Aunts Creek Fish Handling Problems

[Bill Babler]

Had to guide out of Aunts again today, and stopped by the guard shack on the way out to see what the park Superintendent knew of the group that fished there.

Yes, he told me there was a big night tournament. The rigs started rolling in after 6 PM and he thought there were probably over 20 and under 30 rigs.

He checked the parking lot around 10 PM and It was full of trucks and bass boat trailers, all was quiet.

I told him I picked up 16 floaters at 5:30 AM on Sunday and all the rigs were gone. He said,"You didn't get all the dead ones. There were about a dozen more floating around the privy and up the beach just past the ramp, back in the trees. He said they have been floating there and stinking ever since.

Whom ever did this should be banned from Table Rock or any other lake in Missouri. I just wonder if any of the fish lived.

That is close to 30 dead ones. I guess if it was a thirty boat tournament, that would only be 1 per boat, but when you see that many floating and stinking, its way to many.

It would be nice if these guys had to present a permit to the park supers to be able to put on the derby. The Superintendent said he would also like to know who is in the park at night.

On a brighter note, My Sunday and todays morning trips in the James have been fantastic. Bite is from daylight till about 8 AM. Big Smallmouth, LM, and K's are just inhaling that FB jig in PBJ. 1/2 oncers are working the best. Don't know what it is and you may have to prove me wrong, but that Yamamoto twin tail seems to be the best bet. If anything worked better or as good, I would not spend the bucks on em. Close second is Chompers new PBJ. It is a bit thicker and the legs are somewhat heaver. The Ya. legs are very long and they really twitch, this may be the answer. Perch will just ruin your day, eating off these soft salt filled tails. Bring lots.

I believe the bite maybe the best I have see all year, and thats saying something. Sunday, we had 5 over 4 pounds and today we had 2LM, 1K and 2 SM over 4 pounds. I catch lots of K's, and only get a couple a year that big. He jumped 4 times and I really worked him to get him going again.

Fishin Freak put me onto this bite a week or so ago, and it has stayed strong. Sunday, with the wind, rain and clouds, till 9:30 AM, kept the bite strong all morning. Since, as soon as the sun hits the water really strong, it ends. You can still find a bite a little later than 8, if you can find some wind on a bank. It's hard, as its been foggy and flat in the mornings. Had over 30 fish Sunday, and 15 today, with 10 very strong keeper size fish today, and at least 15 keepers on Sunday.

Table Rock is really fishing great for this time of the year. Not so much for me on the deep fish, but realtime bass fishing with a jig is fantastic.

Go from 5:30 till 9 AM and then let the skiers have it. I have been told, there is also a very strong evening bite, starting around 8 PM and going till dark. After dark you have a hr. or so delay, and then around 10 they get busy again for the rest of the night.

[Gary Lange]

Somebody knows who held this Tourney and I would be willing to bet that that person is a member of this board or at least visits this board frequently. They will not come forward however because they are embarrassed and ashamed of what they did perhaps or then again they are the type of person that it doesn't bother them that they did this. It only matters that they won the Tourney.

[Whack'emGood]

Yeah, we all definitely need to keep and ear out. When we find out who runs it, we should definitely post it on here-- and then try our best to take action against the culprits.

[techo]

Bill,

I almost called you today! We went out of Aunt's Creek. We stunk it up bad. I usually head up the James, but I am learning more of the lake so we headed the other way today. Caught a short small mouth and a short K. Threw the football jig most of the day, but tried the dropshot and the carolina rig. I could mark them with the newly repaired depth finder and they would jump all around us. but did not seem to like anything with a hook in it. I missed quite a few with the pinchers being eaten off the double tail grub.

Good day fishing, but a the poorest day catching I have had all year.

[Fishin' Freak]

Keep pounding them Bab's--both the outlaws and the fish!! Let me know if there is anything I could do to help in the fish handling matter--make a complaint call to someone ect.... I also would like to put an end to this kind of thing happening again.

Are the fish still on the outside edges of the bushes early?

I will also second Bill's comment on the Yam. trailors vs. the Chompers. He mentioned something to me about this a couple weeks ago and I used the Yamamoto's and noticed a difference for sure. I personally think they have more action and the fish seemed to prefer them over both Chompers and for sure over the Paca Chunks.

[Bill Babler]

Freaky, not giving any of your secret junk away, the fish are right where you told me you caught them. Not your exact spots but similar spots all over that area. Little wind makes a huge difference.

This bite however is a very early bite, unless we have clouds and wind. ABSOLUTELY DONE BY 8 AM. I really don't believe they move out, cause i sure can't find them very deep. I believe they just quit biting after the hot sun beats down on the water, and the jet skis start.

This Spring I would have bought stock in the Pac a Chunks. I can't get bit on them now. I love Chompers and am a huge fan of both them and their products. 99.9 percent of the time they are one of the best soft-plastics out there. Those guys do more for us than they need to for sure. Wonderful products.

I am getting bit better on the Yam stuff, right now, no question. Softer more supple and lots more vibration and wiggle, no doubt. A better fisherman is probably doing the same on the Chomper's, but I'm not right now.

T. I sent you a PM

I am catching lots of fish, but it is early. I am getting off the water if I can, before 9 AM. Just no use in beating a dead horse for me. I know lots of guys are doing better, but I'm not, nor are the majority of my cohorts.

As Tetrick, said, "Even the deep fish are shallow."

Good Luck

[dblades]

Little wind makes a huge difference.

This bite however is a very early bite, unless we have clouds and wind. ABSOLUTELY DONE BY 8 AM. I really don't believe they move out, cause i sure can't find them very deep. I believe they just quit biting after the hot sun beats down on the water, and the jet skis start.

T

That little bit of breeze that came up today around 11:00, I managed to catch a few still fairly shallow on the FB jig with a speed craw trailer. Had a four,a five and two other keepers in about 45 minutes with my nephew around Cape Fair. Thanks for all the good reports.

[techo]

Got it thanks.

It is amazing the fish are staying shallow as they are this year. I always thought they went deep in the summer because of the water temp, but I wonder if it is more to do with the water being let out of the lake because of the flooding this year. Water movement = shallow fish? Maybe temp has some to do with it too.

What a fascinating puzzle this lake is.

[Fishin' Freak]

Bill,

Great comments on the trailers--no doubt about it, Chompers is still a great product and one I love. I should have added the "right now" phrase with the Yam's!!!

Keep jerking their lips for me!!

[techo]

A much better day catching today. We went to the same places as yesterdayand even about the same times,but the wind was a little better. For the first time in about ten years, my daughter offered to go fishing with me. I was outfished, outcasted and out everything. She did lose quite a few Jewel jigs, but worth the cost. More fishing report later