Don House

Steve, 15 -25 foot early morning jig bite is still there till about 9:00am then move over to drop shot.. Fish are moving out deep and starting to suspend really good.. Start looking for larger groups of fish on Bluff ends and deeper points.. Been out there for the last week and have had fish everyday all day, you just have to look around for them.. Buy some Crawlers also gets tuff in the afternoon.. Good Fishing Capt. Don

Here are my votes.. 1) Table Rock- James River when they are on, but don't leave out the White as well.. Coin flip for me.. 2) Lake of the Ozarks- Osage for Me!! Won too many tournaments up there with a big kicker fish.. 3) Truman- Pomme arm for me still the best... 4) Stockton- Not really good on this one but I would vote for the Big SAC 5) Bull Shoals- Upper White River (Lead Hill)? Only fished it once or twice no help here... Also let's don't forget Smithville Lake, up the river.. Used to be one heck of a big bass Pond... Yo Yoing Big 10" worms in the tree tops.. I've seen plenty of 30 pound bags out of this one in it's prime... "Whack" are you a PIG FAN??? I better be quite my whole Family are Hog Fans... Good Fishing Capt. Don

Guy's I would look at two types of fish at that depth.. 1) Spotted Bass, but schooled already? No too sure about that one, maybe small schools. My vote would go to the White Bass, found some like that today, fish were suspened in 35 - 45 feet or just below the shad schools, but out in 145 feet of water.. We dropped down spoons and had two bites, not really big but alot of fun bring them up.. Good Fishing Everyone Capt. Don

Whack, nice job!! Even better with your dad!!! A Memory that will last forever. Need to show up to one of those one of these days, fished a few two years ago, but never got back to them.. Anyway good Job and Congrads.. Good Fishing Capt. Don

Well that will help, but there are some already out there, found one spot yesterday morning, fish where suspended at the 25 foot range in over 115 feet of water, just have to find structure in that magic 15 - 25 foot range. I should be neat to see what happens when they shut the Dam down for repairs next weekend, that will kill all flow that is holding these fish on the points. Maybe a trigger? Not sure? Let's see what happens.. Good Fishing Everyone Capt. Don

I was out Yesterday Morning on the Rock, Found fish suspended on a few deep spots, had 5 nice keeper in the 3 to 4 pound range then it was over.. Seems like after 8:00am it was dead.. These guys are starting to suspend on anything in the 18 - 25 feet range, the same depth that I have been catching on the main lake points. They are there but spotty just yet, fish are moving and following shad groups, drop down and move around looking for the shad, fish just below them... All fish moved up from deep water to take the bait, all on the Crawler Drop Shot and 1/2 ounce White Spoons, my biggest fish came on the crawler. Don't get me wrong it is tuff out there right now, I think we need the COE to get this lake to normal pool, stop the flow and build some thermocline and the fish will run out the deep water.. I have been like Mr. B been chasing the sliver fish around alot last few week, that has been our best bet to get our clients bit for now. I'll keep looking Good Fishing Everyone Don

Congrads on your Guide License Phil! I know it can be a pain... See you all up the river.. Don

Guy's try to have a wrapped boat you standout like a sore thumb! Kinda funny really, I have two boats that allways show up when I'm out around Indian Point Area. Once they find a deep water spot that you fish, you can count on them being there the next day, and the day after that and so on... Then it becomes their spot, that happened last week.. I just laughed because they were not even fishing close to the fish, we just kept on moving to the next spot.. Still love it, off to work now, tech you just go out and have fun, that is all that really matters... Good Fishing Everyone.. Capt. Don

WildHunter, Yes to both questions... I very good friend of mine uses both units in very muddy water in Missouri, no problems at all! The 797csSI unit works very well without having to pay the big bucks for the larger screen.. Your going to love it! Any Questions drop me an email Good Luck and Good Fishing Capt. Don

Dwiebenga, no they do not need to be hammered, I use some called the hawg jaw spoon, in 1/2 on 3/4 ounce all White or All Chartreuse.. I get them at Ozark Bait and Tackle in Kimberling City, Jerry Sniders Place.. Never really had good luck with all Silver, but do still use them.. Also for a added kick, go buy some trailer treble hooks with feathers attached, remove stock hook and replace with these, gives the spoon alot of added flash! As far as the wiggle warts, you might want to get a couple but, don't go crazy Good Fishing Capt. Don

Techo, even fishing them everyday it is hard to keep these guys on track right now. One day there next day gone. But still shallow for me 14 - 20 feet, but only early in the AM from 5:30 to 7:30 then that bite slowes, then out to drop shot fishing which is where we should be right now all day? Hot weather has to push these guys back out to deep water, just a matter of time.. Well atleast I'm sure you had a fun morning on the water, I bet it beats chasing those bad guys around town... Be Safe and Good Fishing Capt. Don

CF, I had some today around Indian Point, up really shallow in the bushes on just about all major points, clients started catching a few and really enjoyed the action once the bass slowed. All on crawlers nice sized ones to boot... These guys are right on the same points as the bass just much more shallower. Crickets should be a blast! Good Fishing Capt. Don

Dave, I would stock up on All White or all Chartruese 1/2 ounce and 3/4 ounce jigging spoons. I used these called Hawg Jaw Spoons You can get them at the Ozark Bait and Tackle in Kimberling City. Also I would have some 3/4 ounce PB&J Football Jigs handy, just in case!!! But really at that time of year they are schooled up pretty good and eating that spoon really good by then. Those two baits would cover you for suspened or on the bottom fish!! Good Fishing Capt. Don

As techo answered www.grandtrods.com. You would want to look at the XLH70 series which would be a XSMH70RP I'm pretty sure he has that model, I will look into it for you after I get off the water on Friday, if not I think he will build it for you.. Good Fishing Capt. Don

Bill, Yes I do, these are 6.0, 6.6 and a 7 ft Med spinning rods, rigged with the new Vicious 8 pound mono on a Pfluegar reel, yes only 8 Pound I don't have the issue of loosing jigs on 8 pound test and I think it is that jig design that is working for me. But the real trick is in the rod blank, these have a added core rapping of Kevlar built into the butt section up to the first large eye of the rod. They are called Reserve Power Rods by Grandt Rods. This gives me heavy action in the lower section of the rod but still a great light tip and mid section for alittle bit bigger baits and better sensitivity and fighting power. I have one that is made just for drop shotting which is a 6.6 Med Light but with the butt section power of a med heavy. He has a new lower priced line called the Golden Supreme series which is what my clients used today. Seen your truck when I came in this morning, Hope they bit as well for you as they did for me.. We had one point we had 13 fish from 5:30am to 7:30am, two fish over 4 and one over 3.5 rest all in the 2 - 2.5 pound range nice keeper S/M. No Top Water at all, but with this type of jig bite who cares! By 7:30 the DAM area was full of boats just about every point had a boat on it, I guess the secret is out now be gone here soon anyway and then back out to the deep haunts.. Fishing tip of the week, beat everyone out in the morning!!!! Good Fishing Don

Hat's off to both of you! Good Fishing and God Bless You! Capt. Don

Spent the day out with a great group from the Chi-Town area today fishing all main lake points from the Big Cedar to Point 5. Had a unreal football jig bite until around 10:30 then switched over to Drop Shot with the good old crawlers and really got into them again until 1:30. On Just about every point we would catch 3 - 5 fish then it would stop. All of these fish but two were S/M and they were really eating this jig today, had the boat in 40 feet of water on main lake points casting to shallow, all fish came from 18 - 35 feet, trick was to slow reel the bait back to the boat keeping contact with the bottom, all very good solid bites. Color of choice Burnt Orange and PB&J all with single tail green pumpkin 4" grubs. All of the Drop shot fish were suspended on deep structure in 25 feet of water. Total fish on the drop shot 25 with a few keepers mixed in. Still a very fun day on the water. Good Fishing Everyone Capt. Don

S&M, you have described what I call the collapsing line bite, you will find it even more with the drop shot, and yes it is usually a big fish! I have found that these fish are in a group most of the time and when you drop that bait down they are trying to keep it away from everyone else in the group, so they bite it and swim straight up. It has to be my favorite bite of all, because it is the hardest to feel or see! Good Fishing Capt. Don

Guy's welcome to my nightmare everyday, but I love my job and just deal with the pain! It is now the time of year that I have to fish defensively and not even talking about driving the boat. I have fished everyday from since the last week of June, it has been a challenge, I play a alittle game with myself to see what they will do today and I rate it 1 - 10. Today was a solid 9 for sure. Had a great day of fishing and we called it a day around 1:30pm, took my group back to Big Cedar and took off to get the boat back on my trailer.. Get over to State Park Ramp and there is a group of people at the boat ramp taking up all lanes, had all of the boats pretty much backed into the water at state park putting items in there boat and one even taking the cover off of a big pontoon boat, then loading the boat all of this time I'm waiting, I just want to go home, 15 mins later they finally dump one of the boats and I sneak in ties up and walk up get my trailer, pull down into the water, get out to get in the boat to trailer it and this guy begins to tell me that I taking up his dock spot and that I have to move my boat so he can finish loading, I looked at him with a smile shaking my head and said OK loaded my boat and went home. But still a great day of fishing, fish are still eating that Football Jig really good!! Good Fishing Everyone.. Capt. Don

RR Vet, here is there web site, you can find them at www.ardentreels.com. Really good company out of Macon Missouri. Some of the BPS carry these but not all, look on the web site for dealers close to you. Really nice casting reels. Good Fishing Capt. Don

Three Rods, Ok lets see. These would be my personal favorites to take. 1) Casting Rod 7.0" Med Hvy casting rod. This rod would be used for Topwater, Jigs, Swim Baits, c-rigs, big crankbaits and spooning. 2) Spinning Rod 7.0 Med action rod. This rod would be used for Topwater, small Jigs, Tubes, Shakey Jigs and Swimming grubs. 3) Spinning Rod 6.6 Med Light action rod. This rod would be used for Drop Shot, Small Shakey Jigs, Skipping small Jigs, and Swimming Grubs Give me that and I would be just fine as a fiddle. Now for my Rod Company, I guess I'm lucky, I found a great company that makes really good rods at a reasonable price and a unreal warranty, so it's a one rod company for me. I use Grandt Custom Rods out of Chi-Town IL. Some of the Best performance rods I have ever used, strong but lightweight and great sensitivity.. Reels, well on my Spinning rods I have really started to use the new Pflueger President or MG reels really nice 10 BB and under 70.00 bucks, great reel for the money. Now my Bait Casting reels I use the new XS-1000 Ardent Reels very nice reels 10 BB with the best casting distance I have ever seen, easy to setup for even a non angler to use and even better they are all-American made. Ok, there are my pick's and what I use everyday. Ok, lets hear everyone else now. Good Fishing Capt. Don

Well Mr. B no I have not seen it yet, for me it really slows up by 1:00pm. I did have about 2 weeks of really good deep DS spots. Been working the same old deep water docks and even some trees, but it is still alittle early for that one, and it was paying off. But hear in the last week they have seemed to moved back over to the long points and on the bluff ends for me and moved away from suspending, now on the bottom in 25 - 35 foot or as Bill says eating lobster. These SM are just eating the F/B jig right now in a burnt orange color trailed with a small craw or a baby brush hog for me, well atleast this week. Monday of this week we started out at 5:30am and by 7:00am we had 7 very nice SM just in one spot, unreal! So not yet but I check these spots everyday I'm on the Rock, it won't be long!! Also to add to the list here is a fun way to use the drop shot rig. I starting playing with this two years ago, instead of using plastics I started to tie on a few rabbit hairs and alittle deer tail to a # 4 or # 2 drop shot hook and making a really neat looking drop shot fly. I have played with all type of fur, hair and streamers in just about every color you can think of. I would go out and catch a few spots and most of them would spit up a good shad then match it the colors and away I go.. And yes I have tried the double hook drop shot works well in open water with these same fly's when I'm chasing schools of fish or on long points. Good Fishing Everyone Capt. Don

Billybass, take this from someone who uses his unit like you use your car, the dual frequency is not a waste of time at all, even more important here on Table Rock Lake.. A vertical fishing must have! I used mine everyday and can use this feature to tell if the fish are under the boat or on the side just because of the dual frequency transducer, can also use it to get a better 2D picture of an underwater trees or brush piles. . You can run the single 200mhz but you are missing alot of information.. Good Fishing Capt. Don

Jason, best bet would be to trailer your boat over to state park ramp everyday, it is right by the DAM... Cost you 4 dollars per day or you can get a season pass for 30.00... Better than driving all over the place to get to your boat at some Marina... Good Luck and Have some fun down here Capt. Don

Bill, been hanging around the DAM to Big Cedar and Dam to K/C most of this last week all of this week, expect for a few trout trips mixed in.. Fish are out in deeper water, still see the B/C Guide hanging on the points and Bridge pillars. But I have found another pretty good bite out deep in 30 plus feet of water suspended over 100 plus feet, would go into more detail but then every spot would be jammed with boats, so I will keep quite, sorry guys... Just move around they are there but just in different areas of the same structure. Some days they want plastic and only plastic.. Then some days they are after the meat, which is fine with me, keeps the clients happy and on fish! Saturday and Sunday even after seeing a few guides hanging out on them, went out farther to deeper water and there they were on these same spots, even Phil Stone and his son was at one spot when my clients really got into some very nice spots had one over 4 lost at the boat, just alot of fun with alot of keepers.. I will enjoy while I can I know it will change but for the better for me.. Like Bill said go deep!!! Good Fishing Everyone Capt. D