Table Rock Time Line

[Bill Babler]

Pulled away from the Baxter Ramp at 7 AM yesterday with client and Good Buddy Ed Shaubaker. Ed doesn't get to go as much as he would like, but when he does he is as good a stick as I fish with either friend or client. It's one of those trips, I just get to go fishing, and I just love it.

Water temp at the ramp was 48.9 with no breeze and a fairly good ammount of rain pelting down. Fish have been on channel swings in the major coves and pockets, and suspended just off the bank. They have not been bottom feeders, but shad chasers, and the stickbaits are still working very well. Chartruse Shad, Chrome Shad, Table Rock Shad and Norman Flake.

Pulled into the first location at 7:10, with the boat in about 30 and a nice fair cast to the bank. Lots of pole timber to dodge, just about where the boat was sitting off shore. Bank was intraspersed with chunk, tablerock, and gravel.

7:40 Felt the first tick on a Chrome Shad and pulled back. Really nice 3 pound K, came to the boat by the back treble hook.

7:43 Felt the second tick on the Shad and in came a bright spanking 14 inch K.

Moved to a main lake location and worked it hard with no results, swimming a grub and draging a cenepede.

Back into a big creek arm looking for a end channel swing bank with some depth and some bigger rock.

9:40 Ed said there he is! really nice 3 pound K on a Chrome Shad

9:43 Ed said, "Got another one". 14.5 K.

9:47 Ed again. "There he is got another one on the stickbait." 14 inch K fat as a pig.

10:05 THUMP the big LM popped the Chrome Shad, Came to the top and then ran under the boat. Asked Ed to get the net as he would have snapped my 8 pound thread. To late, he wrapped around a cedar top about 6 ft. down and kept circling around and around the trunk. He got off of course but the worst part was loosing my Chrome Shad. Tied on the Table Rock Shad and on the next cast

10:20 THUMP, a very nice keeper K.

11:30 man it had been just pouring for the last hour. had a nice tick and caught another 14 inch K.

It just continued to pour with no wind and slick water. If it had not been for the rain and the overcast it would have been really tough.

We were cold and decided to put the rig on the trailer and trailer up to Aunts Creek getting a coffee and snack and working the lower James afternoon.

1PM first main lake location on the James very similar to what I am fishing on the white. Tick, and I had my first SM of the day, a very nice 12 incher.

1:20 next point Ed said again, there he is and boated a very nice Keeper K on a Chrome McStick.

We were thinking about dragging a rig and I was gettin one ready when Ed caught the fish. He said he would like to drag it if I wanted to fish the stickbait.

1:30 handed him the rig, and he pulled it what seemed like 2 feet, and I felt the boat sway as he bowed up on another keeper K. I had not even had time to throw the stickbait.

1:45 little steeper point and he needed to fish the stickbait, and of course I hear, "There he is, another nice keeper, a fat 16 inch K.

2:30 up almost to Buttermilk working a nice transition, back to back cast for the Chartruse Shad I caught 2 short SM's.

3:00 back to our first location, surface temps at 49 but a little breeze on the point. First cast with the jerkbait and a short LM. Of course Ed, now dragging the rig lifts on another nice keeper K. and then before I can grab a rig, catchs another keeper K.

WHERE YOU CATCH A FISH, THERE ARE MORE, NOT EVERYWHERE, BUT WHERE YOU CATCH ONE. RECHECK IT TIME AND TIME AGAIN DURING THE DAY.

3:50 we really should be getting home as he has a wife at the lodge, that probably wants dinner and a show, but We are a FISHIN.

Last spot, I wanted to stop on this location earlier, but it was flat calm. Nice breeze on it now. First cast with the Norman Flake, 14.5 LM

Next cast 14 inch SM. Ed bows-up 12 inch SM.

4:10 Perfect breeze with waves on the inside of the point BANG Nice keeper LM, Next Cast Pop, Nice Keeper K, Next cast NIce Keeper K, Next cast Nice keeper SM.

Last cast by Ed. Nice 14 inch K.

4:40 we are in major trouble, we have got to put this boat on the trailer, but the fish have just flat turned on and we have to leave.

I believe we had 14 keepers, and 10 shorts, but I could be off one way or the other, just enough to really make it fun. We had slap after slap on the stickbait in the still water, and the stickbait fish we caught, were mostly on the very back hook on the bait until right at the end, when they were just flat munchin it. Most fish I am guessing came out of water in the 6 to 15 ft. range, suspended cruising the banks, in or near channel swings and major cove or creek mouths. WE keyed as much as we could on these locations, and also hunted wind.

Our best 5, not big, probably 13.5, but a scrappy bunch, with way more Kantuck's then I have been a catchin.

My appreciation to Ed for letting me fish along and share his wonderful day.

So be the life of a Table Rock Guide on a fantastic Late Winter Bassin Adventure.

[Jason Essary]

great report bill, sounds like a wonderful day. was wondering, what are u considering the 'drag' bite?

[motoman]

What a blast Bill. I was itchin' allday for another fishing report; and this ones a Beute'!

-

Great job!

[techo]

Hey Bill,

Thanks for the report. We are going Wed, Fri and Sat. Where is Buttermilk? I fish that area quite a bit and I can't picture it.

Thanks again for the free info!

[denjac]

Bill, sounds like you had a decent day. My Sat. was"nt very good, Had 4 fish all smallies and only 1 keeper. Today was a differant story lots and lots of short ky and smallies. Had around 4 that would have kept but total around 20-25 fish. Same banks I have been fishing, but found the bite a little deeper than last week. Around 10-15 ft was where I got bit. Last week it was 3-5 ft.

[edwin]

Hey Bill,

Thanks for the report. We are going Wed, Fri and Sat. Where is Buttermilk? I fish that area quite a bit and I can't picture it.

Thanks again for the free info!

Buttermilk is just up the James from Pt 11

[techo]

Thanks, by Thompson Hollow?

[Bill Babler]

Buttermilk, is just past the ski course. Drag bite is a splitshot, or a C-rig.

[CaptainJoe]

Nice report, Bill. Thanks!

Joe