Another reason fishing is good on Lake Fork is the amount of time and effort put into it by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Division. Lake Fork officially opened for fishing in 1980, but was stocked with fish for a number of years before then.

Black and White Crappie

Black Crappie are known by a variety of common names, such as Black Crappie, Papermouth, Black Papermouth, Specks, and Black Sunfish. The scientific name is Pomoxis nigromaculatus.

White Crappie are known by a variety of common names, such as White Crappie, White Perch, Sac-a-lait. The scientific name is Pomoxis Annularis.

You can identify black crappie by closely examining their bodies. . The bodies of Black Crappie have a deeper, darker color, and are covered in spots of blotches of black. You can tell the difference by tracing these blotches. Black Crappie's spots will be randomly placed, while White Crappie will have vertical bands of spots. The most noticeable characteristic is the dorsal fins, Black Crappie with have either 7 or 8.

Crappie are one of the few fish that are a suitable catch for all ages. Your four year old daughter as well as your eighty year old mother can enjoy fishing for and catching Crappie, simply because they are able to do so. Crappie do not hit hard when taking bait, and put up little struggle when being reeled in.

Lake Fork's current regulation on black and white crappie all crappie under 10 inches must be released...daily bag limit of 25. Lake Fork's current regulation on black and white crappie caught from Dec. 1 through the last day of Feb., there is no Minimum Length Limit, daily catch can equal 25 in any combination, and all crappie caught must be retained.

Planning a Vacation to Lake Fork

Requirements

While pretty much everything you need for your fishing vacation can be rented, there are a few things that you are required to have, and obtain on your own.

Anyone fishing during the vacation must purchase a fishing license. Fishing licenses can be picked up at various locations such as bait shops, convenience stores, department stores, outdoors and wildlife stores, and you may even obtain it online if you see fit. There are exceptions for the fishing license requirement, such as age, so be sure to check into this.

The requirements for keeping fish you catch vary by season and area. To make sure you do not get into any trouble, you may want to obtain a pamphlet detailing the size regulations for each type of fish. Typically you will receive this when you apply for you fishing license. In the event that you do not receive this pamphlet, they are usually available wherever fishing equipment is sold.

Probably one of the most important things you need to obtain is a proper first aide kit. When fishing, you can be miles from the nearest person or place, so having a couple of items on hand is essential. Accidents such as a small prick from a hook or cut from a fish simply requires a band aid and antibacterial ointment. Small prepackaged first aide kits are available.