Seth Clarkson

The lateral line look is what had me questioning it. I haven't caught any smallmouth in the Cedar Creek area before, and the few I had caught on Finley, or Table Rock didn't have much of a pattern at all, they were just a pretty bronze. I had also caught a lot of small spots in that area Saturday, so wasn't expecting a smallmouth.

What is it you typically look for to tell? I didn't think to feel for a tongue patch, would that have helped?

I caught this fish at Bull Shoals and posted a short report, but I feel like this Table Rock forum always has good response. I also believe I had seen where someone had asked about a mean mouth before. I was wondering, if this fish was a smallmouth or a mean mouth. It looks different than the handful of smallies that I have caught before. I know they are somewhat uncommon, so wanted to make sure I wasn't overlooking a special catch.

Navery, I'm not really sure what smallmouth typically look like in that area so I wasn't sure. I'm not used to catching many smallmouth and the ones I have caught in this area never had the vertical stripes. I know they do in other areas, but I'm just used to the almost straight bronze look. Regardless both of these fish are beautiful.

I was trying to post a picture on my cedar creek 4/21 post on Bull Shoals and kept getting this error. I ended up screenshotting the picture and it was able to be posted that way. It was under the mb limit, but not sure why it didn't work.

Here's another picture

So it is a Meanmouth? I wasn't sure since I'm not familiar with the smallmouth looks in that area. How can you tell for sure? I didn't think to check for a tongue patch.

Caught 13, mainly small largemouth and some Kentuckys with 2 15'' keepers, one was either a Smallmouth or meanmouth and the other a kentucky. Sun poked out a couple times and it warmed up, but most of the time was overcast and windy, with a few short rain showers. Got them all on a Canada Craw colored EZ Tube. Didn't really have a pattern, but caught them all in 2 to 10ft of water either on a main lake ledge, point, or up to midway back in a pocket. Didn't catch anything in the back of the coves. My dad also picked up 1 decent looking walleye on an Alright with white crappie jigs. Did see a few busting fish midway back in one coves but wasn't able to get anything to them while it was happening. This post has been promoted to an article

Were you just throwing swimming minnows or sliders on the A-Rig? I have never thrown an A-Rig for whites, but figured I would start this year.

What bites were they, bass? Also what did you even get them on, because I feel like I tried everything but small grubs and other smaller baits like that.

A buddy and I hit fellows and fished from around 8 to 1 or so on Friday. Didn't have a single bite. Water was dirtier than I expected without having any real streams running into the lake that I'm aware of. Tried a coleslaw spinnerbait, a drew's craw colored trd hawg, a 1/2 oz black and blue mop jig, a brown finesse jig, a spoon, and some brightly colored crankbaits but no takers. I'm sure it had a lot to do with all the rain and the 30 degree temp drop from the day before, but I still really haven't figured the lake out. Found some fish in the main channel at the south end of the lake suspended in the morning in about 10 to 15 feet but couldn't get a bite. Came back later once it had warmed up and thought I might find them on the shallow flat, but never found them again. Anybody else been out there recently?

I have never done that float, and was looking about possibly trying it at some point. Can you be more specific of the locations for the put in and take out for that float? I was looking on google maps but was having a hard time determining where at to put in at 215 and where the taylor bridge was.

I wish I had more to report but mainly just water conditions. Caught 1 bass on a jig, and 1 on an a rig, and a rock bass off a grub. Half a mile or so north of point 15 into James River the water cleaned up. Caught both bass up in James. One big log between point 15 and Bridgeport but only a few small ones otherwise. Battled a lot of wind and guys in the tournament's wake as they flew by. Saw a lot of ppl on the water but only saw a few small crappie caught. I just have a hard time finding fish if they aren't in cover. I'm sure others had a much better day in that area. Saw a green sunfish struggling up in James River that the top half looked almost a purple color, and one 2 or 3 inch shad floating. Didn't see a whole lot of bait.

Planning to put in at Bridgeport tomorrow morning. Hopefully will be greeted by some hungry fish and not too many floaters. Will report back on my experience. Going to try some coves with creeks or good runoff coming in as well as go up in James River maybe flat creek. Planning on using spinnerbaits, crankbaits and if the water is clean enough I finally picked up a 360 gt search bait to try. Anyone have an idea if whites may start moving up towards flat creek and James yet after the rain?

Has anyone got a good look at the water situation from Rockaway down to Empire park after all the rain? Wondering if there are a ton of floaters, log jams and if the water is straight mud or too much current to be effective. Anything helps, thanks.

How long of a float is that? I attempted to put in there last year after it had flooded and float down by myself and then it started to look like I couldn't paddle back up so I turned around and went to Lake Springfield.

For some reason I was not getting notifications on this when someone responded so it's taken me awhile to get back and check on this thread. Yaknar did you say what stretch of river this was? Also any suggestions you all have on times of year and floats that are best for smallmouth on James would be great.

Did you have to make over exaggerated pauses? Also was towards James river east of 65 or west towards the bluff and main lake area?

Lake Springfield has some real nice bass if you can get on them. I personally caught or saw someone else catch close to 25 over 3 lbs and a dozen close to 5 lbs or over the last year or so. Hoping I can find some big girls spawning in a couple months.

Bridgeport is definitely froze up still. Put in at the marina. Most everything towards James River from the marina was ice. Dad caught one small spotted bass on an Alabama rig and I caught lots of trees. Wind was worse than they were calling for after about 11.

Surely it melted today? I hope because we planned to try there tomorrow.

I'm wondering the same thing. I've heard it's pretty tough to put in at the park right now just because the water is so low and the river run side is blocked off. I assume K dock should be good to go. I'm just not sure if I should go to bull or table rock.

How is the parking situation on that side? Is there plenty of space to maneuver in that area? I'm assuming this time of year it wouldn't be a big deal in terms of numbers of boats, although with a day in the 50s a lot of people would jump at the chance I would think.

I assumed that was a private ramp for a community or resort or something over there. So that is public and anyone can use it?