Lake Fork the trophy bass fishing lake of Texas, holds 15 of the top 20 Texas State Record Largemouth Bass. It was impounded in 1980, and reached is normal pool surface elevation of 403.0 above mean sea level in 1985. It is comprised of 27,690 surface acres, situated in Wood and Rains County in Northeast Texas, between the towns of Alba, Emory, and Yantis, Texas. It offers 315 miles of shoreline, and has a drainage area of 493 miles. The dam is 12,410 feet in length and impounds Lake Fork Creek, a tributary of the Sabine River, and other major creeks are Big Caney and Little Caney.

From Lake Fork's inception, it was created as a textbook fisheries, including initial stockings before the lake filled. Lake Fork was established, by the Texas Parks and Wildlife, as a premier bass fishing lake, with 732,514 Florida Black Bass being stocked from 1979 through 1987. Lake Fork offers excellent fish habitat with 80% standing timber left intact, and hydrilla, milfoil, and duckweed being the predominant vegetation. Other species of fish include catfish, black and white crappie, sunfish, and bluegill. The predominant food source for the larger fish is shad, minnows, and crawfish.

Lake Fork is well represented with nice lodging facilities, cabins, eateries, boat ramps, boat rental, boat slips, and guides. However, they are very busy during the spring and fall, therefore advance bookings are recommended.

To preserve the great Lake Fork bass fisheries, the Texas Parks and Wildlife implemented a protected slot limit of no bass between 16 and 24 inches will be kept, and will be returned back into the waters of Lake Fork immediately. A 5 bass per day limit can be kept, consisting of 5 under 16 inches, or 1 over 24 inches, and 4 under 16 inches.