motoman

Agreed Eric, don't apologize for the rant. It's gonna take people passionate about the wildlife to make a difference, and push for some serious changes. - Numbers of dead fish after a tourney are completely unacceptable!

- I'm with yah Brennan, I e-mailed them a few weeks ago and got the same response. So I replied back, and requested they look into a paper HD map for The Rock and other Missouri lakes..........we'll see?

Here's a link with a bit more info. - http://www.tablerockguideservice.com/

Good report Don! - We were down last week and through the weekend, and catching most of our keepers in 30-40' of water on the grub and C-rig in the KC area. Movin' them verrrrrryyyy slow. And like you mentioned, they were really just laying on the bait. No real heavy strike, the rod would just load up, like you got a bunch of leaves or something. But they were definitely chowing down on it! - I thought I saw your boat in the KC area heading towards Cow Creek on Friday. Looks you may have had a client with you? I was gonna stop and say hello, but didn't want to be a bother. - Good Luck on finding some new water, and keep us posted.

- Good question coyote. I was down last week and a month before that, and both times my partner and I pondered this too. - A few of the trees in the flooded area have nice green leaves on them from the spring, but then it looks like some of the healthy green, is starting to brown.

- Gary, I was down this weekend and left sunday afternoon. We saw TONS of minnows jumping/fleeing on the surface back in the brush. We were catching fish in deeper water, as loads of boats were pounding the shallows. But as my partner and I were driving back home, we talked about how we should've tried to go in more shallow. But we were catching nice fish deep..............oh well, whatya do?.?.?.?

- Bob (and others ), I can't get into my e-mail, and had to borrow somone else's computer to put in a brief note, here's the link. - http://ozarkanglers.com/forums/index.php?s...amp;#entry69499

- You said it Don. - We were in the KC area all day yesterday and had the same results. Mainly down deeper though. - The frustrating part of the grub bite was that I deeply hooked several keepers (but were able to gently get the hooks out for a nice release). - These nice keepers would just lay on that grub. I would just feel some light resistance like I had a leaf or something on my grub, then when I would get them close to the boat, .........and they would go berzerk. - I've got an excellent rod that I love, cause I can always feel the lightest tick. But this grub bite is almost like they are following the grub to the boat, then when they grab it, maybe they still just keep coming my way or something?.........weird. - Anywho, it'll be interesting to see what this rain does?

- Bob, My cell phone doesn't work down there except for very isolated spots. - But we're staying at Schooner Creek in Kimberling City, and will probably stay down around that area. They have internet access in the office, so I'll see about peeking in there to shoot over any intel we stumble upon. - I'll be in my Blue and Silver Basscat with an Evinrude 150 on it. Feel free to say hello if you see us. The Basscat's an ole nag (1986), but she does the trick.

Tom, I'll be heading down early tomorrow too. - But I'll offer some insight I had on a few of these items, I figured out last time I was down, 3 weeks ago. (and catchin' 'em) But details change hourly, so I'm not sure if this will be beneficial or not? But I plan on using a similar approach, for starters. - Re: fishing points, we were catching some of them on secondary points, windblown points. We would start out deep, then verrrrrrry, slowly work our way towards the shore. Starting in 50+ feet of water if possible. Some of them we caught were holding off the side of the point, windward side. - Re: Having the boat in 20'-30' feet of water. The water is up 15-20' feet, so you'll need to add that to the topo map. But it's a good start. We were actually catching them just off the original shoreline. It's kinda tough to picture with the high water, but once down there and you see the terrain/treeline, It gives you a better idea. - Re: fancasting, we were fancasting around every corner of the boat. Leaving no casting distance untouched. But working things verrry slow - Hopefully someone with some more current info will hop in.

- Thanks for the details Chunk! - I was down there a few weeks ago and ended up with good results using similar techniques. We stayed well away from the trees where everyone was pounding spinnerbaits, and kept the boat in 30+ feet of water throwing finesse plastics. with 8lb test and methodically working over certain spots. It was tedious, and we surely worked for them; but it paid off! We caught some nice smallies, when most struck out completely. - Thankfully I just put a new 2nd trolling motor battery in. Last time I was down, near the end of the day; juice was running low. A fresh battery will help me hold those windblown points through the day. - You mentioned you were getting bit on the fall, I was thinking of throwing 1/4 oz jigheads on the grubs in the wind, you think that would be too quick a fall for 'em? - I will throw lighter if the wind permits, but then it hinders casting distance.

Glad to hear you got some more time in Chunk..........and with great results! - Thanks for posting, I'm getting down this week and have been itching all weekend for some reports. - Did that front/storms move through while you were there? (just curious on water clarity)

Thanks for the report snakem. I've been checking all week with nothing posted. It was driving me crazy! - I'm gonna be down mid-week and was wondering what this weather did to the water clarity and the bite? - (oh yah, and 5 outta 20's nothin' to sneeze at.

RPS......That's fantastic! The antics at the ramp are usually entertainment enough, but you brought up a good point. The twice a year crowd, AND high water/limited parking. That will be entertainment GOLD! - If you could sell tickets and popcorn, you'll be a millionaire! - Please be sure and bring a digital camera with you at the ramp. You've gotta share some of the great action with those of us who won't be able to share a good laugh with yah!

I think this would fall under the ole adage, "You can led a horse to water, but you can't make 'em drink." - Since the mrs. tried and tried to get them to fish Taney, but they refused.............there fault. But hopefully they realize their mistake after the fact, and don't think it's anything you did-or-didn't do. - I don't know how you do it Bill, having that kind of patience with the general public. Hats off to yah.

- Good post denjac, I hope this isn't straying off topic too much. But I saw footage of the tru-tungsten swimbait posted somewhere online. They made it stop swimming briefly, and look behind itself like mentioned in the article. It is completely creepy to see it happen. Very cool and realistic looking!............but $69 cool....................not for a worlking stiff like myself.

- Oohh Zander, I think you're onto something! - Bill is the master of suspense. Just like Bob Barker. He keeps you hangin' on until you can take no more, than he shows you the price!...............and Zander.............I bet your Price is Right! - (sorry, gettin' a little loopy at work..............maybe we've got a gas leak?)

- I love a mystery! But I searched quite a few TX and CA forums myself........with no luck. I would guess a big deep diving crankbait? - Hopefully someone chimes in here.

Good one snakem! If you don't mind me asking, what kind of water did you catch 'em in? (depth, windward points?, etc.)

Good post Trav. I was just thinking about this a bit too. - Not to hi-jack your thread, but if a grub is supposed to mimic a shad; why not a hollow bodied swimbait in the same length? Those appear even more realistic, unless I'm missing something?

Ah yes, good stuff Whack 'em. I love the methodical nature you approach those points. I try to take the same approach to those sort of circumstances. (which can drive co-anglers crazy.) - I'm a firm believer in letting a spot cool off after they quit biting, where you've been catching 'em. Looks like you proved there's something to that too.

You sure did live up to your i.d Whack 'em! - Good report. Those windblown points can be a bear to hold on, but looks like you guys made it happen, and I'd imagine far more tolerable with just a breeze. - Just out of curiosity, how long were you guys out? and how many different points do you think you hit before you started finding 'em?

Great report Bill, and love the medicine you gave that fool too! - I had similar results (yet not quite that good) 2 weeks ago when I was down on the rock. Everyone was fishing the banks and striking out! (everyone we saw) I held us in 30+ feet of water near the original bankline and landed some nice keeper smallies throughout the day. - Even here back home the local lake I fish is about 130 acres, and extremely clear (visibility 6-8 feet), with depths down to 60 feet. Whenever I go out, bank-beaters always cruise between me and the shoreline striking out. While I'm in 30+ feet of water, and they ask how I'm doing or where I'm catching 'em, I have no problem 'trying' to help them out and let them in on what I'm doing; but they do nothing about it?!!?!?! They keep working the bank.????? - They even tell me they see fish suspended on the fishfinder, in the 20-40 foot range, but they keep working the bank in the 5-10 foot range. I can't understand it? - Thanksagain on that report, days like those are GGGggrrreeaatt!

- That's great Zander! Good report. I only get to fish the Rock a few times a year. But the info posted by the guru's is excellent. It gives plenty of guidance on how to attack the water. - I feel for yah on the water today, that wind was really whipping up here, I can only imagine how bad it was on the rock. (and I sure know about the trolling motor not up to the task to hold you on a point) Way to adapt and drift over the points! - Good report.

You said it Don, plenty of pieces to the puzzle from Bill! Great info Bill, thanks! - Let's just hope fishing will be anything like that in 2 weeks when I get back down. (But I'm not holding my breath)