Bill Babler

Surprised I didn't see ya. Lots of boats out yesterday. Eagle Rock had at least 1/2 dozen rigs at the ramp and there were a bunch more running. If I had not seen a bit of schooling action in the middle of the creek, I think I would have skunked. Glad you saw the Quail, they are way fewer than the fish.

Bobby, I wanted to get some new batteries for my trout boat so I scooted up to Eagle Rock and Fished for 3 hrs. yesterday starting at 9;30, I was already at Golden getting the batteries, so the Eagle Rock ramp was but a hop, skip and jump.. Could not get them to bite the Ned or a jerkbait at all and got lucky seeing some swirls in the middle of Viney Creek. Caught 7 swimming a Keitech, only one decent keep, rest in the 14 to 15 inch range, mostly K's. Did catch 2 LM in the fray. Surface temps at 46-47 degree. These fish were out near the mouth right in the middle. After they quit I zoomed over them and really could not see them deep. It's only about 40' where they were but they were moving. I started swimming the bait right under the surface and caught a couple but the majority I counted down about 20. There were a few small groups of shad right on the surface, and that was all the bait I could find. Wind started whipping in there and that was that. Thanks for the report

Chompers makes a head just about like that only flatter and both have caught about a Zillion Fish on Table Rock. Pair it with Jeff Fletchers old Arky or any of Chompers Hula grubs and you have done and gone Old School.

Just a quick deal on the weed guards. I'm going to say now that they make absolutely no difference on hangups. At times with two fishermen I fish one with a guard and one without. I also at times use a guard till it comes apart and then just clip it off. This is on the water trial and error hundreds of hours and the guard makes little or no difference on hangups. I'm not throwing it in the brush, I'm fishing Table Rock with it. What does make a difference it the weight of the head. I throw a lot of 3/16 and even up to 1/4 and if I'm fishing extremely shallow they will hang. Right now not at all. If I drop down to a 1/16 or an 1/8 very little hanging up thrown completely up on the waterline. Weight and depth is a hangup problem way more than the weed guard that if you drop behind a rock makes little or no difference anyway.

That's the keeper I was thinking of and it they would have the head flat at the back for the glue it would be perfect. I guess there is still a better mouse trap that could be built.

I have really liked that little size one hook. It most always catches them right in the upper lip exactly where that brown fish in Quills pic is punctured.

That last White River report I did, where I could not find deep fish that end was really good on a ned. We fished it twice and you know do overs are seldom fruitful but it paid off. If you can get some wind blowing into that road bed pocket both points are fantastic with a jerkbait. The point just opposite of that as you know runs way out into the pocket and has huge boulders and stumps on it. You would never think of that by looking at that clear bank.

Don't know them, but have kind of claimed them as they have hunted EVERYDAY for about a month straight. it is just amazing how dedicated these guys are. I guess they are now goose hunting. I don't know what seasons are still open, but they are blasting every morning, sleet, ice, cold, fog, rain or shine. I bet they go to bed before I do and I did not think that was possible. They are hunting the High Dive Island and the Clevenger Island both right out in front of the Lodge. Seems like one day one island and the next day the other They seem to always right at daylight give a barrage, and then about 8 we will hear them shoot another volley. Night before last we were enjoying the hot tube and there were just hundreds of geese on the lake all from Clevenger to the Long Creek Bridge and lots flying and honking right at sunset. It was very cool to see all those birds. Earlier there were some mallards but have not seen any ducks of late.

Quill your photography is simply outstanding, those are not only beautiful fish but are highlighted in your photo on their best side. It's really hard to take pic's by yourself, but you do a fantastic job. Where you caught that small jaw there are 3 small brush piles out there. Was he around them? On the Walter that has been my best location almost every time I've been up there this year. Everything I have caught on that end has been on a ned. That is a super jerkbait location but they don't seem to want it there yet. Great report with beautiful pic's thanks as always

Dock, that is a fantastic detailed report. Cannot tell you how much we appreciate it. Congrats on being one of the brave ones that got out yesterday early, it really paid off for you. Be interesting to know how many fish this dude tagged. At 7:30 this morning in the rain boats were running here at the mouth of Long Creek, and I did hear my duck hunters for one volley about 8. You all are a super dedicated bunch and we appreciate any of this fantastic info in the Winter. Thanks much.

If there is wide collar attached to the head it just won't hold the Elaztech. It needs either a bent wire keeper or nothing, but a solid smooth round head base to glue too. Durn I have a feeling that Dave's wife must not be doing well. We need to contact him. I'll try today.

Wow, that was exhausting. Don't know who he is claiming is doing inaccurate reports as there are only 3 guys doing them. One is an older gentleman that mostly is relying on what he reads or hears, and the other two are Pete and Eric. I converse with the lakes top guides plus some of the lakes most active fishermen everyday and both Pete and Eric are pretty much right on with not only timing but current fish activity so there is that. I don't think either is sponsored by Jug and Plug. "What ever that means."

With this Ice fog again this morning and visibility to just about zero, I did not hear my duck hunters till after 0800. A bass boat roared by Clevenger Island in the total fog and about 5 minutes later I heard them open up. I guess the boat ran some over to them. 35 degree here this AM. Its clearing now and the boats are running out of Big Cedar. BURRRRR

Dustin has made a name for himself as a fantastic A-rig fisherman. I have not followed his career in tournaments where its not allowed to know how well he has preformed. ie as far as being on a pro-circuit. Thing is if you can catch them you can catch them.

1-15-19 30 degree here at the Lodge this morning with a very heavy ice fog. Duck hunters are out and were shooting prior to 0700. I have also seen 2 bass boats running and I think this would even have hindered our primer cold weather fisherman Champ. Carry on.

Sweet😂

Pair that with a Lew's Tournament Pro and you are absolutely set. The 7'2" Swim Jig or the 6'10" Finesse jig are very versatile. 5/8 would be max for either rod but 3/8 and 1/2 oz. are more than perfect. They throws a 1/2 oz. spinner bait, small whopper plopper and a fin simply excellent also. The Swim jig is my go to Summer White river Bait casting rod. Mike McCelland designed the Swim Jig and he also uses it to fish a hard head up to that 5/8 number. What ever you want to call it, Hard Head, Biffle bug or what every, the Pro's are really using it. It has cut a huge hole in the crank bait industry. Mike came in second here last year in an A-Rig derby fishing 3 baits that were not A-Rigs. He fished the Hard head on a Swim Jig rod. He fished a Rock Crawler on a Micro Cranker and he fished a McStick on a MMC jerkbait special. You do that in March and April on the White River against A-rigs and you are the man. Good Luck

No snow, no sleet and no Ice. 3.55 inches of rain. James, I had that one good day on the jerker, but durn that Ned rig is just outperforming about everything the past couple of weeks. That is of course if you don't want to throw the A. We of course will not go there. The same fish that are biting the Ned are seeing the jerkbait in these clear water locations, mostly 45 degree transitions with chunk and a bit of gravel. They are just not moving up on the jerkbait and are just very gently picking up the Ned. Most bites for us were just a very slight tick to just being a bit heavy.

Don't really think it makes much difference, but the guy that pretty much started using it in the Winter quite a few years ago was Mike Webb. Any of their 3" Gulp Alive minnow baits seem to work. How good, who really knows? Only real problem with them is they will dry out in a minute. Not quiet as bad in the Winter but still bad and they are expensive. If I'm in a derby and going to make any kind of a run, I just put a new one on at each stop, once they are stiff they just take forever to rehydrate. I will give you a tip, a lot of the deep guys are using a 3/8 short shank jig with a size 2 drop shot hook tied about a foot up to the swivel to make a Winter drop shot rig. it gives you two baits, and two weights. I have seen several very sneaky ties on this. One is using a 1/4 oz. Mojo sinker just above the swivel then the size 2 circle drop shot hook to the weighted jig head on the bottom. Most guys are using a Yamamoto or Chompers C-tail, seem like smoke or grey or salt pepper works the best on the jig head. On the drop shot the Gulp Alive minnow or a swimming minnow or a shad shape worm. Back in the day we used a tube and it is still good but it is a very slow dropper regardless on the weight. These stupid fish have been 50' to 70' and the other baits just get their quicker and will catch them pretty much as good as the tube. 8 pound test lines drops way faster than 10 or 12 pound test. when you are fishing deep fish at these depths I want it dropping as fast as possible. When making a drop shot as described above the use of 8# on the reel helps it get to the desired depth way quicker. I have also mentioned this before. I use 12 to 15 lb. Invizx on the bottom portion of my drop shot. The line above the swivel gets absolutely no abrasion unless you are dropping in timber The abrasion comes at the terminal end of the drop shot and with a diameter at .011 and .013 line size is of completely no concern, for catching deep Winter fish. Most of the abrasion comes form catching and releasing fish and the slightly heaver carbon helps with that as not so many reties especially on that complicated of a drop shot rig. Also taking into consideration the quality of the drags on your reels and the lack of ability to really pull as fish do in warmer water this rig seems to work well when trying to fish soft plastics deep in the Winter months. Both Bill Beck and I caught 1000's on it and I myself have never broken a fish off in cold weather on this rig fishing open water deep fish. Good Luck

Good Luck Champ, and yes they are running again this morning 1-12-19. By 8:30 only 2 boats had came by but man it is cold and nasty. Of course this is Saturday and the duck hunters are out. Have heard at least 4 volleys of shots. We are going to Noodle 21 for lunch and then settle in for the "CHIEFS." Happy Chiefs day everyone.

1-11-19 0730 this morning 34 and raining and I've already seen 3 boats running. I guess I"m just an old Fuddy Duddy. Man there are some guys that really love to fish.

That was Bill Beck's memorial tournament. No A-rig. Fished by several of the Pro's on the New Bass Pro tour. 2 bags in the low 15's and then 13.5. We only had 11.91 but one of them was a 6 pounder and we got big bass. I caught it on a drop shot with a gulp minnow at 70' on the bottom.

Not out of Big Cedar as that is right across from me so it is not guide trips or a corporate type of a deal. All the boats are coming from toward the day going south. Just came in and its not as bad as it could be out there although it is cloudy and windy. Just several guys out fishing, but kind of odd during the middle of the week like this. Carry on

Lake in the dam area is simply full of boats running. I mentioned this earlier in Bo's Birthday thread, but now at almost 10 AM it has doubled. On a Wednesday morning 30 degree I can see 5 boats actively fishing and lots more running. Got to be something up.

Belated happy BD. Cold here this morning at 27 degree and a bit windy. As I sit looking out the Lodge window nursing my java, I have seen at least a dozen boats zoom by, that are a lot madder at them than I am. Boats started running at daylight and have not stopped. Burrrr.