abkeenan

That's a lot of boat and very nice. CaptainJoe how come you don't post in the Table Rock fishing forum anymore? You used to be somewhat of a regular poster a few years back and I always enjoyed your reports as well as your thoughts and opinions on fishing tackle, gear, etc.

^^----This. A weight, photo and recording of a fish just would never work unless there is an unbiased 3rd party marshal in the boat with them like BASS or FLW would have. People will cheat under any format if they don't have big brother watching over their shoulder. It's unfortunate but it's reality....people will cheat.

Topwater in mid July.......better late than never I guess. So when is the jerk bait bite going to start since we didn't have one in the spring? August?

Here are directions so you can see for yourself:

They just had a major BOOM in popularity after the BASS Elite tournament at Lake Chickamauga where half the pro field was throwing big 1oz hair jigs. That is usually how stuff comes around and goes around. Once something older and not used as much is effective again it see's a resurgence in popularity. Big "Magnum" 8" spoons are now the deal as well due to use by the BASS and FLW guys.

Even a "city boy" can see the difference in the water quality with the naked eye. Then take "city boy" e.coli studies into account in which you would be better off drinking the water off the streets of Calcutta than to jump in the water at LOZ within 10 miles of party cove. Heaven forbid eat a fish that swims in that cesspool of a lake. I'll pass and take my city slicker behind a little further south to Table Rock instead.

Amen. If you tripled the amount of boat traffic on Table Rock it's still 100 times better than LOZ not to mention 1,000 times cleaner and a million times more aesthetic with the hills, trees and plumage.

Champ, “Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.” ― George Carlin Best just to leave it be.

Champ you need to come over here in the 3-D theatre where the action comes to life.

This always looked like a good system to me, economically speaking. Would only work if you are reasonably close to your dock so you can respond to intruders or would be thieves. http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Bandit_Buster_Security_System/descpage-BBSSY.html Perfect for protecting your boat, truck, RV and more! The Bandit Buster Security System is the only real-time, patent-pending device that lets you monitor your property. Audio surveillance lets you hear what’s happening, and the passive infrared sensor tells you a theft is in progress. Finally, you can know instantly when an intruder has gone too far, giving you time to react. The thief never knows he’s being monitored. The Bandit Buster Security System is available in one or two-receiver models. Receiver The light bar indicates the level of noise being received around the transmitter. The alarm is activated for fifteen seconds when motion is detected. LEDs show which transmitter is activated on the dual transmitter model. Transmitter The transmitter has a passive infrared system, which sends a signal alarm to the receiver when the beam is interrupted. The transmitter also allows you to hear and monitor anything around the transmitter. -High Volume Receiver Alarm -Infrared Motion Sensor -Low Battery and Loss of Signal Indicator -Option of using Rechargeable Batteries, Direct Wiring, or Accessory Plug-In -Security Monitoring Without Ever Alerting the Bandit

I have the sneaky suspicion that even if the new Wart is identical in EVERY WAY (which they probably won't be) to the old pre rapala warts........people will still say they aren't and the prices for the old ones will remain high.

Supposedly STORM has the "old original molds" and is re-releasing the wiggle wart. Will be interested to see how they turn out. Despite its manufacture being 2014, this bait is called the Original Wiggle Wart because it's being made with the original molds and components, but in new colors like Creek Craw. Another interesting bait I saw is the STORM BX Minnow wake bait. Maybe finally something that will rival the Redfin and will actually work out of the package? Interesting Zman Jig Z-Man Project Z Football Jig Z-Man, known for its revolutionary Elaztech soft plastic and the Chatterbait, is entering the traditional jig market with a football jig and a casting jig. Both sport Z-Man's highly textured skirt. This is the Project Z Football Jig. KVD 8.0 KVD 8.0 This magnum sized square bill dives to 7 feet and has a great wandering action. It's another case of big baits catch big bass. The 8.0 is based off the original 2.5, it is just larger. It weighs 1.5 oz. and is 5 inches long. It deflects really well off of cover. Scrounger meets Chatterbait??? Tour Grade Naked Rage Blade This has all the same features of the Tour Grade Rage Blade but with a clear blade. It also comes pre-rigged with a Strike King Blade Minnow. Zman chunk trailer Batwing Z This hot rod chunk is made to give lots of action yet last for fish after fish thanks to its Elaztech construction, which is reported to last 10 times longer than regular plastics. Zman Grub Look Dave....don't even have to cut a Zinker in half anymore! Finesse TRD This is about as finessy as soft stickbaits get. Its teeny size is also ideal for panfish. Zman Finesse Shroomz Z-Man's Finesse Shroomz is a hybrid hook that's mostly a shaky head and a can also pull duty as a wacky head. Interesting.............. Texas Rigged Spy Baiting????? Basically the old Scoundrel??? What was once old is new again........again Zappu Pera R Japan’s finest terminal tackle brand, Zappu, releases the Pera R, an add-on propeller that will allow you to adapt any soft plastic lure to the recent Spybaiting phenomenon. Start saving your money guys!

For you night fisherman.....is fluorescent mono line with a black light a must? I want the feel of fluorocarbon but I like to use a black light. Stren is the only one that currently has a fluorescent fluorocarbon but I heard that was basically garbage line. Thoughts?

Champ, I bought 10 or so NuTech's over the winter and they are a quality jig. Nice stout Owner hook, nice durable powder coat and they really do come through cover and cedars better than the average jig. I would like to see a hand tied skirt on them myself but that would be the only gripe about the NuTech's. Are they revolutionary? Doubt it as it's still a jig. But they are an improvement over old designs in my opinion which is all that you can ask....always making a better mouse trap for the green and brown fish.

This post is useless without pics.

This is what I believe as well. A crank is being run by their face I highly doubt they see that as a bait ball. I bought one of the jerk baits in the winter and threw it probably 4 casts and didn't like the feel or look of it and put my old McStick standby on. Probably should give it another shot but the more I use the McStick the more I like it and think I should just stop testing anything else and use it 100% of the time.

Wow. That guy has gone to an entirely different level. I hope he primarily fishing stained water with that color or has a V86 or V63 on the other foot for clear water conditions.

I wrote this a week or two ago. Still should apply: "Haven't been down there in nearly a month but just based on basic seasonal patterns for Table Rock I would say work your way north of the 86 bridge towards the dam hitting long run out gravel points. Those types of locations are ALL OVER near the dam and towards KC. You will mostly be picking up smallmouth at nearly a 75% clip if I had to guess with the remainder being KY's. A random largemouth is caught here and there but for me it's a rarity on the gravel stuff. Put the boat in roughly 30ft of water and fan cast and you should pick them up anywhere from 5-35 feet (depending on how early you are out there as they move deeper as the sun gets up). If you can find gravel adjacent to a bluff end or shelf rock hit that too and should pick some there. Not sure what kind baits you are throwing but I'd have a jig, creature bait, topwater and finesse rig (ned, shakey, etc.) on the ready. They are probably getting on the dropshot and/or spoon at this point so if you have electronics and locate a pod on the graph try dropping something on their head and see if you don't get nipped. The vertical stuff you are probably looking anywhere from 30-60 feet of water with them suspended anywhere in that range. This time of year the in my experience the early bird truly gets the worm....be out there by around 5AM and fish til the water gnats run you off or it gets too hot. Good luck."

Nice report. You'd be surprised with what a bass can swallow. A 5" perch is nothing for a 4 or 5lb bass to take down and especially not a cat. With trot lines that I started setting with my grandfather when I was around 10, would always put a big ole' "black perch" on the line and say that was gonna be the one fish going for the bigger cats. Don't ever know which size perch (green sunfish) caught the biggest cats but he liked to think the big old ones that you could filet were the ones that got the biggun's.

Hahahaha. Hey now! Don't start calling me names because you put out a trot line loaded with 30 ned rigs and came back empty handed and felt like a fool of a Jayhawk. It's not a miracle bait Dave....doncha know that?

If you are meat hunting trot lines are the way to go. Might be a little more involved that limb or jug lines but they will net you more cats in the end. Don't have to worry about tracking them down either or getting lost. Just be sure to have them properly marked and take them up when you are done. I see far to many just left in the water which not only makes me angry junking up the lake like that but also when snag it when bass fishing. We occasionally set one in our cove across from our dock and we catch some dandy flatheads up to 30lbs. Good luck.

My wife is right most of the time 100% of the time.

Frank's heads at SwingOil Baits is what I am using now. Great product at literally half the price of the Biffles, Chompers or other competitors. Also has a ton of different craw and creature baits to pair with the wobble heads.

Hate to hear this as it doesn't sound good. Hope he is okay.

^---The short winded version of my post. lol.