focused fishing

Really big fan of Seaguar Invisx, it's all I use.

Flippin, Water temps were around 42 in the morning found 46 - 47 up the river but didn't like the water color. It was pretty busy, allot of FLW Pros out and several locals enjoying the day

Fluorocarbon on everything except topwater (17# mono). 6# - 25# depending on the technique and fishing situation. I do use Power Pro on frogs, but never get to fish them around here. In my experience braid floats and casues drag on sinking lures, in particular jigs. Having the proper fall rate on a jig is much more important than anything braid can offer in sensitivity and strength. I don't break off many fish, I can only think of one last year on 6# when the drag on a spinning reel locked up. Of course I retie about every five or six casts, anytime I catch a fish and whenever I hang a bait up and pop it loose. I know several guys that swear by braid, more power to ya. EP

Champ, The mudline is pretty much right at Sweetwater and then it clears again about a mile up. Caught fish after it cleared but not the quality we caught in the morning, the clear water is that bright limestone green, I never do real well in that color. We caught most of the better fish on broken rock channel banks not the sheer bluff walls, I know guys ae catching fish on bluffs but I'm doing better where the rock is broken up and there is allot of wood trash in the water. Good Luck, EP

Moto, I don't necessarily plan trips around the schedule unless I plan on fishing below the dam (Trout at Taney and Bass below Beaver) but I do like to know when and how much generation is going on through out the day. If there has been or will be heavy generation I know the fish will be holding on points and other "current breaks" ambushing shad there to feed on plankton moving with the current. Usually the greater current is closer to the dam so I might run toward the dam vs staying in the mid lake if there is heavy generation on a given day. If there has been a prolonged period of generation it will have a greater effect up stream than a single day of generation and I would tend to run toward the rivers. They tend to be fairly accerate, but as the sign says "current flow and generation is subject to change to meet load requirements". EP

Moto, On the first one; TRD is Table Rock Dam, the time of day is on the left and the amount of Mega Watt Generation created by the turbines (generators) for that given hour is listed below TRD. The higher the number the greater amount of generation. Table Rock Dam is capable of 230 MW at 15,100 cfs (cubic feet per second) of water flow through the turbines, so at 200 MW all four generators are running and the water is flowing good creating current, at 100 MW two generators are running and so on. Therefore the higher the number the more current during those hours. Don't forget to take into account what is happening up stream as well, BEV is Beaver Dam, it only has two generators and does not produce as much flow but when both dams are running the current is much stronger. The upper end of the White from Beavertown on up is a blast when they are running both generators and open the flood gates the fish go crazy, plus you will actually be running up hill from around Eagle Rock to Beavertown. As far as the graphs are concerned on the second link, I don't use them much, I'm much more of a numbers guy... Hope this helped. EP

Ham, When I use the term "fall off" I am generally taking about a more sever slope, like a drop or ledge. I guess it depends on how it is used: ....a flat secondary point that "falls off" on one side..... would mean it is steeper on one side. ....fish are holding on points that "fall off" gradually into the channel..... would mean a gradual slope It's all in the context Clear as mud for sure now... EP

All good answers, let me throw in my two cents: A channel swing is any area on the main lake or in a creek arm where the old channel hits the existing bank. It can be anything from a bluff to just a few rocks to a deep cut bank depending on the composition of the rest bank(s) in the area. As Bill said KVD and the rest of the Classic anglers fishing in Bees Wax Creek over the w/e were targeting swings with coon tail moss. No rocks or other obvious structure, but the swing was still there. The next time you look at a creek or river notice the area on the outside bend of the stream, that area is the channel swing. Those same locations are on every lake in the area, the outside bend of the old creek or river is what we gennerally call a swing. On most Ozark lakes they can be identified by a steeper, usually rocky bank. The ends of a swing are gennerally better than the middle, these spots will usually transition from bigger to smaller rock and eventually gravel and attract more crawfish and other forage. As far as chunk rock is concerned anything from fist size to basketball size rock will be called chunk rock. Clear as mud? EP

Got out on Thursday morning and yesterday afternoon. Thursday was definately better than yesterday, could of been we were pressed for time, but just couldn't seem to find them as well. Anyway, Thursday caught 'em on stickbaits, grubs and tubes suspended on channel swing banks near standing timber. All of the fish were between 6' - 10' deep over as much as 50', most of the bites came on the initial fall or when the bait was stopped near the timber. 1/4 oz. head, 4" grub or tube, smoke, salt and pepper on 6# fluorocarbon. Did have a few fish on an Eakins' jig and craw combo toward the backs of a couple creeks, brown / puple with a green pumkin craw, 10# Fluorocarbon. One about 5 caught on Thursday

Add Norman Flake to your list

Add some 1/0 or 2/0 EWG hooks, 1/4 oz. split shot and green pumpkin french fries or fish doctors to your list. Split shot rig bite should be going, gravel points and banks close to spawning pockets. Of course there aren't any of those in the Aunts Creek area, every fish there heads to Shell Knob to spawn. Right Tim?

Slab Hunter, Gotta echo everything Bill and others have said. When it gets a little closer to your trip PM or e-mail me and I will try to help you find some brown fish. EP

Redbud, We were head hunting (looking for big fish) and probably could of caught more if we spent more time in a given area. The fish we caught were on the very ends of bluffs, swings and channel banks so we would make a half dozen casts and move on. If we caught a fish we might make a dozen more casts but not more than that. Not exactly a solid technique for derby day or to try and catch numbers, we were hitting big fish areas trying to find some big pre-spawn females so we moved around a lot.

Made it out for a few hours yesterday, fished from Kimberling City to Big Creek. Seems the stickbait bite has become inconsistent at best. Had 12 fish all but one were keepers best 5 around 16 lbs. Most on a 4" single tail grub on a 1/4 oz. head, 6lbs fluorocarbon. Best bite was on bluff ends and the ends of channel banks. Every fish was suspended from 5' - 15' deep over any overall depth. Cast the bait toward the bank / point count it down to 10'( the bait falls about 2' per second) and then make a steady medium retreive. Isolated standing timber needed to be close by but most of the fish were not holding tight to the cover. Water temps from 40.2 - 42.8. Jim Bruffey with one about 4.5lbs. on 4" single tail grub

Chart Speed 100% - Always - regardless of depth or sensitivity, it has no effect on the number of pings or amount of power being input to the water only the speed which the graph is displaying the information. Grey line - 60% - 64% Sensitivity - the shallower you are the lower it needs to be, take it up to the point you are getting interference and then back it down. Adjust for depth. Manually set your upper and lower limits as well If these do not work you most likely have a bad angle on the transducer (not shooting straight down check it with the skeg on the trolling motor) or a burnt transducer. You will still get a lot of data from a burnt transducer but it will not pick your bait or the fish. Often times it will pick it up to a certain depth then disapear. Transducers will over heat under high power operation and eventually stop transmitting data. Hope this helps, EP

Don has some good suggestions on color, take a look at the Norman Flake as well, it was the top color on LOZ last year. Good Luck EP

Bill's Marine boat and outdoors show will be this weekend in Joplin, MO. Friday and Saturday 9 am - 9 pm. Denny Brauer will be doing seminars on Saturday. Pete Wenners, Joe Gundel, Ryan Copeland, Dustin Lee, Eric Prey and other local anglers will be doing seminars as well. Jack Lawton Webb Convention Center, 2 miles south of I-44 on Range Line Rd. FREE ADMISSION!!!

Donna, That's great news! Praise God. EP

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The Corps of Engineers has asked CPAA to move the Team Challenge from Mill Creek to Moonshine Beach. The ramp and parking area at Mill Creek was repaved just before the heavy rain two weeks ago and the water flooded the new paving before it had time to "set", therefore the Corps will keep the ramp closed until the water is at pool and they have the opportunity to re-pave the parking lot. The event will still be 7:00 am (safe light) until 3:00 pm both Saturday and Sunday, out of Moonshine Beach by the dam. $500 entry per team with $10,000 to first with 50 entries, 80% payback. Call Kris at the CPAA office to enter 417-335-5075 or with any additional questions. http://www.central-proam.com

Tucker, there were only so many weekends available this fall and the thought was very few CPAA anglers fish Missouri BASS Federation but several do fish Heartland (the following w/e) and Anglers in Action (the w/e after that). Although it may crowd the lake a little 50 - 75 more boats is not a huge impact on the fishery or any other tournaments. The event has been moved to Moonshine Beach at the request of the Corps of Engineers; the re-paving at Mill Creek did not have time to set before the water came up so the Mill Creek ramp will be closed this w/e.

One last bump. We'll be taking entries at the trailer starting around 5:30 take off at safe light. Talked to Mike Beezley last night and he has gotten a ton of give aways including some Shimano reels, rods and Costa Del Mar sunglasses. Thanks Everett Childs!!!!! Should be a good day to fish and a fun event please come out and support a soldiers family. EP

One more bump, We will have the CPAA trailer at the ramp and will run the derby from it. Please come out and help the Beezley family and give a tribute to a fallen Ozarks' Soldier. Thanks, EP

Entry forms are available at Ozark Anglers (Kimberling City) Anglers Tackle Box (Ava and West Plains) or call 417-343-2245 for additional locations and information. T-shirts are also available for $12 a piece. Central Pro Am will be providing weigh in equipment. Please help the Beezley family EP

Phil, Maybe some of us have been a little "thin skinned" of late, but this TR Forum has taken a mean spirited turn over the past couple of months and it has lost contributors. Unforunately it will continue to do so as long as individuals are allowed to lurk and wait to attack posters, much like coldwater has done to Don and I. Thin Skinned? Maybe, but Coldwater did not make a single post on the Table Rock forum until I started the Unlicensed Guides thread and while some may have found his posts funny, they were mean spirited and contibuted nothing to the thread. Wrench, You don't know anyones situation, and to have the gall to assume that anyone, guide or otherwise, has to go through a divorce or any other hardship to understand how right you are about there particular sponsorship or other situation only proves the problem with some of your posts. I've got a trip in the morning and am up to late. EP