Bill Babler

To ease some of my confusion with this bait, I called TW and asked if they had someone that knew the poop on the spinbaits. They gave me a very nice man that said he would try and give me what I needed to know. Here is the deal. The most popular spinbait is the Duo Realis 80 in Emperor and Ghost Shad. The Megabass the Lucky Craft along with the pricy Gan Craft all conbined do not sell the numbers of the Realis. I asked him if this was due to price, and he said most definitely not. Our number 1 selling stickbait is the Vision 110, It sells twice the amount of every other company combined so price is not the issue. How the bait works is the issue. The spinbaits are designed with Table Rock and the White River chain of lakes in mind. They are clear water baits to be fished at any depth in the water column to suspended fish. He says the Duo Realis is a much faster sinker than either the X-plose or the LC models. He also said he was sure that we would want the G-Fix although it says it is 3/8th. the same as the 80, it is several grams heaver and will sink faster. Fished on 4 pound mono that is recommended is should sink at the rate of 1.6 ft. per second. He said it should not be a problem to fish it in the mid-20'range. He also said the ad says it is fishable on a baitcaster. He cautioned against this saying it will fish much, much better on a spinning rod with light line. Good tip is the Xpose and Xpose Jr. are 10' and less baits. The LC is also in that category. The Duo 80 is a 10'-20' bait and the G-Fix let your graph and the fish be your guide, even if it says 18' to 20' It is designed to be fished in the wind and it most certainly will get down to the bass on Table Rock. Ok, I'm starting all over.

The only reason I have for using them is another method of catching deep suspended fish, other than a drop shot. Fish right now are not at jerkbait level. They are at the thermocline suspended in open water and over cover. Exactly what the bait "says" its designed for. Not a jerk bait. I am looking for the bait to operate in that 25' to 35' level to present itself at the depth the fish are holding. There are a 1000 baits that will catch them in 10' and under. Guess I really did not understand what the bait was designed to do.

Quick answer. NO. Even with a light FLC line these baits will not get down in any kind of a time factor to fish this lake in the correct manner that they were designed to be fished. Outside of splitshot on the line, there is no way to get these baits in the 30' range. Also the bait really wants to rise, a touch or pull on the line and the bait just shoots to the top. If anyone would like some, let me know before I send them back. I have a 1/2 dozen of each size.

I'm going to try those baits Quill, but I think they are making a fast sink and I just believe you are going to need it to get down to that 30' range in an appropriate amount of time. That Megabass may work, but not here and not now.

Well, I wish I had better news this morning. I was really wanting this deal to be for real and to work as I had hoped it would. Not the case for me this morning. Hit the water at 6:15 with a Megabass X-plose and X-ploSe Jr. spybait. wanted to test them on suspended fish and also if chance be toss them to a chaser. Color was Pro Blue as it is by far my favorite Jerkbait color. The full size bait is exactly the same size as the Megabass jerkbaits and the Jr. is about 1/3 less. The JR. has full size #6 hooks and they are not the inverted barb, but regular and very sharp. The Full Size bait has size 4 hooks I fished these baits on a Falcon Cara Kriet Squirrel tail with 3 different lines Maxima 4# ultra green .006 Maxima 6# ultra green .009 and Seaugar Smackdown Braid in 10# which is .005 or the smallest diameter. Caught a total of 1 fish on the baits and it was a chaser on the Jr. Hooked up and stayed hooked. Now here is the deal. The X-POSE is I'm going to say the very first Megabass bass bait of any kind that I have ever purchased that did not preform correctly. I could not get both the front and rear blade to rotate out of the box. After a huge amount of tinkering I finely got the back blade to spin, but never got the front to work with any pressure on it. The rear hook on the bait, not every cast, but 7 out of 10 times would either hook the side of the bait or the back top. For a $27.00 bait that was completely unacceptable. The bait on all 3 different lines sank at a rate of about 1' every 3 seconds. Way to slow. Did not matter what line it was fished on, this bait is a sub 5 foot bait. If at any time you even touched the line the bait would rise in the water column and you would have to start the count again. For warm season bass on Table Rock or any of the White River chain, This bait is going to have to have a sink rate of at least 1' per second. This bait does not come close to that. You have to fish it slower than a Varmint. I threw a varmint a little just to see this morning and the varmint on a 1/8 head would hit the bottom in 20' of water in about 12 seconds. The X plode after a full minute was not even near the bottom. It just cannot get down to fish suspended in the 20 to 35 foot range. Especially if there is even a gust of wind as it moves the boat thus moves the rod thus moves the bait back up in the water column. The JR. at first was no better, and probably worse. The only way I could get it to fish was using the 4# Maxi. and attaching 8 suspend dots and 4 suspend strips along with wrapping the hooks with lead wire. Doing this I could get about a foot a second drop. In any wind however just about 1/2 that. To fish these baits you must let them drop on slack line and have the boat positioned as to put ZERO pressure on the bait. Any line tension and the bait will not drop. The blades did turn wonderfully on the Jr. and they were a completely different configuration. I's sending back my unopened baits, unless anyone else wants them. The ones I tried I'm stuck with. Wished this would have worked out. It did not and it will not, on these particular Megabass baits for our fishing application. Good Luck

Does Cabela's in Rogers have any of these baits? Might run down if they do. I do have several now in my possession that I received today from TW. I bought the Megabass and Lucky Craft. Oh Boy, I'm going to have a Dog in the Fight.

Just a comment on something that I really at this point know nothing about, but for me I really don't care that much about catching chasers on this bait. Of course I want to catch any that I can, but I want to get some of these baits and learn to use them as they were designed to target suspended fish. Table Rock is the place for this type of lite line fishing. I have had two fish over 9 pounds here and a host of 5 to 9 pounders on 4# test line. If you have a good reel, and catching these deep open water suspended fish for cripes sakes you could catch them on 2 pound no problem. Small line size here on the rock fishing to suspended fish should not come into play or be a problem Good Luck

He got ya that time James.... HEEEE

Extremely sad to see. This is however the exception rather than the rule when it comes to jug and trotliners. I have known many and have been one. Not everyone is a pan fisherman. Thank Goodness. There are plenty of rough fish in this pond and I have the deepest respect for those that put in the effort and it is for sure an effort to catch them. 99% of these liners have their lines marked and identified and check their lines in the time allotted period. I would hazard a guess that there are way more honest and caring trotline fishermen than there are pan fishermen that either keep short fish or are at times over the limit. This bad apple, take my word for it has really fallen along way from the normal bunch at the base of the apple tree. Good Luck

Beautiful family. Look forward to having y'all as neighbors in the next few years.

What he said

Quill, thank you very much. This time of the year, I'm out most everyday and really just have my head down looking for deep fish. Denny and Champ have been telling me a little about these baits, but it is just hard for me to keep up with my schedule. I will order a couple from TW and see what I think. I did watch a video that said to never throw them on anything above 4 pound diameter. Bill Beck had a customer that was throwing it on 10 pound braid with the diameter of 2 pound mono and doing really well with it. Bill also has not had time to mess with it much although he does have a couple of them. Most that I am seeing are either megabass or Lucky Craft. Thanks BB

Sorry for asking for to much information. Me bad. I have never seen one of these baits and have never thrown one. Have looked online some at people throwing them, but all the ads are no more than sales pitches. Just wanted some first hand info before I spent what is up to $75.00 each for these baits. When it comes to this topic, I am pretty much like Sargent Shultz. I know Nothing.

Quill would you post a picture of your double knot spy bait? If you have done this and I missed the photo sorry. How far are you counting it down and are you winding it back really slow. From what I'm hearing the strike is bone jarring. Please if you don't mind give us a tutorial of your technique. Thanks BB

Great advice thanks

Good information on the St. Crouch. Did not know that had a lower end dedicated Umbrella Rig Rod. Tks.

If your thinking the Fall Pattern begins in late August, I want some of what your taking. Thermocline is at 28 to 32 feet and is pretty hard. Fishing with live bait is really very good lake wide at this time. Most are vertical presentations with crawlers, although I have been doing well enough with a yamamoto 4" purple/brown laminent worm that I do not use it much with clients in the boat. If I drop something they eat it so I mainly just sit and watch, letting them know that a fish is steaming up to there deal. Guided with Buster Loving out of Baxter yesterday and we had 40 bass with 20 keepers, 2 walleye and 2 cats to the guide boats in a early morning trip. Just about what we are doing most days. Had 5 as Cindyjo said on redfins and the rest were down in that 32 to 40 ft. range. Most of the shad are staying right at the 32 ft. thermocline depth level and the fish were under them either on the bottom or suspended right above the deep trees. Same depth with the tree tops in the 30 to 35 foot range. Saw one group of white bass for just about 20 seconds boil up. The treadfin shad have now grown enough that the fish will hit a fin. We never had multiple fish on a single chase. Usually just one fish pushing the shad. If we could get in range of the chaser, we caught or had him hit the bait. Had two really nice SM chasing in 150 plus feet of water that we captured on the topwater wake bait. Good Luck

You might take a look at the Falcon Bucco. They have a dedicated swimbait/umbrella rod that is very price and performance efficient. Also take a very close look at Lew's. They have at least 4 models of swimbait/umbrella rods at different price and performance levels. All will meet and exceed your demands. You can spend more like the Falcon Cara and Signature series and the St. Croix rods, but lets face it you are throwing a bucket, really don't need to have an IM 14 rod for that. Good Luck

I think it might. I really noticed a lot of color up there last Friday. Just could not do it on a guide trip. Take 30 minutes and wing it around on some of your favorite junk and see what ya think. Might be happy.

Quill nice day. Guess I'm gona have to break down and buy one of those durn things. Anybody throw that buzz bait any since Fisherman's report?

James, you are absolutely right. I learn something new weather it be a location or a method on every trip to the lake. Today I learned about Zebco 33's and Ugly Sticks. "Just Kiddin, already knew that." It was kind of funny, the gentleman made a point to say that equipment and baits did not matter, putting it in front of one that will eat it is the deal. He was very right and also very wrong. Clearly as his buddy pointed out by screaming " I got another one." What I have learned in 50 yrs. on the water is it is never one thing or one big thing, success is a multitude of small little things that creates a whole. Weather it be pieces of equipment and the way they are put together or how you fish a locations and the presentation and timing of your delivery. How you make adjustments to both weather and fishing conditions and probably one of the most important is your frame of mind. Knowing and believing is a huge part of success. I have pointed this out many times here. If we as fishermen would just use one hour of our fishing time per outing to search out new locations and different presentations than what we are accustomed to we make ourselves better with each one of those days we spend on the water. What is the old adage. If your stayin the same your fallin behind. I'm believing that one for sure. Good Luck

Big C glad to have you on board and good luck with the house. Keep us informed and let us know about your fishing when you get your anchor set here on the Rock.

Have not shared the boat with a nicer guy. He was old school, and just deathly afraid of the open face spinning gear. Said his son had bought him a really nice outfit a couple of years ago and he had just tortured himself with it and never got it to work without tangling up. Never complained, laughed and complimented his friend on every catch. Real Gentleman. The deep bite right now is what we call a pressure bite. you just feel the pressure of the fish or the weight on the end of the line. If you are waiting to feel a tug, especially if you are using live bait, you will not. They will simply take the head hook crawler and be gone with it. The fish are not rising from the trees to take the bait and then diving back into the tree. The fish are suspended just above the tree tops and when you lower the bait to them they just swim latterly over to it and suck it gently in. No up, no down and no chase. Very hard to feel the tug when there is none. At times when you are fishing this type of structure you will also get bit as the bait is falling toward the tree tops. Watch your line. best way to do this is mark your line at about 35' with a magic marker. I usually will color about 3' of the line right in front of the reel and then folks can see when it hits the 35' mark. While the rig is going down, watch it closely. If it stops prior to the colored mark. pick up the slack and lift. Don't snap hook set, just have your rod tip about a foot off the water surface and pick up the slack and lift. The circle or simi-circle drop shot hooks are not designed for a snap set, just a lift. While fishing these deep trees, always try and fish as vertical as possible, don't drag it or you will get hung up way to much. Also the picking up and redropping of the bait seems to really initiate strikes. When you get it down weather it be live or artificial, lift the bait a couple of feet from time to time and relower it. This is a great way to get more bites. Just a foot or two is all you have to do. It shakes both the live and artificial worm about. When fishing a drop shot worm, I really shake it and I also lift it up and down. On kind of a bad note, we did have two extremely huge X type boats plow between us and the bank. Beck said it got so bad at Kimberling Sunday, He called it early as it was almost to the point of being dangerous and the big boats were simply running over him My contribution to the trip today was a short feisty Small Mouth on a spoon.

Well everyday you see something new or have something new happen. I am going to say we had just an excellent morning fishing out of Cow Creek. "Well one person did." I have had some crazy things happen, but in my 20 plus years here on the Rock guiding I have never had one person catch 17 bass and his buddy pull the big Skunk-o-la. Happened this morning. To start with I have not been catching that many quality bass in the Point 5 area. Today we had 17 K's with 16 keepers and they were just studs. Several of those old "Grey One's." Best 5 were an easy 13 pounds and that is big K's. All our fish came out of deep trees this morning. Best depth was just at 40' suspended in the tops. Caught 12 on a crawler and 5 on a Yamamoto pbj 4 inch dropshot worm. The purple worm, cause he was embarrassed to continue using the crawler and trying to help his buddy put one in the boat. Real deal here was chose of equipment. When you are in Rome you had better do what the Romans tell you. When you are fishing to suspended Table Rock bass in August, you had better use what the Guide tells you. My one gentleman had a 6' Ugly stick with a push button Zeb-33 spooled with 30 pound line and I could not get him to put it down. No matter how I tried to modify the rig, I just could not get that reel and rod combo to work to vertical fish to these bass. Big coils of line would come off when he pushed the button and pulled the line out of the reel. The line would not go down, it would just lay on the water. I had to put two 3/8th. oz dropshot weights just to get it to unspool and sink. Don't know if you have ever used the Ugly Stick in the 6 footer, but the back bone is somewhat of a truck axle and the white tip portion is as soft as a noddle. You could take the tip 8" from the end eye and bend it back and touch the blank. He had at least 8 fish hooked for about 10 seconds each and that was that. I kept offering and trying and with 10 minutes to go he finely switched to my gear, and I kept them out an extra 1/2 hour and just could not get him bit as the bite by that time was history. Just a wonderful gentleman, but Sheeeeee!!!. But, on the other hand I will take 16 keepers to the boat on a guide trip anytime, Let alone August 4th. I could give a flip who catches them. Good Luck

Was that the one that the goofy B11111D said was an obstruction to navigation? Sometime you wonder if there is not a lick of common sense in the world.