Williams Corporate

[Bill Babler]

10 guide boats on Friday, and 9 today, with the first of 4 Williams Corp. Fall trips. The K bite is back on with most fish in the under 40 ft. range with the majority on either a shot or a FB jig. Took approx. 60 clients out of Indian Hills Resort the last two days with an estimate of 100 plus keeps and several hundred shorts from Kimberling to the knob.

To Bright to quick to fast for topwater, and most of us caught fish deep, on either a shot, jig or a rig. Long runouts or humps for the majority of the fish, very few, coming shallow. Had two Jaws in the 3 pound range today at 40 ft. Best fish for me in the two days, was a 19 inch K at a shade over 4 pounds. Fish came on a plum Chompers worm at 31 ft.

Did not go above Campbell Pt. but while I was there it was great in that same depth range. I was completey cut off by two boats at Campbell, and my clients caught 3 keeps in back of 1 of the boat that cut us off, and then 2 keeps in back of the next boat that cut us off. It was a Zoo.

Best fishing was in the 31 to 36 ft. range, on the bottom, either dragging or up and down.

[rps]

Guess I fished about 10 feet too shallow. I'm glad your clients had a good trip, Bill.

[troutgnat]

Yeah what's up with this? Bill I had 5 15"+ keepers this last Thursday and two of those were on top. We had a spook bite all the way up till lunch. But then again that particular day was windy and overcast. I never had a fish deeper than about 20'. This was all around the Indian Point area.

Anyway, I tell all this to a buddy of mine who went right back to the same area on Sat. and could not get bit on top nor did he find any fish remotely shallow on the areas I had just two days before.

He did proceed to tell me that while he was there the water rose several inches and the fish went to 'lock jaw' status. He trailered back up and went to the James arm and launched. He caught 6 keepers over there flipping the bushes.

My question is: Obviously, I would think this had to have something to do with the rising water and the high pressure that moved in. 10 degree rise in tempature and bluebird skies. For so many fish to be coming up shallow so fast then to just dissapear, where did they go?

I know they are not far away. Help me to understand where to look to find them again when a situation like this arises.

Thanks.