Gary Lange

Call the Marine Repair Center, 514 N. Prince Ln., Springfield, Mo. 65802 at 417-833-9191 and talk to them and discribe your problem. I am sure they can advise you what needs to be done.

Just looked for this toe make sure it was on. I will be there and will bring the meatball sandwiches.

I have that Series recorded and have been watching it as time permits. Sometimes I hate to stop it and go to bed but it is time to get some sleep. It is very interesting and a different slant on the National Parks then we are used too.

I am here!

The discussion on my Illinois Smallmouth Alliance board right now is as follows: Is there really a heavier feeding period in fall? Or is that just an explanation for the good fishing in fall? As we get into fall, the abundant bait of the summer starts to disappear while the fish are just as hungry as before. The cooling of the waters knocks down weed growth and brings fish shallower where we can get at them. Added O2 perks up fish that were lethargic in warmer summer water. As a result the fishing is good just as if the bass were trying to fatten up like a sow bear getting ready to hibernate. But bass do not hibernate. So I am putting up the survey question. I thought this and interesting topic so I brought it down here to see what the consensus is on this subject down here. I am hoping some of the Guides get in on this as there experience with having to find fish is valuable in this discussion. I personally feel that fish like other animals do put on the feed bag in the fall before the winter months come.

The behavior referred to in this thread is done by individuals who are to lazy and to inept to find fish on there own. They reason that since the Guide doesn't own the lake nor the spot he is fishing that they can steal one or more of his fishing holes by following him around. I sometimes struggle on this lake but I am not going to follow a guide around and try to get spots off of him. Just reading this board has given me much of the knowledge I needed to find some fish. I had the brother-in-law in town and took him out on Table Rock and actually put him on some fish. These fish I found by reading the Fishing Reports given by our esteemed guides. I took this information and found areas that met the requirements and was able to put some fish in the boat. Not a bunch but a few and that felt good. I wouldn't feel good if I followed a guide around all day and then went out on my own and fished all his spots. These people need to get with the program and learn fish behavior and seasonal patterns and find spots and catch fish on there own. It may just come to pass that you will find a spot fished by one of the guides because you learned what he has learned from years of having to find fish for the client. I have fished with a guide several times because he is a personal friend and we checked out some new spots. I also guided a couple guys on the Fox River in Illinois on Sunday evening wading for Smallmouths. We caught some fish and I showed them the spots to look for and where fish were holding on the river and just about any river that is shallow and you are able to wade. I see these people as Tourney Anglers that can't find fish and are not wining so they steal someone spot who has spent countless hours and perhaps built the spot on his own so they can go and take fish and collect a check. It is a shame that people have to resort to such tactics and then think that it is just fine to do it because it's a free country and they are not breaking any laws. I feel sorry for these clowns because they most likely have kids and will teach them to do this also. If I am ever out with any of you and you see someone following you around just let me know and then stop and all the points you never really fish and we can laugh while we leave him with a GPS full of dead spots. I get out to enjoy the fresh air and the solitude and catching fish to me is a bonus that Mother Nature Grants me.

A fellow Aurora Backlashers Bass Fishing Club member and in fact the founder along with another friend named Bill Berry has passed away from complications related to cancer. He was taken to the Hospital on Thursday night with pneumonia and very low blood pressure and passed away at 9:00pm. His name was Jim "Blackie" Barton and if any of you would have known him you would have loved him for sure. I fished my first Tournament with Blackie as everyone called him and watched him dance down the ramp at other tourney's at the age of 74. He was a driving force for this club and for Bass Fishing at Table Rock Lake and I will miss his smile and his handshake. I hope you all will say a prayer for this wonderful man.

Hey Bill! That is a beauty of a boat for sure. Just a note though that Hydro Tec is in Nixa, Mo. not Ozark.

My wife used to call me when I was fishing the river up North when it was raining and ask me why I wasn't coming home because it was raining. I would tell her I was standing in water anyway and I was catching Smallmouths so I didn't even notice the rain.

Those having problems with the fishing reports and not catching fish should book one of the guides and take a learning session on the water. I have a friend that is a guide on Table Rock his name is Dan Boyer. He and I fished together one Monday afternoon on some new spots he wanted to try after he finished with a client. We were both using the exact same lure except we had different line on and he was catching fish and I was not. He just said Gary you haven't switched to the seaguar Floro line yet have you. Well I had not and that was my problem. I am now using it and catch fish when I get out which is not enough but that is my fault. I personally have no problem with the Guides Fishing Reports and am truly amazed that we have three guides that spend the time to post what they are doing and where they are catching fish. This is unprecedented in forums across the country and this is the only place I have ever seen it done. Those that are complaining should thank there lucky stars that they receive the information they do as it gives them a place to start. While fishing in Canada on a small lake with the brother-in-law we started catching Walleye off a point with a Yellow Jig. We would troll the point and as we came to it drop the lure back and would get bit every time. We told our friends in the other boat what we were doing and they too switched to a yellow jig they had. Only thing was it was a 3/4oz jig used mostly for Striper fishing and they were using 17lb test line on bait casting gear. They didn't catch anything because of the gear they were using for the species they were after. I guided two guys up on the Fox River for Smallmouths and they too had heavy tackle and wanted to fish big Crankbaits. I told them they needed smaller cranks and lighter tackle but they wanted to use what they had. Well when I started catching Smallmouth after Smallmouth on a Point off a creek mouth with a Buzzbait they couldn't switch fast enough. They managed a few Smallies before a Muskie moved in a chased the bass away. They had a good time and so did I. I did this for a friend who guided regular on the river and had four clients which was to many for him to handle. A guide can give you the type of area to look for and the type of lures to use but he is not going to give away his prime spots and he shouldn't. They have worked for many years finding those spots and that is what you will need to do also. I waded that river for about 10 years and learned how and where to catch Smallmouths on it from my guide friend and from other members of the Illinois Smallmouth Alliance that I belonged to then and still do today. You have to think for yourself and learn from the posts that the guides make. Keep complaining and they will quit posting reports then you'll be on your own or stuck with the old reports from years ago.

I just barely understand this thread. I appreciate the fishing reports as they give me a guide or a place to start from. I really think that what should have been posted was something to the effect that the Fishing Reports are free and given by Guides whose business depends on the finding fish. If I was a Guide I think I would take offense to what was said and would most likely not post any more reports. Then again that is just me and my opinion for what it is worth. I look for these reports on here and take them with grain of salt because conditions change daily and fish follow forage more then we think they do. They may be gone the day you come to fish and you think the report is a lie to through you off. The fish are around somewhere in the area chasing forage. I do hope that you Eric Prey of Focused Fishing Guide Service continue to post you valuable and thoughtful information but should you decide not to I certainly understand and will accept your choice not to.

A friend of mine from Illinois makes these Jigs and calls them Swim Jigs. They look pretty nice and are all 1/2oz. I am thinking they may work very well on Table Rock.

Since you live up in Illinois may I suggest this Organization. They are the guys that make Smallmouth Fishing in Illinois better every year. It is a great group of Conservation minded people and with Smallies in that lake they may be able to do something since the Director of the DNR is a member and the Gov. is a big believer in there efforts. http://illinoissmallmouthalliance.net/

Hey Phil could you find a Secretarial service to transcribe it and then post it as a Word Program.

I want to take this opportunity to thank Phil for getting the Seminar going and Bill Babler for coming out and giving the best talk on fishing Table Rock I have ever heard. Wish I could have taped it and transcribed it for future reference. The information was awesome and being able to see what you use and how you approach the rock is really enlightning. Thank you again and hope you have a fantastic year in 2009.

Hey, 4fishys? I see you live in Naperville, Il. Do you fish any of the rivers in the area like the Fox, DuPage, Kankakee or those a little further like the Kishwaukee or Apple? Used to live in Bolingbrook and fished those rivers with the Illinois Smallmouth Alliance. They have there big fund raiser this weekend called the Bronzeback Blowout where are very own Al Agnew is going to speak.

Great Video and Pic's Phil.

Great pictures Terry!

Thanks for all you did today Phil it really turned out nice. Plenty to eat and good to see everyone again this year. We even had some new faces that we hope come back again next year.

Well I went to Bass Pro last night and looked at the Rods. I checked to Falcon rod which was nice and light but was selling for about $140.00. I have several of BPS's Bionic Blades which have given me great service and I like them. I picked out a Medium Heavy 7' Bionic Blade and then went to the reel counter for the BPS Bionic Plus Reel to finish out the deal. Well the young man saw I had the Bionic Rod and checked the book and cut it to a Combo deal and saved me about $30.00. I picked up the Combo for $109.00 vs the separate prices of $80.00 for the Rod and $60.00 for the Reel. I have several of the Bionic Reels and they have been great and given me good service. I am happy with the purchase and hope to get out and give it a try. Thanks all for giving me the direction to go as I was unsure mostly on what weight and length to get.

My goal is to get out more next year and learn more about fishing this deep water lake. I caught a few in the Spring as they were coming out onto the points. I want te expand on that and get into some catching after they move to deeper water and beyond.

Eric, who carry's the Falcon Rods around Springfield?

Well it looks like I need to look at some Med/Hvy 6'6" Rods of a good quality. Sure won't be the $260.00 to $350.00 range though. I have had good luck with BPS Rods so I will most likely check them out this next week.

What constitutes a good Jig Fishing Rod. One for throwing and working the 1/2oz.+ Jigs that we throw here on the Rock. I may just want to buy me a new rod and I don't want to make a mistake and get the wrong one.

Like I said on the other thread I will be there with the Meatball Sandwiches.