outdoorgirl

Lets see.... its so hot and dry that the trees have started advertising for stray dogs and the bass are using aqui-lungs to go 100 feet deep. Still some real die hard fishermen are having some success using big worms in and around standing timber and deep waterlogged trees and brush on the bottom in 20 to 30 foot depths. We just got in some 16 inch plastic worms at the tackle store here at the marina and from what I hear this is not even too big for the good bass to take in! The water temps are in the high 80's even after dark and its taking some time for the bass to come out to the banks after full darkness. When they do, they will bite and they aren't bashful about thumping any thing that moves. Crappie after dark under floating lights and around docks with brush piles have been biting crappie minnows with gusto and they are good size too. Catfish are biting on trot lines using gold fish and small perch but you have to check the lines about every half hour to get them before they die. Setting the trot lines really deep helps. Another adventure if you can stand the heat is beach combing or in this case lake shore combing. With the lake going down every day now, a person can walk the shore lines and find a fortune in fishing tackle and a big bonus is if you can figure out where the old indian campgrounds were you can pickup some of the prettiest indian relics you have ever seen. From what I understand from the Corp of Engineers, you can take pictures and admire them but your not suppose to keep them. Its still pretty neat to hold an arrowhead that might be hundreds of years old. Anyway, take plenty of fluids (your choice) and ever so often wade out or fall over board and stay cool!!!

Black bass have been as confused as the fishermen trying to catch them. The whole lake from the dam to the west end of the lake at the Arkansas line has been going thru a massive algae bloom. In the morning we have pretty green water and then the sun hits the water, heats it up and here comes the bloom. Some driver friends say the bloom doesn't go that deep but on top it looks awful. I also think it changes the PH in the water and messes with the fish. Anyway, the bass are just about anywhere you throw, but the question is what to throw and what will turn them on. Deep crank baits (15 to 20 feet) have been hot for a month now and off shore ledges and humps have been really hot. Drop shot and Carolina rigs on the long points and shallow sloping banks is also taking its share of bass. Then again, shallow billed crank baits and some spinner baits worked right up on the banks early in the morning has caught some good bass. As the sun and heat climbs you can go back to jig and pig baits along with creature baits on the bluffs and bluff ends and do well. This last big moon week had the bass right up on the banks and smashing dark colored spinner baits on every throw. Right now the best pattern is to get bit and look at what you using and where you are and work that pattern until they stop biting it. Crappie have spawned and moved deep. They are still close to where they spawned but are suspended over water depth of 30 to forty feet deep. They will still relate to some kind of structure, be it a deep brush pile or an old standing tree or anything that lets them school up on. Crappie jigs and tube baits straight down with a small movement on the jig will catch some crappie. Minnows will work also if you can get them deep enough. White bass are where they are! They have been coming up on top smashing shad even during the hot of the day and top waters and fast jerk baits will catch them if you can get to them in a hurry. Catfish are biting and biting everything they can get their jaws around. Bass fishermen have been getting their hearts broke when they hook up with a 10 pound flathead on their crank baits. The cats are moving on the banks to get ready to spawn and feeding heavy to store up some fat before they do. Bank trot lines and limb lines will catch them using gold fish or small perch as bait. Cut shad drifted on the sand and small gravel banks will catch channel cat after channel cat. Just go down to our cleaning station any morning and see the boys working on some big old cats.

Fishing is pretty good but the spawn is coming to an end for the crappie and black bass and white bass. Still the crappie are biting good, but have change their ways and mostly backed off the shore line and are now 5 to 10 feet off the banks and as usual really near any type of wood structure. Minnows still are the best go to bait simply because they hang up less than jigs. There was some female crappie brought in that still had eggs, so they’re still out there. Black bass have about finished their spawn too. Friday night tournament this week took 17 pounds and a little over to win first place and second place was almost 14 pounds. We had 21 boats entered in Sunday's bass tournament and some good weights showed up. The bass (Males) are hungry after staying on the nest and guarding the eggs and bass fry and have been hitting crank baits late in the evenings and senkos and flukes close to the shore in the mornings. It won't be long before the females get rested up and go on a feeding spree of their own. White bass are over their spawn but are still working the gravel points and gravel banks and there is still some big white bass being caught on road runners and by trolling medium size crank baits. They can still be caught on top waters when they chase a school of shad up and blast them. So keep a top water handy. Now the catfish is a different story as the guys are hungry and have moved to the banks to feed and start looking for nest sites. Gold fish and perch on limb lines and trot lines are doing well and just plain old bank fishing with stink baits will get some good channel cats. The big old perch are getting ready to go to their nest and boy there is some big old perch around the marina cove and close by coves. Get some night crawlers and catch some good eating.

I'm sorry...I didn't get this before the weekend...hope you found something...

Cape Fair Marina is sponsoring two different fall fishing tournaments this year on Table Rock Lake. If you haven't been to the new marina, it's something to see.... There will be Saturday tournaments (7am to 3pm) from this weekend (9/26) to October 31st, which is the fish-off. We are also trying something new on Wednesdays for those of you who are retired...shorter, more laid-back tournaments from 8am to 1pm. Give me a call at the marina if you're interested in either of these and I can give you more details..... We are also hosting the Blackie Barton memorial tournament on October 10th..........looks like 50+ boats so far with a big bass pot of well over $500....