Since 1991, the state has stocked more than 2 million Florida bass fingerlings into Vernon Lake, averaging about 100,000 per year. Managed by the state for quality bass, lake regulations allow anglers to keep only eight largemouths per day. Anglers must immediately release all fish between 14 and 17 inches, but they may keep up to four bass per day exceeding 17 inches long. This rule does not apply to spotted bass, fishing for which follows state regulations.

"All these years of stocking are paying off with big fish starting to show up on a regular basis," Reed said. "I know of one person who caught a 13.5-pound bass in October 2004. That's the largest bass from Vernon that I'm aware of. In the spring of 2004, I know of two 12-pounders that came out of the lake. In the winter of 2004-05, we sampled the lake and found several bass over 8 pounds, one about 9 pounds and one almost 11 pounds."

Vernon Lake can support large fish with plenty of places where they can hide. The lake averages about 9 feet deep; some holes drop to more than 50 feet deep in the creek channel near the dam. Much of the channel near the dam holds water in the 30- to 40-foot range.

"Some of the most important subsurface features in Vernon are the little hills and humps along the creek channels," Reed said. "Those are just natural features of the geography before the lake was impounded. A lot of bass fishermen like to fish those humps that come up within eight to 10 feet of the surface."

In September, many bass hold on the tops of humps or suspend near the sides of humps along the thermocline, which runs about 10 feet deep in the summer. At the thermocline, bass find cool water and oxygen. In deep water below the thermocline, the water remains cool, but bass find little oxygen, at least until the thermocline breaks up in November. In early fall, many anglers fish the humps or the creek channel edges with jig-and-pig combinations, worms, deep-running crankbaits or spinnerbaits.

"Lake Vernon produces a lot of fish in the fall," said Dane Thibodeaux, a bass pro from Lake Charles. "It's primarily a spinnerbait lake, but we also throw wacky worms and other plastics. I like darker colors like junebug or redbug. There are some really big fish in Vernon. It's not uncommon to catch a fish over 8 pounds."

Wacky worms dropped near duck blinds may entice lunkers. Anglers also run white and chartreuse spinnerbaits parallel to bottom structure or around cover that might hold bass. The lake also contains a sizeable population of yellow bass, so gold-tinted lures might work well. Bass also feed heavily upon bream species.

In the fall, action heads up as bass chase threadfin or small gizzard shad over the humps. Schooling bass may explode anywhere, but the open water near the dam usually produces the most schooling activity in September.

"The cold part of the fall is a good time of year for Lake Vernon," Reed said. "Anglers catch a lot of 5- and 6-pound bass, particularly along the northwest shoreline. The face of the dam is always a good bet when the wind allows. It's hard to fish the dam area on a north wind. If anglers can catch a day without a north wind, they can catch a lot of fish along the rocks at the base of the dam. In the Anacoco Creek branch of the lake, which goes under U.S. 171, fishing the humps in the fall is usually a good bet. That's where a lot of anglers traditionally catch a lot of the 10- and 11-pound bass."

Anglers may launch at Bivens Landing on north end or Lakeview Landing near the spillway. For more information about Vernon Lake, call Reed at (337) 491-2575.