Fishin' Freak

Two of us fished Sunday a.m. in the Baxter area fom 5 till about 8:30 with minimal success. The topwater bite was hit and miss. We managed three fish, one spot,one small smallie, and one big white and had numerous chasers. No real schools of fish hitting the surface, mostly just singles and they didn't stay up there long. Did throw the shakey head and c-rig in some areas with no luck. Hope others are finding time to get out and enjoy the nice weather. Bill--did you get my p.m. about the guide trip?

Great Story! Sorry for the bad luck on such a great fishing day!

Whats' bitin, Thanks for the report. Always good to have more reports on here, especially when I can't fish for a couple weeks due to work and prior engagements. I will have to live life through you guys!!

Nice fish!

I got out Sat. and Sunday both. Sat. I found the bite to be tough. I fished the Kimberling area and searched and searched for wind and had trouble finding it. Did manage a couple smallies but nothing to brag about. I did also catch my first mean mouth-if that is what you call them. Sunday I didn't get out until 3 and made a run up the James a bit and fished until 5:30 catching 4 LM, 3 solid keepers, one going 4 pounds. All 4 came between 3 and 7 feet of water on a homemade brown and purple flash 5/16th ounce jig. Water was fairly dingy and 69 degrees. I hope to get out again soon but will probably be living through you guys for a week or so. Good Luck!

Nice weekend. It had to be better than work for sure!

Bill, Are you still fishing the dam area mainly? I saw Beck up in the Indians Sat. He was fishing your "big smallie point"!!! I understand what you are saying about Quality being a bit questionable up around Baxter all the way to Campbell Pt. Lots of fish but no hogs to speak of. Caught lots of fish despite the flat water but couldn't get the big boys to play. I did catch one short fish from under a dock in about 20 feet of water and as I was bringing him to the surface there were 4 other spots "worming" below him and chasing. I would have loved to of hooked any of those 4 instead of the one I hooked. I guess thats why they call it fishing!

Fished from 7 to noon from pt. 9 up past point 19. Caught 18 fish, all KY's but not one keeper. I mainly fished pea gravel pts and staging areas. I caught most of my fish dragging the Doctor but I did catch a few on a shakey head and a few on a jig. The Doctor bite was tough to say the least. I probably missed 10-12 fish. Alot of times it just seemed the fish would pick the bait up and drop it. Flat water conditions probably didn't help either. I did try going super shallow and doing some bed fishing. I did find a number of beds but no fish locked on to them. Alot of small males roaming the banks. The fish really seem to be in a transtion phase. For some reason I cannot seem to find the bigger fish. I love catching 18 fish but I would like to have a few keepers!! I am trying to figure out if it is the bigger fish that are not cooperating because they are in transition or if it is the fact that I am fishing used water or what the case is. Any input would be welcomed!!

dtsr5, Great report. Thanks. I may have to try and put some of it to use in the Kimbering area this week!

Bill, I didn't get a chance to hunt Sat. due to a death in the family. I plan to get out some this weekend for sure, as well as do some fishing. Man I love this time of year. To bad we have to work to make a living. Whoever started that idea??? Some have reported a bit of a topwater bite already. Anything going in the evenings? I would assume that it is somewhat similar to the morning topwater bite?? I am going to get out an evening or two in the next week after work.

Dwiebenga is right, the Doctor is the Zoom Fish Doctor. I fish it on a split shot rig. I put a #4 split shot about 18 inches up and drag it on the bottom similar to dragging a carolina rig. Standard colors (green pumpkin, gp red ect) work the best for me. I did try draggig a slim senko on the rig yesterday and had some luck on it as well. I am sure Bill could give you guys more input on the rig for sure.

Got out Sunday for 5 hours and caught good numbers but no real size. Had 15 fish with only 2 keepers and lost a nice one, all KY's. I caught most of my fish dragging the Doctor or slim senko but also had some luck swimming a grub. I somehow lost my good fish on the grub. The whole key for me was the wind and it didn't really start blowing till 10:30. Find pea gravel pts and secondary pts. leading to and in major creeks and coves and you will find fish. I kept the boat in 20 to 25 feet of water and caught most my fish between 10 and 15 feet. I am going to try and get out again one evening this week. Good luck to all and lets hear how the rest of you did. I am sure Babler caught fish today!!!!

I have been way to busy lately with work but I am fishing Sunday all day. I am headng to KS to hunt turkeys in the snow Saturday (I think I am losing my mind). I have a small derby I am fishing Wed. out of Mill Creek sponsored by the Home Builders Assoc. of Greater Springfield. I have to get out and find some before then!!!!

Thanks again Bill for another excellent post. Very well stated.

I have had that talk, I have it every morning but it doesn't seem to be working. He is a real jerk!!!!! Have you been catching them?

Good luck to you on Tuesday. I have only been out once in the past month due to work but I am planning on hitting it hard this weekend. Keep us posted on your success.

Fished Sun. night (4/1) and caught two really nice whites on the swimming minnow between Swan and the Pothole. I did not see many people catching fish but there were a lot of boats. We fished from 5 till 8 and covered quite a bit of water including Swan Creek. It was an awesome night on the water with a great view of the full moon. Anyone else catching them?

Ronnie-- Good work man. Good to hear someone gets to get out and fish while the rest of us have to stay home and work!!!! Guys, Ronnie called me on his way to Shell Knob yesterday while I was working--man the guy is ruthless!!! When you figure out how to paint that stickbait let me know because that is one of the first patterns I am going to try and match--when my dang compressor finally gets here. Nice work and I will be in touch with you soon on the painting.

Bill if you have a honey hole don't let me know about it, it might freeze over. I think I may have to post up on the Taney page and scare those boys as well. February was a rough month for me to say the least. I think I caught three fish total and it wasn't for a lack of trying. I didn't get out as much as I would have liked but my last four trips(two for bass, two for the eyes) have all resulted in the skunk. The weather hasn't been the best in my opinion. It seems to me that when I do get a chance to fish it is blowing snow or just flat out cold, so I stay home. I promise the skid won't last much longer. Tomorrow may be the day? Keep after them boys.

Nothing to report other than a skunk. As Lilly mentioned there was no generation. We put in at River Run and fished flats and eveything in between from Barkers Hole down to Swan with no luck. We did run a ways past Swan up towards the Pot Hole but didn't have any luck there either We threw stickbaits and swimming minnows.

Two of us fished Sat. night from 6:30 to 8:45 with no fish and two bites. We were throwing stickbaits and swimming minnows. We had two "pops" on the stickbait but that was it. We are out the door right now to give it another shot tonight. I will report our hopeful success when we return.

Wow do I feel better when I hear that Babler and Beck struggle every once in a while. Somedays I feel like everyone but me has to be catching them. Bill, at what average water temp do you start throwing the Fish Dr. on the split shot rig?

How do I get the blame??!! I have had the skunk both Sunday and today. We threw the shakey a bit today with no luck. I will be out this weekend to see if I can help end this snide. Keep us posted on how your trips go. I am just 200 posts behind Babler now!!

Two of us fished for about 4 hours as well and had the same luck--a skunk. We threw stickbaits for a while but with zero wind it made that bite tough. We did try some deep fish and when we found one on the graph it seemed they made a bee line for the bottom--a bit spooky to say the least. Awesome day on the water though.

I fished from Joe Bald to Perkins Hollow and then ran up to the Kimberling area for a little bit with no luck at all. I had high hopes of a decent stickbait bite but found nothing that wanted to hit my rogue. I fished for a few deep boys and had no luck as well. I graphed lots of shad between 40 and 60 feet in the mouth of two coves but none were being chased much from what I found, they were all pretty spread out. Did anyone tear them up today? I am sure someone had to.