Bill Babler

Did ya catch ‘em?

In visiting with the folks at both Lowe’s and BB, both told me the factory warranties are useless as the factory won’t honor them. They pretty much say sue us. My how times have changed. Both said the aftermarket warranty are much better as they have nothing to do with the factory, they are just really an insurance policy. Lowe’s wanted $185.00 for 3 years factory is 1 year and 10 on the compressor. We’re living by the seat of our pants and said no. I’m insurance poor.

Anyone here ever been over there? Looks like a total slug fest. Either a 5 to 10 pound striper or a 3 pound LM. I guess theses guys are catching dozens of stripers in with the bass. Would love to go over. 700 miles from here. Is anyone any better with FFS than DC? I’m including Wheeler and Neil. DC calls most every fish he catches. Guy is totally a Hammer with FFS.

Woke up yesterday morning to water on the floor in front of the fridge. Not good. Transferred everything to other refrigeration. This is our main fridge in the kitchen so off to Lowe’s, HD and Best Buy. Lowe’s won a check from Becky as they were the only one with next day delivery. Waiting now, 9-2 but I believe the weather is too bad to be out fishing anyway. Hope no one had any storm damage, I guess it was really bad around Big Cedar. On a bright note appliances are less than they were pre-Covid. New fridge 29.5 cubic ft. Listed for $4,195.00. On sale $2,095.00. Guy at Lowe’s said they went from having nothing and a 6 month wait to having a warehouse full they can’t sell. Samsung has some of the best deals on all appliances they have ever had. Models are 2022/23.

Are you positive they were bass? Best way to deal with finicky fish is to find easier ones. One of the MLF guys said just this morning I can see them but can’t catch them. I’m not wasting my time trying to get them to bite. I know that’s not the answer you wanted.

The fish the last few days prior to the wind event have been too shallow for the 55. The 50 and the wart are preforming much better. Thats not going to change for a while.

Those are a couple of Dandies

Up these river systems right now and in the cloudy water the past 10 days we have been doing really well on the 50 series RC. The fish have literally had their noses stuck on the bank. My best success has been in the murkiest water, the Olive Craw and the Phantom Green. This has been in water with under 2’ of visibility. Dingy water with 3-4 foot visibility the Phantom Watermelon and the Ghost Orange Craw have done the trick. For some reason can’t get bit nearly as well on Red in any clarity. I’ve also had great success on the custom painted warts with orange highlights and either Phantom green or clear bodies. Trick has been the bait regardless has to dig the bottom and not get hung up. I’ve worked squarebills jigs and blades along with bladed jigs and just not having the success as with these cranks right now. Most know, I’d rather be out with that swimmer catching staging fish, but the quality is much better on the bank right now if you can get around them. Don’t just go out and go fishing, have a plan or two and work it. If you’re going to go out and just start going up and down a bank that’s fine if you want to relax. If you’re fishing to catch fish, look for them. They’re biting, if you get around them with the right junk they’ll bite it. Of course I’m using electronics to find staging fish. Find them before you fish for them. If they’re there, you’re going to see them, don’t waste your valuable time fishing for fish that aren’t there. Shallow fish are more of a challenge as we have caught them Totally from fronts to 1 foot deep in the backs. Edwin Evers had a great piece on this. If your mot getting bit in 30 minutes MOVE. On those cranks I’m going to say, if you’re not getting bit in 15 minutes move as they are totally eating them Lake wide in the water colored listed above. With the possible exception of the James as I just have not been up there. But on the other hand I would believe they have to be biting behind the worst mud and debris line Hope some of this helps and of course. Good Luck

Those fish are just not up and positioned from Whites Branch to Indian Point yet, and man you’re right that water is absolutely gin clear. I have heard they are chasing small Threadfin Shad in the backs of the creeks. Bite has been on small profile swimmers, from IP to Clevenger Branch Nothing like the upper end however. The stain is funny, kind of splits the lake from point 9 down stream. To about Kennel Branch then it starts to really clear.

Right now and I’ve been out most everyday from Eagle Rock to Spring Branch. Without a doubt the bite is Baxter to Rock Creek, main lake White River for really nice K’s Big Creek to Roaring River in the stained creeks and major pockets for LM, right on the bank. RK 50 Crawler with some orange on it or a WW same pattern. The LM have been fussy on a blade or a jig, but are munching the crank. It’s time get out there if you can.

Buddy fished the White today in that Emerald Beach area. Wind terrible Bite was totally nuts. Said he used a butt seat today for the first time in 5 years. Said he had between 30 and 40 fish with lots of keeps. Mostly Big Fat K’s. He might have had a tip. Wanted me to go but I had a lunch date with the wife and it was just too nasty for me.

Dutch I completely outfitted my Alaska float fishing operation out of the Sydney store.

Cabelas, prior to the take over and also prior to all the speciality stores was for the most part an Upper Midwest Outfitting store with serious Alaskan Guide quality outdoor clothing and equipment. Yes they sold tackle but mostly a walleye store and Northern waters. I thought it odd when they came to Rogers. They really kind of lost their Nitch with all the speciality stores. REI, and many others not to mention all top outdoor lines of clothing. Simms, Orvis, Grunden’s you buy online As far as tackle Tackle Warehouse is a total monster. Brick and Mortar are maybe like me, a Dinosaur.

tjm, maybe it’s just me. I bought 2 bows a rifle a shotgun and 4 tree stands there and the service and help was flawless. Also purchased camo cloths and they had the best stock of both scent lock and scent blocker in the Ozarks. At the time I was on the Cabela’s Guide and Outfitter program and it was a pleasure. Not knocking the service today everyone is totally struggling, but when it was a Cabela’s store it was really, really high quality. Just a totally different marketing strategy, with BP. Guess we know which one works best. That being said my contacts with BP on the reel trade program were knowledgeable and extremely professional. Best I’ve ever had under the BP banner.

None Taken.

I’m very seldom criticized for not helping and giving info. We caught so many yesterday I thought it in poor taste to post the number, just one of those stupid days when the stars align. They were cookie cutters and 2 pictures of 16” K’s are enough for anyone. If we would have caught 3, I would have reported that as I have many times. Today, I caught 2 short fish and Capt. Ed just hammered me Right now there are so many different ways to catch or not catch them. The best fisherman we have on this forum is still catching them deep. Others are cranking them and tossing the spinner bug in the off color water. Risky but BIGGINS. Yesterday we caught them with FF sonar, and I have been looking at these locations most everyday for the past 10 days. Nothing, until yesterday. Why they pull up like that all together I have no idea. Weather changes and off they go. It’s how I love to catch them. Guides dream when they’re at home Yesterday there were reports from the guides with pictures of huge numbers of Spotted bass caught. Just one of those days. Good Luck Out There.

Out in front of Big Wolfpen yesterday the was a pod of loons that numbered close to 50. Most I’ve ever seen in a single gathering. Perkins Hollow was also totally loaded with them.

James when that store first opened under the Cabela’s banner they were totally fantastic. I was in there a couple of weeks ago and could simply find no one to help me with a recharge for my Guide Series Vest. Thought I’d buy a couple pairs of Jeans. This cat is not paying $80.00 for blue jeans. Went across the street to Target and bought TWO pair of Levi’s for $58 total.

Beautiful fish. Appreciate the post.

We had 35 keepers yesterday all just like the two, Ed is holding. Insane bite on the White River arm. Good solid fat females almost all 15 to 18 inches long. 2.8”-3.2” Keitech in Gizzard Shad. Staging fish, suspended in 15’ to 20’ in front of major spawning locations. Long casts with the boat in 25’ to 30’. We can cast a long way so I’m helping you here with locations. Bait would hit in 8 to 10’ of water, we would slow wind it and pull it back. Don’t think either of us felt a strike yesterday, it would just get really heavy and your rod tip would start bending toward the bait From what I’ve seen on Facebook we were not the only ones that hit the jackpot yesterday. Ran down to the clear water today, Ed wanted to catch a brown fish. Long lean K to go with it. Tried some stained water with his custom painted warts, in the afternoon. They worked really well. We didn’t chase the numbers today. Mostly just crazy stuff. Launched at KC early and then Eagle Rock at noon. 15 fish today with 4 keepers and we had as much fun today as yesterday’s slug fest. Fished none of the same water either day Good Luck.

Big Ed and I had a day. Not going to say how many but they moved up. Surface at SK 52 degree. Everything on a swimbait

That crappie looks amazing! As do the rest of them. Did I notice Norm in the middle of the pack?

On catching Big fish on a 1/16th. oz. Phat fly, Beck would always say Elephants like peanuts, just goes to show. Gosh Bill Beck loved to fish that tiny little bug.

Yep, the Jaw and the first LM, my boat was sitting in 106 feet. Trees on the bluff end were in 80’ topping at about 25’. I could see fish suspended over the tops in that 20’-25’ range. Not a lot of fish but several. Fly was set at 16’. That’s about as deep as I can set it, without wrapping it around my neck Fished the entire city block run with nothing and went back over it and caught them pretty much back to back. Fish with the Spro Phat Fly in it’s mug was the next bluff end similar situation. They’re not staging up there very strong yet. in 3 weeks they will be going and coming and a lot more targets for the little guy.

I was in the same location yesterday and there was a boat on everything. Both Perkins Hollow and both sides of Wolf pen had multiple boats by 8 am. I only had 3 fish in 5 hours. They were the right kind, just not enough of them. You might guess how I caught them. 🤪🤪🤪😀😀