Monday Report

[Bill Babler]

As I drove over the Shell Knob bridge at 6:30 this morning my the temp gauge on my truck read 21 degree. Mighty cool, but I thought I could get them anyway, as it is the right time.

Picked up the boys, Cecil and Micky Carter at the Timbers, and they could fish and I mean really well. I wish there guide could have put them on something to catch.

Lanched at Big Bay and went to the back of the creek, where we had been on them pretty good. Surface temps on Friday when I quit at 2 PM Friday were 59.8. This AM temps were 48.9 and the water was and had dropped like a rock. It was also starting to clear up. Could see our spinnerbugs at least 4 ft. deep.

Had one off an outside tree row there, and then went an hour for the next off Campbell Pt. Way back in the Camp Ground.

Every Place we went, the water was really cold. I could not find water over 51 till very late in the day. Found a pocket in the little Indian that was just about 54 and that was the top.

Went 6 hrs. without another fish, and fished from Big M to Baxter. Caught two really nice keepers out of trees on the outside on the SB and that was it, it , it, it.

I tried it all, did it all and fished it all, Just could not make it happen.

Ended the day with 4 solid fish, but that is down right paultry for April on the Rock.

[zander]

Bill,

If it makes you feel any better, the last bass I caught on Table Rock had to be in 1982 or 1983 before our family left Kimberling and moved to Louisiana. A bad day is one thing but fortunately you haven't had bad decades .

[Don House]

Bill, don't feel too bad I was out from 10:00 to 5:00 yesterday and only found 1 fish! And really fished hard more than likely to hard I guess. Struggled bad, then to make things worst I talked to three other guides and they did great? Timmy, Chris T, Eric O all reported great catches with 10 keepers or better... Some on Grubs early and some on blades all day... So I'm not too sure what I did wrong spent all night trying to figure out that part out.. So your 4 fish sounds really good to me! Will go back out today and do it again, only thing good about yesterday for me, I was by myself. Today I have a group in the afternoon it will get better and better as the weather gets warm again!!

Good Fishing

Capt. Don

[techo]

Where is everyone putting in at? The Anglers in Action guys wll have Mill Creek pretty well crowded on Saturday. That is the next day I can go.

[Don House]

Tuff right now but things are getting better.. Kimberling Inn and mill creek for those areas, I also heard of a few guys putting in at Joe Bald.. Up by the DAM right now all we have is State Park.. Everything else is blocked off by the Corp..

Good Fishing

Capt. Don

[Ham]

You could have zeroed.

[Bill Babler]

T. I believe you can put in at Baxter, I saw several guys launching there. Also off H hwy. at Shell Knob, and again at Big Bay at Shell Knob. You can also get in on the 39 ramp at Shell Knob if the wind has not blown in full. All spots are pretty limited for the ammount of rigs that can be parked, but at least you can get in.

Donny, I got a different story from those guys. Tim had 3 total, and Chris had 10 total, all really early. 9 on a wart and 1 on a grub. Nothing, from about 11 AM on. Did not hear what Eric did, but probably ok. He is usually pretty good.

Also heard that Pete did catch them really well with 10 keepers, with an 8 pounder. They are not everywhere and if you catch one you had better work that area hard.

Spoke to Beck a while ago and he only had 3, but one of them was a Fiver. Chris and Tim really struggled today. I don't think they skunked, but I think they both have Migrane Headaches. Beck reported that he was starting to get a headache, as he said it is really hard.

I don't know about the BFL guy's, if this water continues to clear and the sun shines with little or no breeze, they will earn everyone they catch. IF they can still find color and we get an overcast windy day, they will get-em. I don't think 25 however. That was just flat special.

Hope you caught them this afternoon. Seems the afternoon bite and the very, very early morning bite are by far the best. Midday has really stunk for everyone.

[Fishrman]

Bill

You say that not all areas have fish on them right now. How do you go about dissecting an area to find what is holding them. I know some days you are around them and they just don't bite, so you just have to deal with that. I have fished the Baxter area, which I normally don't do, the last several outings, and so much looks good it is hard to decipher. Anyway, thanks for your info.

[Don House]

Bill ya it is tuff for sure, I waited for the wind and at about 2:30 then started catching them with grubs total 5 for the day. Your right one stop had 3 the other 2 came from another place, Nothing in between those. All in all still tuff we worked pretty hard for those. Still not too sure about the BFL guys if it gets warm at night like they are talking about could be really good, or atleast I hope for them!

Good Fishing Everyone..

Capt. Don

[techo]

Bill,

Thanks for the info. We might head up to Shell knob and play around. I think there will be less boats there this weekend. Gosh I love this stuff.