Current Fish Patterns

[Biglerma]

First off I just want to thank all the contributors to this forum. I'm a long time reader, first time poster. Without you guys, my 1-2 trips down to the Rock every year would yield very few fish. Anyways, my family owns a house on the lake at Shell knob just west of the bridge (the only wooden dock still left with a well house on it). It has been in our family for about 45 years now and I have been taking vacations there ever since I was old enough to walk. This year is a rare occasion as I am actually able to take an extra trip down this weekend. My main concerns are the current patterns of fish. I typically fish Table Rock over July 4th, which is usually one of the best times for drop shotting and throwing football jigs. This summer's weather patterns have been pretty unusual, and I was curious as to with the recent cooler conditions if the bass were still being taken on the drop shot or if other methods were producing better. Over the years I have found an assortment of submerged trees that hold fish really well when it is hot, and the drop shot just slays em. The current weather report is saying that we might be getting a frontal system that goes through on saturday, I'm hoping that doesn't screw up the fishing too much.

As for some questions I have:

I have been reading this forum a lot lately and have read several posts about catching white bass, which is something I have never tried to do on Table Rock. When using jigging spoons for white bass, do you folks tie the spoon directly to the line, or do you use as swivel? Also do you use the same rod/reel you would for drop shotting or do you need heavier line and heavier action rod? I have never fished a jigging spoon and I just assume its the same presentation for white bass as it is KYs.

What size weights do you typically use when throwing a carolina rigged french fry/centipede?

Are the LM's starting to move up shallow? I typically just throw a football jig at the bank when fishing early morning/evenings. How is the spinnerbait bite this time of year?

When you guys are fishing docks either deep water or shallower say what are some good methods to try? I don't really have much experience using grubs or tubes and was thinking of trying them but I'm not really sure if these are the best method on the Rock to fish docks.

Thanks again everyone for your input, as you can tell I'm not exactly a Pro angler by any means, but this forum sure does help to make my trips to the Rock enjoyable ones.

[rps]

Welcome to the forum.

Your questions are all good. I can't answer all, but I'll start.

Jigging spoons - I use the Bass Pro 1/2 and 3/4 lazer jigging spoons on ten pound test Yozuri on a fast action medium rod. I tie the line directly to the spoon between the two stinger hooks. Some people add a treble at the other end. In trees I hang up less without the trebles and can almost always jiggle off any hang on the stingers. I have a fairly high hookup ratio even without the treble when vertical jigging.

Be aware Bill Babler has been flutter spooning, and he has posted how to information to do that. There are a number of areas near the Knob where flutter spooning might work well. For example that long flat point where the Kings comes in - vertical jig the bluff end in the tree tops, then before you leave throw onto the flat point and flutter it to the roll off into the channel. The channel point at Campbell point is another example. When I used to trailer a boat and fished some down lake, I caught good fish at both locations.

Carolina rig - I use lighter weights than most. Down to 20 I'll use 3/8. 20 to 25 I go up to 1/2.

Good luck.

[Bill Babler]

Lots of good info that RPS posted. His locations around the Knob are very good ones. I hit them everytime I am in the area.

My spoon of choice right now for either the Whites of the Bass is either like RP said a Lazer EYe, or maybe better yet a Real Image by Cabelas. 1/2 and 3/8 oz. I tend to fish a lot of deep trees and a lot of dock cables, and I use 15 lb. FC up to 20 pound test. I use a swivel about a foot up from the spoon a sampo style will keep 99 percent of the twists out of your rig.

Sometime toss to the Whites or just vertical jig it for any of the bass, depending on depth. Start low and raise the rod to 12 oclock and then follow the spoon back down on a simi-slack line, but being in constant contact as the bait falls back to detect the strike.

If you are looking for the whites, the Big Creek area, jut past Campbell Point has been very good, EArly, I don't know about evenings.

Also fish the spoon in a flutter, as RP described on those type of locations he also described.

Fish are all over the dropshot, if that is the way you like to fish. You will do very well. Look at depths in the Knob area of 23 to 28 ft.

Some Spinnerbait or even Square Bill fish are being caught on the right kind of days. Overcast wind and a bit nasty. With the rise in the lake you can also still flip some of the bushes from the Knob, either direction.

Let me tell you this however, when they start to draw water and the lake levels start receeding as they are now, those shallow water bush fish, don't like it one bit. They think they will be stranded on the bank, and get out of there pronto.

For a great weekend at Shell Knob, look for the drop shotters, in that 20 to 30 ft. range. Either suspended over the trees, on the bottom or around the deep docks.

Good Luck

[Biglerma]

Had a couple more questions..

When you guys are fishing a tube or grub, do you guys typically fish it along the bottom or in contact with the bottom, or just throw it, count it down, and real it back to the boat?

Also when drop shotting on fish in 23-28 feet of water, are you talking about suspended fish or are you positioning your boat at that depth and looking for fish on the bottom?

Thanks again!

[rps]

For me, grubs work best when slowly scooted along the bottom by reeling just fast enough to keep them moving. I know others have mastered swimming the grub above the bottom and even swimming the grub over drowned tree tops. I confess I have not yet mastered that. I figure I need to lose another thousand baits first.

I fish tubes more like jigs with trailers. Move 6 inches to a foot and pause.

I'm not saying these are the right ways or the only ways. I'm only reporting the methods with which I've had some success.

[CaptainJoe]

Had a couple more questions..

Also when drop shotting on fish in 23-28 feet of water, are you talking about suspended fish or are you positioning your boat at that depth and looking for fish on the bottom?

Thanks again!

My drop shot fish have been suspended in 28-35 feet of water over deeper water up to 110 feet. The fish on the bottom in 23-28 feet of water are usually bluegill and rock bass. Nine out of ten times, the bait fish are locating on some type of structure or cover, be it dock cables, bridge pilings, steep dropoff, brushpile, flooded timber, humps, points, etc. Find these, find the bait fish, and you will find the bass. Good electronics are essential, too. Even though some fish follow some bait fish into the pockets and other shallower areas in the Fall, there are still good drop shot fish to be had from early June through mid-January.

There are some really good posts regarding drop shotting. Do a search and read them. They will help you dial everything in.

Good luck,

[abkeenan]

Couple of questions about using the spoons. I have never used a spoon in my life so bear with me. I was wondering if you tend to use a baitcaster or a spinning rig when you are throwing these? I was also reading Bill B's post and he said that he uses a ball bearing swivel about a foot up the line which is understandable to keep the line twist minimized. I always try to use the least amount of knots i can get away with on any rig. (I have used the little red carolina keepers for years and thought i was the only lazy person on the rock to use them until i heard Bill or someone else say that they also use them also.) That being said does anyone use the ball bearing swivel with a snap lock attached? That is one knot instead of 3. Just wondering. Also, does anyone change out the trebles on them with just single hooks? Ive heard hook up ratio with fish is the same with either the treble or single but the single is much less likely to snag, is easier to unsnag and is undoubtedly easier on the fishes mouth. Thoughts on any of this fellas?

-Brett