Table Rock Report

[Don House]

Fishing has slowed this last week, but fish are still being caught on Grubs, Tubes, C-Rigs and even trolling crankbaits seem to be producing fish. But a far cry from the fishing fun of the last few weeks on the Rock. I'm like Mr. Babler I just waiting for the deep water bite to get going, and it is getting close.

Had a trip out of Big Cedar yesterday, fished from Hwy86 bridge to DAM and back. Fish were on the main lake points but in much deeper water around the 35-45 feet range, some suspended and some on the bottom. Bottom fish were the ones eating the tube and grub slow rolled along the bottom, there was no bite, fish just loaded up on the bait, tube seems to be my best bait for bigger fish dragged alone the bottom in deep water, grub is still catching fish but is about to come to an end. Fish are eating good since all of these baits were deep in there mouth, and with alittle kind care released back in the water without the hook still in there mouth. 5 keeper size and a few shorts and really good smallmouth in the 4 pound range.

Suspended fish will eat a drop shot worm if you find the right group of fish. Even had a few fish on night crawlers on a Drop Shot rig this week but out in very deep water. So things are starting to change, I hear there is a very good bite on these same baits in the evening time frame with the full moon, so you might want to give that a try.

Shallow water fishing, well I have not found it myself, this boat of mine is way to big to get back in the flooded bushes, but I understand the floating worm and floating senko is producing well up shallows with fish still on the beds along with shakey jigs.

Also still a good topwater bite out deep early in the mornings on cloudy days, or when fog has moved in on clear morning, no to little wind seems to be the best. I'm still using a My Jackall baits and having good successes on both the spook type and the redfin type baits, slow is still the key! It really is alot of fun, you can see the fish coming after the bait, just keep moving the bait and don't jerk allow the fish to suck in the bait, been catching about 90% of my topwater fish this way the other 10% are blowups.

Have a another trip out in the morning from Point 6 to up the James or White, not sure which way I will go, but need to try some fresh water, will give a report on our finds this week.

Good Fishing Everyone

Capt. Don

[motoman]

Good report Don!

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We were down last week and through the weekend, and catching most of our keepers in 30-40' of water on the grub and C-rig in the KC area. Movin' them verrrrrryyyy slow. And like you mentioned, they were really just laying on the bait. No real heavy strike, the rod would just load up, like you got a bunch of leaves or something. But they were definitely chowing down on it!

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I thought I saw your boat in the KC area heading towards Cow Creek on Friday. Looks you may have had a client with you? I was gonna stop and say hello, but didn't want to be a bother.

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Good Luck on finding some new water, and keep us posted.

[Gary Lange]

I was out this morning fishing points with a Green Pumpkin Tube with a 3/8oz tube weight and managed 12 Smallies with 6 Keepers. It was slow going but still had fun and caught some fish.

[Chunk n' Grind]

Well, as the old adage goes "A bad day of fishing is better than a great day at work". It's been exactly 10 days, 12 hours, 17 minutes and 23 seconds since I made my last cast... if you catch my meaning. I have sure been day dreaming a lot since I got back. I have to admit that lake has sure got into my blood. In fact I'm thinking more and more about maybe moving to MO someday.

Still waiting for things to warm up a little more here in Colorado. This Memorial Day weekend I'm going to Vallecito Reservoir near Durango. Hopefully I can scare up some big Pike, Browns and Mackinaws. But if I had a choice I'd rather have one bad day on TRL than a whole week on any Colorado lake.

[bjovan]

I agree I have been stuck on the bank for 3 weeks, my last trip was the Rock when the grub bite was super strong( thanks guys). It will probably be a couple weeks before I get back in the Champion. I have a bathroom here at the house I have to finish up. Why I started this in the spring I have no idea. I have to be a internet fisherman for the next few weeks oh well. Catch some for me.

[Bobby P.]

Sorry to be so slow with what little information I have but here it goes. We were down and fished the dam to hwy 86 bridge area last Wednesday(5/14) to Saturday(5/17). Don House did give us a point on the east side between the State Park(SP) Marina and Big Cedar(BC) that did produce. We found the fish on the bottom anywhere from 20-35 feet deep. We wore out the grub and then switched to night crawlers when things got slow. Over the next 2 days we drowned many dozen night crawlers and we had very little success. We did have an awesome 20 minutes Wednesday and Friday at sundown on the same point between SP and BC. We were nailing them on the silver/black back jointed thunderstick. I specially remember that the bite on Friday night was from 8:05 to about 8:25. Once twilight hit the water is was over. But, for 20 minutes my buddy and I would have a big fat kentucky on about every cast. I know darn good and well that a lot of fish were in those flooded trees but I was just too lazy to go back in there and I didn't want to trash my boat in the process. Those two 20 minute top water sessions were memorable. Not much else to report. Nothing like the splash, wait to feel a little weight and then haul 'em home on the old thunderstick. Tight lines boys---we will be back for the deep bite with the family the last 2 weeks in July.

[Don House]

Well guy's went back out today and well it was slow for me, fished from point 6 to just about Baxter area and back.. What fish we did catch were on topwater early (red fin) and then the grub (Watermelon with red flakes) as the day went on.. We had maybe 6 fish total with a only 2 keepers.. I did find a large amount of fish suspended at 25 feet hanging out in the deeper water but could not get that bite??? Once again the basic drop shot fish they would swim up and look it over then swim away, tried about 20 worms colors and still no luck.. These fish will turn on here soon again, but in really deep water..

Best I can say is fish the points out much deeper, today I had the boat out in the 50 foot range and was throwing shallow and dragging it back to the boat. Topwater bite today from 5:30am - 6:30am on the sides of the main lake points.

Well until next time out stop by and say hello even if I do have clients love to meet everyone who is on this site!

Good Fishing Everyone

Capt. Don

[Fishin' Freak]

Don,

What colors are you throwing in the Mikey Jr.? How does it compare to the Red Fin. Which do you feel is the better bait? As evidence with the Red Fin post last week--a lot are duds and need quite a bit of adjustment. Do the Mikey Jr.'s need as much tinkering? Do you ever throw the Jackall Boonie or the Mudsucker?

[Don House]

Fishin Freak, I throwing the ten shad and Aurora Black colors. The Mikey Jr works just like a red fin, runs on top, double jointed and does not need any adjustments and run through the water with ease. These baits are much better than the red fin baits all in all, I used to buy three red fins and two would not work out of the box, so I started looking for a new version. They are computer designed and constructed for max performance and hooks that are unreal out of the box, but the price also tells the story, about the same as Lucky Craft.. And yes I throw the Bonnie 95 and the Mud Sucker alot they will start to work well when these fish get in schools really good.. The Bonnie 95 is the only spook type bait that I can put on a clients line and they can walk the dog like a pro... Goes back to the way these baits are designed and built, well worth the money...

Good Fishing

Capt. Don

[skeeter]

Fishin Freak, I throwing the ten shad and Aurora Black colors. The Mikey Jr works just like a red fin, runs on top, double jointed and does not need any adjustments and run through the water with ease. These baits are much better than the red fin baits all in all, I used to buy three red fins and two would not work out of the box, so I started looking for a new version. They are computer designed and constructed for max performance and hooks that are unreal out of the box, but the price also tells the story, about the same as Lucky Craft.. And yes I throw the Bonnie 95 and the Mud Sucker alot they will start to work well when these fish get in schools really good.. The Bonnie 95 is the only spook type bait that I can put on a clients line and they can walk the dog like a pro... Goes back to the way these baits are designed and built, well worth the money...

Good Fishing

Capt. Don

Capt. Don,

Guess I haven't kept up on baits. Please, who makes the Mikey Jr. and who sells them in the area ? Like you, I am tired of Red Fin and playing around with them. Topwater's what it's all about for me. Thanks much.