour, we had several nice
sized crappie in the ice cooler,
all caught very near the bottom.
The bite was very subtle, even
with the bigger crappie which
pushed a couple pounds apiece.
It’s hard to ‘feel’ the subtle bites
during periods of heavy wind. I
watched Parker slowly lift and
lower his bait occasionally. “I
catch lots of these ‘soft biters’
when I raise the rod tip and
suddenly discover they have
taken the baits”, says Parker
and he cranks another tasty papermouth to the surface.
After a couple hours
fishing these more sheltered
waters, the wind settled a bit
and we motored back to the
open water hotspot. This time,
the anchor held and we found
the big school of bait and accompanying crappie were still
there, and they were hungry! In
the next hour, we proceeded to
round out the makings of a big
winter crappie fry.
Here’s some tips from
Parker that will definitely help
you catch the makings of your
own winter fish fry:
Fish near bottom
around steep ledges and drop
offs , around heavy concentrations of shad.
Use small live minnows
and jigs and move the baits vertically occasionally. The bite is
very subtle and crappie will oftenShad
simplyShape
suck in the
bait and
enko or
Worm
you will never feel the strike.
Move when the bite
slows. When baitfish and crap-
wild pork in the freezer. Wild
hogs often become nocturnal after continued hunting
pressure. I use a light system
knows as the Feedlight (www.
ultramaticfeeders.com) to illuminate the area around my corn
feeder for night hunting. It’s a
good idea to contact the game
warden in the area you will be
hunting and inform him that
you will be hunting hogs.
Listen to Outdoors
With Luke Clayton at www.
catfishradio.com
pie move, it’s necessary to locate another school.
If wind is light, use the
trolling motor rather than the
anchor to stay on the fish.
Remember that all
crappie landed at Fork during the winter months must be
kept. Pulling them from deep
water causes a high mortality
rate. Check fishing regulations
for exact dates.
Contact Lake Fork
crappie guide Tony Parker
at 903-348-1619 or email:
tawakonifi[email protected].
OUTDOOR TIP OF THE
WEEK
The dead of winter,
after the close of deer season,
is prime time for putting some
BOAT
SAFELY
Visit Historic Mineola
903-885-7223
State-Fish Art Contest Aims to
Draw Student Interest
ATHENS, Texas—Deadline for entering the Texas
State-Fish Art Contest is
March 31, and students and
teachers should take time now
to review the contest rules and
regulations.
Texas students who enter the contest can win prizes
of up to $1,000. Entries are
judged in three grade-level divisions: 4—6, 7—9 and 10—
12. Thanks to funding from the
Toyota Texas Bass Classic, the
three first-place winners from
Texas receive financial assistance for travel to Minneapo-
lis, Minnesota, to compete in
the national competition.
“It’s important that entries
be prepared in the format specified in the rules,” said Texas
Parks and Wildlife Department’s Zoe Ann Stinchcomb,
Texas coordinator for the contest. “For example, artwork
must be the proper size and
have the entry form glued to
the back. The complete set of
rules is posted on our web site,
www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishart.
Links on that page contain everything you need to know to
Continued on page 6
Old Country Store
Custom Made
East Texas Jams, Jellies and Salsa
UNIQUE SPICES
903-569-8059
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Leather Jackets • Fashion Purses
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Tuesday -Saturday 10 to 5
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903-885-7223
Page 5
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Page 6
Art Contest
Continued from page 4
prepare entries and enter the
contest.”
Stinchcomb noted that a
poster teachers can use to promote the contest to students
can be found on the contest
page as well. “However, homeschooled students are also eligible to enter the contest,” she
said.
The State-Fish Art Contest
is a program of Wildlife Forever, a multi-species non-profit
conservation organization that
works to preserve America’s
wildlife heritage through conservation education, preservation of habitat and scientific
management of fish and wildlife species. Working at the
grassroots level, Wildlife Forever has funded more than 800
conservation projects in all 50
states, Canada and Mexico.
Thank you for a
great 2008!
Stop in
and see our
new line of baits
for 2009
We will be closed in
January a few days for
vacation. Please call
before coming.
Tackle & Live Bait
Available
Hwy. 515
Hwy. 17
Take 17 one mile
down south. We are
at the entrance to the
public boat ramp.
Come See Us
Alba
903-765-2100
5190 N FM 17
903-885-7223
Froggy D’s Lake Fork Report
Fishing Lake Fork with TIM WALKER
By guide Tim Walker
Well, the winter weather is here, or at least on again
off again. Along with the typical Texas weather, bass fishing
on Fork this month is basically
the same as it was for the month
of December. The bass are scattered and feeding on the shad
in the creeks and grass beds.
There is still a lot of grass in
the creeks and some main lake
points and humps. Bass holding
on the grass can be caught using a variety of methods.
Fish a rattletrap type
bait over the grass and get the
reaction bite. Good baits for
this are the Sebile baits in rayburn red and the original rattletrap in crawfish or any thing red
or orange. Fish these baits just
ticking the top of the grass and
pausing it every now and then.
Lake Fork swimbaits in the 3.5”
are another good option. These
baits resemble the shad the bass
are feeding on and rigged with
a waited 4/O hook and fished
in an erratic retrieve will pro-
duce some violent strikes. You
can also slow roll a spinnerbait
over and around these grass hot
spots to entice the more lethargic fish to bite. Fish the grass
from 3 to 8 feet of water, this
seems to be where the bigger
fish are holding.
For the deep bite from
12 to 25, I recommend using a
Carolina rig and the only baits
I’ve been using for my rig is the
new Lake Fork trophy tackle’s
hyper freek and hyper worm.
These baits are awesome and
really catch the fish. Rig the
bait with a one ounce Lake Fork
tungsten wait and about a 6 to 7
foot leader. The longer the leader you can handle, the more fish
you will hook up with. I use
30lb power-pro braided line
for my main line and seguar
20lb invis-x fluorocarbon for
my leader. Start fishing at the
edges of the grass beds and
keep working deeper to find
the depth the fish are holding.
When you find them, fish them
slow. If you think you are fish-
ing too slow, slow down. Give
these fish some time to check
the diner out. I’ve been sticking
with green pumpkin and watermelon red dipping the whole
paddle with spike-it chartreuse
Just keep in mind that these fish
have been hammered all year
long and they have seen it all.
Give them some time to check
things out. Those big fish didn’t
get big by being stupid.
These two techniques
have been working pretty good
for me this month and last. Get
you a plan and stick to it. Make
up your mind and realize the
numbers won’t be there but the
next bite you get just might be
that fish of a lifetime.
The water temp. is
holding pretty steady at 48 to
50 degrees, so be careful and
wear your life vests. No fish, no
matter how big or how much
money is offered for him is
worth the price of your life.
I am booking trips for
the spring of 2009, give me a
call at 817-999-7876 or call
Call shirley today to place your ad in the
Lake Fork Area News 903-885-7223
Froggy D’s bait and tackle at
903-765-2100 or Fisherman’s
Cove Marina at 903-765-2943.
and ask for Tim Walker’s Guide
Service. We offer trips for the
beginning angler or seasoned
angler. Also group and corporate trips. You will get treated
professionally and will have a
great time. Making memories
with family and friends is what
it is all about..
Complete rebuilt G.M.
transmission. 40 yrs
experience. Written
warranty by a semi
retired rebuilder in the
Lake Fork area. I do not
take short cuts on parts.
No patch jobs or cheap
work here. If you want
quality workmanship in
a unit that will last with
a savings of 50% or
more compared to most
larger shop prices.
Call for a FREE Phone
estimate. Over the
counter sales only. Pickup & delivery arranged.
Written Warranty
903-372-1279
www.lakeforkareanews.com
903-885-7223
Choke Canyon gives up
seventh ShareLunker
15.45-pound bass is also new lake record
ATHENS,
Texas—Brad
Bookmyer of Leander had
his fishing trip cut short
January 21, but he was happy about it. After hooking
two fish so big he could not
turn them and keep them
from getting off the hook, he
landed a 15.45-pound large-
1991.
Bookmyer was fishing
in 10 feet of 53-degree water
when the fish took a crankbait. “I immediately quit
fishing to get the fish into
the minnow tank at the Calliham Store as soon as possible,” Bookmyer said.
The fish is the third to
be entered into the ShareLunker program during the
current season, which runs
through April 30. Anyone legally catching a largemouth
bass in Texas waters, public or private, weighing 13
pounds or more can enter
the fish into the program by
calling program manager
David Campbell at (903)
681-0550 or by paging him
at (888) 784-0600 and leavBrad Bookmyer of Leander, Texas, caught this new lake re- ing an area code and phone
cord bass from Choke Canyon Reservoir on January 21. The number.
fish was 22 inches in girth and 26.25 inches long.
mouth bass that was 22 inches in girth and 26.25 inches
long.
The fish is the seventh
ShareLunker to come from
Choke Canyon and weighs
nearly a pound more than
the previous lake record,
a 14.66-pounder caught in
Photo By TPWD Photo © 2009, Jacob Dement
Page 7
Applicants Sought for
Game Warden Academy
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is seeking qualified applicants for a game warden cadet class
scheduled to start Nov. 1. Applications will be accepted beginning
Feb. 2 through April 30.
More than 400 people applied for the 55 positions in the
current cadet class that will graduate in June.
Applicants must be 21 years old on or before Nov. 1 and
have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
The degree requirement must be met prior to Sep.1.
To be accepted, applicants must meet the minimum eligibility requirements and successfully complete a regional interview, a physical readiness test, and an extensive background
investigation. Applicants must successfully complete each step
before advancing to the next step.
After graduation, the new game wardens will be assigned
to vacant stations throughout Texas with the responsibility of protecting the state’s natural resources. Game wardens also protect
lives by enforcing the Water Safety Act and conducting standard
peace officer duties.
More information on game warden cadet requirements
may be obtained on the Law Enforcement Career Opportunities
page on the TPWD Web site or at TPWD Law Enforcement offices.
For additional information, contact Texas Game Warden
Recruiter Royce Wells via e-mail at [email protected].
tx.us or toll-free by phone at (877) 229-2733.
www.lakeforkareanews.com
MOTEL, RESTAURANT, PRIVATE CLUB • OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK
Lake Fork Fisherman’s Cove Marina Resort
“The Only Waterfront Resort on Lake Fork That Has a Restaurant And Club!”
We Have It All...
KARAOKE
Fri. & Sat.
NIGHTS
Restaurant •Sports Bar •Motel •Boat Storage •RV Park •Boat Launch •Guide Service
•WiFi internet •Dish Satellite TV •Game Room •Tackle •Boat Slips •Convenience Store
Jim Frazier
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Winner of the
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Certified Black Angus Steaks
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DAILY SPECIALS FROM 4:00 to 7:00
Restaurant featuring seafood
Lobster, Crab Legs,
Calamari, Craw Fish Tales...
www.fishermanscovelakefork.com email: [email protected]
2712 N. FM 17• Alba,Texas 75410
903-765-2943 • 888-818-3675
3 miles S. of FM 515 on FM 17 or 2 miles N. of Alba on FM 17
Page 8
www.lakeforkareanews.com
LAKE FORK LAND
$106 Month Buys Land
Waterfronts
Lakeviews
R.V. • MOBILE HOME • CABIN
Owner Financed
Gated Entry
Central Water • Sewer
Waterfront Wooded Propety
HOLIDAY VILLAGES • Hwy 154
CLOSED TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY
903-878-7263
903-885-7223
TPWD to host Wildlife Tax Valuation
Workshop for Landowners
TENNESSEE COLONY, Texas-Landowners interested in developing a wildlife management
program for their property can
learn how on Saturday, March
7th, at the Gus Engeling Wildlife
Management Area. The full-day
seminar will help landowners
develop wildlife management
plans that meet the requirements
of the Wildlife Management
Open-Spaces Tax Valuation.
Landowners who currently
have a 1-d-1 Agricultural Valuation and are actively managing
their property to promote habitat for wildlife have the option
of converting their agricultural
use valuation to a wildlife management tax valuation. “This
conversion allows landowners
to maintain their tax valuation
without being forced to conduct
agricultural operations at a level
that can be detrimental to wildlife,” stated TPWD wildlife biologist Wes Littrell. “It allows
them to focus their efforts on
practices which increase the diversity of plants and animals on
the property.”
Properties that are valued
under a Forestry Valuation or
are not valued under a 1-d-1
Agricultural valuation are not
eligible for a Wildlife Management Valuation.
Presentations by Appraisal
District, TPWD and Natural Resources Conservation Service
staff will help landowners better understand some commonly
recommended
management
practices and create a workable
management plan for their property. This is especially important
for those landowners interested
in a wildlife tax valuation, since
a wildlife management plan is a
requirement.
The program will be held
at the Gus Engeling Wildlife
Management Area’s Wildlife
Conservation Center. The building is located on the main road
through the area, approximately
1/2 mile north of the entrance
on US Hwy 287 between Corsicana and Palestine. Registration
begins at 8:30 a.m., and the program will conclude at 4:00 p.m.
The program includes a tour of
TPWD’s small acreage management demonstration site to
discuss on-the-ground management.
The program is sponsored
by the Anderson-Houston Soil
& Water Conservation District, Henderson County Wildlife Committee, Texas Agrilife
Extension, NRCS and TPWD.
Continued on page 9
BURNIN STUMP LODGE
LAKE FORK
Located on FM 515, 6 miles east of Emory
395 CR 1516 Alba, TX 75410
Office (903) 473 4353
Home (903) 473-3638
Cell (903) 569-4169
E-mail [email protected]
www.burninstump.com Ralph & Jean Gore
www.lakeforkareanews.com
903-885-7223
Page 9
903-439-0010
• Farm Tires • Full Service Oil & Lube
• Experienced Staff • Tire Repair
and
Tax workshop
Continued from page 8
Due to limited space, attendees
should reserve their place in advance by sending a letter with
their name, contact information,
property county, and $12.00 per
person to the Anderson-Houston SWCD, 303 Lacy St. Suite
100, Palestine, TX 75801-2926
by March 4th. A barbeque lunch
will be provided.
Interested parties should
contact Jennifer Ganter at (903)
928-2251 for additional information.
ALL MAJOR BRANDS
OF TIRES & OIL
Mon.-Fri. 8 to 5:30 Sat. 8 to 12
2 Miles South of I-30 on Hwy. 19
Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center offers bird and nature walks
ATHENS, Texas—The first
in a series of monthly bird and
nature walks at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center will take
place at 9:00 a.m. Saturday,
February 14.
Leading the walks will be
Jim Booker, events coordinator at TFFC. Booker has been
watching and banding birds
since the age of 13. While growing up in California, he supervised banding operations at the
Big Sur Ornithology Lab for
five years, led numerous international trips and started up the
Sierra Foothills Audubon Society, where he served as charter
president for three years. He has
lived in South Korea and Ecuador, where he was very involved
with the local ornithological
communities. Booker was a
park interpreter at Bentsen-Rio
Grande State Park before coming to Athens.
“Walks will take place from
9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. the second Saturday of every month,”
Booker said. “These outings are
D
TIREANLUBE
Y'allGood
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Jim Booker, events coordinator at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries
Center in Athens, will lead bird and nature walks beginning at 9:00
a.m. the second Saturday of each month. The first walk will take
place February 14, 2009. TFFC has a variety of habitat types that attract many species of birds. TPWD Photo © 2009, Larry D. Hodge
Daily Breakfast and Lunch Specials
Special Evening Menu
perfect for both beginning and
advanced birdwatchers. We will
explore our interpretive wetland
trail as well as other areas of
the hatchery grounds. Birdlife
changes with the seasons, and
we should see around 25 different species on each outing.”
Binoculars and a field guide
are recommended but not required. Wear comfortable walking shoes and meet at the TFFC
admission booth.
“In addition to seeing birds,
we will learn about separating
some of the more difficult species in the field, birding by ear
and selecting the right equipment,” Booker said.
Walks are free with paid
admission to TFFC: $5.50 for
adults, $4.50 for seniors and
$3.50 for children ages four
through 12. For more information call Jim Booker at (903)
670-2266.
Specializing in
Flame Broiled
Meats
Always served with
homemade rolls and cornbread
and the best sweet tea in the county!
Always plenty of
homemade fried
pies, meringue
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Saturday night: Flame Broiled Ribeye
Located in Emory on Hwy 69 North
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Hours: Sunday thru Tuesday-6:00 AM-2:30PM
Wednesday thru Saturday-6:00AM-9:00PM
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Page 10
Micheal’s Marine
Boat-Motor Repair Service
NOW INSTALLING & REPAIRING
BOAT LIFTS
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“Adding Beauty and Value to Your Property”
All Aluminum Floating
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LAKE FORK-LAKE TAWAKONI And Surrounding Areas
Fisherman, why haul your boat to the shop for
repairs? If your boat malfunctions and you
don’t have time to get it repaired, call us.
WE MAKE HOUSE CALLS! We come to
you. NO HASSLE, NO WORRY. Most
repairs can be made at your location.
Steel/Wood Docks, Piers, Decks
SERVICES WE OFFER
• We come to the boat and repair it on site if
possible.
• We are a complete repair service from motor
repair to boat and trailer repair.
• We offer 48 hour repair in most cases.
• If your boat is in storage, we offer a call
ahead service to make sure your boat is in
working condition when you get there.
• We have a consignment service to help you sell
your boat or to find you one to buy.
• We buy and sell good used boats.
Lifts, Fences,
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Is your boat broke?
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Page 11
FACTORY EXPO PARK HOMES
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• Lake Cabins or Cottages
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Benefits of buying direct from Factory Expo:
• Factory Direct Discounts
• View your home during construction
• Inspect your home before delivery
• Custom order the Park Home of your
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• Over 75 floor plans from which to select
• 150 options and upgrades
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• Nationally recognized local manufacturer
• Professional Sales staff
Financing available upon approval.
Call 800-965-9693 today to schedule your
appointment to view our display homes
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Ask about Travel Reimbursement Program.
Sales Office Open M-F 9:00am to 6:00pm
Sat 9:00am to 5:00pm
3401 W. Corsicana Hwy, Athens, TX 75751
www.txfactorydirect.com
www.lakeforkareanews.com
Page 12
~Since 1984~
SARTIN MARINE
2009 Boats in Stock
903-885-7223
Wetland project benefits not only the wildlife
By Luke Clayton
The sun was just beginning to break over the eastern horizon, a welcome sight
to Jacob Sands and myself as
we huddled low in the marsh
grass, waiting for legal shooting light. The temperature was
in the low twenties and a brisk
northwest wind made it seem
colder. Whistling wings could
be heard overhead as teal, pintail, mallards and an assortment
of diving ducks stirred from
their night’s rest on the water.
Across the wetland, the sound
FINANCING
AVAILABLE
of a big flock of geese, a mixture of snows, white front and
Canada’s could be heard as the
big birds stirred and took flight
from their night’s roost and
headed to a distant field to feed.
The day was coming to life and
legal shooting time was seconds away.
Sands and I were hunting
the newly constructed 1,840
acre East Fork Wetland Project,
situated just on the south side
of Highway 175, a few miles
southeast of downtown Dallas
in Kaufman County. The project, a partnership between the
Caroline Rose Hunt family’s
Rosewood Corporation and the
North Texas Municipal Water
District, has already become
home to countless migrating
waterfowl but the project serves
double duty as a natural water
cleansing system. Water is diverted from the East Fork of
the Trinity River, flooded onto
the wetland, filtered naturally
Continued on page 14
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Jacob Sands and his loyal retriever “Gus” show off the first
duck taken on the morning hunt. Photo by Luke Clayton
East
Fork
Restaurant & club
Home of Lockhart Lures
903-383-7663
www.lockhartlures.com
www.eastforkrestaurantandclub.com
Specializing in Hand Cut Steaks,
Custom Made Bass Baits
and Fine Mexican Food
For all the folks coming for the Lake Fork
experience a stop at East Fork is a must.
Greeted with a smile you will be seated for some
great eats.
Make sure you stop in at Lockhart Lures for your
bass fishing needs. We carry lots of baits, or while you eat
have a custom bait built to your specs.
So, before you leave stop and check us out.
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Page 13
www.lakeforkareanews.com
Page 14
903-885-7223
Wetland project
Continued from page 12
and pumped over 40 miles upstream into Lake Lavon. Jacob
once hunted this same bottomland with his late father, Bunker
Sands, who was well known for
his work in wildlife conservation. Not far from the spot Jacob and I were laying wait for
the first flight of ducks of the
morning, the new John Bunker
Sands Wetland Center will soon
be constructed, giving the public and, especially youngsters,
a wonderful place to visit and
learn about the challenges and
importance of water conservation and habitat conservation.
I’ve had a keen interest in
this project from its conception.
Living about 2 miles away, as
the duck flies, I’ve had the opportunity to watch the project
for the past couple years. Native plants that serve as food
for waterfowl were planted in a
20 acre ‘nursery’ and, from this
beginning; an additional, larger
200 acre nursery was planted
with plants such as Duck Potato Arrowhead, American Wild
Celery, Spikerush and several
other plants that are already
providing cover and food for
waterfowl. From these beginnings, a large scale planting of
the entire wetlands is underway.
I’ve hunted ducks on a private
lease a couple miles from the
project and have personally
witnessed an increased number
of migrating ducks this win-
ter. From a hunting standpoint,
the project is already a huge
success but its scope is much,
much larger than just hunting.
In upcoming years, I can readily see how important it will be
for urban folks to have a spot
to visit and observe and learn
about waterfowl and conserving our natural world.
I enjoyed the early morning
shooting in what was probably
the most prefect waterfowl habitat that I’ve had the privilege of
hunting. Species such as pintail
and teal, which have usually
moved out of north Texas by late
season for the warmer climes
along the coast, had obviously
ended their southern migration
when they discovered the dense
cover provided by acres of bull
rushes and other plants, plenty
of shallow water and abundant
seeds provided by the plants.
As Jacob and I drove through
the wetland, stopping often for
me to photograph the various
species of ducks, we spotted a
little island packed with birds.
At first, observing them through
binoculars from a quarter mile
away, we thought they were
Whistling Ducks but on closer
observation, found them to be
“Cackler” Geese, a diminutive species of goose with the
markings of a Canada goose,
not much larger than a mallard
drake.
Occasionally, Governmental agencies and private par-
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ties have the opportunity to
join forces and create something great that perpetuates itself through the years and adds
much to the quality of the lives
of many. The center will also
serve as a biological research
field station for college students to conduct wetland studies. In the case of the East Fork
Wetland Project and, soon to
be John Bunker Sands Wetland
Center, the combined forces of
the Rosewood Corporation and
North Texas Municipal Water
District has, hopefully, become
a model for similar projects.
I can’t wait until this time
next year when the Wetland
Center opens and school children from all over begin scheduling field trips here to learn
to differentiate the species of
waterfowl that live year around
or, spend part of their migration route at the wetland . I can
already envision a new generation of hunters and conservationists learning from first hand
observation.
To learn more about the
Continued on page 15
“Your Lake Fork Connection”
Lake Country at Lake Fork
Vikki Moore
903-850-9318
[email protected]
Mark Moore
903-850-9307
[email protected]
www.c21lakecountryrealty.com
We can connect you to any property for sale on Lake Fork
9983891- AFFORDABLE HOME in Lake Fork Area.
2 bedrm 1 bath with a 400 sq ft addition that could be
3rd bedrm. 1.6 ac lot, trees, tall ceilings, well. Property
needs some TLC, owner ready to sell.
$57,000
9979372- LAKE FORK AREA home in subdivision
with boat ramp to Lake Fork. 3-2-2 with additional 2
car detached garage/workshop. Beautiful tile, open flr
plan, split master, sunrm, FP fenced yard. $204,000
9954350- BEAUTIFUL TREED ACREAGE. 20 acres
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www.lakeforkareanews.com
903-885-7223
Wetland project
Continued from page 14
East Fork Wetlands Project, go
online to www.wetlandcenter.
com
OUTDOOR TIP OF THE
WEEK- Now is prime time for
maintenance of hunting and
fishing gear. Reels should be
cleaned and oiled in preparation
for spring fishing. Remember
to thoroughly clean the bore of
your deer rifle before storing it
in the gun rack until next deer
season. Shotguns should also
be field stripped and cleaned
and parts covered with a light
covering of oil. O rings on gas
operating autoloaders should
be inspected closely and replaced if brittle or badly worn.
Listen to Outdoors With
Luke Clayton at www.catfishradio.com
Page 15
TPW Commissioner Parker leaves conservation legacy
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas
Parks and Wildlife Commissioner John D. Parker died
Monday afternoon in his
Lufkin home, leaving a legacy
of passionate advocacy for the
wildlife, woods and waters he
loved. The cause of Parker’s
death has not been determined.
He was 73.
Gov. Rick Perry appointed
Parker to the commission in
November 2003. The former
homebuilder and past director of the National Association
of Builders was also a past
national trustee and past state
chairman of Ducks Unlimited,
among many other affiliations.
“John Parker was well
known for his passion, eloquence, and the courage of his
convictions, and he was tire-
less
and determined in anything he
undertook,” said Peter Holt of
San Antonio, Texas Parks and
Wildlife Commission chairman. “His passing is a great
loss to those of us who knew
him as friends, and to the
cause of conservation in our
state and nation.”
“It was abundantly clear
to anyone who knew him
that Commissioner Parker
deeply loved wildlife and the
outdoors, and he especially
wanted young people to enjoy
the natural heritage and proud
traditions of hunting and fishing he valued so highly,” said
Carter Smith, Texas Parks and
Wildlife Department executive director. “His passion for
conservation was legendary.
Needless to say, he will be
missed greatly by all of us who
care about the future of his beloved woods and waters.”
Parker was a champion of
youth outreach programs, and
he consistently pushed efforts
to expand youth hunting opportunities and provide settings and incentives for young
Texans to experience nature
and the outdoors.
Parker loved fishing as
well and supported a successful campaign to bring a new
freshwater fish hatchery to
East Texas, a facility now under construction near Jasper.
He was also a stalwart
advocate for state parks and
spoke passionately of the need
for increased state funding for
parks in 2006 at a time when
awareness of park system
needs was just beginning to
build.
“In 1933, Texans struggling during the Great Depression found hope in a vision of
parks that could enhance their
quality of life and provide jobs
and economic vitality,” Parker
reminded readers in a February 2007 opinion-editorial
published in the Lufkin Daily
News. “There is reason to
hope that our state is poised to
again make a wise investment,
which will benefit all Texans
for many years to come.”
Through the efforts of
Parker and many others, including fellow members of the
commission, the governor and
legislative leaders, the legislature passed a significant increase in funding for state and
local parks later that year.
www.lakeforkareanews.com
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Brian Harris from Yantis, and his cousin Tim Jarrett from
Hughson, Carolina with some ducks shot with catfish guide
Stan Kuhn.
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Page 16
903-885-7223
Winter redfishing in fresh water
Luke Clayton
A mature redfish is built
like a torpedo with a boat paddle
tail. A brute of a fish, a mature
or ‘Bull Red’ as the big females
are called, is one of the hardest
fighting fish in salt water and
beyond question, the hardest
fighting of all fish in freshwater. Granted, redfish (red drum)
are not native to freshwater
lakes but several years ago,
Texas Parks and Wildlife began
an aggressive stocking program
on a few power plant freshwater reservoirs in Texas. The top
two largest freshwater redfish
in the state came from Fairfield
and, after fishing the lake yesterday with guide Cory Vinson
and my friend outdoors writer
Bob Hood, I can testify that the
big fish are on a good bite.
Vinson headquarters his
‘Guaranteed Guide Service’ at
Richland Chambers, targeting
the trophy hybrid stripers, catfish and white bass there during the warm water months but
when the weather gets cold, and
the power plant at Fairfield begin heating the water to temperatures up to around 80 degrees
near the hot water discharge, he
takes his clients on what is very
often the fishing trip of their
lifetime to do battle with these
hard fighting redfish.
Live perch or smaller tilapia caught with a cast net are
top baits for catching redfish at
Fairfield but Vinson says Rat L
Traps and soft plastics also account for good numbers of these
hard fighting fish. On yesterday’s trip, we were using small
live perch for bait, using balloons to drift the baitfish away
from the boat. As we watched
the wind push four baited lines
away from out boat, I glanced
at the thermometer on the
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boat’s console and checked the
water temperature; 70 degrees
and we were a good half mile
from the mouth of the hot water discharge channel. “There
are some submerged humps in
this section of the lake. There
will be tons of smaller reds in
the 80 degree water closer to
the hot water canal but the bigger reds like to hang out around
the edges of these humps. Most
of the strikes come as the bait
drifts over the submerged ledges. Steam was hanging heavy
on the water and at a distance at
not much over 30 yards, it was
necessary to look hard to see
the brightly colored balloons.
Reels were put in freespool,
the drags set lightly and clickers were engaged. “When a big
red takes a bait”, said Vinson,
it will hit it like a freight train.
These fish don’t fool around.
Just grab the rod from the holder, engage the reel and hang on,
that’s all you will be able to do.
Reds make long, powerful runs
and it usually takes ten minutes
or more for the rod and reel’s
drag to tire the fish.”
Vinson’s roomy Falcon
guide boat drifted silently
through the heavy fog. The setting was much like an old English horror film; you know one
depicting a foggy night in Lon-
Charles Newton from Richardson, and Guy Tucker from Plano, with some of the fish we caught on Jan. 2, with guide Stan
Kuhn.
If you have been waiting for the
right time to sell your home...it's
here!! Give me a call I'd love to
answer any questions you have
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Linda Burns an estimate on the value of your
903-316-4231 home.
don where the mist is so thick
it seems one could cut it with
a knife. The balloons trailed
along, bobbing and weaving by
the movement of the boat and
wind. The hapless baitfish, suspended a few feet under the balloons, darted about nervously
below the surface. The setting
was somewhat surreal, our talk
of catching big ones and fishing
trips past had died down and we
were all watching the balloons,
somewhat in a trance created
by the enveloping fog and
tranquil sound of water slapping the side of the boat. Then
it happened. The reel closes to
me began screaming and instinctively, I jerked it from its
holder, cranked the handle and
was re-introduced to the sheer
power of a big redfish. As I
watched the fish make its first
long run, out of the corner of
my eye, I saw Hood engaged in
mortal combat with another big
red. “These reds run in schools
and multiple hook ups is common. We seldom hook just one
fish from a school.” Says Vinson as he grabbed the net and
stood by, ready to bring the big
fish in the boat. It had been a
long time since I had fought
a fish with the strength of this
Continued on page 17
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903-765-4422 • 877-260-4422
Ready for Move In...this one has everything you are looking
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shows very well. Priced to sell, call and schedule a showing
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Very nice land, ready for your home or animals. This is a
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903-885-7223
Page 17
Winter redfishing
Continued from page 16
one and I was enjoying every
second of the battle. The redfish
would make a long run,stop and
I would crank fast, regaining a
few yards of line, then he would
run again. After about ten minutes but what seemed like thirty, the fish came boatside and
bore down to bottom. I kept
as much tension on the rod as I
dared but he simply would not
budge. After one last, shorter
run, my redfish finally passed
close enough to the boat’s gun-
wale for Vinson to scoop it up
with the big landing net. “That’s
a good one, probably 18 pound
or so, says Vinson as he heaves
it into the boat. A redfish, with
its hues of blue, red and gold, is
a strikingly beautiful creature.
This one had a total of four
spots on and near its tail. My
battle was fought but Hood’s
was still raging. The runs made
by my buddies fish was longer
and, after ten minutes or so,
his fish was still full of fight
and showed no indication of
coming to the net. Then it hap-
Guide Cory Vinson shows off a hard fighting redfish landed on
the recent trip to Lake Fairfield. Photo by Luke Clayton
Lake Country at Lake Fork
pened the line suddenly went
slack; the fish had broken off,
probably cut the leader with
its sharp teeth. “Man, I would
have liked to put my hands on
that fish but the fight was worth
the trip, those things can really
pull.” Says a smiling Hood as
he reeled in his line to re-rig if
for the next fish. Vinson and his
clients catch a lot of big redfish
and he was positive the fish that
had just broke off was about as
big as they get.
During the course of the
morning, we enjoyed several
more line sizzling runs, sipped
coffee and talked about an upcoming goose hunt on the winter
wheat fields in the area. Then,
we motored close to the mouth
of the hot water discharge channel and with a few throws of the
cast net, Vinson netted several
good eating tilapia. They would
go well with our meal of blackened redfish later that evening
back at one of the guides rental
cabins at Richland Chambers.
Vinson says the trophy redfish
season usually lasts through
mid March and a bit longer during years with late winter cold
fronts.
Guide Cory Vinson can be
contacted at 469-867-4299 or
online at www.nofishnocharge.
winter baits. Most fish are coming from within a couple of feet
of bottom, below the schools of
baitfish.
Listen to Outdoors With
Luke Clayton at www.catfishradio.com
Place your
ad today
903-885-7223
Charles Davis from Yantis, and Brian Harris and son Kevin
with a pair of mallards shot with catfish guide Stan Kuhn.
A.J.’S
FISH HOUSE
5375 N. Hwy. 17
903-473-4198
903-243-4702 cell
903-474-2031 office
903-474-1301 fax
5200 FM 515
com .
OUTDOOR TIP OF THE
WEEK- Crappie fishing has
been good on many lakes and
my guide buddies tell me the
fish are not necessarily relating
to submerge brush and structure, as they do during the warm
water months. Look for heavy
concentrations of shad on your
sonar, usually in the deepest
water of the reservoir you are
fishing. Small live minnows or
jigs rigged in tandem are top
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Page 18
903-885-7223
TPW Commission approves proposed changes in size, bag limits on some lakes
AUSTIN, Texas — The
Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission’s Regulations Committee Wednesday approved the
publication in the Texas Register of a number of proposed
changes to freshwater fishing regulations. The proposals
will be presented for public
comment at a series of public
hearings around the state this
spring, and a final decision will
be made by the Commission at
its March 25-26 public meeting.
Details about the possible
regulation changes can be found
below, and TPWD invites the
public to weigh in on these possible proposals by clicking the
public comments section on the
TPWD home page.
Blue Catfish — Lake Lewisville (Denton County), Lake
Richland Chambers (Navarro
and Freestone Counties), and
Lake Waco (McLennan County)
Harvest regulations for
blue catfish on these reservoirs
currently consist of the statewide limits (12-inch minimum
length limit and 25 fish daily
bag limit). Proposed changes
would consist of a 25 fish daily
bag limit with a 30 to 45-inch
slot length limit, and harvest of
only one blue catfish over 45
inches would be allowed. No
harvest of blue catfish between
30 and 45 inches would be allowed.
Largemouth Bass — Lake
Ray Roberts (Cooke, Denton,
and Grayson Counties)
Harvest regulations for
largemouth bass are currently a
14- to 24-inch slot length limit
and a five fish daily bag (only
one bass 24 inches or greater
may be retained each day).
Proposed changes would make
Lake Ray Roberts consistent
with the statewide limits for
largemouth bass (14-inch minimum length limit and five fish
daily bag limit).
Alligator Gar — Statewide
Change harvest regulations
for alligator gar from no length
or daily bag limits to a one fish
per day bag limit. Daily bag
limit would apply to both recreational and commercial fishing.
Lake Texoma — Cooke
and Grayson Counties
Alligator gar — Change
daily bag limit from no limit to
one alligator gar per day. Also
institute a harvest closure in
May to protect spawning adults
in a portion of the lake that is
within the Hagerman National
Wildlife Refuge and a portion
of the lake upstream of the U.S.
Highway 377 bridge to the Interstate Highway 35 bridge.
Blue and channel catfish
— Change harvest regulations
for blue channel catfish from a
15 per day bag limit to a 15 per
day bag limit of which only one
blue catfish 30 inches or greater
may be harvested per day.
Texas the State of Flowing Water Video Documentary To Air Feb. 12
AUSTIN, Texas — The one-hour
video documentary Texas the State
of Flowing Water will air at 8 p.m.
central time, Thursday, Feb. 12 on
all Public Broadcasting Service
(PBS) stations in Texas. It is the
fourth in an award-winning series
of water resource documentaries
produced by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and broadcast in
partnership with PBS stations.
Texas the State of Flowing
Water examines water resource
threats facing Texas and looks at
what people can do to protect the
state’s most precious natural resource. The documentary features
images of rivers, springs, bays and
estuaries, plus interviews with a
wide array of experts, stakehold-
CLOSED
FEBRUARY 13-15
ers and policy makers.
The documentary is made
possible in part by a grant from the
federal Sport Fish Restoration Program, which funds nearly $18 million in Texas conservation efforts
each year from boater and angler
purchases of fishing equipment
and motorboat fuels. It is part of a
multi-year TPWD communication
initiative called “Texas: The State
Of Water,” supported this year with
additional sponsor funding from
the San Antonio River Authority,
Brazos River Authority, the Texas
Water Foundation and the Texas
Parks and Wildlife Foundation.
The program explores human
use of rivers and water resources in
several ways, including the trend
GOOD
SELECTION
of off-channel storage reservoirs
to meet future water demands.
Impacts to the natural flow of rivers will be examined, including
a profile of the Fastrill Reservoir
project, which is proposed for the
same area where a new national
wildlife refuge is being created on
the Neches River. It will look at
recent legislation designed to determine the amounts of fresh water that should reach the coast to
maintain healthy bays.
Climate change is a new topic explored in this latest TPWD
documentary, which looks at how
changing conditions could alter the ecology of Texas. It will
also examine the importance of
keeping Texas rivers flowing into
CARTS
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Golf Carts
214-673-1313 (cell)
903-878-2742
Friday-Sunday
Lake Fork
One mile south of
Hwy 154 bridge
(across from Trophy Lodge)
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coastal estuaries and bays. It will
look at how increasing municipal
demand has elevated the importance of water conservation measures. It explores the link between
creek beds and aquifer recharge. It
shows how more Texans are gaining an appreciation of our rivers
and bays through the ever increasing number of designated paddling
trails.
The documentary includes
a brief look at the trend of green
building and how simple steps
people can take can collectively
do a lot to diminish future water
shortages.
The one-hour TV program is
part of a broader TPWD public
information initiative begun with
a special water resource issue of
Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine
in July 2002. The initiative also
includes radio, Internet and other
components.
Lake Fork Resort
5004 N. FM 17
Alba, Texas 75410
800-230-4367 • 903-765-2987
lakeforkresort.com
Email: [email protected]
27 ROOM MOTEL • RV PARK
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ANNUAL SITES AVAILABLE
GAS • CONVIENCE STORE
• BOAT RAMP • BOAT SLIPS
• GUIDE SERVICE
• RESTAURANT
• PLAYGROUND AREA
• TACKLE
• FISHING LICENSE
www.lakeforkareanews.com
N
A
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N ’S LA K E
H
U
FO
K
Page 19
R
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903-885-7223
CATFISH REPORT
Bob Turman and his dog Texie of Yantis, with a limit of cavasbacks shot with catfish guide Stan Kuhn.
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903/885-0861 FAX: 903/885-8768
401 Church St. News-Telegram Building. Sulphur Springs
BAIRD
CONSTRUCTION
Custom Homes
Steel Buildings
Commercial
or
Residential
February is here and it is
time to start fishing. Hunting
season is over, no more football,
and hopefully the cold weather
is behind us and the water will
start to warm up.
I didn’t get to catfish
much in January, as no one
wanted to go out. I did have a
trip January 2, and they wanted
to try and catch a few crappie.
Charles Newton of Richardson
is an avid crappie fisherman.
His fishing buddie Guy Tucker
of Plano wanted to catfish.
We spent most of the
morning trying to catch some
crappie but just couldn’t get on
them. At 11 a.m. we had enough
and changed over to catch some
whisker fish. I had been baiting out some holes with corn,
creep, and range cubes for three
straight days to try and get the
fish in the area.
Most of the good fishing time was over, but from 11
to 3 we did manage to catch
eight nice catfish for the dinner
table.
Danny King’s punchbait caught all of our catfish
that morning.
As February starts to
warm up I will be going out
more and doing a lot more catfishing. I know the catfish are
feeding under where the water
turkeys are standing in trees.
This type fishing, we
call “flopping”, is very fun to
do. I like to use cut bream heads
for bait. We tie circle hooks on
our bass rod & reels as you
need a stiffer rod for this type
of catfishing.
Make your cast as
close to the tree as you can
and 90% of the time your bite
will come within the first two
or three seconds after your
bait hits the water. If you don’t
get hit after two or three casts,
move on to another tree where
more waterturkeys are sitting.
You will catch some really nice
catfish doing this type of fishing.
Starting in late March
and April I will be catching
catfish up in the shallow water next to the grass. They go
shallow looking for a place to
spawn.
On January 11, I helped
the Lake Fork Sportsman’s Association do their annual eagle
count survey. I was assigned
the far east side of Lake Fork.
We launched at the public boat
ramp off of Hwy. 515 near
Glade Creek. There were plenty of duck hunters out hunting
that morning and the eagles
were not up in the east arm of
the lake.
We ran all the way up
to Running Creek and Coffee
Creek and never saw one eagle.
Finally after we came back
under the 515 bridge heading
toward Hwy. 154 on the south
side we spotted 4 eagles sitting
high up in some tall trees. That
was all we counted on our end
of the lake.
I never heard what the
other groups had counted. They
did spot seven on the day before counting from land. The
winds were too strong to go out
in boats so they counted form
land.
I’m going to predict an
early spring this year as I have
already seen geese flying back
north. That’s usually a good
sign for warm weather. I’m
ready for some sunshine and
I’m sure you are too! Until next
month be safe on the water and
good fishing.
www.flooringcreationsonline.com
MARK BAIRD
General Contractor
903-395-2577 • Mobile 903-491-7577
Wes Myler of Lone Oak with
his first pair of mallards which
he plans to mount shot with
catfish guide Stan Kuhn.
www.lakeforkareanews.com
Page 20
903-885-7223
J.R. 903-850-3324
SIMPSON
Email [email protected]
Office: 800-254-7541 - Fax: 903-763-4487
www.c21lakecountryrealty.com
WATERFRONT
Alba, TX
$600,000
Waterfront home on 1.6 acres
+5 acres leaseback. 4
bedrooms, 4 bath, 2 offices,
library, outdoor kitchen, 32x40
shop. wbfp on patio, 3 lake
pumps for irrigation, 2 slip
boat house with party room.
Yantis, TX
$109,900
Palm Harbor home around
corner from public boat ramp
on Lake Fork. Open floor
plan. Covered front porch &
Screened back porch.
Carport & storage building
for all your toys.
Yantis, TX
$369,900
3/2/2 Brick & stone, custom
home on 16+ acres. Two
living areas, 12’ ceilings with
arched doorways, gas
fireplace and built-ins. Nice
pond & covered back porch
and nice landscaped yard.
Alba, TX $99,000
or $49,000 each
Excellent rental properties in
downtown Alba. All city utilities
& sewer. Both homes are 3
bdrm w/carports. One is older
home & other is mobile.
Currently rented and tenants
would like to stay.
Yantis, TX
$159,900
3/2/2 Home on wooded lot
across from Land’s End
subdivision & championship
golf course, w/leaseback.
Laminate wood floors with
bdrm car peted. Granite
counters & custom cabinets.
Yantis, TX
$199,000
Single wide mobile home with
3 log cabins and 3 pads for
more cabins or RV's. Has a
great pond, located in a
heavily wooded area. Makes
great rentals for fisherman.
Motivated seller!
Hwy 154 and FM 515 mins. to Lake Fork $11,000
3 acres, Lake Fork boat ramp 2 miles $12,000
Nice lots, some w/Lake Fork view $14,900 each
1 Acre in nice community on Lake Fork. $25,900
New subdivision, lots starting at $27,500
Lake Fork Country Club, residential lot $27,500
Wooded waterfront pond lot, Lake Fork. $32,900
2 Acres-on hwy, could be res. or com. $39,900
1acre lot, with view of Lake Fork. $39,900
Waterfront lot in Lake Fork subdivision $54,000
WATERFRONT
Yantis, TX
$579,000
LF Golf Course
$219,900
Alba, TX
$249,500
Emory, TX
$59,900
WATERFRONT
3/2/2 Custom home located
at Lake Fork Golf Course. Just
across the street from Lake
Fork with private boat ramp
around the corner. Brick
workshop, with golf cart
storage. REDUCED!
3/2/2 on 3+ acres fenced with
nice pond in great country
setting. Less than 5 mins to
Lake For k boat ramp.
Hardwood floors, 12x12 bsmt,
granite counters. REDUCED!
4/3 started in 2003, stone &
steel frame home. It’s your
chance to pick your own
interior finishes, from the
flooring to paint. Many new
items, some never hooked
up. HVAC, aerobic in place.
Quitman, TX
$299,000
Commercial or residential
waterfront property located
on Lake Fork with serious
hwy exposure. Paved deep
water boat ramp at rear of
property with a great view of
Lake For k. REDUCED
Yantis, TX
$149,900
Six cabins on five acres gives
plenty of room for expansion.
Currently rented as efficiency
apartments. Septic and deep
water well. Just minutes to
boat ramp on Lake Fork.
Motivated seller!
Century 21 Lake County
2005-2008 Top Producer
WATERFRONT
Yantis, TX
$99,000
4/3. 3/2 Lake Fork waterfront
home sits on 4+ heavily
wooded deeded acres plus
leaseback in Birch Creek
with large pier. In-ground
pool w/waterfall & fountain,
deck w/hot tub & gazebo.
3/2 located on 1.7
acres+leaseback, wooded
water front on Lake Fork. A
public boat ramp is only 1 mile
away. Nice open floor plan with
lots of cabinet space. Carport
& storage building.
Quitman, TX
$349,000/$85,900
3 Bdrm, 2 Bth w/garage &
carport on 1 acre for $85,900
OR take the whole ranch
w/several hay barns, tack
barns & nice arena for training
horses. Property is fenced &
has a deep pond.
Scroggins, TX
174,900
Franklin County, Satterwhite
3/3 log home, 1.9 acres.
Jacuzzi tub, stone wbfp,
workshop, carport w/enlarged
driveway, tile & carpet. New
heat pump, new Texas Star
door & fresh paint.
Yantis, TX
$325,000
40X30 building, formerly a
produce stand/store. 250X40 shop buildings w/2
phase electric, 1 was welding
s h o p. 1 0 - 1 2 X 3 0 b o a t
storages and 10-10X10 mini
storages. Seller Will Divide!
Quitman, TX
$129,000
1 owner home has large
fenced yard w/storage bldg,
sunroom and covered patio.
The HVAC system is approx
2yrs old. Home is just a short
drive or walk from schools
and downtown Quitman.
Lake Fork waterfront lots $62,000 to $77,000
LF waterfront lot w/pier & boat slip $72,000
18 acres w/700ft of road frontage Alba $99,900
LF waterfront subdivision lots $29,995-$110,000
Lake Fork waterfront property 4+ acres in Alba $199,000
Hwy. 154 & 515, 11 acres com. or res. $225,000
BUILDERS: 10 lots in WF Subdivision $226,900
73 Acres fenced w/barn/corral/pond $246,225
98 acre tract, good mix of land $366,070
Awesome wooded hunting property $124,000