Bill Babler

Gosh!!!! What a Firestorm I created trying to give a few tips on where and how to fish. Crappie, I truely and sincerely apoligize for offending you and any other reader that would deem that silly little comment to be Vulgar. Me and the buds kind of use it as a term for a bone headed move. but then I guess, using the word bone could also be construed as vulger. If you knew me, you would know that I am not, nor have ever been construed as vulger. Please excuse my simple ways. When the fisherman cut in front of me to fish the bank, I could have easily cast into his boat, he was so close. One of my clients a non-fisherman, looked at me and said" I don't fish much, but was that not the rudest manuver you have ever seen?" Crappie, I think your right. I should have deemed the guy, just not to be in the know about such things, and just pulled up my trolling motor and left the area. That would have been the correct thing to do. I'll think before I act next time. Great day on the water today. Don't want to stick my big foot in my mouth, so instead of the report on how we did it and where I'll just keep my mouth shut. Thanks guys, Love you all.

You know its not very ofter, that the Rock gives up her bounty without a squall. Today was one of those days. After Chain Sawing my way out of the driveway at 5 Am I fished the Knob to the tune of about 20 fish with lots of quality keepers, with Kendal and Kyle and had a Super time with two great guys. Today was a double with the Williams outfit out of Cartage Mo. and it was something to remember 25 Keepers on the afternoon trip with over 40 fish, the top seller at 4.90 and lots of 3.5 to 4.5 blacks and Sj's. Crazy Stuff. Most on a Football Jig in about 22 ft. of water. Best 5 on the Morning trip 16.5 lbs. Best 5 on the afternoon trip close to 20 lbs. Never cauight a spawned out fish today. All were heavy with eggs and ready to do the deed. Most fish in the 22 to 26 ft. range, the old River bank I watched at least a dozen boats fish a point in the Big Indian that I wanted to fish. I was waiting on my clients. All the boats sucked in close to the flooded timber, and fished in close. I knew they were screwing up. Fished the same point 30 ft. out from the timber and bushes and caught 15 keepers off the point that had just been absolutely hamnmered. People don't understand Table Rock, or how to fish. It's not just me. All the guides know how to ketch-em. Why do people just think they have to fish the shoreline? I don't understand. The only thing the shore is there for is to hold the water in. It has nothing to do with the fishing. Had a funny thing happen, on the way to the forum. Had a guy cut me off on a spot. This Dude, pulled in in front of me while we were working a bank in the Big Indian. He saw me, but wanted to fish in front. He was throwing a blade and threw about a 1/2 dozen times and turned to look at me. By this time, I was pretty close. He turned to throw a blade again, and bird-nested his bait caster. My clients burst out into laughter at his antics. I casted the jig about 30 yrds. form his bow, and tap, tap I busted a 3.5 smallie right under him. He fingered us and blew out of sight. What a Num-Nuts. Good Luck out there. Good Luck on the Rock, it is as good as it gets.

Lots of really good questions on the forum today. I'm looking for spawing locations rather than gravel flats. As you indicated lots of these great old time locations are 35 ft. deep. As the water starts to warm these fish migrage from mid-lake shad chasers and start to group in front of the long shallow water coves. There is a possibility for a 100 fish to be positioned from either bottom to suspended in 20 ft. of water in these locations. They are waiting for a condition. I'm going to state this once and please if you don't remember anything else about this post, remember this. They do not need or have any use for cover in these locations. They are not hiding or waiting to ambush anything!!!! They are Staging, getting ready to spawn. They will eat if the opportunity arrises, but they are there to procreate. They are not hiding!!! By reading all the reports on boat positioning and water depth you can determine a pattern. Large quanities of fish will stage on these points until the correct spawing urge hits. They will either work there way into the bedding area by moving from the main lake points to secondary cove points or even spawning in the middle gut of these coves. Tim Sainato is great at catching these mid-cove pocket spawners. Most people will have their boats sitting on top of them casting the bank. Bad Move. Remember, it is not uncommon for SM or Spotted bass to spawn with as much as 15 ft.of water over their nests. Depending on light penetration. Last year Bill Beck and I had almost 17 lbs. of Sm out of the middle of a pocket we had seen at least 20 boats work. They had their boats on top the fish. Table rock is a different critter, in clear water the fish will spawn deeper. Right now, Look for these large flat coves, I don't care what side of the lake there on. Position the boat on the windward side of the point a full cast and a 1/2 from the shoreline structure and cover as much ground with your presentation, as possible. I am using a 1/4 oz jig head and a 4 in. grub. I cast the grub and allow it to sink for the count of 10 and slowly reel in back, coming straight up at the end of the cast. Work the entire point from inside to outside at least 50 yds. back from the point, mostly concentrating on that area in the front of the point. Most of you will fish way to close to the point, "Get out and Stay out" On my big day Tuesday, the closest cover to my fish was 100 yards. They were suspended out in front of a spawning cove, not near any cover. If you throw up, onto the point and hang your blade or grub and go into the bank to get it, you are done. You drive over the fish and scatter them and that's it. If you can resist the urge to have to cast at something, you will catch fish if you are positioned far enough off the points. We are not catching bedding fish, we are catching staging fish. They are pretty spooky. Look for windy flat points. It may be deeper than normal, but they are there. Good Luck

Fished the Dam area today for a 1/2, and Bill Beck for a full. They were biting. Beck on a full day trip, 70 fish with about 1/2 being keepers, K's and SJ's My 1/2 day treatment 21 and 11. Not to shabby. Can't comment on Double B, but I was swimming a grub. COLOR DON'T MATTER. PERIOD....

Mobass, Thanks. 99.9 percent of the time it would not be a problem for me to post those pic's. I usually fish two tournament a year. One the trooper, and the other some times the Shell Knob affair. That is pretty much the only time it try and hold a few back. Never from the clients. I am not guiding in the area's those were caught until late next week, so thankfully that was not a problem. I will let everyone take a look at the pic's mid next week, and the location I caught them. Then if anyone wishes they can have at them. I don't own the fish or the lake, and I believe I can find somemore in near locations, to those, just didn't have to look the other day. Good Luck

That is a very good question. I have had some success in all degrees of water clarity as that seems to be the case throughout the lake. Mid Kings river thru about the Shell Knob bridge and backed up to San Succi seems to have the most degree of color. I have not done as well in these locations and have backed off them a mite. Some folks are hitting this type of area and keying on bushes with a chartruse blade. It will work to some degree, but on guided fishing trips, it is very hard. This is also some of the coldest water on the lake, and that may be a factor. Eagle Rock to perhaps Big M marina, is really clear. It is again very cold but the fish are staging in this clear water and are easier to get at. Shell Knob to Baxter is very nice kind of a very weak creamed coffee color with visibility about 2 ft. This bite has also been good with fish staging in and around the spawning coves. The best bite is coming on a blade. Not in the bushes. James river has so many parts from Aqua to a cream color, from lite to dark, it is hard to describe. Bite is very good on staging points draggng. Need lots of gravel off the spawning coves, Dam area to Old Hwy 86. 8 ft. visibility with a very good grub bite in the same locations as stated above. As the water tends to clear we are using normal presentation for the Rock. In the stained water the flashier and noisier baits are working the best. Hot spots, Kinberling bridge to Big Cedar, All inclusive swimming a grub to staging SJ's and K's. This is by far the warmest surface water on the entire lake. Strange but true. Temp does make a difference not only in selection of baits, but also the speed of the presentation, of the baits you chose. I fished pretty hard today and had two clients behind me. My purpose was to hook fish and hand them to the lady in the middle of the boat. No need. She had 13 on her own, her husbund 3 and me 5. 9 of these were SJ's in the 3 to 4.5 pound range, all filled to the brim with eggs, getting ready to do the deed, in the next few weeks. I would cast for her, and hand the rod back. I would wait till she was 3/4 way in and cast a second rod again, working the bait to the right depth and then handing her the rod as she finished her previous retrieve. She always had a bait working. She was reeling the correct speed, and she smoked us. Hope this helps.

Just about as muddy as the missippi river.

Just a quick note on the water temps. I have been guiding the entire lake every day this past week, from Eagle Rock to Shell Knob, to Upper Kings River to Viola to Baxter to the Dam. Here is what I have found as early as yesterday. Does, not sound right, because stained water seems to heat faster than murkey, but here goes. 86 Hwy Bridge to mouth of Kings at Twin Rivers. 53 to start the mornings 57 late in the day. Should be warming today 86 Hwy Bridge at EAgle Rock to Twin Rivers at the Knob 53 to start and 57 late in the day. Shell Knob to Mouth of James 57 to Start 60 plus end of day. Lower James to Aunts Creek, Same James River to Kimberling City 58 to start 61 end of day. Kimberling to Long Creek 59 to start, up to 65 end of day. I'm like a bad cold, I have been every where with multiple trips out of all these locations in the past 4 days. Yesterday, I was from Eagle Rock to the Mouth of the James, in a 12 hr. day. Good Luck

Can't post pic's just yet, but today was one of those great days, that I will never and I mean never forget. Both myself, and Chris Tetrick had unreal days. Mine mid-lake and Chris at the dam area. Total for the both of us on our guide excursions, a whopping 89 fish and a combinatin of 66 keepers, up to 5.5 lbs. They were hungry with a capital H. I will post the pic's after the Water Patrol tournament on the 6th. I had 20 plus keepers on one spot about the size of your living room. If I posted the pic's it would be easy to find and I would have lots of company. Chris caught his fish on a grub, and mine came on a combo of a blade and a fish dr. Long gravel points with tons of wind was the answer. All our fish were full of eggs and staging off the points. Did not catch a spawned out fish. I believe Chris was 100 percent big SJ's and I was about 50/ 50 Sj's and K's. SKMO also cautht them like he owned them for a couple of hr. period, mid-lake. Pete Wenners had, had a similar day last week with 80 fish on a trip, with a ton of keepers. I believe they are starting to bite. Good Luck

I'm over the Ramp thing. No question is stupid, unless it was asked and answered the day before. I wanted to know about the Indian pt. Ramp also. Nothing had been posted on it. Good Luck

Trav, Your's might be valid, but I doubt it. You have to have a physical and eye test each 5 year period. Our lic. are issued by the USCG. Would be interesting to know. You may be grandfathered in.

Any of the guides that post on this site will and have worked the SK area, including Capt. Don. See him up there all the time. Lots of the great local guides that don't post here, also work the area if need be. We all know the entire lake. I just happend to have lived at the Knob for 15 years. Everyone thinks its my hidey-hole. Any of the Boy's will do you good, I don't believe you can find a bad one.

Denjac, Loved your post. Have spoken to the Head of Warm Water's Fisheries here in Mo. and was wondering if your post were generalizations on the LM? Most of the post is spot on, but Northern LM and those in Mo. do not have nearly the growth rates you posted, according to the Biologist. Those rates are for Southen Zones, and he said unless the Strain is an F1 or F2 Florida, 16 inches in the third year would be more than Max. While the Florida's can get to 3 lbs. on occausion, in that time frame, they have not seen that kind of growth in Table Rock Lake's Northern Strain of LM. Most commonly 4 to 5 years to hit that magic 15 inches. Add a year for the SM and 2 more for the K's. Thanks for providing the great info.

I'm Ok down on the river. Its those durn bass chasers with the A Type personalities, that are driving me crazy. It's never good enough. On a brighter note, my day drift fishing the upper river was a complete delight. Weighed 4 or 5 of the big bow's we caught, fish 18 inches and above. Most weighted from right at 2.8 pounds to our heavy weight a 19.5 weighing in at 4.2 pounds. Just a complete toad, as wide as he was long. Beautiful colors and most every fish coughing up handfulls of scuds in size 10 to 14. Very few of the bitty bugs we normally see. Lots and lots of these bugs were squirming. Another note is these fish are getting their exercise. They are not only bigger, they are getting much stronger from working for a living. Lots of big mulitple jumps and really hard pull downs. Most all the fish would fight me tooth and nail as I released them. Usually they will just lay there and let me throw them back. Not these fighters. Also these trout are still puking worms and lots of em. Lots of the fecal matter contains shad so the ammount of forage in the water must be unbelieveable. Good news on the midge population. clouds of them were floating overhead all day as we drifted. Could also see trout rising in the eddies and along the shore line in pursuit of the midges. About 70 fish caught in my 4 hr. trip. My guests wanted 4 to keep and have for dinner. Only had 3 under 12. Completely unbelieveable. A complete joy to be fishing on taney.

Great Information. That is a fresh Breeze. Tied on the surface stuff for a toss or two on the morrow. Thanks.

"Hold your Crayfish there Cajunangler" I would shut it off in a minute. To compare the traffic or what goes on in Texas and what goes on here are Extremely Poor examples. I'm sure you have heard of Apples, to Apples. You are compairing an Apple to a Watermellon. And yes, I have been there. Let me say this about that; Sam Rayburn bass stocking since 2000 7 million Bass Toledo Bend bass stocking since 2000 6 million Bass Lake Fork bass stocking since 2000 6 million Bass. Other Texas impoundments since 2000 62 million Bass Table Rock Lake bass stocking since 2000 ZERO That's 0, Zip, None Zilch. Table Rock is a pristine self-renewing High Mountain Impoundment. Every Spawn and every fish is important here. Texas Department of Wildlife, stocks at a rate for 90% depletion each year. They do not need a spawn. If they get it great. If not no biggie, cause they are going to renew the resource with fresh fish Every year. Also Florida Strain LM F-1's and F-2's can have growth of over 3 lbs. in 3 years. Our Northern LM Take between 4 and 5 years to reach 15 inches. Smallmouth take 6 and our fabulas spotted bass take 7 yrs. for the most part to reach their 15 inches. "Since We Ain't Gitten No Mo," I believe we need to take care of the one's we have. Guess I'm Crazy.

Talking to some of the guides that helped on today Corp. Trip, none of us could really remember the lake being fuller of fisherman. 6 guide boats started at 7 AM out of the Big Indian at Baxter and the days total was 26 fish, with 20 keepers. Not a load, but enough to keep the group of party go'ers happy. Fish were caught on a FB Jig, a blade, and swiming a 4" grub. I, in my over 32 years on the Rock, have never seen this kind of fishing prussure. The point that I did so well on last evening had anywhere from 6 to 12 boats on it the entire day. Most fishing so close they could have cast into the boat in front and the boat behind them. There were boats waiting in the lake for a boat to pull off the point, then they would pull in. Amazing. Some of the other guy's said the flats across from the Baxter Marina were litterly covered to the max, and continued all day to be boat after boat after boat. Best bite early and after the pounding, it was really tough for the most of us. Chris Tetrick and Tim Paige seemed to be doing the best, but both reported only a fish or two after 10 AM. Early season tournament prussure on the Rock, in my opinion, is to the point of getting out of hand. Boats are dragging these LM, spewing eggs 30 to 50 miles to a weigh-in and then dumping them out. Not a problem for the K's or the Jaw's right now, but a real shame with the LM. There needs to be a format of weighting the fish on site and getting it back in the water as soon as possible. This may not work for the Elite or the FlW, but how big of gallery does these local tournaments have? 50 to 100 persons, at most? We are trying to go green in this country, and the small tournments are going in the oppsite direction. We need to let these fish be during the spawn. Would not rock my boat if Table Rock was off limits, no bass fishing in April. The biologist tell us that one spawing female will repopulate an entire section of lake. If so, think how good it would be with a thousand. We have the forage. Just wish the locals and the everyday fisherman could get on a bank if they wanted to without, the tournament boy's Rock-in and a Roll-in on our junk. Me Bad, I guess they have a fishing Lic, and can do what they want.

Gent's we are getting way to much repetition, Before you ask a question, which I am sure is very important and most of all important to you. Take a couple of minutes and work down the list of topics that we have covered in the last week. People posting a new topic about LAUNCH OR RAMP QUESTIONS, will appear to others to be extremely uninformed. i was going to put Stupid but Becky told me not to. We have covered and recovered this to death. You are not only taking up our precious time to respond, but filling up the forum with the same questions that have been answered and reanswered. Anyone that responds to a Launch or Ramp question from this point, will be deemed in the same class with the "NUM-NUT'S" that asked it. Harsh? Maybe so, maybe not. If someone doesn't have the interest to look 4 posts down, before posting something, he or she has no busness to be asking in the first place. I will not comment on any ramps again until there is a change to report. Nither should the rest of you regulars, enough is by far enough.

Right now, I really don't think it matters, unless you are really fishing some muddy stuff like up the Kings. It is all clearing fast. Last night I had great success on a chrome willow and a small colorado in the Baxter area. In the really muddy stuff, I would have probably thrown a chartruse skirt with a copper or a chartruse blade. Most of the muddy stuff will be gone by either mid-week or next weekend, if it dosen't rain.

Swim baits were covered here in great depth last year. I am sure you can find material in our archives. They are a viable bait here, but remember instead of dealing with the largemouth that eat this size forage, you are dealing with threadfin, and crayfish eating Spotted Bass. That is why swimming a small bait like a 3 and 4 inch grub works so well. Good catches can be made on SWB. Some of the guides are throwing them now, just to stay out of the way of their spinnerbaiting clients. Nothing too positive yet, but they are mainly a post spawn bait to begin with. They may really have a place in the high water. Another quick note. These baits are Illegal in the restricted area of Lake Taneycomo. You cannot fish soft-plastic swimbaits above Fall Creek. Good Luck

Table Rock can be a fickle Mistress, and she showed her mis-behaving side today. Yesterday I and most of my compadrays worked our little fishing fingers to the bone for a bite of fish. Today I started at around 3 and most of my boys did double takes. Early morning and through out the day seemed to be pretty constant on the blade, and the grub swimming in the dam area. Good catches of quality fish. I had the extreme priviledge, of working with 9 of the best the Rock has to offer on my afternoon trip. William's Electric on the first of their, corporate Spring trips got kicked off to lots of quality fish. I believe on the abreviated tours every guide boat caught fish. Can't tell you how good that is for NINE Guide boats in a couple of hour trip. Beck led the way with 10 fish and Nine keepers with a 6 pounder. and all the other guys followed suit. All the boys were flinging blades. I got lucky, my guy said it was to cold. I went anyway and had 7 on a blade and a really nice Jaw on a rig. All K's except for the Jaw. On the flip side my buiddy that did so well dragging yesterday in the dam area, only had a short Jaw, in 12 hrs. on the water. Go figure. Were out again on the morrow, and I hope I have good news for ya. We will be dodging all the tourney rigs and just hope there is enough bank for all the cranker and winders. Most fish today came in the 1 to 5 ft. range and then on the way outside of the bushes to staging fish in the 20 ft. range. LM up close and the K's out swimming. Good Luck

T. Good thing you responded. I was looking for my Shotgun. I just pulled out the third of my last 7 head hairs. PEOPLE-PEOPLE-PEOPLE. On another note, spoke to the gate keeper at Gages. It will not be open, period. They had somewhat of a situation, with a pontoon trying to launch on the road. A disaster from what he said. They will no longer let any launching occur until the ramp is available. Period.

Most of the boy's I am speaking with are catching them from about daylight to around 10 AM. It's goes pretty dead, like STONE, until about 3:30. Pretty good again till dark. Spoke to a couple of the BFL guys pre-fishing at Shell Knob, yesterday, and they had their dobbers down. Most started at 8 or 9 yesterday morning, and when I was taking out a 2 PM they told me they had caught the big ZIP. Spoke to a least 2 dozen guys in total yesterday. Bite pretty fair from Kimberling to Clevenger, Pretty Bad elsewhere. One of my really good friends did not start till noon yesterday, He is here to fish the BFL. He had about 16 lbs. Between 1 and dark in the dam area. All SM, and NONE of them on the spinner. Good Luck, Got to go to the fish factory.

Mitch, all the electronics, were put on aftermarket, cause he wanted what he wanted. Total Price of the electroncs: Mounted balanced, sales tax and tire rotation, came to about $6,200.00, just for that. That really jumped the price of the boat to create a monster total package. He will probably use it about a dozen times a year. One thing about this boy, he can really fish. He was 3rd to Rick a couple of years ago in I believe the State Federation fish off here on the Rock and got to go to Florida and fish to qualify for the Bass Masters Classic. He just missed the cut by a couple of pounds. This is one of the great guys in our area, and he donates both time and money to very charitable causes. He is also affiliated with the K Kamps. Great Guy, and I am glad he has the resources to have such a nice toy.

T. You Big dummy. Your not the problem. You call me anytime you want for any reason. Really, I probably over reacted a bit, but the calls were totally unreasonable. What's worse they called the lodge on our 800 number for fishing information. My, wife being the sweet gal she is gave lots of the house calls my cell phone, thinking they were potential clients. By about noon, she called and said what in the heck is going on? I told her it was just going to be one of those days. You Know, If I would have gotten some of the less demanding calls in the evening after I was off the water, I would have tried to help a little more. I just did not have the time. The fishing was taking all my attention. That's another point for guide info, or to book a trip with me, It really helps if you will just call Lilleys'. or Becky here at the lodge. The girls in the office can set it up and that way I can devote my time to the clients I have in the boat. If you book your trip and then wish to call and visit about the fishing, usually between 6 and 9 in the evenings are great. As far as any further info than what I post here, I have to be very careful, as most of you know, I have a huge guide network. These guys are all my best friends and we talk all day and try and put clients on fish. We discuss patterns depths, and locations. Most of these other guides fish tournaments, and I will not ever discuss any information pertaining to that. If Donnie, Phil, Eric, Buster, Tim, Bill, Chris, Pete, SKMO, Eric or any of the boys are on something particular, you will only get that info. from them. I throw SK in there, cause he lives in his boat, and is a fishing machine. We are here to have fun and help a little bit if we can. Love all you guys, and wish I could fish with everyone of ya.