Bill Babler

Got an email form a gent this morning, wondering what is the difference in him following the guide boats and everyone following the tournament pro's when they come to a lake. He said like the other folks, he just wants to see locations and tecniques, from the professional fishing guides. He was not using their equipment, bait, tackle, or gas, and as far as he knew, the guides didn't own the water they were fishing on, and he was not tresspasing on private property. I guess I'm out of the loop. Looking at Don and Eric's post from the last several days, it seems we are having a non-authorized tag boats issue???? Well, it all adds up with the calls we are getting and everything else, I guess it was just inevitable, that this would start. Stuff, and Crap, always comes in buntches. Did not return his email yet, and don't know if he looks at the forum, but bet he does. What is your thoughts? The Guides have not spent 100's, but thousands of hours, most just looking, fishing and working to gain a better understanding of the lake, not to mention, years of trial and error. For me 35 years of fishing this lake to get the locations I have and also to acculate the megar ammount of knowledge I have of it. Following the Pro's when they are here is just seeing a pattern that a guy finds successful for 3 days. It can and I gaurantee it does change very quickly after they leave, really just fun to watch them, not a whole lot you are going to gain as far as locations, except in the fall on the deep trees, if you mark them. Following the Professional Guides on this pond as they fish their seasonal pattern, and locations, is quite another deal. These locations pay big, but it is funny. Lots of folks think we throw the gear in and go catch fish without ever having to work for it. Here is a capsul of my day yesterday: Met Scott 5:45 at the Knob. First Location Topwater deep point with huge dock. 1 small K 2nd location long bluff poiint zip 3rd location deep drop channel swing off a major lake flat 1 on a jig 1 on a rig both spat out the baits 4th location main channel long gravel point 1 on a jig 1 on a flutter spoon, but jumped and threw the baits 5th location midlake hump about a dozen fish on a spoon and a dropshot 6th location another dozen on a spoon, long gravel runout 7th location 2 spoon similar location 8th location 1 spoon similar location 9th. deep dock zip 10. deep dock zip 11 bluffend 5 nice fish 12 bluffend best K of the day and a short 6 hrs. from Shell Knob to Big M to Campbell Point REally, over 2 hrs on the water before we got into fish. This is usually pretty much how my days go, I feel very fortunate if I jump right on them, seldom happens, most often, I have to work just like the rest of you. Let me know your thoughts about following the guides Thanks Bill

Thank you so much for your contributions, they are truely appreciated. Please PM me if you are on 4 Pound Plus LM so I can tell all the derby fishermen that want free info form me. All kidding aside, that was a very generious post. We all know about the fish on the bridge, but your description of how you fish them was above and beyond the call. Very detailed and extremely generious.

Flip, if you made it till 2:30 you did really great. The zoo started at the Knob early. RPS, did you remember to pick up all your markers? I don't need to tell people Gps cords, they can just find the orange markers I have forgotten to pick up.

Eric, you pretty much hit it right on for me also. Just still flat bathtub water at the Knob this Am. Only 1 on top and nothing on the Swimmer. Hooked up on several on a Jig and a rig, but not solid enough to get to the house. Bite was very lite and tenitive. When to the spoon and drop shot at 7:30 and I hate to be there that early in the morning, as for the most part the fish are not positioned correctly. Just mostly a bunch of singles running around in all areas of the water column. BP Lazer Eye for us in 1/2 was the best deal until about 10 o'clock, when the Chompers Plum worm started to take over. On the early junk, Scott hooked up with two really nice keeper K's on the spoon, on the same drop, for a sweet double. I remove the occopus rig from the hook and add a number 4 gami. I then slide the occtopus rig to the head of the spoon and you have a super stinger. Worked more than once for us today.

I'm not as concerned about seeing my bait as I am the fish and the structure. By having the ability to see your bait and how the fish react to it is a tremendious plus. You will be able to see fish make runs of over 20 ft. at your offerings and then just turn away and go back to the bottom. You can also learn a wealth of fishing knowledge by seeing how the fish at different depths in the water column react to your presentations. Most of us that fish here can see our presentations and can tell by how the fish reacts to the bait wheather it is going to bite or just hang with the bait or melt away. It opens a complete new world of fishing. I for the most part use a 3/8th. unless I am fishing docks. For docks, I like the quarter, as I will pitch it quite a bit and it falls slower than the heaver weight. If I am fishing suspended fish in trees or on the bottom, at depths in the high 20's on up, I use the 3/8th. Today on my trip out of Shell Knob, we caught fish on 9 locations. Look for major lake channel swings that come up against the long flat gravel rolloffs. Long tapering points with gentle slopes near deep water are also holding fish. Fun places to look are also off tappered bluffends with timber present. Find the deeper timber where the tops of the trees are coming into that 30 ft. range. Drop your crawlers, spoon or fake worms just above or just into the tops and see if they get ya. Another way to make things much easier is to take a guided fishing trip.. Give Donnie, Eric, Phil Stone, Buster. Tim Paige, Bill Beck, Chris Tetrick, Eric Olliverson, Tim Sainato, Pete Wenners, Rick LaPoint or any of the guides that deep fish a call. The Davis Brothers are great fishermen, but I don't think they deep fish as much as the rest of us. They can usually catch them shallow and don't have to. It will open your eyes and you will just go nuts at their electronics and how they use them. You will diffently see why you want to see your bait and the fish. You can get detailed maps at any of the Lake tackle shops that will show all the humps and channel swings as well as standing timber. Good Luck

Let's get to the Rat Killin, in the order you asked it. 1. Drop shotting on the Rock is the Bomb. It is the way to put limits in the boat this time of the year. No your boat does not have to be stationary, it can wind drift, but it is very hard to see your line, your bait and the fish, coming to eat it, if it is moving out side the cone of the transducer. There are some fish on the bottom, but the majority of dropshot fish, are ususally suspended in at some depth. In your area of the lake try looking from 22 to 36 ft. on the bottom and then out deeper suspended at those depths. This morning at the Knob, they were 23 to 32, most on the bottom, but some in the trees and others suspended. 2. We had 3 eyes today out of the Knob, all on a white 1/2 oz BP Lazer eye spoon. Fish were 32 on the bottom. 3.Today, whenever we could see them, we could get a bite and most often catch them. Used the Lazer eye and also a Chompers Plum dropshot worm. 20 something fish with 6 keepers, with the best 5 being about 11.5 pounds. YOu could be looking at paddle fish, but probably just reverb or false eco's. 4 No there are no walleye guides on the rock. We can catch a few sometimes, but I would never try and target walleye. It would be a reciept for disaster. Walleye also love the deep docks, and will present themselves in the shady sides and in the wells under the foam. Thy pitching a night crawler on a jig head around some and you will get on pretty well. There are some very knowledgable locals, that fish the White and post here. Most a long line trollers with deep cranks. I have also in the big M area and Kings River flats, seen planer boards being used to troll multiple baitsa lots of different depths Good Luck

Excellent Post on Bridge fishing. When to a lot of work. Thanks. I probably would not have been so specific. Hope you don't regret it next time you go to the bridge. Thanks for your work and participation.

Boy's this was not for this last weekend. It is for a derby coming up in the near future. Any person that is a regular on this forum, can send me a PM and I will tell you everything that I know that is happening, short of giveing exact locations, and I have even done that before. I have no problem helping out if I have time and can be of help. As you know by reading my post, I'm usually not on derby winning fish. I'm most always on some kind of pattern, for bites. May be shorts, squeeks or good-in's, really does not matter to me as long as the clients are getting bites. We let them all go reguardless, so in my case, size really does not matter. There are 100's of guys that fish this pond that can and would kick my rear on a daily basis, on bigger fish. Champ and Donna included, but i would give them any fish I had. Difference here is they would never ask. Champ has emailed me more than once to tell ME where and what he and Donna are catchin their derby fish on. "Don't get that everyday in this business." Then you get the dudes that want it all for nothing. Kind of like Donnie said, I don't want a trip, I'm catching all the keepers I need, just want you to show me big LM, for the derby. OF course this guy called the house 3 times, while Becky was working and my cell 3 times, when I was guiding. That's Life

Becky, I like you hope it all works out for the best. The area from Big M, to Campbell Point has just flat gotten out of hand in the last several years with not only large boat traffic but crazy water fleas. ie jet skis. I would hope the Water Patrol would start to put an extreme eye on this area of Table Rock Lake, as it is one of the Major traffic areas in the skinnest waters that we have here on the rock. It seems this has happened over night, but I have been posting on it for the last several years. Our lodge is just around from point 2 and we also have a cabin at point 22 on the White. The point 2 area with Branson and all its traffic on larger water is by far calmer than our home at the Knob, on its narrower water. We have no where the boat size in the dam area that they do from Big M to Baxter, on a consistant basis. The accident does not suprise anyone that is on the water there on a daily basis. We only prey for there recovery and good health.

To be completely honest, I have not been catching many Largemouth, and just flat decided to fish where I thought they were. Bluffends. Drop shot would not work, they just would run at it and then melt off, but the spoon they would take a poke at. The reason for the depth, I was throwing the jig on the bank and just dragging it out until I saw bait off the bluffends. Several times I was in the 50 to 60 ft range with the boat when I got the nip. Just wanted to try a pattern I had not fished. Had been reading Don's posts and hearing what is going on with the derbys and wanted to try the slab. Instead of just going deep, I worked my way out there. Hope this feeble explaination helps.

Denny, that is like the guy that posted up the James he walked down to the dock and caught 4 and 5 pounder off his dock. Where is the dock? I do however believe he did it. No way the dude that called me had anywhere near 60 plus pounds of LM off one spot. If you call me and try to impress me, you have immediatly failled in a huge way. I have fished this pond for 35 years, since I was 18 years of dumbness. I know this lake. You tell me you can catch 15 plus and want to improve that an Immediatly, I think you are a complete fabricator. Pretty mild terms, HuH? I can and this is not a brag or a boast, I'm Just old and have been here forever, can catch a limit most any day. I cannot however catch on a daily basis that kicker you have to have to win any derby here. I know where they swim, but cannot always get them to eat my junk. For me a great day is 12.5 to 15 pounds. Yes, I can do better and have hundreds of time, but that is more the norm. Good luck in the heat and if you are wanting 20 to 25 pound bags in July, August and September, I'm sure Donnie, and Eric have open dates.

I know, I know I am crazy, but launched at Baxter at Noon after honey dues at the lodge. You will not believe the afternoon I had. If it is not good enough for you in 96 degree heat and high blue sky's you are way better than IM'Wy. 12 bass with 8 keeps. best 5 at close to 20 pounds. I fished really well today, taking my time and working very carefully. Used a jig and a spoon, as they would not have a drop shot at all period. Had 2 really nice blacks in 42 plus as the boat was in 50 dragging a jig. All the rest were on a spoon. I dropped the purple worm, but they rejected it. Wanted the charturse spoon in 3/8th. Couple of dudes trolled by and asked how I was doing. As soon as the words out of their mouths, I bowed up on a K that I weighed before release at 3.7. What a fish!!! May really suck it up from here on out, but a very, very fun afternoon in the heat and waves today.

Starting this Winter thru Current time. I have had my fill and an done with tournament anglers wanting free info. I'm sure all the guide boys that post here are getting a dose. Had a guy call yesterday and told me he had 18 keeps off one hump up to 3 lbs. but wanted info. on bigger fish, cause these just would not cut it. I'm sorry, but he can take a flying you know what at a rolling tire before I take this dude fishing or for that matter give him one bit of information. No respect at all for the Rock. You want to catch 4 pound plus largemouth of Table Rock, good luck to you. It ain't happin for the most part here, and if it was I would not tell you where, unless you were one of the boys here that support this site. At this point I am totally fed up with weekend anglers wanting free derby info. It is not happin with me, and I hope Don and Eric, feel the same. Ta Ta for now.

No, I like you, just love that glove box between the seats. I just have the folks sit on it. It is nicely carpeted and also has super soft sides, just like the seats. Had a very hard time getting her proped out. Finely got her to squat and jump with a 26 inch Trophy with all the ports filled and a blowout ring. That duce and a quarter ProXS is a "Hot Puppy" She will still bounce to 73mph on the GPS in seconds. Couple of things I have not gotten used to, is the huge center box. It is just to big, and cargo moves all over it. Would have rather for the way I fish, had 2 boxes. that would more support the tackle. I do have the tackle system, but it only has 8 slots and then twice that much area behind them, up under the front deck. It is also designed for the big boxes. It would also be nice to a a couple of bait trays in the compartment to place baits you are currently using and some other quick grab items instead of having to crawl into the huge center box. When I am fishing 3 clients and have to get into the center box, there is really no place for 4 big people to get away from each other, when you open up 1/3 of the front deck to get out a hook. When you are just fishing however the room with the huge open places is great and lots of space to rome on that giant deck with all the boxes closed. The ride is very nice in extremely rough water, but if I don't drive it and pay really close attention, to wave patterns, she will give you a splash in the face. I believe this is due to the flatter more concave hull The Stratos is a much deeper V and throws the water down, rather than to the sides where the wind can catch it. She will turn on a dime and I have been very happy with it. Just a few things to get used to. I will tell you this, it is not even close to being as dry and spray free as the Big Stratos 201 PROXL. It is also not as user friendly, and for me, just not thought out and situp quite as well. Of course the 201 Stratos is a bigger way more expensive boat. I do not form a love bond with these boats, they are just a way to an end for me. They are a dock for my people to stand on and a train to get them to the depot. I will call any of them, even the ones I own, as I see-em.

RPS, I believe Tim means 3 weeks or so until we get our lake back from the circus monkeys in the "Big Wave, Go Fast Boats." Told Tim Sainato about some deep fish I was on up the White, and he went out before the CPA derby on Friday to check on them. He called me and said "Quite Side of the Lake MY butt, I just took a 4 footer over the bow." Tim told me boat after boat came between him and the bank, when he was trying to drag or fish a jig. When he was deep fishing, they would both jet ski and ski tow within casting distance. Huge Cobalts, Crownie's and Formulas. Shell Knob in July, August and Early Sept. is just about becoming a disaster, as far as us fisherman types. Sat on our dock in Turkey Two, yesterday afternoon, and had at least a dozen waves break over the top boards of the dock floor. Counted one Huge Donze with 14 people in it, and it looked like it was empty, what a massive boat.

Real nice derby win under very tough fishing conditions for local guide and genuine nice guy Eric Olliverson, and his pard Mike Mueller. 16 pounds and some change. Spoke to Eric today and he caught his fish in the Kimberling and James River area spooning deep. Way to go buddy.

Gary, you are right. I'm suprised Techo didn't get me on that one. I always get the two confused and I know that the locals of each city would just hate me for that. Accually the seats were not reapolstered, they are brand new out of the box seats, provided by Stratos. The boat was completely detailed by Rick Lisek of Superior Marine Repair out of Springfield Mo. He is kind of the guru to the stars, in boat detailing. It is beautiful, and just flat loaded with warranty, for that price, or what ever she brings.

200 Elite 225 ProXS

Bullitin: Price Reduced to $28,995.00 This is a complete steal at this price. This boat is like new, with a 3 and a half year warranty tacked on. UNTIL 2013. I also have lots of Stratos gear and hats that go and I will also throw in $1,250.00, worth of Falcon and Shimano Bass fishing equipment. This boat was a promotional boat from Stratos to my guide business on a National Team Deal with the then President of Stratos Boat Co. Gary Clouse. Joann Austin at Smithville Marine was very instermental in me getting this boat deal. I recieved the boat 6-12-06 and used it and maintained it faithfully for the next 3 yrs. Hydra Tec out of Nixa, Mo. the regional Yamaha service center has maintained the equipment in flawless condition since I purchased it. The outfit has never spent a night on the water and never spent a night out of the garage untarped. It has only moved out of the garage in the last week due to my new boat moving in. The Boat is a 2005 Stratos 201 PXLDC at the time, the complete top of the line, with all the strandard equipment and I'm not going to bore you will all the parts inventory. Easy to look up on the internet. The boat is equipped with a 2005 Yamaha 225 HPDI, and a Stratos Trail. This boat was the flagship of the Stratos Line. Color Candy Apple Red and Pewter/ White Gel deck and Grey bottom Carpet Charcoal Upholstery Cloud Grey Base Boat Price, boat trailer and motor destination charges $38,145.00 Options 201 Dual Add console with bench insert $525,00 Lowrance 330 global map map exchange $250.00 Lowrance 520 global map exchange $620.00 2009 minkota four trax $1,200.00 tripro charger $125.00 livewell and complete interior lighting $135.00 Slidemaster 6" jackplate $350.00 Comfort front padded deck $300.00 Pro Rod orgainizer $135.00 Hot Foot $125.00 VMAX Prop 27"SS $495.00 NEw Pro Guide Batteries $300.00 Duel wheel trailer with spare brakes and stainless fenders/upgrade $490.00 Keel guard $190.00 Price on the package with the options to me was $43,385.00. I did recieve a National team deal that was a memo thru Stratos no interest for 1 year, then a team discount on the entire package. Another great perk, was the warranty was not put in to force until last year. THE PACKAGE SELLS WITH FULL FACTORY WARRANTY TILL 2013. I have looked all over the place for a boat in better condition with the warranty this one has and it is hard to find. I am asking $28,995.00 --OBO-- If you are looking for a great boat, come over and take her for a spin, and we will pow wow. 417-779-1556 Home 417-332-7016 cell [attachmen t =6978:DSC_0045.JPG]

I know I'm in the wrong forum, but just had to let everyone here know, my 2005 National Team Stratos 201 ProXL DC, is going into public service. I've replaced her with a Brand Spankin New Champion. Jury is still out on the Champ, but I will tell you this. The Stratos was my 15th. New Bass Boat, and without a doubt the best boat I have ever owned. The boat or motor never had a problem, other than what someone else caused and could and will be used for flawless service for years to come to some lucky new owner. The rig is in a 9.25 out of 10 condition, and complete details will be listed in the for sale section on Ozark Anglers. IF you are looking for a fantastic boat or know of someone who is, don't fail to contact me for a test run in this great fishing boat. 417-779-1556 I'm sure it remembers all my great hidy holes, as it seems to go there without my help. Check us out on the For Sale Page:

Fished from Baxter to Campbell Point yesterday. They are not where I usually find them, and for the life of me I cannot get them to eat a jig. Maybe some can, but the fish I'm after, pretty much want a rig early and about 9 AM, want the dropshot. Fish are up pretty close early in the 12 to 20 ft. range on this lake section, but as soon as you quit getting bit on that drag stuff, better start looking out deeper. 32 to 35 seems to be a very good number from Point 5 on the White, to point 10 on the James and Point 9 to point 22 on the White. The best of the best are coming early on the watermellon candy ceniped dragging flat gravel. When the sun comes over them there mountains, move out to the rolloffs, and start looking at the deeper depths, on the bottom and suspended, out to about 45 ft. I'm going to let you figure out what color dropshot worm they want, but the best colors we have found are made by Chomper's. Spoke to Buster this Morn, and he was just hammering the whites on the lowerend, from Beardsley, to Clevenger, to Longcreek, he said they were blowing everywhere. Lots of smaller fish, but also some thumpers. Perfect cloudy morning for it. Beck and I fished up the White today, and I had a very nice day with lots of fish, but only about a dozen keeps, per guide boat. Clients fished crawlers, but I dropped a dropshot worm from time to time, and they thought it was food. Fish are stating to get a little beatup up the White and the bigger fish I have been catching are shrinking. Lots of young stuff. Not derby fish at all. These White river fish if fished very hard will just leave the flats and go and suspend, or they will charge up to a bait and then leave it. Good rule of thumb, is to never fish the same locations, more often than maybe once every 5 days or so. Even when I was living at Shell Knob, I would never fish locations, very often. You can really tell it up there. If the fish get small and the bites get few, on locations you know should be holding quality fish, they are just beat-up. Get off of them for a week, and they will go again.

Last few days, I have had the privledge of guiding some Super Folks, Doug Westons Group, Phil Ashely, and Nathon Quick. All out of the Knob, or Eagle Rock. Will not really get into the numbers, but the upper lake is fishing a very nice Summer Pattern. Not so much to speak of a early topwater thing, it is just not happening for me, as it did last year at this time, but a very good suspended or deep bite. Remember all the big Jaw's I was a catchin on the top and a swimmer. Lots of quality fish in the 28 to 42 ft. range. Some on the bottom and some suspended over these depths. The drag bite is also good early with quality LM being caught on rigs with cenipedes. Doug had a good ole goodie over 6 on the rig on friday. Had a trip on the lower end out of Chateau on Wed. It was a Corporate deal and they wanted to weigh in fish on a trip from 1 to 5 PM. I will tell you now, I am not having that. Spoke to Eric Prey, Tim Sainato, and Chris Tetrick, and we refused to haul in K's in the middle of the afternoon, to die. Just flat no way to keep these deep fish alive if you bring them in and wallow them around. It is simply stupid, and I won't have it. My guys had 18 fish with 8 thumper keeps, in the Kimberling area on the bottom at 35 ft. I was more than pleased as I thought I would problably skunk under such horrible afternoon conditions. I have a full slate this week, and will keep you posted. Try and keep the floors dry with all the big boats on our quite waters. Good Luck Bill

As Eric said, it would be a HUGE MISTAKE, to remove the tree without some type of a navigational aid or danger bouy stating that there is an underwater obstruction. The tree really for the most part wards off boaters that don't know the area that well, they seem to respect the land dweller that lives there more than the bouys we already have up. If you put up a bouy, I believe you would have to put up two. One on each end of the island or really just a hump. Have you seen how close some of these idiots come to the bouys we already have up? By removing the tree and putting 1 bouy on the top, I don't believe that would solve the problem. a bouy is a much small object than the tree, and if its lights would go out, you have the same problem. This was a terrible accident that could have been avoided in many ways, least of is cutting the tree. I guess what I'm saying, is we need to take responsibility for our own actions. Governmental actions, very seldom are the correct solution. Again, I morn for the loss to family and friends. Wish I had, had the privlidge of meeting Dick.

Well I'm not crazy, but yesterday afternoon I launched at Tucker at 2 in the afternoon. Ramp was full but the lake was empty. Water is up a bit, and the color is really off. Table Rock is much clearer, and even a little warmer. Fished toward Elbow, and then back up to Youcum. Water temps at 82-83. Targeted main lake flats with wind. On these flats there are points that run out and spill into the channel. Bait is just everywhere. Not a lot of fish for me per location, usually 1 or two on each spot. 17 total with only 2 keeper K's. Mostly short LM. Thought it was great for the middle of the day on a Saturday in Late July. Saw at least two different pairs of Eagles, and an Osprey. What I didn't see was any boats to speak of, and only two other fishermen. It was just flat deserted from Tucker to Deer Creek, and just a few skiers at the mouth of Elbow. Did not see a jet ski. Right before dark, I headed back past Tucker up to Youcum. Caught several nice fish off the long points from point 35 back to the ramp. Most all the fish were 25 to 30 with both my keeps came from the 30 range. All my fish came on either a cenipede or a fish dr. in watermellon candy. Threw a jig quite a bit, but no takers. Dropshotted some of the rolloffs and bluffends, but "Nada". Rig was the only deal. Spoke to one other guy, fishing a flutter spoon for walleye. He was fishing the same waters I was and setting the boat in 30 ft. He would cast the flutter spoon toward the bank, letting it sink to the bottom and then jerking and letting it settle. He worked it like that all the way to the boat. He said he had two really nice keeper eyes, in his boat well. and had caught 9 short walleye, and countless K's, and small blacks. Believed most of his fish were coming from 15 to 25 ft. Mostly on the fall of the first cast. He was making a cast, and then keeping his line tight and following the spoon to the bottom, feeling for that faint tick. He could fish. This boy looked like this was not his first rodeo, I watched him for at least 30 minutes, didn't see him catch one, but could tell he knew what he was doing. All in all, a great afternoon, with a huge lake to myself.

For sure, all our thoughts and prayers to the family. You know, on a thread a couple of weeks ago, we talked about speed at night. I may need to rethink my thoughts, as I have been one to maybe push it a little harder than I should, just from knowing the lake so well and knowing where I am going. It only takes one mis-step,however careful you are. Good Bless