Bill Babler

Yep, that's the deal. If you get on the right location, its magic right now as they can be totally stacked up getting ready to move in. You get both Inneys and Outtys for the next month Great report. Good Luck

Guys, I have mostly been looking at a graph almost my entire fishing career From seeing spoonbill on a flasher to reading a paper graph on the Rock and then 2 D and now livescope. Always wanted to fish where no one else was fishing. I’ll go down a bank if I have to. I’ll throw a SB a Cranker or a Ned if it serves me but frankly. I’d much rather be catching fish away from shore, vertical if possible. I do love the little swim bait, jerk bait and the Dixie Jet. I’m addicted to catching top water fish in 50 plus feet of water near zero structure. I like to drag a big football jig in 30 plus feet of water. I just love to catch them on a float-n-fly, suspending in 15’ over really bottomless water. I like to catch crappie on a spider rig in the early Spring suspended in 10 to 20 feet of water over depth. It’s just I’ve always liked fishing where most people aren’t. Lots are now, but there is a lot more open water than there is shoreline. Going back to the early 1970’s I have the fondest memories of fishing with Rex Grady, a Branson fishing legend. We fished 26’ deep over a total void and caught a 100 plus K’s a day. He told me on the White River Chain One out of a hundred fish live on the shore line or around cover. I think it closer to 1 out of a thousand on the White. The old fishing icon’s of Table Rock gave me the saying the only reason there is a shoreline is to hold the water in. Not the fish. One of my best all time buddies told me if I had to fish the bank on Table Rock I’d starve to death. We all know who that was. We could and can see the refusals on 2D sonar. You really see them on forward facing sonar. Regardless of technology they still have to bite. On the other hand bank fishermen should be happy we’re not beating down a bank in front of you. Fishing technology has been here since I was a boy, I and many others have used it most of our fishing career as it continues to open up avenues of our passion in this wonderful sport. Good Luck out there.

They closed the gates?

They have had 5 gates open since yesterday

Man it has just poured for the past 3 hrs. We're trying to move stuff, but today is more than a wash out. Over 3 inches here on the SW side of Long Creek. 2 inches the day before so we are for sure getting the mushrooms watered. Only real problem is Blue Eye weather is showing a morning start tomorrow of 32 degree. That's just stupid for this time of year.

Get ready I have mine ordered. 😃

Ryan, you must have looked at one that's just out of wack. I've seen at least 5 different ones in action and they were all good. Not Pan optic good, but blew the mega live out of the water. Eye, wait till May when you can get your hands on the Live Scope plus. Or from what I'm hearing a new model this Fall from Bird Of course you can go ahead and get the mega 360 and wait for the improved mega live that's supposed to be coming if you like the Birds. There are some Killer Live YouTube's vids out there comparing under real conditions on the water.

That would be a shak on Beaver in Arkansas. 🤔🤔

Great job🙂🙂🙂

Old Yamamoto smoke red fleck Ctail is as good as ever and lasts twice as long as the Keitech. At times they prefer the expensive bait however. For me wobble heads or as they are known today Hard Heads are catching better quality, just not as many.

Only a 22. 😋😋😋 In the AIA Sunday heard lots of guys sorting thru 5 limits on that stinking little 2.8 inch Keitech. Some respectable bags on it too. 17 pounds plus. I guess Stone and his partner Pete had a limit in about 45 minutes and turned it over multiple times. Even captured a 5lb. LM on the little swimmer. Said you could see them staging on his Active Target. Took 23 lbs. to win the AIA. BBT didn't hurt a thing. You can bet they are flat munching this morning. Good Luck

If you went out today with a 2.8" Keitech on a 1/4 oz. head on the flat gravel from KC to Indian point with your boat in 25-30 feet and didn't catch SM that would be the story right now. They're staging all over the flat points and gravel leading into the spawning coves. Don't need to fish a ned right now, just throw the small swim bait and cover water. Throw it out, let it sink and swim it slowly back. SM early K's as the sun starts warming the water. Good Luck

Not defending BBT in anyway, but I have seen being on the water my entire life more litter come out of pleasure boats in a month than I've seen in a lifetime out of fishing boats. Their format is very fish friendly, as far as retaining fish, toting fish and weighing fish. I'm going to say, probably the best in the business. This is like our Ozark Anglers yearly derby where we weigh one for big. Same deal. For the most part we as locals hate to see them come and are more than glad when this weekend is over. Mostly because of just the pressure on the fish and unlike any other tournament they simply take the lake over for 3 days. I have not read the rules and I apologize for that but they need to tell these participants that pulling in front of others that are fishing a stretch is just a terrible idea. Lots and lots of the people fishing this fish no more than 5 times a year, maximum and just don't have a clue. Be interested to know how many actual locals participate. Say residents or within 50 miles of the lake. I'm guessing a very low percentage. I could give a flip how much the tournament owners make. This is free enterprise and the good old USofA God Speed on that. Tomorrow is Monday. They're gone, and I bet they left some for the rest of us to catch.

Feel your pain Ron. You just can't mess with them thru updates and Active Captain. Mine is perfect going on 3 years. I did have to repare the foot pedal and the force once. I can see a tiny swim bait at 60' on Live scope. The tech when he was installing my new units and thru hull transducer did update it this Winter with his laptop, but not using or thru Active Captain. Said the new units were symbiotic and would update the existing units. Really Lowrance hit it hard right in the head. Not any trouble with their motor or graphs and they work great. Maybe a shade under the Live scope, but not much. I have a live scope plus ordered so we will see how good it is.

Since they're dropping the bottom of the lake out and its as clear as gin in the mainland arms, I'm staying out where they're staging for now. Temps today 51 to 53 degree.

Lots of reports from the last several days on the Rock. Fishing pressure at full blown, but catching also blowing up. Fish can be caught in great numbers if your fishing correctly. NOT fish that are going to win the BBT or get you a big tournament check but lots of keeper size fish. Good buddy that is fishing the AIA today said he and his son are catching 25 to 30 keepers a day on the White River. Small 2.8 to 3.3 inch swim baits on a 1/4 oz. ball head or an underspin in 3/8th. Said they can't leave them to look for bigger fish, just to much fun. Their big fish has been 3.62. They said they would weighin about 14 pounds today unless they stumbled onto a Head, but doubted it. That would keep them in good position for the fish off. Jerk bait is also getting just hammered in Plus 1 Table Rock Shad. Guide reports same thing with bigger fish on the jerk baits. Rick Lisek Sworn to not divulge to much but these fish are a Rifle shot off the bank in 12' to 15' of water. That should be all you need to know to go try and catch them. FFS really helps but you can see them on 2D also. Good Luck

Anyone that even thinks about updating any Garmin unit of any kind or using Active Captain is going to totally regret it. PERIOD. Spoke with not only the former regional rep. last week and my tech and both said the Active Captain App. and the update program are total failures. There has been problems from the start, even hacking. There is only TWO THINGS you can do if the Force fails. Totally shut power down even unhooking the positive conection on the battery and then restarting. If that doesn't work, repare the foot and the hand held control, with the motor. If that doesn't work have them send you a new unit. My tech said no matter what they tell you over the phone at tech support on updates, DON'T DO IT. If it's not broke don't fix it, if it is broke request a new one. There are still bugs with the Force that need worked out. My tech says 99% is way to much software. The premise behind this was good in they thought they could make an upgradable evolving product that would continue to get better thru software updates. This has failed miserably. Mechanically it's great, and very seldom a problem.

I'm definitely not a fan of the BBT, but I do believe they absolutely do their best as far as fish handling. Over crowding, boat operation and just plain on the water fishing etiquette are the main problem they really need to address. Their main problem is for the participants, its all about ME. The College and High School tournaments are just nightmares as far as fish care. In efforts to get as many youngsters on the water fishing a lot of the platforms these kids are fishing from are really inadequate to provide proper fish survival. In the past around State Park to Indian Point its looked like we have LMBV after a college or high school derby with all the dead fish floating. Not been a problem with the BBT. Of course some don't make it, but that's fishing. At some point we're going to have to follow the examples set by the Bass Pro Tour and the Kayak fishermen and release these fish where they are caught. Especially pre-pawn, spawn and the heat of the Summer. Good Luck

Dock, very astute, Rick said they saw most every bite on Active Target.

Table Rock Lake 4-7-22. Guide Rick Lisek. One on the left 3.65 lbs.. Right side fish right at 4 lbs. Good buddy Rick Lisek sent me these pic's. of a double he had today on his guide trip. Said they boated a dozen over 3.5 pounds. You got to find them on your own.

We both ran Champion. Mike McClelland, Dan Langley, Kelley Powers, James Gilzow, and many , many more.

I'm guessing you don't use a financial advisor for your investments, or any life professionals to assist you along your journey.

Just ran across these while loading stuff to move. We were guiding a tournament for some dentist. I had an absolute monster day. My guys had 5 fish that weighed over 19 pounds. One of my best life friends had a better day. His guys had 5 that weighed 26 pounds, with 2 Jaws over 5 pounds. I'm balling like a baby looking at this. Hope you enjoy. Without a doubt the best ever on Table Rock Lake. Lord called him way to soon, he had lots more to teach me and way more fish to catch.

Yes if the tournament allows it. Most all do. I know Rick LaPoint has been active in this market and really thought of it. Wise move on his part and I believe he has done well doing it. Maps and way points. These guys for the most part are fishing circuits where not only pounds matter but points. Anything that is Legal they can get to help is on the table. We all have made good money, especially on the FLW tour as they booked all the guides full when ever they came. Bo worked with and helped derby fishermen for years and years. He didn’t do it for free.

KVD was the one that pioneered it when it was legal. Guides, marked maps and local info. Still is on the Phoenix Bass Fishing League. ie BFL and tons of other circuits. Most circuits in fact. I’ll still take 20 plus trips a year with tournament anglers and lots of the other guys do as well. It’s a big part of our business. All the old guides here have helped tons of the pros in the past. Pete Wenners, Bill Beck, Bobby Tindle, Buster Loving, Tim Sainato, Myself. I know Eric Oliverson has and Phil Stone. Rick LaPoint has guided them and marked maps This is not a new or uncommon thing. Never has been. Guides all over the US on every lake there are tournaments take or help participants.