Yesterday Was The Day

[Bill Babler]

I guess yesterday was the day. Started in the Eagle Rock to Kings River Area, So Wacked will get some info up there.

Was on the water at 5:15, and it was just a perfect morning. Very light breeze and extremely overcast. SM's were chasing gizzard shad on the first point I came too and saw loads of fat 3 to 4 pounders chasing from shallow to mid-lake.

BE OBSERVANT OUT THERE!!!!!! At least 4 boats ran by schooling chasing fish. These were not bank runners, they were absolute pigs with a Capital PPPPP.

Saw 4 Big SM's chasing about 100 yrds. out in the lake and was getting ready to head that way when a boat came around the bend and ran right over them. He should have been able to see them blowing up, they were going crazy.

Guess these bass chasers don't like 4 pound smallmouth, on topwater. One of these guys stopped on a up and down bluff bank in about the middle of the bank and started flipping a jig on the verticle bank. I went over and talked to him after the topwater bite. He had only caught 5 fish in the last 3 days. Had no idea where or how to fish, I told him to just watch for them. He had a 50 thousand plus rig, and not a clue. I asked him why he chose to fish that location. He said it looked good with near by deep water. You think? Every place looks good and deep water is not a problem on the rock. I on the other hand was looing for wind on shallow water. Gave him a couple of pointers, but he would have been a good prospect for a guide trip.

Ended the early morning session with 17 topwater fish on probably 25 bites, best 5, pushing that 18 to 20 pound number, all huge black/brown tiger stripped SM.

Also caught 4 big K's and another couple of big Jaw's on a 8 inch Swimmer. What a morning.

The Action lasted till about 8:45, due to the clouds. Tried dragging both a rig and a jig and nothing. Moved back and started flipping the bushes with a Chomper 1/8 oz. shakey head and a purple/brown chomper shakey head worm, and the action, started again.

The bush bite was just fantastic. They are not in every bush, but they are in a bunch. The head caught them. Also tried a floating worm and couldn't get any takers to come up on it. The bush fish were all K's and I would assume males as they were 13 to 16 inch. Total for the bush flipping adventure about 2 dozen more.

Great day.

Fished I am ashamed to say by myself from the 5 AM time till 2:30 in the afternoon. They were still biting the "head" when I went in. Just could not pull myself off the water. I got in trouble big time as yesterday and today we are getting the Lodge ready for the big weekend. It was worth the cold shoulder, for that kind of action.

[Phil Lilley]

"It was worth the cold shoulder, for that kind of action."

Boy I'm sure glad Becky doesn't read the forum.

Wish I could have been with you...

[Don House]

Bill nice day, I guess I need to get off the main lake and head up the rivers... We caught alot of small fish, but nothing like you are talking about! Must have been a blast! I also had a day like that three week ago, fish were on, but I was supposed to start to remodel house and went fishing instead, just had a blast, but when I got home it was a long night, but worth it...

Hope you have a great holiday weekend at the lodge.

Good Fishing

Don

[Bill Babler]

Don, there is a reason I launch at Eagle Rock this time of the year, if at all possible. You know what it is. Right now a good day from the Dam to Kimberling is a dozen fish with two or three keepers.

Baxter to Shell Knob about twice that. Shell Knob to Holiday Island, if you know what your doing and get out early the possibilities are limitless.

Saw a total of 5 boats yesterday morning. None after 9 Am till I quit at 2:30. Both Tetrick and Paige worked extremely hard for the dozen or so they caught at the dam, on full day trips. I had chances at that many before 5:30 AM.

Guiding the area you were yesterday, I would take your catch in a New York Minute. It is not easy and its hard for us to learn that it is really that hard. I am always relieved when guiding the dam to have that first fish in the boat.

Those people that won't start until 7 Am this time of the year are just not going to do as well as the 5 AM guys. You will catch more fish between 5 AM and 6:30 AM, than you will catch the rest of the entire day.

If I would have had clients, we would have been ok on the top side stuff, but I would have struggled with them in the bushes.

Buster tried it the other day. It Don't Work on the Majority of guided fishing trips. After the first 8 or 10 breakoffs you just have to get back out, you are wasting their time and yours.

IF you do take folks in there, one is hung up in the front, while the other is hung up out of the back. Maybe with 1 client that can pitch and flip you can do it, but with two. Man, that is nothing but a big time Nightmare that is not waiting to happen, but going on in your presents while you watch.

Good Luck out there.