Luke918

Was there over the weekend. Wolf Creek is high but not so much debris launch is ok though just back your truck out more & plan on getting wet. Honey Creek was fine. Bernice State Park was full of debris. Martins Landing for 5 bucks look perfectly fine (they cleared a lot of their debris). With all the hundreds of boats launching for the Big Bass Bash, I was lucky enough to find a private ramp -- just asked the owner & he said sure no problem. Was just us & one other vehicle on it both days of tourney.

Was out on Grand this last weekend fishing the AiA Big Bass Bash. No big bass for me, but was getting bit up shallow in muddy water filled with debris -- thought they were gills running off with my worm & finally hooked one (4 or 5 pound blue cat).

You can put in at K-Dock off the lower road... the small hill going down at the split to the lower road now makes for a good ramp.

Past few trips have ran into a lot of Kentucky's just down from K-Dock area. They were schooled up and feeding on top. Caught a two or three on a popper, none on a zara spook, none on a swimming shad on shaky head (although they were feeding on shad), none on shad colored crankbait. Dropshotted through the shad on bottom and caught Kentucky's up to 17" (most were 14 & 15") and a 4 largemouth up between 16 & 18" on the dropshot. Did catch 2 big white bass on Zara spook outside of one of the short creek channels below Kdock area and a Striper (17") thought it was a hybrid white/striper and even put it in the livewell -- but catching striper in virginia beach for years it just looked to familiar. Check the pics and description in the regs and back in the lake it went. Guess they have stocked some more in the lake--??-- anyone know that they did?

Not too familiar with Table Rock and their walleye but Swan Creek on Bull Shoals has an off limit for walleye at night (I think it is just at night) during the spawn timeframe. Maybe they should have this on the Kings and folks won't be pulling the good big spawning stock out as Rangerman was saying.

Got a late start, too much fun Friday night I guess. Was overcast so decided to go anyway and got out on the water by 8:15. Launched out of River Run. Water was cold cold cold 60 degrees (going to guess that is coming out of Taneycomo). Fished from Johnson's Bend, where water temp was low 80's, back down towards Barker Hole. Caught a 2 keeper Spots (13"/14") topwater on a Chug Bug and about another 10 or so 9-11 inch spots. Caught 3 Largemouth (18, 16, 15") on Chompers 3/8 oz jig (Mo Craw color) with Zoom Critter Craw trailer. All three bass came from two different flooded bush/trees off the bank in 4-6 feet of water. Really the only flooded tree like that I saw -- and all three keeper largemouth were right up in the mess of limbs. Hooked into a 5 #'er in one of the same trees but he jumped and thru the dang jig. Did catch about 5 or 6 short largemouths in the same type of areas -- all just under 15". Did catch a big a#& gar on crankbait and decided to cut the line instead of spending Saturday afternoon getting stitched up. Still trying to figure out how he didn't break my 8 lb test line off with the crankbait buried in the back of his mouth. And caught two 4 lb drum on a dropshot in 25' of water -- disappointed in that I thought I had finally got a bass over 11" on a dropshot -- wasn't disappointed by the fight he put up. I get plenty of small bass on the drop shot rig but haven't got any size to them yet -- maybe will try a bigger worm as I have been using 4" finesse worms. One of the best days I have had on the Bull Shoals lately -- thanks to the cloud cover, slight breeze and cool temps.

Been out a 3 times, over the last two weeks, down by Bee Creek and mouth of Mincy Creek. Caught lots of short bass and a 17.9999 " walleye, LoL, just couldn't him to hit the 18" mark so he went back of course. Bass were all caught on Chompers jigs with crawdad trailer and crankbaits. 2nd trip 3 days later caught just about all keeper largemouth & spots in the same spots I worked the trip before. 3rd trip a few days ago nothing but shorts again -- lots of good sized bluegill on crankbaits too for the frying pan. Nephew was with me two trips so he didn't mind the bluegills at all. We did catch a lot of short smallmouth along the rocks across from Bee Creek island on all three trips.

Went out Saturday (5-17) up to the dam and caught 18" & 25" walleye, 3 decent whites, and 16" largemouth. All fish were caught on #7 Flicker Shad. First time using the Flicker Shad -- fishes great but the hooks seem cheep and bent fairly easy so lost quite a few fish. All fish were caught on in the current and down towards what I think is a submerged road bed.

Went out last week caught 3 whites 16, 17, 18" all in the same hole and then nothing. Was down and across from Cedar Creek in 6-8 foot of water.

Been getting out for more fishing this fall then I was able to in spring and summer. The scouting part has been done while fishing this fall... that is what peaked my interest due to the amount of ducks I inadvertently jump when fishing coves and coming around points onto flats with willows. I know, or at least think, you can't hunt from moving boat... so thinking of doing the same thing I did when stationed in Nebraska (pulling the boat up on the bank setting out some decoys and laying back and waiting -- was successful there on "fishing" lakes where most duck/goose hunters were out in the farm ponds and/or fields. Yeah and understand the hiding part may be more difficult here along the bank without much vegetation and rock/sand/mud bluffs -- whereas the big lake I fished north of Omaha had lots of shoreline vegetation... camo cloth and machete to gather cat-9-tails, 5 minutes and you were invisible. Thanks for the input Dusky probably will see you out there.

Is there a deer processor in the Branson and/or Forsyth area? If not, does quartering and putting a deer in a large cooler before processing work good for anyone, and do you skin and quarter or quarter and leave skin on till the meat rest, and how many days on ice in the cooler? Thanks for any info.

I am fairly new to the area and wondering if anyone can give some insight on hunting Upper Bull Shoals anywhere from Forsyth down to the MO/AR border? As far as simply is it allowed and any special notes/restrictions I should be aware of -- other than standard hunter safety and good hunter etiquette? Thanks Appreciate any info.

Thanks for clearing that up PD. Being stationed around the country, around the world for that matter, I love being new to an area and having to figure out the new nicknames for fish. As far as eggs, the last two trips I kept one bass each trip for the dinner table and both had eggs sac's with small eggs -- have seen this in a lot of fish throughout the years during the fall going into winter. I am no fisheries biologist but bfishn makes a good point and I am guessing they are just developing eggs for spring or the hormones kicked in and they'll be absorbing these eggs. Both fish were healthy and fat by the way, both had crawdads in their bellies, one caught by the dam had small partially digested small rainbow he spit out in my livewell. As far as yellow perch... fished for them a lot outside of Spokane Washington and also when in Virginia Beach. Upper Bull Shoals seems like great yellow perch habitat and walleye love and get fat on yellow perch -- not to mention yellow perch is arguably right behind walleye of the best eating freshwater fish. I will definitely be making a couple trips to try to catch some yellow perch.

nxs what type of 'big' perch are you catching - white perch or yellow perch? And where were you catching them and on what? If you don't mind spilling the info. Thanks

Looks like Chesapeake Bay... might be wrong but spent plenty of time in the Chesapeake Bay striper fishing when stationed there for 12 years. Hit the tides and the current right (high tide incoming at the mouth of the bay while earlier high tide is still coming out of the bay) and you can catch fish on every cast. Anyone making a trip in November/December anywhere near that area will be welled served by taking a side-trip for some stripers.

Powerdrive that's awesome, I caught my biggest walleye ever 27 1/2 inches mouth of Beaver while bass fishing this spring. I did catch a few walleye this morning fishing between River Run and Barkers Hole this morning all were short though 15-17".

Been out a couple times (once of river run & up to the dam) caught 4 lb 13 oz largemouth and three other smaller (14") bass on a rapala crankbait. Another trip out at the mouth of Beaver Creek and Cedar Creek produced lots of 13 to just under 15" largemouth and some crappie and blue gills that were willing to take a crankbait. Water temps were reading mid 50's. Being newer to the area, especially as far as fishing upper bull shoals, I am still trying to figure out the fishing techniques here. From my few trips out this fall I know the fish are there and I catch 'em but smaller bass mostly. I have little patience and fish faster - crankbaits & spinnerbaits mostly, so thinking if I slowed down when I find those spots with smaller bass, I might hook into bigger bass more consistently.

Haven't really noticed any change in water level of Bull Shoals other than the rain we got... When I was out the other day fishing up by the dam there was no water flowing at all. Think 5 Nov is when work scheduled to be done -- read that on the Upper Taneycomo link on here -- they had corps announcement link posted.

Decided this morning to head out to Bulls Shoals. Launch from Beaver Creek and fished the mouth of the Creek for white bass. First hook-up at 8:00 a.m. on KVD Square Bill 1.0 Shad in 7-8 foot of water. Was surprise to see it was a 27 1/2 inch walleye. Between 8:30 and 9:00 a.m. hit a school of white bass and caught around 6 in pretty quick order. Caught 3 more (so 9 total) before headed home about 10 a.m. White Bass were all good size, had three real good ones. Water temp on my depth finder was reading 48 degrees at the mouth of the creek when I left.