East Texas hosts some of the finest fishing in the entire country and Lake Fork is known around the world for trophy bass fishing. Each year visitors come from Asia, Europe, Canada, Mexico and South America to try their hand at catching fish so large they don’t have to tell “fish stories,” they actually live them.

Anglers Ray Riley of Phoenix and David Lowman of Houston were busy fishing the shallows around a tiny island just off the shoreline and had the best of all worlds, catching fish and enjoying the the scenery.

But fishing is only part of Lake Fork’s attractiveness….

In the 45 minutes before the sun slides behind the clouds and the trees to the west, not-so-slight changes begin to take shape as the western sky turns a deep orange that provides a backdrop for the birds that migrate across the lake as they head for shallow feeding grounds or nesting areas.

These are magical minutes that are repeated over and over as winter gives way to spring and the cool evening breezes provide moments to remember in the coming months when the summer heat can weaken the will of all but the hardiest among us.

Yes, visitors come for the fishing but they leave with much more.