Bill Babler

On Table Rock lake, about 90 percent of the topwater action occures as bass push bait fish to the surface to break the schools into smaller groups or singles for consumption. And I must preference that we are talking about Table Rock. The majority of our topwater action is on spotted bass and whites. Other topwater bites can occur on shallow gravel and bluff ends in the timber or the cedars. Usually the gravel means smallies and the timber means either blacks or spots. When the spots are pushing the shad, it's usually early or late and the topwater bite on the gravel or the bluffends are the same. This is due to low light situations in which the predators feed on a more consistant basis. It is not uncommon at all for the bite to disapear at the knob. It will be back however it is not the predominate way to catch those shell knob fish. You have to keep the boat traffic down for a good morning bite. With all the shriner traffic it is just to much. Good Luck

All most all the ramp docks on the lake are COURTESY docks, and are not provided by the Corps or the Govt. They are provided by dock building companies. If they are a bit tardy in moving them for our convienence, at this water level, we may just have to put her on the bank. I'm just glad they work most of the time. I guess that's why the hamby bow and keel protector were invented. I know one time we fussed up at Shell Knob, and that was the end of the docks for the summer as they just sat there on the beach. Lets just keep a low profile and hope they will service them soon.

Yes boy's there has been an osprey working upper taney. In the last week, I have seen him and also 1 current bald eagle. The osprey will dive and hit the water with such force, you would think he would break apart, He is eating live fish. The eagle picks up mostly dead or injured trout with its talons. I don't believe the osprey will eat carron, and the eagle would rather have it if he can get it. I have seen osprey nesting in the dam area for several years, There has also been a nest near Baxter for about as long as I can remember. I believe they must use the same nest year after year. The Osprey's probably live up on the rock, and just have a hankering for some fly fishing.

What do you mean by shallow? There are lots of fish being caught in that area, and the flat coves on the east side headed back toward the White River. Most of the split-shot or rig fish are coming in the 12 to 18 ft. range. I never fish much shallower than that. I bet if you had put your boat in 15 to 20 ft. of water and fished any of those areas that have the least ammount of wind on them it would maby have worked. A little mixed chunk rock and gravel have been holding alot of pre-spawn fish. It is also time to throw the fluke or slugo. Fish are being taken on a sinko also. The fish will rise to any of the floating plastics, so depth is not quite as critical as the drag baits. Thats a great area this time of year. I bet you get them next time

Three really nice trips on upper taney Thrus. thru Sat. Lots of great fly fishing action in the lower restricted area. Fish are midging, with hatches coming off none stop. Sight fishing is fantastic. If you can see em you'll catch em. Size 16 zebra in red, black or bronze will take fish all day. If you stop getting bit, simple move the boat looking or hunting for feeding fish. Lots of browns jumping all day in the fall creek area, thru Andy's. Saw several in the 2 to 4 lb. class jump several times, but didn't connect on the browns. Fished the bluff bank from FC to Lookout with a royal humpie size 10 today and had really nonstop action up against the bank on very quality fish. This is really pleasant as most of the midgers are somewhat on the small side. Geoff, and Colleen Steer were on the dry fly case and Geoff, had some really nicely colored up bows with the big dry. Colleen had the big bow of the trip, but of course we didn't get its photo, before it squirmed out of my clumsly paws back in the drink. Maby 15 dry fly fish with at least that many misses, and all the midgers you wanted. Not bad fishing for the conditions.

Can in noway top SKMO's day, but reports are flying in about one of the best topwater bites in years. Tim Paige with Ozark Mountain Guide Service, reports the Long Creek Arm, to probably Point 5 was outstanding today. Most fish were taken swinmming a broken back minnow on top. Fish still seem to be on flat gravel pts with some chunk. It is really nice if there is a bit of standing timber located on the pts. Swimm or work the top water in these locations on the entire lake system. Tim reported 63 dereees in his fishing area. I know it is much warmer up the river systems. Fish are also really being caught on a split-shot rig or a traditional Carolina rig, using a zoom french fry of the color of your preference. Tim had 1 small jaw a bit over 5lbs. and he said a largemouth flushed his clients bait that was just flat big. Swing and a miss. Trout are on dry flys. Crappie on the bank. Bass on topwater, I'm going insane.

Those spots always hold big fish this time of the year from January till the middle of this month. I just have a hard time catching them on anything other than a stick bait thru those docks. I have pulled some goodies on a red floating worm. No 8 pounders though. Great fish and great pics. Try the deep trees in the middle of that one cove for some crappie. We caught a couple of really nice ones in there the other day. Keep moving toward Table Rock dam on the same side of the lake with the big log resort in the back, I'm sure you will like what you find. I haven't been out that early with a spinner bug, but the old boy that used to own the viola boat dock caught the tails off them at night on a twin spin, this time of year. Great fish, I'm envious. You Big fishing fiend.

Have no idea why it was so crowded up the Kings except word is out that the fish may be on the bank. SKMO, arrived at about 4pm at the viola ramp and simply turned around as it was a mad house. Spoke to a couple of guides that were working the Missouri side of Long Creek and they said all the coves were absolutely chocked with boats. Sam you must have just been at the right spot at the right time. Spoke to Bill Anderson this morning. Bill was our lake biologist for a long time. He is now the cordinator of our warm water hatcheries. Most of the crappie we are catching are coming from a couple of good back to back spawn years. A keeper is basicly a 4 to 5 year old fish. What I could determine in speaking to Bill is the number of shorts should well outnumber the keepers for a viable population, as at legal length, with the fishing prussure we have, the majority of these fish will be harvested. Contrary to popular belief, wave after wave of crappie don't come into the bank, spawn and move away, as another set moves up. In a given period of time the spawn will occur. The majority of these keeper fish will be there at one time. When their gone, there gone. Yes there is some constant movement, but it is the same fish going and coming in search of the right conditions, not another group of fish. Most of us can remember the low decade of the 90's. Don't forget it, as Bill said, with the harvest that has gone on the last couple of years and the extremely poor recruitment of last and for sure this year, we had better enjoy them while they last. Can catch and release of these bedding females make a difference in our future harvest. Bill says not likely. The recuritment of crappie spawn is manley due to lake conditions. With depressed water levels, and warm clearing conditions, the new hatched crappie will have a rough go of it. If the microscopic organism's that the spawn consume are present and we get rain to promote cover for these young we may continue to have good seasons like 05, and 06. But look out 3 to 4 years from now, thats when we will see how good it really was in 2006. On a bright note. Sam, put some Zatarain's Creole Seasoning and lemon on those cleaned no red meat white fllets and cut them in long strips, like cat fish nuggets. They will be tasty. If you don't want them, give a Hollor. Good luck, great fishing and get them while they last.

Anytime I have the opportunity to talk Becky into going fishing, I take it. Got a call from SKMO saying the crappie were on the banks in the Kings River and that the white were chasing late in the day. Must have been a conference call as I have never seen the like of fisherman. Roared into the ramp at viola at about 3pm and couldn't believe my eyes. The lot was over flowing and rigs were parked up the entrance road. I counted over 90 outfits. Went ahead and lanched the fish catcher with the thought that i may have spent my time better painting the porch. Headed up the river past the Sweetwater ranp and Becky commented, what are all those trucks up in the woods? Told her they were fisherman that had parked after lanching at the ramp. Between 40 and 50 rigs their. I have never in the last 20 years seen over 5 cars at that lot. I have a little spawning bank up the Kings I like to fish and headed that way. I have never seen another fisherman on that spot, basiclly because it looks like it would never hold a fish. Completely flat gravel. 31 boats were on the bank. I had 66 boats in view from the ski bouys thru Deer Bluff, training the banks, it didn't matter weather they were on flat gravel or complete bluff. Stopped between two docks to fish and had two other fisherman pull into the same cut, both were within 10 ft. of my boat. There is a small deep cove with a nice spawning flat up above Royal Point, that I like, there were 16 boats in the cove and everyone could have casted into the next boat. Spoke to about 15 fisherman on these spots and none had more than 4 fish, and most had been out all day. Just flat to much prussure. I will not go back to the Kings River again this year. This was my last outing for crappie. Spoke to Buster and he said Long Creek and Cricket were absolutely swamped with crappie fisherman and they would not hesitate to pull in front of you to hit any kind of bank. He said he had 25 nice keepers on his guide trip, but all the traffic made it about as unpleasant as it gets. I have guided and fished Missouri and Arkansas now for almost my entire life and have never at anytime seen this ammount of boating traffic. I was on the Mo. State Water Patrol for 5 yrs. and can't remember traffic being like this even on holiday weekends. This is the middle of the week. Good luck to you guys, I'm going back to Taney, and never complaining about the boats again.

After the schlacking I took yesterday by SKMO, I needed the front of the boat with a full schedule of Table Rock Guide work this coming week. Put in at 86 about 10;30 after helping serve breakfast at the lodge. Was only going to fish until about 2 and then check out the Masters. Noticed immediatly that the surface temp had dropped a bunch from yesterday.51.8 today and that put me back on the stick. Caught two quick smallies just across from the ramp and then went to the main lake. Lots of wind and surf in the Clevenger Branch area and fished the War Eagle for about 1 hr. Caught 3 shorts, 2 smallies and 1 KY. Bite kind of died by noon, so went back to the stick and my first cast caught a really nice keeper smallie. Contimued to throw it on chunk gravel 45 degree type banks with wind, mostly the East side of the lake. Picked up another really nice keeper smallie and a 17 inch KY. It was about time to go in and I stopped on 86 point and give the stick a whirl into a 30mph wind, it went about 30 ft. but decided to work it anyway. Check out the pic. This is the biggest KY I have ever caught. I know people have caught lots larger, and many claim 5 to 7 lb. fish, but this if my biggest. 20 1/8 inches long 4lb.14oz. I have caught thousands and thousands and have seen that many caught, and have only seen 1 bigger in person. It was caught off the island in front of Big Cedar on a crawler during a guide trip. 5lb 6 oz. This fish had the largest extended stomach I have ever seen. It was completely full of eggs and threadfin shad. It was spitting shad as it came to the boat and spit shad all over the deck. Was done and on the trailer by 1;30, not a bad morning after my fishing lesson yesterday. I thank the teacher, and wish he would have been there for the big KY.

Way to kind on the fishing report. While I was giving myself a backache with the stickbait, SKMO was boating fish after fish on the War Eagle. I feel if we would have had a net, my time would have been served better. Instead, I was a whitness to proper spinnerbait presentation. When you get in a grove like that you just have to ride it. I assure you I will make a come back. Maby.

For crappie, try the following locations, and I am sure you will have good results. Basin Hollow: Go to the back of the left fork and work your way out thru the pole timber on both sides of the hollow. Fish a swimming minnow or tube jig. If they are in close a jig and float may also work. BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL BOATING IN AND AROUND BASIN HOLLOW LOTS OF ROCKS AND TREES. Mill Creek: right across the lake. Go back in both arms and work your way out thru the same timbered locations. Hobbs Hollow, Try both arms, I know Dan Langley was catching crappie near the mouth from the cedars using a swimming minnow just on the outside of the trees. Take lots of baits as you will lose them playing around these trees. Bait colors that tend to work best are white, blue, chartruse, and white pink blends on maribou jigs. SKMO, should be frothing the waters in that area for bass, and I'm sure he will be able to give you some great tips, later in the week. Probably should stick to the crappie as most of the bass will probably be suffering from oral surgery and respiratory problems from being jerked from the water by SKMO and his guest this week.

Don't let sleeping beauty know how much fluorocarborn was on that reel, or she'll have you super gluing the pieces back together. That would definatly make a dent in you $300.00 worth of fishing equipment. I thought I would die. Becky dosen't even ask amymore. Of course I have a legit excuse. HA HA

If you uncle caught 2 over 6lbs. you had better be asking him! Please review the current posts by our professional and local anglers and all your questions will be answered. Also please check out our pinned topics Thank you for coming to the fourm

Maby you should Mount the backlash. I have 2 Chronarchs that I just retired because of the quality of the lashes in them. I knew I probably could never get a better one. Great day. Glad what we spoke of worked. Seldom does on those type of tips, but I think they will bite anything right now. Jerk, Spin, Drag, Crank, Top. Thats the way we like it Excellent Report.

Hugh and Hugh Mellans of Chicago visited out little piece of heaven on Friday wanting to give both the trout and bass a fling. The great part about this is Hugh Sr. is 97 years young. We started on the trout. Both Jr. and Sr. have fished the world over and Sr. at 97 had no problem seeing and reacting to his strike indicator in the restricted area of upper taney. He had 4 fish in the boat before I could even get Jr's fly line soaked. Lots of trout in the Andy section of the lake. Most coming on that stinky micro. Saved enough for Becky to prepare them for breakfast for the guys. Hard to beat rainbow for breakfast. At noon, we switched to the rock, lanching at old 86. I haven't fished this area a whole lot as Shell Knob has been so hot I have been trailering up there. Was suprised to find water in the 55 degree range. Jr. had been on the fourm, reading about stickbaiting, and wanted to give it a try. I knew Sr. would have trouble with the stick and tied on a grey 4 inch. chomper single tail for him to swim. Went looking for gravel and wind and when I set them up, I started with Sr. See results of his 3rd. cast with the grub. We fished about a 1/4 mile stretch of gravel in the Clevenger Creek area for 3 hrs. and caught and released 2 smallies,6 Ky's and 1 5lb. channel cat. This was middle of the day. All the fish were at least 15 inches and that dosen't happen often. T. Paige had told me he also had a really nice number of keeper fish in the same general area on sticks earlier in the day. Guys, I have to admit to ya, when Sr. caught his second nice Ky on that grub, this old crusty guide had a hard time chocking them back. Jr. never did quite get on the stick, as he tended to move it a little too quickly but man it was great watching his dad catch those fish. This a absolutely the reason I'm out there and this was my second 97 year old in the last year. No matter what it takes or what work is involved it is the most worthwile feeling I have as a guide. These fish are biting, LOOK FOR THE WIND.

Guys, hope everyone is enjoying all the up to date info on Table Rock Lake. There has never been more comprehensive, and seasonal up to date information published on the rock. Locals that are out there several days a week are contributing with clarity and absolute fantastic up to the day information. More info. than I can even believe on hard to find locations and baits. Please to keep cluter down and keep topics fresh, if you are a new comer to the fourm look and browse the topics already in play and the archives before asking for further information. Plese don't repeat your questions in every species catagory. IF Don or SKMO has a current topic dated the day before you are coming or even several, you can bet the patterns have remained the same. To ask for Table Rock reports the next day after a post is probably pretty much a waste of time on our part. If something new comes up, the way this fantastic fourm is working, you will hear about it quickly. Plese enjoy the fourm, and we'll keep that info. coming from guides and seasoned fisherman that are on the water everyday. Thanks a million, we love having you.

Guys, Buster and Paige hit it pretty hard in the Dam to Kimberling area the last couple of days. They both did have nice quality keepers but both reported the bite was a lot more active from Pt. 16 up the White. Get a nasty day with some rain a little wind, not a gale and the smalljaws will kick it in, in that dam area. Lots of males getting active up the White and that accounts for good numbers of fun fish. won't win you a tournament but their girl friend will if you are in the right place at the right bite. It.s just starting to kickin.

Talked to SKMO by phone, he is having internet problems, but will soon be back online. I don't believe he has had time to fish much up the White, but believe he intends to hit her hard next week. Please refer to my posts up to Campbell Pt. and just continue on with the same pattern. It should hold to about roaring river.

Kind of a general lake bass report for March 30th. Reports by Tim Paige Ozark Mountain Guide Service, Buster Loving, Buster's Guide Service and Little ole me. Big Cedar to Kimberling area, water temp in the 47 to 49 degree range. Nice spotted bass starting on swimming minnows and grubs swam on 3/16 or 1/4 oz jib heads off the main lake and secondary points. Use 6lb. line, put the boat in about 20 to 24 ft. of water and work the windy banks, following the contour of the bottom as you swim the grub slowley back to the boat. Seconday flat and gravel points in the same region use sitckbaits in Table Rock Shad, and Purple and Chartruse. Have the bait slightly sinking and impart just enough movement on the bait to make it flash. We will also clasify this as the dam area and fish are also being taken in some of the main lake coves on a splitshot rig or a traditional Carolina rig, using a fish dr. or finess worm in either green pumpkin, or watermellon. Don had reported earlier that he is catching some fish in Beardsley Branch on this method. Fish seem to be coming in the 12 to 18 ft. range. Haven't been to far past Aunts Creek, so won't comment on the James. Kimberling to Shell Knob. Hang on! Water temps in the 51 to 53 degree range and fish are really nipping. Had about 35 fish yesterday on my trip out of Kimberling with 8 solid keeper size fish. Two Blacks in the 4 1/2 lb range and some toad KY's. Keep heariing of people catching close in fish on warts in the main lake pockets, so we melted the paint off them yesterday. One of the Blacks came on a wart but that was the only bite we had on it. Probably tried it in at least 20 places, wehre I have taken them before on it. No luck. Tried a rig some in good rig places but only 1 short smallie. You know me, I had to throw those custom sticks and everywhere we tossed it was litup. Was fishing a tourmanmet guy and he just wanted spots to fish on Sat. so we didn't stay anywhere long, but man were they biting the stick. Main lake flat points with any wind whatsoever and you could count on a bite. If you are unfamiliar with Table Rock and are tooling down the lake and see a flat gravel point and think I would never fish there, you just goofed. These fish love wind and flat gravel, especially if there is a major cove next to the flat. Don't pass them up. Didn't get above Campbell Pt. so I will have to get back to you on the upper White. Should be on a wart up there if you can put the stick down. Did have 4 shorts on the PBJ but just could not put the stickbait down.

Don, take a quick look, I'm sure it was just a type O, but the length limit on the Mo. section for Spots is 15 inches. Arkansas is 12 inches, but may not be transported back across the state line. Brett, didn't mean to just your case, and it has nothing to do with how I make my living. You or anyone else is entitled to any fish you wish to keep that is legal. I will guarantee you that Don feels the same way. I have chosen not to kill any of the 3 black bass varities we have for personal reasons. I have fished and guided here since 1968, and have seen a trememdious transformation in the bass populations. Thru the 60's and 70's we were a predonimate largemouth fishery. In the late 70's the spots really started to come on. When I went back to full time guiding in 1992 based out of Shell Knob, it was not uncommon from that period until about 2000 to catch and release a 100 plus spotted bass per day. Any day, Everyday. These were fish that occupided deep structure, channel swings and humps, along with just roamed around chasing shad. Many a time I had boaters approach me in the middle of the lake and asked if I was broke down. People just didn't know the fish were out there. These were not tournament fish as the largemouth population was good and you just frankly could not win a tourmanent on a limit of spots. The big boys just called them guide fish and could care less about the Ky's. I remember Rick Holmgran of Shell Knob a good friend and one of the best ever tournament fisherman on TR, asking me why I even messed around with those little fish and that I should concentrate on real fish. Boy how times have changed. With the fishing shows and the guide trips and the quality of off shore electronics, these places were discovered and people learned how to take these off the bank fish. AS the largemouth population dwindled and the size went down, the tournament boys now started to target the spots that had, had pretty much no prussure. It changed the fishing as we know it on Table Rock when these discoverys were made. In 1999 and again in 2000, devestating fish kills affected both the largemouth and then the spotted bass. While the spots are more nurmerious than the largemouth, they are still nothing like it used to be. I had places up the White River Post Spawn where spots would be on channel swings recovering from the spawn that would hold litterly 100's of bass. They now hold some. Buster Loving, Tim Sainato, Tim Paige, Bob Tindle and I could all literally tie our boats together and catch and release fish for days at a time. We never killed the fish and still we saw the population slowly diminish. Tim Sainato, found a fall spot up the White that you could literally catch bass on until you were wore out. In a 3 day period, Tim, Buster and I caught and released with clients a number of fish that was just to unbelieveable to print. This was before the drop-shot, on spoons and rigs. only a few live there now. Brett, nither my clients or myself have anymore right to the fish than you do. The good Lord has blessed me and allowed me to follow my dream to do what I do. I would never dictate morality as far as the fishing or expect anyone to release fish so my clients could catch more. I just want there to be fish here for my childrens, childrens. As you stated it took you 20 hours to catch 1 legal fish. THAT'S NOT BECAUSE YOUR A BAD FISHERMAN, Think about it! When I was in College a frieds folks had a cabin in Beardsley Branch, we could walk the bank and catch largemouth, non-stop on a texas rigged ringwrom with a fire or blue tail. Showing my age. I must have been to the cabin dozens of times at all times of the year and we could catch them anytime. We had fish frys. Wish we would have just had fun and grilled a hamburger, and maby great guys like you could still walk the bank in Beardsley.

Brett, Killing bass that are getting ready to spawn is not exactly the way to solicite information on this site. With the trouble's we have had here in the past, putting a knife to females getting ready to help repoplulate a lake that is not or will never be stocked is not how most of us operate. Sam's club, has farm raised catfish fillets for about $1.99 per pound. They are delicious. Help us promote and preserve this great fishery by purchasing a bag and letting these fantastic fighting fish reproduce at their most vulnerable time of year. Everyone that reads this site and depends on it for information will truely appreciate it. Thanks Bill

Wonderful week on taney with the EMJ group, but lots of work. 16 big boat trips with lots of fisherman ready for a trout cook off on the MDC. My hands are a mess, every finger with a cut or hole in it. My lip is split right up the middle and my cheeks so chapped they are like leather. Still wanted more and SKMO and I had a great day on the rock. A real relaxer. I didn't have to tie on one bait for him or unhook his fish. It was nurvona. I hope he dosen't see this, as he will want the full treatment next time. SAY, those were his fish. He should have tied on my baits and took off my fish. Maby next time.

Probably a little late and I'm sure your going now, but that is a huge problem with the Rudes. There are two square relay or fuses, 1 up and 1 down. You can switch the two to get you up or down. I used to carry at least 4 extras in the repair kit and most people with the rudes do. It may also be the fuse board as this has happened too. Good luck I also may have missed the reason all together. The fuses have saved me many, many times.

After a full hard week on the trout it's nice to have a buddy that has a handle on the rock. Great trip today on the middle section of the White River arm of Table Rock lake. SKMO may not say so but he backed up what he told me yesterday. Blue Bird day, and some competition on our spots, but a great day on the water. I'll take that anytime. When your dealing with KY's and Smallies this time of year, you are dealing with critters on the move. What's good for you today may be completely wrong the next. If you have a spot holding fish, there is probably not a greener pasture around the bend, don't leave whats working. We worked a great location 3 times and it paid off on the second helping. Good advice. On the wife deal, God bless both of us.