Sprint21fter

This weekend was even better than last Saturday. With the fronts moving in and with plenty of wind and cloud cover I hoped to catch a couple of good fish. Me and my Dad spread out in two boats around the Baxter area and started covering water with the blade. Dad fished with a couple buddies and went the first two hours in the afternoon without a bite. However, the switch turned on once I could get to the lake at around 4:00pm. I ran straight to one of my spots I found last Saturday and in 7 casts I had 4 solid keeper kentuckies. I was slow rolling the blade slower than last saturday and once I hit a bush that was under water I would pop it free like fishing a trap and let flutter back down a foot and WHACK! Like Mr. Babbler said they seemed to be holding tighter to the bushes. After I threw my 4th fish back Dad called and asked if I had any luck and I told him yeah. I asked him he his luck changed and he said he just hammered a black over 5lbs and anther one that was a solid 3lber. Went 30 minutes without another bite and moved a little deeper to slow roll the blade deeper and felt somthing different with my bait and bowed the rod and as I felt the head shake I looked down into the water under the boat there she was a solid 4lb black she taildanced within feet of the boat only to wave goodbye. Hate to say I went 30 minutes without a bite on Table Rock when I have went more times than I can think of and not get a bite. Moved to another spot where the wind was really tearing up jack and threw into a couple of spots four times and caught two solid 16inch blacks and on the 3rd cast instant THUMP! Pulled the rod and the fish didn't move. Got the fish heading my direction and before I could catch up to her out of the water she came. Looked like she came out of the water at least 2 feet then she nose dived and out came the blade. Lost another 4lber. At least I had the chance at a few good ones on Saturday. Sunday was a different story. I had to make repeated casts to get a bite in the areas I have been fishing. You could tell that the 2nd day of the front had the fish messed up. Still managed 10 fish in 3 1/2 hours with 4 being keepers. I had a couple freight train the bait but never hooked up. I believed I brought the balde over a nest and they would just head butt it. Ended up catching my keepers in the campground at baxter. Two came around the poles that people would hang their trash off of. The other two came off of the walls that lined a couple camping spots. It was alot of fun. I will enjoy this bite as long as I can because I know Table Rock will show its teeth in a split second.

Imagine what the flood would have done if the lake wasn't drawn down so low this past winter. As far as I know Beaver, TR, and Bull Shoals were all very low this year. I think the corp know more than what alot of people percieve. Just my 2 cents.

Fished Saturday out of Big Indian from 6am-2pm and was hoping for some wind. The wind blew in at 7:30am and the blade bite was on. My first fish was a solid 3lb kentucky and that fish hit the bait so hard he almost pulled the rod out of my hand. Next cast same thing happened except it was 14 3/4inch kentucky. Decided to run more wind blown points that you could roll cast the blade through the brush and as close to the new bank line as possible and found an awsome pattern for the next 4 1/2 hours as long as the wind was blowing. Ended up catching another 3lb kentucky and an 18inch smallmouth with another barely keeper kentucky on a couple of wind blown points. The low point of the day was when I made a cast by a bush and the bush moved and my rod bowed and I started cranking the fish in and she jumped and spit the blade out faster than anything. 5lb black easy. Fired right back into the same spot and got hit again but this one had to be the male but still looked like another 3lber and he pulled off. By then the wind died down where I was at and I decided to come in. I would think this pattern would last for a while as long as there is good wind.

If you want to fish for stripers go to Beaver, Norfork. Don't put anymore of them in the White-river lakes. Bass fishing on Bull Shoals is getting better and better with the smaller numbers of stripers that was accidently stocked in BS. Don't hear about alot of the bass weights because its not talked about as much as Table Rock.

That was where the debris was in the bends. Im quite sure there was a big mess of it up the creeks but we stayed right in the mainlake streches out from Baxter.

Anyone hear if they fished it? If so what it took to win?

Fished Baxter area Sunday during the cold front and rains. Knew the bite might be tough due to the dropping of the water and the cold temperatures. I was right started shallow in the back of a couple of pockets at the mouth of little indian and the warmest water temps I could find was 59 degrees. That boosted my confidence but with the conditions I was hoping to get a handful of bites. I finally caught a short 13 inch kentucky in 12 feet of water behind a dock on a jerkbait. Decided to drag a C-rig out in 35 feet of water and didn't get a nibble. Decided to fish what bluffline there was across from baxter and the fishing got a little better. Flipped an eakins jig right up next to the only visible bluffline and caught another short kentucky. A few pithces later caught another short kentucky next to a bush. Ended up catching 6 more shorts on the bluff in a 50yd stretch. Backed out at 45ft and the fished were loaded out on the old ledge. Probed the ledge with football jig for a bigger bite and that didn't happen. Covered alot water but fished the spots really slow. Might have had 1 foot of visiblility. Saw a couple of other fisherman running down the lake in those conditions as well. It was nice to get out despite the conditions. Didn't see much debris H-Hwy ramp was very easy to launch the boat.

Its has to be crazy out there right now in order for all of the tournaments to be cancelled thru May 1st. Oh well, looking on towards October that when the BASS is going to reschedule their tourney. Everyone be safe if you are going to the lake.

You can tell it has a bucketmouth you can fit your fist into. Looks like it has a couple of sores on its tail but not blood red yet. Awesome fish.

With the unbelievable amount of rainfall that is coming into the lake and it coming up so fast it will be a free for all on catching bass coming up in a few days. I can't wait, me and my dad are entered to fish as co-anglers and hopefully one of us will be paired with Kriet,Faircloth,Tucker or the other Elite pros that are wanting to lock up a classic berth. I know all of these pro's are great fishermen and fisherwomen but it would an unbelievable experience to get a chance to fish and watch from a few of the elites to see how they will tackle the Rock with the changing conditions. I know we will catch some fish the question is if we get a big bite to go with our stringer. Chomping tooth and nail to start hammering on those fish in the bushes. I'll probably be out on a deep point catching some post-spawners and pre-spawners. HA HA. Doesn't matter to me just can't wait to see how the week unfolds. Will bring some pictures of the tourney and talk about what I learned and what the pro's did. OH YEAH, ITS GOING TO BE FREAKIN AWSOME!

Is there are membership fee for the Friday Night Tourney out of Campbell Point? Is it 35$ and side pots if you want?

Just wondering how the tournament went and what it took to win? I'll try and fish it some after May when school is out.

Fished up Little Indian Saturday and found a bunch of big bass pushing shad into a pocket and pulled out a spook and caught three keepers in less than 10minutes of being on the lake. Was hoping to catch the bigger fish that seemed to be out of casting distance but it was fun for the moment. After they stopped pulled out the C-rig since there was no wind for the first few hours of the day and had two nice hits and pulled them half-way towards the boat before they pulled off. Was sitting in 25ft of water throwing into 10ft SLOWLY dragging the C-rig. Made a move and went to Big Creek before the wind picked up at 11:30am and was looking at the bottom watching several crusiers swim under the boat. Saw one swim by that was pushing 5lbs with three bucks behind her. Water temp at the mouth of Big Creek was 60 degrees. Went further up Big Creek and hit 62 degrees. When the wind picked up pulled out 1/4oz white spinnerbait and caught three small buck bass right on the bank on one of the many chunk rock points up the Creek. Enjoyed watching the cruisers swim by knowing what kind of fish are starting to move up.

How many came out last night?

It at least makes you feel better when your catching somthing instead of floating around the lake for 8 hours.

It was alot of fun. Catching that many fish we forgot about the weather conditions.

Fished Three days earlier in the week when temperatures was in the 70's and 80's. Found the lakewide wart bite up Kings river on 45 degree banks and transitions off of bluffs. Monday and Tuesday produced over 40 fish each day with several keepers and a couple of big fish. One fish was 21 1/2 inches and the other was 19 1/2. Didn't have a scale but the bigger one was pushing 6lbs and the other one was an easy 4. Left the areas totally alone since I was going to fish the KVD tourney later in the week. Knew that the cold front would have an effect on the fish but I was wrong. Saturday in and out of the monsoons and hail storms me and my wife caught over 50 fish with 12 keepers but nothing was bigger than 15 1/2 the other keepers were just over 15. Fun day but was wanting the big bite it never happened. Decided to fish Campbell Point Sunday morning looking for that big bite and nothing wanted a jerkbait or jig on timbered bluffends and mainlake points. After three cold hours decide to pull up on the trailer and head to the Kings again and once we got to our fishing spot instantly started catching fish. Ended up with 20 fish and 7 keepers with all of the keepers never exceeding 15 1/2 inches. Never had big bite but had an unbelieveable weekend despite the conditions. Sure wished those big ones would have given me another chance but all you can do is try. Have to give my wife credit for grinding it out on the water in those conditions and more importantly putting up with me all weekend.

If you are not in any kind of a hurry to get it fixed try Boat World in Harrison, Ark and ask for Les and he does a great job.

I will say 8.35

Fishing river arms or creek arms in stained water or the back of coves?

I have caught several meanmouth's a few close to 3lbs. Catch most of those around Campbell Point to Baxter. Before the renovations at the Wildlife museum at Bass Pro they had the lake record on display. It was over 5lbs. Almost 6lbs I believe. Fun fish to catch with cool colors.

I am focusing on areas at the mouth of Long Creek and Brushy Creek there is alot of water in between but the depth is the key. Plenty of structure and deep water. Also will look towards Cow Creek as well. Probably will be throwing a big heavy football jig most of the time. Most of the replies have been using a big jig when they do hang into a big fish regardless if it is at nightime or daytime. Jerkbaits may come into play if we don't get some warmer nights.

How many contestants are in the KVD tourney right now?

I'll be running around in the KVD tourney both days. Red 21ft sprint boat. Looking forward to it.

That is an awesome fish. Congratulations.