Bill Babler

Gosh it is hard to get back in the saddle after a month of layoff, but here we go. Launched at Gage's this morn at 7:13 and immediatly got on them. Fished deep drop shot fish out to 40 ft. up Long Creek and up to the mouth of Clevenger. Had pretty close to 40 fish with 15 nice keeps, up to about 3 pounds, that being a LM on a spoon, in the first 3 hrs. There were quite a few boats on the pond in the Dam area, so there was a spot or two I just could not get on that I thought might have been good. Switched to a C-Rig and continued to do pretty well till quitting time, for the morning excursion. Rig fish were in the 28 to 40 ft. range also. Had 3 K's that were just toads. Aftenoon trip went out of BAxter and I was a bit leary, but it worked out great. Fish were the same depth up there for me today and the C-Rig was the deal. Not the numbers as these rig fish are scattered but they will bite. Believe we had close to 20 and about a dozen were really, really nice Keeps. Again, lots of help but most were pounding the banks. Saw a lot of hardware flying thru the air and am wondering how they fared. Saw the first fish of the year in Trace Hollow and these were deep at 60 ft. Caught them both on a dropshot. Both nice keeper LM right in the gut or the creek, Lots of shad. Best rig bite for me was a Yamamoto 5 in slim senko in green pumpkin black fleck. This is a very good bait. We didn't miss many, as a matter of fact, once they made up their mind you pretty much were going to hook them. Hope it keeps on keepin on. Good Luck

Great post Donna. I'm back from the deer woods. Went out of Shell Knob to see about deep fish on the 18th. nothing much for me. Had 3 short fish 40' or a rig. Bout time for the deep ones to get on the spoon, and the Whites should be a gathering out threre also.

Just a quick hint and headed back from the deer woods. Buster is catching them pretty good on most of the same stuff. Fish are still in the 26 to 36 ft. range on the flats. They are not tightly schooled to dropshot but more loose and cruzing those areas. They are also very tight to the bottom and very hard to see on electroinics. He is dragging a football jig and better yet a Carolina Rig with a fish Dr. covering alot of water and catching some decent fish. Fish the football jig just like the C-rig, just drag it behind the boat. I did this a week or so ago and caught them really good at Viney. I'm using a 5" thin senko on a C-rig with a 1/4 oz weight and 8 pound maxi. Mighht be worth a try. I'm headed back for my tree.

This front will probably knock them Silly. I think I just got in on it at the right time. Hope not however. This may also signal the change in things and they may start to move on their Fall migration into the pockets, off the humps and up to the bank for a feeding Swarae. Hope it last for us thru this weekend so I can "Get her done and get back in a TREE."

Lowrance HDS 8

Should be deer hunting, but came home as the hot weather and the bugs ran me out of the Camdenton, Missouri Woods. Have trips this weekend before heading back to the deer tree. Wanted to fish out of the Knob, so launched up there and for "Cripes Sakes, it was just crazy." Did not get on the water till 9:30 and fished some suspended trees right off the bat with a spook. Most people have their boats between where I was fishing and these trees and the bank. Looks like I'm casting into an abis. First run with the spook on 68 degree water was a slam and a very nice keeper K. there were 3 following him in trying to snatch the spook from his upper jaw. All looked to be cookiie cutter Shell Knob Keeps at about 16". Have not seen this often, but those 3 other chasers just dropped to about 20 feet and sat under the boat. I unhooked the spook fish and dropped a spoon and caught one immediatly. I could see every move they were making. All three shot up at the spoon. I was wrong, this one was a very nice K, better than the usual Knobber. Probably 2.75 pounds. The other 2 scrammed but that was fun. Pulled up to the deep trees, with the boat in 75' and the tops at about 30. Dropped the spoon and nothing. I could see some fish in the limbs, so I dropped the Yamamoto 4" cuttail in PBJ to them and it was on again. Caught 3 nice fish, all Keepers. I have not been out for 30 minutes and I got a derby limit to the boat. Think they were bitin! This continued until 2:30 when I left the water after 4 calls from Becky to come and play with her and take her to Arkansas and see the leafs. Hated to leave, but it was fun driving to Ponca and eating at the Low Gap Cafe. Magnificent restaurant. colors are simply beautiful. Saw Elk and Deer. Caught fish on a spook, dropshot, spoon, jig, carolina rig, swimbait, and before I came in with the wind howling on a nice cedar tree bank, I missed a nice black on a SB. He tried to eat it twice but I was a knucklehead and jerked it away from him twice. Think they are firing up right before this front. Hope it holds thru the weekend. 30 to 42 was just a super depth for me today with lots of shad there either on the bottom or suspended at that depth, on the flats or points. Lots and lots of fish in the deep trees. Seems to me a nice fish on most every deep tree you fish, but just one or two. They were biting yesterday. Good Luck

I just love and respect KVD. Did not mean it to sound other wise. He made the best statement I have ever heard a pro-fisherman make. "Don't buy anything I or any other fisherman endorse just because we use it. They pay us." Question. has KVD ever won a Tournament on Table Rock Lake? I cannot find it if he has, but I'm sure I'm missing something, as he as won most everywhere and he has fished here so many times. I can find 16 tournaments with the best finish of 4th, and as I stated an average finish of 28th. He may have won something that is not in the BASS archives or the Elite Series archrives. Maybe a Busch event or some type of a shootout or another type of an even that I just cannot find. Seems like I remember a few years ago there was something he was in contention with fishing a jerkbait pattern on cedar trees here. He does love our cedar trees. Very interesting.

That thing might just tear up Lake of the Ozarks and Grand Lake of the Cherokee. Those "Big O'l Biggin's like Giz Shad imitations. "Brack your feet and hang on."

They are pretty sharp. Just go buy a New Z9 and they will let you buy all of them you want.

The reason there was no part two was KVD just flat could not catch-em. He struggled everyday he was here. He does not have the best TR Record, however his record everywhere is petty darn good. His TR lake record since 1987 as best as I could find is an average finish of 28th. place. I'd take it, but that is just me. I believe it is one of the hardest lakes for him. They were guiding people out of Big Cedar. The Big Cedar guides were just tearing them up on a dropshot, but KVD was having none of it. I know KVD had a husbund and wife one morning to take Fishing. They skunked with him flinging hardware and went with Tim Paige in the afternoon and caught about 20 solid fish each. Professional fishermen usually don't make good guides, what they can catch, most of their clients cannot. Of course there are always exceptions. But, when they struggle, and will not look at where the majority of the fish are and what they want, it adds to the pain. You might have heard him say there are better ways to try and catch fish, but the fish on his method are usually better quality. If they bite. I believe that is the stradgity that has gotten him in trouble here. You just had not better try and bend these fish. If they are biting, give them what they want. Last year during the same period here they were just eating up his cedar tree crankbait pattern. He got shot back to reality here this year. Good Luck

Fantastic discussion, from folks that fish and fish hard. Years of experence in this thread and advice that bears paying very close attention. Thank you all for this type of information. BB Moderator.

Better than good advice. Of course I would throw Maxima.

T. was great fishing with you as always. Glad we had Bill along on a very tough day. Same as I have been doing lately 15 to 20 fish in a 1/2 day with 2 to 4 keeps. Nice Jaw. Tks. BB

Bill is a great Buddy. Lots of laughs with the whole clan. he also gave me one of the nicest presents anyone has ever given and it graces my lodge as we speak. By the way Bill, you know you and the wife have a weekend on us anytime you want to get away and take advantage of it. Again, thank you so much for the antique motor. BB

Bill you might give Shell Knob a look see. I think you can find boats at Campbell Point or Viola, and the accomodations are top flight. You can access the White River and the Kings river at that time and the fishing during your period is probably the best any where on the lake except for Small Jaws. Just another option you might want to look at. Great grocery store up there, but really not to far from Harter House. Excellent restaurants. Look at Indian Hills if you are interested in Mid-lake at Baxter and Baxter marina might have boats to rent also. Good Luck

Gunner, I think everyone would make the same assumption that you did. Just not the case with the BuCo The blank is a totally different compisition and to me it is just to flat. As far as the Coastal I use have two of these that are 6'9" I use them for a shakeyhead or a hula grub. I believe they are one step above the LowRider Shakyhead Rod but have about the same tip The Cenduri Saltwater Series that they made prior to the Coastal was unbelieveable, they were perhaps Falcons best rod line Just to expensive. My dropshot rods had a retail price of $299.00. When they discontinued the line, Mike McClellend got some for Beck and I for $100.00 @ as they were just phasing them out. I b ought 6 and still have 5. Beck bought 12 and I think he only has a couple left. He does not let his customers use them anymore. I broke the 6th. one slamming the tip in the rod box lid. I got it replaced with a McClellend Signature Jig rod that now they don't make anymore, so I has somewhat of a mishmash of Falcon speciality rods, along with my full compiliment of Cara's.

We had a thread a year or so ago about the Micro's. Seemed most either loved them or hated them. There is a learning curve with those rods reguardless of the manufactor. There are pluses and minuses. I just love mine but use them only for certain applications and in favorable weather as the guides will freeze shut quicker than a wink, in cold weather. Back Lash City. These things will just throw a bait a mile and for sure you need to know how to adjust your centrifical brake on your reel to avoid problems. I'm using them for cranks and spinners and have really taken to them. Again,most of these are two handers and are built to be thrown and preform with two hand cast to get what you need out of the Stick. Good Luck

I agree with ya on the money spent. Being a guide I have to make the most of my investments in equipment and need rods that can function in more than one type of presentation. If I had to buy a rod for every type of fishing I do I would me more rod poor than I am now. Your point is well taken and correct. Bottom fishing with either a jig, worm or any creep crawler requires lots of feel and polish and is more than a good place to make your larger investment. For that matter, it is in your had a larger percentage of the time. Great Points. Good Luck

One of the features I like about these Cara Reaction Rods is that they throw a Buzzbait and a Pop-R. just about as good as can be thrown on a bait caster. I use 10# maxi to throw both. We all know how hard it is to throw that Buzzer. If he spins you are in deep Kemchi' It will throw a chugbug good as it is abit heaver. A yellow magic also throws nice. "Big Bucks" One thing you have to remember about this stick, is that it is a two hander and only a two hander. If you don't cast with two hands, go another direction. It is built to put prussure on the tip and upper section for the long controled cast. If you are a heaver or a lobber, you can probably go a better direction. The two hand cast eliminates shoulder and rotator cuff problems and lets you use the rod to much greater advantage. You are using it instead of your arm and shoulder muscles. It allows you to cast further with much less effort. Not only is this a great topwater stick as I have eluded to but it is also just a fantastic jerkbait rod. If they breath on it you will feel it. Another function is it is also my favorite spoon rod for spoons up to 3/4 up and down. Falcon says 8 to 17 on the line, but for me 10-12 are by far the best preforming on this rod. Good Luck

I cannot shoot my recurve bow anywhere near as good as my compound. I cannot shoot my 10 yr. old compound anywhere near as good as my new compound. There is so much difference in a $30.00 rod an a good rod there is not enough space here for me to explain it. You take the cheap rod and put a spook on it using the same reel on both that and my Falcon Cara Reaction rod and you see how far and accurate you can present a spook, or for that matter a light popper or a buzz bait. You will be very quick to see the difference. You take that junk rod and present a stickbait with it and the Falcon and see what you think. See how well that cheap rod cast a stickbait and how it responses to the movement and the feel of a fish putting prussure on that bait. I know you didn't mention a multipurpose rod but your topwater rod should also double as an excellent stickbait rod and also be able to present -1 crankbaits. Also what kind of reel are you gona put on that 30 bucker? I would rather have one piece of excellent equipment that serves multiple fishing functions than several pieces of junk. Accuracy, distance, feel, bait response and the ability to take prussure off your line and reel with a fast relfex, soft midsection stout bottom rod will catch you so many fish you would never catch on a junk rod it is not even compareable. If you are fishing targets with a topwater rod or a stickbait rod, covering as much water and cover as possible where not only accuracy but distance and feel are involved not to mention the sheer weight of the cheap rod over the better rod, it would be like me playing Kobe a game of horse. No win situation. Just some thoughts.

They are built in Harrison Arkansas. They use the same molds, but the inconsistancy is from the materials used in the rod. They are a much lower modular of graphite and lower cost of material including eyes and handles. I'm not a manufactor, but as you say the total inconsistancy of the same rod from one to the other is quite noticable. I really don't see where it fits in the fine family of rods that Falcon is famious for. If you want a lower price rod, simply purchase the origional and start working your way up the ladder from there. There are simply tons of fisherman that prefer the LowRider over the Cara. All three are a great representation of the Falcon Rod, without the BuCo.

Yesterday I pulled onto a spot up at Baxter and the first two throws had a really nice keeper and one that might have squeeked. thought man I got this figured out fish were there and both that we caught had BIG Threadfin shad in their gullets. Never had another fish on the location. Will just about guarantee it was loaded, cause I could see them. That was a big flat with a adjacent pocket, so might be good advice by Fin. There are lots of places like that on Table Rock. If I had it to do over, I believe I might have thrown a Jerkbait some on these locations with fish present that just would not bite.

When they first came out, I had almost the entire line and for the life of me, I just could not get along with them. Those rods, and I know they were built for a price point, but they just really lack preformance. Most have an extremely flat tip and for topwater that is just the wrong deal. I had one ot the Buco jerkbait rods and just could not get the preformance I think I need. The Original and the LowRider, are price more modestly and will suit the bill. You do gain quite abit of weight and loose some response but both are excellent rods around that $100. figure.

After the Homer Sloan disaster for me I have guided everyday. Here is petty much my rundown. Monday Guided out of Home with a very nice couple and fished the Cow Creek area to Kimberling City. Caught mostly deep fish in the 27 to 36 ft. range all on live bait. 22 bass with 2 keepers size. Tuesday Took two bass trips out of Chateau on a corporate group. We had 14 guide boats with two clients per boat for the morning trip. My boat had 18 bass, all on Crawlers. They were having a derby and one of my gents had 3 K's that weighed 6,67 the other guy did not have a keeper. Afternoon trip I had a man and wife. Some of the guide boats had 3 clients. The guy had 18 shorts all on Crawlers and his wife had 8 with two keepers at 4.47 My guy won the men's division with a total of 6.67 My gal came in second on the women's side with her 4.47 Buster had a lady that won the entire deal with two K's at 6.72 those were really nice K's. The 14 guide boats fished 61 total fisherman and that was the megar total it took, all on livebait. Today we started out at Baxter with a pretty good fisherman. No live bait and we threw a Spinner-crank-jig-dropshot till we wore out 12 rods and that many Steeze Reels. Total was 5 fish with one nice 3 pound keep on a jig. Threw a A-Rig quite a bit also without a bite. I have never had so many fish just slap a blade in all my life. They would just knock the crap out of it and nothing. I believe I should have thrown a jerkbait some and if I had it to do over, i belive I would go there. They would also load on a jig and when you did the deed, nothing. Probably young, It is fixin to get a whole lot better in a week or two.

Your day sounds like mine, only better. This is totally brutal. What did I tell you all about 3 weeks ago was going to happen