Bill Babler

Bottom coutour it the same it is just about 4 inches deeper than it has been. Not a lot, but enough, to float over it with the troller down and not be banging it on the bottom.

First things First. A huge thanks to Phil for cutting that "Big Tree" out of the boating lane. One unit this morning and I will tell you this. The lake level is different deeper than it was before the referbishing of the Power Site Dam. It is without a doubt deeper. Not as deep as before the March floods, but as deep as it has been since. I can drift the Fall Creek Flat now on 1 generator. Could not even come close a month ago, or two or 3 generators.. Very cool start this morning, with temps at 22 degrees. Had a couple of great guys from Joplin. Excellent fly fishermen. We drifted from the tennis courts to Fall Creek at least 15 drifts. Caught an average of 6 a drift, with lots of males in the 14 to 17 inch range. Most of the smaller trout we caught seemed to be a bit thin, but all the trout were extremely active, most jumping at least once, with some out of the water several times. Water is still somewhat off color, and a size either 10 or 12 ginger scud was the best food. We were running a tandem rig with a full pink micro as the top fly and it caught quite a few, not like the scud, but several. Had at least 3 doubles on the tandems, but didn't get any of them to the boat. Leader size now is not an issue and if you feel comfortable on moving water, I believe you can get away with 6 pound test flurocarbon. I went from 2 to 4 no problem. If you are a bit ham handed and we did break the 4 a couple of times on the sets, don't be afraid to go to 6 pound, if the water is moving. Looks like a somwhat nice week, and I bet these fish will go everyday. Good Luck

Dutch, did you all see a lot of dead whites floating up there? As for forage, Table Rock is simply full of Threadfin Shad right now. Have never seen so many orf so many birds working them. Going to Grand and the Red River for the Beaver Striper guides is a different deal, they are after Gizzard Shad not Threadfin. The whites on Table Rock are huge consumer's of crawdads, at certain times. Catching them around the new spillway the past few years has proven that, Most of those whites were packed full of small crayfish. Mostly however they are Treadfin eaters. Just wish we knew.

It is a very preplexing subject. For some reason they are never easy and are extremely unpredictable. When I was a kid in my late teens, the runs were always there in Beaver Creek, and Swan Creek on Bull and were always there on the rock, up Longcreek, the Kings and James Rivers. Now we get the runs, but the fish are very time and weather sensitive. Almost to the point of being like Florida Bass. Any type of a weather front, just knocks the heck out of the Spring runs, turning them off and on. For the past 15 years, my best bite has usually been a June, December and Janruary bite. In June after the spawn we find them chasing in the mornings on topwater, most every morning. We have also found them in deep cuts around the dam on a spoon. This year was a no go after the last 5 yrs being really good. Not much at all this Summer and when we did find them they were in very small groups aor singles or double. Our late Fall bite and Winter bite has not materialized this year. Yes, if you are in the right place up the James River, on the right morning (Cloudy) you have about an hour or two of action, from daylight till usually 8 AM. Nothing to speak of in the evenings. The whites are not in the large Winter schools, but scattered in small groups and even in the deep tree tops with the Black Bass. After the Fall and Winter we had in 09, we all figured it was going to be fantastic. We caught and released 100's of fish. No need to keep anything at all we even suspected was a hen. For the most part, just caught and released them. Have no idea what causes their disapearance whether they are gone or just hard to find and not where we are used to catching them. I know it isnot the forage base, as this Fall and Winter I have seen litterly Billions and Billions of threadfin shad. I cannot remember every having this many gulls and diving fish birds this early. Most all lake sections are covered with birds. As I write this I can look out over Clevenger and see 4 huge flocks of gulls diving in different locations. It is not becuase of lack of food. When we are spooning for Bass we usually catch lots of Whites. I have caught 4, and that is it. Caught them all on the same location, on 4 drops and that was it. Bass are where they should be and lots of your of the 08 hatch. Still have hope for some deep White Bass fishing and have not been on my humps up the White River in a month, so will do that soon and check it out. For now, its a mistery

Thanks, it make perfect sense. Believe we are in for a pretty good crappie Winter, weather permitting. Fish, your posts the last few years have been a wonderful addition to Ozarks Anglers. Your post are always insightful and if folks will read them closely, they will without a doubt make anyone a better fisherman and will give them a starting place. Don't matter if you are reporting bass or crappie, I always look forward to reading your threads. Thanks so much from all of us.

Fish, not trying to get exact locations but are you getting the same dock bite we are or are you working other structure as well.

Table Rock Surface temps, ranging from 54 to 57 degrees, mostly clear to very clear. Some tea colored water in certain Kimberling City areas, but still very clear. Kings and James River are perfect aqua color and clear for the river sections. All black bass species would be reguarded as fair to good. Excellent if you want to catch fish in the under 15 inch range, mostly K's and LM. We'll speak to these first. Very large numbers of K's that I'm guessing are 2008 yr. class are mostly suspended and some on the bottom off the larger creek arm flats and cuts. Look for gulls and divng birds to locate the shad. Bass will be near. Wish I could give you a precise depth, but that is a no-go. Have found fish as deep as 85 ft. and as shallow as 20 ft. in these locations. Saturday I could have caught a 100 in the Baxter area, with virtually no 15 inch fish in the groups. This is a very good time to practice with your electronics, to try and locate these fish. Some are on structure, but most are relating mainly to the shad and the bottom. White River Section, including the Kings River Surface temps in the mostly 54 degree range. Lots of fish in every section of the water column. Gives everyone doing something different the ability to catch some. Bite Saturday was good in the Kings on a wart, right up on the bank. This bite is good on overcast or wind. It is not a consistant bite, they may turn on and off. Fish seem to be on chunker 45 degree stuff and if some timber is present all the better. This bite continues up the White and also to the Baxter area. Not so much a main lake bite as a pocket or creek arm bit with the best of it being midway back and beyond. Campbell Point to Point 11 up the James and to Dam area. For some on certain days the new A-Rig is producing. Some guys are catching 15 to 20 keeps a day on it. OR NOT. Bluffends and major docks fronts seem to be the best bets for "Heaving It." I threw it 3 hrs. Saturday without a bite. Friday they were eating it up. Spoke to several fisherman catching big numbers and then it was done. Not a savior, only a tool. If you are throwing it in the wind, prepare for heartache. Tangles a bunch, and if you can see the line to untangle it God Bless. Had to retie numerious times, as the braid wrapped tighter than a tick on a dogs back in the swivels. At one point I became super POED. Don't have near the trouble with the Floater deal. Lots of garbage to fling about. Wart and Blade bite in this area has been on and off as with the White River, just cover lots of water. Fish seem to have there noses on the bank. Also some reports of a pretty good FB jig bite on up and down bluffs in the under 15 ft. range for LM. Hop it down the face a couple of hops and then recast. Upper James and Long Creek. 50 degrees. Reports of a jerkbait bite under the right conditions and also a jig bite on transitions and bluffends. Also in LongCreek the FB jig bite has been fair dragging it off the flats in the 22 to 40 ft. range just dragging a 1/2 to 3/4 oz'er in lobster colors, of your choice. Kimberling City to 86 Bridge surface temps at 55 degree. Deep tree fishing here has been fair with most fish coming from trees tops in the 40 to 50 ft. range over deep water. Spoon or grub in the tree tops fished vertically has been the best bet. Cover lots of tops to catch a few bigger fish. Football jig bite has also been fair in the 30 ft range on the flats. Still am seeing a few fish pushing shad to the top. Mark at Table Rock Tackle and Marine is still selling a spook or two and have had customers say they are sill catching some on a spook. I'm not suprised, but have not been looking at that but have seen many chasers, and have caught several on a spoon tossing it at them. Crappie are biting pretty well on most lake sections, and most is a dock bite. Fish are just suspended under the floats not deeper than 12 ft. small jigs and tubes, your choice of colors and of course crappie minnows. Whites are confined mostly to the Mid-James and not going everyday or for that matter very long ihto the day. Look on the flats from the Ski Course up. White or chartruse jigging spoons on the flats in the 35 to 55 ft. range. Just not going llike we would hope for this time of the year. Good Luck

12-1-11 White River Outfitters; Hit the lake this Morn to a beautiful bright high sky, with surface temps in the 56 degree range, air temps in the 24 degee cold range. Launched at Baxter. Started out looking for deep fish with the spoon, and could find some, most being keeps, but just that. Got bored with it, and even though there was no wind I switched to the 3/8th. oz. Sticker and started to explore. Quite a few shad and they seemed to be right on the bank. If I would have had the nerve in this clear super flat windless water, I probably would have slung a blade a mite, but didn't. Pig Sticker worked non-the-less, catching 5 nice keeps on it, all under 15 ft. Most were LM in the 17 inch range but were painfully thin. Gave the crappie a try on some of the Baxter docks, and caught 6 keeps, but again just that. I released them. Went back to the Spoon and caught some more deep keeps, mostly K's suspended at 40 over 60. Finished the day with 14 keeps and 23 bass total. Probably 13.5 pounds for the best 5. Crappie were not the quality we caught last weekend. Spoke to Bill Richey and he had quite abit better size bass than I did. Said he caught two limits this morning with two over 4 pounds and three good keeps at 3 plus. All on a Football Jig, under 15'. He is a very straight shooter, so I'm sure of the information. Did not quiz him on location, as I believe he is fishing the CPA this weekend and didn't want to be no nosey. Good Luck

Sold one of ours last year at Shell Knob to a neighbor. Good inside slip 10X28 with a poontoon lift $14,000.00. Had it for sale for 2 yrs. for more, but no takers. There are loads of slips at the Knob, and that is always a problem. Lots also at Baxter. Don't know if you can get much over $17 reguardless of what the realators say. Lots and lots of folks got upside down in these slips and are not using them, and want out. Price is at least 1/3 less than it was a few years back. They do go much better with the lot. There has also been talk about releasing more permits, and I believe this is coming in a very short time. Government needs the money. We built a 20 stall dock at Shell Knob for under $80,000.00, so the majority of the price of a stall is putting money in someones pocket. Mostly realators and subdivision owners. Got a feelin reality and common sense has set in. 25 to 30 grand for a hole in the water is outragious. Not to mention maintenance and upkeep. Good Luck

Wow! She is doing this right. Give us a little more information. Are you gong to dropshot with it? Drag a splitshot? Swim a grub? Fish a Shakey head? Fish a tube? What is your application. I use at least 6 different rod weights and sizes for Table Rock and the Reel configurations are also different due to the ammount of line and the size of the line your spooling. Get down to the "Rat Killin," Tell us what you want to use it for.

Let me chime in just abit on the two baits. I fish both, and just love them. Unlike the majority of you all I have the opportunity to be on the water for lots of days and lots of hours. These two suspending baits are totally different from each other and you can play that to your favor. The Megabass is a much shallower diver and runner than the McStick. The Spro bait will obtain depths of 8 to 12 ft. if fished on light line. They have several colors that are without a doubt fish catching machines. My best buddy Bill Beck prefers them 99 to 1 over the Megabass and when we fish them together, the McStick more than holds its own. The Megabass is about a 6' bait at best. If I try to weight the bait, it just takes the life right out of it. The Megabass baits do not like suspend strips in the least. Best way if you want it deeper is to weight the hooks, still it robs the bait of its action. The McStick takes weight with no problem. Megabass baits are excellent for fishing Cedars and structure if you got the nerve. They suspend in the tops very nicely. You got enough Junk in your trunk to throw that 30 dollar bait in the cedars, it is a monster. On fish that are suspended or transitioning from deep to shallow or are in the open water column, the McStick will eat that Megabass alive. In February thru April fishing bluffends and transitions where you have fish on the move and the depth is a question, the McStick in the right hands will totally blow the Megabass out of the water. As you lock onto a depth, whether shallow usually no deeper than 10 ft. or suspended shallow, the Megabass will get right after them. In closing, your arsenal is not complete without both in my opinion. I use them in totally different circumstances. Good Luck

John, next time your down holler at me if you see me at Lilleys'. I've had guide trips all week from Lilleys'. If you don't see either Phil or I, ask for us and we will get you going. Thanks for staying and the nice report. Hope to see you back. Good Luck

Guided this AM out of Lilleys' Water may not be normal, or we may not know what normal really is anymore. Water was running high and extremely fast. Probably the deepest I have seen since before the flood in March. Lots of this Springs debris was breaking loose and floating down the river/lake. Had 3 guides working and caught very nice fish in the upper bait area, just below Fall Creek. Great to be able to get up there. We were dragging some bait and also using scuds and sanjuan worms, all three presentations working well, on a drift rig. Weights on the rigs have gone in the past week from 1/32 to 1/16 to 1/8 to now 3/8. We are suspose to have a warm night, and with it being the weekend tomorrow, we'll see if they are running any water and what level if not it will be holding, as I have a boat fly fishing trip tomorrow. I'll let ya know.

How about a big PUB and a little-licity.

Best way to get no information is to ask for information that has already been posted. We do a great job here of keeping the current conditions up to day. I can look down the forum no further than 8 or so blogs and finds tons of current informantion. Keep checking back when you get closer to your dates. There will be current entire lake forcast and also forcasts for your area, at Aunts Creek, as it is extremely popular. Good Luck

Don't get me started about the reasons Bass Pro took part in this.

RP, there are quite a few piles between Devils Dive and Roaring River. This is not the same structure they put in the dam area. These are mainly isolated cedars and some hardwoods. You can fish them a little and really here they did a good job. Piles are much smaller and placed in excellent locations. Most on a little steeper shelf rock stuff. If they would have continued and used the way they handled the White River Section I believe it would have been fine. You are also correct on your boundaries, please continue to observe the No Fishing, No Trespassing Signs I have posted in that area.

For most of us everyday fishermen, I believe the jury is still out, and I guess it really should not be. I think the idea was great but the thought process qnd the application was far from good. That is pretty much what I am trying to figure out with this Blog. How many of you are really using the structure and how many are catching fish from it. Fishing has been so poor since Spring, it is really hard for us to get a handle on it, cause its slow lake wide. Again let me state the purpose of the project was to congreate fish and give fishermen easier access to larger quanities of fish. I believe on this front it has failed miserably. The debris for the most part was put in locations that previously and for that matter never had structure. There are at least 2 dozen of these locations, that were really fish factories prior to the brush and now we just drive by them. Not speaking for all the guides, but for the most part it has hurt our fishing to a huge extent in the dam area. What they did was take very active fishing sections out of play and removing any area always hurts. AS was posted the huge fields of debris pointing in every direction are just about impossible to fish properly. Still have not figured it out. Topwater over the surface or a floating worm with the hook more then buried is just about the only way. JIgs, Cranks, and sticks and grubs are all but gone if you throw them near the area. I have even lost a spinnerbait or two on these locations, trying to figure it out. I have yet to catch a fish on any of them. Perhaps a minnow under a bobber is our best bet. Maybe that is what they wanted, to make a crappie bed on a flat gravel Small Jaw Bank. I was being selfish here also. I and most of my pards just cannot fish these junk piles, and was wondering if any of you have figured it out. When the BassMaster Central derby was here this Spring before the flood we had several of the fishermen staying with us practicing, as you may remember. All if them were aware of the Structure and I spoke to them about it. None were fishing it. Would love some positive feedback, not what you think, but what you know. I want to hear if folks are catching fish from these piles of junk and how they are doing it, or for this most part is it already forgotten and we just fish the same stuff we have always fished going around their hangup holes and moving down the bank. Good Luck

Snake, U have probably driven her crazy these last 3 months. Be careful in the DEAR Woods and just give her one bullet like Barney used to get. That ways at least you have a chance if she misses. I'm headed that way too. Next Monday thru Thursday. Don't usually hunt opening weekend. We are headed out this morning up to Camdenton to put the stands up. I believe the fish are getting it right now, so we will be ok with our late Fall early Winter bite. Should be good as they have been fasting for 3 months. Good Luck in the Woods.

Back to Back good days on the Rock! What in the Sam Hill is happenin here. Started today Techo out of Aunts Creek. Should have known it would be good with Don H. Ran to the back and had a vey nice LM bite on a Wareagle Blade along with the Wart. Water is clear, but with the wind blowing they were hungry. Had their noses right up on the chunk rock. Motored up the James when the Auntie Em's bite stopped and popped a very nice K on a Shaky Head with a 4" Slim Sinko in Green Pumpkin Pepper. Thought that might be the deal for the rest of the morning and it was. Never had 4 hrs. go by faster. 5 keeper Jaws, 2 nice K's and another 3.5 pound LM to anchor our string, along with several short fish. Best 5 at next to 14 pounds. Colors were as pretty as yesterday and with the cloud cover it was a very good Jaw morning. Surface temps all morning in the Aunts creek Point 11 area 61 to 62 degree. Water was super clear. Good Luck

Hope I can get this down without tears. 56 yrs. of life. Twenty plus as a Table Rock Guide and I have never been presented with a more magnificent display of Gods Creation. My thoughts wondered today to the reciently passing away of a friend, Vince Elfrink.. He would have marveled at the display of nature that we whitnessed . Without a doubt one of my finest days. One of the crowning jewels that Vince had, was earning his guide license and guideing on Lake Taneycomo. This would have been a day he would have never forgotten. The gratutide and gratefullness I feel for being premitted to do this are words that I am not capable of displaying or really understanding. The bouquey of God's colors were presented on such a magnificent stage today that they measure in ways beyond me. Kyle and Wes, two Okie's from Tulsa were my companions on this journey. Wonderful young men with their lifes before them. My absolute priviledge to be with them today. Day strated at the Knob Ramp and it was a humdinger. Not for great quality in fish size but everything else for us was taken care of. 40 plus fish to the boat today with 5 solid keeps, anchored by a 3.5 pound LM was the total, and that is a good one considering receient days. We did cover the water, fishing from Shell Knob to Eagle Rock. Early fish to the bost on a wart and blade and when the sun hit the water the jig came into play. Fish are not near where they are suspose to be, nothing on mainlake stuff or deep. Most all our fish were on 45 degree rock,and wind did not seem to be a factor. Best bite was late. Water in the area is clear, but nothing like point 8 to the dam. Surface temps at 62 to 64 degree. JIg color did not matter as we did well on either green pumpkin, green pumpkin candy, pbj. Trailers were either a twin or a smallie beaver in pumpkin or gobe. If you get a chance, get out this weekend. If you don't catch a fish, it will be the best day you have ever had. I have never seen the color displayed as it is now on Table Rock Lake. Good Luck

Boys and Girls, as the end of the Habitat. Reconstruction process winds up a nearly 4 yr. process on Table Rock Lake, what are we the general public and the fishermen that are on the water at our every opportunity seeing from it. 1st. how many of you are fishing the debris fields and what types of fish are you catching from them? Are you looking for the fields in certain areas? Would you fish them more if you could find the easier? How are you fishing these areas that are full of obstructions and hangups? Do you believe they are holding quanities of fish? What do you think of the placements? Just give us your general thoughts on the project. Millions of dollars were spent to improve habitat on Table Rock. was this good, or just Smoke thrown in the Water. Everyones thoughts matter, let us know yours.

Guys lets start over and get on a page 1. this is getting to hard to wade thru. I have a full day out of the Knob tomorrow and we will start this over. HOPEFULLY I WILL HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS.

Not in the least uncommon. Lots of Cedars in Cow Creek right now are homes for the Zoams. Good Luck

Could not get the pic's to come up. Google said maybe it could fetch them later.