Man What A Sunny Day Can Change!

[MOBURK]

We are hoping for some more clouds tomorrow to help improve our luck. Haven't had many chances to get on the water the last year and half, been building a new house, which is now finished. Perhaps I will have more opportunities to spread good news as well.

I look forward to sharing any reports that are pertinent, as I have certainly enjoyed reading/learning from all those who have posted their reports on this site.

Ron

[RogueAgent]

Got on the water at 5 tonight and fished till dark. We stayed in the Aunt's Creek area and fished the Eakin's the whole time. First fish was a fat 16 inch spot at 5:30pm in 57 degree water at a depth of about 3 feet.

We had one other keeper, a mean mouth, at about 6:30 right on the bank (same bank) and then a short fish in front of a dock in deep water - again, same bank. Several bites but they just wouldn't hold on to the bait long enough... or I'm getting too slow.

We fished three main lake points and two other coves but couldn't find water over 54 degrees except for the first area we started in. It was a nice change from Sunday's 40 degrees and zero bites.

[Don House]

Ron,

Thanks for the report. I hope you will be willing to pitch in more reports. I hate posting the old, didn't catch anything report, but hopefully it will help someone eliminate water or techniques. Better yet.....they can tell me what I am doing wrong. I was starting to wonder about my Eakins....they never let me down. I am glad to hear they are still working for someone.

Probably see you at Cape Fair tomorrow, but I am fishing the other direction. Be in a white/red Skeeter pulled by a blue Ford with a big Skeeter decal. Hope to see ya.

Tech, yes it is the same color, BLUE... The only change to the wrap this year is the Yamaha Logo is red.... besides that I really like it, runs great! The new F250 is the new high output and has the new cableless shifter.. Man you better be ready for that one, put it into gear and you are gone, very smooth!

We will be in JEV's Skeeter this weekend, so we will see you there.. Have fun today if there is alot of wind today don't give up on the stickbait and the grub..

Good Fishing

Don

[swelbo1]

Hey Don,

How big of weight are yall throwing on your split shot rig and how long of a leader are you leaving? Thanks

[Ham]

Threads like this really make me wonder how Table Rock maintains its reputation as one of the premier fisheries in this country. I get that it has big Spots and big Smallies with some pretty fair LMB mixed in, but when guides frequently are left scratching their head because they came up empty, Hmmmm.

I know that every lake has it's tough days, but Table Rock has more tough days than its fair share.

The peak times at Table Rock are great. I guess the trick is to only fish TR when it is at its peak which is kinda like buying a stock at its low point and selling it when it is at its high point. A great plan, but how to get it done.

[Don House]

Hey Don,

How big of weight are yall throwing on your split shot rig and how long of a leader are you leaving? Thanks

Swelb01, you know I have to check what the sizes are and get back with you, never really looked, I let the wind tell me what to use.. My space between the weight and the hook is about 12 "... Zoom Centp Watermelon Cotton candy is just flat working for me right now, also I have been getting bit on a 1/8 ounce shakey jig with this same centp attached..

Get back with you on weight, Good Fishing

Don

[Don House]

Threads like this really make me wonder how Table Rock maintains its reputation as one of the premier fisheries in this country. I get that it has big Spots and big Smallies with some pretty fair LMB mixed in, but when guides frequently are left scratching their head because they came up empty, Hmmmm.

I know that every lake has it's tough days, but Table Rock has more tough days than its fair share.

The peak times at Table Rock are great. I guess the trick is to only fish TR when it is at its peak which is kinda like buying a stock at its low point and selling it when it is at its high point. A great plan, but how to get it done.

HUH? I guess I don't follow your post? You can't have 25 pound bags everyday... And your not going to do it with most clients..

Explain for me will you I'm getting old and slow...

Don

[techo]

I'm not a guide, but I have only been skunked once since I took the lesson from Babbler three or four years ago. I am not a very good stickbait fisherman and need to work on it. I am glad the guides relate that it is a little tougher fishing at times. Makes me a little less down in the mouth. They also have to deal with some clients who don't fish very often and aren't the best or most accurate casters.

I have to drop an apology here if I slandered Table Rock's reputation at all. I meant to relate my challenging time at fishing the stickbait. When the jig comes on.....I will be bragging and posting pictures galore!

[focused fishing]

Threads like this really make me wonder how Table Rock maintains its reputation as one of the premier fisheries in this country. I get that it has big Spots and big Smallies with some pretty fair LMB mixed in, but when guides frequently are left scratching their head because they came up empty, Hmmmm.

I know that every lake has it's tough days, but Table Rock has more tough days than its fair share.

The peak times at Table Rock are great. I guess the trick is to only fish TR when it is at its peak which is kinda like buying a stock at its low point and selling it when it is at its high point. A great plan, but how to get it done.

Dude,

I have fished all over the country, up north (yes I'm a reformed yankee), down south (family all over the south), Texas, California even some back east and I can tell you that day in and day out Table Rock is one of the best fisheries I have ever fished. Yea there are slow days, weather conditions and other factors, but as far as a consistant fishery it is tough to beat. Your not going to be able to go beat the banks day in and day out but catching fish is almost guaranteed once you figure out what to look for. I've been guiding for seven years and have only been shut out one time, it was a weather issue combined with my clients inability to fish in the wind.

Your right some days we are scatching our heads because we struggled with changing conditions, fish moving unexpectedly and so on. But Table Rock is much more consistant than any other fishery I've been on.

Don't get me wrong, until I was shown how to fish on Table Rock I struggled but once you get a grip on the patterns it comes together.

BTW, if Table Rock is so bad why are the national tours trying to bring their circuits back here over the next few years?

EP

[Ham]

Hey Don,

I just don't believe for the average fisherman TR is a great place to try to come fish for a few days on your own expecting to catch a bunch of nice fish. I've fished all my life and I will continue to fish until I die. I've had the chance and the desire to have fished a few different places. I can usually figure a few things out and catch some fish. I never catch the most or the biggest, but I typically do ok. I've fished in Canada, PA, NY, TN, TX, VA, AL, MS, AR, FL, and LA. I can honestly say that I think Table Rock is the most difficult place I have ever fished. It seems like in addition to figuring out the seasonal pattern and lucking up and getting some decent weather, you still need to know a fair number of good "spots" to be very successful on Table Rock. Finding those spots takes time and/or money.

To me, a premier fishery is not one where the guides struggle to locate fish as often as ya'll seem to do at Table Rock. Maybe I have read too much into the posts where you and the other guides mention having tough days and while I don't expect any bass fishery to give up 25 pound sacks everyday, I do expect that a decent fisherman with decent gear should be able to go out and catch a few nice fish w/o divine intervention or having to hire a guide before I'll agree that it is one of our nation's top fisheries.

I appreciate the information that you guys give out to help us all try to catch a few more fish when we fish at TR. I'm not unhappy with anyone over anything. I just don't agree with the label of " One of the best fisheries in the United States" .

AND EP , Absolutely, if I fished Table Rock 200 days a year and had good relationships with other good fishermen that fished Table Rock 200 plus days a year, I would be expect myself to be very consistent at catching fish. I think you are 100% right that beating the bank is only going to payoff for a little while during the spring and a little longer in the fall at TR. Otherwise, you probably ougth to be fishing further offshore. Top quality electronics and daily use of GPS would be a must as well.

I agree TR is a great lake for tourneys. It offers a lot of different water so the lake doesn't fish small and it offers a great challange to the touring Pros. Someone figures it out and brings in a sackful of beautiful fish BUT the main reason that tournaments are held at TR is that there must be local community financial support for them. The quality of the fishery is not the deciding factor on a national tour event.

Sure, the tournament organizers want the pros to weigh big sacks of fish, but without local support (ie money) there will not be tournies there.

Monroe/West Monroe turned down a shot at the Bassmaster Classic years back because they local governments decided the up front money was too high. They hold lots of tournaments out of Shreveport on the Red River because it is a good fishery AND the community puts up the front money knowing that they are going to fill up hotel rooms, sell gas and groceries, and fishermen bring family along that will shop and eat at the local resturants.

There are lots of good fisheries that you'll seldom see a tournament on because of not enough up front money.

BTW how many of the touring pros hire local guides to be shown the ropes before fishing Table Rock vs figuring it out on their own?