abkeenan

Me either. Nothing beats the original and it can never truly be duplicated.

Fighting the urge. The bait devil on my shoulder is whispering that I must have these.

Here is the link for easier clicking: Thanks Bo for the video and information sharing!

Nice. Went to Meramec Springs last year around this time and caught some 8-12" rainbows and a smallie or two but nothing like what you got there. Probably needed to head downstream a little more into the river. Played around to long on the actually spring section with the stocked rainbows. Might have to get back down there soon on a Sat or Sun morning. Nice work!

Nailed it. During the summer the dam area is a zoo. But that usually doesn't start until around 10 and then full bore around noon. By that time the good fishing is already over and time to either go take a nap or join in the fray with the family.

Cheapskate. Everyone knows Roman Made makes the best of the best. Who cares about cost? I just bough a V-44 Blue Mackerel Wiggle Wart on Ebay. Don't ask what I paid for it. Already took it out of the pack and threw it for a bit at the local pond. Caught a 22lb 6oz largemouth on a certified scale and then ate it. The V-44 already paid for itself in my book.

What about an A-Rig Float n Fly? Like 50 flies. ????

The thing about the slip cork is that you may miss a few bites (what is known by the F n F fanatics) due to "lift bites". Bites where the bass comes from beneath the bait and comes towards the surface with it. With a slip bobber you may miss that the majority of the time. They have F n F weighted bobbers to where in that case of a "lift bite" the bobber will lay on it's side indicating a fish has the jig. Mike Bucca (same "Triton Mike" Bucca who makes the Bull Shad swim baits) is a F n F expert and has some EXCELLENT youtube videos of both tutorials of how to F n F and also mod's he does to the bobbers.

Nice Alex. Where's that at?

Bass Enforcer, Just giving you a little "new to the forum" ribbing. There is some good fishing in Beardsley and around the dam area. If you are new to fishing Table Rock it can humble the best of them. Heck last year in early April during the BASS Elite event on Table Rock there were a few Pro's that got skunked and didn't even weigh in a fish if that tells you anything. That is what those guy's do for a LIVING and are on the water probably 200+ days out of the year. So just hang in there. This isn't some lake that gives up it's bounty easy as you and so many have found out the hard way. But once you get it dialed in with time you'll learn why it's one of the best fisheries in the country and we are lucky to have it. Lots of guys that are used to fishing other lakes and consider fishing deep anything over 10-15 feet usually struggle. As Babler has told others in the past....if you aren't catching them you are either on top of them or they are behind you in deeper water. If you still struggle you can always call on Dave (dtrs5kprs) and just ask him about this magical bait called the "Ned Rig". Even infants can weigh in a limit throwing this bait. Good luck and welcome.

Welcome to the forum Bass Enforcer. Congrats on the new home. Our place is also in Beardsley and IMO one of the better locales on the lake. Have quick access to Branson/Hollister if you want to and in terms of the lake you can fish the deep haunts of the dam or make a relatively short run to Long Creek if you want to get into the river arms. That being said there is a strange geographic feature in that the soil in Beardsley Creek and the surrounding hills have some kind of chemical compound that runs off into the water and causes the fish to leave year round. It's called Techolanium or something like that. Best to fish elsewhere.

I think they left out the other item you need for the F n F technique. Irish Coffee while you wait.

I actually just picked up 2 packs of the Kalin's sizmics from TW over the Black Friday sale to give them a chance when I get back down to TR. Thought about putting them on an A-Rig or jighead. 3.8" seemed like a nice size match to the shad that TR bass usually belch up on the front deck. Glad to hear that you like them and they have great action. Only thing that is annoying about them is the packing they come in. I know they have to do it like that to keep the bodies in perfect shape but just annoying to deal with. Kinda like the LFT Magic Shads.

Only the Hybrid Soft and colored line is on sale. Not just the regular Hybrid in clear. It's good stuff. Very limp, very strong and holds a knot a lot better than other smaller diameter line I've tried. I've thought about trying P-Line but just haven't gotten around to it.

Nice Largies! Sounds like I need to get more proficient with the spoon.

No problem Quill. You have to check your grubs before every cast to make sure the hook point hasn't pierced the c tail on the grub. Kalin's tails are paper thin so it doesn't take much to punch right through that plastic and kill the action. Kalin's used to be CHEAP but are now just like everyone else at like $5 a pack. I remember about 3 or 4 years ago them still being reasonable at like 3 bucks and some change for a pack of 10. They hold up pretty good though and at this point are a family staple so I can't switch to anything else or my grandfather would strike me down from heaven if I used anything else on a regular basis. I also use 8lb Yozuri Hybrid (co-poly) on my spinning gear which is what I throw grubs on. It's good stuff and I like it better than the P-Line Fluoroclear I used until the switch to Yozuri.

Bo, I think there are a few reasons for the 9' rod from what I have gathered. I have no actual experience but have read up on it and am 1 step behind Champ as far as pulling the trigger on a F n F set up. 1- Mainly because of the leader length between the fly and the cork. If you have a preset length (usually 6-12 feet from what I've read) you need a long rod just to cast the rig. 2- With the light line the long limber pole gives you leverage and room for error when fighting/playing the fish. 3- When fishing this wimpy set up you need the long pole to overcompensate for something. Whatever that "something" is.

Sprint nailed it. I am a big Kalin's Grub guy as that is what my grandfather used 90% of the time (other 5% Wiggle Wart, 5% zoom GP centipede). Clear Salt n Pepper only for him on the grub. 5" is IMO the best size but 4" is perfectly fine too (zoom, BPS, GYCB, etc). Any shad color (Clear S&P, Smoke, Bluegill, Hologram, etc) are going to be your best colors since you are trying to mimic a shad/bait fish. I like 1/4oz heads the best myself just because you can work them shallow or deep effectively. Tail up or tail down doesn't matter as far as action is concerned but I always do tail down (as show on the diagram on the back Kalin's packaging). Reason for this is that the tail will flicker and get caught up in your hook more often if you have the tail rigged upwards or in the same direction as the hook. Grubs are often overlooked with the never ending onslaught of baits coming out to hook fisherman but a grub in all honesty is tough to beat. That goes for year round also. Good luck Quill.

Nice work Champ. First a 'Noles sweatshirt, then Float N' Fly rigs and now Donna claiming you have a sexy shad earring? What's next? Trading in your Ranger for a convertible Corvette?

Bill, Could it be that the old standing timber from when the lake was flooded eroded away and therefore the fish left?

Nice report. It's nice when the Table Rock stars align and you happen into a location like that. Doesn't happen often but you remember when it does. Been awhile since I've stumbled onto something like that but that's what makes them special is that they are rare (at least for a chump like me).

When I do crappie fish in early spring I always catch a few that have that funky black marking on the nose, head and down their spine/back. We had this conversation one time here on OA but I forgot the reasoning. I believe it is totally normal though and happens throughout lakes in the U.S.

I've never had much luck catching crappie on Table Rock except at the end of March on though April. Even then it's usually spotty. I am fishing the dam area and Long Creek though. But still, like Bill has said TR isn't a crappie haven like LOZ or other MO lakes.

Hold it, Hold it. Champ what in the world are you doing sporting Florida State gear? I thought you were a Razorback and SEC thumper? Come on now! Nice report also Donna and Champ.

My kinda Xmas Eve. Wish I was there. Good luck Donna and Champ.