Spinnaker

I had some luck but did not clobber them this trip. I caught only one SM on the trip. Monday: 2 short LM, one on a silver/blue deep diver, 2 white bass in the evening on a silver/blue spook, one measured 17 inches. It was a real treat! The rest of the trip was so-so with no more than 5 bass in a day except one day when the white bass were exploding for a few minutes. I hooked a big bass, don't know if it was a white or LM but it took my spook. A few minutes later, I caught 9 white bass one after the other on a deep diving silver/blue crank bait. The last day I caught a couple on a jig and grub, a couple (one white) on a green pumkin wart and a keeper K on a bass pattern spook in a cove. Maybe later this summer I will come down but in October/November for sure. BTW, I tried jointed redfins but had difficulty getting them to run true and stay bouyant on the retrieve. I changed the hooks and split rings too. I did have some luck on the spook and prefer that for the bouyancy.

Good report and successful fishing. I'm coming down May 17. I hope the rain holds off during the week but it looks like it might happen especially Wed. I guess that's the day to fish closer to camp in case the weather gets ornery.

Great report and great outting for you. Did you try any other soft baits besides the Fluke?

I usually stay in the area around the dam and have fished the coves around that area. Check out the TR maps and you will see some good info. I am going to focus on the top water next trip down. Good luck! I too have been researching the forum posts on the length for redfins. I am a student of fishing strategy so this is not advice but just what I am trying. I went to Rogers Lures my local tackle store here in KC and found 4 inch and 5 inch redfins. I also found 5 inch jointed. I suppose both sizes would work, but I went for the 5 inch as I think they would cast better and provide a more enticing profile and wake. I got silver/blue and smoke colored. I also got a couple spooks as well and can't wait to try them out. What are your thoughts?

Great post. I will be coming down May 17 to try out my new redfins and spooks. A few weeks ago I had some luck at TR on a blue and silver floating crank fished very slowly like a wake bait. You guys are so right on what works in different lakes. I had some luck at Truman the other day as it is relatively close to me but TR is my favorite by far! I am not in the 20 bass a day group but I am working at it and learning more every trip. I am going to have to set the alarm quite early this trip!

I am thinking of going down for a day this week but I am concerned about the water clarity from the rain they have had recently. I like to bass fish but I will try for crappie as well. Which area of Truman did you fish and how was the water clarity? Thanks.

Wow. That sounds like a great trip to me. I have never had that kind of luck bass fishing. My hat's off to you.

Well I can't say I will boost your confidence, but my first time out this year was last week. I did not have much luck either. The moss messed me up as well. I fished by the dam area as that is where I stayed. I have not yet fished the James or west end. Maybe next time out. I was quite rusty. The spawn messed with my mind because I did not know where I was going to find fish but I eventually did find a few in my special spots. The fish are there as I did manage to catch a 20 inch LM so luck was with me. You are blessed to live there. Its a 3.5 hour trip from Kansas City. Hope you have a good report soon.

I am wondering what type of guides these rods have. I have seen reference to titanium, ceramic and stainless steel. What are your thoughts on guides? I saw a 7 ft. ugly stick at Walmart the other day but I can't recall now what type of guides it had.

Many thanks. I will have to get some and give them a try. BTW, do you use the 4 or 5 inch?

Good report. I was down this past week for 4 days and stayed near the dam. I had only fair luck. It was my first time out this year and boy was I rusty. I did manage to catch an 18 inch walleye with a crank bait near the dam just messing around and a couple SM at another location on top water. I did catch a 20 inch LM on Thursday in about 12 feet on a deep diving crank. Before I forget, what model and color red fin seems to be best on TR? Hope to get down there again in May.

I am curious about the draw down of Beaver and TR during the winter months and how this may affect the water temp. A lot of water was released from both lakes and I wonder if the water was the colder deep water. What are your thoughts?

BRBF: Just curious about your decision not to go "way north this year". I have been going to Canada every year for 25 years and this might be an off year for me. How far north do you go?

Glad the bad guys got caught. I hope the local press gets the word out in the papers and radio to keep attention on the problem.

Getfished and Steve: You guys are something! I guess if I lived down there I would learn to fish in cold weather. Right now I am trying to stay warm and dreaming about a spring trip.

Interesting thread and comments. It would interesting to know of the fishing boats on Table Rock what is the average length of boat and hp. I know my rig would be below the average. I am not in the same league boat wise with many I am a casual fisherman although I go quite often. The top speed of my 16.5 ft. Lund (aluminum deep V hull) with a 50 hp 4 stroke yamaha (tiller) is about 35 mph. I bought the rig in 2004 and it is my first and last fihing boat that I need. There is room for every type and size and everyone has different considerations. For me, I wonder about my comfort level going 60 mph on Table Rock.

I think its going to be stored in Bull Shoals for a while unfortunately.

I am coming down Sunday through Next Friday and can only hope I can catch some bass. I want to try the watermelon wiggle wart but I may have to resort to the old jig and trailer. It is supposed to be sunny next week so that will not be ideal for fishing. The water level was coming down to just over 916 and now it has moved up over 918. All considered, I am not going to complain about a fishing trip!

Since we can only speculate and we are not betting, I agree that the corps will keep running substantial amounts of water until everything settles down. Beaver is collecting a substantial amount of water as well. But Bull Shoals is the big winner/looser in all of this. The folks on BS must be more than a little upset about the lake level there. I'll have to check the BS forum on fishing reports there. I am coming down to TR Sunday through Friday next week and can only hope I will catch some bass. Sunny days are predicted so that might provide some water relief but negative affect on the bass.

Congratulations! New boat! Update us please on how that feels as you get the new boat in the water. That has to be very exciting. Good for you.

That is great news even if we have to endure high water once in a while in the fall.

I will quote Phil from his post on Upper Taney forum: "Vince told me this afternoon that the gates are not all the way off. Emailed Shane and he told me they'd slowed the flow from 20,000 cfs to 15,000, about 2100 cfs coming over the top now. He talked to COE and they said that SWPA has to get Table Rock down to 915 by December 1st (not sure why). If Table Rock gets down to 918, which it should by Thursday, they should resume "normal" generation and close the gates." Perhaps things will settle down in the next few weeks on TR. The fish will need to eat now and then, and I hope I am there when they do so with some enthusiasm. Still planning to come down early Nov.

From other posts it appears that some folks are having some relative success. Are you having extremely bad luck in general or is your luck just been bad for this time of year compared to previous years. I think I am going to come down the first week of November and hope for the best. They are still drawing water down at a significant clip but hopefully they will stop sometime this week and things might settle down. What is the water temp you are getting? Thanks (formerly kcangler)

Bill, your analysis sounds like bad news for my early Nov. trip. I was hoping for an exciting fall trip especially for the smallies.

Because of the rise in the water level from the rain and runoff, do you think the lake temperature will cool off more quickly? Obviously, the cloudy weather has reduced the warming affect of the sun. But I am thinking about a trip down the first week of Nov. and wondering if the fish will be especially active at that time.