Bill Babler

We fished the main white river yesterday and had a very similar theme. Lots of bucks, but we did catch some thumper K's with full belleys of eggs. All our LM were bucks, just like you. Wish I could answer your question. Let me know when the big gals start going up there.

This crank bait bite usually has such a narrow window. It is enhanced this year with some water color and all crankbait chunkers should take advantage of it. It will fade away as quick as a chocolate chip cookie in a school yard.

Again, great job. Looked like a lot of Bucks.

I would say you just made 2 best friends with Phil and Duane. Gosh that sounds like fun.

You abandoned schooling and chasing bass to pursue CRAPPIE? Your are a true Son and have never met a sizzling crappie fillet that you did not like. On the other hand I would have probably abandoned schooling and chasing crappie with an overpowering urge to find a skinny buck bass I could catch and release. Speaking of that it sounds like the Indy 500 here this morning. Some of those backhoe boat driver's must think there is a fish or two in Longcreek this morning. PS Duane if you get more of those sizzlers than you can possibly stand I might have a place for your left overs. Have a great day.

No I think you have to have a federal pass even to launch at Emerald Beach, any of the 3 ramps over there, or even the ones in Owl Creek. I'm going to call Rasnick and see what is up. My concern is that a private person is now in control of a Federal Park and Launch faculty and is charging a daily fee.

Yes, this is very hard to understand. At our meeting at viney we were told that all ramps going into Table Rock were at the discression of the corps of engineers and were all available to the public. This is very confusing and I am going to get to the bottom of this. Pretty soon there is going to be no access to Table Rock at all. Am I to understand that the park at Long Creek is not closed and that it is under private ownership of Johnny Morris? How in the He$$ does a private individual take ownership of a Federal Park? I want to see where this went out on bids and who is responsible for this.

I am on that water everyday, and I believe that Verizon has towers at Shell Knob, Eureka Springs and Branson, so it is really the only deal.

A fish every 4 minutes it just about as good as it gets, Great afternoon. Sounds like a very nice amount of keeps for 2 hrs. also. We fished 2 wart colors in the same area. Were not nearly so successful, but did have a wonderful day. Thanks for the wonderful report, makes me what to get right back out there. Good Luck

Does not warm up much in that length of water. Very similar to taney, a lot of the time you can still see if they are running it the same temps 15 miles below TR dam. Especially this time of the year. I have and had been catching very nice fish in 4 to 6 pound range above Eagle Rock and have posted the pictures, not every time but very frequent. These fish are now gone from my deep flat brush and channel swing Winter locations. Bo is correct, the river fish use depth for cover and suspend on depth rather than structure. It is extremely hard to just back out and catch larger fish. Also these fish are in somewhat of a constant movement type of pattern this type of year, raising and lowering in the water column. That are also moving up and moving out. Again and we have heard this word a lot, it is called staging. They are in different locations during the 24 hrs. of each day. The big fish that the guys are catching and have been catching on the Alabama rig are fixin to move and it is really close to happening. This will change the game. As has been previously posted the same folks are catching them every weekend. And in really the same locations. I believe after this week you will see a totally new cast of characters as the fish move shallow, and start into prespawn. Quill, I could not get bit today above the Kings River.. Had a super day below it on a wart.

You are hitting the river at a very good time barring heavy rain. Most of the boys in the know up there have a very good supply of Flicker Shad for both casting and trolling. Crappie just love swimming minnows that time of the year usually with a 1/8th oz jig head. There are some really good fishermen here that patrol those waters in the Spring and I'm sure they will give you the heads up. Good luck and enjoy your stay up the Kings River.

My apologies Teddy, I thought you said you were only wanting to fish within 5 miles of Kimberling City and that you wanted your wife to catch lots of fish and you to target Big Fish. My mistake. Table Rock is a very hard mistress. It should be fair to middlin when you and the wife are here. Still what you may consider a large amount of fish or a big fish is your perspective. I put on about 30 boat miles on each of those trips. Lots and lots of moving and running. Both days I had fishermen that stood the entire time, had fished Table Rock for years and could throw a jig or grub in a bucket at 30 yrds. Attention to detail and fishing locations that are that day holding fish is quite challenging, not to mention bass fishing trips on Table Rock are pretty much like work. I wish you and yours the very best and as stated please follow the forum for current patters that would apply to Kimberling City at the time you are there. Tournament results here are not what the common person is achieving. Yes it is easy to look at the top 5 or 10 persons in the results but then look down the line at what they are catching in the rear of the field. I believe in the last BFL about half that field skunked. I guess what I'm trying to say come with modest expectations and then surprise yourself and have a great trip. Anytime I catch a 4 pound plus fish on this lake I am more than a happy camper. Anytime we put 30 fish in the boat in a day it is a special day. Enjoy beautiful Table Rock lake with the idea you got to catch one before you catch the second. Good Luck

Easy there Buddy, never meant a word of disrespect. I was just using you as a gauge. If they are weighing in 4 fish limits of 20pounds and you are catching them like that, it may be the deal. You add a 5th. fish and that is 25 per day on the Cape Fair deal. I could care less what you drive and who you root for. I'm durn impressed with your results. I for sure cannot catch a 6 Pounder every trip, but wish I could. What ever your doin, keep it up and God Speed. Sounds to me like you have another axe to grind with me. Sorry you don't like what I do here. I for one appreciate the information you have provided and look forward to the derby, thinking you have a pretty good bead on what is commin. Good Luck

I believe the same gentlemen won both Saturday and Sunday. That is at least what Bill thought. I know Busby has been catching them since January so he is not an unusual participant. smbasser, 30 keeps during a derby is one great day. It is more like a winter time spoon bite. Congrats on the special day.

I have not been up the river, but have talked to Pete and I don't think he is catching them anywhere near like that. The thing is they can move up so quickly now that it is unbelievable. Lisek had a good day at Baxter yesterday with a couple around 5 pounds and lots of keeps. Tomorrow may be the day for the crankbaiters as it is going to be a very warm night with a warm day tomorrow. It is just on the verge of really breaking loose. I think I would be armed with a jerkbait to fish pretty shallow with some color and a wart with some red and chartruse on it. If you go by Fat Boy and the Local derby out of Cape Fair it will take 100 pounds in 4 days to win. I'm guessing more like between 60 and 70. Regardless, if you can get your can out there as they are going to go.

To tell you the truth, I have no idea I am not catching fish like that, even close. I am going to guess they are crankin up the James River. Beck fished up there day before yesterday, and had a good day. Nothing and I mean nothing like those huge weights however. You have taken my post abit out of context. Or maybe just poor writing on my part. Catching fish on Table Rock lake for those that have not fished here is by far a very different ball of wax from locals fishing a tournament out of Cape Fair. it is pretty hard to judge fishing results on Table Rock from Local tournaments. You have guys that are willing to run where ever it takes, they do not have distance limits. Did not see any of the team members being ladies, not that they cannot catch them, but are they willing to fish for an entire even and never sit down or never make a bad presentation. Lots of variables here in trying to judge tournament results with visitors to our lake. Thanks and good luck

Yes. The White River today was 50.2 at Viney. Went up as far as Panther and it was the same. I am guessing the dam is in the same range of 48 to 51. Dateline, just talked to Beck, and he said that is exactly what the temp is.

My pleasure boys. We did have great numbers for what has been going on. Wish we could have put a Big Blackie in the boat, but those nice Spots Jim kept catching were fun for your old fishin guide. Thanks again boys.

Yep, you will be my first call. Sorry on today trip it did not happen exactly like that. We fished Viney Creek and had 12 fish. Fished with Jerry Kinney. Great guy that is a pleasure to fish with. Seems we have really had a hard time his last few trips. Had he and his son out this last Winter just as the deep bite ended. Again for us nothing on the A-Rig. Jerry had 3 on a jig and 3 on a grub. I had 6 on a grub and that was the deal. Weather front after front kept blowing in and out with scattered rain. Forgot, I did have 1 17 inch walleye on the grub that was counted in the 6. Seems again like we only caught fish on 3 or 4 locations. Nothing on the other locations. We would either catch a couple of ZIP.

Yes the girls are way more frugal than we area. If Becky is fishing with me and she loses a Fish Dr. she is ready to quit. She would probably faint if she saw me loose back to back A-Rigs. Lost 3 megabass baits in 2 hrs. one day and that did register with me. But that's the way the cookie crumbles

If your staying at Lilleys' the best bet for bass would be to launch at either Cricket Creek, or State Park and fish the Clevenger/Beardsley to Arkansas on LongCreek. Bite is starting to pick up a little there and most of the big tournament bags this late Winter have came from that area, fishing mostly to suspended fish in the deep trees. This is probably not going to be your deal, but the grub bite is starting to pickup and there are White bass in the vicinity that like the Alabama Rig. Also a good buddy of mine had just a fantastic day last week on a stickbait fishing that same area, targeting Cedar tree tops. Try a Spro McStick in Blue Bandit around the Cedars, but for sure have a Hound Dog lure retriever. His best 5 one day last week, and he said it was the best set of fish he has ever had on Table Rock totaled a whopping 27 pounds, Now that is a bag of Bigguns. Fish slow and even if it is tough, make every cast be as good and as patient as your first cast and you will catch some. Look for transition banks on the channel side of the lake with either pole or cedar timber. Take your time when presenting to the Cedar tops. Be close but far enough that you will not hang in them. Throw past the top and pause and twitch the bait near the side of the top, just moving its head but leaving it near the top. Fish both sides and keep moving. Good Luck

The guys were just ganged up fishing under the 86 bridge today on the Kings, so for that to happen during the week, there must be something going on. Just a guess. When you are fishing an A-Rig from Shore, you are most likely pulling it back up hill. That is a big NO-Go. and will cost you money. I'm fishing mine with Table Rock Bait Company Hooks on Jig Heads ie Chompers. and they will bend out. I'm fishing 80 # Power Pro Slick 8. Good Luck

What he said.

IF you see the White Phoenix up there flag me down, and we will get it set. I'll look for the Stratos. Bryant should be able to get you close on the durn thing. I'm going out of Viney this morning. Sure I will have plenty of help with the derby boys.

Yes please keep us informed on the wife. I am a candidate for the same deal, and if it goes well for her, I might give it a try. It is simply HE-- to get old. "I'm talking about me not her. Thought I had better clarify."