Upper White 4/6 - James River To Campbell Point

[SKMO]

Babler and I went out today after the upper White fish and eventually figured a few of them out. Ended up with 18 fish w/16 keepers by Bill's tally, and best 5 would have been 20 or thereabouts.

I thing both shorts were LM, and of the remaining 16 I would guess 12 were KY variety. One short on a jig, all the rest of the fish were spinnerbladed to the boat.

3 solid keepers early out of deeper bushes, but then we kind of struggled. After 0900 some nips and tugs and misses. About noon went to some shallow water (which is hard to find) and hit paydirt right off. Fish were in 1-4' of water and were hot to trot. Opened the show with a double on toad Kys and from noon to 3 did right well when we could find the right water: shallow sloping banks (think lawns) wind blowing in and south facing to collect the sun. Water was 52 early but we saw 58 in the afternoon in the water I just described.

Had a bit of a battery problem as the cranker decided to go out and we headed in earlier than we anticipated but ended the day on a high note.

Bill did lose a Real Nice Fish which ran to the boat and blew up in our face throwing the spinnerbait. It was a LM like you only see a couple of every year and there is no question it was #7 plus. I called it at 8 initially but Billl had the watery eyed look of a little boy who just found coal in his Christmas stocking and I was real close to having a crying Guide on my hands so we just agreed it was "over 7" and narrowly avoided an emotional scene that would have been uncomfortable for both of us.

Pretty exciting and we both got a good look at it, the type of fish that keeps us going as fishermen when times are tough.

Pics attached of six of of our new acquaintances.

SKMO

[Bill Babler]

Started off the AM by my lonesome. Sk had previously told me his son was coming for a visit, and I assumed they would fish today. Got on the water at 7:15 put 3 nice LM in the boat in the first 30 minutes, probably a shade under 12 pounds.

Sk, called and said he was free and I yelled for him to meet me and we would commence to wack-em.

While I was waiting near the ramp for him, I lost a huge fish out of a single piece of Buck Brush right next to the ramp, I saw her and I will guess about 6 pounds.

After SK's arrival, we hm-hawded around and each of us lost a fish or two. Fished the main lake flat stuff, but most of the bite I had been on stopped. I was catchin them in about 12 ft. on isolated bushes or willows on as flat of stuff as I could find.

Around Noon, we picked up three out of some creek channel bushes, and SK saw a nice piece of lawn, with pretty green grass and a nice ripple on it.

He immediatly caught one off a brush pile, and I doubled up off a paddle boat. Perfect condition, and we wacked 11 keepers off a little bitty pocket. Good to have friends with good ideas.

On the way up and out of the pocket there was a telephone pole in the water and I told Sk, I was going to catch one off the pole. Babe called his shot as I nabbed a 4 pounder off the pole. He immediatly whirled around and pulled one off the bank in the oppsite direction.

Good news and bad, might have lost my fish of the year without so much as a kissie poo. Got her to the boat, and she came out and said Pit-Tuie!! Easy 7 pounder maybe more. Looked back at SK, and his mouth was wide open. He said," That is the biggest fish I have seen in a year or two". He didn't say you Dumb butt, but from the looks of him, he was thinking it.

I want to state for the record, that I did not cry, there was a bug in my eye.

Great fellowship and a wonderful day on the Rock. Get out there and fish that muddy water, you might get a Big Suprise.

[Fishrman]

Started off the AM by my lonesome. Sk had previously told me his son was coming for a visit, and I assumed they would fish today. Got on the water at 7:15 put 3 nice LM in the boat in the first 30 minutes, probably a shade under 12 pounds.

Sk, called and said he was free and I yelled for him to meet me and we would commence to wack-em.

While I was waiting near the ramp for him, I lost a huge fish out of a single piece of Buck Brush right next to the ramp, I saw her and I will guess about 6 pounds.

After SK's arrival, we hm-hawded around and each of us lost a fish or two. Fished the main lake flat stuff, but most of the bite I had been on stopped. I was catchin them in about 12 ft. on isolated bushes or willows on as flat of stuff as I could find.

Around Noon, we picked up three out of some creek channel bushes, and SK saw a nice piece of lawn, with pretty green grass and a nice ripple on it.

He immediatly caught one off a brush pile, and I doubled up off a paddle boat. Perfect condition, and we wacked 11 keepers off a little bitty pocket. Good to have friends with good ideas.

On the way up and out of the pocket there was a telephone pole in the water and I told Sk, I was going to catch one off the pole. Babe called his shot as I nabbed a 4 pounder off the pole. He immediatly whirled around and pulled one off the bank in the oppsite direction.

Good news and bad, might have lost my fish of the year without so much as a kissie poo. Got her to the boat, and she came out and said Pit-Tuie!! Easy 7 pounder maybe more. Looked back at SK, and his mouth was wide open. He said," That is the biggest fish I have seen in a year or two". He didn't say you Dumb butt, but from the looks of him, he was thinking it.

I want to state for the record, that I did not cry, there was a bug in my eye.

Great fellowship and a wonderful day on the Rock. Get out there and fish that muddy water, you might get a Big Suprise.

Ok Bill

Took my son today afte reading your post from yesterday. Really expected to get a few good ones. Fished out of Baxter, fished to around mouth of James and back to cove across from buoy point. Caught one short fish. Fished the wind and all kinds of banks. Thought about calling Bill Beck and seeing if he could help, but did not want to bother him. I am glad you caught them. I put my boat in anywhere from 18 feet to 2 feet and only mustered one short Kentucky. What did I do wrong? Let me know. Thanks for the info. you shell out, it is always truthful and right on. Well better go, need to get an ice pack for the shoulder, I slung that blade a ton today. Thanks again.

[BILLYBASSSHACK]

What color spinnerblades were you throwing?

[Bill Babler]

One of my very good clients Ed Shawbaker of KC, put me on this bite. He and his pard, were fishing the Aunt's creek tournament. They boated 12 pounds today in under 4 hrs. Thanks for the tip Eddie.

To tell the truth, they were on a bit of a different bite than myself and SK. Ed fished some transition with the boat in about 30 ft. working the SB from the shore to the tree or bush line in the mouth of the Big Indian. He told me wind blown water was very important for his pattern. Saw lots of dead shad being pushed up against the shoreline. Bite was between the shore and the trees, with some coming off the outter trees.

This worked for me early, but I was not as deep. I would throw up in the mess as far as I could in the Big and Little Indian with the boat in about 16 ft. Seemed the outter most bushes, NOT the Trees held the fish. This died very quickly, and frankly SKMO found the next pattern.

We went as far as we could back in the creeks, and looked for any bank we could hit. We found one with some wind, and you know the rest of the story. We did however, catch keeper fish off the bushes in the creek channel, but not as many as on the bank, or as big. Fish were in 1 to 4 ft.

Water on the main lake did not work for us, but I guess it did for the Guy's and Gal's and the Aunt's Creek Buddy tournament.

Of Course, I spoke to Bill at least a dozen times today, and he was working hard, but didn't put a quality bite together. Still believe he ended up with a 15 pound plus bag for 5.

We worked the parrott and the charturse War Eagle SB's pretty slowly and killed them about every 5th or 6th crank. Sk caught a nice fish after letting his flutter to the bottom. He let is sit for a second and engaged the reel and wham he had one. I believe locations was the absolute key however little things did make a difference.

Spoke to about 4 other boats, and all were a big Vippo.

As a guide, I will be the first one to tell you I sure don't know everything, and this lake humbles me plenty. I do have a network, and I don't hesitate to use it. Friends are a great thing.

Once I get a true working tip,however I can be a little dangerious. I may modify it or I may use it exactly, but good info. is hard to beat.

I truly wish you would have had a better day.

Good Luck

[Fishrman]

Thanks for offering your phone number Bill, but I doubt I use it. I don't like to do that to guides, but Bill Beck's sister teaches for me and that is why I call him from time to time. Went out with him over Xmas break and had a great time. Fishing deep in winter is a ball. Even picked me up a LCX 26c and now only need to figure out how to use it. Really makes fishing deep easier. I do have one more question, in the morning I am assuming you were working that SB slow. Is that correct? Thanks again for replying to my post.

Eric

[sfiser]

Bill, I feel for you on losing that big one. Are you in the "green" water or in the muddiest stuff you can find?? Thanks for such a detailed report.

[SKMO]

We were in muddy water. The main stem of the White is real muddy from all the mud coming down the Kings. The larger side coves are a little clearer, but still quite muddy... you could see a bright bait maybe 8" down.

[dwiebenga]

Bill and SKMO,

Great report. Got me excited about my trip at the end of the month. What type of blades were you using on the War Eagles? Tandom, Double Willow, or Colorado.

Also, I do not have those colors. What colors and sizes would your recommend for Table Rock? I have some custom Table Rock shad baits, but what else is a "stand by"?

Thank you and keep it up

Dave

[SKMO]

Dave -

I think it is pretty much a reaction bite with the water this muddy and any bright colors should work. Blades were willow in gold, and skirts white and chart or some combo therabouts, weight 3/8 to 1/2.

I would imagine any style of blade that moved some big water and about any color skirt would have worked equally well. Once we found some takers I do not think they were bring very choosy about colors. Actual bait was probably several notches down the list as compared to finding the fish themselves. Probably any type of hardware you could work in 1-4' of water would have gotten the same results but the blade is quick and clean as far as hang ups go.

Any brand, any style, any size and most any colors would have caught the same fish, what is tied on the end of your line is probably a pretty minor part of the equation under these circumstances.... in my opinion.