Bill Babler

Beck,Lilley and I took a beating trying to catch muskie "ER" I mean walleye on upper Bull this Am., So Beck and I decided we couldn't quit on such a sour note and headed the fishing caravan to Eagle Rock. WE both had a couple of places we wanted to give a whirl for early season stickbait bass. First stop on Bill's second cast he caught a really nice 3.5 lb. Largemouth and that kind of just got the ball rolling. WE only hit 4 total spots in the couple of hours we had to fish but caught fish where they should be this time of the year. Water temp, up the river 42 degrees. Lot better wind day today than last week, and where the wind, sun and chunk rock met the bass were there. We both believe they would have taken a crank if worked slowley, as for the most part all the fish came no farther than 10ft. off the bank in probably 5 to 12 ft. of water. Boat was sitting in 22 to 28ft. We ended up with about a dozen bass, all Largemouth with several very nice keeper size fish. Bill was using a custom Tim Hughe's purple fleck suspending rogue and I was using a custom Buster Loving Purple Back white bellie, suspending rogue. Both worked very well. Most all the fish came after the initial jerk down during the pause. Some were just there and some nearly ripped the rod out of our hand. You just had to be ready for the soft-strike and be glad when they slammed it. We both missed several fish, but for the most part we were on em. The walleye were tough to come by, but the home lake bass we glad to see us.

Bill Beck, Phil Lilley and I hit the water at 7am on upper Bull and motored to the pothole. Threw Stickbaits swimming minnows and jigs for a couple of very cold hours this AM and caught 5 rainbows and one huge carp. Credit Phil with the buglemouth. Ran on down to the Barker hole and fished the transition end for about 20 minutes with no bites. Should have been there yesterday in the clouds as it was as bright as could be today, not a good walleye day. See today on tablerock and Bill and I went to Eagle Rock and got into a very nice bunch of stickbait largemouth.

I have started seeing some rigs parked on the bluff's just before you get to the Kings River Bridge on 86. All most all with Arkansas tags. Most of these guys are fishing the last deep hole at the bend just before the river goes into Arkansas. They are for the most part tightline fishing creek chubs. Low light conditions are by far the best bet. Most fishing is usually from 2am until 8am and from 7pm until midnight. If you wish to fish from a boat you can lanch at Happy Hollow and work your way up stream. Fish the last bluffend before the bridge and the flat between the bluff and the bridge going up stream on your right. Last year drifting gold fish and shiners, as chubs are really had to come by, below the riffle after the bluff caught quite a few walleye. Outside of the naturals suspending stickbaits are by far your best bets, with clown or a gold sided full size rogue working well. The hole just above the bridge is also a very good spot for live bait presentations. Motor oil and redfleck swimming minnows on a 1/4 oz jig head will also get some attention from the walleye and the crappie and whites will also be attreacted to these offerings. You really have only about 6 weeks up there as about the second week of March, they are for the most part spawned out and leaving. This is your best bet on Table Rock, Roaring River also holds a catchable run of walleye, but not to the extent of the Kings. Bull Shoals is much better. I'm heading over there tomorrow and give it a whirl, will post on the Bull Shoals sight on how we did.

Right as Rain on the Speed Clip. I love em for fishing stickbaits, spooks and redfins, it allows total movement of the head of the bait with virtually no weight. Also makes for quick changes. Spot of photo might directly coralate with the spot of the catch, who knows? We may also have forgotten our camera in the truck and had to run to the ramp to get it. Either way, she is still swimming in the briney blue. Good Luck We are after Walleye on the morrow will let you know on how we did on the Bull Shoals report tomorrow afternoon.

Good to see a few of us out stiring the pot a bit. Sounds like you guys had a great day. Again, would not have thought of a streight line worm bite at that depth, this time of the year. The fish are simply where you find them. Usually don't see a lot of bass hunkered to the bottom in that shallow depth this time of year. Most seem to be either deep or wandering suspended getting ready to pull up. Great Job.

Polock, to answer your questions from the message you sent. Yes there are guides working the entire year. Yes, they have Winter rates, they are usually higher than in the Summer as we have to get our pinkeys cold. Just kidding, same rate all the time. Yes again, when your here the bass will be giving it a go. Talked to Bill today and he fished this morning and caught fish deep in the 50ft. range on vertical jigging 4 inch grubs. Yesterday, we threw the bank with suspending stickbaits. You are coming to a great area of the lake to crappie fish. crappie are being caught up long creek as we speak. Fish seem to be coming from the main creek channel in about 20 ft. on the bottom. Minnows as well as Swimming minnows and jigs will produce. You just have to work to find them. There should be some more posts on the crappie with better locations by the time you arrive. One problem, is almost all the crappie in that area are coming out of Arkansas you you will also need a Ark. permit to fish the long creek area. You can get a three day. Also spoke to some crappie fisherman in the Baxter area and they are starting the catch some really nice crappie suspended in the trees in that same 20ft. depth range. To my suprise most reported to be catching them on the main lake rather than in the creeks. Hope this helps. B. Babler White River Outfitters

Ham, you must be new to the fourm. All fish are released back to mother nature. With cool water temps, and fish coming off the bank a short areiated ride in the Champion livewell gives them a nice oxeginated jump start to go about their personal day to day chores. No animals were harmed in the making of this movie.

Bill Beck and I made it out on the Rock for a while yesterday morning. Determined to make the fish bite on a stickbait, it was about all we threw. Air/Temp. was 22 degrees at 7:30 when we flew the ramp. Story begins about 3 weeks ago when Bill had found some deep fish in a major lake pocket between Kimberling City and Baxter. His nephew was fishing Ahoy's winter tournaments and Bill had told him about the deep fish in the cove. Nephew tried the deep fish and nothing so switched to a clown rogue and started down an interior cove chunk rock bank with lots of pole timber on it. Long story short, he GOT BIT, big time to the tune of his best 5 weighing 17.5 lbs and he also lost a monster that jumped several time and then broke off. He told Bill he was sure the fish weighed between 9 and 10 lbs. Said he could only get bit on a stretch of bank that was about a city block long. Post Script/// When we pulled onto this stretch yesterday, there is no reason that I would have ever fished it or stopped their. Bill just said this is where his nephew said they were. I could find no reason to see why it was special. Go's back to the more you know the less you really know. We fished down the bank about 40 yrds. and Bill pointed out some structure on the Bank and said his nephew said the fish were only from that piece of structre to the interior point. My second cast into the Honey Hole, I caught a K of about 1.75. While I was unhooking the small bass, I heard bill say, Oh My Gosh. I have got a monster. I throw my bass back and look up front and his rod is in a complete 1/2 moon and the drag is just singing is short zips. Shimano Cronarch. It pays to fish the best. I look into the deep green and see the side of one of the biggest bass I have ever seen on the Rock, it is a complete toad. Bill is fishing 8lb. maxi on his stickbait so everything has to work perfect for him to get this fantastic fish to hand. After a real lengthy battle we get our mitts of this complete tablerock giant. A threadfin shad under 9lbs. Think it was the fish his nephew was talking about. I would bet the farm and also the grave plot. Caught 3 more fish on that stretch of bank with another really nice 3.5 lb. K and fished about 3 hrs. on other locations without a bite. Just was to flat with no breeze. Water temp at the start of the morning was 44.7 and when we quit at 1pm had gone up to about 46. It won't be long. Included are a couple of bait photo's and a couple of shots off our lodge deck. Man the lake is just beautiful this time of year.

February of 06 was excellent in the Dam Big Cedar area. By far, one of the best eary bites we had in years. This year it will be much, much tougher with 10 to 12 feet of additional water that wasn't here last year. Still, target transition banks, long flat points leading into cove mouths, and gravel banks off main river channels in that area. I know you said Big Cedar time shares, but don't let the locals or the accual Big Cedar folks here you talk like that. They call the Time Share "Wilderness Club". They will be quick to tell ya, its not the same. Check out the nightly rental prices for both Wilderness Club, and then Big Ceder, and you will know doubt see the difference. Good luck with your fishin in the Big Cedar Area of TR.

Fished the rock on friday, surface temps were 51 degrees, in the dam area. I have just now this AM gone to 32 degrees on my deck. Most all weekend temps at Blue Eye were in the high thirtys to low 40's. and the ground was warm so run-off would not have cooled the lake much. If it gets to single digets at night, we may have the best chance we have had in several years. We'll keep our fingers crossed. I don't expect it though. Had to check. Just ran down to old 86 launch ramp and checked surface temp on TR 49.9 at the dock, surface temp.

Thought you were joshing about how bad it was so I set out to prove you wrong. Conditions seemed really good for the stick. Fishing out of ole 86 I had just hit one spot when the rains came and because I'm a fair weather geek, I was off back to the lodge. No bites on the Table rock Shad, on Emerald Point bank, which is usually a really good spot with the wind on it this time of the year. You were right, they arn't biting. You would have thought it would have been great with this storm coming in. Have heard good reliable reports of wart fish in long creek, right on the bank. Chunk rock, back in the pockets, move it very irratically. Good to use a suspender if ya got it. Guy told me he was almost jerking it like a rogue. Really good fisherman and I'll bet he knows to which he speaks. Said just reeling it didn't work as well and they liked the wiggle better than a stick bait. Using a wart with alot of red. Also got the word on catching some pretty nice crappie way up long and cricket. Main channel 20 ft. on the bottom. Know it was fact as it was a guide trip. Water temps on this end a bit warmer. 51.8 in the Big Cedar area and up Long Creek. Beaver is running lots of water and they have really been pulling it at taney, I bet that has cooled off the knob more than down here. We'll see what they think on the back side of this storm, middle of next week.

Lots of action of the rock this week, with Table Rock Guide Service reporting fishing excellent from Kimberling to Shell Knob off the main lake flats in the 60 to 70 ft. range on 1/2 oz white wareagle spoons and 4in smoke pepper single tail grubs on a 3/8 oz lead head. Bill reported 40 fish today with 20 keepers up to 4.5 lbs. with some great smalljaws. All the fish came off shad schools at the depths mentioned. If you will check this thread on the trout side you will see the corps. is measuring the DO and the water temps steady from surface to 74 ft. at 50 degrees. When this occurs you have a very wide range to try to corral these green backs. The key is look for the shad. Also as SKMO reported earler there seems to be a pretty good stickbait bite, right on the bank. Move it extremely slow. Fish seem to be coming off main lake gravel flat points. The big boys are casting 8 or 10 throws per point and moving on. Only seems to be working with a little cloud cover and some wind. Good Luck.

Water is really off colored. About like a very weak ice tea. Fishing from Short Creek to Clay Banks excellent on about anything you wanted to throw. Best of the best seemed to be the olive micro with the bright orange head. As soon as the Jig would hit the water a strike would occur. Many of these fish were in the 14 to 16 inch catagory and lots of areials today. IF we are having a problem with DO someone needs to tell these fish as they are just going nuts when you catch them with all of the high flying acrobatics. Fished the micro on about 3.5 ft. of 6X under an indicator. They really ate it. Buster reported hardware was also catching lots of fish with anything gold and moving getting lots of attention. During power generation early, egg patterns were getting lots of takes on the flat side from lookout to fall creek. Below fall creek the bite stayed pretty constant to short creek, with sunrise powerbait and the same micros catching limits of fish with very little trouble. 60 degrees and the fish eating it up, you can't beat that.

CMAC, SKMO, didn't ask,and frankly dosen't want to know, but he is always fishing in ammoungst the guide boats, and what he finds he finds on his own. A true gentleman with a hunger for fishing knowledge few can compair with. There are full time guides fishing near his locaton and he would never compromise there lively hoods with exact locations. He or I won't pinpoint exact locations for the reasons he stated above, as the fish tend to move, but there has never been a harder working fisherman than SKMO. How many fisherman are willing to give 3 to even 8 hrs. of their trips without a bite. I guarantee he is. If he can gain just one speck on knowledge he would consider the trip a raving success. Truly one of the best locals on the rock, if he says it, take it to the bank and cash it! Very good fisherman. Great and honerable man. My privledge to call him friend. Keep it commin SKMO

SK, Great report and Pic's. Maby I'll get off the trout and be able to go one day. Loved the spoon talk about RL out of the knob. Went with him one day in the spring during rig dragging season. While I dragged the french fry he dragged that flat grey slap spoon on the bottom, just like a rig. He didn't kick my butt, but he for sure caught his share. Also fished with him one winter day in the back of basin. I was suspending the spoon about a foot off the bottom and just slightly quivering it, almost no movement. He told me to watch him catch them off the bottom with it. He would lower it to the bottom until there was slack in the line as the spoon layed on the bottom and all of a sudden his line would get tight as the fished sucked it right off the bottom. You are absolutely right about the shakey worm as he has been fishing it at least 15 years as his staple in the summer, along with the spoon and spook. Went spook fishing with him one day and he moved it so slow, I thought he had fallen asleep in the back of the boat. He did kick my butt that day. About 4 casts per hour was just to slow for me on the spook, but I will guarantee it works for him. Great stuff. Just goes to show the more we know the less we really know.

Just a quick note before I head back to the deer woods. Almost all the guides can fish any of the zebco or quantum products at no charge. None do. Shimanno, there is no other word in spinning reels. For that same $100 plus price range you can get a reel that will last a life time with absolutely no faults and a drag system that is not compareable in other spinning reels with any ammount of ball bearings. None of the guides of local pro's have any deals with Shimanno, cause they just don't have to give any. We can sometimes get a vip card, but I don't mind paying full price for them. I have 60 and about every 3rd year, send about 1/3 to the factory for new bearing and bail springs along with a good cleaning. It cost $12.00 and they get them back within a week. I am still using some 15 year old reels that have litterly caught 1000's of fish and still fish like new. These reels go on 100's of fishing trips each year, and I never touch them, clean them or oil them, they just are work machines. The drag systems are so perfect, they will sing 2lb. test completely off the spool with never a heat up or a catch. They will fish 10 lb. equally as well. Go in any tackle store and ask, if you had one spinning reel to fish, what would you choose. There is only 1 answer. I usually prefer the Stradic 1000 or 1500. series Price will range between $109.00 and $129.00 You can catch year end model changes at either Bass Pro or Cabalas usually about this time of year and sometimes get them at the $109.00 number. They have lots of less expensive reels and all are far superior to any others on the market. Just my thoughts. Good Luck

What a difference a couple of days makes. Guided the rock on Wed afternoon and really had a pretty good trip dragging a watermellon candy french fry. 16 and 3. Thurday during the first really cold morning of the year, I came back again in the Baxter area with 11 with 5 great keepers including 2 bronze backs in the 3lb. range. Fish came on the cendpide in the 32 ft. range with lots of shad on the flats. Jerry and Dave Holschen were the victims on Fri, and I mean victims, as we fished 8 hrs. with these guys, and I mean they were fisherman. Very Good hands. 3 total fish for 8 hrs with one nice 19 inch smallie as the top prize. I had totally lost the fish. Nothing on the flats of drops or humps, I mean no shad no nothing but cold temps. SKMO I know caught some fish drop shotting wood in the same general area. Extremely cold temps, probably but the fish on the wood, but I was just not smart enough to adapt. I sucked really bad and probably moved to much. I think the fish that were out there just were not feeding and hugging the bottom. Jerry a good spoon man would have dropped the spoon, if we could have found some fish to feed it too. Heard they bit like pigs on Saturday during the power generation on taney. SkMO did really well on the spots I fished at the knob, where I saw nothing, he said the flats were covered with shad. Tip Paige reported 25 fish and 3 keepers at the dam with lots of bait on places that were completely void of life on Friday. Go figure. Boy, I need a break, an am going to the deer woods for a week. Be good while Im gone.

MCD tells me they have never had a "Trophy Zone" on taney. The area created below the dam is labled a Restricted Area. Maby this explains the lack of Trophys. However, I am seeing some really nice trophys on this very thread. Great Photo's and some really nice fish coming in.

Fantastic report and great info. Usually my best week of the year when Roland and the boys are here. I could set and watch Roland cast all day. I have taken and watched 1000's of fly casters and the ease and beauty of Roland's fly cast are equaled by few and surpassed by none. Some days as I look up the river thru dozens of fly fisherman, I don't have to see the face, only the perfect loop, to know who is making the presentation. A true scolar of the sport and a gentleman in every way. It is my pleasure to call him a very dear friend.

Great Fish. Looks just like one that one my buddies caught this Spring. Think so Phil?

Otter

Would a sluggo or a soft plastic swim bait such as a Castic Shad then be legal? If these baits were unsented? What whould be the difference? I am really confused!!!!!

George, I was using that ole standby Babler Midge, size 14 copper tungsten head with a black body and red copper wrap. I agree with Phil in the aspect that the forage base is very limited in the Cooper Creek area, other than midges. I think this would relate in thinner trout. This is not the case. Some of those little rascals are as plump as I am. None of the fish seem to be in poor shape, condition, or health. They are just LITTLE. If you were fishing out west in the mountains and caught these fish on a 3 or 4 wt. you would be having a ball, as the little critters are full of energy and jump and covort about like a race horse. Slap them on a 9ft. 6 wt. and its a different story. Another thing that I am having a hard time understanding is lots of these fish are not recient stockers. Some are that dark purple chunky that just came off the truck, but some are as vibrently colored as any I have ever caught in the restricted area. Even some of the little guys have a fantastic pink stripe. Water was pretty cool down there yesterday, 49. We caught at least a dozen perch in the last couple of days in that area. I usually don't catch over one a year. Some of the other guides are catching quite a few bass at cooper. Lots of dingy things going on.

Boy's is a Chernoble Ant or any of the new foam or rubber or soft plastic dry's legal in the restricted area? I think not, but would like other opinions. Had a customer that fished up there last week and used a rubber dry that I had never seen, for a strike indicator, on a dropper rig, the day before he fished with me. Claimed it floated really high and it was a size 16. Looked like a small segrated ant with legs. Entirely soft rubber. Red and Black. Said he had 30 fish on it wading the clay banks area, with several nice browns. He eventually took off the scud dropper, as they hit the dry so well. I was afraid to let him use it when he was with me, but out of the restriced area we tried it and it would float any nympth I put on below it. You could really add action to the fly and never have it get wet or heavy. What a weapon. I need a ruling, but I think I already know the answer.

I simply think that the growth rate in the ponds is very uneven. I have no data to back this up. I am just using my experence as a former livestock producer, where it is impossible to have the same weight gains on a pen of hogs or cattle. Some will always be faster growers and you will have some poor preformers. Weights will fluctuate. This seems to really be a problem for the past year, since MDC said they were going to reduce stocking, but stock a smaller number of larger fish. As we all know, this has not came to frution. We have possibly had the worst stocking and the smallest fish in the history of the program. If the reason is drought, work or the hatchery or the sale of fish, it really dosen't matter. What does matter is they have lost a base of fish and have to rebuild. The schools of fish that were running the flats in the Cooper Creek area, were very uneven in size, with some in the 15 inch class, and some 4 to 5 inches. This is probably just to wide a gap to assume that the growing pond preformed poorly. Guess we'll see. What's your thoughts?