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Seriously, did I do something bad to you guys? You guys wouldn't;t believe how crowded Aunt's Creek is this year. It is a good place to put in and fish. I am surprised more tournaments don't use it instead of Ahoys. It has more ramps, more parking spaces and seems to be in a better location on the lake. Guess I should be careful with what I type though!

Where are you staying? I am going to hate myself for this BUT....with a little boat, Aunt's Creek would be a good place to put in and fish right now. There are quite a few transition banks very very close to the ramp. Look for banks that change from rock to sand basically. Top water early and maybe all day. Flukes on some trees around the docks just toward the big lake from the ramp or around the areas Mike posted a map to earlier. Aunt's is an easy place to keep out of the wind, but still fish the wind around the points. Disclaimer: It is my understanding that Aunt's Creek is closed to all except small boats and Skeeters!

I call Don about 2 am. The rest of the time he is on the lake.

You shouldn't keep your feelings inside....let them out!

I concur!

It always gets me that some folks take a weeks vacation, pay for gas, resort or motel and food for a week at a challenging lake like Table Rock and not hire a guide for a half day. If you have already spent that much money on a fishing trip/vacation....why not make it more successful with some advice from people in the know? It would be like going to a really nice beach and wearing jeans and a t-shirt and not bringing a swimsuit. A guide just helps teach you the areas to look for and the techniques on that particular lake at that time of the year. I used to guide a bit on Rainy Lake and I never fished. I would at times use a spoon to get the fish chasing or hungry and then stop. Up there we used live bait for clients though. When I get a guide to take me nowdays....it is a different deal for me. I consider them friends or associates and want them to fish with me. The two I have used recently..I asked them to fish and to talk me through what they were doing. I do see jdmidwest's point about it being fun to figure things out on your own. I do have a great day when I figure out a pattern. I just like to have it based on some sort of education like what I received from a guide in the past. It would take me way too long to do the trial and error thing on Table Rock. I do wish I was brighter most days!

We mostly use the pearl/red jointed red fin and replace the back hook with a feathered treble hook. We also used the Jointed smoky joe color. I know quite a few guys that like the chrome ones though, I still like the spook and sammy better as I feel like I have a bit more control over the action. The red fin is just a cast out and reel in kind of bait. There are days that the Mrs beats me with the red fin though.

A bit on the wet side today. We were out for about 4 1/2 hours. We caught many fish but only three keepers. Best one was 3.5 pounds. I have a pic on the cell phone, but it was a bit wet to pull out the camera! I tried to post it from the phone, but I am technically inadequate and keep getting error messages. Please believe me when I tell you a tall handsome dude is holding a huge fish! All of our fish came on red fin and sammy. Best fish came out of the six foot water around the Mill Creek area. A bunch of shorts came from around docks. Met Champ and Donna for a soggy picnic about noon. Some of the best folk ever. We usually hate to stop fishing for any reason, but this time I kind of hated going back to fishing and leave our friends. Plain good Ozark folk hands down. A great day with good friends. Not sure what I ever did to get so lucky as to fish such an awesome lake with my Mrs and hang out with good people, but rest assured I will be saying thanks again to the big guy in church tomorrow!

Saw two today!

I can speak from experience for fishing with Bill Babler. I have fished with him twice and what a blast! Knows the lake and great fishing equipment. I can also speak from experience for Captain Don House. You will be laughing all day and wonder where the time went. Both of those guys will make sure the rest of your week will be successful. I haven't fished with the rest of the guys on the list, BUT Captain Joe and Eric Prey have been very helpful to me over the years with tips and suggestions. Bill Beck is the next person I plan on going with. Chris Tetrick (jig man!) is on my list of must fish with too! I know about the reputations of most of the guys on the list and would have to agree with Babler, but I usually do. Any of them would be good.

Babler taught me the red fin a few years back. That one we just cast it out and reel it in so there is a wake. I use the jointed ones, throw a feathered treble hook on the back and sometimes put one of the lead weight dots near the back of the front section to keep the nose up and tail down. I seldom use the red fin anymore....but the Mrs slaughtered the fish on them. She reels just fast enough for there to be a wake. If you reel to fast....they seem to go under the water and I think they have to be on top. I actually prefer other top waters like the Spooks and sammys. I think they do a better job of representing the dying shad. I walk the dog and twitch away. I seldom let the bait sit still, but don't move real fast either. Sometimes the bass will hit any of the baits two or three times before actually taking it. I never stop. I just keep reeling it and they will take it eventually. Hopefully Bill, the Captains and the other smarter folk will chime in with better information!

I think that means it didn't like your three digit code from the back of your card. I am often wrong though!

Thanks. I did a google search and received a message about them. Looks like fun. Another trip to Bass Pro!

Sometimes we watch for them swirling and cast right past where they are and reel to that location. We keep our boat a little deeper and cast toward shore most of the time. It kind of depends on the lay of the land on where you are fishing. It seems to me the fish come from a ways off at times and cruise quickly and hit your top water bait hard. They know where that "dying shad" is! As far as pea gravel and all of that....we look for transition banks. Not just pea gravel but a bank that goes from rock to pea gravel.

Never fluke fish. How do you rig them. Lessons please...

Are you fishing AIA this year? Hope to see you out there! Guess where I will be!

They don't let us choose light blue on the usstandard issue. I have the SI XLJhalf Jacket and they are awesome. I am not sure they are meant for fishing though! See you in June at BPS!

that is what the web site said too! Thanks

Mark, Are you open to some sunglass questions then? In particular, regarding the best tint for Table Rock?

I put mine on my outboatd. I haven't seen one either, but a guy from the forum saw mine and introduced himself. I put one on each side of the motor. It might take some time.

Sweet fish! Doesn't sound like BS to me!

Mark, No skin off my nose. Speaking of body parts....if you have KVD's ear, I might be able to fit the rest of him in my boat Saturday!

Jason, Hate to step on the original poster's thread, but AIA entry is $140.00 I think with big bass. The first time you pay a membership fee of 20 or something too. They are very nice! Quite a few OAFers fish their tourneys. I agree with Mike.....asking for trouble for people to go to one weigh in with other people and their big bass and then go to another at the end of the day. Either way best of luck to both tournaments!

Mike, It was good to see you on Saturday! I was aware of the rule as my partner is a female and can't leave the boat to pee. There is a thread on here somewhere about it. Of course if Shell has to pee bad enough we will gladly be disqualified if we have to. She is obviously low maintenance, but I don't see her peeing in a coffee can wrapped in a rain slicker! Good to point it out though in case someone wasn't aware! I am really really loyal to AIA as they always treat us well and we are just fishing for fun. We do hope to qualify for the championship again this year though. Another circuit I tried before AIA was not so nice and had billing problems. No harm in promoting the KVD tournament that is fashioned like the Big Bass Bash that AIA does though. It sounds like it could be fun....Shell and I are AIA folk though! PS Any chance for a port-a-potty at the weigh in?

She is the toughet person I know by far. Sounds like the two of you ome from the same cut! Tough ladies with huge hearts. We plan on going Friday and Saturday. I am hoping for rain those days as it chases some of the people off the lake. If you guys are going...let me know and maybe we can hook up for a sandwich at lunch or something!