Bill Babler

I also thrashed the upper white. My results were a little different than Sk's. Started about 7 and my first hr. was ok with a 4 pounder and a nice keeper K on the Charturse Blade. Nothing for about 2 more hours, and then flipped the SB over a dock cable and the water boiled. Had my drag cranked all the way down and the fish ripped 3 short bursts of about 5 ft. of line, on each run, off the spool. She then came up and went straight away like a freight train with her entire back out of the water. I had her on the trailer hook, and it tore out, leaving a huge hunk of lip. I have a 9 pounder on the wall , and I believe she was all of that, and more. I had been using the rod to pitch jigs with and it all happened too fast for my old reflexes to loosen the drag a mite or I might have been able to touch her. Still yet, it was just not ment to be. Man I've lost a bunch of Pig's this year. Fished from then until 2 pm with nothing else. Lake reports were mixed with the Kimberling to Long Creek area being the best and the Baxter to Big M, being a little slower with the exception of Sk and Dennis. There are some different patterns developing, other than the SB, and when they take hold a little better, we will try and bring you up to speed. That same old factor of Location, still seems to be the key.

Boy's if you are considering buyng a new bass catcher, let me caution you on a couple of things. If considering a purchase on the merrits of recieving additional tourmants moneys for driving a perticular product, think very hard on this and research how long the sponsorship with that boat company has been with the circut you want to fish. Also consider and research how long their contract is with the boat company and if the model you wish to purchase will continue to pay for winning rusults. Most of these tournaments have had lots of affiations, with various companies and tend to usually switch either companys or models every 3 or 4 years. By the boat your heart wants, not the one that someone else wants you to have, it will only lead to disapointment. Almost all the boat companies will have paybacks for 1st. Check it out before you write that $60,000 check.

Guys, sorry for being a bit cranky yesterday, but stuff started to ware on me pretty heavy. My wife recieved about a dozen phone calls on our lodge business 800 number for fishing information, and I recieved just about the same on my cell phone, while guiding. These were not for guide trips oR lodge information, they were for personal fishing information. Due to the great tournament results and the high water, people wanting personal FREE INFORMATION, has reached an all time high. For the most part, yesterday I believe was BFL. I and the rest of the guides on this board do an exceptional job in making general lake information available. Contrary to popular belief we are not PAID BY," Ozark Anglers" on this. Myself being a Moderator, is just a title it is not a paying job. One guy told me yesterday no one in is right mind would do that much work or give that much information, without being paid and since I was paid it was OK for me to give him lots more personal information. I had two beligerent calls yesterday that "Told me I was being paid to provide this info". WRONG I was told yesterday since I posted my cell on an open forum, it was ok to call me on it for the info. It may be ok to call, but please not while I am helping people that are paying me to help them catch fish. Guiding is how I make my entire living. I frankly don't give a hoot in heck how well you do in the BFL this weekend and for that matter calling me while I'm working for free fishing information, on exact baits and exact locations takes more gall than a Momma Bear with Cubs. Just venting abit, but I never recieve this kind of attention, during normal times. What's strange, is the lake is fishing for the most part much easier for the dirty water fisherman types. You can see by the large strings of winding a SB and Cranking a wart, they are catching way more than normal. Another alarming trend, is people fishing for MONEY, wanting free information. Here, I have to hand it to Rick LaPoint. He saw the writing on the wall years ago and stopped most of this foolishness, by selling maps and subcribing to his pay for information news letter. I'm sure he still gets the questions, but he came up with an answer. Forward thinking on his part. After the day I had yesterday, I'm about a sneeze from joining him. Good luck out there.

Phil, Eric, Don, Please add to this your updates and hopfully we will get this blessed question answered: Ramps I am launching on. Cricket Creek off the hwy. Lots of space for rigs and people are lanching there. State Park, No problem 39 Bridge at Shell Knob Ok, but may find some debris Big Bay Ramp at Shell Knob Very Good limited parking Campbell Pt at Shell Knob Ok but shallow, no problem with shorts or a companion H Hwy at Shell Knob Good parking and lots of space Eagle Rock Good parking and lots of space Baxter 2 roads shallow easy with shorts or a companion Kimberling Inn Good limited parking These are the ramps and roads I have been launching on with no problem the other guys will give you their spots. That is 9 ramps from Long Creek to Eagle Rock, and I am sure the boys will have more.

Gates were closed from 9 AM until this afternoon, to allow Scotty's Trout Dock to be put back into position. Powers that be were afraid it would break loose again and hit he bridge, and it was a hazard to navagation. Table Rock is going to reopen, but not to the extent it was. They are going to hold us and Beaver and see if they can run a little water out the lower end. Do not be suprised to see 920 Plus water into July. Man what a spawn that will create. It's all good.

T. I believe you can put in at Baxter, I saw several guys launching there. Also off H hwy. at Shell Knob, and again at Big Bay at Shell Knob. You can also get in on the 39 ramp at Shell Knob if the wind has not blown in full. All spots are pretty limited for the ammount of rigs that can be parked, but at least you can get in. Donny, I got a different story from those guys. Tim had 3 total, and Chris had 10 total, all really early. 9 on a wart and 1 on a grub. Nothing, from about 11 AM on. Did not hear what Eric did, but probably ok. He is usually pretty good. Also heard that Pete did catch them really well with 10 keepers, with an 8 pounder. They are not everywhere and if you catch one you had better work that area hard. Spoke to Beck a while ago and he only had 3, but one of them was a Fiver. Chris and Tim really struggled today. I don't think they skunked, but I think they both have Migrane Headaches. Beck reported that he was starting to get a headache, as he said it is really hard. I don't know about the BFL guy's, if this water continues to clear and the sun shines with little or no breeze, they will earn everyone they catch. IF they can still find color and we get an overcast windy day, they will get-em. I don't think 25 however. That was just flat special. Hope you caught them this afternoon. Seems the afternoon bite and the very, very early morning bite are by far the best. Midday has really stunk for everyone.

As I drove over the Shell Knob bridge at 6:30 this morning my the temp gauge on my truck read 21 degree. Mighty cool, but I thought I could get them anyway, as it is the right time. Picked up the boys, Cecil and Micky Carter at the Timbers, and they could fish and I mean really well. I wish there guide could have put them on something to catch. Lanched at Big Bay and went to the back of the creek, where we had been on them pretty good. Surface temps on Friday when I quit at 2 PM Friday were 59.8. This AM temps were 48.9 and the water was and had dropped like a rock. It was also starting to clear up. Could see our spinnerbugs at least 4 ft. deep. Had one off an outside tree row there, and then went an hour for the next off Campbell Pt. Way back in the Camp Ground. Every Place we went, the water was really cold. I could not find water over 51 till very late in the day. Found a pocket in the little Indian that was just about 54 and that was the top. Went 6 hrs. without another fish, and fished from Big M to Baxter. Caught two really nice keepers out of trees on the outside on the SB and that was it, it , it, it. I tried it all, did it all and fished it all, Just could not make it happen. Ended the day with 4 solid fish, but that is down right paultry for April on the Rock.

I completey forgot about Rick jerking those out of the Big Indian at Baxter. I believe he used a Norman Flake he got from Beck. Exciting day yesterday, with all the fish. Am, headed out the door for a full day of blade flinging at the Knob with a couple of Michigan Guys, that like the cold. Thank goodness. What ever it boils down to, Rick LaPoint had one of those lifetime days yesterday. Lots of stuff we don't agree on, but I am happy for him, or anyone that catches those kind of fish.

I was hesitant to post on the topic, but Phil told me too. First on the waters. Yes I would say for 90 percent of the people it would not be a wise idea, mostly depending on their equipment and the time they have spend operating under a similar situation. Myself, and for most of the guides that have guided here for years, not so much. Remember, I was the Water Craft Operations Instructor for the Mo. State Water Patrol for 3 years. I also operated a White Water Raft Company in Alaska for a 4 year period. Even now, the river we guide on in Alaska is at least as fast probably a little quicker than taney is right now. With lots of underwater obstructions, that does not come into play here. If you can't guide on moving water, you won't guide in Alaska. Now is my busy time. If I feel there is NO DANGER to my clients, I HAVE TO GO FISHING, it is my only livelyhood. Fish are biting and for myself and my clients with the equipment and the experence that I have, it is a way simpler and safer trip than those we make on the Naknek River and Naknek Lake everyday in the Summer. Launching and then loading is the only chalange, and if I have some one to hold my boat and keep the hull from being scratched on the ramp, it is a piece of cake for ME. Thanks for Caring. Be careful out there.

Fished today on the upper lake and it was really good. I caution to make this post as there are stipulations. The only launch is a Cooper Creek and with the flow it is quite chalengling to launch and then load. You must have two people for safety, as any mistake and your boat will be washed into the cable and into the conservation dock. When launching, warm your boat up for at least 2 or three minutes, making sure when you shift into forward or reverse, it will not die. IF it does, you will be in big and I mean big trouble, if your not attached to the trailer. There will be no time for a restart, you will just flat hit the dock and cable. In my 22 ft. boat, with a 225 hp powerhouse, ok, maybe. In a 16 or 18 ft. Alum. with a 40 to 60 hr. distaster. Maybe not a high side, but a low side like a tracker for sure trouble. Roark is holding quite a few fish and most were caught on jig and float. Did see folks doing quite well off the bank on power bait. Wear your jackets and be careful if you go. Everyone needs to know who, what, where, and when, if you go.

Whom ever told you the round blade deal was as full of "Hooey" as it gets. Throw it in front of one that's in the right bush, and you will nab him on a chunk of coal with a shiney spinner on it. Congrats to: Capt. Rick LaPoint with 5 that weighed 25 plus. Best stringer in a 5 fish tournament that I have ever see on the rock. I fished a Redman about 15 years ago that Jerry McCutchen and Sonny Chapin won, that I believe took 32 pounds, but that was a team and may have been the biggest bag ever weighed in on the rock. My partner and I had 22 pounds that day and didn't get a check. There was around 150 boats, it was amazing. Brad Butler with a solid 22 lbs. in second Charlie Cambell with 20.5 on 4 fish. What a quartet of toads. was third. He has forgotten more about fishing than I will ever hope to know. God Bless Him, I hope I am still fishing that hard at his age. Do you realize he was guiding here when this was the White River, out of a long drift Boat? Amazing, just flat Amazing. Jason Baxter with up close to 19.6 in fourth, with a big boy of 7.64 that netted him close to a grand, for the biggen. Pattern from a straight bush pattern of yesterday changed. Spoke to most of the top catchers. Yesterday back of creeks, and secondary points out of the brush. Today main lake wide open points with lots of wind. These are staging fish getting ready to move back in. Most felt the fish they caught yesterday were still back there, but the cold temps affected the shallower fish. The fish just moving up on the main lake points were not as affected by the cold front. Most of the guys I talked to said there fish didn't come off bushes they were seeing, just somewhat shallow in the main lake windy points. Most fish were caught on a tandem willow leaf or a size 7 single colorado. Most on the willow tandem. Several guys fishing the big windy flat points reported seeing lots of gizzard flashing and jumping. Probably didn't hurt. Jason, saw shad and saw a big fish flash after one and caught his big boy a couple of casts later. It is a pretty for sure deal the fish were chasing shad on the shallow wind swept points. Lots of the amatures did well if the pro was giving them a fair shot. They really shined on the long flat main lake points as it kind of evened the playing field by taking away first shots at visible structure. One of the keys was just moving the blades slow enough to keep them rotating. and killing the bait from time to time. Fast presentations just got ignorded. Lots of the amatures in the back did well by slowing down. The pro's trying to hit every piece of cover on some accounts were fishing way to fast. Couple of guys on the pro side told me that every cast they would say to themselves "slow down, slow down." Lots of fish caught from Kimberling to Long Creek. Mouth of the James to pt. 5 seemed to be the killer zone. Out of the bushes and on to the wide open points for today best action. By the end of next week, it should be unbelieveable.

Thanks Techo for posting the weights. Allways good to see that big drink of water. You know, I played Baseball in College, and was pretty good. Today I couldn't hit my way out of a wet paper bag, or for that matter, probably even throw a pitch over the strike zone. Most of my clients say yes, I am a really good fisherman, I fished all the time when I was a kid. Or, they say we fish all the time, at least once a year on vacation. Yesterday that would not and did not cut the mustard. I will be the first to tell you, the fish in the Heartland tournament books from yesterday were not available to most of us. Yes, there were some nice bags of big, Big, Fish. There were also about 50 of those 98 teems that did not do SQUAT, with a Capital K. Top teams of guides and pro-tournament anglers, that fish 250 days a year got after them pretty good, but some of the guys that fish 1/2 that, did not do so well. Wind, persion casting, and large waves, all came into play. Spoke to a couple of the teams and while one guy held the boat in the wind the other fished. Not uncommon at all in team events for one angler to sacrifice his fun to guide while the other fishes. In big money events one of the team will almost always catch the majority of the fish. Maybe not so much that he is a better fisherman, than his partner, but it is a team, and team work is really important. You could see by the weights yesterday which teams worked the best. It will be interesting to see today how the pro's go about holding their boats, netting their own fish and keeping their baits wet in this extreme fishing situation. There will be hero's and zero's. Lets see how many 20 pound bags we get today, and how many 1, 2, or zero fish bags. Something tells me there will be more of the latter. Will let you know.

Great move, and Super Judgement on your part. There is no way I would have condoned putting children on the lake tomorrow. That is just not what it's about.

The Rock crested at 4 AM this moringi at 933.25 Beaver Crested yeaterday, They are now knocking about 4 inches an hour off the level at the dam. this changes by the hour, and is kind of fun to watch. Be Careful out there. HEARTLAND TOURNAMENTS FOR THIS WEEKEND ARE ON!!!!!! Good to see Ya, Wouldn't want to be Ya. NO, NO Flat way would I want to be out there today. BRUTAL with a capital B.

There was no them. We only had the one fish, and lost another out of the same bush. Both in about 10 ft. of water. I found nothing on the bank that would bite, however the wind was so bad, you just flat couldn't fish it.

I tried to get in at the Shell Knob ramp, yesterday morning about 6:30 AM, and couldn't get in, due to logs and debris. One rig had lanched, but have no idea how he did it. Launched at Big Bay, kind of a out of the way hard to get to ramp, and lanched off the small parking lot. There is also a road running in there, and some folks were lanching there. Very limited space, and you had better be a good backer, as a couple of city blocks of backing are not out of the question. Went up to Eagle Rock after my wind blown trip, and tried to launch, off the parking lot there, and could not do it by myself. Grade was too shallow, had to at least have my trucks front tires in the water to launch. Could have been done with two guys or by yourself in waders. H, hwy is the best we have I believe on the entire lake. Heard yesterday someone swamped one on state park with the wind blowing in. Tony Wedle said there was 5 ft. water blowing in on the ramp. Be careful, there are huge floaters everywhere, that are all but impossible to see in these waves until its to late. If you don't have to be out there, stay home for a few days. It is riduculas to risk harm to your property and your life for a couple of hours of hard and I mean hard fishing. You are also risking harm to others that will have to come and help you. Stay off the lake, in this wind, cold and high water. Next week looks great.

Fished out of Shell Knob, yesterday, on what was scheduled as a full day trip. Cut it in half due to safety factors. Water at the Knob, on the stretch from the bridge to Campbell Point was at least 3 ft. and the water in front of Big Creek was the same. With all the sleepers and floating debris, it was just too dangerious to continue. All most all the guides cut short any full day trips. Spinner baits were the key if you could keep them in the water and out of the trees. I would guess the clients thru no fault of there own, were only making, MAYBE, 1 productive cast in 30 attempts. Did catch a nice 7.5 LM full of eggs. She was released under the same tree she was hiding under. Be careful today, as conditions have not changed abit.

Newest Information, from Phil, as his internet is down. Between 9:30 and Midnight, CFS will rise from 36,300 to 46,000 and maintain that ammount of discharge until early next week. Both Beaver and Table Rock are still rising and are not expected to crest until early Saturday Morning. Table Rock at 933. This is again a prediction of flow capasity and if they see that the lakes are continuing to rise, it would not suprise, for them to make a further adjustment on the gates. They do it as needed, it is not predetermined. All is very well at Lilley's, wish I could say the same for their neighbors to the SE in Holister. Lots of water troubles over there. Thanks for the pic's of powersite, we were all wondering and speculating. How far is the drop to Bull Shoals? It was hard to determine from the Pic's. We would be suprised if there was another rise of over the 2 ft. mentioned, going from the 36,300 figure to the 46,000. More tomorrow as I hope Phil will be back on line. I have an early Bass trip on the Rock, so will be out of action, until late tomorrow. We will really know something by then. God Bless All.

That's crazy stuff. Thanks for all the eye candy guys. Those smalley's were awsome.

Great Day In the Morning!!!! My neighbor lady waved me into her kitchen. She opened up the Fridgie and in a bowl sat 38 of the prettiest morels you have ever layed a lip on. Her brother-in-law found about 100 yesterday while they were hunting after church. Thats 138 morels, and I will tell you what, they were as nice and bright as you could ever want. Really nice size, about 5 inchers, all. Said they found them in the Blue Eye area around old fence rows and dead limbs. You All Can Commence the Hunt, the Season has Started.

Did not get the color info. on the presentations, but you seem to be right on.

Just spoke to Big Cedar's top house guide and he really had a fine day in the dam area. Water is starting to clear, some of the major creeks and larger coves are starting to get some pretty nice visibility. He and his clients caught them yesterday on the blade, but said today was a different deal. Grub fishing, sitting the boat in the 30 foot zone, about a full cast from what looks like the bank. Swim your 3/16 oz. 4 or 5 inch grub as close to the bottom as you can muster, hopefully almost reeling it vertically up when you reach the boat. Your not going to get rich, mind you. But if you are in the right spot, a group of a dozen mixed smalley's and K's might come your way, in a 4 hour outing. Move it slow and slow means slow. Good luck

One of my very good clients Ed Shawbaker of KC, put me on this bite. He and his pard, were fishing the Aunt's creek tournament. They boated 12 pounds today in under 4 hrs. Thanks for the tip Eddie. To tell the truth, they were on a bit of a different bite than myself and SK. Ed fished some transition with the boat in about 30 ft. working the SB from the shore to the tree or bush line in the mouth of the Big Indian. He told me wind blown water was very important for his pattern. Saw lots of dead shad being pushed up against the shoreline. Bite was between the shore and the trees, with some coming off the outter trees. This worked for me early, but I was not as deep. I would throw up in the mess as far as I could in the Big and Little Indian with the boat in about 16 ft. Seemed the outter most bushes, NOT the Trees held the fish. This died very quickly, and frankly SKMO found the next pattern. We went as far as we could back in the creeks, and looked for any bank we could hit. We found one with some wind, and you know the rest of the story. We did however, catch keeper fish off the bushes in the creek channel, but not as many as on the bank, or as big. Fish were in 1 to 4 ft. Water on the main lake did not work for us, but I guess it did for the Guy's and Gal's and the Aunt's Creek Buddy tournament. Of Course, I spoke to Bill at least a dozen times today, and he was working hard, but didn't put a quality bite together. Still believe he ended up with a 15 pound plus bag for 5. We worked the parrott and the charturse War Eagle SB's pretty slowly and killed them about every 5th or 6th crank. Sk caught a nice fish after letting his flutter to the bottom. He let is sit for a second and engaged the reel and wham he had one. I believe locations was the absolute key however little things did make a difference. Spoke to about 4 other boats, and all were a big Vippo. As a guide, I will be the first one to tell you I sure don't know everything, and this lake humbles me plenty. I do have a network, and I don't hesitate to use it. Friends are a great thing. Once I get a true working tip,however I can be a little dangerious. I may modify it or I may use it exactly, but good info. is hard to beat. I truly wish you would have had a better day. Good Luck

Started off the AM by my lonesome. Sk had previously told me his son was coming for a visit, and I assumed they would fish today. Got on the water at 7:15 put 3 nice LM in the boat in the first 30 minutes, probably a shade under 12 pounds. Sk, called and said he was free and I yelled for him to meet me and we would commence to wack-em. While I was waiting near the ramp for him, I lost a huge fish out of a single piece of Buck Brush right next to the ramp, I saw her and I will guess about 6 pounds. After SK's arrival, we hm-hawded around and each of us lost a fish or two. Fished the main lake flat stuff, but most of the bite I had been on stopped. I was catchin them in about 12 ft. on isolated bushes or willows on as flat of stuff as I could find. Around Noon, we picked up three out of some creek channel bushes, and SK saw a nice piece of lawn, with pretty green grass and a nice ripple on it. He immediatly caught one off a brush pile, and I doubled up off a paddle boat. Perfect condition, and we wacked 11 keepers off a little bitty pocket. Good to have friends with good ideas. On the way up and out of the pocket there was a telephone pole in the water and I told Sk, I was going to catch one off the pole. Babe called his shot as I nabbed a 4 pounder off the pole. He immediatly whirled around and pulled one off the bank in the oppsite direction. Good news and bad, might have lost my fish of the year without so much as a kissie poo. Got her to the boat, and she came out and said Pit-Tuie!! Easy 7 pounder maybe more. Looked back at SK, and his mouth was wide open. He said," That is the biggest fish I have seen in a year or two". He didn't say you Dumb butt, but from the looks of him, he was thinking it. I want to state for the record, that I did not cry, there was a bug in my eye. Great fellowship and a wonderful day on the Rock. Get out there and fish that muddy water, you might get a Big Suprise.

RPS, Great info on your post, and right on target, On how to fish and ketch-em. Due to the diversity of our waters and the three sub-species of Black Bass, we have, the spawn is not a week or two week thing. the Largemouth will start to cozy up when the water hits the early 60's, but some of our best fishing here is pre-spawn Smalley's and K's that are staging the first week of May. Beck and I fish a group of dentist that 1st. week and there are times we can sit on some of the major lake points in front of the big spawning coves and catch Pre-spawners that have their bags packed getting ready to move in. That main lake Smallmouth and Kentucky Bite is great from May 1st. thru the middle of the month in these type locations, and the fish are just flat full of eggs, waiting for that last moon phase. Up in your country which is LM territory, I would just about bet, they are in the same locations at that time, but for the most part it is LM, Post-spawn, getting ready to put on the feedbag after their baby makin, is over. A few will still be in a family way, but as you stated most will be on their way to gettin back in shape for the summer. Lots of Smalljaws and most of the K's are still partying while the upper river LM are getting down to rais-in a family. Always enjoy your post. Thanks, Bill