Bill Babler

Great news about the dock. Thank you all so much. Even if they are doing this eyedabassman, look into putting a keel guard on your triton I have not had a glass boat without one for the past 20 yrs. You can currently purchase one and install it yourself for under $150.00 or have it installed for under $200.00 and never have to worry about a dock again. Takes under 15 minutes to install. Wipe down the area with alcohol, peel the tape off the back and stick it on the boat. It is that simple. If you have a creeper probably take you under 10 minutes. You will never be sorry. Anymore you see very few fiberglass boats without one. Good Luck

I have two pairs, and am really not a fan. They will do if I cannot find any of my other glasses as backups. Denny got me a pair a couple of years ago and at the same time I had purchased another pair. They seem to go on Super Sales every year for next to nothing. Probably a reason $189.00 sunglasses sell every year on special for $29.00. Before I mortgaged the family farm or tried to buy them for resale, I would use them to see what you think of them. I believe this is 3 yrs. in a row they have sold cheap this time of the year. Good Luck

I can't ever remember a loading dock at Tucker. That ramp is extremely wide. If you have either a metal boat or a keel guard it is not problem at all. Just ease up on the ramp. Don't try to pull to the shore on either side however as there is heavy riprap holding the ramp area. If you do go over to the marina, buy something if they are open. Can of pop couple of candy bars or something. It not only promotes good will toward you, but also others. Good Luck

I'm going to do a quick follow up on the upper lake. Yesterday I fished a full guide trip and when we left Phil's dock, I knew the water looked different. I immediately called the COE and as Phil reported they said 704. On Friday they had said 704 early and then 705. I think that was correct. The 704 for Saturday was certainly not. Capt. Stevie, followed me up and we both headed for the Dam. I was so apprehensive I stopped prior to Fall Creek to call again. This time they said 705. I knew they were off. The new riprap just below fall creek was high and dry and the center rock formation at the delta of the creek was rippling. I took a breath and headed up. Made it, but will not do it again, and very few will if they don't have the proper equipment. Either a jet or a Hydo Jack plate and still know the upper lake. Mouth of Fall Creek, stay left, but not on the bank, as there are logs from the last dock on the east to about even with the mouth of the creek on the West. Good guess is 20' off the shoreline. Do not attempt to go up the middle. Phil's river boats might make it, but just below Fall Creek the delta there is Shallow. Bass Boat or a VBottom will get in trouble. That is limestone and dolomite along with some major chunk rock and it will not give like gravel. Stay left 20' off shore and then as you past the creek mouth cut over to the ramp or West side. The gravel bar on the left has extended down and created a long gravel run of very shallow water, starting about 100 yds. above the creek. I saw two boats hit it yesterday. Proceed up the West side to the end of the new Chunk Rock RipRap and then cut sharply back to the East as you near the end of the RR. Here this channel has really changed. It has extended and narrowed by 1/2. Yesterday with the water so low, I got a very good look. The flat has extended and fingered with a major gravel runnout extending down at least a 100 yrds. further than it ever has been. It also narrowed the channel to a width of perhaps 25 to 35 foot wide. If you see a boat drifting that stretch, shut down and wait, for them to clear it. No way you can get two boats thru if they are drifting sideways. There is no room on the West what so ever. After you clear the flat proceed up the middle of the lake past Andy Williams home at the bend. On the East Lookout Island has extended as I mentioned in a previous post. As you approach the upper end of lookout stay in the middle and watch the water, you will see a seam just as a kayaker or a canoe floater would. Approach that seam on the right side of the middle and keep the boat on plane. Stay on plane thru clay banks hole and as you approach the upper narrows, stay to the right side as the channel is now running along the right shoreline, water depth is 16" to 2' at best. From this point you can see the conservation ramp. drive directly toward the ramp, never coming off plane. The depth of the water in the middle and on the left is about 8". When you reach the conservation ramp you can shut down and catch your breath a little. Proceed up the middle to Big hole and then stay left to avoid the flat below outlet 3 or as we know the left side to be the rebar hole. It looks to me like the hole has deepened somewhat. Stay on top here and as soon as you past the tree just below the island cut right and drive up the center of the lake to the cable. There is fish attractant boulders on both your left and right here, but going right up the middle you will be safe. I am not recommending anyone do this currently under 3 units. Both Steve and I once we got up there yesterday thought we might have gotten lucky to make it. I drifted out of there and had to pick up my trolling motor twice before I got to overlook island to show you how shallow it was yesterday. My 22' AlWeld is a tunnel hull with a Hydraulic Jack plate and I had that baby cranked up to the 4th. spoke. Boat still handled flawlessly on plane, but it was still abit shallower than I'm happy with. I hope Phil and I can get together and make a new map of the upper end, as soon as we can get some time I'm going to see if we can put something in the works. Good Luck and stay safe.

You all are a source of inspiration. I guided a full day yesterday and thought I was going to die. Clients rod guides were still freezing at 12 PM. Had to put the fly rods down as the line kept freezing on the back cast. It was like they were trying to throw a frozen rope. I guess they were.

Thanks Steve, Great point. You make the most of your opportunities and win or lose when it comes to fishing and being on the water with friends it is a win, win situation. Table Rock can be a very cruel mistress or she can be the girl of your dreams. I like her pretty good catchin or not. Good Luck

Great report and pic's. Both John Sappington and I guided the upperend today, drifting from the dam to Fall Creek. John Guided yesterday and his party of 3 boated 101 rainbows and browns mixed. That is one super day. Today my party of two had close to 70 and I believe John was in the 60 fish range. John is fishing a bit different that most of us and I believe he is catching them on a big bright worm pattern on a drift rig. I'm still drifting shad flies and they bit them today from rebar down thru Fall Creek. Rebar to the cable was crowded and the bite was not on that far up. Water is about the same color as it has been, somewhat of an aqua green. When the sun shines on it however you can see a lot of sediment in it. We are going to fish shad flies on a flyrod tomorrow. There were at least 1/2 dozen guys fishing streamers up there today and they were doubling like crazy. I'm kind of like Phil in that I cannot judge the new bottom quite yet do to the off colored water. I will tell you this, it is VERY shallow at the bottom of clay banks where it runs past the island. Nice to have a tunnel hull and a hydro jack plate. I believe we were at 704 this morning, much under that and we are going to see some messed up stuff. The tail end of the island has really changed also. There is a big exterior gravel run that is new and right at the end of it you will get bit every time. When your drifting along the island, hug it as close as you can. There is a seam running right down that gravel bar that empties into a nice hole. The hole has always been there however it has been further east. Now it is right at the end of the new gravel run and we doubled every past we made on it today. Going to be really nice after next week. This shad bite will not last forever and when they turn the dam off we will have to put on our thinking caps again. Need to come and catch them when the catching is good. Good Luck

This is a bit off subject here, but I believe it is relevant. For any of you looking for a home on Table Rock Lake if you are a fisherman, the first thing I can tell you is that you have to be mobile. You buy a house with a dock and really if you are a died in the wool angler, you have not only shot yourself in the foot, but you have put a bullet into your belly. Table Rock fishes 110 miles and it does not fish the same in any 10 mile stretch. If you are not willing or not able to constantly move on Table Rock you are in serious trouble as a fisherman. I have heard lots of guys say we just will learn our water and learn to catch them near our dock. "IT DONT WORK THAT WAY, NOT HERE." Every good fisherman on this board is extremely mobile. The guides here are extremely mobile. I live at the mouth of Long Creek, I fish Holiday Island to Cape Fair to Long Creek. You have to chase the bite here, and it is the easiest lake in the world to chase the bite. There is information on a constant basis on how and where. It is very hard to bend these fish. McBasser caught some and did a great job. He fished stuff we would fish on either Truman or lake Oz during muddy times. Great Report. On the other hand there were guys fishing the clear water catching 15 to 25 keeps, you have to chase the clear water for big bags and also quantity Some of the local tournament guys are posting big fish on facebook. Look at the water, it is upper James, Upper White River and Long Creek water. A bit off topic, Stay after them and good luck to all.

Absolutely excellent fishing. You used baits that would scare the begeebers out of me. You caught them where the locals could not. Congrats and thanks so much for the fantastic report and pictures.

Got a very good friend and one of the best fishermen on the Rock. He also guides some, not as much as he used to. He put in at Aunts and fished 4 hrs. from there toward Kimberling City and SKUNKED. He called and asked " What's Up." Dirty cold water it is really hard from point 11 to point 5, I'd stay away if I could

Just got off the phone with Beck. He said in 98 or 99 he could not remember which year, Bassmaster had an open here and Mark at Table Rock Tackle and Marine sold 5,600, V86 and V38 warts in about a 4 week period of time. Dudes, that's close to 1,500 warts a week walking out the door. I tried to look up the schedule of 98 thru 2001, and could not find it. It was a Spring tournament. Only other time when I can think of sales going thru the roof, was Mark Davis and the wobble head. They just went off the market for 2 months you just could not find them. Totally gone.

Fly's I might have your sainted Papa beat with the Net. You tournament fish with Bill Beck and Buster Loving for 15 years, you will be an expert at netting fish. I did not say Catching, I said Netting!

1/8 with a 3/0

Nice report. Had a couple of buddy's fish that way yesterday and they had to work really hard to get a nip.

Nice Catch Bozinsek Rocky Ford is over by Grandview. Romp if it is open. Thanks for picking me up.

Really nice points made here by all. I am kind of one of those guys that won't hang with a crankbait long unless I'm getting some attention. I have never just exchanged colors, sizes and brands throughout the day. I may change a color once, or a brand or a wobble style but that pretty much puts me on something else if they don't start on it fast. I have of course being from Lake of Ozarks been in love with the wart. Fished it from the start. Now I fish the Phantom Green, Phantom Brown or Spring Craw R. Crawler more. Only time I throw the wart, is if they are "Dead Shallow" Someone mentioned it and he hit it on the head. The wart just works shallow I'm talking under 5'. At times fishing the R. Crawler, it is sticky fished super shallow. It will however work deeper. Mike McClelland says 12' on light line. I have seen guys fish a wart on 6 pound line to get it deeper. Scott Pauley and Kelley Power. I have never had to tune a R. Crawler. I have had to tune every Wart I have ever fished. No where near as bad as a Redfin, but can be mentioned in the same sentence for having to tune. I have several that just won't run. I have never had the hooks catch each other on a Rock Crawler. I have the hooks catch each other all the time on the Wart. Tim may remember one of our old Guide Buddy's Ron Vaughn. He guided here in the early 90's He did not care if the wart was even near the bottom. He would set in 40' and crank it back all the way. Caught a ton of SM when no one else was cranking that wart, pretty much like we do now, swimming a grub. Rock Crawler is not going to leak. Just not. When Spro first came on board with the McStick's the complaint was the bait leaked. No body even mentions it now, same with the Crawler. As Champ mentioned, be careful with it. I know that is a strange statement for a crankbait, but you throw it on the rocks or hit a tree and I'm going to pretty much assure you, you won't like what you get back. Kind of funny however, cause you can get it replaced. Send it back, they send you a new one. I think in 30 yrs. I have broken maybe a dozen warts. Every time it has been my fault. Biggest reason they break is slamming them on the water to get a leaf or some moss off. If your so lazy ie, meaning me. To not just pull that leaf or piece of moss off and have to slam the lure on the water, you pretty much get what you deserve. Again worth mentioning it twice. Don't slam that RK Crawler. Never. Personally I'm going to load the gun with an RK Crawler in Phantom Green and put a V38 wiggle wart in the other chamber. I miss with both of those, I'm headed Deep. Good Luck

Yes

Good Job Bo. Everyone looks like they were no them this weekend. They are saying its going to get plumb nasty. Shame. Quill get that knee fixed and get back in the game. Are you going to have it scoped or what? I got two of the worst ones in the world. will probably get them both replaced in October when my season winds down. That should put me back in go mode by Spring of 17. Good Luck

Got a feeling that your best 5 did a little bit better than 10 pounds. You had some skinny bucks, but there are a couple of really nice fish in that set of photo's. Thanks a bunch for sharing. Great information.

You can launch at Hickory Hollow Resort for I believe a 5 buck fee. It is 2 miles below the bridge or you can check out Rocky Ford. Follow 39 South about 3 miles into Arkansas headed for Berryville and you will see the sign on the West side of the road. Sometime this launch is open sometimes not. It is a small boat launch. Good Luck

Nicely done Y'all. Were my old eyes deceiving me or did I see that a bass latched on to a Waga-moga-sagi-sacki thing of a bob?

Did ya see Champ and Donna? Believe they are up that way today and from the sounds of things, they may be doing ok.

Fly, both you and Ab's made me giggle on that one. If you think that netting fish is easy you need to come down to taney with me when I have 4 clients on my trout boat. At times when I'm just covered up, a person will ask if he or she can net fish. I always tell them if you think you can do it. The amount of stabbing, swinging, dropping and missing is just hilarious to watch. The folks that are netting are pushing one way the guy with the fish on is pulling the other way and the fish is thinking not today. Kind of reminds me of the fencing match in the Princess Bride. Lots of steel clanging and no one gets either caught or hurt, including the fish. Had to stop and laugh just then at some of the Hi Jinx I've seen just trying to net fish.

The rubber nets are a wonder when it comes to the multiple hooked lures, but the Daiichi Death Traps I use on most stick baits will stick right thru that rubber. It just amazes me. They are the only hooks I have ever used that goes thru that rubber as easy as butter. They be very, very sharp.

Don't even ask me that Question