Bill Babler

I like the Giz. I believe you kind of look like one, and I know you smell like one. Quit fussing and find some fish I can beat up for ya.

Yes, those are bass fry. I believe LM. There are a few spawned out SJ's and very few Ky's. We had one of those good ole days yesterday, with Lots and Lots of fish to the boat, mostly the ones mentioned above. Only a couple of spawned out the rest fat and ready to do it. Our bite early was a topwater point bite, with 7 good fish to the boat and another 10 blowups that we missed, thru no cause of the fish. Me included. Started at 5:45. Don had given me a Mikey JR. and I could not get them to eat this great looking bait. The boys were wacking them on a fin. I believe I just didn't get it in front of one that wanted it. It sounds like a 5 hp. I am thinking of hooking it to my electric battery and using it for a trolling motor. Great looking bait. I'll get them to eat it. Bite was great early on top, till about 6:45 then went to the grub and did it agian. It petered out for me about 10 AM when the sun hit the water for about 30 minutes. Sun re-covered and we started rigging the insides of the flat points in 14 to 28 and got really rich. Only fished two locations all day that we didn't get a bite. I don't believe I was that good, they were just biting. I have been covered up and continue to be till next week. Good luck out there.

Wanted to give a quick shoutout to all the great folks that come and check out our chit-chat from day to day. A group of great guys that stay at Happy Hollow Resort came by the lodge a week or so back and brought me a gift basket of lots of Cajun goodies. They were from Louisiana and all there treats were Louisiana products. Great forum followers. Boys the goodies were great, can't thank you enough. Hope you had a good trip to our little slice of heaven. Thanks to all Sincerely Bill

Those were my exact thoughts. Well put.

These guys, were not grumpy in the least. It was me that was the grump, because of my ineptness. The entire point right now is, it is casting time on the rock, and if you can't throw, just a little bit, you had better go to one of the best fisheries in the world, which is just down the street. On another note, Spoke to Sk and also BBeck. Nither had the bite of a couple of days ago, both reporting they had not seen such boat activity. Sk and I Checked the regata permits issued by the MSWP and it looks like at least 570 tournament boat tomorrow. I believe 500 of them were at the dam on any of the spots I wanted to fish. I've felt sorry for myself long enough. Thanks All, I'm ready to move on.

Very seldom, to I have days like this. Usually with clients I can find a way to get them bit. On taney they would have had the most wonderful day they could have ever wanted. And they would have been capable of fishing it very well. Phil said the good with the bad, and thats not quite the way it is. They are all good, and I love them to pieces, but Table Rock Lake bass fishing can be a very sobering reality. Old shcool fishing does not apply here with the prussure we are having and the extreme lake levels. You had better be a fisherman and ready to take advantage of every bite you get. If you start blowing off strikes, and let the ones you stick, jump off, you will be in deep kem-she pretty quick on a 4 hr. trip. Place the 1/4 oz. grub, in tree after tree, and cannot cast an arms length from the boat, with a carolina rig. The Rock might not be the place for you at this time. Other guides got bit today. Chris Tetrick had a single client, and had 32 fish with 10 keepers on an 8 hr. trip. Chris said his guy didn't throw in any trees and would both vary speed and depth on his retreves with no problem. Really good fisherman. About a week ago, Chris and I had a day were we had about 40 fish with 22 Keeps up to about 4.5. Nither one of us hung up or lost a bait all day. Took a set of clients on the same path and Lost 14 grubs and all the line off 4 reels. We caught fish, but nothing like Chris and I. It is the LAW people have to throw that bait in the trees and bushes. Not next to them or under them mind you, IN THEM. Getting baits loose and running in over the fish pretty much kills that location. I will tell you there arn't that many good spots. Never fear, it will be night crawler and drop-shot season in about 3 weeks and then it dosen't matter if they can fish. I just look at the Lowrance 37C and say" You should set the hook, you have a fish on.

Had a couple of the nicest older gentlemen in the world today, and they just had no business fishing the Rock. Part their fault, mostly mine. Becky had spoken to them several times and asked about there fishing ability and how often they fished. A couple of times a year, the other once a month or so. I'm not going to say she begged them, but she strongly suggested they fish upper taney for the extremely large trout we a catching. That would not do. They wanted to fish the Rock. Knew we were in trouble when I got to State Park parking lot. Counted over 50 rigs already on the water at 7 Am. Looking over the lake you could not see a point that had less than two boats on it. Every Island 4 to 6 boats on them all morning, One boat would pull off and another pull in right behind the one that just left. Wind blew at first and started out with 6 good fish with one fair size keeper, all on the grub. Wind went dead, and so did the fishing, I could not find them anywhere. Time after time the grubs flew to the top of the trees, to be broken off and retied. Then while pulling a grub from a tree, I broke a rod. The gentleman, said" I'm glad I didn't do that. " I wanted to say, "How do you think the grub got in the tree to begin with?" Heard rumors of dragging rigs, and catchin some. Plowed lots of furrows and nothing but split-shot rigs, being wound into my prop shaft. It got as flat and still as a gym floor out there and I just could not figure it out. When we did get a good fish on, I asked them to please keep prussure on the fish, as you could not ease up on these bass or they will get off. Both let 3 or 4 off by just creating too much slack in the line. The one said " walleye in Canada, don't get off like that" Cripes, what a morning. The one older gent kept asking me why we had to cast so much, he preferred fishing in Canada where he could catch walleye right under the boat. He kept saying take me to your "Honey Hole" "I know you have one." "This type of cast fishing is to hard, I don't like to cast." No Kidding. I do, have an easier place that dosen't require you to cast, it is under the dam on the other lake. My wife and myself suggested it about a dozen times. Not quite drop shot time yet, however, I tried everything else, and should have had crawlers with me. Why does everyone think they have to bass fish? These two guys would have caught and released 40 to 50 trout, up to 3 or 4 lbs. They would have had a day to remember instead of a day with bad memories. They were not capiable of standing and casting to fish on the rock and it was a real shame, I didn't have fish that they were able to catch today. I will keep working at it.

I told Eric the other day he had the best post, but I believe you just stole all the Thunder. I just Belly laughed till I almost wet-myself

Fished the upper lake today, started out at 703 and that is pretty low. Lots of changes in bottom configuration and lots of changes in my drift patterns. There is lots of "Junk in the Trunk" up there to water out for. Be Careful. Several big trees from Lilleys' up to Fall Creek have redeposited themselves in the flight path. Guess the murky water has made it down to the tubes cause the water is kind of a green and I really don't like the color a-tall. Should have listened to Phil as we started at Andy's and made two drifts on what I would deem as a perfect flow and depth for jig and float. Only two fish. Phil has been working the same area with limited success, but I thought I could best the master. Wrong Lots of gravel and sand have drifted into and along the shore and there is also some erosion on both shorelines. Shot the gap just below Clay banks to the tune of a depth of 2.6 ft. and proceeded to the cable. Drifted the cable to the Gap about 10 times averaging about 3 to 7 per drift, of very, very nice fish. Best fish a 22 inch brown on a white jig. 90% on the red san-Juan worm. Some on a size 12 olive scud. The fish were spitting size 20 transparent green scuds all over the boat. Just had a hard time going smaller in the murk. Saw the drift boats were catching them really well in the slack water just below the conservation ramp. I bet on midges, as you could see fish rising along the shore. Fishing really improved when the 4th. generator kicked. I believe we had 8 on our last pass.

Add up the total days to the Holidays and I don't believe it would be possible for them to get it there even if they reopened the flood gates. They seem to not even be running 4 turbins all the time. When I got on the Lake at 6:30 they were running two. About 9;30 they kicked on the other two. I would think a more realistic drop would be around 4 to 5 ft. in the next 20 days. I don't really even think that would be possible. We'll See.

Yea!!! You know it ain't so funny, when the shoe is on the other foot. Got ya denjac. Oops that is still another topic yet. If you haven't been keeping up with all the wild going's on here abouts you will be totally lost in these last few topics. I been here and I'm getting a little punchy. Trav, must be doing Honey doo's or he would have been right back on my stuff by now.

SRV1990 This has nothing to do with you. The post was for the topic starter. Long time forum Joke. Trav and the rest of the regulars will know the gist of the Joke. Only a laugh and fun intended. LOL

You know, my memory may be failing me, but not long ago, a World Famious Guide, Ocean Explorer, and Maritime Minister, that makes lots of post on this thread might have stated that he would never let anyone suggest how or where to fish. He would never put up with those kind of Sha'nan'agan's. He would simple educate his party on how to properly fish the locations he had already planned to fish. Must have misread his post. NOT LOL

Ding,Ding,Ding,Ding CMAC got it first. Zander found the shoe reference Denjac, put the economics of the bait in view. Great fun and a great thread, Thanks a lot for playing. We have caught some monsters on it, but you have to make a commitment to the bait and to your health, to throw that hung of soft-plastic. It is amazing, but a 3.75 pound white bass can swallow a 10 inch swimmer, clear out of sight. Unbelieveable. The fish will thump and hit it and you will get bit, but catching is a different story. We were playing for fun yesterday and loved every minute of it.

This is fun, keep trying. No one is close to the correct answer yet. This is a slang term for a bait that the BassMaster Elite pro-anglers love to throw. Should not be that hard, someone will come up with it soon.

The MSWP may post the results on the website. I just gave a short version, of my day.

Eric, that is one of the best answers I have ever seen on this forum. Another way to upgrade, is to throw the shoe, but you can get a big zero on that. We tried it yesterday and it wore is both to the ground. For those of you that have know idea what the Shoe is, you will have to do your research. Check California and Texas Bass Fishing for the Answer.

You probably could not have picked a better pattern for suspended staging fish. Now, they are on the move, moving up and getting it done. Thanks for the post.

Got the day off today and man I need it. The annual MSWP/Fishing for Kids tournamet went off yesterday and I can't tell you how much fun this charity event is. I love it. I believe me and the Beckster, took 21st ir 22nd, don't know which. You know, we really didn't stink it up that bad either, just picked a crazy pattern and stuck with it all day. 2.5 lb. fish are out there everywhere and you can catch them at will. 3.5 and up are the problem. We made a plan, to either catch the big boys or maybe nothing. We had 13 keepers, and no short fish with the top at 3 lbs. and weighed in just under 13 lbs. Can't tell you what we were doing, and you really probably don't want to know with that paultry total, but we were throwing a bait that was 10 inches long. I feel like I was shot-putting all day, with the big rod, and 1/4 lb. bait. Missed so many fish on it, you can't even discribe. To my wonder, we cautht fish that totally swallowed the bait, including huge white bass. Beckster had fished it two days straight in the CP and got a third. We saw the winners fishing throwing a blade in the Baxter area, saw them put two in the livewell, and said that won't work for long. Wrong!!! Buster came in second, flipping the shallow bushes. It was a blast, can't wait till next year. After the tournament, if you can believe it, Chris T. and I had guide trips from 6PM until dark. We both had clients catch bigger bags than either one of us had in the tournament, swimming grubs in the dam area, on windy points. My guys had at least 15 pounds of Sj's and Chris maybe a little better, as he had a K over 4. They are still biting out there. Also heard there were 71 limits of fish weighed in at the derby, that is fantastic for these conditions. good luck

Absolutely love it when a report comes in on the upper restricted area, boat fishing. Nice Browns. Tight, where you caught them is where I have been struggling the most. I have been picking up about in the place you started, and heading back to the cable. Appreciate it, That gives me a the confidence to work that area a little harder. Its a short drift if you only go from the dam to clay banks. If I can drift the full stretch, it saves gas. Keep em connin.

They never really leave. They just bring more home with them. Foot note; And there always hungry. Great Report

Thanks Buddy, You know how I feel about you and the bro's. Enough of this, Lets get on with the fishing.

To say that Table Rock was tough today, might be an understatement. Loads of prussure on the lake from Thursday thru today, made it somewhat of a gar hole. No breeze and flat water, brought everyone back into reality. Beck reported it to be extremely rough sleading. While catching over 70 in the wind yesterday and loads of keepers, he scratched and clawed for a limit today. Finished number 3. His Amatuer both days finished in the top 3 so he was guiding them to fish as always. Reported the bite to be much deeper, and lots slower. 5 in. Chomper single tail in either salt/pepper or Black/Blue was about as good as you could ask for. Boat in that 30 ft. number, swimming the grub on flat gravel. Buster reported he did not have a bite for 2 solid hrs. this AM. Ended the trip with 8 and had to work his tail off to get them. I know for a fact, he had 60 on his trip yesterday, with about half being keepers as I saw him catch one after the other, after the other. If the wind does not blow and Table Rock is flat, I don't care what time of the year it is, you will struggle.

Gosh!!!! What a Firestorm I created trying to give a few tips on where and how to fish. Crappie, I truely and sincerely apoligize for offending you and any other reader that would deem that silly little comment to be Vulgar. Me and the buds kind of use it as a term for a bone headed move. but then I guess, using the word bone could also be construed as vulger. If you knew me, you would know that I am not, nor have ever been construed as vulger. Please excuse my simple ways. When the fisherman cut in front of me to fish the bank, I could have easily cast into his boat, he was so close. One of my clients a non-fisherman, looked at me and said" I don't fish much, but was that not the rudest manuver you have ever seen?" Crappie, I think your right. I should have deemed the guy, just not to be in the know about such things, and just pulled up my trolling motor and left the area. That would have been the correct thing to do. I'll think before I act next time. Great day on the water today. Don't want to stick my big foot in my mouth, so instead of the report on how we did it and where I'll just keep my mouth shut. Thanks guys, Love you all.

You know its not very ofter, that the Rock gives up her bounty without a squall. Today was one of those days. After Chain Sawing my way out of the driveway at 5 Am I fished the Knob to the tune of about 20 fish with lots of quality keepers, with Kendal and Kyle and had a Super time with two great guys. Today was a double with the Williams outfit out of Cartage Mo. and it was something to remember 25 Keepers on the afternoon trip with over 40 fish, the top seller at 4.90 and lots of 3.5 to 4.5 blacks and Sj's. Crazy Stuff. Most on a Football Jig in about 22 ft. of water. Best 5 on the Morning trip 16.5 lbs. Best 5 on the afternoon trip close to 20 lbs. Never cauight a spawned out fish today. All were heavy with eggs and ready to do the deed. Most fish in the 22 to 26 ft. range, the old River bank I watched at least a dozen boats fish a point in the Big Indian that I wanted to fish. I was waiting on my clients. All the boats sucked in close to the flooded timber, and fished in close. I knew they were screwing up. Fished the same point 30 ft. out from the timber and bushes and caught 15 keepers off the point that had just been absolutely hamnmered. People don't understand Table Rock, or how to fish. It's not just me. All the guides know how to ketch-em. Why do people just think they have to fish the shoreline? I don't understand. The only thing the shore is there for is to hold the water in. It has nothing to do with the fishing. Had a funny thing happen, on the way to the forum. Had a guy cut me off on a spot. This Dude, pulled in in front of me while we were working a bank in the Big Indian. He saw me, but wanted to fish in front. He was throwing a blade and threw about a 1/2 dozen times and turned to look at me. By this time, I was pretty close. He turned to throw a blade again, and bird-nested his bait caster. My clients burst out into laughter at his antics. I casted the jig about 30 yrds. form his bow, and tap, tap I busted a 3.5 smallie right under him. He fingered us and blew out of sight. What a Num-Nuts. Good Luck out there. Good Luck on the Rock, it is as good as it gets.