Bill Babler

It really doesn't matter what your experience level is to any of the guides, all our trips are taylored to that level. They are also set up on seasonal patterns which rule Table Rock. You need to book trips at the time of the year that you want to try certain tactics and develop new skills. As IL Fish pointed out we all have somewhat different ways to fish every seasonal pattern. Most of us however are in communication with each other throughout the day, especially if we think we are working harder than we need to find fish. Table Rock guides have one of the best networks in the country and are always ready to share it with each other during the fishing day. The biggest problem locals have is they go out with us and learn something new. We catch fish and then when we see them again they tell us we caught them good with you and then on our own we couldn't get bit. Locals have caught fish here and it is almost impossible to change what they do. Yes they will think the guide trip is better than sliced bread but as soon as they are back on their own they are back doing what they did prior to the trip. If you want to go down a bank and throw a Rock Crawler or a Blade 12 months a year or you want to drag a Ned around, that's what you do and no amount of guide trips will change that. Most of the guides are never fishing for fish, we are fishing for bites. The more bites the more fish. Power fishing for the most part means less bites. They may at times be way better bites, but not lots of bites and I want lots of bites and will use the seasonal pattern and the clients ability to generate the most bites possible. Not including the Ned on the power fishing, but the Ned is so popular and it does generate bites at certain times. I like to fish for concentrations of fish if possible and July thru the end of the year I am most often looking for that. Long winded version. If you have something you want to learn or try, give any of us a call and we will do our best to tell you when to go with us to your best advantage.

Not at all, but fishing the BFL is not Elite or Full Time FLW touring pro's. Most often these are guys fishing in the front of the boat that are everyday guys that own companies and businesses or guys that save vacation. ie they are just like you. I will tell you they are not worried about travel expenses or entry fees, and if you are, you really need to rethink your position. This is money that is not important to them. If you need it for other things or are worried about it, don't do it. I always tell folks when booking guide trips if my price sounds like to much for you, IT IS. Don't do it. Same things apply when fishing tournaments. This is a game, no different than softball or golf, you are not going to the Elite Series or the new MFL series no matter what you do. You can do FLW or BLF as that is all about the green, and if you can afford it you can do it. Remember this, for the most part the guy in the front of the boat unless this is his home water, or he has fished it multiple times knows exactly squat about anything, or really he knows just what you know but has ponyed up the bucks to fish the front. If you get the chance to fish with the Elite guys it is always a plus, but most times on the BFL it is just the Jimmy and Joe's

I've got to taylor my trips so my clients with not as much fishing experience as most us have, can be put in the best position for success. Most of the time fishing either two or three clients going down a bank with a crank bait or a spinnerbug is not going to be to their advantage, even if that bite is good at the time. To many people fishing and not enough fish. Jig bite really slowed last week during that extreme high pressure. Its not back yet outside of swimming either a bladed jig or swim jig thru the deep trees.

Surface temps the last few days has been hanging in the 76 to 79 range depending on area of the lake. This morning at Shell Knob it was 77 and pretty much stayed there. I'm going to go ahead and do the K-Knob first. Lets just say Shell Knob to Big M and Shell Knob to Baxter as it is all pretty much the same deal right now, with one note worthy exception that I will tell your about in a minute. Lots and lots of drop shot fish in the 26 to 40g foot range not so much really congregated but several on a lot of locations, mostly gravel. There are also fish chasing all day long, some in the middle and some just about everywhere. I can't catch them worth a hoot on top water, but they will eat a under spin with a 2.8 inch Keitech decent. What they will eat the best is a 1/2 oz. Little George in Silver or Chrome. I started at the end of last week with 5 most of them probably 20 yrs. old and I now have none. They took them from me. Today especially, as I saw something I have not seen for 25 plus years on the Rock. Today I witnessed at massive school of LM chasing shad. The last time was up the Kings River near Blue Hole today it was at the mouth of the Kings. I was fishing the point going into Mill Creek at Twin Rivers and saw them bust right in the middle of the White River Channel. Its 98 feet deep right there. I really did not pay a total load of attention as I thought they were Whites and would be up and down. Deal was they stayed and stayed up. Finely after about 5 minutes I just had to go check it out as they just kept surfacing in about a 40 acre patch. I pulled out there and tossed the Little George. and it was a total slam and while I was reeling in the fish I saw that they were LM. busting all around the boat. Got the fish to the boat and it was a solid 4 pounder. When to reach over for him and he dived and snapped off the George. I had another one rigged so I calmly did the same frigging thing and lost another Little George. These were on 6lb that I had been catching K's on with out a problem. These LM were not that by a long shot and they were moving and slashing at top speed. Picked up another rod with a yellow magic and they were still busting all around me. Some of these feeds were as big as a bushel basket. Tossed out the YM on 8 pound Maxi and as soon as it hit the water if was gone, I mean it was like you threw in a 500 lb. boulder. It was there one minute and I had a slack line the next. I had 2 remaining rods with baits, both were under spins on 8 pound line. I boated 6 LM on them all about 3 pounders before the Keitechs were torn off. I also caught 1 more on a drop shot and one on a swim jig. All cookie cutter 3 pounders. These fish were on the surface at least 20 minutes and then they were gone. Wish I would have had a camera guy but the futility and craziness would have really embarrassed me. Reason for all the lite tackle was I was to have had some extremely mature fishermen today and that was what they were comfortable with. Due to the rain at Shell Knob they did not get out, so I was on my own after the drive over. I has also been catching some up there swimming a jig thru deep trees, and that has been a hoot. Now for the rest of the lake. The deep Football jig bite has really tapered off, and the drop shot bite is back on again from Kimberling City to the dam. Guides are telling me a half day trip they are using 6 dozen crawlers and fish are both suspended and on the bottom in the 26 to 35 ft. range. James River is still fishing well on the Football Jig at that same 30' depth range with some really solid K's and LM along with the big boys. Hope I don't have to wait another 25 years to see LM surface on the rock in a massive school like this. I don't believe there was any other bass in that 40 acre school but LM and as I have said, for the Rock in Post LM kill that is just something few people have ever gotten to see. Good Luck This post has been promoted to an article

That's a really nice morning. thanks for the pic's and post.

My gosh it was totally spellbinding. Remember when I said nobody catches them everyday. That would be me and Ed today. Surface temps the last two nights have dropped about 4 degree and we were greeted by one of the most magnificent sunrises I have had the pleasure to see in a spell. Zero surface activity between point 18 on the White to point 10 on the James to point 8 back on the White. 5 hrs. on the water today. Full moon high pressure clear blue sky and I really did not have a clue. Fish were still in the 30' range but either suspended about 5' off the bottom or just laying there. We had at least a dozen each pick up the jig and put it back down. The rod shaking bite I had been on turned into a tippity-tap mush drop it bite with the conditions we had today. Managed to put a few Keeps in the boat, but nothing not even near what I have been on.All our fish came on the 3/4 Pig Sticker Quick 5 in Brown Orange with the big Copper Nicholes Craw. We were dragging hopping and reeling it on the channel swings right on the edge of the gravel. Just completely reeled out with new Lew's Tournament Pro's. they have been totally reengineered with larger gears soft grip handles and the ergonomics with the gold really work well on my Falcon's 7.5-1 you need that speed when picking up line on these fish especially if they are running to the top or running straight at you. Pictured are 2 Heavy Cover Cara's with 15lb. Invizx. 7'4". Bait size up to 1.4 oz. One Signature McClelland Heavy split-grip 7'6" 1.4 oz. bait size and one Amistad split-grip 7'3" 1.6 oz. bait size with 12lb. Invizx When you are fishing these deep fish with the 3/4 to 1 oz. jig you need an extremely strong back along with a very sensitive tip You have maximum cast length and that bait is a long way from your hand. You need the power to set that hook. This weather is going to stabilize again and in the next couple of days, with the warm weather we have coming I expect they will be right back on that big jig. Good Luck This post has been promoted to an article

Thanks appreciate the input.

Those are really nice LM. Have you gone up toward Eagle Rock any? Was kind of wondering if the kill up there has made much difference.

Just got off the horn with Chris Tetrick MidLakes Guide Service. He guided Baxter today and on an 8hr. trip they caught and released 71 spotted bass. Said he had 20 keepers but nothing over 2 lbs. 30 ft. suspended today, over 40' to 50' nothing much up the White on the bottom. All drop shot fish. Chris always does a great job. Same depth I'm fishing but I'm on the bottom and I'm fishing a way different age group. Point 9 to the dam right now is really holding quality fish as is point 9 up the James River.

From what I'm hearing Bo, up the White and not the young ones started the last couple of days. I guess Snowden completely hammered the top water bite yesterday All on a W. Pooper.

Kimberling City Mo. Launched at Schooner Creek this morning at 0700 to perfect overcast breezy conditions. Had Mark Pritt in tow good friend and client. Surface temps had dropped to 77 degree with water clarity at 15' First big run to start the day had fish surfacing completely around us, all Black Bass and loads of them. We only had 4, two on top and 2 on the chrome little George. Really did not make one hoot of difference as we were there to jig fish and they were right where Steven and I left them on Friday. They tried to hurt us this morning as we brought 3 strong limits of SM to the boat. Only had 2 or 3 short fish and jumped off several. Several times this morning I thought I was in Alaska fighting Halibut. I had 3 different fish that just durn near whipped me. Had the drag cranked down on the Steez with just about no give and they pulled it no problem, 15lb. Invizx. A few years ago I had a trip where I had a young lady catch 3 jaws over 5 lbs. on a tube in one day. No 5 pounders this morning, but our best 5 were an easy 17 lbs. of Mean to the Bone Jaw, as far as size this was probably my second best day ever for best 5 smallmouth. The day on the tube we had 20+ pounds best 5, so it was just a super outing. Fished 5 locations in the 4 hr. trip with the last spot being a zip. I tried a shallow ledge rock area that I usually catch them on this time of the year. Wind was hitting it perfectly, but no love. All our fish were still in that 28' to 32' depth range and from speaking to the guides this last couple of days, all the crawler fish are coming from the same depth. All our quality fish came on the 3/4 Pig Sticker Quick 5 in either Greeen Pumpkin Orange or Brown Orange and we used the Nichole's Texas Craw in Copper. Ran out of Copper and Mark did catch our last fish on Road Kill. I cannot begin to tell you how blessed I am to be able to earn a living on one of the most beautiful lakes in the World. With the Fall bite slamming into us like a great White Shark, this lake seems to be in splendid condition giving up big brown fish like that. Mark has fished St. Clair several times and said today it had nothing on Table Rock for quality Small Jaws. Good Luck

Welcome to the forum and thanks for your post.

Well said Champ 96 and remember from my post I had lots of help over the years. I will still have days that this lake humbles me and nobody catches them every time, just is not possible. Thanks All and Good Luck out there chasing them

Sweet.

Guys I have been fishing these deep runs and rolls this time of year for the past 25 yrs. They are locations that 99.9% of fishermen drive by each day. Steven and I were fishing one right in the middle of the lake day before yesterday and it was only 17' deep on top, I mean right square in the middle. I have never seen anyone on this stuff, that is not a local or a touring pro or local that looks for it this time of the year. There are tons of great guides and locals that don't try and mess with this deep jig bite as there are usually other deals going on too. I'm all over this right now, but I have also had my butt kicked at Shell Knob, and I'll tell you either way good or bad. I did however hear that a similar bite is going on at Shell Knob, just not on the deep gravel but it is also a big, big jig bite. Promised not to mention where or how but from what I heard yesterday it is producing the same as the down lake deep big jig bite. Here are a few that look for it and fish it, or have in the past that I learned from and fished with. There are many others also, but on some of these locations I have never seen a fishing boat. I wish the fish were on them all the time but their not, only an early Fall Bite. They will be gone before I know it. Brian Snowden, Chris Tetrick, Bill Beck, Buster Loving, Tim Sainato, Tim Paige, Bob Tindle, Mike McClelland, Dan Langley, Rick Holmgren, Phil Stone. The other day with Steven it really was super that a boat load of keepers blew up all over us. As I've said many times it is always better to be lucky. Good Luck

Nobody touches my baits but Timmy.

Nope completely sitting still, looking straight down at them. As I said in my original post there were still bites but it had slowed way down and the trouble with most of the bites up there is they are youngsters. On a brighter note today was not yesterday. About 4 times a year I get the pleasure of taking son Steven. He is down for the weekend and we hit the water right after the lightning storm. Launched at Cow and they are still biting and most of them are good ones. When your son only gets to go a 1/2 dozen times a year, this is kind of what you like to see after a day of jig fishing. We fished till 3pm and Steven said we had between 20 and 30 keepers. Not a big fish in the bunch but my gosh we had 15's 16's and 17's out the ying yang. Never really got out of site of the truck this morning, with the majority of the bite just a bit deeper at 35'. If I got the boat under 30' you just would not see them. As soon as you were between 30' and 40' it was on. We even had fish bust and chase around us, nice big Whites and keeper size Black Bass in all three Table Rock lake varieties, nothing at all like yesterday. As Bo alluded to earlier point 9 damwards is the ticket and has been for a while. We also did not see a single bass boat that was fishing, not one. Saw one ranger running but that was it on a overcast Friday in September. Had lots of Small Jaws out deep and they were just plain mean. No pictures of Steve as he does not like to hold them. It hurts his little Chemical Engineering Hands, but here is one of his jaws

The FLW has been a gravy train when they are here for TR Lake Guides, as Champ said the only qualifications to fish is deep pockets. I have taken a boat load of those guys over the years and to say they pay well would be an understatement. Lots of those guys own huge companies and this is their means of escape. Took one guy during their non-off-limits practice period for 5 days. Gave him my bill and he doubled it and added a $100 a day tip. The FLW has been very, very good to us.

Mike read it like a news paper. Clients will see all those bottom marks and say Hot Durn, were in them. We might be in them but they are not into us. Easy to tell when they go into that mode, its almost time to head to the coffee shop. Don't want to go back to the Lodge as there are Honey Dues lurking there Good Luck

Got a report from the Kimberling area from one of our locals guides and that deep bite is still on. He had 8 thumpers on the big jig while I caught their offspring. Here is a test, what do you all notice about the fish in my 2 graph pictures. You can't tell what's going on you will waste a lot of time. I'm sure you all got it, who will take a shot not named Bo. Champ or Quill Good Luck

No big Jig bite for me this morning. My client was sick this morning and could not make it so with this bite I headed out to check out the Kings River. It is the only water I did not fish the entire week. Launched at Shell Knob at 6:30 with lots of help at the ramp probably over a dozen rigs already out and after them. Headed up the Kings and it looked like the water was on fire, I mean they are on the surface clear across the mouth from Twin Rivers up that straight as far as you can see. Could not get them to hit any top water so I used a small spoon and a little George in Chrome. It was a catch fest, problem was they were all extremely young. Most of these fish at 11 to 14 inches and I caught in 2 hrs. probably 40 with a combination of small whites, K's, LM and Jaw's. I think I maybe had 2 LM that would have been squeekers at best. Loads of fun but nothing like the rest of the lake. Water is really clear I'm guessing 12 to 15 ft. at the mouth and was running around 83.8 to 84 degree. When I quit at 11 it was 86 degree and my truck at the ramp after it had cooled down said 96, so it was kind of warm. Rest of the morning after I left and they were still chasing at 9 AM was really slow. I dragged the big jig a Carolina rig and even a Ned and caught some but nothing worth a picture, all about the same, mostly LM that were very lean and 14 inches. As I was working the jig I saw lots of bottom fish and they would not have it so I dropped the spoon and the drop shot and could catch quite a few but they also had milk on their lips and were mostly short K's, 13/14 inchers. Would have been a super fun guide morning and I did have fun, but lots of little bass, and that is a good thing. Look at the depth change from 7:42 to 8:4, as the sun came out and got bright about 8AM they headed down. The rest of the lake they are down there to begin with, just a lot of schooling activity by young stuff on the Kings. It's funny because the other places I'm fishing I'm not catching huge numbers but they are quality fish with very few shorts. Kind of a day that Shell Knob is known for. If there is a solid fish between Twin Rivers and Viola you could not prove it by me as they hid really well.

The baby brush hog is the only trailer I ever use on Grand unless I'm flipping docks and probably should use it there also, but have had better luck flipping that tiny jig.

Where did all that money all of a sudden come from, free derby entry fees and 1 mil payouts? Looks like BASS was the fox caught in the Hen House and are now deciding not to suck all the eggs. Got a feeling if MLF had not stepped in, it would have been business as usual. I know it would have been. Just the fish care aspect of this is worth the change, but as Champ pointed out these guys are just the most visible, and the root of the problem is the Jimmy's and Joe's of all the local stuff day after day.