Bill Babler

Wish I knew, but it has always been a problem. J.E., and SKMO and some of the other guys are way more into the tech stuff then I and probably can answer that. I just drive em and use em. Did give BP a call, and they said if you keep the box, they will replace them for any length of time, no expiration. Thats a pretty good warranty. Still breaking stuff is a pain.

Seems to be a few whites suspended in the major creek mouths. Buster has caught them a couple of times, spoon city. No rhyme or reason to when they will chase the top. Nothing seems to be easy right now, but it can change anytime. good Luck

I have had this trip in the books, for over 6 months. Ivar and Ubey Ecvar from Nebraska, wanting to learn the drop shot. Ivar had called me and asked, what would be a very good time to come. I said today, and I almost goofed. After the big storm, picked the boys up at the Knob. And headed for Pig Pen Hollow. I have done ok there in the last couple of weeks. Told the boys to just drop the weight till it hit the bottom, and then take a couple of cranks up. When they got a bite, or the rod got heavy, set the hook, for all your worth. Pulled out on the Pig, and didn't see any fish, but we dropped anyway. No sooner had Ubey's weight hit the bottom, than I hear a squeel from the back of the boat. In came about a 12 inch black. Things settled for a second and Ubey dropped back, and I immediatly heard another squeek and he had another one on. could have been a clone of the first. At this point, the trash talking started between the brothers. After only two 12 inchers, Ubey, was declaring himself Kevin Vandam. Another drop by Ubey and mind you I have not seen any of these fish on the graph, and another squeel. His third fish in 3 drops. This time a solid 10 inch K. After the fish was released he danced and clapped his way around the stern of the boat for at least 5 minutes, doing the duck walk and some kind of a Michael Jackson Moon Walk. Glad he got that out of his system, cause we didn't catch another fish for the next TWO AND A HALF HOURS. During this period, I asked the boys if they wanted to split shot abit, thinking the fish had broken up and gone shallow, because of the clouds, but they said no. Also asked it they wanted to use a crawler, as we had some fish run up to the shot and leave it. They said no they were sportsman and would never use a nightcrawler. I told them sportsmanship, had nothing to do with this, and that all was fair in love and fishing, as long as your were not in a tournament. Still No. Did have a wierd thing happen. Fellow guide this morning at the gas station had told me a spot he was catchin a few at off a deep dock at the knob, I have fished it before, and caught several walleye off it. Its a good spot. During my struggles I tried it. He was right, they were there, and looked like several of em on the dock cables, on the bouy cable in front of the dock, and also suspended in front, just like he said. These fish were in the 25 ft. range, and when the boys dropped to them they would charge the drop shot, and then, instead of eat it or go back latterly to the cables or where they were suspended, they would head deep. My lower limits were set at 60 ft. and they would just melt into the abis. We tried to follow them by dropping the shot while they dropped but they would have none of it. These docks, are in 110 ft. and this happened at least 4 times. I believe they would have eaten a crawler. Where did they go? Why did they do that? These guys thought I knew how to drop shot and I am running fish to 10 fathoms with it. Live and learn. Just about to pull my last 3 hairs out, I decided to get off the gravel, deep stuff, and try a long chunk rock point, the locals call Wood Duck. Pulled to the same depth I thought they should have been on and of course didn't see any. Both boys dropped, and when Ivar who was at the front picked up the slack, I noticed his tip start to bend. I screamed a scream of a man who had not seen a fish in half a day, SET THE HOOK. Ivar put all 127 pounds in an all out sky lifting hook set and by golly he got one. Not to be out done, I hear Ubey squeel and we have a double, for cripes sakes. As they bring these fish up from the bottom, my entire screen starts to worm and shoot lines coming off the bottom, the boys have dropped into a hive of em. Both fish they caught were Shell Knob Squeeker Keepers. They dropped back and again both had fish. We caught 9 total off the Duck, but only the first two would have kept. 23 ft. Moved to Preachers Nitch, and same thing and caught 6 more, all nice but would not have worked on the tournament cir. From that point on, fishing the steeper chunker points we got I believe, 4 more. I believe we had 22 or 23, total and I fished the boys for 5 hrs. as the day had really been slow till late in the morning. Only the 2 small keepers. Don't know what I would have done in a derby, but probably would have abandoned the shot after the first little bit. Great guys, and I never laughed so hard as they were on each other from the time in until the time out. I guess persistance does pay off especially when you don't know nothin.

No one seems to be at home this year.

J.E. is right on the traneys, I have blown out two already this year. At. $105.00 per pop, it starts to hurt. Denjac is also on the money. Seeing your junk is really just part of the fun, I don't know if it will catch you anymore fish. Tuning in on the depth and finding the fish is what will catch-em. If you can see them suspended or on the bottom, the battle is won. They will either bite or they won't. Sometime seeing everything is heart breaking. I cannot tell you how many fish will come to the bait and then just melt away. I have seen a dozen lines zoom off the bottom, and when they got to the bait just fade back. I have seen them gobble it, too. Whow! that is so much fun. Our guide folks really love to see em get it. Without a doubt the most fun I have is saying here he comes, get ready. When their rods start to bend it is an absolute hoot. Good Luck

Thanks for the info. I think even though we really talk about it alot, night fishing is still not what it was in the late 60's and 70's. Could be we are really missing the boat on some very nice fishing. I would like to apoligize, to Rick, Don, and the forum for my borish behavior. That was very unchristian of me to go off like that, and it will not happen again. Reguardless. Sincerely, Bill

This close after the spawn, that is a really nice weight on those K's. Great Job. They have not had a lot of time to plump back up. Did you catch them all before dark, or did you pick up some after the sun went down? would be interesting information.

KS, Not much to add, as these guys have hit a really nice lick. Get out early and fish the major creek and cove mouths with the topwater gear. After that, use your sonar and look on the major lake flat points for K's. These fish will usually be located at the thermocline or there abouts. Live bait and small finess or dropshot worms will catchem. Be kind as we love everyone of them. Most of the guides have created Milk Runs. They are the spots we check, They are not always on all the spots, and sometime only here and there. Keep moving and keep looking. Good Luck

Thanks Hunter, Nice report. Did you try and dropshot any of those critters after they went down?

Rick, you are the amazing one. Your nose is always in someone else's business. If you think you can make a buck on something or someone, its like a dinner bell going off. I would never charge another guide for helping me. Never have, never will. You have so much junk for sale on your website, it looks like Smart Bargins.Com Haven't you figured out why no one likes you? You try and take advantage of any situation, and turn a profit, even when friends are involved. We don't do that here. This forum is not designed for that. It is to help educate, and who in the heck cares about guide trips. That is not what this is about. General information and what we are doing is shared with those that wish to know. It is a sad state of affairs when people can't come to this lake and catch fish without spending $350.00 to hire a guide to show them how. This should not be the reason for guide trips, they should be because they want to go, not because the lake is impossible. I will do my best to make this lake not impossible, reguardless of what you want. The money does not matter to me. What you have stated is no more than a bunch of hogwash. Don is a grown man and can take care of himself. You and you alone put his name on this forum. The only reason was to mention the sonar, PERIOD. You are the one that mentioned his name in print. Nice, that you only think of him as an employee that this might damage your business. What about him being a great guy and a good friend. He always has a smile and a kind word. Must have forgotten that. Money, Money. Money. The day Don caught his fish, we had 9 boats fishing all over The Rock and the total for the 9 guide trips was 23 fish on full day trips. That is under 3 fish per day per boat. No one could get them to bite. I was shocked, at his 45 number. I have appoligized to Don for this and it will always bother me that I didn't believe him, but you have crossed every line of decorum. Don is alwyays welcome here and will never be doubted again. Your only thoughts are money, so we all know where you stand. Thanks for not posting any longer, as you really provided nothing believeable to begin with. I'm sure everyone will miss you dearly.

I stand corrected on all the spelling errors. I apologize for my lack of time in going to the spell check. Probably because I don't have one. No excuse, I should take the time to look it up. Your name was not and would have never been mentioned in any way, by myself or any of the other guides. EVER!!!! Rick is the one that made all the remarks, mentioning you, just so he could try and make a splash about the sonar. It was my fault and I apoligize, but Rick threw you in the fire. Don, you have come on the forum and been very helpful and it has been appreciated. I seriously doubt that anyone thought you were giving too much info except Rick. I know this to be a fact, as I spoke to the boys about it. Rick, on the other hand has done nothing but be crass. I for the life of me don't know why as he has never acted that way in person. I always thought we had a great relationship. I believe this Hummingbird thing is the issue. I have never disrespected Rick and would never do so. He for some reason feels differently. Who in the heck knows, I might have a bird in the future as I stated in a previous post. What difference does it make, what sonar we use? Are megar sponsorships so important that they should dictate how we treat others. Just because we use different products should not matter. I long for the day everyone will pay full price for everything, and use products with no bias, just because they love them. The good old Ford, Chevy debate. Not the one, I get this for dealers cost or 20% under, so you should go buy one. Don, I frankly admit, that I just flat did not believe you. I apoligize for that. Before I posted a word, I spoke to the troup, and you know who they are. They all said "When Pigs Fly". That was the toughest day that any of us had on the Rock all year, and you know even when I have a tough day I post. What it is, is what it is. A couple of these guys caught two to eight fish in 8 hrs. I'll post just as quick when I catch 1 or 20, it really does not matter to me. I always do my best, and the numbers are what they are. I believe now, they moved deep, and you found the spot before the rest of us. I congratulate you. It was such a tough day and you were so much better we just could not believe it. Luck, as both you and Rick put it, I do not believe was a factor. You made your own luck, and you made the decision to go to those locations. Those numbers were incredible. We didn't believe it and I am deeply sad that I let my fingers think before my brain. As more than one of the boys said, you guys have just a bit of a reputation, for enhancing the numbers, from time to time, and that contributed to everyone's disbelief. I don't care what the others thought, I should have believed you. What really threw a monkey in the works, is you told me one thing and Rick, posted another. Tell it like it is, who cares? It's obvious, your spots are safe as we are still not catchen-em like that. As far as being cad about the spelling errors, I know you were hurt, and again apoligize. None of this would have ever mattered if Rick had not printed your name. If you wish not to join us next week, I understand, but you would be missed. I am still expecting you at 7:30 AM on the 13th unless you tell me you won't be there. Good Luck, and Sincere Best Wishes, Bill

At 60 that boat dosent even know its getting started. 77 is top speed I have had it on GPS, on Table Rock. The way these boat are designed that is nothing, but a walk in the park. There were no other boats or humans on those waters, while I was traveling at that speed. I did have to wait for one boat to drift off the landing strip before I could start my taxi down the runway. The dying vegetation I believe was exposed to the sun during the draw down. It died dried out and is now peeling off the bottom and floating to the top or flowing with the current.

Don't know what time it started but there were two generators running when our corporate trip left Lilleys' at 9 AM. 7 guide boats in the upper restricted area for a pass or two. When the group arrived at Lookout the lake was running solid full of moss and a black color, that I have never seen. Lots of guide trips today and some of the boys that were already on scene said it was unfishable. Immediatly 4 guide boats headed for Branson, and beat the flow. They reported good fishing on hardware and powerbait from Monkey thru the Landing, until the water arrived, and then yuck. I had been on the phone getting calls all morning from the guides already in the restricted area, wanting me to tell them what they could do. My answer was to have patients and let the moss subside. For most of them it never did. I on the other hand with the two generators running, but the lake extremely low decided to go to rebar, to see what the upper lake looked like. I don't advise this move unless you know ever inch of that area. I was running in under two feet of water at 60 mph, and thats how I got there. If my boat would have came off plane, I would still be on the riffle at Point Royal, 1.8 ft. From rebar to Clay Banks, the water was running clear, clean and absolutely beautiful. Clay Banks thru Lookout, and then completely thru Short Creek, down to Cooper, it was unbelieveable, with dead moss and vegetation coming off the bottom in huge hunks and billions of basketball size chunks. Clay Banks thru Fall Creek, was by far the worst. I made 4 drifts on rebar and caught fish every pass on a midge egg fly combo. By using a full pink micro with a chrome head, Myself and Buster were able to catch fish thru Fall Creek. You could drag nothing, in that section, or use any fly with dubbing, as it would become a moss ball immediatly. Fished until 2 PM and it stayed bad, as the bottom of the lake is just peeling off. Typical run was the egg and midge from rebar to Clay Banks, then a quick rod switch with the pink micro to Fall Creek. Upper 3/4 mile would be about 8 to 10 takes per pass and the lower 2.5 miles would be about 6 takes per pass. I believe you boys that are wading will be okedoke, the worst of it is from the Conservation Ramp, thru Fall Creek. If you watch close while your drifting, you can see the moss pealing off the bottom as the water runs. There were several of the guys, that struggled, but most of the vets, caught at least enough to make there clients happy. We grumbled alot, but caugtht fish. I believe we had 30 and Buster had about the same. One of the guys that was the first to head downtown, had about 40 on a cleo, in front of Scotty's, to the Landing. He reported swarms of fresh fish in the water down there. When the generation hit town, he said it was all over, as your spoon would gomm up right away. It will get better.

From the report I got today, on the Bluegills, Tracy is right on. 18 to 22 ft. and if you are not catching hand size or bigger, move out. Bob Klien, reported catching a couple of dozen over a pound apiece with two nice cats in the 8 to 10 pound range to boot. 1/2 a night crawler on a long shank cricket hook. Worms are catching bigger gills than crickets and also you have hot a shot at a cat, or a good K using the split worms. All these gills are coming off flat gravel points in the Dam area. If they have a bit of pole timber on em, all the better. good luck

Rumor has it one of the Table Rock guides had a great day on the gills and also caught several cats in the process. I am working a trout trip with him tomorrow, and will get the info. Get on the web, and see if there are any videos about the drop shot. You can also check my Article for Ozark Anglers entitled "Droppin in on Table Rock Bass". I'm sure there are some good pieces to be found. Good Luck It can really be fun.

Capt. Rick, Whats all the name calling about? I don't remember ever treating you on this forum or in any other vinue without using the upmost respect. If you would have read my post more clearly you would have seen that no names were mentioned, about any guide until you did, and further more I am chastising myself for my medeoaker preformance, more than I am the success of a conrad. There are several of us, that for some reason, just don't have it figured out as well as we should. This forum is designed to not only educate and help where we can, but also be entertaining. Take time to check my 400 plus posts on this thread and if you have a problem with their content please advise me how I can better serve this vinue. I strive to keep improving. I sell nothing for any company, I have allegance to no one, I am not bias for money. I never promote myself, my lodge or my guide service. My monicar at the bottom of the page, was placed not by myself but by Phil Lilley, and I asked him to remove it. He said for the service I do the forum I deserve it and he would not. The number of fish a man catches is what it is. Every post you have made is highly confrontational and for the life of me I don't know why. I wish you nothing but the best.

Love the way you look at things. Only bad part about my stumps is that we had already buried them and smoothed the landscape before MDC asked for em. We had to dig the rascuels back up to give to them. They did regrade the area though, at no cost to me. The question, is how can we stop a repeat preformance of this? I could give a flying heck about how much money anyone makes, I just don't want to see our fishery damaged like this again.

Boy's, I for one am not blaming Johnny for our troubles. This is the good ole, US of A and he is for sure one of our most reverned entrepreneurs. I don't even know if it was his doings that caused the water shortage. There are many powers in Branson that make these decessions. I would have just hoped the MDC would have had a little back bone and said No, you will do great damage to this enviornment by lowering the lake. Use another method. No one helped or seemed to care about the lake. That is what was the real shame. The upper stretch of this lake needs a designation, to stop these types of infringments. Without it, and the way it is, to the money people it is just a stocked trout pond to be used and abused. I absolutely have nothing againt Johnny, but I am not as enamered by him as S Mallard. For the most part his philenthropic achievement, all have a motive, as do most of ours. The only difference is that his have huge dollars attatched for minimal efforts. Great example, is when we cleared our property to create the Lodge, we were asked by MDC if we would dontate the stumps and root wads for Table rock lake fish cover. MDC showed up with a highloder, and two dump trucks. We worked for two days and loaded close to 100 stumps, in which they deposited in the lake, using Bass Pro's custom made boat. This boat is designed to do this exact work and Johnny Morris does own it. MDC ownes the highloader and trucks, and we all furnished the work. Two weeks later the MDC forwarder me a press release from Bass Pro, claiming, over a 1/4 million dollars in habitat restoration they had just completed on Table Rock. No mention of me or MDC. Lake Biologist at the time said pretty lame, but about par for the course. You can pretty much figure if they claim a million, it is probably closer to a thousand from our experences with them, and frankly who cares? MDC even ran the boat, so there was not even a bass pro employee envolved. As for the merchandise in the stores, The name brands they carry are as good as it gets. It is when you get into the Bass Pro Brands, that you get in trouble. However, again, they were designed to sell at a price, not to be the quality of a Columbia, or an Eddie Baur, or The North Face. You will and I cannot stress this enough, get what you pay for at any of these Fishing Houses. I feel this is the way it should be. Is it junk? Don't buy it, buy the Bob Timberlake Suitcase instead of the BP, its your choice and your money. You know what your getting. We have also mentioned to the people at not only Big Cedar, but also at the BPS at the Landing, that your merchandise is for the most part of no use to us on either the rock or taney. One of my good friends is a manager at their fishing dept. They know this!!!! It is not designed to be. It is there to sell the the tourist, it is there to sell volume, it is there for eye appeal and to make money period. They carry a almost completely different product line than the main store, and only 1/8 th. of the products. They can only stock what they can sell due to the small size of the store. They feel over 90% of their clientel is not from this area or planning to fish. They are shopping as gifts and taking home. You don't build a store on 10 percent of the business, and they have not. Sour Grapes, but very wise marketing. Our problem is not Bass Pro, it is the people that allow this wonderful piece of heaven to be treated like that, not the treaters. Maby I am very naivue, but if it was BP that caused this, and someone had gone to Johnny and said, Johnny this is going to do some real damage to the eco-system and if you will think of another method, we will make sure everyone knows you are behind this fishery. You can bet your last buck, he would have seen the press clippings on the wall and we would have never had this disaster. Instead we would have had another news release about habitat assistance and another 1/4 million dollar gift from BP. I think that would have been much better, true or false. No one did this or stood up for the lake. I don't know who or whom is responsible, but someone is. Maby I'm to blame, Maby everyone of us that love this fishery are to blame for allowing this to happen, I wish I knew. God Bless, everyone on this taneycomo forum, we all know you care as much as we do.

Really good day on the Rock for most of the guide group, reporting from a dozen to 20 fish on the 4 hr. morning tours. Seemed everyone was doing something different and all seemed to be working if you were in the right spot when they wanted it. Chris Tetrick was in the Kimberling area, and reported dropshot fish in the 25 ft. range off most of the long flat points. Not a lot, mind you, but fish about everywhere he stopped. Bill Beck, saw lots of fish on the graph, in the Kimberling to Campers area on both the white and the James, in the 18 to 22 foot range but found them to be a bit lathargic on the dropshot. They would run up to the bait and just melt away or give it a peck and turn loose. Bill did get on them with the FBall Jig in about the same depth range, but stated he had to work, and he had some pretty good fisherman. We were talking about this amongst ourselves this weekend, and it seems the dropshot fish will work the bait much better, in the 26 ft. and over range. Seems they just need a little water over their heads to really want to snatch it. You can for sure catch them shallower on the shot, but not quite so good. Tim Paige, is still catching them pretty well in the dam area on a splitshot rig, but he is the master of it and will throw it in all seasons. Eight to 15 ft. early and then moving into the 18 to 26 ft. range later. He feels he is covering more ground with the rig than a vertical presentation with the shot and getting his bait in front of more fish. As long as these fish are on the bottom and not suspended, I believe he is right as rain. It's working. A buddy of mine was at the knob, this AM and he said they were really on the outer points of the gravel flats in the 22 to 30 ft. range on a football jig. He was just dragging the jig and he and his wife, caught a dozen fish with 8 quality keepers. Tried to dropshot those underwater roll offs, but nothing. I fished from the Kimberling Inn to about Campbell Pt. this morning, targeting bluffends early with topwater junk and hoping to see a white or two. Saw 3 groups blow-up, but by the time I could get there they had vamoosed. Gore Hollow, had a blowup, Goat Island a small one and right in front of Big Creek. Did raise one really nice keeper K throwing after the whites. I had a marvelious set of guys, Eric Sr. and Eric Jr. Ebie. Out of St. Louie. Both were pretty good hands and young Eric, caught 3 on a splitshot to get us started, in the 16 ft. range. Swithched to the dropshot in the 22 to 26 ft. depth area, and the boys did really well catching 14 more on the shot, at several different locations. Seemed just a couple and no more than 4 per spot, but they really liked it when I said look! you are just about to get bit! There rods would go down, and they would laugh and say we just can't believe this. It's like watching TV. 18 fish, with a half dozen keeps were our day. These fish were alot heaver and in better shape than the fish I had at the knob, last week. Even the shorts looked and pulled great. On days like this, its not a job, but a blessing. It was just wonderful out there with these great folks. They had been fishing for 3 days and had not caught one yet, so today was really special. Sometimes we forget just how tough this pond can be. One of the K's we caught on a dropshot huffed up a green cenepede, and a 4 inch Ctail grub. We caught him on a 4 inch zoom finess worm in watermellon candy. He must have had a love for soft plastic. That fish was a quality keeper, and he is living a very charmed life, as he is still swimming, minus all the garbage. We had several fish, run at the dropshot and then just melt back away. Did see some suspended fish and fed them the shot and had two of our total that way. Lots would get the bait, but just peck it and not put a load on the rod. Just when you were fixen to set the hook, they would move away. Hate to see-em get so smart so early in the year. Sounded like a very nice day on the rock by all. Just wish we would have gotten those pesky whites to hold still. Good luck boys.

What really Irks me is that, did anyone look into the damage that this could cause to a very fragile fishery. The etomology of this body of water was severly compromised. Is putting in a boat ramp a Pillar or anything worth the cost of what this did to the eco-structure of this fishery? Other area's when they want to add a shoreline water structure, they drive connecting pillars and pump the water from the area in which they wish to work to maintain the integerty of the water. Why not here? Why comprimise a 10 mile section of the lake. What is really worse, is this is the feed yard for the entire upper section with acres of gravel being sterlized in the hot sun. I am no Attorney, but I would bet some law was either broken or bent somewhere. Money, was behind this. Somebody got a chunk!! Anytime the Branson Landing calls for something they throw all caution to the wind and just let the chips fall where they will. This has simply got to stop. Maby a federal law suit or two will make them think before they act next time. Just what in the hell is so important that they can do this to the upper lake, and who is allowing this? I'm thinking that lots of money is changing hands and lots of palms are being greased beyond belief.

Really started fishing Taneycomo hard 33 years ago, so you know I'm old and cranky. In all those years, I have never seen our lake in such a condition. When they dropped the lake to work on our Savior and the Wonder and Thrill all of Branson, the Landing, Last Week. they exposed huge quanitles of the lake floor to the sun. This perpetuated one of the biggest moss and alge die offs I have ever seen. I am sure million of aquatic insects were also killed and left high and dry along for the scuds, sowbugs, and sculpins. From Andy's to Cooper, the water was virtually unfishable by any other method than a 1 pound weight and a 2 ought bass hook with a crawler attached. Moss was so thick, it looked like there was a 4 inch thick quilt on the lake. This is unforgivable, and riduculas. The smell and stench of the dying vegetation is sickning. Do you think they are ever concerned about the enviornmental impact of the things they do??? It is just always about the all might dollar. I believe we will pay the price for the lake drop for the rest of the year. We had, had such a great start. In the short term, they need to flush this puppy out and run it hard for a couple of days to clean up this mess. Water temps at Cooper this PM were getting very close to the 65 degree mark so I am wondering why we don't have a perge. Posted generation schedule says tomorrow at 3PM for an hour. That won't do it!!! Mud, Moss and Alge, thats my ideal trout stream. Way to go Powers that be, you might have really messed it up this time What else can we do for the Landing, why not just wipe out the entire upper end of the lake. This was just not right.

I have got to take a look at one of those units, they sound like the bomb. New technolegy is wonderful. I'm due for a new rig this year, and I am diffenatly going to take a look at these units. Funny thing however, he told me he caught those fish right on the bottom on the usual flat points we always fish in the Kimberling area, Gobblers and others. None suspended, all off the bottom. That Trickster, hidding all his seceret stuff. That ok, you can't always tell all. Sounds like one way or the other, his clients did catch them, and thats what its all about, God Bless him. Appreciate the post Rick.

If you have a hummingbird, I'm sure Rick would be glad to set ya up. If its a Lowrance give Mike Webb, a call, he mostly takes care of the rest of us. After he tuned my unit, I could see a BB drop from topside to 70 ft. I have not messed with it. The BB dropping looked like a flag pole as it fell to the bottom. Decent day out of Shell Knob, after the stormy start. We waited till 1PM and dropped shotted and wormed in the 26 ft. range on the bottom and came up with 22 total with about a dozen keeps, that were just barley that, 15 inchers. Real skinny and spawned out, looking for gurb. That was 3 clients, and it was funny, as two caught 7 apiece and one caught 8. Wish I could do that everytime as it is usually 1 guy catching the lot, of em. Of course Shell Knob fish don't count, cause anyone can catch them up there.

Spoke to 8 guides today fishing from Long Creek to Shell Knob. All pretty much reported the same thing, except one. Most thought they had good days with anywhere from a dozen fish to about 20 fish, most averaging 4 or 5 keepers. One guy told me it was as easy as it gets. His clients had 45 fish, on a drop shot. Don't know, but if they did they are twice as good as the rest. I fish somewhere every day and am usually very intune with what the fish are doing, but I just have not seen that kind of bite. Maby it is starting and the rest if us have just not found it. At least 4 other guides that have fished the lake for 30 plus years fished the same water and didn't come near these totals, or for that matter, even close. I know it only takes 1 good spot, on the drop to really produce, but we have just not caught fish as deep as what I was told, especially in those numbers. God bless him for such a great day, and I hope he really got a great tip for his efforts. That kind of report makes us all want to work harder and makes me feel that I am really missing something that I should know. I'll work the Shell Knob area tomorrow and see if I can come up with any numbers close to it. I guarantee you, I will tell you what it is straight up, good or bad.

Lower Restricted area to Short Creek still fishing extremely well on either Sculpin, Ginger or Pink micro Jigs in 256 oz or size 12. In 6 hrs. today we caught and released well over 100 fish. Lots of people in the bait area anchored and we caught fish in front of them until they just couldn't stand it, asking us what in the ---- we were using. I saw schools of 100 plus fish swimming everywhere from the ramp at Fall Creek, to Short Creek. Don't know, but I suspect they dumped them at the Short creek Ramp. Very quality federal fish in the 14 inch class.