Bill Babler

Something to keep in mind on Table Rock is the Shad Kill. This has the total opposite effect from trout fishing. If you see shad in the death throws or floating in windblown pockets in the Baxter to LongCreek areas of the Rock, its best to AMSCRAY, BIGTIME. Unlike the feeding frenzy the trout put on eating anything white, you just can't get bit with dying shad in the area, when you are fishing the rock. Way to many easy pickins. Nothing is 100% a certain, but most of us will avoid the dying shad at all cost. For the most part the trout concentrations below the dam, far out number any shad that come thru. When lots or rafts of shad are coming thru the dam, the trout will even slow down. With all of the forage and not nearly the number of bass, they get full in a hurry. Haven't heard of many dead shad in the Kings or White so that is probably the place to make your stand. Maby some info on Long Creek today and the dam area as there are several guide trips out for both crappie and bass. We'll see. Thanks for the good report Fishrman, sounds like you are doing very well, appreciate your reports.

Of all days to have to fish, Bill Beck was out on the King's Saturday. Most of us Lazy types, put our Saturday trips off till a warmer and less windy Sunday. Even SKMO stayed in, so you know it had to be bad. He only fished a pretty short section, from Royal Point to the mouth, mostly due to high wind and freezing temps, but came to the house with 25 fish with 15 keepers up to 7 pounds. All Largemouth. Said his best 5 would weigh about 19 lbs. and all caught on a pointer or Tim Hughes Table Rock Shad. He was Pumped!!! I took my guide trip on taney early Sunday Morning and gave him a call to see if he wanted to go back up in the PM and catch a few more on this much nicer day. I called him around 11, AM. He was already up there and had been fishing since 9 Am and absolutely, Nothing. He winded up about 3 PM with very little success. Guess the Bass liked 35 mile an hour wind and freezing temps. I rarely have success under falling water temps, and with that much wind you know the stickbait would have been a bear to keep in contact with. He reported water temps, from 40 to 44.5. Water started to warm on Sunday afternoon, and you would have thought the stick would have been on, but he said they completey refused to eat./ My, what a difference a day makes. As much as we all fish this lake, it is a total suprise everytime we go, with about as much consistancy as my wife at that special time of the month. The only way to have success, is to go long and often. I would hate to just try and pick the right day, as I have been fishing and guiding the rock since the 70's and I still don't know when the right day is. You just have to go fishing.

Taxi, A very nice trout, is anything over 15 inch. Lots of quality fish are coming from the restricted area in that length up to 20 inch. The fish are very vibrant and full of fight. They will gladly accept your stick bait and by throwing it you have the opportunity of catching the best of the best.

I just can't understand why they haven't shown up yet. Spoke to Buster yesterday and he is puzzled also. One of the slowest starts to the season we have had. You would have thought with all the generation the fish would have made a move. Good fisherman are working the lake and it is just slow. Maby they will turn on in a fantastic manner later, Can't wait. I think we are all waiting for one good report and then Katty Bar the Door.

Guys, we are going to have to do something about the Freak. Look's to me after he totally put the wammey on the Rock, he moved to Bull. We were catchen-em good on the Rock until he showed this year and now he has gone to Bull too absolutely put the chill on. He is the only guy I know who can put a skunk on Beck. Freekie-deekie, we are going to have to go, so I can take the wammey off of you, before you ruin all the liquid we have in this area. Come to think of it you can only watch. I'm afraid if you fish you will ruin the 07 season. I'll get you going and get this skunk off. I'll make Sk put us on one of his honey holes that won't fail. Give me a call when you get a free minute or two.

Good buddy fished the Shell Knob to Holiday Island stretch today and reported very good action on the suspending rogue. Transitions banks, and gravel pockets off chunk rock. Purple over white continue to be the best color combo. He also took a stint from K-City to the dam and reported shad kill by the thousands and just could not get bit with all the free forage in the pond. Knob, to E-Rock is still the best bet on either a jig, stick or wart. Sparing on the wart as it is just a mite early, unless you are moving it at a snail pace.

Rick, marches to a different drummer than the rest of us, always has and is as successful as anyone. Got a feeling if he used a weight and string as a locater, he would do alright. God Bless him, and wish him all the success in the world.

Just a quick note on the shad. Bill Beck, fished the Kimberling City to Dam area for several hours today. And said it was flat no use on the rock, as there were so many shad in the water. Litterly tens of thousands of shad floating and in the death throws. Maby some of these will find there way to the intake and come on down.

Perfect!

Brian, a few years ago we were fishing during 4 generators and 2 guys passed me in a rig just like that. They had high bass seats mounted on top of the already raised seating in a 14' richline. I told my clients if they go to the dam, they are going to get in trouble. Four generators were running so hot that the concrete anchors and the side walk were under water at Cooper Creek launch ramp. Within 30 minutes, here came the sirens, and the water patrol. They had gone almost to the cable, and thrown out a concrete block on a chain over the bow to anchor them. Whtinesses said when the boat hit the end of the chain it catapulted the guy in the back about 15 ft. over the bow. At the time Jerry was the dock hand at Lilleys' and I believe he went up and saved their boat and motor, and a tackle box or two. They were saved but for the life of me, these were grown men in there 60's, you would think that between the two of them there would have been one brain cell.

That question, whould probably be better for Tim Paige. He is probably throwing it now. I'll tell you this. 3 years ago the first of March I took my wife out 1 Sunday afternoon. She likes to go and fish a little but hates to cast. She has just about as much fun watching me, and just being there. Making a long story short, I told her how I was going to catch a bunch on a stickbait and she could watch. I caught 1 right off the bat and she asked if I would just give her something to drag around, she didn't care if she caught any or not, she just wanted to play. I never caught another fish and she caught I believe 8 or 10 dragging that Dr. She was dragging in about 12 to 20 feet, and they were for sure on the bottom. Probably why the stick was not to exciting. I probably should have switched to a jig, but that would have been giving in. The water was for sure in the low 50's and she was dragging on some long flat points infront of spawning coves. I never switched to the Dr. as I am too stuborn. She kicked my rear.

You guys are a bunch of loosers!!!! However let me say, that from mine and Bill Beck's last couple of trips, we may want to hire all of you for guide service. Bill has had 3 bites and I caught a trophy smallie that was just over 6 inches. Freak, I blame this all on you. I bragged all over on your shaky head expertise and the skunk has befallen all of us. Get your butt out there and catch some fish and get us all off the snide. Next week we will put the hammer on em. Good Luck. Hey, you Table Rock Freaks, the brown trout are eating it up on Taney, get over there and see what a fish over 15" looks like.

Fish, You may have read what happened to Sk and I up there last week, and it wasn't pretty. Massive drop in water temp along with high skys and High pressure makes it tough where ever you are. Beck called yesterday, and said his last two days he had 3 bites. Thats the rock. If Beck is only getting 3 bites, the rest of us are indeed in trouble. Before the cold snap, we were lighting them up at ER. Buddy of mine caught them good today on the Stick however. They were not on the bank, but on pole timeber at least 30' off. Refer to an article by administration on late winter and spring fishing, where I refer to bass Hiways. They were right in the middle of the road. If the wind and the temp, cooperate next week should really get it started. They will be on the transitions where the channel meets the bank and were bluff goes to chunk and where chunk goes to gravel. Wind is still almost a must this time of the year. If you don't have a good chop, my advice is to stay home. If it is sunny, and the surface temp is rising, with a good chop, you should get nipped. Good Luck

Boy's I have a question? What is a steelback minnow? I had several experenced gentlemen that were in there early 80's, tell me of using these minnows in the 1930's and 1940's They were one of the favorite baits for the float outfitters, of the day, along with craw-daddy's. Are they slicks, or chubs?

Boy's this was just flat one of those day's you never forget. Hit the cable about 8 Am, with long time client and friend Bill Nicum, from St. Louis. We were straight lining 1/32 oz. white jigs from the cable to clay banks, and it was 8 to 12 fish per drift. Most all were 17inch and above, with loads of browns. They were running three very gently and the drifts were just amazing. We saw a lot of the takes as the fish seemed to take the jig in all columns of the water from surface to bottom. Ouite a few shad coming thru, but more seem to be on the Table Rock side of the dam. As I was going home across the dam there were at least 50 gulls diving on the Table Rock face. I like to drag the jig, most times, but today they were wanting it without drag, casted to either end of the boat and allowed to free drift. The takes were vicious, as they slammed the slack out of the line. This pretty much continued until around 11 am when they kicked on the number 4 generator.. The fish didn't like the extreme flow and slowed down to about 4 per pass. By noon, the flow tempered and they bite pretty well till we quit at 1. If there is anyway you can get down here now is the time. We haven't seen this in about 7 yrs. The last time it was this good, Phil and I guided Brent Frazee the Outdoor writer for the KCSTAR. We had a monster trip that he talks about to this day. Here are some photo's all the browns are different fish, but they look like they were cookie cut. When you hooked these browns, they would catapult from the water. Several flipped in the air like a dolphin. Extreme stuff, enjoy.

I believe the long boats he was referring to were the home made plank and wooden river john's made by Owen's and the early river float company's. Gentlemen this has been a great experence and the contributions have been fantastic. I however have spent so much time at this computer, I have neglected some of the duties I have here at the lodge. It has been pointed out by the innkeeper, my wift. I also have guide trips and maby, just maby a little fishing to do. I've got to take a bit of a leave, but will keep all of you in mind. God bless each and everyone, I will still post on my guiding activities, but the boss has complete cut off any projects that take lots of computer time, and research. Sincerely Bill Hope you have enjoyed this as much as I did working on it.

Guys, Please take a look at the post on the Table Rock Bass forum. topic dated 2/12 2/15 Topic title SHOULD HAVE LEFT THE BOAT AT HOME. Check out post no. 13. These are the enemy we are battling as far as the consumption of walleye eggs and fry, according to MDC. If you have a hankern for fish, make sure to put these little nubile nibblers on your plate. We need a bumper sticker, EAT A GREEN SUNFISH, SAVE A WALLEYE.

Caddis,in reguards to your question on the Black, I would assume the river had a migratory and a resident population, as it is the basic same water shed as the Current River that is populated. The confluence of the Black and White occurs at Jacksonport Ark. Any fish that would be associated with the Missippi dranage I would think whould have populated this river. I have found 6 or 8 websites that may reveal this information, but they are all pay per view sites. Some of you may have encountered this. The largest percentage of my piece was just general information I could get from word of mouth or gleam free on the web, and from biologist, newspapers, and sporting magizines, and the best being word of mouth by guys that were fishing in the 1940's. There has been some indepth research done on not just the walleye, but all indigenious fishes. This for the most part is pay information. Biotanical Information on the four seperate eco-zones in Arkansas is available in several different formats, all pay per view, with probably the most comprehensive By Mathews and Robison, on the Distribution of Fishes in Arkansas. The Book is $50.00, but I bet it can be found in one of Arkansas public librarys. For that matter, I bet I can order it from our library. I am for the most part very interested in old fishing stories like the ones that Tight, has presented. Our main focus has been the Powersite region, or the Missouri Population of the White ie Bull Shoals. My great interest is were they there and how did they catch-em. As far as evidence of walleye in the tributaries of the White, I had a hard enough time really finding out if and how many were in the upper White from Mountain Home to Branson. Have you found evidence of Walleye in the Black as far as people catching them in the early 1900? All this is very interesting, and I am not as I said before an expert. I just found out what I could and hoped others would add information that I was not able to find. Which has been the case Good Luck on your quest.

Say what you will, however i felt the point of the blade. We will definately have to give those tight lipped skunks another dose of our great fishing ability next week. Look at it this way, we probable can't do much worse. I may be making a walleye run, you interested? Give me a call. You know its not to long till Fish Dr. time. Keep your ear to the water and see if you hear anything about the Kings. It may be worth a voyage up there, to check out the walleye. We'll use your boat as I hear it is impervious to stumps.

Priceless, to say the least. That's the kind of stuff that make this one of the best fishing forums in the country.

I don't remember what I guessed, but I must have gotten it right. By the way, they won't tell you the questions you missed, you just have to jot down any you are having trouble with and look them up. Mrs. McDucky, I have a duel major in Education and Recreation Administration. When I design a test it is to test the knowledge of the material presented in class along with any gleamed from the reading the text. I always wanted to make sure the gist of the material was digested. This test is like none other in the fact there will be a question that will pertain to nothing to do with anything, and there is always 4 correct answers for any question. No question is ever black and white, all the answers are always grey, with one maby a twinge darker than its litter mates. It is absolutely the most unfair exam I have ever taken. But I passed the sucker. Come to think of it. I dont' believe it is C as you do not have to wear the work jacket if you are in the wheel house or below deck.. Look it up and let me know. There are always a question or two on Work Jackets.

Hey!!! SK, you had to be referring to our last outing. I did catch one unsubstaniated dink. Tech. If you found flip flops in the water at this time of year, someone needed to have sunk. The only boat in destress we have heard of lately, is on upper bull, with the bow sticking out. Haven't see it yet but if it rains the latter part of the week, I'm going to go over early one morning and try the walleye.

PO. Well catch a few for ya, while were putting on our sun screen.

The White is a major tributary of the Missippi and the Missouri is also a tributary of the Missippi. Both the Missouri and the Missippi, not to mention the Grand have had walleye since recorded fishing records, They would have had to have been native of the White, like Fox said you just wonder how plentiful. Early catches by Tight's dad, plus the 29 catch and the gigging activity, most certainly prove, the old River Jacks were there before the dam, and up on our end of the White River System. Without a doubt, the dam concentrated these fish and made them more accessable to anglers in that time. With the stocking and the management practices we currently have underway we are very blessed to have this fantastic fishery. Tight, your dad for sure was a Jack Salmon Master. Not to give away any scerets, but how did he like to fish for them? What was his best time of year? Are you still using the same techniques you learned as a boy, or have you changed your approach to catching em? I know you have a ton of stories we would all love to read. Could you give us one of your favorite fishing stories? This is great stuff, thanks to all the contributors.

Rats!!! I got caught!!!